What type portable generator

[cazual6]

Short Answer: Get two Yamaha gens with twin cable and use one AC at a time.

[PKI]

Get a duel fuel Champion. Pat

[wulfraat]

Get the new honda eu2200i. <50lbs. Quiet. Portable. Will run one AC with an easy start installed. Done.

[Rocinante]

We have the Honda EU2000i Companion modified to run on propane. We love it. Recommend you look at the new Honda EU2200i, most likely a very good choice.

[OTRA15]

Sounds like a great new generator!

https://powerequipment.honda.com/gen...models/eu2200i
http://news.honda.com/newsandviews/a...px?id=10086-en

The GenConnex site does not list the conversion yet, but worth a call/email to R&D availability IMO.

http://www.genconnexdirect.net/honda...generators.htm

Propane is the only way to go IMO, as suggested in Post #13 and others.

Good luck!

Peter

[Roadtech]

We went with the Champion Dual Fuel 3500. Two main reasons:
1. Propane, out of the box, warranted by Champion (no 3rd party conversion).
2. It was the only 3000+ watt generator that would fit under our Retrax
tonneau cover.

The Champion is very quiet and has electric start. We love propane for not having to carry a messy gas can, can run it off the trailer propane tanks, and propane doesn't go stale and gum up the system like gas. I run it in my truck bed with the tail gate down. I bought a slick hitch mounted crane that easily lifts it into the truck bed, where it stays until I return from a trip.

[callmedave]

Agree with OTRA15. Go with propane if you can.
A big consideration is: what kind of tow vehicle do you have?
If you have an SUV type, do you really want to carry (and smell) a gen with gasoline in it, along with a gas-can, inside your "cabin"?
Propane would have little or no smell (unless you have a leak).
Handling a propane bottle is less messy.
Or, you can use the AS's own propane, as OTRA says.

Having said all that, we use a gasoline powered Honda 2K along with a 2K Companion paired using a dedicated parallel cord.
We purchased them before we got our FC. They are sufficient for the one AC unit we have.

Since we have a pick-up, we don't have the problem of smelling the fuel(which I do whenever I have to get something).
We also have a slide-out truck bed which makes it easy to use the gens without pulling them off the bed.
Dave

[jnm30327]

Originally Posted by Adventure.AS

I am always surprised that people purchase a generator to charge trailer house batteries.

Your tow vehicle alternator will provide much more current and be able to top up your batteries more quickly than a small generator. Just hook up your booster cables. I have my rig set up so that I can remote start my TV in the middle of the night and use the 160 amp alternator to add charge to the batteries. Very handy when running the furnace at night without going outside to start a generator or the need to carry a separate fuel supply.

Neat idea, but I would be worried about idling the truck engine for hours at a time. It takes several hours to recharge a battery.

[Mollysdad]

Speaking of gas, I have a hard tonneau on my TV, so I didn't really want a lot of gas smell. I use gas cans made by JustRite, and they seal up pretty well. I carry a 2.5 gal and a 5 gal. I put them in a plastic milk style crate (they fit perfectly!) and secure them with a short rope so they don't move around and the bottoms stay clean. They are expensive, but I expect them to last forever. When I open the top, I'm aware of gas, but it's not like "GAS!", as with a plastic can. Never a spill or drip. I use ethanol free in the generator, and if it sits, I dump it in the truck and start with fresh.

If I had to start from scratch, I still don't know if I'd go Honda 3K or Champion 3500 duel fuel, but it would be of of those two.
It's a lot easier to find gas than propane.

[switz]

Since both of our tow vehicles have Diesel engines, not needing gasoline is a bonus from the propane conversion of our two Honda 2000 generators. If we are going boondocking, I can carry my spare 30 pound propane tank in either vehicle without gasoline fumes from either the greater or the gasoline tank.

[ricjones]

Originally Posted by 2Highplains

We are new to ‘Streaming. Purchased a 2018 Flying Cloud w / 2 AC units. 50 amp unit.
Question: What size and type portable electrical generator does the AC community suggest purchasing for boondocking?

Hello from Central Pennsylvania! We are long time Airstreamers and now have a 22FB Bambi with a 13.5K Dometic Penguin II air conditioner. In our mountains (2000 feet and deep woods) in the spring and fall, no AC needed but summers are hot like everywhere. Also we want to dry camp with no shore power sometimes so we have 2 100AH Lithium batteries - but they will not run AC obviously. But we found a miracle. We got a Honda EU2200i Companion generator - puts out 2200 watts, then a kit to convert it to run on propane so no gas cans and gas fumes, and a device called a MicroAir Easystart. Those three items allow you to run the AC perfectly with that tiny quiet generator. I have it running right now in fact. Before, the little Honda would not run the AC reliably. There are 1000's of people using the MicroAir device now with these little generators. The Honda only weights 46 lbs and running on propane there is almost no smell of fumes at all. We call it a miracle. The downside is that the generator is $1200, the MicroAir is $300 plus installation if you are not handy, and the propane kit is about $300 and takes an hour to install on the generator. But it is truly amazing to see that little Honda run the AC even on the hottest days and even when the compressor is still up to pressure. Hope this helps you.