Do You Need A Generator For A Travel Trailer At A Full Hookup Site

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If the generator requires a regulator and it comes with the generator you will not use it if you hook to BBQ port on the RV. If you use 2 regulators in the same line the pressure will be to low. On any propane device that is plugged into any port on a RV that comes from the on board regulator it does not need to have another regulator in line.

Many large motorhomes come with a propane-operated generator pre-installed, but with smaller motorhomes and travel trailers, you may need to purchase one aftermarket. The generator will create AC power, which will run your 120-volt system and allow you to utilize those bigger, daily-life appliances like your HVAC system and refrigerator. Whether you are renting an RV on Outdoorsy for the first time or purchasing an RV for travel or to rent out to others, it’s important to learn the basics of RV electrical systems. Read on for a basic understanding of your RV electricity systems, how they work, and what to be aware of in terms of safety. With a properly designed and installed RV solar power system you can greatly reduce or even eliminate the demand to run a generator. Many times you will find that a properly sized solar panel array will provide sufficient power so that you rarely need to even fire up ol' squeal and belch to top off your RV battery bank. Travel Trailers. Lighter in weight and secured with a hitch to the frame of your tow vehicle. Full-sized campers, requiring the “5th wheel” U-shaped hitch to tow. Can be a travel trailer or fifth wheel. Designed with a rear garage and opening for your “toys.”.

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By Mike Sokol
I received a number of inquiries last week about possible changes to the 2020 National Electrical Code (NEC) and how it might affect campgrounds and RVs that plug into their shore power. Here’s a link to the ARVC article that got your attention.

Let me explain why I believe this could cause harm to you and other RVers.

Do You Need A Generator For A Travel Trailer At A Full Hookup Site Crossword Clue

For those of you who aren’t aware, the National Electrical Code has a 3-year update cycle, with hundreds of electricians, engineers, inspectors and manufacturers involved in improving the safety and performance of the electrical systems that power our lives. And electrical power systems are vastly safer now than when I first started playing with electricity back in the mid-1960s.

Not only are grounding and bonding required for nearly everything, there have been huge technology advances in the last 20 years that have reduced shock hazards greatly. The best example of this would be GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters) which work by detecting small leakage currents to ground (5 mA or less, which is 0.005 amperes of current). For a refresher on how GFCIs actually work, read my article about them.

So, GFCIs have been required by code on all bathroom, kitchen and outdoor 15- and 20-amp outlets for the last few decades, and in that position they work very well. That’s because they’re protecting a single branch circuit with perhaps a few appliances connected to the same GFCI. And because of the code implementation, I do believe that GFCIs have saved a lot of lives, since their main job is protect humans from leakage currents.

Note that a GFCI is not a circuit breaker (even though it can be incorporated INTO a circuit breaker if desired), so it’s not there to protect wiring from too much current. No, it’s there to protect you from a shock of 5 mA to 100 mA of fault current that can go through your heart, causing ventricular fibrillation and death within minutes.

So GFCI protection has been required on the 20-amp pedestal outlets for quite a while, which I believe is a good thing. However, someone on the 2020 revision code panel got the idea that if a GFCI outlet on a 20-amp branch circuit was a good idea, then requiring them on 30- and 50-amp pedestal outlets would be even better.

And to top it off, someone in that initial meeting was misquoting me, improperly saying that Mike Sokol from the No~Shock~Zone was advocating the use of GFCI breakers on campground pedestals for their 30- and 50-amp outlets.

I never said that, and here’s why. I have anecdotal evidence to back up my theory that total ground leakage currents in an RV shore power connection can easily total more than 5 mA. That’s because everything you plug into your RV leaks a little current to ground. That includes your microwave, stove, battery charger, inverters, air conditioner and control systems.

Most of these leakages are allowed by UL and the NEC, but each one could easily be 0.5 mA or so, with switching power supplies for your 12-volt converter having an exception to allow up to 3 mA of leakage (or thereabouts). Even long extension cords can create leakage currents through inductive coupling of their internal conductors. These leakage currents are additive, so you can see that just plugging in your normal electrical devices in an RV can easily add up to more than 5 mA of leakage current which is the threshold that will trip a GFCI. That means that GFCI protection on 20-amp circuits works quite well, but that’s probably not the case if they’re installed upstream on the 30- and 50-amp feeder circuits.

So here’s the big reason this is a bad idea. If the NEC code were to be fully implemented, I believe there would be lots of random GFCI tripping on the 30- and 50-amp breakers in campgrounds. The first time a camper comes back from a day trip and finds his air conditioner shut down and his or her pet suffering in the heat, or their refrigerator off with a bunch of spoiled food, they will figure out a way around the 30/50-amp GFCI tripping problem.

And they’ll do the same thing that musicians have been doing for decades … breaking off the ground pin of their shore power cord. Now, if they’re still plugged into a GFCI-protected 30- or 50-amp pedestal outlet they should be safe from electric shock. But the next time they plug into a 30- or 50-amp pedestal WITHOUT a GFCI, then they’re putting themselves at risk for electric shock and possible death by electrocution.

The rollback to the 2017 code requirements in the 2020 code is only a temporary fix since it still allows local electrical inspectors (the AHJ, or Authority Having Jurisdiction) in every state and county to decide if they want to force campgrounds to spend tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars upgrading their pedestals to 30- and 50-amp GFCI breakers. And once again, forcing GFCI protection on 30- and 50-amp breakers won’t save lives, and may actually increase shock hazards since there will be a ton of YouTube videos showing everyone how to break off their shore power ground pins. (Don’t do it. That’s a very dangerous “fix.”)

What we can learn from this is that there needs to be better coordination and cooperation among campground organizations such as ARVC, RV manufacturer organizations such as the RVIA, RV technician training organizations such as the RVDA, and electrical inspection organizations such as the NEC.

Interestingly, many of those same organizations have been contacting me for an interpretation on what this could possibly mean and, as mentioned already, I’m being misquoted in NEC meetings. So if any or all of the above groups would like me to help figure this out, with perhaps a few demonstrations and explanations of why 30- and 50-amp GFCIs could introduce a lot of additional shock hazards, I’m at the ready. All they have to do is contact me to get the discussion going. Write to me at mike(at)rvtravel.com.

Keep up with Mike’s latest news and information about RV electricity by signing up for his monthly RV Electricity Newsletter.

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Whether an RV newbie or seasoned enthusiast, one of the biggest questions that come up time and again is how to determine what size generator for RV power usage.

Do You Need A Generator For A Travel Trailer At A Full Hookup Site Is Important

The answer to this puzzle is first to determine what power requirements you have; then pare the list down to choose the right generator.

5.5

RV Generators – A Want or Need?

RV generators are specifically built to run RV appliances and provide a stable, consistent source of energy for your home away from home.

An RV generator keeps you and your family comfortable during camping trips or longer road trips. If you are into dry camping, independent parking or the more commonly known term of boondocking, an RV generator is most definitely a need. If going off-grid or having access to only limited power and amenities, it is both safe and practical to rely on your own source of power.

RV Generators – Selecting the Right Size and Style

The key to determining the correct size of RV generator is first to figure out what requires power. Here are some ideas to get you started in determining your power requirements:

  • An RV Refrigerator uses anywhere from 400 to 1000 watts of electricity, depending on the size of the refrigerator. Typically, RV refrigerators use heat as a means to cool the unit, via a chemical counter-balance reaction. The heat required to produce the cooling effect uses a 110-volt electrical element or propane.
  • An air conditioner uses anywhere from 1,400 to 2,400 watts of electricity.
  • TV 200-600 watts
  • Laptop 250 watts
  • Coffee Maker 900 watts
  • Toaster 1,150 watts
  • Microwave 1,000 watts
  • Hair Dryer 1,000 watts

Keep in mind that anything that requires a compressor during start up and shut down cycles can double or triple the wattage.

An air conditioner, for example, uses a compressor to generate cold air. When the compressor kicks in to start the air conditioner, the 1,400 to 2,400 running wattage doubles or triples upon startup. The same principle applies as the compressor runs during the shut off cycle.

As you add up all the power necessary to run appliances, power up mobile devices and other power needs, it will give you a total wattage usage. The amount of wattage needed will help you determine how much power you need and what size generator for RV power needs.

While you don’t want a power overkill situation due to safety and circuit overload potential, you do want an RV generator that efficiently and reliably generates enough power.

Here is a formula to keep in mind while figuring out the power requirements for things you may be running at the same time:

  • Amps = Watts / Volts
  • Watts = Volts x Amps

The standard in most countries is 120 volts.

Remember that the larger the generator, the more power it produces.

Another consideration is whether it’s possible to power things with fuel, such as propane or gas, rather than using electricity. If so, this can help you save on precious wattage.

RV Generator Styles

Generators specifically designed for RV’s, while efficient and quiet, are more costly than conventional generators. They are sold through RV manufacturers and come in a variety of sizes, with varying features and prices.

If you are replacing a generator in a used RV, carefully measure the compartment to get a snug yet precise fit. Allow for proper venting and access for maintenance and repairs.

Based on preference, you may choose from either a permanent or portable RV generator style.

Permanent Generator

Many RV enthusiasts want a more permanent generator, something that is encased, enclosed and vented.

An RV generator has approximately three times the horsepower of conventional generators and built to last for years.

A feature of a permanent generator is a transfer switch, which automatically turns the generator on and off. If connected to an electric grid, you can simply plug into power outlets just like at home.

A permanent generator is considerably more expensive than a portable model but is an investment that will last for years.

Portable Generator

A portable generator is ideal if you want to use the generator for things other than RV purposes. If you want to use it in a garage or workshop and don’t mind the moving, lifting and set up every time you use it in the RV.

Portable generators work well for short camping trips. Most models are reliable, fuel efficient, and quiet. Additionally, most inverted generators allow for the connection of additional generators for increased power capacity.

Rv Trailers With Generators

While portable generators are less expensive than permanent models, they are not built for consistent heavy usage over the years.

Fuel

There are many different sizes and models of generators and there are also different sources of fuel.

Diesel burns cleaner than other fuels, so if being “green” is a priority for you, this fuel source may be more appealing to you. Some fuels are just more cost or energy efficient, providing more run time than other sources of fuel.

It boils down to how much often the generator will be used and for how long.

Types of RV fuels

  • Gas - An inexpensive, easily accessible fuel, which burns fast.
  • LP (Liquid Propane) - Propane stores better than gas or diesel, but for efficiency, outputs approximately 10% less power by comparison.
  • Diesel - This fuel burns cleaner than gas and produces more power than propane. It’s recommended to use a dialed generator with a diesel-powered model.

Among RVers, the most popular fuel choices are gas and propane. Both fuels do a nice, consistent job of heating an RV. As for efficiency, propane produces approximately 91,500 BTUs per gallon; while gas produces approximately 125,000 BTUs per gallon.

Propane has a longer shelf life than gasoline because it is stored in a sealed canister. Gasoline does not last as long, and due to its high flammability, should never be stored inside an RV.

Other Factors

Noise

No one likes to listen to a loud generator. It is always a good idea to keep the noise levels of your generators down as low as possible as a courtesy to neighboring campers or RVers. Read manufacturers specifications as they relate to sound decibels.

Do You Need A Generator For A Travel Trailer At A Full Hookup Site May

Weight

Portable generators come in a lot of different sizes. The more power you need, the bigger – and heavier – the generator may be. Based on how and where you use the generator, make sure it is not too heavy to transport, pick up and move easily. The lighter, the better for you and your RV.

How much do RV Generators Cost?

After reviewing wattage requirements and seemingly ever-increasing power needs, a 3,600-watt generator is a good starting point to cover power needs. Of course, every RVer can scale the wattage up or down based on individual needs.

Estimated new RV prices for a 3,600-watt generator:

Portable units are available for as low as $229, with an average mid-range price of between $350-$559.

Permanent units are enclosed, vented and more expensive; typically $3000+.

Measure carefully and know the fuel type if purchasing a replacement generator in a used RV.

Do You Need A Generator For A Travel Trailer At A Full Hookup Site Video

Conclusion

After taking into consideration the total of power requirements, continuous usage, space, and factors such as type of fuel and noise levels, these tips alone will save you tons of research time.

Campers With Generators

Using helpful tools like RV Finder, it’s never been easier to find an RV generator that meets the power requirements for your budget and RV lifestyle.