Walmart overnight parking

[Lurker52]

HI all,

I am taking a trip from Florida to Wyoming the last week of June. I have done the trip before but this time I am considering doing a few overnights at Walmart or similar type places. My questions is, do you run the generator all night? I am assuming the temps. going through the south and mid- west will be pretty high. So,what do you all do when overnighting at Walmart in the summer time?

Thanks as always

[Heisenberg]

If the OP finds I25 across Raton Pass the WalMart at Trinidad is RV friendly. We always buy groceries there. No need for a generator all night in the summer.

[lane_hog]

I've never understood why so many people find it necessary to say "go stay at a campground" in a Walmart thread....

When we are between destinations, Walmart is perfect. So are Cracker Barrel, a rest area or a truck stop.

We've run our generator, but as mentioned by others, will usually park away from others if we plan to use it, or find someone already running theirs.

When the humidity isn't so bad, a couple of 12V operated fans tend to work just as well for us, and the ambient noise from those tends to block out other people's generators or reefers.

[Trekkar]

Edd505 wrote:
Why buy an RV to sleep in an asphalt parking lot, you can do that in a car. Find a camp ground and use the RV. Where do you find a transient when you want one, Walmart. This is why no Wally Worlds - http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/

Many reasons NOT to go to a campground late.: Disturb sleeping campers, Poor electric, High cost of few hours of sleep, etc.
There are many free options other than Walmarts, but at Walmarts, truckstops, etc. The expectations are that there will be noise. Your gennie will only be a small part of that noise.
As listed earlier, freecampsites.net shows many alternative camping options available. Also, many areas have dispersed camping available.

[discovery4us]

We have done it from time to time. It certainly is not uncommon. Part of the beauty of being self contained and not having to stop until you are ready and where you want.

I say this half jokingly and half serious but with the price of fuel here in CA it almost becomes a wash weather you pay for a campsite or run the generator. if you use .7 gal of fuel per hour for 10 hours @ almost $4 a gallon you are $28 towards a spot with electricity :(:(:(

[Edd505]

Why buy an RV to sleep in an asphalt parking lot, you can do that in a car. Find a camp ground and use the RV. Where do you find a transient when you want one, Walmart. This is why no Wally Worlds - http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/

[yr2017]

I'd rather stay in a CG than a parking lot. Local ordinance signs have a bad habit of disappearing from those lots - the booting fine is drastic.

[pianotuna]

The best solution may be an inexpensive campground. I'm not comfortable running the generator while sleeping.

There is a trip planner, and a filter at https://freecampsites.net/

[dedmiston]

Cocky_Camper wrote:
I think running the generator at night in the South East is a very common thing due to the heat and humidity. Just make sure you CO2 detector... rather be safe than sorry.

And spoil the Walmart ambiance? :B

[Cocky_Camper]

I think running the generator at night in the South East is a very common thing due to the heat and humidity. Just make sure you CO2 detector... rather be safe than sorry.

Most trucks run theirs all night at Flying J, Walmart, and other places that they stay over night around here... no different for an RV.

[bid_time]

Come in late, pull in right next to someone already asleep, then fire up the generator - then wonder why your tires are flat in the morning.

Or you could use common sense - No problem.

[Matt_Colie]

Lurker,

In the last 14 seasons of RiVing, we have done all that stuff. Walmarts are real convenient, so are lots of other places. There are good web resources that can help you find them. At any business concern, always ask. At many, we go in (Walmarts particularly) and ask a manager if we can stay overnight when we get done shopping.

We have slept over our APU more that a few times both for heat and because of.

If you can bear the noise, just have at least one good CO monitor going. Waking up dead is real easy to do.

Matt

[one_strange_tex]

Having used generators to supply power for week-long power outages due to hurricanes here on the Gulf Coast, I would have no qualms about running a generator overnight unattended in terms of overheating. Carbon monoxide is a real concern and has caused fatalities due to generator operation in closed spaces in these situations. If you are running it in the truck bed below the overhanging bedroom of a fifth wheel, I'd be concerned. Better to secure it outside behind the trailer. If you have a built in generator with a properly designed exhaust, you should be OK.

[Jayco-noslide]

Been there and done that but personally I wouldn't run the generator while we're asleep. Worry about exhaust and/or overheating.

[2_Retired]

Just my 2 cents. If it's really hot & humid, bite the bullet and get a campsite. Generally we try to avoid Walmart type overnights. Want as many campgrounds to be profitable as possible so we can continue to go where we want, when we want w/o worrying about finding a site to stop in!