You can start taking this advice stuff for granted!
Before I go on >>> Thanks!!!!!
Twink, where do you carry your generator? I know your TV. I, like you, do not have a pickup truck. Gasoline gives me a headache...
I think a Honda 1000 would do the trick so long as I can bring it along. It's dry out west - no A/C needed most of the time.
One final Q, is there a feasible way to use propane to power your Honda?
Danka!
I don't have one yet. My plan is to get 2 2000s and place them in par like Road King Moe suggests since I will be in places that A/C would be a nice thing to have going and with the 15k unit, I can't do it with just one 2000. If you plan on using the A/C at all, you might be better off with a 2000 instead of the 1000. When I finally do get the generators, I will transport them in the trunk of the car. I think the cost of the 2000 vs the 1000 is only about $300-$400 and it gives you some options later on down the road, plus, (and I would verify this first) the 200 might also power a 13.5k A/C unit (just in case). Both would fit in the trunk very nicely...so if you get it and don't like it, feel free to send them my way!
As for connecting to propane...that one, I just don't know.
I have a Honda EU2000i generator and carry it in a big Rubbermaid-type plastic box. It seals well enough to keep the gas fumes under control in the back of my Ford Explorer.
One approach to trailer battery charging and DC loads
I wanted my Bambi battery bank to be charged either from the EU3000 genset or my tow vehicle. In locations where generators are not welcome, the ability to properly charge the batteries from the vehicle is a necessity, at least where I travel in the Northeast and Midwest.
A solution which allows for controlled charging of the trailer battery bank can be implemented using a DC/DC battery charger. These are products which use a DC source of 12, 24 or more volts, and use 2 or 3 stage regulation to charge batteries.
The BCD305-12-12 units, for example, use a switching power supply to raise the voltage supplied to battery (user selectable two-stage charge voltage range of up to 14.2V) from a source as low as 10.5V, delivering up to 21 amps of charging current in the process. The BCD605-12-12 has twice the current output.
At my work we have used several Analytic Systems (Canada) products for years and are quite pleased with the engineering detail, solid construction, high quality and reliability. The units are used on oceangoing research ships from 60 through 290 feet for DC supplies of the navigation and communications equipment, and for inverter use. They are expensive but work exactly as advertised and keep our battery systems in good condition, and have reduced the downtime and battery replacement costs.
Based on that experience, I purchased an Analytic Systems BCD605-12-12 to maintain charge on a bank of AGM batteries in my trailer from the tow vehicle. Wiring from the tow vehicle alternator through to the trailer uses 1/0 AWG wire for both positive and negative legs of the circuit. A weatherproof lift-truck battery charge connector designed for very low contact resistance disconnects the circuit near the hitch. Location for the BCD605 is inside the trailer near the battery bank.
After load testing my tow vehicle's electrical circuit, I found that when the alternator demand increases, the engine speed increases to match, up to the rated 130amps of output. With the BCD605 DC/DC charger in the worst case taking a 50amp load from the alternator, there would still be sufficient alternator output for all existing tow vehicle loads even while parked.
I removed the Bambi's factory supplied charger. DC current for all trailer loads and battery charging are provided by a Xantrex ProSINE 2.0 inverter charger optimized for my AGM battery bank. With the addition of the BCD605-12-12, this will supply DC for the battery charging and loads as well. And AC loads for the trailer, except for the air conditioner, are supplied by the inverter, either inverting or passing through the shorepower or the EU3000 AC power.
The DC/DC charger system is not finished with installation. So far, individual components are working as expected, but until the system is mounted and cycled through actual use for awhile, it hasn't proven itself. I've installed a Xantrex Link10-choice battery monitor (with the RS232 line monitored by a customized low-power singleboard PC/controller module) to record and monitor the charge/discharge profiles of the batteries and loads to help with this.
About the EU3000, as mentioned by Moe- You can modify an EU3000 to run dual fuel with either gasoline or vapor propane and still have good performance. I converted mine to dual fuel in 2001, and added a remote electric start while I was at it. It required substantial design effort, but the results are worth it to me. One critical matter after installation is the proper adjustment of the demand propane regulator on the supply line to assure the propane-operated genset doesn't stall under sudden electrical load increases.
My EU3000 genset has over 600 hours on it and is quite happy either on propane or gasoline, although due to availability and price I tend to stay with gas.
__________________
Marshall Swartz
2001 19-ft Bambi
2006 Honda Ridgeline RTL
Greensburg, PA - Falmouth, MA
Last edited by mswartz; 05-27-2004 at 06:25 PM.
Reason: clarify details
Thanks All. This weekend I may be buying a barely used CCD 22'. After reading these note, solar will be added, installed by a Airstream dealer. Anything else I should know or ask for before intalling? Thanks again,Jim
Airstream dealers can certainly mount and hook-up a solar system, with a reasonable probability that it will be done correctly, but keep in mind that most who've done a solar install (and many have not) are not experts on it by any means.
Most Airstream owners with solar electricity are clueless about how it works, if it's working correctly, or if they're getting their money's worth from it. Many spend a lot of money on too little panel that contributes little to their usage.
YOU need to become an informed consumer. It's a very expensive investment not to.
The first thing you need to do is get up on a ladder and see how much space you have for a panel. You don't have to climb up on the roof. You can place a broom stick at the front or back of an obstacle such as the air-conditioner or vent, make sure it's perpendicular to the trailer, and mark the locations on the trailer where you can reach from the ladder. Then measure between your marks on the trailer.
The reason for doing this is that there are panels of different shapes and sizes, and while one brand and model of a panel might be too long, another will give the same power by being shorter, yet wider. There are plenty of solar panel vendors on the Internet, and the sizes and ratings of panels are published.
The second thing you should do is find out how much electricity you're using, and the only way to do that accurately is to have a good amp-hour meter installed. The Link 10 is my favorite.
I'd install one of these and track my power usage when boondocking for one season, before deciding on solar or generator. If you find you're using much more than the one panel a 22' could support would provide, you may find you should choose to spend the money on other than solar (i.e. a generator).
I'd take my time on this one and know what I'm getting for my money.
The general list concensus has been that solar is a good supplemental source of power, but expensive per watt and very limited in capacity. Most of us have small generators - like the Honda EU2000i - which cannot run the A/C, but provide enough power for eveything else. Two Honda's can be paralleled to run the A/C, yet each is light enough to be had carried.
OK, thanks for all the info. Assuming I want a small generator (Yamaha EF1000iS comes to mind... $619 + shipping - click here for site. BTW, Amazon offers a price match...) what can I use to store it in? I need an airtight container so there will be no fume leakage into the coach. I do not have a pickup. Dimensions of the EF1000iS are 17.7" long by 9.4" wide by 14.9" high.
Any suggestions?
My '04 22' CCD has no outside storage other than the rear bumper storage box. Maybe mount something on the A frame? Ideas?
I "bit the bullet" yesterday and in a weak moment purchased the Honda 3000 EU generator. I figured I could use it at home also in a power outage. I was paranoid after being warned by "Steph" in her experience last year at the Sisters Rally that we'll be "cooked" by hot weather. This will be our first rally in Sisters, OR in July, and since we'll be boondocking, I want it to be a positive experience! Anyway, I was impressed by how quiet it is, and it fit perfectly in the back of my Avalanche. It has the wheel package for portability, weighs 134 lbs. I have some wood planks to get it up into my pickup bed, but two people could lift it probably without much strain. I plan on attaching a cable lock to the handle to secure it when using, while the tailgate is down. Otherwise, my tailgate locks when not in use.
Congrats on buying a Honda EU-3000is with wheel kit. I got one just like it for my 2004 22' CCD. I got a Krytonite cable lock to keep it from disappearing from my truck bed, even though I have a locked truck cap. At $2000 you can't be too safe.
Did you get an adapter to go with the generator? If not, you'll notice that the 30 Amp recepticle on the generator is a NEMA L5-30R locking recepticle. Your 30 Amp trailer cord has a plug for an R-32U recepticle. They don't match up. To make it work, I made a dog bone adapter with an L5-30P (that I got from Home Depot) and 30 Amp female pigtail from Campers World. Some places even sell them already assembled (like southwestfastener.com). But I saved money by doing it myself.
We're going Boondocking this Monday in the George Washington NF for a week. The generator and my 212 Ah Douglas Deep Cycle Scrubber Battery will handle all our electrical needs including starting the air conditioner. I had a special battery bracket and aluminum box cover fabricated and it fits nicely between the LP tank cover and electric jack. Pictures will be coming soon.
Unless the weather is drastically different than last year, that gen will make all the difference in your experience at Sisters. Good move. You'll probably find it pretty handy to have anyway, since there's so much great boondocking to be had in Oregon. So, is it as quiet as everyone says?
Quote from Bob
Some places even sell them already assembled (like southwestfastener.com). But I saved money by doing it myself. So how much did you save? I checked the southwestfastener.com website as you recommended, and it only cost $26.50 with shipping. I could spend a lot of time (and gas)running around getting all the parts to make one up....while the complete pigtail conversion would be at my doorstep in 7-10 days.
Jim
Xray - The EU2000i costs just a little more than the EU1000, so you might as well get the larger one. Eventually you may want a second one to parallel and run your A/C.
I have a large Rubbermaid-type plastic box that I store the generator in. Although not totally air tight, it does keep the fumes well under control. Fumes from the Hondas are reduced by the closable gas cap vent. I can carry the boxed generator in the back of my Explorer, or in the trailer, without noticable smells.
To minimize stink I do not carry a gas can - just fill up the generator at the gas station when filling the car.
I bike-lock the generator to the trailer bumper when in-use to prevent theft. I keep the lock in the Rubbermaid box too.
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If you plan on using the A/C at all, you might be better off with a 2000 instead of the 1000. When I finally do get the generators, I will transport them in the trunk of the car. 
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