mounting generator

[hadams]

For us the whole point of the RV is to get away from the city noises. I have never understood the need for hauling your own noise maker. We camp just fine on batteries. I wish campgrounds would put the generator lovers in their own far away corner along with smokers. Generator noise is as bad as getting a campsite littered with the last guys butts. Apart from the noise issue the price of fuel is going to make that power cost more than $1.00 per kWh, then there is still a millage penalty for hauling extra weight.

[bryanl]

re " I have never understood the need for hauling your own noise maker."

I usually find that such a condition means that I am missing something, something that is usually a good thing to know. Understanding the basis for a disagreement is much more beneficial than just not understanding.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

" I have never understood the need for hauling your own noise maker."

Hi, hadams. What defines "Noise Maker"? Loud generators, Even quiet generators, Kids, Dogs, Birds, Cats, Boisterous people, Loud exhaust systems on tow vehicles, Music / Boom Boom, And why would you want to put me with smokers just because I bought and brought my own electricity?

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by hadams

For us the whole point of the RV is to get away from the city noises. I have never understood the need for hauling your own noise maker. We camp just fine on batteries. I wish campgrounds would put the generator lovers in their own far away corner along with smokers. Generator noise is as bad as getting a campsite littered with the last guys butts. Apart from the noise issue the price of fuel is going to make that power cost more than $1.00 per kWh, then there is still a mileage penalty for hauling extra weight.

Maybe if you lived & travelled in a region where air-conditioning is not optional much of the year (Colorado is more than a 600-mile drive from the Texas Coastal Bend), or, that for some of us, a generator may be the only power source after a bad storm the idea makes more sense.

In discussing the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, I found some consensus on rigging the master bedroom of the house with a portable window unit A/C to be powered off of a generator unit outside of the house. One would "live" in the m/bedroom and run an extension cord to the refrigerator for, hopefully, the few days until power is restored.

For me, the idea of a 4m-watt generator mounted permanently in my trailer (as Silver Streak used to do on a custom order) is a one-two whammy: I can use my trailer in more places (near the beach) that have no power, and it is also my "home" in the aftermath of a bad storm of any sort.

As to weight penalty, it is almost irrelevant for mpg. The aerodynamics of the rig are what count, for that.

Believe me, I look forward to being able to get FAR away from the sweltering heat, and have the windows open. And acknowledge that I, too, dislike extraneous noises.

[GetOutDoors]

First Hadams, it sounds like you have had some really bad experiences. Second, if your batteries hold for your entire stay away from commerical power, you must not have been away very long . . .

Generator use for me is not needed if I'm around people, as I don't boondock with people I don't know. Yea, I have had people move in on me, but I figure any noise I make thereafter is their problem, not mine (and yes, I still try to be thoughtful of others).

That said, I have gone to great measure (and expense) to make the generator quite, and I do believe my mission was successful.

Power while camping is very nice, as is a stove, hot water, a nice bed, a refrig., a dry warm place, etc. If those kind of things are so bad, one might consider backpacking in the wilderness late October or sometime in November . . .

My generator is also an emergency thing: it will allow me to keep my freezer frozen in the summer and the blower in my gas furnace blowing in the winter in the event of a power loss. I can also run power tools such as a saw or air-compressor when out . . . who knows, maybe a new remote cabin is in order someday. . .

[GetOutDoors]

Addressing the generator weight issue: the truck, TT, and all the gear weighs in at about 11,000 pounds. The generator weighs 113 lbs, or just a little more than a spare battery. If the extra 113 lbs. "is going to make that power cost more than $1.00 per kWh" because of the "price of fuel" - relating to transportation costs, then I'm in trouble and need to find a different solution for camping (it's not like I'm trying to ship the generator in a plane)!

On the other hand, the generator uses fuel - the same amount per load hour - as it did a year or two ago, and propane now cost more. Increased cost is a given. I, like most everyone else, have cut back and travel less then planned. But when I do travel, I want to enjoy it . . . and if that means making my wife happy, and able to dry her hair while boondocking . . . so be it.

Come-on man, didn't everone get the manual on women when they got married?

[hadams]

Well my comments created a bunch of discussion. I would like to straighten one thing out, I never implied a generator was bad to have at home in case of an extended commercial outage.
If you are traveling in a region where air conditioning is not optional just how did your parents or grand parents survive to bring you into the world ?
As for not staying a long time my TV has two isolated RV batteries that charge on day trips. That holds lots of power for an inverter to run the microwave a toaster or hair dryer. The RV batteries always get charged while been towed.

[clinton2292]

When we go boondocking we might stay for 10 or 15 days so the gen install is the only way to go for me yea it may make a very small amount of noise but you cant here it run from 50 feet away when i am boondocking i dont want anyone that close to me anyway it is most times mid summer when we camp usualy around 100 degre outside and i want to enjoy myself not burn not to bring up the other uses

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by hadams

Well my comments created a bunch of discussion. I would like to straighten one thing out, I never implied a generator was bad to have at home in case of an extended commercial outage.

If you are traveling in a region where air conditioning is not optional just how did your parents or grand parents survive to bring you into the world ?

As for not staying a long time my TV has two isolated RV batteries that charge on day trips. That holds lots of power for an inverter to run the microwave a toaster or hair dryer. The RV batteries always get charged while been towed.

What is your point? And why do you have an LPG furnace (by that same logic)?

[clinton2292]

ok i think i got the pics working

[clinton2292]

[clinton2292]

[clinton2292]

[clinton2292]

[clinton2292]

[clinton2292]

[clinton2292]

[clinton2292]

[clinton2292]

[clinton2292]