AC use when boondocking

[J. Morgan]

Originally Posted by dayner

LOL, we don't see many "solar snobs" in the swamps of south Louisiana...we do see a lot of happy non air-conditioned summer heat tolerant sportsmen/women and tough locals making a living outside........

This is one of those areas where what one person wants might be opposed to what another person wants.

One person wants hear a pin drop quiet, the other wants not to bake in his trailer.

If it was me in the swamp, short of law enforcement telling me otherwise, I would be running my generator.....

#JustSayin....


Superat stultitia.

[Boxite]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

Those low priced generators can be very loud and annoying to others. What is the Db levels of yours?

I haven't got a meter to measure it's db-level but I can say that I placed it behind/on-the-other-side of a large oak from everyone in the campground and it was quieter than the Class-A MH diesel sitting 40 yards away. No one complained about mine but we were all relieved when that guy left.
(To be fair, virtually everyone else nearby were also running gennys at nite, so who was going to complain? It was HOT/HUMID! except inside the AS.)

I'll add this... I've observed the demo at the Campers World of a so-called "quiet" liteweight non-Honda which advertised 76 db and my little gen was louder ...but not hugely so.

Again... if you can place your portable genny behind a tree...an ice-chest... a vehicle, ...etc.... it will make quite a difference.

[AWCHIEF]

Box, thanks answering the question I asked "you". Others could not resist chiming in with typical Airforums style responses.

[StrmyWeather]

I also live in Florida and as we look for our AS one of our criteria is good ventilation. I hate the idea of running a generator and don't usually camp in FL during the hot months because of the heat. I was following this thread as I am also concerned about dispersed camping and AC access. The conversation here has moved over to generator noise levels so I was wondering, does/has anyone used enclosures to attenuate the noise? Something like is found on boats. Thanks in advance for the input.

[Lily&Me]

It's been my experience that, but for the big Class A's, there is little AC and ongoing generator use in boondocking locations.

Many who prefer the nature experience would be resentful of the noise and odor of generator use.

If you are on shade, use your vent fan. If not, find electricity.

My opinion.


Maggie

[ROBERT CROSS]

...we would have enough to run the AC

But we live in the 'cool blue North'....not really needed....yet.

Bob


Dedicated to all the "Sno-Birds"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clnuGqdcFko

[kb0zke]

"But we live in the 'cool blue North'....not really needed." Freeze warning for tonight in southern Wisconsin.

[Goin camping]

Hi OP, We live on the edge of the Mojave desert and camp there year round. When it is in the triple digits or during the monsoon season when it is very humid. We run the A/C off two Honda 2000's.

With NATO gas cans which do not leak or allow a gas aroma. We do fine hauling all we need for comfort.

[blkmagikca]

4 years ago I picked up a 4K genset at Harbor Freight. I've only used it on rare occasions - I doubt if I have put 50 hours on it. Noise notwithstanding, it has served me well, mainly when I was boondocking in the Mojave near Pahrump and my batteries died. I ran the genset over 3 nights in order to power my CPAP machine. Other times when it was needed was when one of the GYM ST tires blew, and I needed to top up the spare. (15" ST tires now gone and replaced with 16" Michelin LTX). It would be hard for me to justify buying a 4K Honda given the amount of use I have for a genset, but the HF 4K at $250 all-in has done fine for me.

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

It's been my experience that, but for the big Class A's, there is little AC and ongoing generator use in boondocking locations.

....

Maggie

They tend to observe quiet hours, in my Texas experience. We noticed this most strongly in parks that have equestrian areas, which have no hook-ups. A deafening din of generators while the sun was up and then - presto - all of them turned off. So if someone is considering generator use under those circumstances, they'd have to include in their pro vs. con analysis the need to turn them off overnight.

[rodsterinfl]

I believe I understand what you are considering. I too live in Florida and if you camp in the summer, unless there is quite a breeze, you probably want air at least to sleep. I camped for two weeks last year with all but a few days boon docking. I was traveling in the southeast and it rained half the time and the humidity was through the roof- the hottest was in Wilmington NC with no hookups in a place where generators not allowed.

My generator runs on LP and I used under 2# of LP in about 10 hours of AC use. I watched TV and made coffee too through the inverter. I will say that my inverter failed during the trip as well. So the first part I had to skip the coffee making. A small inverter ran the TV until I got the replacement while in Ohio. The question for you is can you live without AC? Everything else can be obtained through an inverter and powered (recharged) by solar or your generator. This chart is a guide to usage. There is 184,000 BTU in a pound of LP and it is around (1400 watts) 4709 BTU to run my AC an hour I believe. Convert amps to KW then BTU.

http://www.yamaha-propane-natural-ga...onsumption.htm

As far as noise, my unit is very quiet. I had it running continuously in parking lots when staying at RV centers for one nighters when traveling north. It sits in the truck bed and on a rubber mat. You had to be about 10 feet or so to really hear it. From the facility door you could not hear it at all. I would walk back and forth to get coffee, etc (inverter was broken then). Further the sound was faint or not heard at all. Inside the stream you have to be in front and listen for it to hear it.

[Lily&Me]

If I were camping in the South in the summer, I could not sleep without AC.

I can't sleep without it here in the humid Midwest in that kind of weather.

It is good to remind people of the quiet hours rules in public, no hookups campgrounds, which I don't think had been mentioned here before and which I had not thought of at all.

Many campgrounds have strict generator hours...a few hours in the am and early pm, plus the overnight quiet hours for everyone and everything.

All important things to consider and look into when considering multiple generator purchases so one can run AC when boondocking.


Maggie

[LakeState]

i have a leer cap on my truck with hinged out side glass and it is lined with a bed rug. 2 honda 2000's with the cap shut and the cap to truck cab glass slid open for venting, result; silent until you get within 40 feet and at best i would describe the sound as a faint hummmm!

[tomsos]

Originally Posted by lewster

The addition of a capacitor (there are already 2 that are part of the engineered design) will not allow you to start the compressor unless it is one hell of a large capacitor!

I have many lithium battery based systems on the road now that use Magnum's MSH-3012M hybrid inverter/charger. Most of these folks carry a single 2000 watt generator that WILL start and run the single roof A/C flawlessly using the Magnum's load support feature.

I can tell you with certainty that while observing the ME-RC remote along with the Blue Sky battery monitor panels, the initial transient jolt that the compressor requires is in excess of 3000 watts. As this is a starting transient, the inverter is fully capable of handling this, as is a standard 20 amp 120VAC circuit or 3000 watt generator, but I would be hard pressed to find a capacitor with the same ability.

And not to mention that an additional capacitor will definitely put a huge strain on the compressor and WILL void the warranty of any new unit.

Lew, the Lithium based system you spoke of herein, what is the approximate cost of this?

Thanks,

Tom Sosnowski

[BFamily]

HELP!!!!
Have 2 Honda Eu2009I generators set up in parallel and I cannot power 1 AC!!!!?????
I can get zone 2 in my 30ft bunk to start but only for 20sec or so.
At that point, the generators switch off into red light.....overload alarm.

Suggestions, guidance ,
And yes, triple checked the polarity black L red R 30 amp receiver in my companion unit. Eco throttle off.

Thank you!!!!!!!

[AstroBruce]

Originally Posted by BFamily

HELP!!!!
Have 2 Honda Eu2009I generators set up in parallel and I cannot power 1 AC!!!!?????
I can get zone 2 in my 30ft bunk to start but only for 20sec or so.
At that point, the generators switch off into red light.....overload alarm.

Suggestions, guidance ,
And yes, triple checked the polarity black L red R 30 amp receiver in my companion unit. Eco throttle off.

Thank you!!!!!!!

Water heater on gas?
Fridge on gas?
Converter off?

Bruce

[BFamily]

Hymmmm
We did not turn on the water heater......
Converter?
Fridge is on auto, so it could switch to electrical.....
I can try that, but I really thought 4000 units would /could handle one AC

[TG Twinkie]

4,000 watts is really 3,200 watts. Each generator is rated at 1,600 watts continuous load.
You need to make sure the high wattage devices like the refer and water heater are not in the electric mode. You must manually set both to gas mode.

[Doc Foster]

Originally Posted by BFamily

HELP!!!!
Have 2 Honda Eu2009I generators set up in parallel and I cannot power 1 AC!!!!?????
I can get zone 2 in my 30ft bunk to start but only for 20sec or so.
At that point, the generators switch off into red light.....overload alarm.

Suggestions, guidance ,
And yes, triple checked the polarity black L red R 30 amp receiver in my companion unit. Eco throttle off.

Thank you!!!!!!!

Check your thermostat. Make sure one of the A/C is turned OFF.

[LakeState]

here's the spec for 15000 at the bottom are gen req

Nominal capacity, BTU/hr.: 15000
Installation type: Non-ducted or Ducted
Electrical rating: 115V AC, 60 Hz, 1Ph
Compressor-rated load amps: 13.2
Fan motor-rated load amps: 2.7
SCFM, high-speed max./min.: 300/350
Heater amps/watts @ 120V AC: 13.7/1,530
Refrigerant 410A (oz.): 22
Minimum wire size: 12 AWG copper up to 24 feet. For distances over 24 feet consult the National Electrical Code
AC circuit protection: (User Supplied) 20 amp time delay fuse or 20 HCAR circuit breaker
DC circuit protection: (User Supplied) Installation must comply with national, state, provincial and/or local electrical codes
Installed weight, lbs.: 74
Minimum generator size - 1 unit: 3.5 KW
Minimum generator size - 2 units: 5.0 KW
Thermostat/Control options: ADB or Thermostat