Generator hours

[Allizdog]

Hello, we have a 2024 Chateau 24F and I have a question: how many hours can the generator run on a full tank of LP? I don’t mean consecutively, just in general. We are going on our first trip to a campground with no hookups. Only a couple of nights. I had the gas filled (side note, the tech said almost all of the gauges on the LPG tanks don’t work correctly, including ours). The tank is full but the gauge only shows close to 3/4 full.

 

[16ACE27]

The specs for a 2024 24F claim you have a 4000 watt gas generator - as in gasoline, not LP. What does your build sheet say you have?

 

[EA37TS]

Hello, we have a 2024 Chateau 24F and I have a question: how many hours can the generator run on a full tank of LP? I don’t mean consecutively, just in general. We are going on our first trip to a campground with no hookups. Only a couple of nights. I had the gas filled (side note, the tech said almost all of the gauges on the LPG tanks don’t work correctly, including ours). The tank is full but the gauge only shows close to 3/4 full.

An LP tank is full at 80 percent capacity.

Your generator ma jam will give you the fuel consumption at different loads.

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

2020 24F here... when did Thor switch to propane for generator fuel supply?? If OURS had been propane I would have passed in a heartbeat.

Are you CERTAIN it's propane? With gasoline (from the main fuel tank) at less than a gallon per hour and a full 55 gallon fuel tank you have 40 gallons available = nearly 2 full days worth... but it's rare you'd run it that long. It's usually in a few hour bursts.

 

[ducksface]

This is like the
Was
Green,
Now
White
Generator
Story.

And propane generators are about a gallon an hour.
Propane generators are an entirely stupid idea.

 

[yukongrant]

It will depend on your generator model. We have the QG 3600 LP model. It uses 0.35 gph with no load; 0.54 gph on half load and 0.82 gph on full load. You can find your manual at https://www.cummins.com/generators/rv-generators/rv-generator-manuals
Our total Propane Tank Capacity. 16 gal. (68 pounds).
We like our LP generator for a number of reasons. But boondocking for extended periods could be a problem.

 

[ducksface]

We like our LP generator for a number of reasons.

What are the number of reasons?

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

It will depend on your generator model. We have the QG 3600 LP model. It uses 0.35 gph with no load; 0.54 gph on half load and 0.82 gph on full load. You can find your manual at https://www.cummins.com/generators/rv-generators/rv-generator-manuals
Our total Propane Tank Capacity. 16 gal. (68 pounds).
We like our LP generator for a number of reasons. But boondocking for extended periods could be a problem.

Did you specifically choose a motorhome with a propane generator, or was gasoline not an option? Propane would not work for us because the propane is reserved for furnace, stove, refrigerator, occasional hot water heater and propane grill hookup. I like having the generator as a backup... but with nearly every other appliance eating propane, there's potentially little left for a generator. That's just OUR situation... and opinion.

 

[yukongrant]

What are the number of reasons?

It's quieter. It take less maintenance. It runs cleaner. But we don't use it that much - mainly for air conditioning. Our fridge is a 3 way fridge - so does not use propane while driving. We do not do much boondocking. So it suits us.

 

[yukongrant]

Did you specifically choose a motorhome with a propane generator, or was gasoline not an option? Propane would not work for us because the propane is reserved for furnace, stove, refrigerator, occasional hot water heater and propane grill hookup. I like having the generator as a backup... but with nearly every other appliance eating propane, there's potentially little left for a generator. That's just OUR situation... and opinion.

We did not specifically choose the propane generator. It came with the RV. I would have been happier when I bought it had it been a diesel generator. But it was propane. And we're good with that.
We stay in our RV about 40 days a year and travel about 7,000 miles a year. We're travelling right now. Been on the road for 3 weeks. Our propane tank is about half full right now. (It should also be noted here that our diesel tank holds 25 gallons. Not everyone has 55 gallons.)
We've never had a problem getting low on propane. We have lots of propane for the generator, cooking, stove and fridge. But as I say, we usually stay in campgrounds and are never more than a couple of days from propane filling. It's not for everyone. But it works for us.

 

[dkoldman]

It's quieter. It take less maintenance. It runs cleaner. But we don't use it that much - mainly for air conditioning. Our fridge is a 3 way fridge - so does not use propane while driving. We do not do much boondocking. So it suits us.

If I come up to the Yukon this winter and challenge you do a dual... my Onan 5500 versus your Propane Genny, I want a beer and a extra coat.

My brother's Onan Propane on his Class B is so loud, people call DFW airport reporting a low flying plane.

 

[dkoldman]

Hello, we have a 2024 Chateau 24F and I have a question: how many hours can the generator run on a full tank of LP? I don’t mean consecutively, just in general. We are going on our first trip to a campground with no hookups. Only a couple of nights. I had the gas filled (side note, the tech said almost all of the gauges on the LPG tanks don’t work correctly, including ours). The tank is full but the gauge only shows close to 3/4 full.

CORRECTION:

While it is a very large 40.9 gallon propane take. It does say you have a Gas generator. 2 days not a problem as long as you have plenty of gas in the gas tank. That is very large propane tank. I think I have 17 gallons and I can go almost a year unless it gets very cold.

https://www.rvusa.com/rv-guide/2024-thor-motor-coach-chateau-24f-class-c-specs-tr60523

FWIW, I do not agree with Tech, I say most gauges do work. But when they don't the people that need to fix become the Excuse Monster. Your Propane tank is full when reading outside is 75-80%. If outside reading shows 100%, I suggest to step, turn around a walk away as fast as you can to get a tech to release some propane.

With that said, if I go inside, my propane gauge inside will show full, but it is calibrated to tell me Full based on 80% outside.

 

[ducksface]

Your brothers propane generator is probably missing the lid that covers the air intake.
More noise comes out of that end than the muffler ever thought of.

When mine came loose you could hear it a quarter mile away.
It is a most uncomfortable sharp pop.
A single 1/4-20 wing nut bought in SisterKisser Nebraska and all was cured.

But
I'll go head to head generator wise.
Let's take this to my signature thread.
We can all post inside and outside decibel readings from our phones.
Semi scientific. Close enough.

 

[ducksface]

Generators are old school! Ha

I have the same battery setup plus the generator.
My plan was triple alternators and idle the v10.
I thought I might use the generator space as storage.
But
Sensibilities prevailed.
And
One is none.

We travel with 50% of our bins empty.

 

[Allizdog]

2020 24F here... when did Thor switch to propane for generator fuel supply?? If OURS had been propane I would have passed in a heartbeat.

Are you CERTAIN it's propane? With gasoline (from the main fuel tank) at less than a gallon per hour and a full 55 gallon fuel tank you have 40 gallons available = nearly 2 full days worth... but it's rare you'd run it that long. It's usually in a few hour bursts.

Sorry, I had just assumed it was propane. It is gas like everyone pointed out. So we should be good with a full tank. I was just asking because it seems the refrigerator drains the battery fairly quickly, so I wanted to be sure that I’d have enough fuel to run the generator as needed. I’m considering adding a second house battery at some point.

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

Sorry, I had just assumed it was propane. It is gas like everyone pointed out. So we should be good with a full tank. I was just asking because it seems the refrigerator drains the battery fairly quickly, so I wanted to be sure that I’d have enough fuel to run the generator as needed. I’m considering adding a second house battery at some point.

Great. About the propane... Propane tanks cannot be filled to their stated capacity. There needs to be room for expansion based on the ambient temperature... which as you know fluctuates. I get ours filled at the beginning of each season - about 90% of capacity - which easily lasts all season, provided we don't go crazy running the furnace.

I'm estimating we camp without hookups over 75% of the time. We rarely use A/C, and generally only do when we have electric hookup. I replaced two of the fans with MaxxAir, which are very low power usage.

We're currently having a heat wave here in Ohio... mid 90s with high humidity, so I'm running a test on the absorption fridge running solely off the inverter. It's a little skewed because the motorhome is closed up with no interior air circulation - very hot in there. I'll try to come back and post results in a couple days.

 

[Allizdog]

Great. About the propane... Propane tanks cannot be filled to their stated capacity. There needs to be room for expansion based on the ambient temperature... which as you know fluctuates. I get ours filled at the beginning of each season - about 90% of capacity - which easily lasts all season, provided we don't go crazy running the furnace.

I'm estimating we camp without hookups over 75% of the time. We rarely use A/C, and generally only do when we have electric hookup. I replaced two of the fans with MaxxAir, which are very low power usage.

We're currently having a heat wave here in Ohio... mid 90s with high humidity, so I'm running a test on the absorption fridge running solely off the inverter. It's a little skewed because the motorhome is closed up with no interior air circulation - very hot in there. I'll try to come back and post results in a couple days.

Thanks for the info! We are having a heat wave too, though not as hot (high 80’s). Not sure if we’ll run the AC or not. This is only our second time camping in this camper, and our first time without hookups. So it’s going to be all new to us.

 

[yukongrant]

If I come up to the Yukon this winter and challenge you do a dual... my Onan 5500 versus your Propane Genny, I want a beer and a extra coat.

My brother's Onan Propane on his Class B is so loud, people call DFW airport reporting a low flying plane.

I have both a coat and a beer waiting.

 

[Allizdog]

Follow up question: so as we all know you can’t run the generator overnight, so does anyone worry about the fridge running off the house battery for 8 hours (or more)?

 

[ducksface]

We run ours overnight all the time.
It's been on for a week straight at one time.

Why do you think you can't?