A. In case you are a newbie to the world of recreational vehicles, there would be a lot of intricacies and details that you would have to adjust to. First and foremost is that you have understood and regulated where exactly the power comes from.

The reason due to which your recreational vehicles require generators is because they provide power to them. One, it is used to store energy inside the house battery of the RVs. And two, the generators can be utilized in the form of direct plug-in for 120-volt AC power openings.

These are the 2 reasons because of which you can use plentiful energy along with the generator or stock it to use it later with the generator switched off. The latter option is way more efficient and effective because there happens to be only that much amperage at which the generator can charge the house battery. Otherwise, it will take some time to charge the house battery.

For your RV you will want to make sure you have the right match to your vehicle and can keep up with the maintenance that it requires.

A. No matter for what purposes you’re using the RVs, be it for gong on vacations or to enjoy with your family during weekends, getting a good RV generator installed in your vehicle is extremely important. When you are out to choose and buy the best generator for your vehicle for camping, it’s normal to get confused. A lot of questions would come to your mind like How many watts shall the generator be capable of producing? Why is that RV generators are the way to go? How can you connect an RV generator to the rig?

Here are some of the most important qualities of a good RV Generator that you would want to know before buying one-

1. It allows you and your friends to relish the time you spent on your way whilst you are at peace of mind that you are not going to lose power.
2. Supplying power to all of the fittings and fixtures and appliances which are available in the motorhome or caravan that you own.
3. It does not create a lot of noise.

A. Generally, there are 3 ways to charge your RV batteries-

1. A Portable Solar Panel is a solar panel that is quite small in size and is simple to install. It can be easily carried anywhere. Just like any other solar panel, it can convert the sunlight into heat or electricity.
2. Shore power means to connect the rig to an outlet in some campground.
3. A Portable Generator is a device that is either diesel or gas-powered that provides electricity temporarily. The engine turns itself into a small turbine, and that further generates electricity which can be utilized up to a certain extent of wattage.

There are several categories into which a portable generator can be classified-

• Gasoline
• Propane (LP)
• Diesel
• Dual Use

The generator’s engine can use diesel, gasoline or propane, and some other models like LP or Dual Fuel Gasoline. The option between gas or diesel is greatly made by analyzing what is readily available and is handy.

When compared, gas has a little less gallon than diesel, however, that is not enough to make a choice. Although, if a diesel or gas-powered recreational or tow vehicle is available with you, then it usually is sensible to use that fuel only in the generator.

Built-in generators almost every time do this and are filled straight from the fuel tank of the vehicle. A portable generator, nevertheless, needs that one carries extra fuel for it. This is also one of the reasons why portable fuel tanks are a risk to the safety, therefore it is important to carefully think as to which fuel you should carry, how and where.

A generator that has been fuelled with LP gas, has some pros and cons. As compared to diesel or petrol, LP has a little lower energy content, because of which more amount of fuel gets consumed. Also, portable LP containers are large, bulky and weighty, although they are safer and are cleaner when it burns and causes fewer problems in contrast with gasoline.

A. Generators can produce alternating current power through one of the 2 methods, i.e. alternator or inverter. In the first type, which is Alternator, the alternating current is produced directly when the engine spins mechanically the armature within a stator. However, the RPM must spin at a relentless rate to produce 60 Hz power, standard 120v.

The RPMs shall be the same no matter how light or how heavy the electrical load is, so the Alternator RV has a little high level of sound and vibration. If the watt or electrical load differs much, in that case, the Alternator type is not very desirable. However, if you try running at heavy loads, it wouldn’t vary a lot.

On the other hand, the Inverter type RVs produce direct current along with a generator that is engine driven and then to drive an inverter, it makes use of DC output, which further generates an average 120vac. This sounds a bit inefficient and ineffective, although it has multiple advantages that balance all the losses there.

As compared to an Alternative type, the Inverter type is silent and electronic. It makes no noise and creates no disturbance to the user. When an electrical load is light, the Inverter type regulates back as it operates at variable and adjustable RPMs, which reduces the sound or noise created, controls the vibration and consumption of fuel. This also one of the reasons why Inverter generators are the foremost choice of recreational vehicle users.

A. To determine the right size of the generator for your recreational vehicle, you should know how much electricity you would be using. First, determine what all electrically operating devices you want to charge from the generator. Check the RV for all electrical appliances which operate on 120 volts. Blender, microwave, TV, AC and rest of the kitchen appliances usually need the most power to charge, however, the smaller sized appliances might add up. RV lights mostly are of 12 volts, although few might be of 120 volts. The electrical appliance that uses the biggest power is the AC.

Second, sum up the power requirements, in terms of ‘watt’, for all your devices that you are expecting to put on charge at the same time. The light bulbs, and other electrical devices, for instance, the hairdryers, electrical steamer, and heaters display the wattage ratings along with wattage requirements that they would require, are printed on them. You may, however, determine the wattage requirement of the device by multiplying the volts by the amps. In case you are just not able to find the wattage requirement of the devices, you may have a look at this chart.

Last, add the wattage requirements together for all the electrically operating devices which you would want to use at the same time. This would be the minimum wattage that you would require from the generator. You must also consider a generator that has a power rating slightly more than what your minimum requirement is. It is possible to get away with a generator that is small in size if you are not planning to run everything at the same time.

This way you would be able to conclude as to what kind of generator you require.

A. No, not directly. However, the generator you are using for your RV generates and provides the power to function the aboard charger or converter, that powers the RV battery.

A. To keep the campground power sources and the generator power distinct and separate, the RV electrical systems are designed. Connecting both these power sources with each other is not only unsafe but also unreliable and shall never be practiced. Few RV manufacturers may wire the recreational vehicle to allow you to power another AC with the RV generator to check the operator manual of your vehicle. If your recreational vehicle is not wired similarly, rather has a separate circuit for the second AC, it can be rewired to do so but that must be done only with the assistance of a professional technician or RV expert.

A. Yes, you may power the motorhome RV AC along with the RV’s generator while you are on the road with any other 120 volts electrical appliance, but only for as long as you are not exceeding the power rating of your generator.

A. Preferably, generators must be run for at least thirty minutes to give them a chance to warm up. Once they are warmed up, using the generator for five minutes breaks would be fine.

A. Manufacturers themselves prefer and also recommend that running the RV generator for a minimum of thirty minutes every month is a must. Running the generator despite not using it to charge or power your electrical appliances, means “exercising” the generator. But do not forget to turn on at least some appliances so that the generator operates a little, while it is running.