Sleeping With The Genny On

[wannabegone]

DW and I have several trips coming up in the next few months, we plan to leave straight from work and expect to spend several night boon docking in transit. With the summer heat I'm sure we will need the A/C to sleep comfortable. Without hook up I'll be running the genny to keep us cool. I know from being on this site for many years lots of people run the genny while sleeping but the DW read that it is not safe to sleep with it running. I understand the reasons for this but I'm wondering if there is any need for concern or is this just to satisfy the lawyers?

Has anyone here ever had any issues sleeping with the genny running?

[creeper]

sky_free wrote:
I know this is obvious, but if you are just "in transit", why not go to a cheap RV Park that has electrical hookups? They are everywhere, and you can sleep peacefully.

I guess you never camped on the East coast. Cheap and everywhere is not a term that is widely used.

[Bedlam]

Typically we park with the wind blowing exhaust away from the camper. There are times when this is not possible, so we use a GenTuri exhaust extension when the winds are shifting or unfavorable for our orientation. We did for hundreds of hours with our toy hauler and have about 190 hrs on our TC genset.

[billtex]

I would hope any RV that came with an on-board OE genny would be RVIA certified and safe to run at any time.

Not sure you would sleep much with all the noise/vibration.

If you are trying to sleep in truck stops...you will have plenty of noisy company. But it is a fairly safe place to get some sleep...

[Lantley]

Reddog1 wrote:
I wonder how many folks go to auto races?

More than 1 has died from CO at auto races.

[_DJ_1]

Reddog1 wrote:
I think living in the city is a better way to get CO in your camper. Driving on the highway, going up a long hill is probably even worse, you can even smell the odors from vehicle exhaust.

With the TC closed up without ventilation, you can use the oxygen and have serious problems.

Your TC must be much less drafty than mine!! In freezing weather I can feel cold air cascading in from many directions!!

I have run the furnace at night but never had the need for AC all night. Course I have never camped in Texas!! JMHO but I would not run a genny all night unless it was a portable unit that could be set some distance from the TC.

If your CO/smoke detectors are 7+ years old it's time to replace them.

[dunegoon1]

I use a TurboCool instead of an A/C unit and it will run for many hours off of the batteries. I found out also that sheets, blankets and "jammies" keep you too warm. You should pull the shades down if you sleep with minimal (or no) coverage, though....

I don't like it when others run their generators after 10:00 PM.

[Reddog1]

I wonder how many folks go to auto races?

[run100]

Personally, I would not (and don't) risk running the gen when going to bed. However, if you do, I've read that it's important to keep all windows closed tight to prevent fumes from entering the rv (you should probably research recommended practices). It makes no difference which way the exhaust is pointing, it matters which direction the wind is blowing.

The danger of carbon monoxide is how it accumulates in your blood and how long it takes to clear. Repeated exposure in a short period of time, continues to increase levels in your blood. None of us ever wants to discover where the tipping point is. Be careful!

[nycsteve]

sch911 wrote:

nycsteve wrote:
Its why God invented Co2 detectors. 🙂

CO Detector I think is what you meant...

Yea, them too.

[Reddog1]

I think living in the city is a better way to get CO in your camper. Driving on the highway, going up a long hill is probably even worse, you can even smell the odors from vehicle exhaust.

With the TC closed up without ventilation, you can use the oxygen and have serious problems.

[joebedford]

Reddog1 wrote:
I always leave more than one window open an inch or so, to allow for fresh air. Typically, it is the overhead vent and a window

I wouldn't do that with a generator running - good way to get CO inside the camper.

[gitpicker2009]

I've run mine through many nights, no problem. I do have a CO detector, but even without it, I'm not worried. The genset is outside, built into the AF1150, with the exhaust pipe clearly pointing away.

[Reddog1]

wannabegone, I think you have got it.

On a couple of occasions, I have ran my Honda and A/C while on the road. I fired them off about an hour or so before a planned stop for the night. It worked great for me.

I always leave more than one window open an inch or so, to allow for fresh air. Typically, it is the overhead vent and a window. My generator has never been an issue. It hangs off the back of my TC.

[NC_Roamer]

When stopping for a short overnight at Walmart, I have run our built-in generator all night in order to power the A/C. I always park well away from the main parking lot to not interfere with their customer parking spaces. And I have found that the generator noise is not an issue at a 24-hour Walmart.