Running a generator

[Lokin4deer]

I have been knocking around the idea of buying a generator for home primarily but it would be nice to be able to use this when we boon dock as we travel for AC(mostly overnights at Walmart) My concern is running this overnight. Do any of you run theirs in the bed of your truck with a camper shell on the trucks? I have 2 sliding windows in my camper shell that I could open for ventilation but I am worried about over heating the genny or flooding the cab with exhaust fumes which could be an issue when we get back into to drive the next day. I would have to rework my electric tongue jack to be able to drop my tailgate to use the genny outside the truck and then obviously secure it somehow. Right now I am looking at the Champion generator. And NO I will not be running this at any campgrounds like I said primarily this is for home use just trying to duel purpose it, Thanks for help.

[Lokin4deer]

Thanks everyone for all the comments you have given some great ideas and some stuff to think about!

[opnspaces]

All I can say is try it in the driveway and see how loud and how hot it gets. In my opinion the CO getting outside and into the TT is almost a non-issue. But I would just buy a $30 CO detector at Home Depot and set it on the table next to my pillow in case of the unlikely event of the CO getting onto the trailer.

As far as CO leaking into the truck cab, that's a real non issue. When you're getting ready to leave in the morning, unlock the truck cap door. Hold your breath, reach in and shut off the generator. Then go unlock and open the doors of the truck and let it air out. (for extra measure set your CO detector on the front seat after opening the doors.

If you're super concerned start the truck and turn the vent fan on high and make sure it's set to pull outside air. You can also drive with the windows open for a mile or two if it concerns you.

That's what I would do at least.

[cbwallace]

2oldman wrote:

cbwallace wrote:
Additionally, CO2 is heavier than air so using the setup described over night would dump a lot of CO2 right under the front of the trailer where you are sleeping. CO2 detectors help, but mine is located in the back half of the trailer by my fridge and furnace. Not sure it is worth the risk.

You are probably referring to CO, not CO2. CO is slightly LIGHTER than air.

And yes, OP does not want to be sleeping with a gigantic CO generator a few feet away.

Brain fart! Regardless, I'll pass running a generator while I am sleeping.

[colliehauler]

hohenwald48 wrote:

2oldman wrote:

cbwallace wrote:
Additionally, CO2 is heavier than air so using the setup described over night would dump a lot of CO2 right under the front of the trailer where you are sleeping. CO2 detectors help, but mine is located in the back half of the trailer by my fridge and furnace. Not sure it is worth the risk.

You are probably referring to CO, not CO2. CO is slightly LIGHTER than air.

And yes, OP does not want to be sleeping with a gigantic CO generator a few feet away.

Motorhomer's do it every night. And in most cases those generators exhaust out below the belly of the motorhome. But it's a decision each individual has to make on their own.

Motorhome and toy haulers have a exhaust that vents out the side not under the belly. They also have a fan for cooling that draws in air and exits out beside the exhaust pipe.

[2oldman]

2oldman wrote:
And yes, OP does not want to be sleeping with a gigantic CO generator a few feet away.

hohen wrote:
Motorhomer's do it every night..

Ok, I'll qualify: I do not want to be sleeping feet away from CO that's not properly exhausted. Whether the OP does is up to him.

[hohenwald48]

2oldman wrote:

cbwallace wrote:
Additionally, CO2 is heavier than air so using the setup described over night would dump a lot of CO2 right under the front of the trailer where you are sleeping. CO2 detectors help, but mine is located in the back half of the trailer by my fridge and furnace. Not sure it is worth the risk.

You are probably referring to CO, not CO2. CO is slightly LIGHTER than air.

And yes, OP does not want to be sleeping with a gigantic CO generator a few feet away.

Motorhomer's do it every night. And in most cases those generators exhaust out below the belly of the motorhome. But it's a decision each individual has to make on their own.

[hohenwald48]

It's true that CO is slightly lighter than air. However, when mixed with hot exhaust gas it becomes significantly lighter than air and is easily dissipated up. For the same reasons that a hot air balloon goes up.

Of course in an enclosed truck bed the exhaust and accompanying CO would not be allowed to freely rise into the atmosphere.

[2oldman]

cbwallace wrote:
Additionally, CO2 is heavier than air so using the setup described over night would dump a lot of CO2 right under the front of the trailer where you are sleeping. CO2 detectors help, but mine is located in the back half of the trailer by my fridge and furnace. Not sure it is worth the risk.

You are probably referring to CO, not CO2. CO is slightly LIGHTER than air.

And yes, OP does not want to be sleeping with a gigantic CO generator a few feet away.

[cbwallace]

I tried this in my driveway to see how well it would work. I have 2 Honda's paralleled and a topper on my truck. With both side windows open, a fan in one of them and the back shut on a 85 degree day. After running about 30 minutes I opened the back to see how hot it was inside and how much the exhaust had built up and both were pretty significant. I'm not sure this would be a viable solution for several hours. Additionally, CO2 is heavier than air so using the setup described over night would dump a lot of CO2 right under the front of the trailer where you are sleeping. CO2 detectors help, but mine is located in the back half of the trailer by my fridge and furnace. Not sure it is worth the risk.

[2oldman]

Lokin4deer wrote:
it would be nice to be able to use this when we boon dock as we travel for AC(mostly overnights at Walmart) My concern is running this overnight.

You'd never find me running a generator overnight in a Walmart. Attracts unwanted attention, and truck beds tend to amplify noise.

Where are you planning on being to require nighttime A/C?

[colliehauler]

I wonder if there's a way to run the exhaust outside. This would accomplish two things, it would get rid of the carbon monoxide and would bring in cool air to replace what went out the exhaust.

[RoyB]

We can get by just fine with our 255AH battery running the lights and home entertainment items etc...

I have a 2kw Honda generator secured in the tail gate corner of my truck but the only time I run it is the mornings when allowed to charge up my battery bank using the on-board converter/charger in the trailer.

This is when we make up our fresh ground bean coffee for the day pored up into a thermos as well...

Sometimes when parked at a WALMART overnite we hear a couple of generator running- These are from those big trailers with built-in generators. I have run mine to make some coffee before hitting the road...

A few times when we were really tired we would sleeping in the truck seats and it is fun waking up to kids and their parents walking by the truck and hearing the kids hey someone is sleeping in the their hehe... Then we know we have over slept haha...

Roy Ken

[djousma]

I wouldnt run that generator in the back of the truck, enclosed. I have the Champion 3100 inverter. Its not just the exhaust thats hot, but the air vent on the same end as the exhaust that also vents very hot air while running too. Killed my grass in just over 3 hours in that spot.

[hohenwald48]

I don't think you would have any problem at all. Just install a fan in the truck cap window and that should provide plenty of ventilation for cooling and exhaust.

I have had 6 motorhomes before getting the current TT. I once ran my generator in my class A diesel pusher for 3 weeks non-stop. No problems at all. Slept like a baby. Carbon monoxide detectors in the TT should alert at the first sign of trouble. I always had/have more than one CO detector installed.

[Lokin4deer]

Thanks that feed back I had thought about leaving my shell door open but adding a fan was a good idea.

popeyemth wrote:

Lokin4deer wrote:
I have been knocking around the idea of buying a generator for home primarily but it would be nice to be able to use this when we boon dock as we travel for AC(mostly overnights at Walmart) My concern is running this overnight. Do any of you run theirs in the bed of your truck with a camper shell on the trucks? I have 2 sliding windows in my camper shell that I could open for ventilation but I am worried about over heating the genny or flooding the cab with exhaust fumes which could be an issue when we get back into to drive the next day. I would have to rework my electric tongue jack to be able to drop my tailgate to use the genny outside the truck and then obviously secure it somehow. Right now I am looking at the Champion generator. And NO I will not be running this at any campgrounds like I said primarily this is for home use just trying to duel purpose it, Thanks for help.

That's what we do with our Champion 3500
Also open the rear truck cover window and don't forget to chain up the genny
At lunch stops when it's super hot out I'll sometimes put a fan on the genny