Using a generator - RV-Dreams Community Forum

gypsy97 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Using a generator

Roz · RV-Dreams Family Member

Marty,

Your cell phone and laptop computer can be charged from your truck battery. They usually rebound faster from a 12v DC charge than from a 110 AC.

Running a genset just for the amount of time you need 110v electricity is great. Why run it more?

Your worry meter spikes. You will be fine. Relax and begin to enjoy your upcoming adventure.

Speedhitch · RV-Dreams Family Member

That is what we do. We run ours at night and charge up cell phones and run the computers and the TV and do all the electrical stuff for one hour. In the morning we run it for one hour to make coffee and vacuum and do what ever. Two hours a day on the gen keeps it in good health and you don't use that much fuel. Don't worry you will do fine once you get the hang of it.

joe and Sherri

gypsy97 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks Charles & Joe. I feel a lot better after reading your responses. I know I'll work it out, but if I can't figure something out I won't be able to dash off a post to the forum! I gotta ask all the questions before I get there.

I definitely think 2 hrs a day will be more than enough, especially if I don't need the a/c, and at 6100 ft I might not need it at all. I don't have tv, won't be able to use the internet, so that leaves me with a radio and computer games, lol. I will get a lot of reading done, but mainly plan to get up with the dawn and go to bed with the sunset. It worked for people in the olden days I guess.

gypsy

RVDude · RV-Dreams Family Member

Marty - Roz has you well covered.... Get those 12v adapters for your phone and 'puter. Your truck battery will not even know your tapping it for a charge. Beside, You'll be starting it every few days I suppose.

You might consider an inverter on your rig to handle the coffee maker and grinder. Adding solar like Howard did will be your ultimate answer for living the Lassen life-style.

Depending on the size of your genset, you might be able to run all those things you mention all at once - but if you do all those at once consider selling tickets, I'd like to see that show of an RVer in hyper-action!!!! smile

You'll be fine, smell the coffee, er, I mean roses...

BTW - when you get to Lassen, let me know how the septic system out there is performing. My very dear friend was the civil engineer who designed and installed the system out there maybe some 10 years ago and I'd like to check up on her work!!!!

gypsy97 · RV-Dreams Family Member

I will definitely let you know about that RVDude, and I sure hope that septic system is working fine!

You mention inverter, and the RV service guy today mentioned inverter, and I keep hearing about it. However, when I try to read about it or someone tells me what it does, my eyes seem to glaze over. I think my brain is wired to understand many things, but not inverters. So if you or anyone can tell me, in "inverters for dummies" language, I'd be willing to give it another try. Talk to me like I'm a kid - I won't mind this time, promise.

You also mention solar which is definitely on my agenda for the future. I've seen pictures of the camp host's site at Lassen's Butte Lake CG and it looks like a fairly shady spot to me. If I can save some money in the next year I will try to get the basics for a solar system, maybe adding additional panels as I can afford them.

gypsy

RVDude · RV-Dreams Family Member

An inverter converts 12VDC (your batteries) into 120VAC (regular household plugs). That's really all there is to it! Hence, using an inverter (properly sized and all) you can run your grinder and coffee pot on the inverter w/o the genset - thus making "quiet" coffee in the morning. Then you can wait until later in the day (or depending on how much 120VAC you use from the inverter) maybe only run the genset every other day or so to recharge the batteries.

gypsy97 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Dude, that sounds good, and I think I understand it! Now, how would I go about finding what I need in the way of a properly sized inverter, and how much might I expect to pay for it? Thanks.

gypsy

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

DonRowe.com has a nice explanation of inverters - http://www.donrowe.com/inverters/inverter_faq.html and good prices on quality inverters. Your eyes might still glaze over reading it all.

DealinDavid · RV-Dreams Community Member

Gypsy, You can start out small with a 400 watt inverter that plugs into a cig lighter. They also have small units for the vehicle that power a computer or cell charger.

I have seen these $30 or so from Sam's Club and I have used these as well in the past.

Enjoy Lassen, it is a beautiful place. We discovered it almost by accident on our Great Northwest MisAdventure.

Grant · RV-Dreams Family Member

Gypsy,

“Is it ok to just turn on the generator for the amount of time it takes to brew the coffee, and then turn it back off?”

I suggest that you call Lassen to find out about “generator hours”. At the very least they will have “quiet hours” that you will not be able to run any generator. Some National Parks (Organ Pipe for one) have very specific and very restrictive generator use hours.

Will the warmer work on battery power?

That will depend on your battery(s) and the number of AMPs they store. It will also depend on the number of watts the warmer draws and how long you leave it on. Those Mr. Coffee type warmers draw a surprising amount of power.

I do run my coffee maker off of my 1000 watt inverter but I immediately turn it off when it is done and don’t rely on the warmer.

Grant

breckrider · RV-Dreams Family Member

I also have a generator question. We're going to Florida and will be parking in a lot that has no connections and no shade. What are the safety issues of running the generator all night for air conditioning?

RVDude · RV-Dreams Family Member

breck - Just make sure your CO detector is working and don't open windows on the genset exhaust side, but given you'll be on AC that's unlikely. Won't hurt to double check you smoke detector too. Make a quick inspection of the genset exhaust area and make sure it isn't blowing on anything remotely flammable. Also, I trust there is no quiet time restrictions where you'll be. Otherwise, enjoy! That's why you have a genset on board....

Roz · RV-Dreams Family Member

Greetings, Breck!

RV Dude is right on target with good suggestions. One other consideration is you did not mention the length of your stay under these conditions.

If you are in a diesel pusher, you need to keep in mind oil changes for diesel gensets are critical. Oil change intervals are in hour intervals, and it only takes five or six days of continuous running to rack up sufficient hours to require an oil change.

Just a thought.

breckrider · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thank you RV Dude. I have a CO detector and have checked to make sure it's running. There are no quiet hours here. It's a public parking lot on the beach which is nice.

It's an Onan 3500. Was serviced at 238 hours and we've only put about 30 hours on it since. I checked the oil this morning and it's good. It's well ventilated and the compartment is free of anything flammable.

I should sleep well tonight.

The next thing I'm going to look into is solar power. Thanks everybody for their help.

Jack Mayer · RV-Dreams Family Member

You might want to take a look at my website if you are interested in solar.....

snowman8 · RV-Dreams Family Member

I too am looking at portable generators for boondocking. Trying to go as inexpensive as possible with the most bang for my buck. The problem that I see is noise levels. The more juice, the higher the Db. level unless you go HONDA or another big name with an inverter...still talking mucho denerro.....

I'll let you know what I come up with.................

Jack Mayer · RV-Dreams Family Member

If you plan to boondock much I would assume that you would have a solar system and the generator would be used to supplement that.

Unless you boondock off by yourselves a lot it is worth the money for the quieter generator like a Honda/Yamaha or the knockoffs of them. Your neighbors will definately like you better.

snowman8 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Jack,

Been researching ways to muffle the generator, got the specs of the thing w/o the wheels and it may fit nicely in my truck bed or possibly the rear bumper of the 5th wheel depending on W & B.

I'm hoping that once it's bolted down with rubber grommets and a fanned and vented box to contain it. I can be around 60dBLs or less.

I've been looking into solar, again that too can start adding up especially with the panels installed on the roof and additional batteries, a larger inverter to match a 30 amp service.

Like I said..............still researching...................my 1st concern is neighbors........we've been dry camping and had people run their generator without thinking of what time of day/night it was.....