Generator Size?

[Tbeuler]

Hey everyone I am going boondocking for the first time and I was going to purchase a generator. I will not be using the generator to power the TT which is 26BH jayfeather but to charge the batteries so I can use the refridgerator maybe a light or two at night. For the most part we will not be using anything else. I have heard of people using there TV to charge the batteries. I would honestly rather have a generator. The battery is a Interstate deep cycle with 550 Cold crank amps. I would love everyones input so please feel free to help me because I am so lost!!

[JAMMFAM]

Your fridge will not run off the batteries, you'll have to use propane mode if that is an option.

[Tbeuler]

That is an option and the battery only has 405 Cold Crank Amps.

[Tbeuler]

What I want to do is just charge my batteries? Will not be using A/c hot water will be limited to showers? Will 1000w be enough generator wise?

[Old Blue]

If you plug your trailer into the generator and plan on using your converter to charge your batterys you might run into a problem unless you turn off breakers to everything that runs on AC. If you plan on using a external battery charger and hooking up to batterys direct and not pluging trailer in then dont think there would be a problem. but There might be somebody out there that has a better way of doing what you want.

[max2bob]

a decent size solar panel could do that but if you camp where there is a lot of trees it might not receive enough sun to fully charge your batteries. we have 3 panels and that is enough to keep us charged in the summer even in the shade. now, that is just using lights and the furnace and water pump, no running a tv and other appliances. now to answer your question about a generator, we broke down finally and got a 900 watt just to keep the batteries charged in the winter months, a lot of cloud cover and furnace usage plus winter temperatures and not much daylight hours up here anyway in the winter and the solar just would not keep us charged. so a 900 watt keeps us charged and warm and suits our specific needs very well.

[OnTheGo]

Originally Posted by Tbeuler

Hey everyone I am going boondocking for the first time and I was going to purchase a generator. I will not be using the generator to power the TT which is 26BH jayfeather but to charge the batteries so I can use the refridgerator maybe a light or two at night. For the most part we will not be using anything else. I have heard of people using there TV to charge the batteries. I would honestly rather have a generator. The battery is a Interstate deep cycle with 550 Cold crank amps. I would love everyones input so please feel free to help me because I am so lost!!

Please accept this post as trying to be helpful. No one on this forum, or a product customer service representative, can answer those questions because the answers are dependent on information we don't have. Genreators are sold by the amount of watts they produce. If you just want to use it to power a battery charger, find out how many watts the charger needs to run.

IMO your battery doesn't have the capacity (based on CCA) to operate the devices you want to use for a "useable length of time". Your battery will discharge quickly using lights and the water pump, and it will take hours to recharge. If you buy a bigger battery, it will last longer. But it will take more time and power to recharge it. One of the posters recently mentioned he outfitted his new TT with a Group 31 battery. Look that one up online. You probably can get by with less (I do), but that sure would be nice to have. And once again, when that battery needs to be recharged, it takes a powerful charger several hours to do it.

You might want to figure how many amp hours you need based on your appliances and useage (it's going to take some reading) and buy a battery that will provide it. Next, get a charger that will recharge your battery(s) as quickly as possible (more reading) without burning it up. Then you can buy a generator that will make it all happen.

It's not difficult to figure out, but it does take some time to research the electrical terms and their applications. The real benefit is you will have what you need and didn't have to pay for extra capacity.

I would never buy a battery from a sales rep who couldn't thoroughly explain "amp hours". But it's only half the answer. You need to know how many amps your appliances / devices need to run, and how long you are going to use them. The published list of those figures are accurate enough for starters.

You're using the right approach. The posters on this forum will provide excellent answers when you narrow your questions. "Search" this forum and you will see some of the things people have done to make their dry camping experiences more comfortable. It's important that you take the same steps so your setup works for you.

[RVhiker]

Would you be running a vent fan or the water pump very much? Any chance of needing to run the heater - the heater fan takes quite a bit of battery power? My experience is that one battery is marginal to run refrigerator and lights and some heater and some water pump use for a day. Keep in mind that batteries should not be discharged below about 50% charge or they are damaged. You may need an additional battery.

I think you have three ways to recharge your battery(s).

1)with a generator and your on board DC converter/charger
2) with a generator and a separate charger
3) with a tow vehicle charging system. I've done this and agree with you that is not a desirable option.

So, you need a generator. I guess that a 1000 watt generator will run most chargers (either your RV converter or an external charger). A 2000 watt generator will do all of that, and probably run your microwave but not your air conditioner.

The bottom line is as OnTheGo noted is to figure out what your power consumption would be, and size your generator to fit that need. Also keep in mind that some types and capacities of RV convertors will take a long time to charge your battery(s) - multiple hours, maybe. Other (ie more expensive) RV converters are very capable. So you gotta figure out what converter is in your RV; what amperage, and whether it is a three stage charger or not. Generators of 1000 or 2000 watts come in many varieties: cheap an loud, expensive and quiet, cheap and somewhat "dirty" power, expensive and "clean" power. If money is available, an inverter Honda or Yamaha generator has a good reputation.

[Tbeuler]

I would be running the refridgerator with propane. The water pump would be used for toilet and showers only. I am new to the whole camping experience and I dont even know what your talking about when you say on board DC converter/charger. Where would that be located? Im really not looking to use a lot of power just certain things like maybe a light or two at night for the kids and the water pump for shower and toilet.

[RVhiker]

Originally Posted by Tbeuler

I would be running the refridgerator with propane. The water pump would be used for toilet and showers only. I am new to the whole camping experience and I don't even know what your talking about when you say on board DC converter/charger. Where would that be located? I'm really not looking to use a lot of power just certain things like maybe a light or two at night for the kids and the water pump for shower and toilet.

Your refrigerator almost certainly uses battery power to power its controls, so even on propane it uses some energy from your battery. The water pump is a fairly power hungry device as it pumps the water for the toilet flushes and showers. Your propane water heater almost certainly uses battery power for it's control circuitry. Also your propane leak detector uses battery power.

When your trailer is plugged in, the convertor changes 120 V AC into 12 V DC and that DC is used to recharge your batteries and to provide 12 V DC power to all the 12 V systems on your trailer. When not plugged in, your battery(s) have to provide all that power. The converter is located in various places, probably someone who has a similar trailer will chime in and be able to help you find it.

The thing about a trailer is that it has all the systems your house does, and all the problems and questions that those systems can produce.

[Tbeuler]

My TT is a Jayflight 26BH and we will leave on a friday come home on a monday. I figure without running the furnace and switching the furnace to propane this would get me through the weekend. If not maybe a small generator would do the trick to charge my battery once a day. Would I plug the generator directly into the converter or do I need to get a battery charger as well or would just using the on board converter be ok?

[Shootnut]

I have the same rig as you. ( Havent used yet . I have this generator. And it will do everything you want. We run 2 trailers off it during hunting season. And we get about 14 hrs run time per tank.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Champ...h-All+Products


Some auto parts stores carry one similar.

[Flyrotor]

Originally Posted by Tbeuler

Hey everyone I am going boondocking for the first time and I was going to purchase a generator. I will not be using the generator to power the TT which is 26BH jayfeather but to charge the batteries so I can use the refridgerator maybe a light or two at night. For the most part we will not be using anything else. I have heard of people using there TV to charge the batteries. I would honestly rather have a generator. The battery is a Interstate deep cycle with 550 Cold crank amps. I would love everyones input so please feel free to help me because I am so lost!!

This will work for you
1) Honda or Yamaha generator, at least ie2000
2) Adapter to connect your 30amp plug to a 110 standard plug
3) Run the generator plugged into your shoreline plug, this will charge your batteries using the onboard charger. (yes, your trailer will have an onboard charger/converter)
4) Don't worry about shutting off any of the rest of the items in your trailer, you won't have enough to run the airconditioner, maybe or maybe not the microwave, otherwise all your 12 volt items will continue to operate under batter power while it is charging (water pump, furnace fan, fridge on propane, water heater circuit using propane, all lights etc.)

5) If you plan on boondocking, the battery you have listed is a very poor choice, anything with listed CCA (cold cranking amps) is not designed for RV trailers, rather the CCA is designed to start an engine. You would be better served to pull that battery, buy two deep cycle RV batteries. This will last through the night even using your furnace, - recharge in the morning for 2-4 hours.

[oaeyeo121003]

I have a 2012 26bh and I have two interstate 234 ah deep cycle 6v batteries. I use one eu2000i and a eu2000i companion paralled together when boon docking. During this last deer season, we would run the generator/s for an hour or so each morning and evening. Since we used the furnace and water pump frequently the batteries would be down to 75 percent or so in the morning. Mainly we fired both up to use coffee maker and toaster, and one up to watch tv and use the computer. The onboard converter charger works just fine. The 30 amp plug in the companion works very nice, you can use the a/c with both running. I also converted to all led lighting. We used less than 5 gallons of fuel in 2 weeks.

[Tbeuler]

What is an invertor generator?

[RVhiker]

Originally Posted by Tbeuler

What is an invertor generator?

Here's a link to a Honda article that talks about generator selection which I think will answer your question better than I can: Honda Article Link

[Tbeuler]

Hey everyone thanks for your input I just bought a Ryobi 2200watt inverter generator the reviews were awesome and it was half the price of the Honda. I watched a couple youtube videos to show the sound and its really quiet. I was just looking for something to charge the batteries but this bad boy should run everything besides the a/c.

[outofhere]

Buy as big and quiet as you can afford you never know what the future will bring. Generators are not something that you throw away or replace frequently, running the fridge and hot water heater off of propane is your best bet but some day you may just want to turn on the AC on a hot day get at least a 1000 what generator there is lots of information on the web on what kind of appliances that a generator can run think of your generator as plugging in your house and what would you like to use almost all will charge a battery but take in consideration quietness and ease of use Honda And Yamaha are expensive but also very quiet to operate Mother Nature will thank you GOOD LUCK.

[Chuckwagon.]

We are looking at the Ryobi 2200 ( prices & reviews are awesome ) also after our last camping trip with the TT we are commited to make this happen even with our little 165. Good luck !