Best way to use/mount Generator in the Trailer Tongue area

Having a slow charger for off-grid camping is certainly frustrating. The solution is to have a fast charger :) This lets you keep the gen in the truck and just use it for an hour or two a day (or every other day maybe every three days--depends on your whole situation and set-up), which leaves the rest of the day to go away from the campsite as desired.

The idea in general is to use an inverter off the batteries for your 120v needs, except for battery charging. Then just use the gen and a high amp charger to restore the batteries.

No need to be an unhappy camper.

Fine leaving genny in the truck but if you go somewhere, how do you charge the battery's? We where in Yellowstone and genny run time is 8am to 8 pm. And at 8 oh three someone was at my door complaining. The low budget POS of convertor they supplied with the camper needed all day to get the batterys charged. Cabled with Kryptonite cable and lock around bumper. Always there when we got back. By the way the complainer was in a MH over 100 yards away and said she had to listen to it all day long. A honda 2k. Why was she there all day and man, great hearing.

otrfun wrote:
How many of you mount/use your generator in the trailer tongue area (using a generator/battery tray)? How do you deal with the issues of heat, vibration, water intrusion, and theft?

Pics would be especially helpful if you have them!

Thanks!

You didn't mention weight. TTs are not 5ers, but even with a 5er we keep the gen in the truck. Any extra weight available at the front of the trailer would go towards more batteries, not a gen.

It will need to be mounted on Lord Mounts and in a box made for generators. They are available on Ebay or at Onan. It will be secure as you can lock the box. Heat and water are no problem as I carried one on a Peterbilt frame for 430,000 miles.

HERE is a possibility.

This was posted on the net here a month or so ago... Neat install...


TRAVELING WITH HONDA

I don't think I would ever feel good about mounting my 2KW Generator out in plain view on my trailer tongue. This is where my Batteries and Propane tanks go hehe... Mounting one on the rear of the trailers would probably shake the generator to death...

Having a generator sitting out in plain view is just saying to everyone "TAKE ME, TAKE ME"

How long do you think this generator install would last..


Of course the thieves will take any generator no matter where you have it installed so I'm thinking "out-of-sight out-of-mind" is probably the best protection you can have. When you have one in plain view and you have to run off and leave one unattended chances are it will not be there when you come back (even in broad daylight). In my travels I have been witness to such events... It only takes seconds to cut chains and locks with cutting tools or large cutters.

My generator stays in the back of my truck bed sitting in the tail gate corner. I have it secured to the inside of the truck bed with a steel lock cable which allows me to pull the generator out onto the tail gate when I need to use it. My truck bed is covered with one of those hard plastic folding panel covers (Fold-a-cover brand) and of course when unattended the truck tailgate gets locked up.



The tailgate area is perfect for my generator setup as the trailer shore power cable length fits just perfect to connect to the generator. I will angle the generator so that the exhaust points away from anything... The generator does not take up much room sitting in the tailgate corner of the truck. I also have the provided generator cover in place when not in use.

My generator stays with me where ever I go and actually has saved the day for me and others where emergency power is needed. I have rescued many folks in the parking lots with vehicles that have run down batteries (Including myself). Great for yard use and projects at home always having the generator ready to be used when needed.

You gotta do what you gotta do but I am very happy with my generator installed location. Works great for us....

Roy Ken

skipnchar wrote:
Those are ALL good reasons to avoid a permanently mounted on the tongue generator. ON my trailer at least, I can also add a very crowded situation on the tongue without adding the gen there. It was a stretch to get the two 6 volt batteries alone mounted there.

I never mentioned anything about "permanently" mounting a generator on the trailer tongue. I need to mount/use/place it somewhere while it's being used. Since I have a very large generator/battery tray on my toy hauler it seems like a logical place to put it while it's being used. Anyhow, it appears you're not fond of the tongue area. Where do you suggest I put it?

Those are ALL good reasons to avoid a permanently mounted on the tongue generator. ON my trailer at least, I can also add a very crowded situation on the tongue without adding the gen there. It was a stretch to get the two 6 volt batteries alone mounted there.