Portable RV Generators – What To Look For In A Generator
August 2, 2010
For anyone with an RV or even people considering getting an RV, one thing that you will find very handy is a portable RV generator. When your out on your travels you may find that you are stopping for the night in an area with no grid power to plug into. You don’t want to run the RV engines so you can use a generator to give you power. When it comes to a portable RV generator there are a few things to consider. This article will touch on these things and a few more so that you know what to look out for.
To be frank, the two things that you really have to nail when it comes to buying a portable RV generator are the size and the type of fuel it uses.
So what is the size all about. Well, the size is actually the capacity of the generator to output wattage. Small generators are rated at around 1500 – 200 watts. Larger units are rated at 5000 and up to around 10000 watts. The size may also consist of the physical dimensions of the unit. Although this is not such a big consideration, people with little storage space should definitely factor this into their thoughts.
Before you jump in a buy the largest capacity available, you need to understand that it will be the most expensive option and will be more expensive to operate. So the best way forward is to determine how much power you actually use on a day to day basis. Rather than measure just one day, work out an average over a month so that most daily fluctuations are ironed out by the averaging. This will give you an idea of the capacity that you portable RV generator needs to be.
With regards to the physical size, you really need to make sure it fits into your RV and can be securely fastened down when the vehicle is moving. This is for safety reason and is a fairly important consideration.
The next thing to tax the gray matter is the type of fuel the portable RV generator will use. Most makers have generators that can use regular gas, diesel or even propane gas. Most of these types of fuels are readily available. They do however differ in price. These are two obvious considerations when it comes to selecting the fuel source for your RV generator. Another consideration might be to match the fuel with the fuel used in the RV. This is a practical consideration as you can always use fuel from the RV to power the generator and vice versa if there is a problem.
Other points to consider are the noise that the generator makes when it is running. You can get quiet generators and those that don’t see noise as a problem. Again, depending on how you choose to use your generator (in built up areas or at night) you may want a quiet portable RV generator.
A push button starter is another thing that you may want in your portable RV generator. This makes it easy to use but you will obviously be paying for this ease of use. A drawstring is not so hard to start but some people will prefer the convenience of a button.
Related posts:
Comments