Generator Use

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

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

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.