Generator

bowser · Veteran Member

Generator

Greg 1 · Guru

I have carted a generator along on 6 trips across the continent and back including a big lap and haven't started it once on our travels. Used it for other things when at home but not for what I bought it for originally, to power the van. I should leave it at home but it lives in a specially constructed generator box built into my van, so just remains there. I would only use it if I desperately needed to run the air-conditioning when free camping. Everything else runs off gas or solar when not in a van park.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

G'day Bowser,

Like Greg I carted a genie around for ages and she lived in the canopy area of the Collie. I only let her out though if stationary for long periods and that is regular really.

I only let her out though at 2.00am as every one is asleep and don't hear her.

I never used it for just overnighters or just a few nights. I don't think I'd bother anymore.

Keep Safe on the roads and out there.

Aussie1 · Guru

Wouldn't leave home without the Honda Generator. We have solar, gas etc but find the generator a great source of power when needed. Especially for the Air Conditioner.

And as Greg 1 said above, very handy at home when power failures are about. I hate being inconvenienced when I can control it myself.

Can't wait for the first Nuclear powered caravan to come on the market, only then will I consider retiring the Honda. And sooner the better.

Peter_n_Margaret · Senior Member

Wouldn't leave home without the Honda Generator.

Best you don't leave home then.

Have not carried a generator in 20 years.
Should be banned. There are better ways to provide essential power.
Not only anti social, but frighten all the local wild life away too.
If you think you need a generator you should rethink the reasons you are where you are.
Cheers,
Peter

Aussie1 · Guru

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
Wouldn't leave home without the Honda Generator.
Best you don't leave home then.

Have not carried a generator in 20 years.
Should be banned. There are better ways to provide essential power.
Not only anti social, but frighten all the local wild life away too.
If you think you need a generator you should rethink the reasons you are where you are.
Cheers,
Peter

Bit aggressive there Cobber. You are forgetting one important factor, It is a free country (well last time I checked) and I don't believe you make the rules. Unfortunately for you, we shall continue to travel when and where we choose. I do not need to rethink anything.

It must be at least 2 to 3 years ago you stated on a forum that generators will soon be banned. Honda sales are still going well.

Cheers and all the best for Easter

-- Edited by Aussie1 on Sunday 31st of March 2024 02:16:46 PM

Peter_n_Margaret · Senior Member

No, it is not a free country and it is those who have a total lack of consideration for others that cause it to be less free that it ever was.
Cheers,
Peter

Aussie1 · Guru

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
No, it is not a free country and it is those who have a total lack of consideration for others that cause it to be less free that it ever was.
Cheers,
Peter

Oh, yes it is. Perhaps you could have more consideration for me eh.

Trying to "force' your opinions on others just will not work. Bit like the referendum.

Aussie1 · Guru

bowser wrote:
Traveling through Queensland May through October how important will a Generator be, any info would be appreciated.
Regards Bowser.

Hi Graham, I hope some of the opinions are of use to help you make a decision.

As you can see, there is variety of opinions, so good luck coming to a conclusion, being mine or that of my good mate Peter, of what suits you the best.

Cheers and above all enjoy your journey/ adventure. Even Peter will agree with me on that.

Meredith · Senior Member

Really depends on your power needs, your battery/solar system, how often if at all you stay in powered sites and more. We don't carry a generator, our battery/solar system is enough to last basically indefinitely with our normal power needs if we don't want to run air conditioning and just use our 12v fans. If it rained solidly for a week we would probably run short but the beauty of a caravan is that we would have long since packed up and moved somewhere else with better weather. If its so hot that we really must have air conditioning then we are happy to go to a powered site, in Queensland it is possible that may happen in October but not the other months mentioned and even then unlikely.

DeBe · Guru

Good for you Peter that you can afford the best & able to carry all that solar. Not every one is rich, the rest of us make do with what we can afford.

DeBe · Guru

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-- Edited by DeBe on Sunday 31st of March 2024 04:39:59 PM

JayDee · Guru

We are virtually fully self-contained, and as such:-

We always carried a Honda. As we are lovers of bush/free/low-cost camps the Honda was used it a number of times a week. Mainly for our cloth washing and other needs for more power than the 12volt system.
When one hears of the sort of items people put into laundromats we are happy to have the Honda.
Over the years did it pay for itself? I doubt it, but we had the satisfaction of being self-sufficient.

Gennies are not for everyone. It is your call.

Jay&Dee

bowser · Veteran Member

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and ideas, I will take them all on board.
Regards Bowser.

Plain Truth · Guru

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
No, it is not a free country and it is those who have a total lack of consideration for others that cause it to be less free that it ever was.
Cheers,
Peter

It will never be a free country, when people like you try to push your views,on to others.

JayDee · Guru

My 2 cents worth.

Providing you are working within the law and rules of the day, then one has the right to choose what you would like to do.
For us, we always let our van neighbours know that we are about to start our gennie.

For those who complain, I say to you that there are things you do that other campers like us may object to. Like smoke from campfires, your yapping dogs etc etc.

Anyway, we try to camp as far away from the crowds as possible.

Give me a spot among the gums trees, along a dam or river. (Ooops!!! OK, Gum trees can be trouble.)

Jay&Dee

Gundog · Guru

Peter wrote "Have not carried a generator in 20 years.
Should be banned. There are better ways to provide essential power.
Not only anti social, but frighten all the local wild life away too."

Not everybody wants to go to bed at 8pm or read book, we enjoy our technology creature comforts.

Banned no they are becomming more essential with the amount of blackouts due to the crazy drive to green power.

A generator is lighter and more compact the solar panels and batteries and the other stuff required, whats the alturnative?

Not anti social, FFS I didnt ask you to park near me!

Frighten the wild life give me a break they adapt and overcome.

Aussie1 · Guru

Gundog wrote:
Peter wrote "Have not carried a generator in 20 years.
Should be banned. There are better ways to provide essential power.
Not only anti social, but frighten all the local wild life away too."
Not everybody wants to go to bed at 8pm or read book, we enjoy our technology creature comforts.
Banned no they are becomming more essential with the amount of blackouts due to the crazy drive to green power.
A generator is lighter and more compact the solar panels and batteries and the other stuff required, whats the alturnative?
Not anti social, FFS I didnt ask you to park near me!
Frighten the wild life give me a break they adapt and overcome.

X2 Well put Graham.

Dick0 · Guru

Hi Bowser, a Gennie is handy if you wish to run kitchen appliances like Coffee Maker, Toaster, Air Fryer and Washing Machine etc.

And I do agree that early a.m. is best time to use a Gennie when campers are asleep. biggrin

Cupie · Guru

The only time that I used a gene was about 50 years ago when I was in the CMF Artillery.

At our (secure) Battery Position we needed power so dug a bloody great hole and put the gene at the bottom with a very sophisticated exhaust system (sometimes exhausting into a drum of water) & a pile of sand bags on the corrugated iron roof. We were prohibited from running it at much more than a fast idle. Wo behold the grunt who caused the gene to rev.

But you could still hear the thump thump thump kilometers away in the bush.

Sure the machines of today are much quieter but they still seem to emit that base noise.

In the rare occasion that there's an annoying gene about the camp then I just adjust or move on earlier than planned.

In the old days I just frag them. (yes we used dummies ... noise makers) Shut them down every time!

LOL

Possum3 · Guru

We tend to free camp a lot in Qld, Honda is used to power ; A/C and washing machine, power tools, etc always mindful of neighbors and never after 8.00pm.

Additionally, we use it at home frequently, due to black outs.

X 3 Graham.

Trailer Sailer · Senior Member

We use an EcoFlow delta max 2 lithium powerbank to provide 240v power to our slide on camper. We have just spent 10 weeks touring Tasmania without using a caravan park with the powerbank charging from both solar and engine alternator we never had any problem with having access to 240v power. We also own a Honda eu 2.2 but now leave this behind and previously only used it on our trailerable yacht when the outboard was already running and we were mid river/ocean disturbing no one (outboards only have small alternators unlike our Isuzu NLS) Now with extra solar fitted to the yacht its not needed there either. Whilst not totally against generators like loud music they should be only used/played out of earshot of other campers in my view.

-- Edited by Trailer Sailer on Monday 1st of April 2024 10:16:54 PM

HandyWalter · Senior Member

I use a gennie when free camping to make coffee 8am in the morning when away. It also serves as a back up when my fridge and hot water seem to not like running on gas. If I notice someone wants to camp close to me I casually walk up and advise them I have a gennie and I like my coffee at 8am. If they are happy to have the noise thats their choice, When I arrive at a camp site I make sure I park a long way away from others as 1. we like our coffee and 2. we like watching TV so I set the satelite up and watch TV or Movies on the outside table.at night. It amazes me how people seem to be attracted to me and want to camp right next to me. Recently we stayed at Carters Beach. 100+ vans can fit on this beach. 3 there when we arrived. Go out next day and come back and people have set up right next to us. Went and started the gennie and then went over and said if you can stand that at 8am please feel free to stay. If not I suggest you move. Next day they shifted away. Just like a shower and toilet seem to be standard items in vans, generators also have a place for some who do not have the latest battery and electrical set up. Never go away without it.

Greg 1 · Guru

It is weird how some people want to cluster together. At one campsite that we set up in which was very large and hardly anyone in it when we arrived, shortly after we got settled, a motorhome pulled in next to our van so close they had trouble getting out their door. I swear if I had rolled over in bed I would have been cuddling his missus and leaning out of our window could have cleaned my teeth in their sink. The gennie nearly got started that night I can tell you. They could have parked miles from us in a dozen other vacant places but no pulled in right on top of us. I could not believe it.

Cassie63 · Senior Member

We have a Honda and use it accordingly, if it bothers others then move away.

Ian G · Senior Member

And you can use it to recharge your EV !!!

Aussie1 · Guru

Ian G wrote:
And you can use it to recharge your EV !!!

Yep, nothing like having an EV (AKA EFS, Electric Fire starter) fully charged. biggrin