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nevisstudio · 11-19-2003, 11:11 AM

im lookin into getting a propane generator to help while camping......

im not sure what to look for in terms of what kind of power outage would be sufficient....22' saffari...

any insight would be much appreciated...

thanks
rich

wahoonc · 11-19-2003, 11:54 AM

You are going to need a bare minimun of 3500 watts 5000 would be better, unless you don't plan on any high draw items like microwaves, crock pots, or AC then if you were careful you could get by with 2000 watts. Why the LP powered and not gas?

Aaron

87MH · 11-19-2003, 11:57 AM

FWIW

It's been my experience that Propane and Natural Gas fueled recip engines are more difficult to start than Gasoline.

smily · 11-19-2003, 12:08 PM

I recently installed this unit in a trailer and I am convinced that this is the cats meow.

It started practically instantly, Utilized LP with very simple installation.

And the best part, you could literally stand within 2 feet of it and carry on a conversation without raising your voice.

I believe the sound rating was a quiet 67 decibels. The quietest unit I have seen to date. Did I mention that it powered a new Coleman AC? along with a full 15 amp load on a Furuno Radar system.

The cost is well worth the product. I intend to have one in my future MH.
Smily

RoadKingMoe · 11-19-2003, 12:11 PM

Here's some discussion on using propane for generators. Bottomline is that the same generator is less powerful and consumes more gallons of propane that it would gallons of gasoline. Carrying a 30 lb bottle of propane is probably equivalent to carrying a 5 gallon can of gas. Propane is also a lot more expensive per gallon than gas.

RoadKingMoe · 11-19-2003, 12:24 PM

Ken... you put a Furuno radar on your AIRSTREAM? LOL! Afraid of a big rig backing into it in the fog?

Does it do overlay with your GPS?

judge3rd · 11-19-2003, 01:02 PM

Onan 5500 Gold LP
I recently installed this unit in a trailer and I am convinced that this is the cats meow.

It started practically instantly, Utilized LP with very simple installation.

And the best part, you could literally stand within 2 feet of it and carry on a conversation without raising your voice.

I believe the sound rating was a quiet 67 decibels. The quietest unit I have seen to date. Did I mention that it powered a new Coleman AC? along with a full 15 amp load on a Furuno Radar system.

The cost is well worth the product. I intend to have one in my future MH.
Smily

__________________
Ken Smillie
WBCCI # 12499

Ken:
You say that you recently installed an Onan on a trailer.
I am very interested in this instillation.
Can you be more specific.
What trailer?
Where did you install it?
Pictures?
jim
Texas

smily · 11-20-2003, 06:13 AM

Not only do I dabble with Airstreams but the government pays me to fabricate transport vehicles for their mobile communications systems. I was tasked with building an experimental radar system, "BASH" Bird Air Strike Hazard, that is intended for use at Airports. They set this unit on the tarmac and project it out towards the launch and landing path. They look for congregations of birds and or other objects that could cause damage or crashes to very expensive aircraft and personnel.

A photo of the BASH unit. Not an Airstream but I assure you the same care and quality that I expect in an Airstream.

smily · 11-20-2003, 06:17 AM

See all the ammenities?
Automatic levelers, obstruction light, AC, both A/C and D/C electricity, grounding, radar unit........... and yes that is a GPS antenna on the rear of the trailer

Pick · 11-20-2003, 07:09 AM

Whoa!! Ken that is ultra cool!!! That looks like a top notch installation.

The main advantage of propane in my opinion, is longer run time and availability of fuel, in a camping situation. Many have converted outboard motor gas tanks to work with their Hondas.

RoadKingMoes is right as rain, when he speaks of propane being more expensive, and certainly less power as propane is 91.500 BTU per gallon vs gasoline's 116,000 BTU per gallon.

I have often thought of converting my EU2000i to propane. But I am getting more use out of it around the farm, than I am camping. At this point, the portablity issue is more important to me than run time. During the "Big Blackout", I filled the tank at 11pm before retiring and it was still running, powering the house fridge at 6AM.

smily · 11-20-2003, 07:30 AM

My interest was storage of flammables.

Obviously, storing a gas can and transporting in my opinion is more risky that transporting LP in a sealed container.

Also, Airports typically have LP fueled ground equipment and the reason is the same, storage.

I felt that this setup was the best

Astrodokk · 11-20-2003, 08:12 AM

My MH's owner's manual states that the 4.0 Onan runs off the MH gasoline tank. However, the PO told me that it's now a propane generator, and that he got it that way from the original owner. It has a large diaphram in front of it typical of propane conversion kits. Apparently he either converted it or replaced with a different one.

I was miffed that the genset was not gas at first, but as I used it on the road and off, I found it to be quite easily started, although sort of loud. It powered my microwave and tv. What I like about it is that it won't run down the gas tank if off road as a gas one would.

RoadKingMoe · 11-20-2003, 11:24 AM

Nice rig, Ken!

nevisstudio · 11-20-2003, 02:00 PM

kind of confused.....

the fesibility of some of these genrators does not seem so efficient.....in terms of size.......with them being so large one would have to enclose one compartment just for the generator.....no....

what do others do for power where a power hook-up is not available.....

RoadKingMoe · 11-20-2003, 02:24 PM

I use two quiet and light Honda EU2000 generators paralleled, sitting on the ground next to the trailer. One will handle everything except the air-conditioner.

thenewkid64 · 11-20-2003, 02:40 PM

Airstream, actually all of the Motorhome manufacturers installed LP Gensets in the diesel coaches they built for quite a while due to application availability and the cost of the deisel gensets was STEEP. Now the big pushers all have diesel gensets and they are generally the size of a Big Block engine, slung between the front frame rails. They are quiet and liquid cooled, but on a $150K + coach you should have a single fuel source like diesel.

While not for everyone, the LP gensets offer some flexability for those who want or need one that is a fixed installation. I like my unleaded gasser, and would not consider changing my genset to LP.

wahoonc · 11-20-2003, 05:51 PM

My preference would be the gasoline, because I can tote gasoline plus most MH have LARGE gas tanks, LP tanks are alot smaller and it is hard to refill a fixed LP tank

I was reading a thread on a bus board a while back about the pro's and con's, most people felt that diesel (if you had a diesel bus) were the only way to go, that when you were boondocking for any period of time that people could not stay as long that were running the LP gensets as those running the diesel. Also FWIW LP tanks are heavy for their capacity! I like the set up that Smily has and it makes sense in that application

Aaron

smily · 11-20-2003, 06:16 PM

I would show you the interior but that is sensitive stuff

Actually there is a Huge flat screen Monitor and a superfast PC with a webbrowser locked onto WWW.WBCCI.ORG

Come and check it out

Tinsel Loaf · 11-20-2003, 07:04 PM

I use a 4000 watt propane unit and like it alot.
It has a starter and starts easly, runs effortlessly and does not smell like gas fumes. It uses about half gallon of propane per hour which is enough to power our ac, charge the batteries & run the appliances.