RV Generators Explained!
We are brand new RV owners and as we discovered very quickly, we have a lot to learn about RV generators. For a start, we thought that we would easily be able to use our home portable generator, but have since found out that this is not going to be the best option. We thought that it would be a simple matter of loading the generator into the back of the truck, which would work fine because we bought a fifth wheel RV. We didn't stop to think about the noise factor or the inconvenience. We are not alone, as evidently this is a very common belief amongst new RV'ers and it is not until they either speak to someone who is experienced or have spent some time out on the road themselves that they realise that there is absolutely no substitute for RV generators. Many people that you talk to will tell you that they started out bringing their home generators thinking it would save them money. They soon found that the inconvenience drove them nuts, and as soon as they could afford to purchase an RV generator they did. We take our generator on our first trip and while we were staying at trailer parks and hooking up we didn't need to use it, but it was when we spent some time boon docking that we realised just how inadequate they are. Particularly as there were a few of us there that didn't have RV generators and we had to run leads from our units which were about 20 meters away to try and quieten the noise.
The three main advantages that RV generators have are: - they have around three times the horsepower as the ordinary generators, - they run at around 1800 rpm, which makes them quieter, - they are built for continuous use. This was all new information to us, we didn't realise that the tradesman's generators have cruder type engines which in themselves are just noisier. RV generators are powered by either gasoline, LP or diesel and they are specifically designed for this use. Naturally there is an extensive range of them to meet the requirements of all the different classes and sizes of RV's in the United States. Some RV generators are ideally suited to the travel trailers and truck campers, whereas others are designed for the super sized A Class, and are capable of running up to three air conditioning units. One thing that they all have is plenty of power. Many of the leading brands such as Onan and Honda pride themselves on the noise levels of their RV generators - they are a lot quieter than national park standards. I suppose it was a good thing that we survived our first trip the difficult way, because it was such a learning experience. We were able to speak to other RV owners and find out what type of RV generators they were running. We continued with our education when we arrived back home, and had one installed before our next trip. What a difference it made. Now we are the first to tell anyone new to camping, that RV generators are going to be essential if you plan to spend time in non hookup sites. |