Heading to an RV park or campground during the weekends is great fun. Many people have a great enthusiasm to spend ample time in the deep nature and indulge in an adventure. Having your own RV or motor home opens up new worlds of adventure. You are able to get the comforts of your home while you tread on the roads.
A modern-day RV has generous amounts of amenities in it that include air conditioners, refrigerators and stoves. The new recreational vehicles (RV) are exciting and have fancy motor coaches for you to go on memorable trips with your family and friends. There aren’t any electric hookups in nature and to power the modern facilities in your RV, you would require an electric generator.
You can use either an in-built RV generator or a portable generator that is used for camping. If your RV does not have a generator, you have to shop to get the best generator for your RV camping needs.
Do You Really Need An RV Generator?
RV generators are strategically built to run the appliances in an RV. They are a consistent and stable source of energy for your mobile home. RV generators are crucial as they keep you and your family comfortable during long road trips and camping trips.
If you are into boondocking, independent parking, or dry camping, an RV generator is a definite need. When you go off the grid and want to have access to some of the limited powered amenities, it would be practical and safe to rely on your generator’s source of power.
How much electricity is needed in an RV?
Knowing the amount of electricity needed in your RV can be sometimes tricky. However, it is essential to know the answer to the question so that you can buy the perfect RV generator. It would be a big mistake if you invest a huge amount of money in a generator just to find out that it cannot supply the required level of power.
There are various appliances in a modern RV that works on electricity. If you are traveling in the summer months, you would require an air conditioning unit, coffee makers are another common amenity found in the RV. Larger units would require more power than the others would.
Therefore, it would be good, to sum up, the total wattage that is required to run the appliances present in an RV.
How to select the right size of generator for your RV?
The key to determine the correct size of your RV generator is to find out how much power you require. Here are some of the power requirements required below:
- An RV refrigerator requires 400 – 1000 watts of electricity, which depends on the size of the refrigerator.
- An air conditioner can use anything between 1400 – 2400 watts.
- If you have a TV set inside your RV, it would use 200-600 watts.
- A coffee maker requires 900 watts.
- Microwave and hairdryer need 1000 watts.
- For a toaster, you would need another 1150 watts.
Things that require a compressor during the startups and shut cycles, would double or triple the wattage. An air conditioner is one such appliance that uses a compressor to generate cold air to the room. When the compressor starts the 1400-2400 running wattage usually doubles or triples during the startup.
When you add up the entire necessary power requirement, do not forget the mobile devices and other power needs. You will get the total usage of power in watts. When you are aware of the total power requirements, you would be able to determine the size of the generator for your RV. You should get an RV generator that is reliable to generate sufficient power for the appliances in your RV.
Types of RV Generators
RV generators are expensive than conventional generators because they are quiet and efficient. They are generally sold through the manufacturer of RV and are available in various sizes, features and prices. There are widely two categories and we have mentioned them below.
Permanent Generator
Some adventure enthusiasts are keen to get a permanent generator for their RV. They want something that is vented, enclosed, and encased. The permanent RV generator has around three times the horsepower of the conventional generators.
These are built to lasts for several years. The permanent generator has a transfer switch, which automatically turns on the generator when required. If it is connected to an electric grid, you can use it by simply plugging into the power outlets.
Permanent generators are expensive than portable ones; however, they last for several years
Portable Generator
Portable generators are best if want to use them for other things apart from RV purposes. If you do not mind lifting it up every time and using it for a workshop or garage, you can go for the portable generators.
They are the best options for short camping trips. Most of the model of a portable generator is quiet, fuel-efficient and reliable. Most of the inverted generators allow connections to additional generators for extra power capacity.
Portable generators are cheaper than permanent models. However, they are not ideal for constant heavy usage for years after years.
Conclusion
Most of the RV generators deliver around 2000 and 4000 watts of electricity. You should be aware of what you need and what you are looking for. Before finalizing a generator for your RV, you should consider what appliances you want to run inside the RV. Check those appliances and find out the kind of output that would suit you the best. Always keep in mind that a generator with higher output would not damage a smaller appliance. Hence, it is advisable to go big in the case of RV generators. Apart from size, space and usage, you should also consider factors like fuel and noise levels while buying an RV generator.
