Using A/C while going down the road

[tld]

Do any of you do this? I have a Jayco 5th wheel with a 2 inch receiver hitch at the rear that is rated at 300lb tongue weight. I have purchased a 500lb capacity cargo basket that will mount on the receiver hitch and hold my generator, which weighs about 100lbs. What I would like to be able to do when travelling on really hot days is to run my generator, while going down the road, for about an hour before stopping for the day to cool my trailers interior so it won't be unbearable while my A/C catches up. Recently parked at 3pm after travelling for several hours in 103 degree temps and it took my 15K A\C about 2 hours to bring the interior temp down to a reasonable level. Would like to hear any pros and cons from any of you that have experience or thoughts on doing this. And if you have done this, how did you secure the power cord to the trailer from the trailer's input plug to the generator? Thanks.

[lx22f/c]

Come up with a way to secure your power cord and I would run the generator as much as you want to. All the motor homes are running them. If I had a generator dang sure would use it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BigJohnD]

Tld, check out this thread and you'll see our set up.

http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f3...hbe-30052.html

This is not the final, but have been using it a while. We run AC and residential fridge any time we're going anywhere. Right now, I just made a short cord that goes from genset to power inlet on back left side. It's routed fairly neat and secured to the rack and ladder with zip ties. Yes, the connector sticks out a little, but if you get that close to me in crossing, we got problems. Eventually, I'll add a second power inlet on the back by the genset and install an automatic transfer switch.

[norty1]

My buddy has a carrier similar to what you describe. He just cleated a 30a 25' extension cord from his power panel midway and underneath, back to where the generator is secured and he just plugs it in and heads off.

[tld]

BigJohnD, your doing exactly what I'm getting ready to try - even the same Champion generator. Only difference is I'm not going to modify my cargo basket like you did. So a question for you. Since most of the bounce on a trailer is at the rear, have you had any problems, or concerns, about the total cargo weight stressing your receiver hitch beyond its weight limit? I saw a formula that showed that if your weight is placed 2 feet out from the receiver, then the tongue weight capacity is reduced to half. My cargo basket weighs 65lbs and is 24 inches wide. My generator weighs about 110. So with a 300lb tongue weight capacity for my receiver hitch I appear to be reducing my tongue weight capacity to nearly half of what it is rated at while putting a load (175lbs) on the hitch that is about equal to the reduced tongue weight capacity (of course the main weight of the generator is not all setting 24 inches out from the hitch). Now add some trailer bounce as I hit rough spots on the road. Am I asking for problems? Or does a receiver hitch rated at 300lbs have enough margin built in that I should be ok?

[Ultratravler]

In todays world of lawsuits, if it is rated for 300# I would bet it will safely carry double that. BUT to be sure I would take your camper to a good welding shop and have them beef the hitch up to match the weight you want to carry. In my part of the country almost all of the campers are set up to pull 16 to 21 foot boats behind them. The dealers make this part of the deal and have no problems. Good luck.

Dave

[BigJohnD]

I rewelded the hitch brackets on ours (solid weld opposed to a few stitch welds) and changed out to grade 8 bolts. This was just to satisfy my need to over engineer stuff. Can't remember if there are pictures of the reweld and bolts on that thread or not. I also put a stabilizer on the insert portion where there is no bounce or movement due to slop in the insert / receiver. There was no noticeable difference in the way everything tows.

[etex211]

I'll offer one piece of advice...

Assuming your setup is as you describe and your cargo tray and the mounting method is more than adequate, I'd recommend using no fewer than 3 of the 2 inch wide ratcheting tie down straps to hold that generator to the tray.

A guy I know lost his generator somewhere on I-35 last month traveling back to Waco from Texas Motor Speedway. He was carrying his generator on a rear cargo carrier on his fifth wheel, and it was tied down with some of the ratcheting straps commonly referred to as motorcycle tie downs. The bounce from the trailer broke his straps.

Having said all that, I don't recommend ever carrying anything behind the back bumper of your fifth wheel or any other travel trailer. The bounce back there is just too violent.

My recommendation is to get the generator and the air running as quickly as possible when you reach your destination, and then sit outside and drink a couple of beers while the camper cools down.

[BigJohnD]

Hence, reinforcing welds and changing bolts, and genset is bolted with vibration dampeners x 4. I trust all my work, and have a zero failure rate with my builds whether it be on RVs, tractors or trailers. I have built several receiver hitches and other set ups, double towed several boats on other rigs Etc. IF done right, it is perfectly safe. That said though, I've seen numerous things go bad with some set ups. You have to know what you're doing, OR trust the guy doing the work for you.

[tld]

etex211, I agree 100% about the tire down straps. In fact, I'm not only using a couple of ratchet tie down straps, but I'm also using 3 U bolts to bolt the generator frame to the cargo basket frame - and I mean bolted to the actual cargo basket frame and not just to the wire mesh that covers the bottom of the cargo basket. So, other than bolts breaking or welds cracking, I'm feeling pretty good about the generator staying in the basket. Of course that last statement could fall under the category of "my famous last words."