NL Caravan 2016

[theresa p]

Norm and Ginny----sure hoping you plan on stopping here on your way!!!

[AandB]

Norm: If you ever considered running the gennie off propane there is a place in Maine that does the conversions. I believe they're outside of Bangor..

Generators for Portable Power or Home Backup Power

Bob

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by theresa p

Norm and Ginny----sure hoping you plan on stopping here on your way!!!

We will plan to stop by on our way to NL. I would say sometime between the 10th and 15th of May. I let you know more accurately as the time approaches. Thank you.

Norm and Ginny.

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by David B.

Norm, don't you have an air conditioner? If you do wouldn't you need the 2000 watt?
Dave & Paula

We've had the air conditioner for about 4 years. I think we may have run it to cool us down about 20 days during those 4 years. I run it more for exercise than cooling. It's a 5000 btu AC and draws about 5 amps running.

As Theresa suggests we'll need heat more than cooling though I'd be happy if it were reversed.

Today we woke up and it was 53 in Charleston, SC. The heater had been put away. I got up and turned a burner on the stove on and minutes it was 69F in the trailer.

Really the only reason for getting the generator is that others are coming with us. At least one other person is bring a generator, 2500 watts.

We have considered getting a generator for our FL place, mainly for hurricanes. The park we're in has backup generators for the water plant and sewer plant. As well we have a gas fired professional kitchen that could feed the park if necessary. We'd need something for our home fridge... I imagine 2000 watts would be enough for the Fridge..

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by Briantb

I was surprised when you were talking about generators having followed your adventures for years! The 1000 is considerably lighter. I have the 2000 and 3000 at home (off grid) but never take on the road camping.. Like you we use very little and solar is sufficient.

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You are right, I've only carried a 1000w generator once on our first trailer trip ever. We were going cross Labrador and simply did not know what to expect on our first trailer trip in a 25 year old stick built trailer. We gave the generator to one of our sons.

Returning from Labrador I built a 120 watt solar panel for the roof of the stick built trailer.

If I were a little richer I'd buy couple of 1200 watt lithium batteries, they only weigh 28 lbs each but cost $1300 each. one of these days.

[Briantb]

Lithium Ion do show promise especially weight and size for RV use. We have a neighbour using them for home use and they are happy with them - except for the rapidness of the low voltage cutoff from good to not enough in a hurry.
Enjoy the Caravan - looking forward to posts

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[honda03842]

The cutoff is really a strength. In a normal battery the voltage drops off with use, with a Lithium battery the voltage stays relatively constant until 'charge exhausted".

As to the Caravan were excited and a little anxious. Excited with our return to Newfoundland, anxious about leading a group of people, who all seem real nice. I guess anytime you haven't done something before you wonder about the results. Hopefully the wonder of NL will cover for any of our mistakes.

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by Briantb

I'd go with the 2000 especially if you are thinking of using your microwave. The cost differential isn't much. It's like a tow vehicle , you may never need the extra power but it's nice to have if you need it. Now if all you want is lights, charging battery etc the 1000 is fine.

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I was thinking about your microwave comment.

The nature of limited space requires choices. In the everyday world you fill your home. If you have a cellar or a garage, you fill that as well. Humans tend to fill space with stuff to the extent that they rarely know where something is when they need it, particularly for lightly used items.

Our trailer is smaller than many walk in closets. As a result we don’t carry very much clothing, some people pack more for a week’s vacation than we do for 10 months on the road.

Clothes must serve multiple purposes. For example though we often go to cold or at least cooler climates, we don’t carry winter clothing other than a scarf, caps and gloves. We have no winter jackets or coats with us. When it’s cold we layer clothing for cold windy weather, I can remember wearing 5 layers on one cold windy day in Labrador. Our handling of clothing may seems like a small thing but it’s replicated through our total trailer lives.

An example is no microwave. Anything we can do with a microwave we can do with something already in the trailer, but probably slower. Time we have, space we don't.

Norm

[Briantb]

Effective June 2. NL budget implements 16.5 cents per litre temporary gasoline tax to be reviewed every three months. At least you get half the caravan done. Gas today in Norris Point is 1.049/l according to Gas Buddy

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[honda03842]

Originally Posted by Briantb

Effective June 2. NL budget implements 16.5 cents per litre temporary gasoline tax to be reviewed every three months. At least you get half the caravan done. Gas today in Norris Point is 1.049/l according to Gas Buddy

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Thanks for the information Brian.

I suspect that most people will drive less than 2000 miles in NL, and only half of that towing. Considering that their overall mpg should be at least 15 mpg and in our case at least 20 mpg or about 100 gallons of fuel. Since it starts well after we arrive, I suspect few will spend more than $350
on fuel, well less than the ferry cost.

I'm actually surprised that the province has that power. I thought fuel prices were set by a federal board.

It's about a month before we leave. I can't wait.

[honda03842]

https://newfoundlandicebergreports.com/

[1Puremature]

Originally Posted by honda03842

Another day traveling with T-Mobile. So far a strong signal up the east coast.

We are going to purchase a small generator to take to Newfoundland, deciding between the Honda 1000 or 2000. Any comments appreciated.

We have a Honda 1000 in eco setting it is quiet until the AC compressed kicks in. It will pull our AC but if the water heater is set to electric and comes on while the AC is working it will overload. It would take two of them running in tandem to get 30 AMPs. It works for us we don't use it often. Depending on the type of boon docking you want to do a number of Casita friends are getting the suitcase solar panels. The will do enough to charge the battery for lights etc. I just sort of winged this info We are in Virginia slowly heading North (we don't want to get up in Canada too soon)

[1Puremature]

Originally Posted by honda03842

I was thinking about your microwave comment.

The nature of limited space requires choices. In the everyday world you fill your home. If you have a cellar or a garage, you fill that as well. Humans tend to fill space with stuff to the extent that they rarely know where something is when they need it, particularly for lightly used items.

Our trailer is smaller than many walk in closets. As a result we don’t carry very much clothing, some people pack more for a week’s vacation than we do for 10 months on the road.

Clothes must serve multiple purposes. For example though we often go to cold or at least cooler climates, we don’t carry winter clothing other than a scarf, caps and gloves. We have no winter jackets or coats with us. When it’s cold we layer clothing for cold windy weather, I can remember wearing 5 layers on one cold windy day in Labrador. Our handling of clothing may seems like a small thing but it’s replicated through our total trailer lives.

An example is no microwave. Anything we can do with a microwave we can do with something already in the trailer, but probably slower. Time we have, space we don't.

Norm

We have a microwave/convection oven. But we are full timing in our 2013 Liberty Deluxe Casita. We use it quite a bit actually but don't know if we would want it for use some seasonal camping. It is a Dometic product. I agree with your idea about space. Nature abhors a vacuum people also like to fill up an empty space. (and then rent a mini storage spot.

[1Puremature]

Originally Posted by honda03842

When we go to Canada we get extended coverage for $12 a month with Verizon. This allows unlimited calls to the States and 1000 minutes a month in Canada.

The Verizon deal does not provide data/Internet. The concern is the Data and the reason for T-Mobile. As well T-Mobile has unlimited calls and unlimited texts to the states, no charge.

We'll see how the coverage goes as we travel to Canada. Of course Ginny always has Verizon.

Verizon certainly has great coverage. As we travel up the east coast we'll be away from the Interstates and will see how the coverage is.

Supposedly the two dollar deal allows you to use your phone the same way you do in the US data and all. You might want to check on it at the Verizon site. It is something new. I checked on it at the Verizon store but I have trust issues.

[George Lauver]

Norm, I know it's not a Honda; however I purchased a 2500 from Harbor Freight for $399 with a $100 coupon. I found our 1500 wt electric wall heater pulled the most amps even more than the microwave. This unit ran the complete camper, a Uhaul CT-13.

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[Ken C]

Did that Harbor freight generator come with ear plugs for your camping neighbors to use ?

[redbarron55]

I have several Honda and Harbor Freight inverter generators and there is not much difference in the noise.
If you build the intake silencer like I did there is no difference that you can tell with an audio dB meter.
It is heavier and uses a little more fuel but then it costs a lot less and puts out a lot more power.


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[George Lauver]

The Honda 1000i is rated at 59 db vs the Predador 2500 rated at 64 db. $400 vs $1000? 1000cc vs 2500cc? Most people I know that have the Honda, have 2 and run them in parallel. Now you have double the cost and still less power. Just my opinion!

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[redbarron55]

The intake silencer I built makes the 2500MO watt predator as quiet as the EU2000 Honda.
It is heavier

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[honda03842]

We decided on the Honda 1000. Ginny decided the primary factor beyond reliability should be weight. As she said, "We're almost 74 and weight will become more important and the 1000 easily powers our Scamp".