Running Air Conditioner without electricity?

[steve dunham]

Up here in Northern Wisconsin we soon figured out that everything has its season
Trying to go ice fishing in the middle of Summer is not possible and we accept that fact
If we wish to camp in the middle / heat of Summer we get a campsite with electricity or we head to Lake Superior or we stay home
We don’t make our problem someone else’s problem
I own a generator and it has never left my pole barn

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Bluesky

Do you have your generator mounted in front of your storage unit? What about the propane tanks? I wonder if ETI has a trailer that this accommodate all 3 items... the storage, tanks and generator hhmmm

See this thread. Richard used an over tank platform made by Orbital Machine Works. This allows you to save the rear hitch receiver for a bike rack if desired.
https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...elf-11151.html

OMW is a small company with supply chain issues it appears. You will have to call them to see about availability.

[cpaharley2008]

My first trip to Sturgis 30 years ago introduced me to KOA as everything near Sturgis was 5 times the normal price. Found a KOA in the Badlands and made a reservation. I inquired as to the availability or air-conditioning in the cabins for night time since we would be riding mostly during the daytimes. I was told no a/c but heat was available? I questioned them about heat at night and was told it was needed? This was my second venture across the big river as I attended college in Iowa. The winters were not that cold it seemed and apparently neither are the summers really hot. Well it seems to be the lack of humidity is what makes a world of difference. Riding in 100F degree temperatures with 30% r.h. was not uncomfortable as back home at 80F and 100% r.h. Then when the sun went down so did the temperatures, at night it got down in the 40's and a blanket was needed. Dry heat and dry cold feels a lot better than wet heat and bone chilling wet cold.

[steve dunham]

Our night time lows have been in the 40’s & 50’s - daytime highs in the 70’s
Summer is here !!!

[Bluesky]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

See this thread. Richard used an over tank platform made by Orbital Machine Works. This allows you to save the rear hitch receiver for a bike rack if desired.
https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...elf-11151.html

OMW is a small company with supply chain issues it appears. You will have to call them to see about availability.

Thanks for the info

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by Bluesky

My thoughts exactly. 28 years in Florida and now in TN. I dont know how these guys sleep with all the humidity even with a fan. Do you have your generator mounted in front of your storage unit? What about the propane tanks? I wonder if ETI has a trailer that this accommodate all 3 items... the storage, tanks and generator hhmmm

I have an aluminum hitch rack, a plastic job box with holes drilled in the side, and a Inverter Generator, all together weighs less than the 150 rating on the trailer's 2 inch rear receiver, that's where I plan on carrying mine. I do prop the lid of the job box open when running. I've used this set up on my current trailer for years.

[Upfisk]

In AZ we have humidity numbers of under 20%. But up here in the mountains it can be 10 pm when the temps finally drop below 75°F. A.C. is really useful as are generators under these conditions. So yes, CPA Jim it is drier but still hot, and yes, Steve Dunham we are not trying to go ice fishing in July. Summer heat basically is mid May until about Halloween. Get a generator for summer camping.

[Greg A]

That’s a nice setup ttmartin. I’m thinking that hitch rack Harbor Freight sells and I could do something similar.

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by Greg A

That’s a nice setup ttmartin. I’m thinking that hitch rack Harbor Freight sells and I could do something similar.

That is the one I have. On my current trailer the previous owner built a platform on the back so that's where I carried the job box. For the hitch rack, I'll have to take the wheels off the job box. Not ideal, but, not a major problem either. I have a bike cable lock and use two of those extended hasp padlocks you see in the photo. On the road and when I'm away from the trailer I close and lock the lid. I run the bike lock through the two extended hasp padlocks and thru the rack to secure the box.

edit: The box makes an already quite generator even quieter. You can't even hear the generator over the A/C in the trailer.

[skiman]

Originally Posted by Bluesky

We used to stop over at Walmarts from time to time and ran our big generator at night with never a problem. I would think that the smaller generators that are fairly quiet shouldn't cause too much concern. But I guess we will find out.

The Long, Long Honeymoon folks appear to run their Genny in the truck bed. I would think that would help on noise a lot.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by skiman

The Long, Long Honeymoon folks appear to run their Genny in the truck bed. I would think that would help on noise a lot.

I'm not a fan of any noise in general when I'm camping. That's part of why I camp, to get away from all the noise and distractions of "civilization".

But having said that, on our last camping trip to Southern NM, the fellow camping the next spot up from us had a Honda 3000W generator - not the smaller 2000W unit. He kept the generator in the bed of his truck, and we could barely hear it running.

The campsites in that National Forest were a good distance apart, which also helped with the noise, but leaving the generator in the truck bed does make a big difference.

[rotorbudd]

We were at the Rio Grand campground Last April. And on the 15th the high was 105 F. Even with a 25% humidity it was HOT. In the shade with a wet shirt it wasn't too bad, but you have to turn the gens off at 8:00 PM. I had managed to get the cabin down to 75 or so.
That didn't last very long. By 10 PM the interior temp was same as outside.At midnight is was still 94 F. Hard to sleep even with lots of fans.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by rotorbudd

We were at the Rio Grand campground Last April. And on the 15th the high was 105 F. Even with a 25% humidity it was HOT. In the shade with a wet shirt it wasn't too bad, but you have to turn the gens off at 8:00 PM. I had managed to get the cabin down to 75 or so.
That didn't last very long. By 10 PM the interior temp was same as outside.At midnight is was still 94 F. Hard to sleep even with lots of fans.

It has to be better than what you have at home in Atlanta??

[rotorbudd]

59 F when I got up this AM. 69 now.
Supposed to be in this range for the next few days. Probably the last time we'll see fifties until November.

[75thRanger]

I have an aluminum tool box that I made a few mods on. I cut openings in both ends, one for the gen exhaust and the other for a small fan drawing air in.

I also cut holes in both front and back of box on the side where the gen is. Allows a bit of air movement there.

My rack and box plus the extended run fuel tank with 5 gal on board weighs almost 90 lb. I could carry the gen in the box (Honda 2200) but I would be very close to 150lb so I don't put the gen in the box until I get where I'm going. I may change this as I would still be a few lb under.

I drilled holes in the box at the bottom edge and run a chain thru the box, thru the holes already in the rack so the box is chained to the rack. Can't get it off the rack without unlocking(lock is inside box) or cutting the chain.

I put a small flashing red battery run lite inside the box when the gen is in there. Can't see the actual lite from outside the box so it could be an alarm of some kind. No idea what a potential thief would think about that. I think I would probably look for an easier target.

Really a weird looking set up with the lite blinking.

Just spent 6 days up at Sam Rayburn COE park in east TX fishing. Lady stopped by and said "You have a really cute trailer".

Ever notice that when you really need a rock, you can't find one.

[gmchamplin]

I don't see any discussion of protecting the generator from the rain.
The Honda 2200i owners manual says to avoid getting it wet.

[Ian and Sue]

Originally Posted by skiman

The Long, Long Honeymoon folks appear to run their Genny in the truck bed. I would think that would help on noise a lot.

I keep my Honda 3000is in my truck bed. It lives next to my aux water tank up against the cab. When traveling I have the toneau(sp?) cover folded over it, when in camp or without the camper I close the cover over the whole bed. If I want to run the generator I take the cover off (two wingnuts...pretty easy) and run it right in the truck. If there are non generator campers around I try to move the truck as far away from them as I can and have the front of the truck facing them, not perfectly quiet but pretty good. With the eco setting for the generator on and only the air con running it hardly comes off of idle.

FYI I have a cable that goes through both handles and is locked to the 5th wheel rail and/or the tie down loop in the corner of the bed.

If I am traveling for a period of time I mount one of those retracting reel extension cords in the truck for quick deployment for a microwave lunch etc. It makes it pretty easy!

[mjbalbas]

Hello,
I am thinking of purchasing a generator to run AC, however I am not sure what size or how many WATS it should be. Please share your knowledge and let me know what generator will work best.

[Ian and Sue]

Originally Posted by mjbalbas

Hello,
I am thinking of purchasing a generator to run AC, however I am not sure what size or how many WATS it should be. Please share your knowledge and let me know what generator will work best.

I think some people are running a 2200 watt generator. I have a 3000 watt with the inverter option which make it better for computers etc as it is better power. The problem with my generator is it is 125 lbs. If I was buying one today I might consider two 2000 watt ones to hook together when needed. they are much lighter and easy to handle. The 3000 will run everything in the camper just as if you are plugged in....except for the noise(not too bad with the honda) and appropriate hours to run it. I tend to use it during the day when really hot or around dinner time to charge batteries, use microwave and cool the camper off for the night. We tend to avoid areas that are really hot at night but occasionally do use the fan that works with my Milwaukee batteries, one battery can last all night.

[cpaharley2008]

One can now purchase 12v operated swamp coolers that will do a fairly nice job at night using cold water or ice.