A Few Handy Hints On Choosing An RV Generator
Most generators use some type of fuel to produce power for both DC and AC requirements plus they come in a number of different sizes. It is the different sizes that mystify many new RV owners in the market for an RV generator. Just remember that size does matter a great deal while the type of fuel used - diesel, gas or propane - is secondary.
More Or Less Power
When you shop for your RV generator, you will discover that each model is rated based on the number of AC watts that it creates. The smaller versions of the RV generator may produce about 2600 watts, which is adequate for running a few lights and the refrigerator. Larger versions, perhaps 15,0000 to 20,000 watts are capable of running several air conditioning units in addition to the lights, refrigerator and a number of other appliances in the process.
In order to determine the size of RV generator you need to purchase, you will have to calculate the expected power consumption of all of the lighting as well as the appliances. Two pieces of information are needed - the start-up watts needed to power up an item as well as the running watts that needed to operate the item. Please note that air conditioners as well as appliances like microwaves can both be two or three times their running wattage for start-up.
You can discover the start-up and running watts for each appliance in your RV either through the RV's operation manual or through each individual appliance manual. Once you have all the wattage figures, you add the running and start-up watts together to come up with a total figure. This figure is what you will use when shopping for an RV generator that will handle the load.
Things To Remember
Knowing the total wattage you need to support is important when shopping for an RV generator but one other thing should be taken into consideration as well. How many of those appliances or electrical items will be used at the same time? Initial start-up power may need to be adjusted accordingly to handle that initial wattage load. Always err on the side of caution and purchase an RV generator that can handle a bit more output than you actually plan to power up.
Once you have the wattage issue taken care of, then you can decide what type of fuel you want to use to power the generator. There are models that run on unleaded fuel, diesel and even propane. When you are unsure of which type of RV generator to choose based on fuel, choose the one that uses the same fuel as your RV coach itself. This makes things easier for you when it comes to filling up at the gas station.
