Generators

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by lizbeth

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.

Originally Posted by francesca knowles

how do you make them inaudible to the folks in your vicinity who go out to the boonies for the quiet?
we like the quiet- that's why we don't bring our own generators!
?
Thanks!

Francesca

I'm the white dot in the center of the picture...
You can't see my neighbors there, but they came for the quiet, too.


...
Francesca

.................................................. .................

[HikeSticks]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

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."

That's not what I hear Byron. It's sounds to me as though we all have different expectations (and wants) as we live (not just camping). Some of us are going to be annoyed if we're in our home and the neighbor's kids are too load or a dog bark's. "We paid good money for our home and we want what we want, when we want it. Everyone be QUIET!" They want the same when they camp. I don't own the campground but I paid my $20 for my 30'x30' space and I don't want anything else to intrude... even living noises. Some of us are more respectful of others and some are less tolerant of others; surprise, surprise...
If we choose to spend our time where others gather we should understand that not everyone values what we value. That's life. I don't own a generator. I have never stayed in a campsite with power or water. I value the peace and quiet. I usually boondock...in the boonies. (that's most places in the Maritime Provinces...) If I do stay in a campground, I expect campground noises; some more than I would prefer. That's life. Smile.

[Lizbeth]

It sounds to me that you are not going to be happy with what anyone says. Now that my children have grown up I think that all kids camping should have their mouths taped shut and be restricted to their own sites. But that ain't going to happen. Seriously, where humans go there will be noise.

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

I'm the white dot in the center of the picture...
You can't see my neighbors there, but they came for the quiet, too.


...
Francesca

.................................................. .................Attachment 35765

[Francesca Knowles]

....................


Who said anything about human noise?

Please refer to my original question, quoted above.

It's #31 of the 63 posts in this thread, or 32 posts and two days ago.

Except for folks pretty much telling me to go to H-E-double-pitchforks, it has yet to be answered.




Francesca

[HikeSticks]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

Hi-
I reckon the inside noise is easy to live with since it's YOUR noise- but what about outside, which is where we refugees from urban noise are?
What do you all do to insure that your camping NEIGHBORS don't have to listen to your generators?
How do you make them inaudible to the folks in your vicinity who go out to the boonies for the quiet?
We like the quiet- that's why we don't bring OUR OWN generators!
SO!
How do you make your generators silent?



Thanks!

Francesca

Some people listen but they don't hear. There is no requirement, nor should there be any expectation, that the activities of others in a campground be inaudible outside the individual campsite initiating an activity. If I start a campfire and use softwood, like pine, the wood will crackle load enough to be heard outside my space. If I join a social group around the campfire and enjoy a joke, my laughter may he heard outside that campsite. If the campground has a 'no generator' rule, there should be an expectation no generator will be heard. If there is no such rule, generators may be heard. This thread has gotten way out of hand. Campers will use generators if permitted. I don't but I understand others will. I may not like it but... that's life. Take a deep breath and don't let things you can't control bother you so much.
Barrie

[Lizbeth]

Ok, I will answer your question. Generators can not be made inaudible. If you are out in the boonies I will not park close to you.

As long as you don't have screaming, bike riding rude kids or dogs that bark constantly, as those things travel too we should be fine.

If we are in a campground we both have to get over it and have fun. That's what I do.

[Greg H]

I've got 20 acres in the desert and my neighbors hate my generator, but since I don't have $8-$10 grand to have electric put in they just have to deal with it.

[Joy A]

I bit my tongue until the last post I made, the "Amen" thing because I wanted to be nice and wasn't sure how I wanted to say it.

Then also, I could tell by the way the posts are written, agressive, that there was not very much we with generators, whether we use then or not, could say that would satisfy. The manner in which the posts are written could be why others had responded either.

I'm done.

[Mike Magee]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

I'm the white dot in the center of the picture...
You can't see my neighbors there, but they came for the quiet, too.


...
Francesca

.................................................. .................Attachment 35765

Francesca, that looks like a wonderful campsite. Nice and peaceful.

We live in a big world, with different kinds of places to suit different kinds of people. For my camping, I'll take the kind you show in the photo... preferably when no one else is around. I like people okay, but I also enjoy times and places where I can only hear the wind in the pines and the only sign of civilization within sight is my own rig.

If everyone spent a few days in a place like that, maybe they could relax a bit.. ... we are all just expressing our thoughts and feelings, not being critical of one another, right folks? Now everybody stand up, take a deep breath, shake the wrinkles out of your underwear... there now, doesn't that feel better? Let's all have fun here!

[RSchleder]

Lizbeth
I'd like to make a comment about your suggestion that folks with big expensive rigs have cheap, noisy generators. In addition to my 13' Scamp, we own a 40 ft diesel pusher with 4 slides. My experience, since 1993, with big expensive rigs is that they have their own, very well insulated generators built into the rig. The generator in my motorhome is much quieter than 99% of the a/c units found in campgrounds or homes.
We have been camping since 1970 and our 4 kids were respectful of others camp spots and were taught from day 1 to keep their voices down when talking and no shouting. Our dogs were always leashed and taught not to bark.
We run our generators very rarely, however, when in the National Park campgrounds during Spring and Fall, we do run the Yamaha an hour or so each day to keep the batteries charged so we can run the furnace in 30-40 degree temps at night.
Loud gen's are also not my favorite thing. I do, however, recognize the right for anyone to run their generator during the allowable hours. I appreciate them running them for as short a time as possible and I find most folks are considerate of others--for those that are not considerate, yet still only run during the allowed hours--I Have a decision, either put up with it or leave! Pretty straight forward decision to me.

[Roger L.]

We used to camp in the Adirondacks for peace and quiet and fresh air... the beauty of nature. Now a handful of generator users can ruin the camping experience for many. Yes, we have left our campsites during breakfast and dinner times due to generator noise and exhaust blowing in our direction. But never have we received a discount for not being able to utilize our site. I guess some folks just don't know how to make coffee without an electric pot or cook dinner without a microwave. And of course, TV in the woods or on a beautiful lakeshore is a must. And although air conditioning in the Adirondacks is laughable, if you have the unit, you must use it. Se la vie!

[Lizbeth]

Ron I'm not talking about people with diesel pushers and such. I know those generally have enclosed compartments and nice quiet generators. Heck here in So Cal those people set up and never come out of their rigs, not sure why they even come camping.

I'm speaking of the big ol' toy haulers with their toys and 30-35 ft travel trailers and 5th wheels. We go a few times a year to a fairly remote forest service campground that is full on weekends with dirt bike riders. We love to see families go out and ride together even though it does cause quite a bit of noise. We don't like the (generalizing here) groups of young men who ride their bike too hot and heavy around the campground during quite hours, drink too much beer and party too late & loudly.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Barrie Bochoff

That's not what I hear Byron. It's sounds to me as though we all have different expectations (and wants) as we live (not just camping). Some of us are going to be annoyed if we're in our home and the neighbor's kids are too load or a dog bark's. "We paid good money for our home and we want what we want, when we want it. Everyone be QUIET!" They want the same when they camp. I don't own the campground but I paid my $20 for my 30'x30' space and I don't want anything else to intrude... even living noises. Some of us are more respectful of others and some are less tolerant of others; surprise, surprise...
If we choose to spend our time where others gather we should understand that not everyone values what we value. That's life. I don't own a generator. I have never stayed in a campsite with power or water. I value the peace and quiet. I usually boondock...in the boonies. (that's most places in the Maritime Provinces...) If I do stay in a campground, I expect campground noises; some more than I would prefer. That's life. Smile.

Expecting and tolerating campground noises. Tolerating generator and other motorized noises, yes. Most of us do tolerate those things, but that doesn't mean we like it. That also doesn't mean we shouldn't let a group of people know that those things are an annoyance to others.
From reactions here I think maybe they already know that and don't care.

Generators use is being limited more and more all the time. Generator free areas and shortened use times are some examples. Why?

[Al and Cindy K]

Mary Ann, to answer your question, we've had a Honda EU3000i mounted on the tongue of our 16' Scamp since 07. We live in a rural area near the NC coast and the justification for the purchase was a backup power source for the frequent electrical outages common in hurricane season and winter ice storms.

Its most common camping use is to recharge the battery during extended boondocking and/or dry camping outings but, over the years, its provided power for most of the same reasons that I've needed 110v current at home.

A/C when its too hot to sleep comfortably or during the day if the greenhead flies are so bad you can't sit outside. Using the microwave to quickly heat a cup of soup after hiking all day in snow. We'll often pull into a rest area for meals or to catch a quick nap and the genset comes in handy then. I've used it to power my battery charger when I left the dome light on in the Tacoma while on Portsmouth Island - AAA doesn't go there and, unless a friendly fisherman shows up, its $400 for a mainland garage to come over with a jump.

For us, there's no reason not to take the Honda with us. I'm with most of the other posters here who advocate and practice responsible and considerate use of a generator.

With apologies to Mary Ann for getting off topic - Francesa, if you or Byron would care to start your own thread regarding whether or not generators should be allowed in public areas, I'll be glad to participate in that as well but I've always felt it rude to hijack someone else's topic for a personal agenda.

Al

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by Al & Cindy K

With apologies to Mary Ann for getting off topic - Francesa, if you or Byron would care to start your own thread regarding whether or not generators should be allowed in public areas, I'll be glad to participate in that as well but I've always felt it rude to hijack someone else's topic for a personal agenda.

Al

Hi, Al!
.............
I hadn't planned to weigh in again until the Sociological Study results were in, but since you addressed me by name...

"Original Poster" Mary Ann herself brought up the word "quiet".
Several pages of discussion ensued, all of it related to levels of noise tolerable to the generator user.
I asked how users avoid positioning themselves as the controllers of ambient noise levels in the environment shared with their neighbors.

Answer:
Generator users are entitled to that position.

Not a single user has asserted otherwise, let alone described any steps they take to mitigate the noise imposed on others.
Not.
Even.
One.

I neither proposed nor do I espouse further bans on generator use.
I will say that the user attitudes revealed so far in this thread have certainly opened my eyes as to how the necessity arose to impose those bans already in place.
A more useful discussion than the "debate thread" you suggest might be one such as those found in other forums about ways (there are ways) to reduce generator noise to barely perceptible levels, even to the user.
Maybe I'll do as you suggest and start a new thread on the subject. One would think, though, that self interest levels in this one indicate that if users are worried about further bans, they might at least be interested in ways to conceal their generators from any Enforcers they may encounter.

Have fun with "your" thread!

Francesca

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Al & Cindy K

Mary Ann, to answer your question, we've had a Honda EU3000i mounted on the tongue of our 16' Scamp since 07. We live in a rural area near the NC coast and the justification for the purchase was a backup power source for the frequent electrical outages common in hurricane season and winter ice storms.

Its most common camping use is to recharge the battery during extended boondocking and/or dry camping outings but, over the years, its provided power for most of the same reasons that I've needed 110v current at home.

A/C when its too hot to sleep comfortably or during the day if the greenhead flies are so bad you can't sit outside. Using the microwave to quickly heat a cup of soup after hiking all day in snow. We'll often pull into a rest area for meals or to catch a quick nap and the genset comes in handy then. I've used it to power my battery charger when I left the dome light on in the Tacoma while on Portsmouth Island - AAA doesn't go there and, unless a friendly fisherman shows up, its $400 for a mainland garage to come over with a jump.

For us, there's no reason not to take the Honda with us. I'm with most of the other posters here who advocate and practice responsible and considerate use of a generator.

With apologies to Mary Ann for getting off topic - Francesa, if you or Byron would care to start your own thread regarding whether or not generators should be allowed in public areas, I'll be glad to participate in that as well but I've always felt it rude to hijack someone else's topic for a personal agenda.

Al

Here in lies the problem. You expect to be "comfortable" at others expense, you expect to heat your soup with a microwave instead of a stove top, without regard to others.

Need I say more?

[Carol H]

Perhaps I am missing something and need a good wack on the head to see it but how has this gone off topic?

IMHO we are all here to share our personal experences. For someone new to camping and considering the purchase of a generator it would seem to me helpful for them to hear why, when and where some choose and others do not choose to use a generator. Some you may agree with, some you may not.

Can't tell you how many times over the years someone has raised a point on a topic that I personally had not considered. It may well be a suprise to someone new to our trailers that the use of a generator is not popular with the majority of park users thus the reason you can not use them at all in many parks and others have very restrictive rules. Who would not want the heads up that your best friends may choose not to camp with you if use a generator regardless of the rules or where you camp.

How happy would a new camper be to spending a whole lot of money on something they end up rarely if ever using as they where not aware of all the pros and cons?

[honda03842]

Microwave experience. For the first 7 years of our RVing we had a microwave. We found that it was rarely used, certainly not for anything we could do another way.

The last four years, since down sizing to small trailers, we have not had a microwave. (or oven). We travel 7 months at a time, and have never once said we need a microwave. We much rather have the space.

As for the oven, we have found ways to cook most everything stove top.

Since traveling in a small trailer this was the first year that we had an air conditioner. We turned it on the for the first time when I entered a cupcake decorating contest. (I took two cupcakes and made a Casita 16, won third place.) I was afraid the frosting would melt so I turned the air conditioner on.

Since we typically travel from Oct to April AC is not too critical.

Norm

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by Joy A

I wanted to be nice and wasn't sure how I wanted to say it.

I'm done.

And so is this Thread.