Generator Etiquette

**JRTJH** · 03-09-2012, 07:24 PM

Not pointing fingers at anyone here, but just saying that it's more than a generator that makes for "responsible use" it's also how it is used.

SteveC7010 · 03-09-2012, 08:03 PM

We spend about 30 days a year in NY State DEC campgrounds which have no hookups. Generators are allowed, but can only be run from 9 to 11 in the morning and from 4 to 7 in the afternoon. That pretty much rules trying to keep your A/C going all day and night.

But we still see some irresponsible behavior. I try to place my generator in the center of my site, up by the lake with the exhaust pointed out to sea. It's a Honda eu2000 so it is very quiet anyway, but I do what I can to further minimize its impact on the neighbors.

It's frustrating when folks with a $50,000 rig have a $200 generator that is 10 to 20 times louder than the Honda, and then they place it on the edge of their campsite so that the neighbors get the full blast.

My personal reaction is that if you're going to dry camp in close quarters, you ought to be kind to your own ears as well as that of the neighbors. I would not run my generator overnight unless it was an emergency of some kind, and yet folks with good battery systems run them 24/7 even though they only need 110vac for a few minutes each day.

This whole generator question is a hot potato on every camping or RV forum on the net. There are some tent campers who believe that all generators, motorboats, etc. should be 100% banned from every state campground up here. I am pretty certain they have that attitude because they camped next to someone with one of the noisy generators at one time or another. Or they camped next to someone who ignored generator hours.

We saved our pennies for two years to be able to afford the Honda. I think it is worth the extra money for the quiet and reliability that it offers.

skenney · 03-10-2012, 05:16 AM

Thanks everyone for the heads up on "responsible generating."

Being new to the RVing world I would like to get something that people will not hate me for but doesn't break the bank. It sounds like I might want to save up for something nice and in the meantime, hit up the RV parks that have full hookups.

I am guessing here but to me the most responsible thing to do (in the generator sense) is to figure out about how long your batteries last based on your family's consumption and then top them off after dinner, leaving the generator off until around lunchtime the next day.

Happy camping folks!

jje1960 · 03-10-2012, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Last summer, we were in a "pristine upper Michigan campground" with no hookups, pit toilets, a wonderful fishing lake, etc. My brother-in-law and his wife came with us and were camping in a tent on the next campsite. On Saturday morning, a big fifth wheel set up in the site next to their tent. Nobody outside, set up the trailer, then disappeared inside (no problem there) but at 6 the next morning, out comes a Honda 2000 generator. Yup, this "recluse" cranked it up right directly behind my brother-in-law's tent. Now, whether it's a cheap a$$ "loud" generator, or one where "you get what you pay for", that kind of irresponsibility is uncalled for. If I had been in that tent, I'd have cut off the generator, walked it to the door and handed it to the "recluse".

Why do I even mention this? There are some people who complain about "loud" generators, and "think" it's OK to run their "expensive model". No matter what kind of generator you have, it's not "OK" to start enjoying your "at home convenineces" at 6 AM on a Sunday morning in a primitive campground full of people who are trying to get away from the noise of home !!!

Not pointing fingers at anyone here, but just saying that it's more than a generator that makes for "responsible use" it's also how it is used.

Jeez, this was a tough one to post to. Gotta say, touching someone's stuff and handing it to them.... Well don't agree with this at all. Also, don't agree with some of the other perspective here, however would just say that RV'ing is a great experience and best enjoyed by taking the high-road and only going places that you would agree with the posted rules. If gens are allowed between such and such hours then suck it up. If they are not, then complain to the management. Not meaning to be contentious, but I gotta tell ya, if it's not against the posted rules, I'm going to start the gen for coffee in the morning.

smiller · 03-10-2012, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Nobody outside, set up the trailer, then disappeared inside (no problem there)

If it's no problem why did you see fit to call him a 'recluse' multiple times in the post?

antiqfreq · 03-10-2012, 01:59 PM

We have always felt that proper camping/generator people would not start their gens up before 7am and shut them down by 10pm and this is what we always
did.

No matter how how it was - unless we were alone out somewhere and we KNEW no one would hear ours - then we might leave them on several hours at night if we needed a/c - but that rarely occured.

Just think how YOU would like to be treated
and treat all the others in the CG the same way!

Most campers are fun people and are aware of their surroundings and how beautiful they are and most don't set out to annoy others purposely - at least we don't.

Jo

smiller · 03-10-2012, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRTJH

I did state that they set up the trailer, then went inside (never came out) and we didn't see or hear anything of them from about noon on Saturday until 0600 Sunday morning.

No big deal, I just didn't see why that would be relevant.

CincyGus · 03-11-2012, 05:16 AM

In my opinion, this was at the minimum a very rude thing to do and from what JTRJH posted appears to be against the rules. I'm pretty sure I would have walked over and introduced myself to the person and asked them kindly if he would mind moving the genny to a better position so it wasn't blasting my BIL with noise and exhaust. I'd also remind him that the noise rules are no gennys from 10pm to 8am and that I'd appreciate him following those rules. There's a chance the person was just not thinking and is unaware of the issues he was causing or the rules. I've run across those kind of situations and when asked, people were apoligetic and quickly corrected the situation. I have always found that the best option is to ask them to help solve the issue before escalating it to somewhere it doesn't need to go to.

Hopefully, because I'm a charming guy or because they were just not aware, that would have worked and that this was a case of a good person who was just ignorant or in a hurry when they setup and not thinking clearly.

If it didn't work in resolving the issue, I'm not sure what the access to park personnel or rangers was but contacting them would have been my next option.

I don't think I would have turned off and taken his genny to him, although I may have accidently tripped over the cord repeatedly until it was moved or they left. I always was a little clumsy at times

jje1960 · 03-11-2012, 07:55 AM

Alright, in a later post see that this infraction was against the park rules, not clear in original post. While I still disagree with touching anyone's stuff, if it was posted rules, this was an infraction. No need to jump over the cliff of contention here, think a point can be made without the authoritativeness hammer. Agree with engaging the neighbor and pointing out the problem. All good here, enjoying hearing all perspectives.

BoosTT · 03-11-2012, 10:46 AM

Sounds like you came up upon a rude camper. It was rude of him to 1. run a generator at that time 2. set it close to a tent. Not everyone thinks of others and they may have figured his $50k rig bought him the right to use his generator.

Side notes: maybe he didn't know anyone was in the tent and figured they were in the rv the next site over? Maybe they wanted to get out of the site early?

christopherglenn · 03-18-2012, 11:51 AM

It is amazing what a 4x4 piece of sheetmetal, and a wooden sawhorse can do for a generator placed at the edge of a site, blasting into yours.

mhs4771 · 03-18-2012, 04:27 PM

That exhaust can get pretty darn hot and if close enough to a Tent, could start it on Fire. I know some young fellows staying at a Hunting camp were running a genny in a little wood shed, had the door open, but must have vibrated around enough that the exhaust caught the fire wood on fire. Lost the shed and the Genny, but saved the cabin.

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