Will a generator be needed??

[Tino643]

We expect a journey of several weeks this summer in the states of Nevada, California, Utha, Arizona. We will do state and National Park. If there is no service will i need the generator for air conditioning? And i thinking went we traveling, and stop some where for eating in the AS. Will it be to hot in the trailer whit out AC? I am from Canada so i ok whit cold, but eat...Thank you

[Wazbro]

If you want AC without a hookup yes you need a generator. As far as eating in the trailer without AC it depends on the outside temps, but it will be close to the outside temp, depending on when you eat earlier then noon slightly cooler then outside, after 3 PM hotter then outside, may feel worse with the lack of air movement YMMV.

[Melody Ranch]

In the Summer you will need an Air Conditioner at all hours of the day in those States.....especially if you are used to Canadian weather. You will need a Generator if not using external electricity.

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by Melody Ranch

In the Summer you will need an Air Conditioner at all hours of the day in those States.....especially if you are used to Canadian weather. You will need a Generator if not using external electricity.

I think that's a bit of an overstatement. If you're vacationing, I assume you will be outside a lot in the day. There are many variable climate zones in the area you described. I lived 50 years in western Washington state and don't feel I need an air conditioner in those states you listed. People camped in camping trailers for years before they even put A/Cs in trailers. When we travel in the west in the summer, there is about 20% of the time I like to have A/C. But I certainly will live without it. However if you plan to spend more than a couple days in one place without power you may want a generator to charge your batteries. If you were going to Texas, New Mexico, or Arizona that would be an entirely different matter.

Ken

PS you sound like a guy trying to convince his wife he needs a generator. Let me know if it works, I might try it.

[Tino643]

Thanks for the information.....

[Phoenix]

In the summer months, outside temperatures depend mostly on elevation. For example, in Flagstaff, Arizona, the elevation is a little over 5,000 feet; and the daytime/nighttime temperatures in August are typically 85/50, which is pleasant camping weather. However, in Phoenix, Arizona, about a two hour drive south and a couple of thousand foot drop in elevation, typical temperatures are 110+/90+.

I would suggest that you select the areas in which you wish to camp, then check the historical data provided by the US National Weather Service (www.weather.gov), or Weather Underground (Weather Forecast & Reports - Long Range & Local | Wunderground | Weather Underground) to see what temperatures you may encounter. Then, you can decide whether you may need to run your air conditioner using a generator.

If you camp in many cooler areas (e.g., Yosemite or Rocky Mountain National Parks), you may not need a generator; and if you do, you can always stay in a campground that has electrical hookups.

If you post a list of areas and the month(s) when you will most likely be there, others can provide more details on local weather conditions, and things to see and do.

[Tino643]

Thanks

[webspinner]

The only place we have wanted and used our air conditioner in many, many weeks of camping in California, Oregon, Washington and Nevada was when four of us were trying to sleep during the day in the Nevada desert in August at Burning Man.

All the rest of the time, it has been cool enough at night for sleeping and comfortable in the day for sitting in or cooking. We usually sit and eat outside under the awning.

None of the National Parks we've been to with our trailer have had electrical hookups so make sure that your batteries will last from one electrical hookup site to the next. We have solar panels on our roof, so I don't know how fast the battery might run down without them.

[Bill M.]

Have been in all those states and did not have generator. But we moved early once to get to a site with power. You need a pretty good sized generator to run the AC. In Honda terms, either a 3000 or more or 2 of the 2000 generators. What we found is that many of the areas are of high enough elevation to not need the AC and maybe even need a little heat. The very hottest areas we sorta avoided. And we found it is a lot cheaper and easier to just stay at commercial sites with power that to buy and carry a generator. Plus there are forest service sites with power in some areas. We travel with the front vent open in our trailer. Stop in the shade when we do lunch. Eat lunch in a diner if it is too hot in the trailer. Or fix lunch in trailer and sit in chairs outside to eat. It is generally cool enough. Would not want to unload and start generator for that anyway. We bought 1 honda 2000 with the idea we could add another if we wanted the air. We have not done that and would be more likly to sell the gen we have than to add another one to run the AC.

[polarlyse]

We stop for lunch quite often when traveling. Usually look for a roadside site with tables but if none available we eat in the trailer. Our overhead fans are good for the short lunch stop. Even on a hot day. Many areas out west cool off nicely at night and you'd be more likely to want heat than AC but I find it's mostly comfortable at night without AC.

[clancy_boy]

Even with a genny, it will take time for the AC to cool a trailer of any size. So, unless you plan an extended break time, just stopping and connecting (that means getting it out, the cable out, starting, etc.) will take time and the cool down will take time. I usually find in my 22' that it takes 30+ minutes after hooking up to be close to comfortable in the camper.

[GeocamperAS]

I'm sure not all states are alike but Wisconsin state parks do not allow generators.
So you may want to check with the states you are going to.

[Tino643]

Thanks for all your opinions...