Newbies need guidance!

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by BenjaminHarrison

Hi All! We are testing retirement with a LONG road trip in our newly purchased 2015 Thor Vegas 24.1. Our goal is to drive from St. Petersburg, Florida to Portland, Oregon. We have no time constraints but figure 3 weeks to get there and at least 3 weeks back, with lots of sightseeing in between. Any suggestions on route planning? We're concerned with campgrounds being full and fear we will be staying in a lot of Walmart parking lots! Obviously, planning is not our strong-suit! Are we crazy thinking we can just load up the dogs and head out west? We have never done this before and any guidance for us crazy newbies is appreciated.

We started thinking Wal Mart was always going to be our go to stopping spot, but found that some did not allow overnight, had very poor Wifi. But if they are convenient they are there.
My suggestion is to pick some places you want to go, I call them waypoints and they can just exciting as getting to Oregon. I would identify 7 places to go and see, and just live off the fat of the land getting there.

The only campsites I would stay at are the ones where I need to dump tanks. I can go about a week Before having to dump the gray tank. Picking a campsite is like picking a Motel or Hotel. I never stay at a Motel, and I would never stay at some campsites. I just assume stay at Rest Area or Wal Mart.

Don't expect to save money, as gas is through the roof.

[Lt Keefer]

We go back and forth from Central Texas to Pennsylvania and in alternate years to Montana. We make reservations at the destination and everything else is on the fly. We drive about 200 to 250 miles a day and just enjoy our travels. When we stop for the night, we use the rvparky app to find the next nights campsight. We don't stay at WalMart or Cracker Barrel anymore, that was for when we were in a hurry. We have a general route planned before we hit the road, but it is also flexible. If we get tired of driving or the weather is poor, we'll stay some place for a couple of days to recharge. We use local laundry mats to keep our clothes clean so we carry a jug of quarters. We also try to use more US numbered highways in place of interstates. We have found them to be in better shape than interstates. Be careful of state highways, some are narrow and treacherous.

[Scubawise]

We were on the road many months many states and used this site often. Many were free or $5


https://freecampsites.net/how-to-find-more-sites/



https://freecampsites.net/how-to-find-more-sites/

[lwmcguir]

Summer travel when it is hot in the evenings means generator all night

Either we head North or get a 50 amp camp site

Spring and fall we may wallydock based on location

Over 50 dollars per day now to run the generator to stay cool

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by lwmcguir

Summer travel when it is hot in the evenings means generator all night

Either we head North or get a 50 amp camp site

Spring and fall we may wallydock based on location

Over 50 dollars per day now to run the generator to stay cool

This gets my intention. Is it okay for me to dig, not questioning you but trying to get the basic materials fact clear it my mind and for OP with context?

In general, I don't recall having to run our generator all night. For us when hot; our genny run mostly in the day. If it is only to stay cool as you state; it may shut off intermittently at times (1 - 2 hrs a guess, but based on temperatures and min run times set for genset) As a bonus my batteries are fully charged before Quiet time begin. 90% of the time we run in Quiet time meaning no generator between 8:00 PM and 8:00 AM. Exceptions - we are not around anyone and it is really hot.

So lets look at worse case exception.

1. I am gonna used 1/2 gal / hr of gas to run generator
2. $5 / gal gas cost
3. 12 hrs genny run time assuming no Quiet times and AGS turned off

So I would need 6 gallons of gas at a cost of $30 / day

That is still high for what I experience. In fact, short a family day function, a sporting tailgate event, I have yet to detect a measurable impact to gas usage because the genny was running. In fact; I have the opposite problem, I proactively seek situations whereby I can run my genny more, BUT not for the purpose of what some call exercising. I want real loads with real benefits to get max values.

I have ONLY 200 hours on my genny in 42 months. That is on average about 5 hrs per month. For us; in a real sense our Genny is always on; but in AGS mode controlling it. It is also part of why I have my low battery set at 12.5vdc (house / chassis) just to help start my generator as frequently as possible with some benefit. In short I look for excuses to run the genny; not NOT use it.

So what all this may mean is that If OP is driving 250 - 300 miles per day, he may be spending $200 a day in gas anyway; so in my mind the additional generator cost (when needed) is negligible.

[lwmcguir]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

This gets my intention. Is it okay for me to dig, not questioning you but trying to get the basic materials fact clear it my mind and for OP with context?

In general, I don't recall having to run our generator all night. For us when hot; our genny run mostly in the day. If it is only to stay cool as you state; it may shut off intermittently at times (1 - 2 hrs a guess, but based on temperatures and min run times set for genset) As a bonus my batteries are fully charged before Quiet time begin. 90% of the time we run in Quiet time meaning no generator between 8:00 PM and 8:00 AM. Exceptions - we are not around anyone and it is really hot.

So lets look at worse case exception.

1. I am gonna used 1/2 gal / hr of gas to run generator
2. $5 / gal gas cost
3. 12 hrs genny run time assuming no Quiet times and AGS turned off

So I would need 6 gallons of gas at a cost of $30 / day

That is still high for what I experience. In fact, short a family day function, a sporting tailgate event, I have yet to detect a measurable impact to gas usage because the genny was running. In fact; I have the opposite problem, I proactively seek situations whereby I can run my genny more, BUT not for the purpose of what some call exercising. I want real loads with real benefits to get max values.

I have ONLY 200 hours on my genny in 42 months. That is on average about 5 hrs per month. For us; in a real sense our Genny is always on; but in AGS mode controlling it. It is also part of why I have my low battery set at 12.5vdc (house / chassis) just to help start my generator as frequently as possible with some benefit. In short I look for excuses to run the genny; not NOT use it.

So what all this may mean is that If OP is driving 250 - 300 miles per day, he may be spending $200 a day in gas anyway; so in my mind the additional generator cost (when needed) is negligible.

Now 50-60 bucks additional could be worse but it truly does add up and the point really being the savings of wallydocking diminish when you need to run the AC all night long

That is why I prefer cooler weather to camp

If the temp is near or over 100 and don't drop back below high 70's most of the larger coaches are going to have the generator running while traveling and at night if not on 50-amp service (24/7)

Almost all larger rigs have to run the generator traveling when temps are high to maintain a decent temperature in the coach

Were not talking apples to apples comparing either hot weather or the size of the rig

Also were talking three AC's when hot and 24 hours

Have you ever traveled in 100 degree weather? Surely being from the South you have

And are you telling me you only need dash AC to keep the coach cool and it cools itself at night?

No DK i know you like to write lengthy dissertations but not having need for hardly any AC in 100-degree weather might be a stretch

[ducksface]

We run the generator without thought except if we perceive it as a nuisance to others.
The inverter allows for coffee and microwave even on my sad type24 wetcells.
If we need the generator, it runs.

While a budget is a fine thing to have and maybe even part of the fun, if it becomes a hindrance get a job or sell the rv and do model railroads or something as a hobby.

The complaints of fuel and generator costs are not exactly conveying the happiness an rv should bring. It seems so...unself-serving.

Happy first, or get new happy.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by lwmcguir

Now 50-60 bucks additional could be worse but it truly does add up and the point really being the savings of wallydocking diminish when you need to run the AC all night long

That is why I prefer cooler weather to camp

If the temp is near or over 100 and don't drop back below high 70's most of the larger coaches are going to have the generator running while traveling and at night if not on 50-amp service (24/7)

Almost all larger rigs have to run the generator traveling when temps are high to maintain a decent temperature in the coach

Were not talking apples to apples comparing either hot weather or the size of the rig

Also were talking three AC's when hot and 24 hours

Have you ever traveled in 100 degree weather? Surely being from the South you have

And are you telling me you only need dash AC to keep the coach cool and it cools itself at night?

No DK i know you like to write lengthy dissertations but not having need for hardly any AC in 100-degree weather might be a stretch

I don't believe I ever said that?

I agree all rigs are not the same, I don't have a 40' rig, nor 3 ACs; but trying to offer context to the $50/day number for cooling a rig. I can't come to that if I tried. I am about as cheap as they come. I complain about gas prices as a commodity, but just like I don't think twice about running my ACs in the SUV (front & rear), it is the same for our RV. Not a factor.

Yes, I travel in 100 plus temps all the time. I think our AGS tends to start the genny when ambient temperature around 92 or 93 outside? The associate inside temp may be 80 so the thermostat calls the genny. But even if 92 or above outside, my genny does not run 5 hours, at some point it will have sustained the inside temperature and turned itself off. We normally have the MCD shades down on the side of coach facing the sun to retain cool temp before the genny fires up again.

My underlying point, is that I run our ACs and genny whenever possible, and in doing that; we average only needing the generator for 5 hrs / month and all of those 5 hrs are NOT for AC. With that; and you can take this to the bank, our Coach is NEVER hot when in use. I have 2 ACs and Genny and I am not afraid to use them; and it cost no where near $50/day for our coach.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by lwmcguir

And are you telling me you only need dash AC to keep the coach cool and it cools itself at night?

No, what I said was we run our Dash AC with the AGS on, it will automatically start the genny when/if the temperature inside go over 78 degrees. The Thermostats actually tells the Genny to start. After some period of time it will shut down. Just like AC compressor in your home, it may not run 24/7 even though it is very hot outside.

At night ( I call quiet time) I said it depends on where we are. If we are around other people we do not run the genny, but if it is as hot as you are implying, I am gonna question myself as to where I am? Normally I am around others only when at a campsite, and we have shore power. Other times I am at a sporting event / tailgate function or similar and runny the genny is not an issue.

To put this in context for our 30' Class A, $50/day is 10 gal of gas; and 20 hours of usage/day. No we NEVER get anywhere near since we bought the coach 42 months ago. We are just approaching 200 hours on genny in total, so that averages to 5 hrs month. Now you may say how much usage of the RV? I have 22,000 miles; so that is a tad over 7,000 miles / year. With the exception of Colorado (twice) all of my travel has been South. No Missouri, No Kentucky, No Virginia and none of the Carolinas.

[Scubawise]

450 hours on generator 2020 at 22k miles.
When we picked it up in Alvarado TX, in august ,we stayed at a truck stop and had to run that sucker all night

And like others said run the dash AC for quick cooling

Happy travels this summer all. 106 here

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Scubawise

450 hours on generator 2020 at 22k miles.
When we picked it up in Alvarado TX, in august ,we stayed at a truck stop and had to run that sucker all night

And like others said run the dash AC for quick cooling

Happy travels this summer all. 106 here

I wish I could run my genny like that. You just flew right passed me and now have left me in the dust. I would just like to at least average 100 hours per year.

So you are averaging about 18 hours / month, or about 9 gallons of fuel / month. That equates to about $45/month. That is 3 or 4 times more than me and you have one AC (15k) whereas I have two 13.5k units, so size of RV may not matter so much compared to need?

Oddly we have about the same number of miles, both were brand new coaches. You averaging 11k / year and I am tagging in at 7.5k / year. That may be related to you going to and fro to Montana for all of your trips.

So even in your case of 3 to 4 time more usage than me, the $45/month is well worth it when you see all the benefits you can achieve my running genny whenever you need it without concern.

[EA37TS]

As Cummins/Oman says at their seminars

With all other things being equal a 2 year old generator with 500 hours is worth 3 times the value of a 2 year old generator with 100 hours.

The info presented and distributed at their seminars is priceless.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by EA37TS

As Cummins/Oman says at their seminars

With all other things being equal a 2 year old generator with 500 hours is worth 3 times the value of a 2 year old generator with 100 hours.

The info presented and distributed at their seminars is priceless.

I can't recall the Cummins/Oman Support Engineer's name at the moment, but he says there is also strong correlation with those that have a AGS system having fewer repairs than those that those that do not. They actually extended my warranty on my Cummins / Onan system when I was able to provide proof I bought the AGS parts and had installation performed by Authorized Dealers. Their premise is that those that engage and use a AGS system will actually use the Generator more. I have trip this week and with Summer in full gear now, I suspect I will get more usage to improve upon my current 70 hrs/year average. I have the AGS enabled on every trip; so that is about all I can do.

I recently made a mod; so I can additionally use my generator as emergency backup power for the house, but thus far I have not had to use. Rolling blacks outs are common in are area, so if it occurs I will be ready and my genny may run all day like my portable did a few years ago.

[Scubawise]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

I wish I could run my genny like that. You just flew right passed me and now have left me in the dust. I would just like to at least average 100 hours per year.

So you are averaging about 18 hours / month, or about 9 gallons of fuel / month. That equates to about $45/month. That is 3 or 4 times more than me and you have one AC (15k) whereas I have two 13.5k units, so size of RV may not matter so much compared to need?

Oddly we have about the same number of miles, both were brand new coaches. You averaging 11k / year and I am tagging in at 7.5k / year. That may be related to you going to and fro to Montana for all of your trips.

So even in your case of 3 to 4 time more usage than me, the $45/month is well worth it when you see all the benefits you can achieve my running genny whenever you need it without concern.

Hey benefits:
More fun. More travel. Enjoying life before we die. Wine with spouse. Yes we use AGS especially with the dogs.
We park in town in great tourist places and leave Gene running for dogs ,
********
So even in your case of 3 to 4 time more usage than me, the $45/month is well worth it when you see all the benefits you can achieve my running genny whenever you need it without concern.

[EA37TS]

My rig is 2.5 years old and I have 464.2 hours on the generator. It had 2.3 when we bought the rig. It will log another 5 hours tomorrow during our trip leg from Advance, NC to Sevierville, TN.

All but about 10 hours are time rolling down the road with the 2 AC units running.

[paulwadley]

I bought my 2022 Miramar 37.1 the end of March and I have close to 50 hours on it. It had 22 hours on it when I first looked at it. I am picking it up from service on June 24 and have the oil and filter ready to change it out. The manual said to change it around the 50 hour mark and then annually/150 hr mark from then on. I use it mostly while on the road for the air conditioners and batteries to keep the refrigerator running. We head off to the Grand Canyon on June 26 for 4 nights and then over to Kartchner Caverns for 2 nights at the State R V Park near Tombstone before heading back. The end of July we head out to Utah for 7 days. The generator will be working a lot on both trips.

Paul

[16ACE27]

OP's guidance has him so far off the beaten path he can't find his way back to this thread.