Generator Use

[Floridastorm]

I know that this question has been asked in other forums. But, can't seem to find any answer. When you are staying overnight in one of the "free" places, like Walmart, Kmart, Cracker Barrel, and a few others, are you able to run your motor home generator? In some parts of the country, in the summer, it is just too hot without AC. Can't run the AC without the generator running. :@

Thanks

[Dave_H_M]

Heck yeah, much quieter than the refer truck firing up next to you. :W

[DiskDoctr]

Be sure to test your Carbon Monoxide detector regularly. Wouldn't hurt to have one in EACH bedroom.

When there is a chance of someone else's generator being run near you....

Although rare, it happens EVERY YEAR that a family DIES from CO poisoning in a camper.

$40 is really cheap insurance for a detector (Nighthawk, with digital readout).

I agree "Courtesy" is the best course and will often keep you out of any conflicts

[pnichols]

I guess that's the only positive from having tinnitus. You don't mind RV generators running right next to you cuz you have a much louder one of your own right inside your head!

[jplante4]

I always try to be courteous. But if it's hot and I need A/C, the genny's going on at least to cool the place off. I can see myself sweltering in a parking lot and have a refer truck pull in next to me at 1 am.

[Floridastorm]

2oldman wrote:

jnharley wrote:
For us, if it is so hot that we need to run the generator all night, we just find a campground.

x2

Where I live, in Florida, I would be staying in RV Parks every night as one cannot stay overnight or for very long in a motor home without AC. In fact, driving down the road in Florida requires both the engine AC and overhead AC running as I found out when I owned a Class A a few years ago.

[bpyaroslaw]

When we traveled to Alaska from Saskatchewan, Walmart told us to park the farest away from the store. Also,some others did as well.

[JaxDad]

D.E.Bishop wrote:
Running your generator and AC is pretty noisy .....

I don't think you can make a blanket statement like that.

The genny on one of my units is directly under the bed and makes so little noise I can barely hear it. From outside neither the genset nor the a/c are more than a whisper.

[D_E_Bishop]

I read this the other day and didn't have a comment at the time, now I'm thinking, Walmart, Costco, Home Depot and the like are not camp grounds and as such you should not camp there.

Most of the places that have stopped us from a short overnight stays in their lots have done so because folks camp there. By that I mean, chairs out, sitting around having a beverage and in general drawing attention to themselves.

Running your generator and AC is pretty noisy and is camping, not just a quick stop for a few hours rest and maybe some shopping and then in a FEW hours, on your way.

So my answer is no you shouldn't do it.

[Veebyes]

Like some have said, be considerate. Not everyone has a genny that can run the A/C. Some have to tough it out & open windows no matter how hot. Don't pull up & park close to them. The noise is one thing. What is more concerning is where your genny exhaust is going.

If they arrive after you, well then it is up to them to move if the noise &/or exhaust bothers them.

[DrewE]

Rovin' Bones wrote:

Floridastorm wrote:
Has anyone ever stopped to figure how much it costs to run let's say a 4K gasoline generator for 8 straight hours?

I have an early 80s model Onan 4KW genset. I average about 1/2 to 3/4 gallon per hour. (Useage is typically on the higher end in colder temps).

That fuel consumption is about right; call it maybe $10 for eight hours of use at current gas prices. Around these parts, at least, it's pretty hard to find a campsite with an electric hookup for less than $30 to $40 a night. Also around these parts, it's also rare that one needs to run the air conditioner to be comfortable at night most of the time.

[Lantley]

Floridastorm wrote:
Has anyone ever stopped to figure how much it costs to run let's say a 4K gasoline generator for 8 straight hours? If it is significant then staying at a medium price RV park would probably make better sense. Sorry for my ignorance but, do most generators have thermostat controls on them where they can shut off and come back on depending upon the demand?

When its hot and humid out it really doesn't matter, I'll have to take the savings another time.
If I can afford to be out in the RV I can afford to run the A/C.
For me overnighting at wal Mart has nothing to do with saving money.
It's more about convenience and scheduling. Many just don't understand going to a CG can consume too much time or limit travel time when on a tight schedule. WAl Mart is quick and convenient.

[jnharley]

We have a built in generator but would still look for a campground if it was so warm that I needed a/c all night.

[pnichols]

We close all RV windows, doors, and vents while maintaining air pressure within the coach using a roof vent fan ... except for the vent with the fan in it. Very little air gets out except through cracks and leaks, hence very little hot air comes in. The result is a slight pressure being maintained within the coach - just enough so generator fumes cannot enter through any cracks and leaks in the coach's structure down low where the generator is. We also do this when traveling on unpaved roads to keep dust out of the interior. The technique works like a champ in both situations.

One cannot compare use of A/C all night when drycamping to use of A/C all night in a hookup campground. They're not the same type of RV camping. Using the A/C all night powered by a generator is because for a specific reason you intentionally do not want to camp at, or can't get to, a hookup campground. As expensive as self-contained RV's are, owners should be able to camp anywhere anytime in relative comfort for short periods of time - unless the builders of some of those "self-contained" RVs did not do a good enough job designing and/or building of those self-contained RVs.

[Rovin__Bones]

Floridastorm wrote:
Has anyone ever stopped to figure how much it costs to run let's say a 4K gasoline generator for 8 straight hours?

I have an early 80s model Onan 4KW genset. I average about 1/2 to 3/4 gallon per hour. (Useage is typically on the higher end in colder temps).