Greetings, RV.net - been lurking a while and figured "high time" to try and ask a question I've not seen discussed, although I may be "search fu limited"...I'm looking at TC's to support my racing trips to distant events, 0.8k to 1.2k miles away. Will undoubtedly stay in a hotel at the event site (good showers are important!) but for nights along the way and for "office space" at the big events a TC really looks like the way to go. To my eye at least, the "boss" is not impressed with this idea...My question though, as I review candidate TC's, is about LP generators and refrigeration and air conditioning. I don't really want to go to a gas 2.5kw etc as I don't want to have another thing to set up or carry another fuel, and I don't want to try and run a Honda or Yamaha on race gas LOL. I guess I wonder how important is it, really, to have a TC that is generator-ready; and given that, can I reasonably expect to run the fridge and a built-in genny (for A/C or heat) for a day on a tank of LP?Thanks and regards,- Jeff(can't figure out how to do a signature yet!)

Get solid info about propane usage on generator you are considering. I have inverter generator build in in my 2004 camper, that suppose to use much less than constant speed generators, yet still the way I camp- I don't use AC and the generator is not only dead weight, but takes pretty big storage. Than even considering that I might go camping to Nevada, where do I find propane station there? Not like carrying 5 propane cylinders is going to be as easy as 4 gas cans. Lot of things to consider, but would I "build" my camper like I we can build our trucks, I would order one without generator, only 25lb propane cylinder as the 70lb I am carrying is dead weight as well and just have vented storage to put Honda 2000 or equivalent in it.Even having build-in generator in old motorhome, I did carry Honda 3000 with me. Honda3000 run my 15k AC constantly for 13 hr on 2.5 gallons tank. Take a piece of paper and calculate.

After watching a friend of mine use a cylinder of propane every 8 - 10 hours on his truck camper - he usually travels with 4 - 6 cylinder when going to the desert for a three day weekend.Bill

Heat and fridge can run off propane and the furnace also uses 12V. You only potentially need AC power for the air conditioner. If you buy a heat strip for the air conditioner, you also can create heat from the generator. Overall, I think you'd be much better off with a Honda gasoline generator. NOTE: I have a built in Onan LP generator. There are more threads here about the subject.

Speaking as someone who is in California where the temps in the summers are generally very mild once in the mountains I'm probably not the most qualified to comment but for what it is worth...I don't see a generator as being a viable method of running the AC for any extended period of time. The tanks on campers aren't big enough and it's super expensive to do it regardless of tank size. That being said, if your boon-docking in parking lots and not paying for a place to stay at night, burning propane to stay cool might actually come out ahead in the money department but your still stuck finding propane at least every other day.From my own experience, my propane generator is LOUD (is that just common for the Onan's?) and it causes a lot of vibration in the camper because it's mounted to it. I'll only use it to fire the micro-wave or running the blender but that is about it. I wouldn't think about using it for extended periods of time if I was trying to catch some sleep. Also consider that running the generator in those closed compartments on hot days could lead to more maintenance or possibly burning the thing up resulting in a paper weight or very expensive repair bill.I'd suggest first looking for a really well insulated camper that comes with at least two fantastic fans coupled with some large batteries (I have two AGM deep cycle that sit saddlebag style in my truck bed up front to balance the weight). Even after three days of not moving they still are 75% charged usually. Go without the onboard generator and just use it to store a Honda or Yamaha that is strong enough to power your AC when you need to do so. Get by as much as you can with the fantastic fans but for the nights you can't, setup the generator a few feet away from the truck and enjoy a good night's sleep. Though you have to carry another type of fuel, it is everywhere diesel can be had and fairly compact for the amount of run-time you will get out of a couple of gallons.

The fridge is a non-issue. Camper fridges run on propane, very tiny amounts of it. For the A/C, you'll need generator power. The built in propane units are convenient but they use too much propane. A portable Honda EU2000 isn't quite powerful enough, and an EU3000 is too big and heavy. Are you pulling a trailer? If so, get the twin EU2000s or single EU3000 and carry it in the trailer and use that.

talk to me about built-in LP gennies... | Good Sam Community

72 Replies

batchman
Explorer
Aug 30, 2016
lightning driver wrote:

But did you get a Diesel Dually? That race car stuff can be stupid expensive. Ask me how I know?

Ha! Why yes, yes I did! But thinking I best keep the cost of the rig below that of the race car, and since the race car of the moment is a C4 Corvette, that is one heckuva challenge. So I bought a CC/LB DRW with a 6.9 and a Banks Turbo. Of course I have to put in an overdrive trans to get past 45mph, but hey what the heck!

Glad I'm not the only one (nice rig, by the way...),
- Jeff
lightning_drive
Explorer
Aug 28, 2016
batchman wrote:
mkirsch wrote:
I just looked at the regulations for the PA Turnpike tunnels, and it only applies to placarded vehicles (i.e. commercial trucks carrying more than Xlbs of propane). If you are hauling the legally-allowed amount of propane for a passenger vehicle (four 20lb cylinders is the limit in NY state), I don't think you count.

Ah HA! It was the PA Turnpike tunnels that made me think of this. Of course it's about placarded vehicles, and we now have proof that I just think too much.

Thank you very, very much!
- Jeff

(on edit) Since we have established that I think too much, I bought a dualie. Didn't want to sweat a rear tire failure with a 7k trailer full of race car. Of course in Massachusetts that's an automatic commercial plate. Hmmmm.

But did you get a Diesel Dually? That race car stuff can be stupid expensive. Ask me how I know? :R
batchman
Explorer
Aug 27, 2016
mkirsch wrote:
I just looked at the regulations for the PA Turnpike tunnels, and it only applies to placarded vehicles (i.e. commercial trucks carrying more than Xlbs of propane). If you are hauling the legally-allowed amount of propane for a passenger vehicle (four 20lb cylinders is the limit in NY state), I don't think you count.

Ah HA! It was the PA Turnpike tunnels that made me think of this. Of course it's about placarded vehicles, and we now have proof that I just think too much.

Thank you very, very much!
- Jeff

(on edit) Since we have established that I think too much, I bought a dualie. Didn't want to sweat a rear tire failure with a 7k trailer full of race car. Of course in Massachusetts that's an automatic commercial plate. Hmmmm.
Kayteg1
Explorer II
Aug 27, 2016
lonegunman wrote:
Kayteg1 wrote:
For those running propane generator for heat- research the subject as propane tanks need heat for changing from liquid to vapor stage and at certain temperature it ain't going to happen.

It seems to happen just fine to zero degrees. I'll be careful if I camp on the Hudson Bay in winter.

Did you run generator at this temperature.
Propane vaporize at -44F, but as I stated you need lot of heat to do it, so when small water heater will work fine below 0, high flow will drop the cylinder temperature down to -44F and no kudos.
mkirsch
Nomad II
Aug 26, 2016
batchman wrote:
So, what happens on transit stages (LOL) - do you have to avoid tunnels and bridges?

It occurred to me I could just travel empty but then I'd have to prime when I get to my destination - is that trouble?

Quite frankly, I don't think anyone gives it a second thought. They fill up before they leave, and go where they want using the most convenient route to get there.

I just looked at the regulations for the PA Turnpike tunnels, and it only applies to placarded vehicles (i.e. commercial trucks carrying more than Xlbs of propane). If you are hauling the legally-allowed amount of propane for a passenger vehicle (four 20lb cylinders is the limit in NY state), I don't think you count.
lonegunman
Explorer
Aug 26, 2016
Kayteg1 wrote:
For those running propane generator for heat- research the subject as propane tanks need heat for changing from liquid to vapor stage and at certain temperature it ain't going to happen.

It seems to happen just fine to zero degrees. I'll be careful if I camp on the Hudson Bay in winter.
Kayteg1
Explorer II
Aug 25, 2016
I live 2 miles from tunnel, but only commercial fuel trucks are restricted (one of those crashed there about 40 years ago burning a number of people).
On BC ferries, where I go occasionally you have to shut off tank valves, what I do when driving anyway.
From what I know there is no restrictions anywhere in carrying small tanks as long as they are shut off.
We need propane for other things regardless, so you can't go without it, but too bad the propane generators offer such bad efficiency.
I still yet have to try how many hr my inverter generator will run on 30lb of propane powering AC.
batchman
Explorer
Aug 25, 2016
So, what happens on transit stages (LOL) - do you have to avoid tunnels and bridges?

It occurred to me I could just travel empty but then I'd have to prime when I get to my destination - is that trouble?

Thanks,
- Jeff
(can you tell I'm a noob?)
Kayteg1
Explorer II
Aug 24, 2016
I like your setup.
On my Fletwood the compartment is not only high above the ground, what is not a problem as I can (still) lift the cylinders, but there is minimal clearance for the cylinders in it and sliding them in horizontally require care to make the back feet fit into holding bracket.
Not only the switch over is on front of them, what require removal at each tie, but originally the floor at the door had sticking up bolt, that suppose to secure the tanks, but was scratching the paint on cylinders.
As I said I put longer hose for emergency and got rid of sticking bolts, but still pulling the cylinders for refill is not the job I am looking forward to do.
Bedlam
Moderator
Aug 24, 2016
The big door you see on the left rear side of the camper holds the two 30# cylinders side by side.I'm over 6' tall and can easily heft them in and attach them even when the TC is on the truck, so swapping out the cylinders is easy for me. Four spare cylinders are strapped against the side wall inside my enclosed trailer.