Boondocking

[dkoldman]

Wow this site is fascinating. If I had a Developer I would package to sell a game called RVopoly where you can buy your RV of dreams and it randomly create real life situations that you must contend with in order to continue play before you go bankrupt or sell out of the game.

Now why I am soooo fascinated? Do you mean to tell me that if all things are equal it is best to run the portable generator versus the equipped Onans?

I have a Sinemate 3500KW pure sinewave portable generator with wheels and handle, maybe 2 decibels louder than the equivalent Honda, but it is smaller than the equivalent Honda and has it's own battery for keystart (works great after 9 years). It has 30 amp breaker; so I could only run one AC, but am I hearing the gas savings are distinguishable?

I actually installed a Connecticut Electric transfer switch at my house; so I have 10 breakers from house plumbed in. When we lose power we can fire up the generator and have all major appliances going. I remember once when a transformer blew on our block we must have had every neighbor in the neighbor come wanting to know how are landscape light shining bright in all of the otherwise darkness outside.

So given that some take their generators, how (where) do you pack to stabilize the generator, and where would you put a 5 gallon gas container so that it it does not topple over or be illegal in any state (except for Hawaii )?

[The Gritz Carlton]

I use a rear carrier rack from Northern Tool. Portable fits on it fine with 2-3 5 gallon jugs. I use a car hauler trailer with the Jeep and this allows lots more room for other things.

[rudyhehn]

We bought a used a 33.3 Palazzo with a residential fridge. We camp at state parks without electricity or boondock about 25% of our nights. If off the grid we run our generator twice a day for one hour. That keeps the batteries at 12.0V or higher. We usually run the generator in the morning when making breakfast and again late afternoon to minimize noise issues for neighbors. Our generator has done fine with routine oil changes only. We have 4 golf cart batteries as our power bank. Solar too pricy for us.

[taylorbob1]

Originally Posted by rudyhehn

We bought a used a 33.3 Palazzo with a residential fridge. We camp at state parks without electricity or boondock about 25% of our nights. If off the grid we run our generator twice a day for one hour. That keeps the batteries at 12.0V or higher. We usually run the generator in the morning when making breakfast and again late afternoon to minimize noise issues for neighbors. Our generator has done fine with routine oil changes only. We have 4 golf cart batteries as our power bank. Solar too pricy for us.

LOL
We thinks...
Solar is cheap
Palazzo is too pricey for us

It all depends on point of view

[TurnerFam]

actually, solar is NOT cheap... that's the problem.

taylorbob1, with a 'used' Palazzo, is doing it just right -use what you have, it's already designed to do just what you need. Why so many are 'afraid' of their generator is beyond me, though it's a 'natural' initial concern that so many have. A generator is nothing more than a small 'lawn mower' that gives you 120v power whenever you need it, whether the sun is out, or not.
Solar, though, is so limited to certain 'times' when it can be used, and only saved 'if' you have enough storage, i.e. BATTERIES, to contain it - all of that makes for expensive 'upgrades', especially when you already have an onboard generator that you already 'paid for'....

I've done many calculations and 'real world' comparisons of trying to make solar work, over the use of the diesel generator, and it's never as 'easy' as we want to think it is. We bristle at the thought of the 'sound' or 'noise' of a generator, even though they actually are NOT really that loud, and the cost of diesel or fuel to run it, and yet we will go out and purchase 'expensive' solar panels, controllers, wiring, and sometimes the aforementioned additional needed 'storage' batteries, all to keep from having to 'hear' that dreaded generator sound.
The issue is that the solar is not going to provide power for air conditioning, which will continue to require the use of the generator, anyway. During that time, the solar is no longer in play, as the battery charger is now taking over that role. While traveling, the Alternator does the charging, at least for motorized RVs, so again, the solar is not in play. The ONLY time solar is in play is when parked.
If you are truly travelers in the RVing world, then the time you are parked is a small portion of the time that solar can add any value, IF the sun is out that day, and IF you are not parked under shade.... so many 'IFs' with solar, at least for travelers.

I always say that the best course of action is to first get more 'storage', meaning more battery amp hours, which for most, is more batteries. Where to place or store them can be a chore, but ultimately, even if you later get solar, you 'need' more battery storage anyway, to make the best use of your 'solar investment'.

Solar is like water - it's a great thing to have when you need it, but if you have no where to store it, it is very allusive and unusable.

[dkoldman]

Noticeably missing in this discussion of solar, generators, extra capacity of batteries etc is the AGS. I have become with the need or want for an AGS on whatever I buy. I am thinking it solves all of the problems of keeping batteries charged and not running at night when noise may be a factor. Seems like to me, if I didn't have Solar, Super Batteries etc, 1st thing I would want would be AGS, then I go with super batteries when my current batteries go bad if I am worried the old reserves didn't hold as long as I wanted.

[The Gritz Carlton]

I love A/C...nothing will run them but generator(s).

[pavemike]

Originally Posted by The Gritz Carlton

I love A/C...nothing will run them but generator(s).

BINGO...otherwise, a tent would have served the purpose and saved me a lot of money.

[kwplot34]

We have a Yamaha 2000I V2 generator just for boon docking. We leave it running for the week, check the fuel twice a day morning and evening. Its very quiet and will usually run for 10 hours on a gallon of fuel. Saves wear on the big generator.

[The Gritz Carlton]

^^Smart Man^^ I do the same. Have 2 Hondas in parallel and one Champion 3100. Just bought 2 new Champion 3400's that will parallel for 50 AMPs. Gonna sell the 3100....cheap. it will run oNE 15K A/C.