What generator for a travel trailer and dry camping?

[brianinca]

Yes the dual fuel ability is a very compelling feature. The reduced power output means sizing differently for AC use. For residential AC's you can add a "soft start" kit to reduce that initial amp draw, I hope that's a thing for RV AC's.

At work our HVAC design group boss has a houseboat with RV style AC's, I'm going to hit him up for suggestions thanks to the discussion here. Don't know why it didn't hit me upside the head earlier!

If you are a boondocker, I would think a propane fed generator would be good. Unlike gasoline it has an unlimited shelf life plus use it for the grill.

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[Overland-2021]

I have the Honda EU3000is and it runs my 13.5k air unit well.
Almost went with the twin 2200W as they are lighter individually, are shorter so they fit in smaller places and they provide 4K watts. In the end it was the tank size that won out.
Heard good things about the Yamaha and they are a great value for the price.
I do think Honda is the gold standard though. I expect 10years with no issues.
Excess moisture in the fuel is a big issue. Gasoline containing ethanol is especially subject to absorbing atmospheric moisture. I use AV gas (no ethanol) when it sits a lot - high test if it's running lots. Use the best gas you can find and winterize it properly and you'll do fine.

 

[Russ75]

I have a 13k btu air conditioner on a tt. I got a pulsar 4500w generator for $800. Pros: super quiet with a normal load, surprisingly quiet with the microwave and air conditioner, Remote start (nice for cold mornings), good rubber wheels and sturdy handle and it can be put in parallel with another if you ever expand your electrical needs. Here is the link but the price has gone up.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Pulsar-...tor-224-cc-CARB-Compliant-PG4500iSR/314481568

 

[xpcdoojk]

I have been looking at the dual fuel options. I think it makes a lot of sense to use propane since you are probably carrying 60 pounds of it to run the generator to run the A/C. Several companies make them. The Pulsar is very powerful for the class, but it is awfully tall, and won’t fit in the Gladiator with a tonneau cover, even a diamond back like I have which is raised quite a bit higher than the sidewalls of the bed.

 

[Devil Dog]

We ended up with a pair of iq2000 generators from Generac, with a paralleling cable. They will run 13.5k btu AC. The nice part is in colder temps, one will run everything, and they are very quiet. Another benefit, IMO is they're easily handled by one person.

 

[Gladman]

Check out Subaru gen sets. Supposed to very good. $$$ I do not know.

 

[eaglerugby04]

Yes the dual fuel ability is a very compelling feature. The reduced power output means sizing differently for AC use. For residential AC's you can add a "soft start" kit to reduce that initial amp draw, I hope that's a thing for RV AC's.

At work our HVAC design group boss has a houseboat with RV style AC's, I'm going to hit him up for suggestions thanks to the discussion here. Don't know why it didn't hit me upside the head earlier!

They are not cheap but they do exist. I wanted to get one so I could run my AC off of 15amp until I saw the cost on this. Also to echo everybody else for sure go propaine, so much easier to deal with in a generator.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YBMCTB...olid=1YK2L74OKXEXU&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

 

[Blade1668]

Yes the dual fuel ability is a very compelling feature. The reduced power output means sizing differently for AC use. For residential AC's you can add a "soft start" kit to reduce that initial amp draw, I hope that's a thing for RV AC's.

At work our HVAC design group boss has a houseboat with RV style AC's, I'm going to hit him up for suggestions thanks to the discussion here. Don't know why it didn't hit me upside the head earlier!

You can get a "soft start" wired into a RV AC I looked in to it a few years back for my RV. I didn't follow up with it, I bought some land and needed power for my deep freezer too. I ended up with a large rattle trap 5k and was using it for about 9 months for all of my electric. My small 1000- 1200 sportsman inverter one would run everything but AC, heater and microwave. If I was buying now I'd be at H.F. for their Predator series gen set. Now I'm reminded I need to fire mine up again.

 

[GotGladiator]

I have a 13k btu air conditioner on a tt. I got a pulsar 4500w generator for $800. Pros: super quiet with a normal load, surprisingly quiet with the microwave and air conditioner, Remote start (nice for cold mornings), good rubber wheels and sturdy handle and it can be put in parallel with another if you ever expand your electrical needs. Here is the link but the price has gone up.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Pulsar-...tor-224-cc-CARB-Compliant-PG4500iSR/314481568

I have the baby model 1800w /2300w. It powers my 13.5k btu AC unit. When beach camping, no need for AC, so the generator powers the fridge or microwave or coffee brewer or rice cooker. It was a learning experience on what appliances can be used at the same time.
Desert camping, it will let me run the AC as long as the outside temp is below 100 degrees F. Hahaha...just when you need the AC! I just run the fridge with propane to have my cold beer/drinks. Overall, it meets our current needs- low cost, portability, ease of use. I believe I can do a parallel connection(?) on this when it's time for me to upgrade due to the need of more juice later on. So far it's been more than 18 mos since I bought it and it has not failed to start.

 

[xpcdoojk]

Do you have soft start on your AC? I am surprised it starts the AC otherwise.

 

[Josh00333]

OP, the only way to really help is to know what you are trying to run?

AC is the big one, is it a 15k unit? one two? 13.5k unit?

Most 13.5k unit ac's will need a 2500 watt genny to start. So your Honda 2000 will not run them.

The 15k units need 3500ish off the top of my head? check that if you have one.

I always recommend an inverter style genny they can run down ant lower rpm when not needing all the wattage = quiet and less fuel.

Honda and Yamaha are my two brands.

That said there are a lot of good cheaper versions out there now that are a lot less expensive.

I personal converted my Yamaha 2800 to propane for my trailer. I hate carrying gas around and need propane any way for the furnace and camp stove; just made since.

You loose btu's gasoline vs propane so they burn "more" fuel, just something to budget if you go this way.

I can start and run my 13.5k ac, lights ect. I can NOT run the ac and the microwave at the same time. But can run the micro alone, and the woman's hair dryer (inset roll eyes here, but it makes her happy).

 

[GotGladiator]

Do you have soft start on your AC? I am surprised it starts the AC otherwise.

No, I don't have a soft start. I just make sure that I have the lowest fan and cooling settings before I turn on the AC and then gradually increase to medium to highest setting. Soft start looks like a good investment tho....

 

[xpcdoojk]

No, I don't have a soft start. I just make sure that I have the lowest fan and cooling settings before I turn on the AC and then gradually increase to medium to highest setting. Soft start looks like a good investment tho....

That makes sense. I probably plan on using a soft start when I finally get my TT.

 

[jsalbre]

I spent the last year living and traveling in an Airstream, so I’ve got some experience around RV power.

If you install a soft starter you can happily run a 15kA/C from a 2000w genset. I *highly* reccomend the Easy Start from MicroAir (you want the 364 for an RV). It’s not just a soft start capacitor like most others, but actually learns the start up draw ofthe specific unit it’s attached to in order to smooth the start load and even protects the compressor itself. I had one of these in each AC on my trailer. The “SoftStart” is a knock off that I’ve heard of a number of problems. https://www.amazon.com/BLUETOOTH-Microair-Easystart-Bluetooth-Install/dp/B08VFDYQ4Q

We ended up almost never running with a generator as I installed a large solar and lithium battery setup that could actually run the AC for several hours on it’s own. If it was too hot out for that we found a place to plug in. My system even let me run the AC continuously while we drove, so the trailer was comfortable inside when we stopped for lunch breaks. It’s a great option because it’s silent, but be ready to spend upwards of $10k.

As far as actual generators, they’re ridiculously expensive, but nothing beats the Hondas if you want it quiet and you want it to last. Most other generators are just fine though (as long as you stay away from the random branded junk on Amazon and eBay), and they’re way cheaper and only a bit louder. Just please don’t use an open frame generator anywhere other than a construction site, and get an inverter generator if you want to run any sensitive electronics or park near other people.

 

[brianinca]

Hadn't updated this, I realized. Went with a dual fuel Champion 2500w that we can gang together if it ever comes up - the CARB legal options for generators are much smaller than I realized. This inverter genset is rated at 53db at 23 ft. It's light and fits in the bed under the tonneau.

The propane fuel became a must, and converting a Honda seemed like chasing the wrong end of the problem. Having a stink free exhaust and an easily transportable fuel source matches our needs the best. Harvest Host is an example of dry camping beyond the NF and BLM locations we'd already planned on - the majority of our travel is not RV Park related.

The "hard start" kit I found for a 13.5K AC is the same as for any 1-2-3 ton unit and will run it off a 15A domestic circuit but that's not the same as a generator. If someone goes looking in the future, the "soft start" terminology in a search can lead you to miss some important information. My HVAC Design group boss helped me grok the differences and why the $300 kits are a good deal.

Thank you for the input and the shared experiences!

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