Bed Box Generators - RV-Dreams Community Forum

RickandJanice · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bed Box Generators

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Rick and Janice,

Jo and I also have a Honda, although ours is the EU3000IS model. It weighs more, but is still portable. We elected to forego the Onan generator for the Mobile Suites because of cost and weight. Ours won't be mounted in a box, although I may build something to cover it with. That isn't a bad idea since folks would be less able to see it and then decide to steal it.

Being portable, if it needs repairs, one's whole coach isn't tied up. Mostly, we have used the generator on two other campers when we vacationed in a National Forest campground in Colorado. The biggest issue I found with it was that at higher elevations (than Oklahoma City) the fuel mixture runs richer and the plug fouls up after a few day of running. (About 6 hours per day.)

While the Onans that I have looked at had a control that would let one set the carburator for different elevations, I can buy an awful lot of spark plugs for the price of the Onan.

Terry

charles · RV-Dreams Family Member

We went thru the same drill last yr.
Opted for the HONDA 3000 manual start. It is light enough for me to pick it up, alone, and set in the bed of the pickup. It does power the 18,000 btu ac.
Of course it is very quiet and starts quickly, did not want the wt. and the battery for the elec start and have not missed it at all.

Just put it on the truck today as we head to Texas for a month on the first. Oh, and we have a hard top on the bed and the 3000 manual start fits under it and the electric start would not.

Our experience and as always YMMV

CCC

Delaine and Lindy · RV-Dreams Family Member

I have had the Onan on board and I also have a Generator in a Box. Its a 55 amp and I had it built by Mountain Master in Phoenix Az. Its fully automatic, remote control, low oil shut off etc. Our issue with both Generator system is we never used them enough to justify cost each system cost $4,000 to $5,000 in total cost... Generators by their nature have to be run often. Good Luck on your choice.

www.mountainmaster.net

-- Edited by Delaine and Lindy on Sunday 30th of January 2011 01:28:30 PM

Luvglass · RV-Dreams Family Member

For every bed box generator we've seen, we see 100 Honda's. And the Honda's are dead quiet.

Just sayin :)

kb0zke · RV-Dreams Family Member

After the big ice storm a few years ago, we bought a generator big enough to handle a fair part of the house load including the well. Our generator is 15KW (I think), and has a 50A plug. It weighs ~500 lbs. I was thinking that if/when we decide to go full-time in a 5th wheel I could get this thing tied down in the truck so that we would have it available should we decide to boondock somewhere. Now I'm not so sure. Obviously, if we end up buying a motorhome or a trailer that already has a generator we won't need this one, but is this a reasonable idea? It seems to me that the cheapest piece of equipment is the one you already own.

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

David,

Normally, I would agree with what you already own is cheaper. And we went that route by keeping our Honda EU3000is. It is sufficient in about every case except possibly in a hot climate, and then it would only power one air conditioner. However, with the Hondas, one can purchase another one and tether them together. With the EU3000is, if two were tethered, I could power just about everything.

In your case, I see a few issues. One; the physical size of the unit and whether it would interfere with the clearances on the fifth wheel. Two; the weight of the unit. At 500 pounds it would take a lift of some kind to remove the thing, should you need it out or should it need repair. Also, that 500 lbs is going to increase the weight in your truck, taking you up a lot towards your GVWR for the truck.

On the other hand, with a 15kw generator, you could power the whole campground. Might make some money out of that deal. Of course, you would have the third issue of how much fuel does that size a unit need.

Another thought might be that you could sell the 15kw unit and perhaps get enough money from that to buy a good smaller unit or two.

These kinds of decisions are not always easy to make. Good luck with your research and may your thoughts be logical.

Terry

The Bear II · RV-Dreams Family Member

I have been next to the Mountain Masters box generator while it was running at full throttle, you could barely hear it.

I chose to go with the 2 - 2000 Hondas with the parallel kit for flexibility. We tend to boondock where it is cool and there's no need for air conditioning. I will take just one of the Hondas to run everything we need.

If we are going where we may need to run the air conditioner, I will bring the second. I will run one until we need more power and then kick on the second and flip the switch on the parallel kit.

The portables also provide the ability to use them for other than RVing. For example I helped a friend work an a remote cabin, so I brought along the 2 hondas to power my tools. I needed power to do some remodeling of our 5th wheel where we store it so I brought both to run tools and the air compressor for my nail gun.

I have a connection wired to my service panel at home where I can hook up the two hondas if our power goes out. Funny thing is, ever since I got the hondas we haven't had a power outage that has lasted for more than an hour.

The portables provide flexibilty. They do require a little more effort than a mounted unit with remote start. But the flexibilty is a great advantage.

If I was choosing today, I would go with a Honda 3000 with the electric start and remote, for convenience and to save carrying two units.

-- Edited by The Bear II on Wednesday 2nd of February 2011 05:23:25 PM

NorCal Dan · RV-Dreams Family Member

Luvglass wrote:

For every bed box generator we've seen, we see 100 Honda's. And the Honda's are dead quiet.

Just sayin :)

I always meet someone at the RV park that had their portable generator stolen. Seems they attract theives like bees to honey.

Our rig has a built-in 8KW Onan diesel generator, and when we lose commercial power it sure is nice to have the genny.