Measuring Requirements in Anticipation of Generator Purchase

[Streamer1]

Not sure, but prior to purchasing a generator to meet future needs, should I simply inventory all devices contained within the trailer that use electricity (plus portable items to be brought on for later use) and sum up the total wattage (surge and running) then find a generator with a 30amp (?) plug to plug the trailer's "shore" power line into? If this amounts to a huge generator, then I guess you have to compromise and buy the smallest generator that can power the A/C alone and then just make sure you turn the A/C off when you want to turn on the TV, microwave, toaster, etc... smaller appliances. Bottom line you can't have your cake and eat it too unless you are hooked up to shore power? Subject trailer is a 1996 25' Excella.

[CanoeStream]

I recently spent a week camping away from hookups. My 40 pound Honda eu2000i was lifted in and out of the truck bed a number of times in that week. I was recharging my batteries almost daily -- it gets hard on them to run below 40% charge. I was off fishing quite a few times and didn't want to leave the generator out in the open. You either have to hook two generators of this size in parallel before you can run the A/C -- or else get one that weighs twice as much. Hondas & Yamahas are quite a bit quieter than anything else on the market. I'd have hated to have done this much lugging with a heavier generator! There are many, many threads on Forums if you search on combinations of brand and a/c or air conditioner.

It's easy to research generators but put off the purchase until you actually start camping without hookups. I like to get away from it all but most often find myself on hookups in a state park (even once in a nat'l forest campground!). It's a lot harder doing without A/C in Virginia!