Best Generator For RV In 2024 (Top 5 Reviews With Comparison)

BUYER'S GUIDE

1. Does it have enough power to run all of your electronics without completely draining the gas supply that you have available?

This answer ultimately depends on the wattage of your generator, the capacity of the fuel tank and the size of your load, but most generators should be able to power all your electronics for a period of time. At a 100% full load, you should get enough power for a couple of hours. For a 50% load, you should have enough power for four hours.

2. How do I connect a generator to my RV?

Whether you are buying a generator that is compatible with RVs or not, any generator that is not can always be hooked up to an RV using a special adapter sold separately.

You will need to buy a 30-amp power cord or a similar product according to your RV’s inlet that would connect to the generator. Power cords have either three or four prongs, and if your inlet has the same number of holes, the connection will fit.

3. How much power can I generate?

For most generators, the power that you can generate depends on the load that you have connected to it. These generators should not waste load, and all the power and energy it has should go towards powering your equipment or devices.

The wattage of your generator should indicate what continuous wattage it will accept. FOr instance, the Honda EU2000I can generate 2000 watts of power. Your load, therefore, should not be more than 2000 watts.

4. Portable Vs Permanent?

You can get either buy a portable or permanent generator for your RV. Each type has significant advantages over the other.

Portable generators have wheels or handles for that you can carry or move them around from one area to another. Portable generators are more affordable than permanent generators, but they have limits in regards to load capacity and fuel.

Permanent generators are extremely heavy, and are not meant to move at all. They must be installed for you by a specialist, and cost thousands of dollars on their own. They also do not have limits, or have larger limits pertaining to fuel capacity. Their load capacities are much larger

than portable generators.

5. Location of your Generator

Do not place a portable generator in a garage, even with doors or windows open. Placing a generator inside a building is detrimental to humans as it could expose them to carbon monoxide poisoning. Keep your portable generator outdoors in an open space that is more than three feet away from anything that could catch on fire. If it is raining outside, provide it with shelter from rain. This generator must entirely be away from doors, windows, vents and crawl spaces.

6. What is the difference between surge watts and running watts?

You might notice two types of watts on each generator’s product description: surge watts and running watts. Surge watts provide an additional surge of power to turn the engine on. For instance, the Briggs & Stratton 30651 P2200 generator requires 2200 watts of surge power. As long as it gets this surge, it will turn on and stay on. A surge lasts only a fraction of a second; the moment that you turn the generator on, to be precise.

Continuous watts are the most number of watts that the generator can produce at a time. The Briggs & Stratton 30651 P2200 generator can allow up to 1700 watts of power at a time, so it is not capable of powering any load that requires more wattage than 1700.

7. What type of fuel is ideal for RV generator?

Generators can be powered from one of many different types of fuel. These fuel types include gasoline, diesel, bio-diesel, emulsified diesel, natural gasoline and propane. Depending on the generator you but, there may only be one or two different types of fuel that it can take.

Unleaded gasoline is recommended for many types of generators. Generators usually have better performance and clean and safe operation with gas that contains up to 10 percent ethanol.

Diesel is the fuel type of choice for larger and more powerful generators. Diesel, however, is the most affordable and least flammable of fuel choices.

Propane is a very flammable fuel, but it can last a very long time. Propane ensure quieter operation than most fuel types, but propane usually costs more money than other types of fuel.

Natural gas is a gas that is cheap and readily available. This type of gas, however, is depleted the fastest inside of a fuel tank. If looking to conserve fuel is a priority, then natural gas is not the best choice for you.

8. What size generator do I need to run my RV?

2000 watt generator unit is enough to power a small trailer. However, standard size motorhomes need at least 2000 - 4000 watts of electricity. Those who wants to power their microwave or air conditioner will need 3000 watts of electricity and in some cases
Even more. Check your appliances to see what kind of power is the best for your RV home.

CONCLUSION

After careful deliberation, we find that the Champion 3100-Watt RV Ready Portable Inverter Generator is the generator that is most worth your investment.

While it is a pretty pricey generator, it simply does what you need it do do, in addition to giving you more useful features and more room for all of your supplies and electronics. We easily feel that this generator gives you the most bang for your buck. If you have the money for Champion’s generator, you’d easily be satisfied with your purchase.

The runner-up in this review is the Westinghouse iGen1200 Super Quiet Portable Inverter Generator. For the budget conscious owner that is looking for value, you cannot go wrong with the iGen1200.