Generator use

[Lkha]

Let me start by saying every unit we have owned has had one. I would like to propose that if using within 100 yards of another camper all exhaust /units need to be on user side of unit. This would allow you to enjoy all the benefits(noise and odors )of your genny.

[Ken / Claudia]

Good luck with that idea. I look at the camp ground as a community just like maybe the public community, city, town etc where you live. If those people care about others and respect others as much or more than themselves things can go along fine. But, that's not here or in the campground. So, you have drinkers, smokers, loud party types, some with 4 dogs, some with 4 kids. Some with gennys. And some who just do not care about anyone but, themselves. If the campground host would always see to it that all rules are followed that would be good. My experience is most will not stop loud mouths or loud gennys running all night. I have no solution to end what you bring up.

[Mike484]

If your paying to camp, you should have electric service. If there's no electric service, your probably not paying to camp. If you want to camp for free, you have to put up with what it costs to be free, such as the sound of generators.

I do plan to have a generator with me when traveling, but mostly will be used when stopping overnight where there's no hook-up (free stay). If I have to pay to stay, it will have electric or I'm not staying. I will have an inverter generator because I don't like the noise either, but I'm not paying for a spot and paying for gas too.

Just my $.02.

[crash]

We only use ours for stays in parking lots over night like truck stops, casinos , walmarts ect or when the power goes out at the house . If we are camping somewhere where we have to pay they better have electric or we dont pay for campsite and gas . JM2C

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Mike484

If your paying to camp, you should have electric service. If there's no electric service, your probably not paying to camp. If you want to camp for free, you have to put up with what it costs to be free, such as the sound of generators.

...I don't like the noise either, but I'm not paying for a spot and paying for gas too.

Just my $.02.

Originally Posted by crash

We... If we are camping somewhere where we have to pay they better have electric or we dont pay for campsite and gas . JM2C

Almost all of the State Forest Campgrounds are "dry camping only" with no hookups. There are fire rings, tables , sometimes gravel camping pads, but usually it's "well worn dirt" where you park your trailer. Even in National Forests and National Parks, the majority of campsites do not have utilities. Take Yellowstone for example, there are 12 campgrounds with over 2000 campsites, but only one campground with 325 sites has hookups. The rest are "dry campsites", some with improved showers, some with pit toilets and no water availability. In most, generators are allowed from 8AM to 8PM. The pricing does reflect the services provided in most campgrounds, but there are just as many (possibly more) campsites with no electricity than there are with electricity. In any "campground" you're going to have to pay a fee, even those without electricity provided at the campsite.

Camping "off the grid" in remote areas or in parking lots is OK, but for many people (us included) the majority of our camping is in "pay as you go" State Forest campgrounds (usually about $15 per day) and none of them have any electricity available. Even at our "favorite UP lake" where there's no "formal campground", we still have to pay $13 a day to set up the trailer in an area which is nothing more than unimproved clearings off a dirt road spread over about a 2 mile area.

[Desert185]

Originally Posted by Lkha

Let me start by saying every unit we have owned has had one. I would like to propose that if using within 100 yards of another camper all exhaust /units need to be on user side of unit. This would allow you to enjoy all the benefits(noise and odors )of your genny.

Rules to live by that I try to practice. If only others would do the same with their gennys, dogs, kids, loud music, cigarette smoke, awning lights left on all night, and so on anywhere people congregate. Good luck...

[roadglide]

I'm looking into solar with 2500 watt inverter with 2 panels mounted on the roof.

[Jca3]

Originally Posted by Mike484

If your paying to camp, you should have electric service. If there's no electric service, your probably not paying to camp. If you want to camp for free, you have to put up with what it costs to be free, such as the sound of generators.

I do plan to have a generator with me when traveling, but mostly will be used when stopping overnight where there's no hook-up (free stay). If I have to pay to stay, it will have electric or I'm not staying. I will have an inverter generator because I don't like the noise either, but I'm not paying for a spot and paying for gas too.

Just my $.02.

We live in the west and there are many federal parks where you pay to camp but don't have any services. You are there for the river, lake and natural sounds. However, many people can't seem to get along without their generators. I think they need them to run the coffee maker in the morning or for hair dryers or so the kids can watch TV. We have two hondas and they are not silent. We find a spot farthest away from other people when we use ours. For many years I wouldn't have one because others had ruined our camping by running them most of the day or night.

[Mike484]

When I made my post, I didn't think about the state or county parks where people stay that don't have hookups, I was more referring to RV parks in general.

But, if this is where you will be staying, don't you realize that this may be a problem? Kinda like buying a house next to a race track then expect them to close down the track because it it too noisy (yes, this has actually happened).

The problem lies in today's society where it seems a majority of the people only care about themselves and have no consideration for others, thank god there are still some that are considerate. The use of an inverter type generator and useing it only while people are not trying to sleep would be very considerate. But, the noisy contractor grade generators are so much cheaper so there will always be someone cranking one of them up at the camp ground and always that one guy wanting to enjoy all of his creature comforts even if it annoys those around them. Really wish more people would be more considerate of others, until then, if it was me, I would try to find a spot as far away from anyone else as possible. Not sure if there is really any other solution unless there's a way to get the parks to set rules and enforce them.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Mike484

When I made my post, I didn't think about the state or county parks where people stay that don't have hookups, I was more referring to RV parks in general.

But, if this is where you will be staying, don't you realize that this may be a problem? Kinda like buying a house next to a race track then expect them to close down the track because it it too noisy (yes, this has actually happened).

The problem lies in today's society where it seems a majority of the people only care about themselves and have no consideration for others, thank god there are still some that are considerate. The use of an inverter type generator and useing it only while people are not trying to sleep would be very considerate. But, the noisy contractor grade generators are so much cheaper so there will always be someone cranking one of them up at the camp ground and always that one guy wanting to enjoy all of his creature comforts even if it annoys those around them. Really wish more people would be more considerate of others, until then, if it was me, I would try to find a spot as far away from anyone else as possible. Not sure if there is really any other solution unless there's a way to get the parks to set rules and enforce them.

There is the "occasional" camping trip that's ruined by people like you describe, but for the most part, I believe the majority of campers are considerate and don't intentionally try to ruin the experience for those around them. There are "novice" campers, many who join our forum who really have no idea their noise "bothers" others. Most of them, if they were aware (or made aware) of the impact their generator has on the "peace and tranquility" of the campground, would reduce their generator time. If there's a campground host, it should be their task to "teach" or "explain" the rules. If no host is available, a friendly conversation would, in most situations, resolve the problem.

At big sporting events, tailgate parties, race tracks and "party atmosphere gatherings" all bets are off. Generators are a part of the "accepted noise" and few people give any thought to how loud theirs is because it can't be heard above the other 30 or so "competing noise makers"....

Honestly, generators in campgrounds is an "issue" occasionally, but in 50 years of camping, I can't say that it's a problem that we encounter, even once a year. Thinking back on the recent past, I believe the last time we had an "inconsiderate generator user" was in 2010 or 2011. So for the places I camp and the people who camp there while we're there, it's not really a significant problem, although when it happens is "once too often"......

Maybe I just have been lucky or camp so far "in the woods" that others don't venture that far off the beaten path, but most campsites are filled in the majority of campgrounds during the summer season.

[Festus2]

Originally Posted by Mike484

Really wish more people would be more considerate of others, until then, if it was me, I would try to find a spot as far away from anyone else as possible. Not sure if there is really any other solution unless there's a way to get the parks to set rules and enforce them.

Almost all non-hookup parks, private, county, or state/provincial, and federal have rules about generators. They usually have set hours during which generators can be used but these hours can vary greatly. Some allow use from 8am to 8 pm - while others have a shorter time limit and some have 2 periods - one in the morning and one in early evening/late afternoon.

Depending upon the park's management and how "strict" it is, these hours may or may be "stretched" allowing the generators to be run an extra half hour here and there. Hopefully, the campground manager will pay a visit and have a chat with those folks who don't adhere to generator user hours.

I've never come across any rules or restrictions regarding the noise level or type of generator allowed. From what I've seen, most folks seems to use the quieter inverter type rather than the noisier commercial variety.

If you do happen to frequent campsites with no hookups, be prepared to listen to generators. If your lucky, you may end up by a neighboring site with a quiet one that runs for short periods of time. If not, I guess you could try to find another site - if one is available - but sometimes you can't get away from generator noise at some time during the day.

Personally, I can't quite understand why people go camping and stay all day and night inside their RV watching TV with their generator running outside. But there's a lot of stuff people do nowadays that I "don't get". Comes with age I've been told. Must be my patience and tolerance levels diminishing with the passage of time.

[JRTJH]

The US National Park Service does have restrictions on generator noise output. In most parks, generators are only allowed during specific hours (usually daytime hours) and the noise level is restricted to generators which do not exceed 60 dB when measured from 50' away from the running generator.

Here is the statement from the NPS: " Generators used must conform to National Park Service regulations pertaining to audio disturbances, which states that "motorized equipment or machinery cannot exceed a noise level of 60 decibels measured on the A-weighted scale at 50 feet" (36 CFR 2.12)."

Yes, there's a rule for almost everything, even from 50' away LOL

Note: Most generators, it seems, are measured at 25% of rated output at 23' away. How that relates to "when connected to charge batteries or to run the air conditioner and measured from 50' away will likely be a significant difference in measurements. So, quite often, showing the park ranger your owner's manual with the 53dB at 23' specification probably won't sway his decision if he has a "sound measurement device" in his hand......