Generator Rec for 2017 Sport 22fb?

[Hamricks]

Hi all! This is our first post since purchasing our 2017 Airstream Sport 22fb. Very excited to join the Airstream family!

Having said that, we are newbies to boondocking. We live in the south where AC is a necessity during the summer months. We would love to get both generator and solar power recommendations. Any tips or tricks would be very much appreciated!

[Piggy Bank]

Congratulations on your new 22.

Do you plan to camp off-grid where there are no electric hook ups? If so and it is AC weather all day and night (I see you are in the South) you will need to consider both generator power and also run time for your fuel source.

What I mean is that we have a generator that runs full power for only about 4 hours on a fill of gas. So a supplemental gas tank setup will be worth consideration. Otherwise you may be getting up in the middle of the night to re-fuel.

Hope you like your 22 as much as we like ours.

[rjbrown99]

For our 23", we bought a GenconneX RV2, which is a Honda EU2000i converted to propane:
http://www.genconnexdirect.net/honda...g_packages.htm

We then bought a Microair Easystart 364.
http://www.microair.net/main/products/product.php?id=20

That enables us to have 1 small generator, run it off of propane (no gasoline to deal with), and run the AC from it. Search for both on the forums, there are extensive threads about both options.

We also did a converter upgrade (Progressive Dynamics PD4655V), 2 6 volt deep cycle batteries, and a Victron BMV702 battery meter.

Good enough to get started. We'll look at solar later.

[Shiny16]

I second the Gennconnex and Microair Easy Start. A connection to your LP port makes for a convenient source of fuel and no gasoline fumes to deal with. Also no clogged up carburetors. The Honda 2000 will run everything on your sport just not at the same time. All in a nice small easy to carry package. If you find you want more power you could purchase a second Honda later on and would have the flexibility of running one or two depending on your needs.

As far as solar I'm looking at the 80 amp Zamp. I'm thinking that would be enough to keep the batteries topped off in storage. I'm still looking for opinions on that.

PS. The customer service from Microair and Gennconnex is exceptional.

[lsbrodsky]

Jimmy,

I think you mean 80 watts because 80 amps would be more than enough, so is 80 watts if you just want to keep topped off in storage. In fact for that purpose you could get by with far less. I have a small 5 watt panel that I keep on my truck to keep its battery topped off since I do not drive it very often.
Larry

[Shiny16]

Originally Posted by lsbrodsky

Jimmy,

I think you mean 80 watts because 80 amps would be more than enough, so is 80 watts if you just want to keep topped off in storage. In fact for that purpose you could get by with far less. I have a small 5 watt panel that I keep on my truck to keep its battery topped off since I do not drive it very often.
Larry

Thanks Larry. Im still on my first cup of coffee.

[Hamricks]

Originally Posted by Piggy Bank

Congratulations on your new 22.

Do you plan to camp off-grid where there are no electric hook ups? If so and it is AC weather all day and night (I see you are in the South) you will need to consider both generator power and also run time for your fuel source.

What I mean is that we have a generator that runs full power for only about 4 hours on a fill of gas. So a supplemental gas tank setup will be worth consideration. Otherwise you may be getting up in the middle of the night to re-fuel.

Hope you like your 22 as much as we like ours.

Thank you so much for the excellent advice!

[JMynes]

Originally Posted by rjbrown99

For our 23", we bought a GenconneX RV2, which is a Honda EU2000i converted to propane:
http://www.genconnexdirect.net/honda...g_packages.htm

We then bought a Microair Easystart 364.
http://www.microair.net/main/products/product.php?id=20

That enables us to have 1 small generator, run it off of propane (no gasoline to deal with), and run the AC from it. Search for both on the forums, there are extensive threads about both options.

We also did a converter upgrade (Progressive Dynamics PD4655V), 2 6 volt deep cycle batteries, and a Victron BMV702 battery meter.

Good enough to get started. We'll look at solar later.

This is, IMHO, the ideal setup for boondocking. Just make sure there is plenty of propane available if you're planning to stay a while.

While solar is pretty cool for being off grid and quiet, don't expect to run A/C off it. You would need lots of panels, more than will fit on the roof of your unit. And you would need a large battery bank and a very capable inverter. Even then, you won't get much run time with the A/C.

A larger RV with lots of roof space, as well as plenty of battery capacity, can get by with solar with careful power management. However the cost of the system is significant, and a cloudy day cuts into energy production in a big way.

I would do the generator, micro air, and PD converter first. That gets you up and running. If you really want solar as well, start small, maybe 100 watts to help keep your batteries charged, but design it so you can add more watts if you want to later.

[Hamricks]

Thanks so much, everyone! Great recommendations.

[Troutboy]

For AC, everyone is spot on with a generator and micro air easy start. Solar can come in handy for everything else or if you are camping in cooler temps that don't need AC.

Size of solar system depends on your use. Many good threads out there.

I would also invest in a decent battery monitor and upgrade of your batteries (do you have one battery now?). Even with your generator, your batteries will be important to run other systems, at night or if at a place where quiet hours exist.

The battery monitor will help you understand how many amps you use and need. Then, it comes down to how many days you camp, and you can size the system.

[Boxite]

You said you would be "boondocking"...which means you'll be where there is no services and far away from others.... so there's not a noise problem.
All you need is an inexpensive contractor-type generator with 2500 watts of continuous power and about 3000 watts of surge capability.

At tractor supply (and others) Champion sells a 3650 watt/4500 watt surge unit with a 30Amp RV outlet for around $300. (Tractor Supply has it on sale this week for $279 and it'll run all night on a tankful so you'll get a good nite's rest. https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...r?cm_vc=IOPDP1

). It runs on gasoline which is what you want because gasoline is readily available and easily transported....not difficult to obtain out in the "boondocks" like propane can be. (And a gallon of gas will go farther than a gallon of propane anyway when it comes to generating electricity.)
Set it behind a tree at the end of your shore-power-cord and you'll never notice the sound inside where the AC is keeping you cool. (Can you see that I'm not worried-crazy about another 10 decibels of sound above the little inverter-types out in the boondocks? And you won't have to worry about how an inverter unit might hurt your electronics or your microwave or resistance-heater elements because unlike an inverter with a square-wave output, the Champion unit puts out sine-wave power.) We run our 22' Sport on a cheap 2800 watt PowerMate generator I picked up for $150 on-sale and have never had a problem with it or any neighbors complaints.) (I do drain the carburetor bowl for storage because autogas these days has ethanol and will ruin small carbs if stored in them. For long-term, ready-for-use storage I store my generators/lawn-mowers/garden-tillers with aviation gasoline available from small local airports. Avgas has shelf-life measured in years, but beware...don't use it in road-worthy vehicles, as that is illegal and will kill EPA controls in vehicles due to the fact it has lead like in the good ol' days.)

Keep it simple. For your boondocking... get that Champion generator.

[TouringDan]

Originally Posted by Boxite

You said you would be "boondocking"...which means you'll be where there is no services and far away from others.... so there's not a noise problem.
All you need is an inexpensive contractor-type generator with 2500 watts of continuous power and about 3000 watts of surge capability.

At tractor supply (and others) Champion sells a 3650 watt/4500 watt surge unit with a 30Amp RV outlet for around $300. (Tractor Supply has it on sale this week for $279 and it'll run all night on a tankful so you'll get a good nite's rest. https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...r?cm_vc=IOPDP1

). It runs on gasoline which is what you want because gasoline is readily available and easily transported....not difficult to obtain out in the "boondocks" like propane can be. (And a gallon of gas will go farther than a gallon of propane anyway when it comes to generating electricity.)
Set it behind a tree at the end of your shore-power-cord and you'll never notice the sound inside where the AC is keeping you cool. (Can you see that I'm not worried-crazy about another 10 decibels of sound above the little inverter-types out in the boondocks? And you won't have to worry about how an inverter unit might hurt your electronics or your microwave or resistance-heater elements because unlike an inverter with a square-wave output, the Champion unit puts out sine-wave power.) We run our 22' Sport on a cheap 2800 watt PowerMate generator I picked up for $150 on-sale and have never had a problem with it or any neighbors complaints.) (I do drain the carburetor bowl for storage because autogas these days has ethanol and will ruin small carbs if stored in them. For long-term, ready-for-use storage I store my generators/lawn-mowers/garden-tillers with aviation gasoline available from small local airports. Avgas has shelf-life measured in years, but beware...don't use it in road-worthy vehicles, as that is illegal and will kill EPA controls in vehicles due to the fact it has lead like in the good ol' days.)

Keep it simple. For your boondocking... get that Champion generator.

Sorry, but I completely disagree. The last thing I want to listen to when camping is a loud construction type generator, either mine or my camping neighbors. Their use should not be allowed.

Dan

[TG Twinkie]

I agree with touring Dan. Be a courteous neighbor.
Use an inverter generator.

[Boxite]

Originally Posted by TouringDan

Sorry, but I completely disagree. The last thing I want to listen to when camping is a loud construction type generator, either mine or my camping neighbors. Their use should not be allowed.

Dan

Soo...you think it appropriate to tell others who are "boondocking"...ie. not near you or anyone else ....what their choices should be..??

Maybe you shouldn't eat spaghetti. Or drink bottled water...or...??

BTW, before you condemn all "contractor type" gens... perhaps you should consider which ones....and what their decibel output is in reality. Some of the so-called "quiet" or "inverter" types are not measured by consistent standards, ie, 23' with calibrated meters in otherwise quiet environs. (Advertised db's are not reliable in many cases.)

My little "contractor" type puts out 68 dbs at 23'.... the same as at least TWO different brands of "inverter" types which can burn-out sensitive electronics.

I'm not criticizing your personal choices... I'm only saying that "loud" is a function of subjectivity. "Noise" is usually defined as "objectionable sound". That def'n might not be the same when "boondocking" alone in the Lincoln Nat'l Forest as it might be in Guadalupe Nat'l Pk parking lot with a dozen others parked 15' away.

[n2916s]

Don't know what inverter generator you have, or had, but I've had an oscilloscope on my Honda 2000i and it puts out the prettiest little 60 Hz sine wave you ever saw. Can't imagine how it would "burn out" anything...

[pcskier]

A 2000 watt generator with an EZ Start for the AC is a great system, that I am now using. I also converted to propane. So clean and easy, carry a grill-sized propane tank instead of 5 gallons of gasoline. This past weekend a friend was cursing his newfangled EPA approved gas can with the special 'no spill' valve that was impossible to use so he removed the spout and gas was slopping everywhere.

As for what generator...my rec is to go quality and quiet from the beginning. Also this weekend, in an off-grid area, a nearby SOB had a contractor-type generator...don't know the brand, but it was yellow...that sounded like a v-8 engine with the exhaust removed that was about to throw a piston rod...the noise literally gave me a headache and made my back teeth hurt. On top of that, he ran it for hours and hours at a time, morning, day and night. The noise carried unbelievably far.

Generators are a passionate argument on here. What's 'best' is usually just what someone happens to own. But paying for quality applies in my opinion. Models like the Honda eu2000 are proven, long-lasting, and the quietest out there. I don't understand the comment that noise isnt' a factor if you're boondocking. When boondocking, even if you are alone, do you want to listen to your generator grinding away for a couple hours as much as twice a day? And even longer if running AC? The Honda eu2000 literally purrs, very quietly with a muffled tenor. Some of the cheaper generators will send you running for the hills to escape the noise.

Invest in quality and enjoy the benefits for years to come.

And yes, that will help you be a good camping neighbor.

[pcskier]

Originally Posted by Boxite

You said you would be "boondocking"...which means you'll be where there is no services and far away from others.... so there's not a noise problem.

No noise problem assuming you yourself dont' mind the noise from your own generator.

Originally Posted by Boxite

(Can you see that I'm not worried-crazy about another 10 decibels of sound above the little inverter-types out in the boondocks?

We run our 22' Sport on a cheap 2800 watt PowerMate generator I picked up for $150 on-sale and have never had a problem with it or any neighbors complaints.)

Nobody this past weekend complained about the guy in our dispersed boondocking area running the cheap yellow generator that braaaapppped all weeekend, because nobody wanted conflict. That doesn't mean nobody minded. Two parties actually left a day early, they had had enough. Several of us frequently commented to each other, and even tried to drop subtle hints, which the guy completely missed. Obviously he 'wasn't worried' about extra noise either.

We can argue all day about this, and neither of us will convince the other. Let's just say we have different ideas on the topic.

[Boxite]

pcskier, ...I'm not unmindful of courtesy. The OP said he was "boondocking", which I took to mean he's not going to be anywhere near anyone else.

I don't run my generator anywhere near anyone else. I myself do not go camping to listen to motor-noise. I go to listen to birds, nature, rain, and ... silence.

Even when "boondocking" I rarely run a generator. (After 4 days DW wanted to wash her hair and use the hair-dryer... no one was closer than two miles from us, so I relented. Otherwise...no generator....)

Just sayin',... I guess it depends on what is meant by boondocking, If I'm camping near others, I find Honda Inverter types just as disrupting to Mother Nature as any other mechanical device including loud music and televisions running on satellite-antennas. Makes me wonder why they didn't stay home...

Kind regards...George.

[pcskier]

Originally Posted by Boxite

pcskier, ...I'm not unmindful of courtesy. The OP said he was "boondocking", which I took to mean he's not going to be anywhere near anyone else.

I don't run my generator anywhere near anyone else. I myself do not go camping to listen to motor-noise. I go to listen to birds, nature, rain, and ... silence.

Even when "boondocking" I rarely run a generator. (After 4 days DW wanted to wash her hair and use the hair-dryer... no one was closer than two miles from us, so I relented. Otherwise...no generator....)

Just sayin',... I guess it depends on what is meant by boondocking, If I'm camping near others, I find Honda Inverter types just as disrupting to Mother Nature as any other mechanical device including loud music and televisions running on satellite-antennas. Makes me wonder why they didn't stay home...

Kind regards...George.

Me too. I run mine as little as possible. I check my batts with a multimeter to evaluate their level of charge, evaluate my expected power usage, then decide whether a charge is even needed yet. I know a lot of people just run them a few hours each day whether needed or not. Just a little less hands-on and 'mindful' I guess.

I really tend to treat my trailer as an aluminum tent. Get off the ground and enjoy a few luxuries.

OK so we do agree on quite a bit after all

[Troutboy]

Guys, go solar and this discussion is mute!!!! We spent three nights and 4 days up in the middle of the Colorado Rockies, by ourself, cloudy skies, and ran everything, including microwave, furnace fan entire time, etc. batteries never went below 90%. No noise, now worrying about mad neighbors (even though there were none), and no worrying about not being able to use power....

Granted, it comes at a cost, but for those that boondock a lot, I feel way easier than a genny.