Generator Blues

[CAG-JAY]

Thnx for the compliment. And I’m not dead set against generators. Gennys (noun for generator folks : ) should respect others who enjoy boondocking without the Noise. …especially during early morning hours, it’s that simple!

I agree fully but then I don’t boon-dock close enough for anyone to hear my generator. My definition of boon-dock is “miles from anyone else”.

You also must consider that in our part of the woods when fire restrictions are in certain stages generators can only be used during certain morning hours when moisture levels are higher.

 

[Lord-Dogbert-JAY]

Battery storage

I have 1330 watts of solar on the roof, 2 3000 watt Victron inverters and 75 Kwh of battery storage, this is more than a Tesla 3.

I still bring my generator along for emergencies but otherwise it sits in its rack on the back hitch waiting to be used.
Last time I was boondocking at a race track with noise rules after 10pm ran his open frame for 5 days straight. He was too far to offer power from my rig and even then the 15A outlet closest to him wouldn't run his AC. Track management never did anything about it so we all just suffered.

 

[pitman44]

Our Jayco is simply not setup for boondocking. Our 2016 is a Campground Full Hookup Queen. One small battery, no room for others without major modifications. Not setup for Lithiums.

I added 200 watts of Solar but that's about it. If it's cold out, the battery will run the furnace for most -- but not all -- of the night. Recently we both got CPAPs. That'll add even more drain. I measure that we'd get about three hours of dual CPAP use before the battery was dead.

Trust me, I don't like running the generator either. But until I can do some extensive modifications to add some capacity to this thing, I'm stuck.

A lithium battery that would fit in the place of your current lead acid battery would almost certainly have significantly more available AHs for your use. Even if it had the same AH rating as your current LA battery you can draw them down to 10% where an LA battery shouldn’t be drawn down more than 50%. Just a thought.

 

[jimi1952]

My wife and I have boondocked with our setup for two weeks at a time before moving on to our next campground. 320 watts solar and 2x100 amp lithium batteries. What we save on gas running a generator has already paid for our setup. The reason people need generators is because they need to have all the comforts of home with them, it's called camping for a reason.

 

[goducks14]

My wife and I have boondocked with our setup for two weeks at a time before moving on to our next campground. 320 watts solar and 2x100 amp lithium batteries. What we save on gas running a generator has already paid for our setup. The reason people need generators is because they need to have all the comforts of home with them, it's called camping for a reason.

LOL whatever.
I didn't know that when you stay in an RV that you have to behave a certain way. I thought I could use my RV instead of staying in a hotel and being bored. I also figured that after my DW and I ride our MTB's on a 25 mile dirt trail that we could maybe kick back with some TV in the evening. Afterall I'm 70 and she's 66.
Now I'm going to be embarrassed to go inside the RV.
Last I saw the only comforts of home beside most everything in the RV is a TV and stereo. Kind of hard to not take it when it came with it.
Maybe I should've just bought a cargo trailer and sleep in sleeping bags.

 

[craigav]

The only wrong way to use an RV (imo), is to not use it.

 

[TomC_AZ]

The only wrong way to use an RV (imo), is to not use it.

Bingo! Winner winner chicken dinner!


We just came from the three day weekend spending it at Alamo Lake SP here in AZ. In our campsite it was all dry sites, no frills. So a number of people were running generators. Some ran what seemed like all night! Kind of did PO us a bit..

With that being said I did learn that there are TONs of free boondocking areas around this lake. We have a smaller solar setup, 600w (with out option of tilting, need to modify that from what I learned) and 5KWh (400ah) of Lifepo4 battery. Most of what we use is 12v including our TV, we did run the inverter a few times for the microwave and a couple other things. After three days we still had 55% of charge, it was cloudy all three days. If we had ability to tilt we would have been at a much higher charge. We were the only ones there not using some form of generator, including others with decent sized solar. In talking to them they only had LA batteries.

Does anyone know of any panel mounts that allow multi directional tilts?

 

[jimi1952]

LOL whatever.
I didn't know that when you stay in an RV that you have to behave a certain way. I thought I could use my RV instead of staying in a hotel and being bored. I also figured that after my DW and I ride our MTB's on a 25 mile dirt trail that we could maybe kick back with some TV in the evening. Afterall I'm 70 and she's 66.
Now I'm going to be embarrassed to go inside the RV.
Last I saw the only comforts of home beside most everything in the RV is a TV and stereo. Kind of hard to not take it when it came with it.
Maybe I should've just bought a cargo trailer and sleep in sleeping bags.

There are people that abuse the quiet hours concerning generators. It's called respect for others, something that a lot of people these days don't have. By the way my wife and I are 70, whatever difference that makes.

 

[Randel J]

We don't boondock but we do enjoy dry camping in some of CA's state campgrounds. Quiet hours are 8 pm to 10 am. We use our Predator 3500 for about an hour in the morning (after 10) and about an 1-1/2 hours in the evening around 5. We do not abuse quiet hours and are very mindful of our neighbors. We run our "jenny" mostly to keep the 12v battery charged and turn it off as soon as possible.

 

[Kim Gass]

The trouble with solar
It requires sun
Two weeks in the forest and you need something..

I have seen people with portable solar panels chase the sun that gets through.. They have to spend all day moving the panels every 10 minutes.

 

[campin-JAY]

The trouble with solar
It requires sun
Two weeks in the forest and you need something…

Not true. It’s shade from trees (not overcast days) that greatly reduces solar production. As for camping in the forest, just select a solar friendly site…no big deal. And I have enough lithium storage to be autonomous for 6 days in the winter.

 

[goducks14]

The trouble with solar
It requires sun
Two weeks in the forest and you need something..

I have seen people with portable solar panels chase the sun that gets through.. They have to spend all day moving the panels every 10 minutes.

LOL at every ten mins. The sun doesn't move quite that fast.
It really depends on 12V draw. Before we got our 12V fridge we had a Norcold. Using just the 2000W inverter for 1/2 the day and maybe some TV or what not, we never needed to run our Honda Gen. With our 12V fridge we have to be more prudent as to where we camp so we don't have to run the gen very often. Full sun the gen never comes on. Rain in the forest and we run the gen 2-3 hours.
FWIW we have 400W of solar and 4 GC batts. My overnight volt drop is 12.3-4.

 

[Kim Gass]

I think neither of you have camoed in Maine
Its 96 precent forest
You just don't move to a solar friendly site when the pines are towering above you
and yes we watch peopke from Colorado whine because in Acadia thry had to move the panels every 10 minutes

Camping a week in Florida off grid with the resdential refrig has been fine with minimal generator use
The Sun has been out every day and there are not many trees

 

[goducks14]

I think neither of you have camoed in Maine
Its 96 precent forest
You just don't move to a solar friendly site when the pines are towering above you
and yes we watch peopke from Colorado whine because in Acadia thry had to move the panels every 10 minutes

Camping a week in Florida off grid with the resdential refrig has been fine with minimal generator use
The Sun has been out every day and there are not many trees

I camp in the PNW. Forest everywhere. Just have to pick the better spots.
YMMV

 

[kirkelli]

i have 1200 watts of solar panels and 800 amps of lithium battery.. When the summer heat is not bearing down i never need a generator but when the heat gets unbearable the Genie comes on. I've got a 7500 W. Inverter, gene and its about 60 Decibels. I'll set it between my TV and my truck to help baffle the noise.. I dont
have any problems running it when needed and never had any complaints on the noise.

 

[ggilbert]

how much would you spend on Gas running a generator like that camping. wouldn't you come out better just getting a site at a campground with power.

 

[campin-JAY]

Actually, I posted this thread in a foul mood. A newbie parked right next to me and the generator ran all night! Since then it’s been very quiet. Sure I hear a distant genny now and then but that doesn’t bother me…I get it.

And I don’t do hookups. My RV is designed for off grid, solar electricity powers everything (computer, toaster, fridge, AC, etc.). I’ve been dispersed camping for almost 2 yrs….

 

[Kim Gass]

You can camp in incredibly scenic free spots if you use a generator
Thats why
We like Newfoundland
It got the Alaska vibe without hordes of cruise ships and boondocking permitted almost everwhere

 

[ggilbert]

How much do you think the average camper spends on generator fuel a day or a week? no solar.

 

[billcf7]

My worst experience was after five days of silence two campsites filled up and they ran their open frame for hours while they are away. If you're going to do that be responsible and stay with the generator.

I'd be the first to go over and turn the gas off