LP generators fuel consumption

[Aka_the_breeze]

Looking into adding an Onan 5.5 LP Generator to my fifth wheel.... I already have the prep kit... If I install the LP version , how long are you guys running them without swapping both bottles? I have 2 @ 30# but have access to 40#. ... Full load ?? Half load ??

[pianotuna]

I've experienced 46 c (114 f) in Montana. Not at all pleasant.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Stupid Laughlin hotel thermometer was picking up temperatures from the middle of as asphalt parking lot.

116F TRUE hurts, I could not drive with my driver's window rolled down. When it hit 122F (Twice in my life) I had to drape a soaking towel over my head. (Sonoyta Chihuahua -July) In 1985 in July Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, I wrapped myself in a soaking wet sheet and sat in front of a fan. I had three roof air units going and inside temps were around 110F.

Reading these accounts of high temperatures I can only wonder if I am -that- different. Temperatures in excess of 110F, meaning direct sun's rays, make exposed skin feel like it is burning. 120F+ is torture. Deadly. Touch -anything- with the sun's rays playing on it and my hand jerks back. "Ouch!"

Quicksilver has a 5-row, 32 fins per inch radiator for a reason. One hundred twenty degree plus temperatures make asphalt roads squishy. I remember Mex 15 sounded like it was wet. The highway to Laughlin north of "Needless" had patches that gooshed like oatmeal.

I am so nervous about traveling in that kind of heat, I'll do most anything to avoid it. I drove 40 mph rather than 60 fearing for the tires. Eyes nervously monitoring engine temperatures.

I wonder just how accurate some of these posts are?

No thanks

[Kayteg1]

Lantley you have valid point that in the weather you used to drive - cooling 5er with 2 AC might not be a problem, but just beware that once in a while you might run into such weather, so don't take the procedure for granted.
Generator fails, AC fails, thermostat fails, s***t just happens.
Beside, when you use 6 gallons of propane to cool down 5er so you can go for lunch, the cost of running will exceed dog lunch at restaurants 😉

[Lantley]

joshuajim wrote:
Lantley - When is the last time you saw 126 degrees in MD? I've seen that here where I live and 100 + teens is normal. You don't seem to know what you don't know.

Learn

You said it I'm in MD. 126ºF is not an issue for me. It is not my normal.
Your correct I don't know of 126º temps. in MD..
I have not experienced 126º in MD have you? Has anyone else?
I live in a land where the grass and trees are green. It gets cold in the winter and snows at sea level. I have yet to see 126º in MD during the summer and I imagine I never will.

Not sure what the weather in the desert has to do with using my lp genset to run the A/C in my RV on the east coast but I guess you have made a relevant connection.
Your link refers to leaving a pet in a car. One of the reasons I have the genset is so I don't have to leave the dog in the car.
I leave him in the RV with the A/C on.
Are we even on the same page?:S Have you read the entire post:h

Remember RV'ing is really not that complicated. When its hot out I leave the dog in the RV with the A/C on. I am on the east cost where it gets plenty hot but I'm not talking extreme desert temps.
I have been traveling this way for about 8 years without any calamities

[Kayteg1]

My extreme was Las Vegas about 25 years ago.
Hotel thermometers where showing 125F outside. The outside thermometer on my motorhome was showing 140F parking lot temperature.
Inside all plastic pens melted.
Not too many RVer will go into extreme temperatures, but those hundreds of pets don't die every year in vehicles for no reason.

[joshuajim]

Lantley - When is the last time you saw 126 degrees in MD? I've seen that here where I live and 100 + teens is normal. You don't seem to know what you don't know.

Learn

[time2roll]

ford truck guy wrote:
People who don't understand... Won't understand... Not sure they will ever get it... we treat our dogs as good as our 2 legged kids...

I know some take the dogs in and order food from the restaurant menu to feed them.
Yes they usually all have to sit on the patio. Likewise when they stay at a top line hotel the dogs get a meat patty or similar from room service.

Stay in the trailer in comparison is hardly treated as family or child.

[Aka_the_breeze]

Lantley wrote:

Kayteg1 wrote:

Aka the breeze wrote:


Thanks , this is the type of answer I was looking for... I am on shore power 90% of the time... It's for the 2-3 times a year we go boondocking...and for the short stops during travel with the dogs...We can cool down the RV and they can stay there...so basically, we would be the same type of user...so it sounds like 28 hrs at full use out of 2 40# tanks is not out of the question...

I don't know what is your experience with RV, but I guess you have seen Prevost conversion with 5 AC on the roof?
They are there for a reason.
When you travel with your 5er in 3-digits temperatures, the interior can get into 140F range.
When you stop for lunch in no shade place and start 2 of your AC, maybe 2 hr later the interior temperature will drop below 100F, maybe not.
Even if you park in shade and manage to cool down 5er to 90F, leaving the dogs inside brings some legal restriction.
CA law for example require leaving tilted window and water, but basic common sense says you need some kind of monitoring so your dogs will not die when you drink a beer after lunch.
Some people use iPhones with camera pointed on RV floor and thermometer in view.
I will not even get into restrictions that might not allow leaving running engine unattended on public street, or parking.

Luckily we are not in CA. RV life does not have to be so complicated.
I pull up to Cracker Barrel. I get out and start A/C in 5'er. I take the dog for a walk while my family get themselves together and they go in to get a table. After walking the dog I will make sure he has food and water and put him in the fiver. He knows the drill and make himself comfortable on the doggy bed. I then go in and eat.
Thankfully, we don't have the bureau of dogs in RV's here on the east coast.
Common sense tells me the dog is not going to die in the 45 minutes it takes me to eat lunch. No cameras necessary.

Thanks for explaining to them... Been camping for close to 30 years . all of which had pets with me... They are part of the family , and would feel just as comfortable as one of my 2 legged kids.. I guess there is no explaining to folks who don't know...

[ford_truck_guy]

Lantley wrote:

Kayteg1 wrote:

Aka the breeze wrote:


Thanks , this is the type of answer I was looking for... I am on shore power 90% of the time... It's for the 2-3 times a year we go boondocking...and for the short stops during travel with the dogs...We can cool down the RV and they can stay there...so basically, we would be the same type of user...so it sounds like 28 hrs at full use out of 2 40# tanks is not out of the question...

I don't know what is your experience with RV, but I guess you have seen Prevost conversion with 5 AC on the roof?
They are there for a reason.
When you travel with your 5er in 3-digits temperatures, the interior can get into 140F range.
When you stop for lunch in no shade place and start 2 of your AC, maybe 2 hr later the interior temperature will drop below 100F, maybe not.
Even if you park in shade and manage to cool down 5er to 90F, leaving the dogs inside brings some legal restriction.
CA law for example require leaving tilted window and water, but basic common sense says you need some kind of monitoring so your dogs will not die when you drink a beer after lunch.
Some people use iPhones with camera pointed on RV floor and thermometer in view.
I will not even get into restrictions that might not allow leaving running engine unattended on public street, or parking.

Luckily we are not in CA. RV life does not have to be so complicated.
I pull up to Cracker Barrel. I get out and start A/C in 5'er. I take the dog for a walk while my family get themselves together and they go in to get a table. After walking the dog I will make sure he has food and water and put him in the fiver. He knows the drill and make himself comfortable on the doggy bed. I then go in and eat.
Thankfully, we don't have the bureau of dogs in RV's here on the east coast.
Common sense tells me the dog is not going to die in the 45 minutes it takes me to eat lunch. No cameras necessary.

People who don't understand... Won't understand... Not sure they will ever get it... we treat our dogs as good as our 2 legged kids...

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Strong points and weak points. I loved the family tightly Ensconced at Tuolemne Meadows in Yosemite. Wife ran the generator - hubby was fishing. Come six PM he returns to find no gas for cooking or heat no hookups and the nearest gas 70-miles down Tioga Pass to Mammoth. I loaned him a 100 # cylinder and hose bib and did the reconnect. His neighbor my customer watched out my cylinder did not run off following the family home. My customer was a salty retired Marine Sargeant Major.

Myself my LPG engines leaked oil and everyone who worked on them told me not to sweat it - all LPG engines leak lube oil out of cork engine gaskets.

[Lantley]

Kayteg1 wrote:

Aka the breeze wrote:


Thanks , this is the type of answer I was looking for... I am on shore power 90% of the time... It's for the 2-3 times a year we go boondocking...and for the short stops during travel with the dogs...We can cool down the RV and they can stay there...so basically, we would be the same type of user...so it sounds like 28 hrs at full use out of 2 40# tanks is not out of the question...

I don't know what is your experience with RV, but I guess you have seen Prevost conversion with 5 AC on the roof?
They are there for a reason.
When you travel with your 5er in 3-digits temperatures, the interior can get into 140F range.
When you stop for lunch in no shade place and start 2 of your AC, maybe 2 hr later the interior temperature will drop below 100F, maybe not.
Even if you park in shade and manage to cool down 5er to 90F, leaving the dogs inside brings some legal restriction.
CA law for example require leaving tilted window and water, but basic common sense says you need some kind of monitoring so your dogs will not die when you drink a beer after lunch.
Some people use iPhones with camera pointed on RV floor and thermometer in view.
I will not even get into restrictions that might not allow leaving running engine unattended on public street, or parking.

Luckily we are not in CA. RV life does not have to be so complicated.
I pull up to Cracker Barrel. I get out and start A/C in 5'er. I take the dog for a walk while my family get themselves together and they go in to get a table. After walking the dog I will make sure he has food and water and put him in the fiver. He knows the drill and make himself comfortable on the doggy bed. I then go in and eat.
Thankfully, we don't have the bureau of dogs in RV's here on the east coast.
Common sense tells me the dog is not going to die in the 45 minutes it takes me to eat lunch. No cameras necessary.

[Kayteg1]

Aka the breeze wrote:


Thanks , this is the type of answer I was looking for... I am on shore power 90% of the time... It's for the 2-3 times a year we go boondocking...and for the short stops during travel with the dogs...We can cool down the RV and they can stay there...so basically, we would be the same type of user...so it sounds like 28 hrs at full use out of 2 40# tanks is not out of the question...

I don't know what is your experience with RV, but I guess you have seen Prevost conversion with 5 AC on the roof?
They are there for a reason.
When you travel with your 5er in 3-digits temperatures, the interior can get into 140F range.
When you stop for lunch in no shade place and start 2 of your AC, maybe 2 hr later the interior temperature will drop below 100F, maybe not.
Even if you park in shade and manage to cool down 5er to 90F, leaving the dogs inside brings some legal restriction.
CA law for example require leaving tilted window and water, but basic common sense says you need some kind of monitoring so your dogs will not die when you drink a beer after lunch.
Some people use iPhones with camera pointed on RV floor and thermometer in view.
I will not even get into restrictions that might not allow leaving running engine unattended on public street, or parking.

[road-runner]

Kayteg1 wrote:

What makes me really upset is that inverter technology is over 10 years old

29 years for Honda, and 18 years for the current technology! The ex300, fixed RPM and MSW output came out in 1987, 29 years ago. The ex500, with fixed RPM, sine wave output, and parallel capability hit the market in 1996, 20 years ago, and the eu9i added variable engine speed in 1998. Even Honda didn't use the inverter technology when they built RV gensets.

[dbbls]

First of all, you will never be running at full load all the time. If you are not going to run both AC's at the same time, why go with a 5500 watt gen. A 3600 propane unit will provide 30 amps of service. It will use less fuel than the 5500. You will probably not run the gen overnight either. Too noisy right below the bed. Plus the propane you use will go a long way on park rent.