Travel Trailer and Generator

[Retiredsorta]

I was wondering if I could get some feedback on if some of you carry a portable generator with your TT/FW. I have a 4000 watt portable gen but have never taken on a trip. No need in the campgrounds we've stayed at. We have taken long (5000 mile) trips and it would have been nice to be able to make a cup of coffee or use microwave at a reststop or wherever we have stopped. I know that mounting a 100 lb gen on a 50 lb cargo rack on the rear bumper creates another issue, but managable. Would it make more sense to get a small portable gen, say a Honda EU1000 just to run coffee or microwave? I tow a 2011 Bullet 278RLS. Actual weight is 5760, hitch 830 lbs. Would you take a generator with TT/FW if traveling from lower 48 to Alaska? Opinions appreciated. Thanks in advance. John

[Halibutman214]

I was wondering if I could get some feedback on if some of you carry a portable generator with your TT/FW. I have a 4000 watt portable gen but have never taken on a trip. No need in the campgrounds we've stayed at. We have taken long (5000 mile) trips and it would have been nice to be able to make a cup of coffee or use microwave at a reststop or wherever we have stopped. I know that mounting a 100 lb gen on a 50 lb cargo rack on the rear bumper creates another issue, but managable. Would it make more sense to get a small portable gen, say a Honda EU1000 just to run coffee or microwave? I tow a 2011 Bullet 278RLS. Actual weight is 5760, hitch 830 lbs. Would you take a generator with TT/FW if traveling from lower 48 to Alaska? Opinions appreciated. Thanks in advance. John

Don't know that you "need" it but I just bought a Yamaha EF2400 mainly for my Alaska trip. I like having a generator of some sort and since I was buying one thought I would get one small enough to handle but still be able to run the A/C. You won't be running the A/C but I would recommend you go with the EU2000. It's very light weight, quiet and most of all dependable.

[azlee56]

halibutman, that 2000 can run one a/c unit right. That is what maybe you said in another thread. I keep hearing you have to have 3500 to do that, but you can.

pondering (yes I am still on the generator quest and learning).

[Halibutman214]

halibutman, that 2000 can run one a/c unit right. That is what maybe you said in another thread. I keep hearing you have to have 3500 to do that, but you can.

pondering (yes I am still on the generator quest and learning).

Your going to get a bunch of different opinions on this but I was able to run my 9200 BTU with a Coleman Pulse 1850. Just my experience but I don't think you will be able to run a 3500 with a 2000. My 2400 is loaded up pretty good with just the A/C on but seems to run it fine.

[hankpage]

azlee56 and Retiredsorta, You have to look at the rated continuous watts of the gen that you want. A Honda 2000 is rated 1800w continuous and in most cases will not run an A/C. (Some do) I use a Honeywell 2000 that is rated 2200w continuous and it runs my 13.5 A/C with no problem. A 1000w gen, in my opinion is maybe good for tent camping but it will not run RV appliances .... a small coffee maker maybe but not if your converter is trying to charge your battery. IMO a 2000w is the bare minimum for an RV. 2400 if you want to run a 13.5 A/C. JM2¢, Hank

[Retiredsorta]

Thanks all. Halibutman214, the yamaha weighs 75 lbs. Do you carry in the truck or is it carried on rear bumper of TT? As I mentioned, I have a 4000 watt portable gen that weighs 100 lbs. It runs everything in TT. My concern is the bouncing effect while traveling if mounted on TT rear bumper. The welds on frame and bumper look solid. I'm sure someone on this forum has had similar experiences.

[SAABDOCTOR]

x2 for hankpage. also keep in mind surge watts on start up also play a roll your fridge is on and then the a/c starts surge watts go up fast. bigger better faster more!!! no replacement for displacement and in thrust we trust! are rules i live by:D:D

[Festus2]

Several years ago, I bought a Yamaha e1000 thinking that it might serve to run small appliances and perhaps the microwave. Poor decision. Hank's 2 cents worth is undervalued and when he says, " a 2000w is a bare minimum for an RV, he is right!

As for carrying your 4000w generator on your bumper - as is without any reinforcement - would also be a poor decision (JM 2 cents worth). Don't be fooled into thinking that just because the welds "look solid", that they are. We have heard from several members who have found cracks and from others who have had their bumpers fail. Personally, I wouldn't want to mount a generator on the bumper -- too many potential problems - unless you make quite an extensive (and expensive) modification.

There are numerous threads and posts on the forum about this "bumper" topic - mods that others have made and bumper failure. I'd check those out as it would be repetitive to start this topic again :yawn:.

[Retiredsorta]

Thanks Festus2. I was "concerned" about mounting on bumper. I've seen it many times going down the road and wondered how it effected the frame/bumper. If I decide to take my generator, I have plenty of room in pickup. I knew I would get good advice from you guys. I will look up the bumper issues on here. Thanks again to all of you.

[Festus2]

If you do have room in your truck that would be, I think, the best option rather than mounting it on your bumper. It might be more of a pain to lift on and off if you have to but there are ways of not having to do that.

[azlee56]

the 3500 generator the BF and I had (that got stolen) would go in the back of the truck and I would help him unload it. He did run it while in the back of the truck during a NASCAR camping trip but I told him if he did it again, could he please turn the exhaust away from the inside of the truck!! I had a heck of a time cleaning the inside of the truck bed.

Also, make sure you don't leave your gas can around the generator. We were lucky, someone nicely put our empty gas can right behind the generator exhaust in the truck. BF was sure glad it had no gas in it, because that gas container was melted big time. I was a tad shaken.

Booze/camping sometimes is dangerous when around others!

[f6bits]

I have the Yamaha 2000 and love it, but it won’t run the A/C. It won’t even run two high-load devices at the same time, like a hair dryer, microwave, electric water heater, vacuum cleaner, coffee maker. But it will handle any one of them plus standard load with ease.

Next time around, I’ll get a Boily. Here’s a handy power requirement guide:
http://www.boliyguy.com/boliy_powerusage.html

[Halibutman214]

Thanks all. Halibutman214, the yamaha weighs 75 lbs. Do you carry in the truck or is it carried on rear bumper of TT? As I mentioned, I have a 4000 watt portable gen that weighs 100 lbs. It runs everything in TT. My concern is the bouncing effect while traveling if mounted on TT rear bumper. The welds on frame and bumper look solid. I'm sure someone on this forum has had similar experiences. I carry it in the truck. The ONLY drawback with the 4000 is the noise and it is plenty loud compared with the smaller ones. As I said in the beginning unless you want to run the A/C a 2000 is plenty for what your asking however you can get a Yamaha 2400 for about $100 more.

[D-Cubed]

I have been looking around for a generator for my TT as well, I decided on the EU2000i model this year so I can go out dry camping and then buy another EU2000i or the EU2000i companion next year and run them in parallel so I would have enough power for my A/C.

My main reason for deciding on this is weight and spreading the cost out. But unfortunately I was just at the honda dealership and it seems the canadian models can't be ran in parallel. and looking online it seems we get only EU2000ck2 up here. so if your in the states this seems like a good idea but not up here.

[Retiredsorta]

Thanks everyone. When I bought mt TT in Dec 2010, the dealer "gave" me a Ultra-Gen 3500/4000 watt gen. It runs everything in my TT but weighs 100 lbs. I can carry gen in pickup. As long as the "free" gen runs, I'll use it. Next will be 2 of the lightweight EU2000's. I will continue to carry in pickup and not mount on rear bumper.