valhalla360
No paticular place.
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Unless you are buying new, it's tough to justify the cost and complications or retrofitting a built in generator. Even new, they ain't cheap.
Realistically, you are looking at 4-10 times the cost and if you need work done on it, you either have to as the saying goes, take mohamed to the mountain or the mountain to mohamed.
If the weight of moving it around is an issue, consider having a mount made to attach it above the pin box and get an electric start model with cover. That will give you 95% of the convenience at 20% of the cost.
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bgum
South Louisiana
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We had a 5th wheel with built in genny running on propane. It was very thirsty. It was convenient. After having both portable and built In I would go with a Honda 3200 mounted on the pin box. I would run it on gas. Easy starts in your AC units would help it out. Mounted is harder to steal and is readily available. You can easily run one AC and have power for other uses.
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C.B.
APPLETON WI USA
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Here's what works for me.
I carry 2-Honda 2000's with 6 gal of treated fuel.
If I know I'll need more power, then Honda 6500 is brought along in the "Little Creeker" trailer.
We powered 4 trailers a few years back after a bad storm at a campground.
In total we have 6 portable generators (4-2000's///1-5000///1-6500) spotted in 3 different locations to go wherever needed.
C.B.
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Campinfan
Washtenaw County, Michigan
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2oldman wrote:Campinfan wrote:I want to primarily use it for traveling to distant locations (the trip there) and not for when I get there. For what purpose? This is unusual.
here is my example, I am heading out west and it is a long 2 day trip. Instead of stopping for the evening and night at a campground (and trying to find one that is easy access,etc, I could just stop at a rest area or a truck stop and get a few hours of sleep and then off we go again. I would like to drive until tired of driving and then go when I am ready instead of stopping because that is where I have a reservation. I hope that clears it up. I would rather stop and sleep for a few hours sometimes instead of stopping for the evening, night and part of the next morning.
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Lantley
Ellicott City, Maryland
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This is how I travel occasionally as well. The built in allows you to be fully self contained with ease.
Pin Box mount is not a bad idea, but not quite push button convenience. You have to protect the genset from the elements somehow? You have to get out the cord, put it away, start the genset outside....maybe you have remote start? Hopefully you have electric start and not pulling a cord!
Lastly you have to refuel the genset which requires carrying gas cans, maybe a ladder or stool to reach genset. If you vehicle is a diesel gas is a fuel you otherwise would not deal with.
If your vehicle is a gasser, gasoline is less of an issue
Again portables are just as capable a lot cheaper, but not nearly as convenient.
The convenience factor allows for more usage. Especially more trivial usage. You don't hesitate to use genset because it requires absolutely no set up or user input other than pushing that button.
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2oldman
NM
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Campinfan wrote:Instead of stopping for the evening and night at a campground (and trying to find one that is easy access,etc, I could just stop at a rest area or a truck stop and get a few hours of sleep and then off we go again. Without trying to be a nagging Nellie, sounds like you just need a bit of battery. Not sure what the generators are for.
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Campinfan
Washtenaw County, Michigan
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cant run an air conditioner off the battery and I have a residential fridge that I am not too worried about but I would like to keep running.
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Veebyes
Bermuda & Maryland Eastern Shore
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Campinfan wrote:cant run an air conditioner off the battery and I have a residential fridge that I am not too worried about but I would like to keep running.
Don't know why you would want to run the A/C in the 5er while on the road. The residential fridge is not going to get to ambient temperature the moment it loses AC.
Rather than the thousands spent on a built in genny money might be better spent doing a serious upgrade on the battery bank, along with a PSW inverter to carry the fridge on the road.
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spoon059
Just north of D.C.
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Veebyes wrote:
Don't know why you would want to run the A/C in the 5er while on the road. The residential fridge is not going to get to ambient temperature the moment it loses AC.
Rather than the thousands spent on a built in genny money might be better spent doing a serious upgrade on the battery bank, along with a PSW inverter to carry the fridge on the road.
He said he wants a generator so he can stop at a truck stop or other similar area and be able to fire up his AC for the night. That isn't "running the AC while on the road", nor is it something that $1200 worth of batterys and solar would solve.
OP, it sounds like your needs would be much better served with a smaller and more affordable portable generator. I nice Honda 2200 for $1200 and an AC soft start would allow you to run one 15K AC the majority of the night. My biggest concern would be theft though. Portable gensets can easily grow wheels in the middle of the night in a truck stop environment.
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Campinfan
Washtenaw County, Michigan
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I thank all of you for your advice. I like hearing the pros and cons of the portable versus the onboard. I have some time before I need to make a decision so I am still open to your ideas and experience. I have never seen a pinbox mount for a genset but it will be something I add to my list of things to explore.
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