Choosing the Right RV Generator - Product Guide 

Hey Tina, Ian Baker here. You'll be able to run just about everything in an RV except for the A/C. At 3,000 watts, you'll have a hard time starting the A/C compressor. I hope that helps! -Ian Baker

Great point! From our experience, one of the biggest issues new RVers have is understanding the electrical limitations of their unit. We're working on some new content about how to use a digital multimeter (and why RVers need one). But in the meantime, anyone interested in exploring this topic further might find use in this article: blog.campingworld.com/rv-basics/troubleshooting-electrical-system/

Sounds like you are a handy cat to have around! Great set up, thanks for sharing! - Chris Young

Seen alot of them used out in the field. Nearly the sound suppression of those higher priced units but so much cheaper. No direct knowledge of their Customer Service, though.

@@williamfuller2389 If you run them hard they do fail. Get the extended warranty I know some who use them in the summer hot desert run them 24/7 for AC. They replace them 3-4 times a year doing that. HF doesn't seem to care as long as you have that warranty. Obviously exceeding the duty cycle. I live in Phoenix but we don't use the RV down here in the summer. Sometimes someone stays in it on the side of our house I just use grid power.

@@Mike-01234 I'm not too surprised. On a side note, after installing a Micro Air "Easy Start" on both my trailers, I can run my AC off my Honda 2000. One AC is 13.5K, the other 15K. I did have the Charge Controller turned off and no other power draws but it did run them. I was at about 3000' elevation, losing about 11% of generator power and it was 90°+ that day. A Honda 2000 with 1600 running watts!

Thanks for watching!

Hi there! You are correct. RV deep cycle batteries should charge while going down the road via a charge line built into the 7 way plug on towables and a battery connection system in a motorized RV. We apologize for the error here and appreciate you pointing it out! - Tucker Ballister

Great point about the importance of load management when using a smaller portable generator!

Hi Rex! Tucker Ballister here. The best practice is to put your generator on the ground at least 25 feet away from your RV (and others). Check out this video on operating a portable generator: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-o-Ba3cARtuE.html I'd also recommend reading our article on portable generator safety tips: blog.campingworld.com/at-the-campsite/tips-tricks/portable-generator-safety-tips/ Feel free to reach out with any follow-up questions.

@@campingworld is that mainly for the exhaust on the portable since the wired in generator would have exhaust routed to the outside??

Thanks for the comment!! It really depends on what you are going to be doing, how long you are going to be off grid, what you need to power etc. BUT just in general i'm going to give you my good/better/best..in my opinion, which means the best bet is to go to your local Camping World and explain your needs to a specialist BUT here we go - (I'll also put links at the bottom) The champion 2500 dual fuel is a great option at a lower price point, gives you the option of both fuel types, it's 39lbs and with the 1.05 gal tank it will run over 11 hours on 25% draw. Next up the Cummins P4500i (it's a little overkill and 98lbs BUT) has a 3.4 gal tank and will run 18 hours at 25% load. My best option (in my opinion) is the Honda 3200i with co-minder which shuts down if carbon monoxide reaches unsafe levels, it's less than 60lbs has a 3.2 gal tank and will run 8 hours on 25% load (a little less than champion but has more features). So that's my top 3 in a nutshell and, as you can see, I tried to give you 3 different options. I hope that helps and I look forward to hearing about the off road adventures! - Chris Young honda www.campingworld.com/honda-eu3200i-49-state-inverter-generator-with-co-minder-132207.html cummins www.campingworld.com/cummins-onan-p4500i-inverter-portable-generator-118307.html champion www.campingworld.com/champion-2500-watt-portable-dual-fuel-inverter-generator-123244.html

@@campingworld thanks. No local camping world. Traveled 2.5 hours to get to dealer we purchased unit from.

Hi There! This accompanying article on the blog might be helpful, as it includes links to some of our best-selling portable RV generators: blog.campingworld.com/gear-and-accessories/how-to-choose-a-generator-for-your-rv/ Hope that helps! - Tucker Ballister

Now THERE is a great idea! Some of the big ones can be tough to work with due to weight.

Great point!