Do you ever take a generator camping with you? I made the mistake one year of taking my generator, so we could have lights after dark. I'd forgotten how noisy the thing is, and the constant smell of exhaust fumes. We used it one night and decided we didn't need it, and haven't taken it back since.
Generator
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freedommachine
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I have considered buying one from harbor freight to take camping. Just for quik use things. I never camp around anyone so the noise couldnt bother anyone. I have thought it would be nice to run a jump starter, in case my portable one was dead or needs recharging or recharge my jeeps batery. Or for my wifes hair dryer. She has very long blond hair and in the winter months or even summer at high altitudes can get very cold with wet hair. If we have been swiming it would be nice for her to be able to dry it. I could run power tools if needed as well.
Sammee
New Member
We prefer to travel light whenever we go camping, so it wouldn't do for us. We park up then hike to the camp site carrying all our gear on our backs. I figure a generator weighs a ton, right?
ChadTower
Active Member
I camp to get away from all that stuff.
GROUNDpounder
Rubbing stix together
Eh no but we do have a fishing\hunting\camping cabin that we set up with solar panels and a battery bank.
If you really were determined to have power and you had 2 trucks you could trailer in a solar array (probably 1-2thousand$) and have power. We ended up buying all our solar equipment online.
Solar Panels
That's the only real solution to power out in the woods that's silent and low maintenance, one thing to not is it gets expensive quick!
If you really were determined to have power and you had 2 trucks you could trailer in a solar array (probably 1-2thousand$) and have power. We ended up buying all our solar equipment online.
Solar Panels
That's the only real solution to power out in the woods that's silent and low maintenance, one thing to not is it gets expensive quick!
rockytibby
New Member
My husband and I camp for weeks at a time so the thought has been there. It would be nice for recharging some items. I have looked online at some small solar panels but question how well it would actually work. I will have to research it more. As for generator noise we never camp in public camp grounds. We find the more private places.
CozInCowtown
Moderator
I consider it rude to run one near any other camping group or in a campground.
I don't want to listen to the F***ing thing run all night so you can watch TV and sleep with a night light on.
If you think you need a generator GET A F***ING MOTEL ROOM INSTEAD!!
jmo, I will get off my soapbox now.
DC
I don't want to listen to the F***ing thing run all night so you can watch TV and sleep with a night light on.
If you think you need a generator GET A F***ING MOTEL ROOM INSTEAD!!
jmo, I will get off my soapbox now.
DC
GROUNDpounder
Rubbing stix together
In the best of conditions you can normally see 80-95% of what the panel is rated for, which was explained to us when we called to place the order. So instead of the 2 panels we had originally calculated to be enough we needed 3.
guns4570
New Member
Obviously, none of you have looked at or used any of the new generators. The one I am most formiler with is the Honda. You can run one of them and stand next to it and almost never know it is on. If you are tent camping I never saw a reason to have a generator. If you are in an RV/travel trailer in the winter were it is cold ( 20s-30s)at night and are staying more than three of four days a generator is a must. You need to run it 2-4 hours to charge the batteries to keep the heating system going at night. I run a 3-4000 Wat gen set which is probely overkill. There wasn't much on the market when I got mine. There are some small gen sets out there now that peak at 1000 wats and they are very quiet.
freedommachine
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I still think the generator would be great for a sawzall,powerdrill,a good way to recharge my jeeps battery if I had to run the winch several times in one day, etc. I wouldnt use it for lights,or tvs just mostly for my jeep if anything happens to it.
I met a guy who spent 3 extra days camping with his 8month pregnant wife because there battery died on thier truck. It took 3 days before somone found and was able to help them. I bet he was wishing he had a generator to jump his truck!
They were 60 miles from the nearest town.
I met a guy who spent 3 extra days camping with his 8month pregnant wife because there battery died on thier truck. It took 3 days before somone found and was able to help them. I bet he was wishing he had a generator to jump his truck!
They were 60 miles from the nearest town.
There are many alternatives to generators. I have a capped pickup truck I use for camping. at the back on the passenger side there is a wood burning stove. The chimney detaches and is carried inside the cap. Heat is not a problem.
It is a truck so it has a rather large engine compartment. I installed a second battery, a deep cycle, which is charged with the original battery as I drive down the road. At the campsite, I have a switch to isolate the deep cycle so I can run twelve volt accesories without running down the other battery. I have a 1500 watt inverter if I feel like running the sawzall. During the day, I have three small solar panels that will charge the deep cycle back up to full even on overcast days.
Of course, I hardly ever use this stuff. I've had this rig since the eighties for my own brand of luxury camping. It was great when my daughter was growing up. She got to watch movies at night before bed and the camp was extremely well lit. Now I have two granddaughters so it may get some more use.
It is a truck so it has a rather large engine compartment. I installed a second battery, a deep cycle, which is charged with the original battery as I drive down the road. At the campsite, I have a switch to isolate the deep cycle so I can run twelve volt accesories without running down the other battery. I have a 1500 watt inverter if I feel like running the sawzall. During the day, I have three small solar panels that will charge the deep cycle back up to full even on overcast days.
Of course, I hardly ever use this stuff. I've had this rig since the eighties for my own brand of luxury camping. It was great when my daughter was growing up. She got to watch movies at night before bed and the camp was extremely well lit. Now I have two granddaughters so it may get some more use.
ChadTower
Active Member
dinosaur, that's pretty damn sweet. Nice setup.
The camper I was always in as a kid had a small wood stove. I'm not even sure the thing had wiring for anything other than tail lights.
The camper I was always in as a kid had a small wood stove. I'm not even sure the thing had wiring for anything other than tail lights.