Generator

I have a 2500 watt Onan in my Truck Camper that I am trading in. I hardly ever run it, I to do not like the noise. I do not like campgrounds either. That is the reason I have solar panels and dry camp so much. But some times you just have to have a little power. If I stay in a campground I will not run my generator before 10:00 am or after 7:00 pm. Do not worry if I am in a campground with you I will be quite

If the 4000 watt generator is 120/240 volt it has 2-120 volt lines which are only 2000 watts each.

I've NEVER read in these forums of anyone rejecting a used or new RV at purchase time due to a built-in generator being too loud. They may definitely want a built-in generator and would pass on an RV without one ... but have the dealer or current owner start the generator and then the prospective buyer reject the purchase if they didn't like what they heard ... doesn't seem to be happening.

I sure read a lot of owner complaints in these forums of too-loud, and/or too-smelly, and/or too-much-vibration built-in generators in their rigs. We can stop this over time by not buying RVs anymore with poor generator installations. For the price we pay for those built-ins in order to gain self-containment .... we deserve better and the only way to get it is to vote with our feet and wallets.

I don't know how the person running the loud generator can stand it. Right now I have a nasty loud water pump that's going to be replaced asap. I guess it depends on your tolerance for noise.

I figure you must be more concerned with how much money you spend rather than the quality of product you get, because nobody buys a cheap loud generator because that's what they really want. That's fine, lots do that. But dang, you're gonna have to live with that noise box for a long time.

We wouldn't want a loud generator being used too many hours at a time close to us in a campground, but then again we don't like other campers (except for traveling companions) close to us in a campground anyway - whether a hookup campground or drycamp campground. We prefer being a long way away from other campers - so far away that most any kind of generator doesn't bother us if used a few hours here and there.

Given the above scenarios ... we don't mind generators ... they're the sound of complete camping independence -> even from the sun. Generators allow us to be able to camp any time of day, anywhere, any season, and at any altitude. RV time and RV $$$ are too precious to have to follow the weather or hunt for hookup campsites.

2oldman wrote:

gbsb wrote:
can a regular 4000 watt generator be used on an rv.

after reading thousands of posts about generators, I conclude that a 'regular' generator (open frame, contractor style) is way too loud to be used near anyone else, unless you're at Nascar.

And just exactly why do you think that NASCAR is an exception ?
It isn't.

Anyway, that doesn't apply to all of the portable open-frame units either. At Daytona I was beside some folks who had a Honda 6500 in the back of their pickup. It was quiet as a mouse on "standby" and barely noticeable under full load at 10 feet. I suspect it costs a TON however. Other Honda's I've seen are similarly quiet.

You really should spend ten times that much of your money to make the experts on here happy.

The desert will never know the difference and you will like the one pull starts of the Champion.

I mostly dry camp (boon dock) so no body out in the desert cares how much noise I make . Most campgrounds I have stayed in had power, Why pay for a campground with no hook ups. I just wanted to know if the generator was compatible. the Champion 3500/4000 does have a 30 amp RV plug and is $270.00 at Home Depot. Thanks for the info I may make a sound deadening cover for it.

The OP states that he doesn't like crowded campgrounds so he may not be using it in a campground.

If that's his intention, then I also agree that it's not appropriate for campground usage.

Feel free to visit me but when using your generator please park far away.