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Old 11-18-2017, 02:01 PM   #18
mtlakejim
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Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Bee Branch
Posts: 2,620
M.O.C. #20693
Good thread. We don't boondock but there are occasions where we will stop at a rest stop or truck stop overnight. I can weld and Hobart has a welder/gen unit for $3K that will fit nicely in front of our hitch in the long bed one ton so that is what I plan to go with. Only thing I question is how "clean" the power will be and if that will be an issue? Anyone with deep knowledge on the subject I would appreciate comments please.


Only reason an onboard unit would be a must have is if you had a reason to run the A/C when you had the tow vehicle away from the vehicle (say if you had a spouse or dog (BE ADVISED NOT COMPARING SPOUSES TO DOGS!) that was going to stay behind while you went somewhere in the tow). I don't think that will be an issue for us because we would only use the gen. when stopping overnight and we have the 381TH and most likely our motorcycle in the basement garage (Points for the 381TH---insert smiley face with tongue sticking out).


We have had a couple of Onan in Class A motorhomes and they always seemed to be having issues. Not to mention they are hard to work on when built in and dang pricy. Honda seems to be the gold standard of the outboard gens and are certainly quite and well built. We own a 3500w Champion at present but have found it won't pull even a single A/C (it will start it initially but first time A/C cycles it will kill the gen.). I think the Honda's are underrated on actual wattage while the Champions are overrated. Big advantage to the Champions is the price but I don' think they are built as well as the Honda. In particular watch out for the Champion gas tank which can form cracks in the fuel tank (we had that happen to us and spill fuel all over a trailer).


But I have to wonder why anyone who owns a 5th wheel would be concerned about fuel economy? Seriously folks? LOL


As for running a cord up to the truck, you might want to consider what I plan to do and run a plug all the way up to the pin box where you will only need a very short cord to connect the gen up to your camper.... Would be wise to use one long enough that you could pull out from under the hitch though. But at least it would all be contained in the back of your truck.....


Oh yeah and that room in front of the hitch that allows for the generator. One more reason the LONG BED wins the day!!!
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