Generators

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by melissab

So are there other methods to make a trailer bearable when the heat index is 100 degrees every day? Would a de-humidifier take the moisture out so e'thing isnt damp inside? We experienced that with out popup last summer in the Keys when our A/C couldnt keep up so our sheets/clothes were damp. Even the toilet paper in the bath houses, ICK! So in some climates I think A/C is unavoidable unless you dont camp 6 months out of the year. Being tied to work and school schedules means camping in the hot summer months which means A/C.

I know not everybody can, but one the great things about out little trailers it's pretty easy to go someplace else.
What did you do before AC was available, or before electrical hookups were so common? Or are you too young to remember?

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Barrie Bochoff

I have never owned or used a generator. I've thought about it but, so far, have been able to get along without one. I camp alone and mostly in remote areas. If I were camping alone, with no one else around, I guess there might not be anyone to bother if I were to run a generator for a short while. However, I camp in remote areas for the peace and quiet and running a generator would be out of place anyway. If I was camping in a formal campground, with uncomfortable weather conditions, with lots of other RV's around me running their generators, I wouldn't feel too bad about cranking one up either. If I was in a camping area with other campers, that were not using generators, I would feel uncomfortable starting one. I guess what I'm saying is camping conditions and situations are different for everyone and I would want to be respectful of what other people expect of a particular location as well as myself. Hopefully, I can find an area to camp where I can co-exist with other like minded campers.
My two cents...
Barrie

Co-existing being polite with other campers is always the best thing to do. That doesn't mean you have to like their behavior or their generators, or their barking dogs.

[melissab]

LOL, well Byron, I guess I'm too young to have experienced no A/C or hookups. I am 41 and camped with my G'parents in their 5th wheel in the 70's and 80's so was this before those decades? I cant fathom living in the South with the oppressive humidity w/o A/C. It's amazing it was ever settled, LOL.
I totally agree with the lack of courtesy by some campers. Sometimes it's a dog who wont stop barking all night or kids running through our site kicking dirt up (my girls would never think of walking through somebody elses site just like they wouldnt cut through a neighbor's yard), or loud music etc. Thankfully so far those instances have been few and far between. I dont know if the "me" centered people dont like to camp or what but I hope it stays that way.

[Francesca Knowles]

OK!
I asked hours (and at least ten responses) ago, and so far nobody's answered the noise nuisance question...
It's curious to me how much these User discussions center on noise levels inside the trailer, and how little on the noise discharged into the surrounding environment..

I mean, let's get real, folks............

If your generator noise BOTHERS YOU enough to fret about it, how can you keep a straight face when you tell the rest of us how "quiet" it is???

Asserting a Superior Right to make a judgement as to where generator noise is "appropriate" is not responsive to the question and, let's face it, on the arrogant side. That approach doesn't work anyway, judging by Nuisance Rules banning generator use in Canadian and American National Parks and a growing number of other campgrounds, both public and private.
You'd be surprised how many people prefer- even expect!- that ambient noise levels at these destinations will not be similar to those of the cities they've escaped for a few days. Many people visit wilder places for just that reason.

I'll ask again!

Is There ANYBODY in this thread that makes any effort to soundproof their generator?

That is, OTHER THAN INSIDE and perhaps using the air conditioning.... which it should be noted adds its own OUTSIDE noise to the racket and increases the generator whine to two-stroke engine levels.

Anybody?

Francesca

[Ron F]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

OK!
I asked hours (and at least ten responses) ago, and so far nobody's answered the noise nuisance question...
It's curious to me how much these User discussions center on noise levels inside the trailer, and how little on the noise discharged into the surrounding environment..

I mean, let's get real, folks............

If your generator noise BOTHERS YOU enough to fret about it, how can you keep a straight face when you tell the rest of us how "quiet" it is???

Asserting a Superior Right to make a judgement as to where generator noise is "appropriate" is not responsive to the question and, let's face it, on the arrogant side. That approach doesn't work anyway, judging by Nuisance Rules banning generator use in Canadian and American National Parks and a growing number of other campgrounds, both public and private.
You'd be surprised how many people prefer- even expect!- that ambient noise levels at these destinations will not be similar to those of the cities they've escaped for a few days. Many people visit wilder places for just that reason.

I'll ask again!

Is There ANYBODY in this thread that makes any effort to soundproof their generator?

That is, OTHER THAN INSIDE and perhaps using the air conditioning.... which it should be noted adds its own OUTSIDE noise to the racket and increases the generator whine to two-stroke engine levels.

Anybody?

Francesca

Francesca,
I hope you didn't interpret my question as being insensitive to the outside noise. I merely questioned placing the generator on the frame which could easily transmit or amplify noise, probably both within and outside the trailer.

The parks where I've camped have strict limitations on when/where generators can be operated. I have a Honda 2000. I've used it once while camping. I don't even like the noise when I make it. My camper is all electric and I'm planning to equip it with solar so that I never have to take the generator with me. If I were boondocking far from other campers, I would still not want to run a generator.

Last fall I camped (in a tent) at a campsite in Maryland along the C&O canal towpath and a huge 5th wheel ran their generator all night. They were at least 8 campsites away and the noise was very annoying.

I camp to escape the noise and confusion. I am also annoyed by folks that believe that I should listen to their music played beyond the 59 or whatever decibels of a generator.
Enough said (from me).

Ron

[Mike Magee]

I've tended to have negative feelings about generators running in CGs. But last summer I was walking through a CG and passed by a motorhome, noticing nothing unusual until I got past the MH... suddenly I heard a low sound and realized that they had one of those little Hondas set up on the far side of the MH. Even though my Burro was probably just 80' away from them, I heard nothing until I passed by them and was at that point about 20' from the generator. It wasn't a troublesome noise level at all and I marveled at it.

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by Ron F

Francesca,
I hope you didn't interpret my question as being insensitive to the outside noise....... My camper is all electric and I'm planning to equip it with solar so that I never have to take the generator with me..
Ron

Ron,

Good man!
I'll look forward to sharing our space with you...
Byron describes his solar system somewhere in the forums- I forget where- he goes into very intricate detail and you might find it useful for planning purposes
By the way, I didn't mean to single you out by using your quote- I just grabbed it as an example of a common thread that seems to occur in most generator user discussions. When people talk about generator noise, it's almost always related to how much of it the users themselves are willing to put up with.

I wish they'd as matter-of-factly consider the very real value many people place on the few quiet places we have left to us.

....
Francesca

[Jay B.]

I have a Yamaha EF1000si and just love it. Sat between two chairs and we could carry on a conversation no problem. It's 27lbs and sips gas (about 2.5 gallons for 24 hours running constantly). We recently went dry camping at a five day race and used two of them to power 6 trailers and the outdoor kitchen lights. Even handled the halogen lights we set up to play cornhole until all hours!

[Joy A]

I mentioned the hours that I've put on the generator since it's been on the tongue of my trailer. Well, the majority of those hours was at the Quartzsite, AZ gathering where nearly every attendee had a generator so I ran mine, too.

My generator box is insulated and assists in keeping a quiet generator even quieter.

As for solar, I have that too and always have the solar panel up on the roof when dry camping.

I think it was Byron who mentioned noisy neighbors. I love music but I don't particularly love other peoples music which is blasting throughout the campground or at least into my campsite. It always amazes me when someone wants to put speakers on the outside of their camper. Why?? I don't want to hear your music. It's bad enough with just a radio sitting on a table.

If you ever camp near me you'll find I rarely use the generator. But I would if I truly needed the Air Conditioner.

[Panoz77]

They sell those Champion 2000 inverter generators at Sams Club now too. I can't remember the price, I think it was $599


Has anyone considered the propane generators? These are almost as quiet as the invertors, this one in particular says it has "Perhaps most importantly is the ETQ Clean Sine Power Alternator feature that produces less then 5% THD (total harmonic distortion), meaning that this is a clean-burning generator. It’s also a “computer friendly” generator to use for your high-tech electronic equipment and toys."

3500 watts peak, 3000 running, 70 db

I have been drooling all over this one.
ETQ 3500 Watt Portable LP Propane Generator - Sam's Club
$432 shipped to my door

[Bill K]

I run my Honda 2000i on propane only.

Bill K

Originally Posted by Panoz77

They sell those Champion 2000 inverter generators at Sams Club now too. I can't remember the price, I think it was $599


Has anyone considered the propane generators? These are almost as quiet as the invertors, this one in particular says it has "Perhaps most importantly is the ETQ Clean Sine Power Alternator feature that produces less then 5% THD (total harmonic distortion), meaning that this is a clean-burning generator. It’s also a “computer friendly” generator to use for your high-tech electronic equipment and toys."

3500 watts peak, 3000 running, 70 db

I have been drooling all over this one.
ETQ 3500 Watt Portable LP Propane Generator - Sam's Club
$432 shipped to my door

[Francesca Knowles]

Propane or Gasoline, it's still an internal combustion engine.
Internal combustion engines make NOISE.
How do you contain that noise within your VERY immediate vicinity?
That is, without your neighbor being made to listen to it?

Francesca

[RSchleder]

Francesca, We have a Yamaha 1000W generator that we probably have used 3-4 times since 2007 when we bought our Scamp. It appears to me that as obsessed as you are about ANY noise when camping, you should camp only in generator free RV parks.
As bothered as you are about your comfort, why not show the same consideration for those that have "quiet" generators and run them for an hour or two now and then to charge batteries when not in a land line available camping stop? I suggest you lighten up a bit and understand that your opinion is not the only one that makes sense to everyone.

[Panoz77]

I don't contain the noise, they are already about as a generator can get. I haven't used mine yet with my camper (I haven't had the need yet).

[Joy A]

Originally Posted by RSchleder

Francesca, We have a Yamaha 1000W generator that we probably have used 3-4 times since 2007 when we bought our Scamp. It appears to me that as obsessed as you are about ANY noise when camping, you should camp only in generator free RV parks.
As bothered as you are about your comfort, why not show the same consideration for those that have "quiet" generators and run them for an hour or two now and then to charge batteries when not in a land line available camping stop? I suggest you lighten up a bit and understand that your opinion is not the only one that makes sense to everyone.

Amen!! Maybe a people free campground as well.

[Francesca Knowles]

hmmmm........fascinating sociological study.........keep those suggestions coming, folks!

Francesca

[honda03842]

Everyone has different needs, for those that need AC, generators are the solution. I can live with it. I'm sure I do something that is disagreeable to them.

We live in a quiet beach community; our neighbor lives in Houston. Everyday his emergency generator powers up for 15 minutes. He needs to have the security that when he is away, his home has power. OK. It's good to know he's happy even though we are ever so rarely without power.

We need to find joy in the happiness of others, even if it requires us to bite our lip a little.

In time with more efficient solar cells, the generator will disappear for all but the most power hungry situations.

Stay joyful,

Norm

Solar panels for everything except air conditioning are the silent solution.

Norm

[Andy B]

Originally Posted by RSchleder

Francesca, We have a Yamaha 1000W generator that we probably have used 3-4 times since 2007 when we bought our Scamp. It appears to me that as obsessed as you are about ANY noise when camping, you should camp only in generator free RV parks.
As bothered as you are about your comfort, why not show the same consideration for those that have "quiet" generators and run them for an hour or two now and then to charge batteries when not in a land line available camping stop? I suggest you lighten up a bit and understand that your opinion is not the only one that makes sense to everyone.

The last time I was camping someone with a loud generator chose a camping spot in the center of the loop at the top of the hill. This location would project the generator sound to the maximum number of campsites compared to any other site in the camping area. No one else at the campground ran a generator in the 3 days that I was there. They ran it for hours at a time and I am sure they annoyed lots of people including me and my site was a hundred yards away.

A generator is a benefit only for the ones using it and an annoyance to many others. Some people are aware that they can potentially be offensive to other campers and the buy a quiet generator, choose a site away from others and use sound absorbing barriers or exhaust pipes that point straight up. Other generator users either do not care much about others or do not realize just how annoying they can be. For example the 70 db propane generator suggested earlier in this thread is a loud generator.

I have a neighbor that is obsessed with his yard. He uses lawn mowers, leaf blowers, string trimmers, chains saws and his lawn tractor constantly. He probably has engines running more hours a week than all the other neighbors combined. One time, in the 4 years he has lived next to me, I used a wood chipper and he came over and asked me to stop because of the noise. That is the type of person that runs a loud generator on the top of the hill in the center of the campground.

I applaud Francesca for raising the noise pollution issue so that it can enlighten those generator users that are not aware of their impact on those around them. If you bought the Yamaha 1000W, that is one of the most quiet generators available and you should not be offended. You spent more money for a quiet generator and that benefits your neighbors.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

hmmmm........fascinating sociological study.........keep those suggestions coming, folks!

Francesca

Yup, isn't it?

Here's what I hear of the generator people "I have a right to have and use my noisy generator. You no right to bring it my attention that it's noisy and bothers others."

[Lizbeth]

I can tell you that my window AC in the Boler is louder than the Honda I use to run it. The reason I know this is several people at remote campgrounds have asked how the heck I am running the AC and have been invited in to enjoy the cool.

My biggest pet peeves are noisy rude kids, dogs that bark constantly, loud non country music, and non Honda (or other non quite) generators. In that order. Kids I talk to, dog owners I make rude faces at, loud music player I talk to or sic the campground host on, generator owners I talk to or ignore.

The thing about the loud generator owners are they are usually people who own a big very expensive rig that they use a few times a year and are to cheap to buy a good generator.

Francesca, if I really want peace and quiet I boondock away from people. If you are in campgrounds you are going to have noises of all sorts, they come with people.