Does Anyone See A Need For a Portable Generator?

[obiwancanoli]

I have a 2017 Class A with an 8K onboard generator. Does anyone see a need to take a portable generator, and if so, would you kindly state your reasons?

I'm thinking I don't need to have this tool along on my adventures, most of which, I expect, will be boondocking hither and yon... and, having recently used a Honda 2K to charge my house batteries (don't ask, long story, not relevant), the small generator was ruined due to the high demands of the coach charging system.

Thanks for your input,

MJ

[pianotuna]

HumanFriendly01 wrote:
Has anyone used a genturi on a portable generator? its too late, we already have it

Probably best to start a new thread!

[HumanFriendly01]

Has anyone used a genturi on a portable generator? its too late, we already have it

[Chum_lee]

obiwancanoli wrote:
Thanks, everyone, for your input. As I suspected, there's really no good reason to have an external generator. FWIW, I have 600W solar, 4 LiPo batteries (400Ah), and no, I don't really want to have to store gas for the genny onboard... yes, I agree it's a hassle, that was one reason I posed the question... and I, too, typically run my onboard generator when using a high Amp appliance.

As for the consequences to the external genny, I don't know why it didn't function properly after charging my battery bank... it would start and run briefly, then shut down. Can't tell you if time has healed it, for it belonged to someone else, and he used his all the time for his setup (pull behind trailer, no onboard genny)... thankfully, he had two.

I'll save the external genny for power outages at home...

Well, you didn't say the above in your initial post. That said, there are other fellow RV'rs who AREN'T as well prepared as you. (full credit given to you) Having the remote jenny (just like a set of jumper cables) may help someone else out of a current jam they are in. RV life isn't just about you.

IME, what goes around, . . . comes around.


Chum lee

[BENTARROW21]

We use a 2000W Champion for my wife's CPAP since almost all our camping is boondocking. Runs all night on 1 tank at ecomomy setting, maybe a gallon. Keeps the batteries up and outside lights on.

[obiwancanoli]

rjstractor wrote:

theoldwizard1 wrote:

obiwancanoli wrote:
having recently used a Honda 2K to charge my house batteries (don't ask, long story, not relevant), the small generator was ruined due to the high demands of the coach charging system.

Sadly, you learned the hard way ! NEVER use the 12V outlet of a portable generator !! I don't know why they are even on most generators.

No idea how it was inferred that the 12V outlet was used, since nothing the OP wrote indicated that. In fact, nothing that the OP stated even indicates that the generator problem was directly due to using it to charge the coach batteries using the onboard charger. Chances are the generator is not ruined at all. First thing I would check is oil level. Those little Hondas have tiny crankcases- oil capacity is less than half a quart. But like any small gas engine, they use oil, and the harder the engine works the more oil it uses. It doesn't take much of a drop in oil level to trigger the generator's low oil shutoff, which will do exactly as the OP describes- the generator will start and run for a second or two, then die.

You know, I hadn't thought of that... I'll let my buddy know to check that... thanks!

[rjstractor]

theoldwizard1 wrote:

obiwancanoli wrote:
having recently used a Honda 2K to charge my house batteries (don't ask, long story, not relevant), the small generator was ruined due to the high demands of the coach charging system.

Sadly, you learned the hard way ! NEVER use the 12V outlet of a portable generator !! I don't know why they are even on most generators.

No idea how it was inferred that the 12V outlet was used, since nothing the OP wrote indicated that. In fact, nothing that the OP stated even indicates that the generator problem was directly due to using it to charge the coach batteries using the onboard charger. Chances are the generator is not ruined at all. First thing I would check is oil level. Those little Hondas have tiny crankcases- oil capacity is less than half a quart. But like any small gas engine, they use oil, and the harder the engine works the more oil it uses. It doesn't take much of a drop in oil level to trigger the generator's low oil shutoff, which will do exactly as the OP describes- the generator will start and run for a second or two, then die.

[CJW8]

I always take the 3.5k champion inverter generator to the sand dunes. We seldom need ac when winter camping there so why run the 7.5 k Gen? It travels in the enclosed trailer with the RZR so easy to load and unload.

[cjd10]

A few times a year we stay at some big drag racing events for sometimes 4 to 7 days. We carry a 3500W portable on the trailer with the golf cart to use at night when we only need 1 air conditioner. That little generator sips gas compared to running the big Onan 24 hrs a day

[johnhicks]

My situation is a bit odd because my MH has a propane-powered generator. If I have to run the furnace a lot plus run the generator I'll be sitting in the dark and cold in a fairly short time. Think of those folks caught in Texas last winter.

So I bought a small cheap Champion inverter generator to keep the power up, leaving the propane for the furnace. I can siphon gas out of the toad if needed.

[valhalla360]

obiwancanoli wrote:
As for the consequences to the external genny, I don't know why it didn't function properly after charging my battery bank... it would start and run briefly, then shut down. Can't tell you if time has healed it, for it belonged to someone else, and he used his all the time for his setup (pull behind trailer, no onboard genny)... thankfully, he had two.

Did the generator just not run your RV or will it run nothing else afterward (say plug a light directly into the generator, what happens)?

Portable inverter generators generally have an overload breaker built in and if you try to pull too much, it will cut the power to the outlets. Usually, you will hear the engine surge as the load drops off suddenly. Depending on the model, you often have to shut down and restart the generator to reset the breaker...of course, if you overload it right away, it will cut out again.

[valhalla360]

Ivylog wrote:
The best thing you can do for a generator is to use it and at half a gallon/hour, how much fuel are you saving with a portable...

Assuming the portable is in the 2000-4000w range, you aren't going to be burning anything close to 1/2 gal/hr. On our 2400w yamaha, we get 7-12hr out of a gallon. On the lower end if we are running the air/con and the higher end if not.

Still doesn't makes sense to take a portable if you have an onboard generator but make the choice with reasonable assumptions.

[DrewE]

obiwancanoli wrote:
In fact, this was one reason I was considering it... When I boondock, I search the area for downed wood I can use for a campfire, and usually, that wood would have to be cut with a saw. Absent a battery operated model, unless I were close enough to the coach to plug in, a small portable generator would come in handy... but if that's the only reason to have it along, methinks a quality battery operated reciprocating saw (or something similar) would be perfectly fine...

In my experience, power reciprocating saws don't work too well for firewood over maybe 1 1/2" to 2" in diameter; the stroke isn't long enough to let the blade clear sawdust from the middle part of the cut, and it collects and bogs things down. A decent battery-powered chain saw would be a far better option. A Corona Razortooth saw is remarkably good, too, and requires no batteries or gasoline or electricity--just some elbow grease, but not as much as a typical bowsaw.

[obiwancanoli]

wa8yxm wrote:
I will say YES a small one (100-200 watt inverter type precise size depends on your converter)

WHY... A Generac 1000 (True 1000 watt "Traditional" generator enclosed about as loud as a Honda EU-2000i at half load) will power a Progressive Dynamics 9180 (mine was a plug in module so I could feed JUST the converter) for a good 6-8 hours on a small tank of fuel.. The ONAN sucks between 3 and 8 gallons doing that. Though the noise is not much higher

But I liked being able to use the small one to top off the battery when needed instead of the big Onan.

Also,. from time to time I needed that thousand watts remote from the RV.. I have. for example an electric chain saw.

In fact, this was one reason I was considering it... When I boondock, I search the area for downed wood I can use for a campfire, and usually, that wood would have to be cut with a saw. Absent a battery operated model, unless I were close enough to the coach to plug in, a small portable generator would come in handy... but if that's the only reason to have it along, methinks a quality battery operated reciprocating saw (or something similar) would be perfectly fine...

[wa8yxm]

I will say YES a small one (100-200 watt inverter type precise size depends on your converter)

WHY... A Generac 1000 (True 1000 watt "Traditional" generator enclosed about as loud as a Honda EU-2000i at half load) will power a Progressive Dynamics 9180 (mine was a plug in module so I could feed JUST the converter) for a good 6-8 hours on a small tank of fuel.. The ONAN sucks between 3 and 8 gallons doing that. Though the noise is not much higher

But i liked being able to use teh small one to top off the battery when needed instead of the big Onan.

Also,. from time to time I needed that thousand watts remote from the RV.. I have. for example an electric chain saw.