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Woody.1 View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Generators
    Posted: 04 Mar 2018 at 11:58am
Hey Gang,
New to the r pod and TT. Just picked up new 178 a week ago. 
I need generator help - we will be doing quite a bit of camping off grid and I'm wondering what size generator everyone is using?  I have solar on unit, but still would like to use the microwave and AC along with the outlets in pod. I've been looking at the Champion Dual Fuel 3500 watt. Seems like a good bang for the buck. Any experience with this model?
Also looking very seriously at the Champion Dual Fuel 3800. The cost of this one is around $600.00, but I'm not too sure if it will be too loud. Any thoughts are welcome.
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Mar 2018 at 12:26pm
I've read good things about the Predator 3500 inverter generator at Harbor Freight. If I were looking for a generator, I would probably go with that one.
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mjlrpod View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Mar 2018 at 1:34pm
First I would recommend an inverter genny. They are quieter, and more stable. A 3500 watt is about 125 pounds. I recently bought 2 honda 2000 watt gennys. At 46 pounds each, much easier to move around. At 4000 watts, I almost get a full 30 Amps. They are quiet, and run a long time on eco mode. If you want a/c you need both. Almost anything else you can use 1. I've only logged a few hours on each just to try them out more than anything, but, they are highly recommended by most people that use gennys. It's a bit more expensive, but everyone doesn't recommend them just because they cost more.
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mcarter View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Mar 2018 at 4:08pm
Boondocking has the plus of limited noise issues. Not like a campground. I can run my AC with a IX Generac 2000, with the converter CB off. I can charge the battery with the AC off. I can charge battery with AC off and use microwave. I can't run the AC, microwave and charging circuit on a single 2000 watt inverter gen. SO if you want everything, 3500 -4000 is the answer, lot of folks go with the Mjilrod solution.
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Olddawgsrule View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Mar 2018 at 4:45pm
Woody, I'll take the risk here of my Humble Opinion.

I don't see the need yet.. But I know my usage and fitted up with batteries accordingly.

Now, if you do see the need for a generator, I do not see a need for a 'inverter' generator. "Unless" you're going to run your appliances direct from the generator.

Without getting too deep into this.. If all you're looking for is a generator to plug into you TT, no need for a investor generator and the costs. The onboard system (inverter) does what you need (inverts).

It's a square wave, syne wave thing.. The R-Pod's onboard system converts to Syne. No need to double up for the costs involved. 

The Harbor Freight suggestion is quite a uni. 1/3 the cost and far beyond the output of the 'inverter' units.

Comes down to: How you going to use? Direct or into the TT system?

Me, without sun, I figure 6days on my usage. With sun, hopefully much , much more.

Again, just MHO!
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CharlieM View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Mar 2018 at 5:29pm
At the risk of inserting my HO, I feel the need to correct a few things. The RPOD onboard system is a converter, not an inverter. It converts alternating  current (AC) to direct current (DC). It charges the battery and runs things like lights, pump and fans.  It does not run things requiring AC like the microwave and air conditioner. The main advantage of inverter generators is they are usually much quieter and run at lower speed with lighter load. Saves gas and unhappy neighbors. The waveform from cheap generators is pretty dirty; lots of spikes and noise. the battery and lights don't care but electronics do. If you are buying a generator unless you only camp miles from other campers and don't use any electronics the advantage of a good inverter model is well worth the extra cost. 
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mcarter View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Mar 2018 at 5:49pm
Yep, +1.
Mike Carter
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Tars Tarkas View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Mar 2018 at 6:25pm
+2 or 3 on CharlieM.  There is no inverter on the RPod.  You can't run the AC or microwave unless you have 120v AC from shore power or a generator. 

It's hard to find a generator under 3500 watts that isn't an inverter generator, and for the application under discussion is the way to go.

If you are going to camp anywhere near your generator or you may have neighbors nearby, look at the dB rating.  Hondas and Yamahas cost more but have a reputation for reliability and low noise levels.  There is another brand, maybe Champion, that has a quiet model.  Quiet is worth looking for, and, in my opinion, paying a premium for.

The other big consideration is weight and size.  Two 2000 watt generators are a lot to carry around.  If you have the room, great.  A 3500 watt generator is a whole lot of weight to move around.

The Yamaha 2400ishc runs my air and the microwave -- but not at the same time.  (Never been a problem.)  It's one of the quietest around.  It's roughly twice the cost of that Champion you mentioned though.

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Keith-N-Dar View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Mar 2018 at 7:56am
This comes up frequently.  It comes down to Honda vs the world.  I have a champion 4000 watt generator that runs more than 8 hours on a tank of gas, the output is as clean as house power (sine wave no garbage I looked at it on an oscilloscope) is relatively quiet, and cost a fraction of the cost of Honda units.  My wife and I can lift it into and out of the bed of my pickup.  It has been 100% reliable with minimal maintenance. and guess what?  At quiet time even the Hondas have to shut down.  I will take my yellow gen set over a pair of red ones but then I am cheap.
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lostagain View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Mar 2018 at 8:18am
We always try to repurpose what we already have to meet the needs of our Pod.  The generator is no exception.  We bought one after hurricane Sandy when we lived in NJ just to make sure we'd have no more power outages more than a couple of hours.  It worked.  Once we had the generator there we never had to run it.  

Now that we moved out west and our power supply is not so vulnerable, we have repurposed our Champion 3500 to use with our Pod in case we go somewhere where AC is a must.  It works just fine and as Kieth found, my wife and I can lift it in and out of the truck just fine.  

So far, most of our camping has been in the high Sierra and we've not needed AC, but this coming May, we're heading to the south west and I anticipate that the AC may be needed quite a bit, thus we're loading up the Champion.  But, all that being said, we keep our power needs to a minimum.  We don't use a microwave or a lot of electronics.  If it wasn't for AC, our 100 amp solar cell would supply pretty much all our electricity needs.
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