Making Your Air Conditioner Generator Friendly

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our E-mail Digest or RSS Feed. We will then send you the stories that are posted each day in an e-mail digest. We use a service called Feedburner for delivery of these emails. You will receive an e-mail from Feedburner after you subscribe and you must click on that email to activate your subscription. Thanks for visiting and enjoy all the information! RV.Net Blog AdminSome RV air conditioners have a difficult time starting when using a generator, especially portable generators. There are a number of factors that contribute to hard starting but most often it’s because there is not enough available power to start the compressor quickly. The compressor motor in a typical RV air conditioner system can draw a tremendous amount of current during it’s start-up time. This can be as high as 50 amps for a typical 15,000 BTU A/C on a hot day. All but the largest of RV generators can struggle to provide this kind of power without significant voltage droop. Not having enough voltage and current to start the A/C compressor, the generator goes in to overload and pops it’s circuit breaker. What can be done to help this situation? Modify your RV air conditioner with a hard start boost capacitor. Read more Tell a Friend Read More →

Extended run time fuel tank for generators!

Super money saving tip! Extended run time fuel tank for Honda 2000 generators (and others) Here’s en excerpt from my RV Tech Tip book of one of my many tech tips…..While dry camping I got tired of fueling the Honda 2000 once or more times a day depending on use. I decided enough of that and after a little surfing on the web decided to make my own extended run time fuel tank. I found these on line for $100 or more + shipping. The exact same thing and cost me a whopping $36! All that is needed is…. A 6 gallon marine fuel tank. Mine is an Atwood marine tank from Wal-Mart ($15!) A Honda mower gas cap. Make sure the one you get fits the generator you’re using! They make different sizes with different type threads! You may also use the stock generator cap. (see below). 6′ or so of fuel line A 1/4″ bulkhead fitting of some kind (or suitable item), usually found at marine shops. All for under $40 or less! The fuel line simply is ran from the marine fuel tank which has a 1/4″ pickup tube in it and then connect the other end of the fuel line to the 1/4″ nipple on the gas cap. Everyone asks what about venting since the original 2000 gas cap comes with a ventable cap. Well the 6 gallon Atwood marine fuel tank (which can be bought at Wal-Mart for $15) is vented so it accomplishes the same thing as the original cap with the ventilation knob. The fuel line and stock Honda mower gas cap was bought at a local Honda and mower shop. Talk about extended... Read more

RV Generator Troubleshooting Tips

GENERATOR TROUBLESHOOTING: Caution – Servicing a generator can create hazards – burns, cuts, fire and shock hazards. Exhaust fumes can be harmful. Notes: Gasoline powered generators are fed from a midpoint on your main fuel tank. Most generator manufacturers recommend a minimum of one hour loaded run time per month to prevent carburetor gumming. Generator will not crank: No 12 volt power or 12 volt fuse located on the control panel blown.The battery voltage should be above 9.5 VDC. Possible bad control board or poor wiring connections. Generator will not start, but cranks: Poor 12 volt power from battery or convertor, bad cables or corroded battery posts, gasoline tank not full enough, carburetor clogged from disuse, spark plugs fouled, automatic choke linkage stuck, faulty oil pressure switch, dirty air filter, low oil level, damaged wiring, or corrosion on the control board. Generator starts, then fails to run: Low oil level or low oil pressure, Low fuel supply, press the prime switch the recommend length of time, sticky choke linkage, or check the generator AC voltage output. Other voltage tests require an Operating Manual, Troubleshooting charts and learned personnel. Contact you generator dealer or manufacturer for further information. Online websites are an excellent source of information. Happy Camping, Fred b. Tell a Friend Read More →

Use That Generator!

Like most motorhome owners, we have a generator in our rig to supply electric power when we are not plugged into a campground’s power outlet. And like many RVers who own generators, we had been abusing our Onan auxiliary power plant for a long time. Not by using the generator too much, but by not using it hard enough! Read more Tell a Friend Read More →

RV Doctor - Generator Surge During Idle

Dear Gary, First of all I enjoy reading your articles. Now, I have a problem with my gasoline Onan generator. My generator surges during idle. The voltage checks out at 110-115 volts AC during idle or load. I’ve cleaned the carburetor, replaced the fuel filter, and replaced both spark plugs, all to no avail. Can you please help me with the carburetor and governor adjustments? It’s an Onan 4000-watt Genset, Emerald Plus. –Michael Cheatham, (Clinton, SC) Read more Tell a Friend Read More →

RV Doctor - Generator Won’t Power Both AC Units

Dear RV Doc, Recently I was hooked up to shore power that had issues so I switched over to my generator. At one time the generator powered both roof air conditioners, but now it only runs one at a time, just like when I’m on a regular 30-amp service. Could it be something in the power system? –Merle Reitz, (Lemoore, CA) Read more Tell a Friend Read More →

Answering the Mail, More on Battery Charging and Stuff

Well I have been negligent in writing my blogs, but the great adventure is really keeping us busy. We left New Hampshire the third week of October after installing solar, a big battery bank, and a Magnum 3000 inverter/charger/converter. Since then we have driven across the middle of the country covering parts of the Old Lincoln Highway swinging northwest at Salt Lake City into Seattle. We spent time there getting to know a new grand baby before heading south along the coast to San Diego. We spent time there with family and headed into the desert of Arizona where we are currently. Yes we experienced Quartzsite and the Yuma Territorial Prison and long term boondocking. And yes solar works regardless of what the doom and gloomers say. While our limited solar array (170 watts) does not fully support our life style, which I will be the first to admit we are not energy efficient, it cuts generator time by at least 50%, and that is significant. Before next years trip I will add one more panel and rig them so that they can be tilted catching more sun. But there are a couple of comments and e mails that I would like to address. Question Don T. wrote: I have my 5th wheel setting at home, not being used, plugged into 50amp/convert to30amp land line………question is, am I hurting or helping my battery situation as I’ll be parked until June. I’d appreciate any comments for this Dumbo…….Thanks Answer The answer is that generally keeping the battery fully... Read more

Full-timing RV essentials part #2

From the desk of Firedude. In part #1 I discussed academic essentials and here in part #2 I’ll discuss some of the more Tech type stuff. I’ve had recent inquiries from those ordering new RV’s in particular fifth wheels asking what add-ons to consider at time of purchase. I’ve learned through all my upgrades and through trial and error. I wish only I had known some of these things from the onset and it would have made life so much easier and lessened the out of pocket expenses later for such. Had I known many of these I would have ordered such when I bought the coach. Some I did. Some things to consider here and remember some of these can be added as “gimmies” if worked out with the dealer during the time of purchase. It’s nice to have it included in your financing as the out of pocket is much less than if you do this yourself later down the road. Here are some of the items I suggest, but not limited to and may not fit all. They are just suggestions, especially for full-timers. potential full-timers and those planning on extended trips. A Fantastic Fan or similar product These are a must in my book as you can exchange the air in your coach with outside air in just a mere minute or two. Mine is located above the bedroom. It also comes in handy when taking showers to evacuate the moisture from the hot shower. We all know moisture is one of an RV’s worst enemies. Vent covers for all your rooftop vents including the Fantastic fan These allow... Read more

Woman Assaulted by Chocolate Chip, or Solar Anyone?

Our old Foretravel is equipped with a Sharp Carrousel combination micro wave and convection oven. That means that all cooking done in that oven is electric. As those that have read our past notes know we installed a small solar system and a big bank of batteries complete with a 3,000 watt inverter before leaving home for our winter trip. RV Solar in Phoenix Arizona supplied the system that included 170 watts of solar panels, a Magnum 3000 charger/inverter/converter and the control panels needed to operate the system. The battery bank came out of our golf cart that was not making the trip with us. Read more Tell a Friend Read More →

The Best Generator: Honda, Yamaha, or Something Else?

ROUGH CUT: The BEST Generator? from Sean Michael on Vimeo. When we bought our RV, we quickly realized that electricity is quite useful. Unless you like ice-cold coffee, blank TV screens, and sweltering summer heat, you’ll want the ability to camp with substantial amounts of the stuff on hand. But since one can’t purchase extension cords in mile-long lengths, we need portable options… What about solar? Note that I advocate “substantial” amounts of energy for RV camping. Sure, solar power may be useful for certain applications (like illuminating low-wattage light bulbs as a parlor trick) but I’m afraid it falls short of meeting our needs on a daily basis. With the flick of a switch, my wife’s jet engine of a hair dryer can completely destroy solar panels. A good old-fashioned fossil fuel generator, however, kicks out copious amounts of politically incorrect current. So the next question becomes, “What type of generator to buy?” There are plenty of cheap generators on the market. These are easily distinguished by the raucous clatter they emit, which sounds like a genetic cross between a defective lawnmower, a sick moose, and an enraged banshee. Once we were camping in the Grand Teton National Park. One of our fellow campers (who was parked, oh, a half mile down the road) had one of those horrible spirit-killing generators. On the comprehensive List of the World’s Most Annoying Sounds, his generator ranks an impressive #7 (right behind Fran Drescher’s voice).... Read more

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