Would something like this be sufficient for power when full-timing? Now that gas prices are so low, a generator could be a more cost effective way to go??? Oh, 16' Casita...

http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/product...delid=EU1000IAN

I did an experiment some time ago with a borrowed 1000 watt generator.
It would not power my 700 watt Microwave. I didn't even try my 5,000 btu air conditioner.
Most people get a 2000 watt generator for those tasks.

Others may chime in to report if it will power a converter to charge the battery...

I just do without the Microwave or AC without full hookups. I have 45 watts of solar panels to charge the battery when boondocking for the 12 volt DC electric needs: lights, water pump, and Heater blower motor.

So something more like this?

http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/product...delid=EU1000IAN

I have a 1000 watt Honda gen set. Its good for me for lights--TV---Computor---Radio. All the little small things. It charges batteries ok and i can run my 400/800 watt electric heater, but only on 400 watt setting.

How many 45 watt pannels do you use?

Monica,
If you want to run the AC, you'll need the Honda EU2000i. Most find Wise Sales to have the best prices.

http://www.wisesales.com/EU2000iA.html

Tom Trostel

April, he has 3 15 w panels equaling 45 watts total.

It was my 1k gen set he borrowed. I find it OK for charging my battery or, like Ches, running a small cube heater, but it's value is in the battery charging, or the ability to run the heater fan if "stuck" without battery power.

I get it to run my very small microwave, but it takes all it has to do so.

Trade off is weight and price.

That said, I have it, but never use it. My solar seems to keep me happy, and I can live without AC and microwave most of the time.

My stock reply to "the Generator Question"...

1. If you shop for a generator that supplies just enough power, you'll never have enough.

2. Get a generator that can deliver well beyond the power you need. Otherwize you'll overtax your generator, shorten it's service life and possibly damage your electrical appliances.

3. Always determine how much power you use before you consider buying any generator.

4. Determine how much power you use buy getting one of these...
Click to view attachment
AmWatt Load Tester

ConwayBob

Like many other things in the RV world, it all depends on your camping style -- If you like to boondock, only need power to run battery charger, some lights, furnace, and maybe a small heater, then the weight and size of the small generator will be good for you.

However, if you want to run a/c, m/w, big heater, etc., then a larger one is needed. With these inverter generators that can run in background at very low (fuel sipping) speeds and then respond to the load, it's important to oversize a bit so the load doesn't stop the generator.

Also, with only the 1000 and 2000 models, you can by a second one and hook it to the first to get twice the power.

I forgot to mention that if your needs are really small, Honda used to make a 600W inverter model that can still be found used on EBay, etc. -- Very convenient and works at OhDarkThirty when you might need some heat...

If a 1000 Honda is $800, you can buy a 2000w Honda for $1000, so your doubleing for $200. I have the 2000 and love it, it will even run the water hearter. I haven't tried my air conditioner as where we live and camp, I have never used it.,

also, a lot of appliances need 3 times the amps the get it started. Most specs only list running amps. LIke an A/c....it may say only 6 running amps is needed but in your mind, remember 18 starting amps. Google should explain it better than I can.

The lightest generator that will run a 13.5 air conditioner is a Yamaha EF2400iS. There are several cheaper generators that are big enough to run an air conditioner but they are noisy and way too heavy to manage on a camping trip. The Yamaha is very quiet, very high quality and somewhat expensive. The lowest price I can find today is about $1,143 shipped. That is more than most people want to spend and it was more than I wanted to spend. It took a while but I finally concluded it was the least expensive generator that would do what I needed and that I could actually use. In my travels I occasionally find myself in areas where the weather is much too warm to sleep in a trailer without air conditioning. Aside from the air conditioning, it is a constant hassle to keep batteries charged in any weather. I sprung for The Yamaha last year and I am very pleased with it. I will not go camping without one in the future.



Life is much better with a generator but there are still problems to deal with. First is where to carry a generator while traveling then where to store it while camping. You can set it on the floor inside the door of the trailer while traveling but it is in the way. If you tow with a pickup you can haul it in the bed but you need to secure it with a cable lock and protect it from moisture. Do not try to run a generator in the rain. They are very attractive to thieves so you do not want to leave one out side at a camp site or in view unattended. You will want to cable and lock it even while you are running it and are in the trailer. It still weighs 80 pounds with gas and oil and that is enough to hurt your back. Lifting it in and out of the truck or trailer every time you use it or leave the campsite is a lot of work.



I wound up carrying my generator in the back of my pickup. I found a cable lock at Lowe's that I could run through the handles then through the crack where the tailgate hinges and down around the frame in front of the bumper. That serves to make it more difficult to steal and it also secures it from moving while driving. I can start, run and power my trailer without having to remove the generator from the truck. I used a little more than half of a plastic barrel as a weather proof generator cover. It fits snugly over the Yamaha generator and conceals it from view. The barrel was a used food grade barrel that cost $12 at a farm supply store. I measured and sawed it in half myself. I drilled a couple of holes in the flange so I could secure it with rubber tarp straps while traveling.



Here is a picture of the generator powering my trailer last spring.

About the best pricing we've seen on Honda genertors came from these people:
Wise Sales
I'd definitely check them out if you're looking to buy new. Comparison shopping is always a good thing!

Here is a 2000 Inverter Generator with a 59dB noise rating worth looking at. I have NO idea if it is good or not.

On sale for $600.
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/sto...amp;marketcode=

That IS a GREAT Price for a 2000Watt Inverter. Although I'd hate to have to look for it in the dark, even with a flashlight.

$700, Michael, $700.

I got an email promo I thought I copied. Maybe I miss spoke or it changed.

if you use a 1000 watt generator it will only have about 750 watt continuous output, when using a microwave and it is 700 watt you would need 900 watts to run it, just add 200 watts to what the micro says and that is what you need for it. in my trailer I use a xantrex 1750 plus power inverter to run my micro.

The Honda inverter series 1000 watt generator is good for 900 watts continuous. Microwaves are nortoriously poor for power factor. Brief thread about power factor/microwave oven A newer, "power saving" 700 watt microwave might work. Something to do with stepping up the individual loads rather than throwing them on all at once.

Sadly, I'm guessing that all the power saving goodies are usually saved for the more expensive microwave ovens running at the upper wattage range since they're trying to get them to work on a 15A circuit without blowing the fuse. a 700 watt oven that jumps to 1400 watts at startup will still work fine on a 15A home circuit.

For example, here's a GE 700 watt microwave that needs 1150 watts to run (scroll down through the specs. 700 watt microwave. That's about 61% efficiency. Looking further, in the bigger units, I quickly found another unit with 75% efficiency. I expect there are better still efficiencies if I search longer.

The Northern Tool generator that Mike linked is a Kipor with a different case. The color and handle differ but the specs, control location, etc. are all the same. Kipor frequently sells re-badged models such as my "McCulloch FG2000Tc".

http://www.kipornorthamerica.com/App_Theme...x600_IG2000.gif

Nope you were right, it changed. I looked at the link when you first posted it.

Monica, I've read countless posts in many forums with varied opinions on what type and or size of generator to use. We have a Honda EU 3000 and for us it is truly quiet and starts every time. A little too heavy for thieves of opportunity to walk away with.
I wanted a genset that I can just plug into without slide rule calculation on demand spikes, this or that, watts vs volts etc OY VEY...and not PO the neighbors.

Honda, or Yamaha for that matter, are names you can trust producing portable power products that have been around since 1965 so these companies are offering very refined technology and tons of manufacturing history in this area.

Mike

I tripped over my generator yesterday.. that's the first I have paid any attention to it since I moved.. LOL!

Being that I will very shortly be living full time in my rig, I decided to go ahead and get more solar panels.. I don't know if I will be working in a private campground with hook ups, or a forest service one with none. I got 2 50 watters for the roof, and will keep my portables just in case, bringing me to 175 mixed bag watts with 2 controllers.

I also picked up a Wave 6 cat heater.. no power usage.. so, outside of air conditioning and micro, I should be quite happy power wise if I end up with no hook ups, even in the northwet :-)

I suppose I will still haul the genny around.. but I don't know why. I REALLY never use it and it was a regrettable purchase for me.

Gina,

But you know...when you get rid of the generator, you will need it! The wave 6 uses no power? How is that?

Pam

No electrical power, just propane.

There are a number of LP heaters intended for RVs that are radiant and use no circulation fan (or the fan is run by small batteries) -- They are roughly divided in two classes, those using catalytic conversion and those using Oxygen Depletion Sensors (ODS).

The standard RV furnace actually uses two fans (although they may on one motor), one inside the combustion chamber and one inside the warm air chamber.

wave 6 rocks! we had one in a 24' and it was way to hot. we only used high to get it going good. our cat also loved to sit in front of it

Monica,

I considered a Honda 1000 but it wasn't enough to start the A/C so I got a Honda 2000. It's a nice little generator. Some have the 3000 but you'd definitely need a permanent place for it. The 3000 is way too heavy for most lady's to move. The 2000 only weighs in the neighborhood of 40 lbs. Since you are fulltiming you should consider mounting the generator on the tongue as I and others have done or not. I just posted my mod a few weeks ago.

In addition to having a generator I also have a 55 watt solar panel. If I had a 16 footer like you I'd have a 100 watt panel and mount it on the top of the trailer. My panel is not mounted on my 13 footer as I don't have the room for the panel I chose purchase, that would be the actual size. Now remember the solar panel only charges the trailer battery so that's all the power you have available. To run 110 appliances you'll need an inverter. You can't use appliances that use lots of power such as the A/c and Micro, your battery won't ever have enough juice for them.

I like having both the option of using solar or generator depending on where I'm camped and what I want to use in my trailer.