RV Generator Selection

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I recently wrote an article on RV Generators for another RVing website. It's targeted at RV novices considering their first generator, so it's not overly techy. If you are considering adding a generator to your RV, you may find it helpful.

https://www.vehq.com/types-rv-generators/

 

[QZ]

I didn't read all of it or need to but I saved it so I can pass it along. The other day someone in my internet travels thought an inverter generator was one unit that could also turn 12 v dc into 120 ac.

Your article is clear and easy to understand so it's perfect for that situation.

 

[Great Horned Owl]

Thanks,Gary. It's a good article. I did notice one omission in the section on power outlet types. Some 3000 watt generators (i.e. Honda EU3000IS) have the L5-30R, 30 amp twist lock outlet, and will require an adapter.

Joel

 

[Gizmo100]

Good write up Mr Gary...Very easy to read and understand....And that was before I've had any caffeine.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I did notice one omission in the section on power outlet types. Some 3000 watt generators (i.e. Honda EU3000IS) have the L5-30R, 30 amp twist lock outlet, and will require an adapter.

And that's just one of the possibilities.  There are many different outlet types on generators, so instead of cataloging all the possibilities, I decided to tell buyers what is most desirable.  I guess that didn't come across all that well.

 

[Isaac-1]

Gary, overall  a good article about the only thing I think I might have mentioned is that many Sprinter chassis class B's are equipped with propane instead of diesel generators, I would probably have also said something about the relative ease of refuelling gasoline or diesel vs propane.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Many mid-late 90's class A also had propane gensets - it was quite popular for awhile.  Nowadays, propane is once more becoming popular for portable gensets, primarily for safety reasons concerning carrying spare fuel.  LP is clean burning, widely available, has a long storage life, and relatively safe & simple to carry with you.  Maybe not great got long term boondockers, but a decent choice for occasional genset needs.

 

[Isaac-1]

True, though I have to wonder about its viability on those smaller class B's even for weekend campers, many of those units have propane tanks as small as 12 gallons whose fuel must be shared between the furnace, the generator and the refrigerator.  At 1/2 gallon per hour at half load that does not go far.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Yeap, a friend had one of those B's for awhile - 12 gallons of LP (45# tank).  Only a 16k btu furnace, but it doesn't take much to keep those little rigs warm. Nor much genset time for battery charging either. His rarely ran at even 1/4 load.

For portables, bringing along a couple 20# BBQ tanks gives a dozen hours of genset time, fine for a weekend.  In most cases we are talking 2000 watt gensets that only sip fuel.

 

[IBTripping]

Gary, Nice introduction on generators. I did notice you showed your age with this: "The decibel scale is confusing to most people because it increases exponentially, like a slide rule."  And I'm going to show my age by noting that I know what a slide rule is and what it's used for.  ;D ;D ;D

I went to an engineering college for 2 years in the 1960's. The engineering students all carried slide rules in a leather case attached to their belts.

 

[Gizmo100]

Now your Both showing your age...

I know what a slide rule is...Because someone once challenged me & my calculator.  ;D ;D

 

[Larry N.]

I did notice you showed your age with this:

A rather large number of the framily are of that age. I used a slipstick in high school, even. And I still have a couple of them around.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

And I'm going to show my age by noting that I know what a slide rule is and what it's used for.

Probably most readers will have to ask Wikipedia what a slide rule is.      I couldn't think of another analogy, though. Log scales aren't used much these days (there is no App for that!).

 

[John From Detroit]

Now your Both showing your age...

I know what a slide rule is...Because someone once challenged me & my calculator.  ;D ;D

In college some of my former high school classmates expressed confusion over slide rules.
I"d gotten extra credit in High School for TEACHING how to use one.

OH well.. I think I still have one lying about somewhere.

 

[grashley]

OK, I still have a couple, including a 10" with the leather pouch AND a belt hook!


Bad joke time  (you were warned)

How does an engineer fight constipation?
He gets his slide rule and works things out  :-[

 

[Gizmo100]

OK, I still have a couple, including a 10" with the leather pouch AND a belt hook!


Bad joke time  (you were warned)

How does an engineer fight constipation?
He gets his slide rule and works things out  :-[

Ouch....And the joke was bad too

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I still have a couple, including a 10" with the leather pouch AND a belt hook!

I kept mine for 25+ years before finally selling it in a yard sale, back around 1994 as I recall.  I think I got $2 for it, from nostalgic guy my age who wanted to show his son how they did things in the old days. 

 

[Ernie n Tara]

I don't know what happened to my slide rule, but I came across the book from my USAFI course (circa 1964) while I was cleaning out my home office before selling our S&B last summer.

Ernie

 

[Fogetty]

Electronic calculators came out when I was in college. As a sophomore, if you left your slide rule on a table in the labs for a few minutes, it might not be there when you came back. As a senior, if you left your slide rule on a table in the labs for a week, it would still be there!  ;D

 

[malexander]

I kept mine for 25+ years before finally selling it in a yard sale, back around 1994 as I recall.  I think I got $2 for it, from nostalgic guy my age who wanted to show his son how they did things in the old days. 

That's how they got to the moon in 1968.