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Folks, looking into buying a 1000-2000 watt generator for my 24' travel trailer. What brands have you used? Friends trying to talk me into the Kipor or Champion brands, but having trouble seeing those as a good, reliable label. Thoughts on the Honda or Yamaha version? Probably need the inverter style for when camping in campgrounds. What did you pay for your generators?
Knowing a bit more about your camping style could help with your decision. Ever camped next to someone with one of those noisey Chinese generators? A couple hours sitting next to someone that sounds like they are mowing their lawn isn't my idea of a restful trip. Same goes for being inside your rig in my opinion.
Do you plan on watching TV and running air conditioning units for hours on end? Or is your generator use going to be confined to just charging your batteries? If only short time use for battery charging once every couple days is your plan, then an inexpensive import will work just fine.
On the other hand, if you plan on a lot of power consumption, I'd recommend that you get the quietest generator you can find. Honda is probably recognized as the leader in quiet power, with Kipur and Yamaha being well respected units as well.
Our motor home had an Onan that worked fine but would likely be overkill for most travel trailer units with 5500 watts. Weight is a consideration as is fuel consumption. Wander around Quartzsite Arizona some winter camping season, and I bet it's Honda 3 to 1, and 2K units are around $1100.
Location: Just transplanted to FL from the N GA mountains
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Thank you for the explanation Off Pavement. I had to turn our generator on for a couple of hours yesterday due to a power outage. Hubby told me that we use 2 gallons per hour, and that is running air and everything. I always hesitate to turn our's on, because although it is quiet inside the coach, outside it isn't that loud... but loud none-the-less.
Is there an etiquette about gen usage in places like Quartzsite? We've never been there, but would love to go just one time.....
I don't have a generator and have been trying to put it off until we get our next camper, but what I've been considering for our small camper is a pair of Honda 2Ks. They're light enough to be mobile, and they'll hook together for 4Ks to run the A.C. and everything else we have. Yamaha folks say their comparable one (2.4K?) will run a small A.C. at lower elevations, so that might be worth consideration too.
I dont have the exact advice you are looking for but I have another bit of advice concerning generators.
Stale gas sitting in the carburetor reservoirs will destroy the needle and seat as well as the gaskets. I learned this the hard way. We parked the RV for maybe 6 months then took off on a trip only to find out the generator would not start. We drove the RV to the dealer and they said you MUST start and run the generator at least 15 minutes under load every 2 weeks or the needle and seat will gum up an be rendered useless. We learned this the hard way. Cost us about $300 to get it all fixed and our RV road service would not cover it because it was considered neglect.
We dont run it under load but we let it run for 15 minutes every other week or so.
By the way we have the old standard tried and true Onan generator with no problems other then then this incident.
I dont have the exact advice you are looking for but I have another bit of advice concerning generators.
Stale gas sitting in the carburetor reservoirs will destroy the needle and seat as well as the gaskets. I learned this the hard way. We parked the RV for maybe 6 months then took off on a trip only to find out the generator would not start. We drove the RV to the dealer and they said you MUST start and run the generator at least 15 minutes under load every 2 weeks or the needle and seat will gum up an be rendered useless. We learned this the hard way. Cost us about $300 to get it all fixed and our RV road service would not cover it because it was considered neglect.
We dont run it under load but we let it run for 15 minutes every other week or so.
By the way we have the old standard tried and true Onan generator with no problems other then then this incident.
Invest $5 in a container of fuel stabilizer and add it to your fuel tank -- it'll prevent gelling and varnishing for up to 12 months.
More or less would use the gen to recharge batteries after using radios, lights each day or so. Don't plan on using the AC and rarely used the micro before. It's when we are boondocking and have no hookups whats'so ever.
Invest $5 in a container of fuel stabilizer and add it to your fuel tank -- it'll prevent gelling and varnishing for up to 12 months.
That's the first thing I said to the dealer. He said the permantly mounted generators do not have their own fuel tank so it has to be put into the RV fuel tank. And if you did it the Sta-bil would not make it to the generator for a very extended period of time running it. It makes sense I guess.
Whatever the case I just run the thing every couple weeks. I also start the engine every couple weeks too.
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