Portable Generator

[jaleepadgett]

Is there any reason why I could not put a Honda 3000 in the bed of my Ford Superduty F 250 and leave it there and run it from there when I am over nighting? Is this safe, Has anyone tried this?
Trying to avoid lugging the Generator in and out of the Monty or Truck.

[HamRad]

James,

There is no reason you can not do what you are asking. It should work well. The Honda 3000 is a great machine and you will be very happy with it. And so will anyone who is parked near you. The 3000 is one of the quietest generators on the market.

If it were me I'd put down a sheet of some sound deadening material and mount it and the generator to the bed of the truck. That would help keep it from "walking off". And also help cut down on some of the vibration sounds that will get transmitted through the bed material.

Another route would be to get the wheel kit for the generator and then make a little ramp to get it up and down. Then you could use it anywhere you wanted.

But there is nothing wrong with the pickup bed. Of course if you are in the rig and need power and the wife is off shopping somewhere you will not have power from the generator.

After all that I'd still secure it in the bed of the truck.

Good luck and let us know what you end up doing.

Dennis

[Bill and Ann]

As Dennis mentioned, put something under the genny. I put rear rubber floor mats under my two Honda 2000's to cut the noise and stop them from "walking" while they are running. I initally purchased a Honda 3000 but found I didn't have enough clearance for it using the Mor/Ryde hitch so I changed it for 2 Honda 2000's. Glad I did as they are easier to move around and sometimes I only take one. I chain them to the hitch when they are in the bed of the truck to stop them from walking away.

[jaleepadgett]

Thanks, Maybe I want to get two 2000's and the paralled kit so I can easily move out of the bed of the truck. Did not think about the clearance issue with the hitch. How does the parallel kit work? (Is it easy to hook up) What is the running time of the two 2000/s running with the AC running at night. ( usally AC runs about 40% of the time on hot evenings)

[Gumby56]

I have a Kipor 3500 which is very simular to the Honda 3000 in its setup. I keep it in the back of the truck with tie downs through the hands into the truck bed securing hooks. I cut pipe insulation and put them between the truck bed and the back of the generator. I have a cover that covers the pipe insulation and the generator (standard Kipor cover).

When I want to run the generator I just lift the cover and run. I have had no issues with walking or vibration. Saves me from securing and unsecuring it. I have two 30 amp extension cords so that I have no issues hooking up to the unit.

Good luck. I hope it works out for you!

[HamRad]

The "walking off" that I was referring to was someone stealing them/it. If you go the two 2000s route then you'll want to make sure you have some sort of security device for them. We've heard that a cable or chain through the handle is not enough. The thieves simply cut the handle.

We do not run the AC with our solo 2000 so cannot answer your question. However we ran ours about 11 hours one day with regular usage all day. A lot of tv watching and light usage along with the computer. I would guess with the AC you'd get about half that time. So that would be 4 to 6 hours per tank.

Good luck.

Dennis

[scattershot]

I met a MOCer at Qsite who did that very thing, and he moved/installed his 50 amp plug to the front of his Montana for a shorter run. Worked out quite well for him. Maybe he will chime in here with details. Very neat installation.

[richfaa]

Do it all the time with our Kipor 3500. It is secured to the trucks near the tailgate passenger side stays there all the time, no problem. I also have 2 30 amp power cords.From inside the camper you can barely hear it running.

[dsprik]

Our Kipor 3000 is up against the cab on the passenger side of the bed. Cable locked in the bed. We drop and pull the truck around to the back of the Montana and plug in. Noise level is very low with no cushioning (I do have a Rhino Lined bed). People 100 ft away can't even tell I'm running a gen.

[Bill and Ann]

James: I leave the parallel kit attached to one genny. When I want two gennys running it is just a matter of plugging in the leads. I use ours mostly when we are travelling between Ontario and Texas in the fall and spring. I run one genny during the evening, from about 4 pm until 11 and then go out and start the other one and it runs until we are ready to leave in the morning. It doesn't run hard as we are only using lights, tv and furnace fan.
Don't leave the gennys in the truck all the time, but they are chained when they are there. If someone attempts to get them out I would expect that I would know as everything would go dark or quiet as we would be in the coach. When we are in Tx. or at home I remove them from the truck as they wouldn't be there long in Tx. I had a 30 lb. propane tank stolen from the back of the truck and they had to open the tailgate, crawl under the roll top cover and take it from ahead of the hitch.
I find the 2000 easier to lug around and it is excellent for use with power tools away from the house.

[Ramblin Roadrunners]

I looked into a Honda 3000 to install in the front of the 5th wheel. I don't know how you would vent the exhaust. Any ideas???????????
Jay D.

[dsprik]

I don't think that will work, Jay. The "Gen Prep" in a Montana is designed for a specific gen - the Onan. Not sure if anything else can be made to fit...

[corncob]

Just a question on using the generators. Looked at several and most donot have a direct 50 amp connection. Thus one would have to reduce the connection as a 15 amp (2000 watt Kiptor) or 30 amp (3000 watt Kiptor). Do most of you use a reducer, e.g. 50 to 30 amp male connector? Or what?
Thanks

[dsprik]

Corncob, I believe we all use the 50 amp to 30 amp reducer (some older Montanas are only 30 amp to start with) and also the gen has a plug in adapter that goes from the gen to 30 amp.

Most of us use the gen as a 30 amp source for temp service - boondocking for a couple days, overnighting in a Wally World parking lot, emergency power outages (or substandard electrical) in campgrounds. Most do not try to run 50 amp service with bigger gens. Some may, though... Uses a lot of gas/propane...

[jackandh2o]

Richfaa, any concern about exhaust fumes getting into the bedroom?

Ray

[sunshineduo]

This is a 'perfect timing topic' since we are such new owners. I initially thought we'd go with a pair of Honda 2000's and the bridge, but I haven't studied it enought to know if in fact there's a way to make the single 30 Amp output.

Oh, and thanks for the tip about the pre-wiring being only for the Onan. Something the sales folks didn't mention to us. We are going to go visit the dealer in a couple of days and settle in on a genset solution, so any advice is certainly handy.

[skypilot]

I also have twin Honda 2000s with a parallel kit that I built based on some instructions found on another forum. Now, that said, I run the generators either from the bed of my truck or on the ground away from the 5er, never under or in the front 'generator prepped area'!. The installed unit has an exhaust that runs to the side of the trailer and then, most I've seen, an after market verticle pipe running up past the top of the trailer to exhaust up and away.

By the way, my parallel kit is basically two HD cords (male ends) that run to a single junction box that has a female 30 amp plug installed. Works very well but not as fancy (and definitely not as expensive) as the one from Honda. Does have one major setback though - if one of the plugs should happen to come unplugged from the generator, I do have a 'hot plug' open to be touched. The Honda one has rubber covers that automatically slip over the plugs if they are open. Looking for a fix for mine....

[chas]

I solved the problem of lifting the generator out of the truck and the noise next to the bedroom , and running a long cord , and made more room in the truck bed . I have back problems so the truck bed thing was out , I bought a eu 6500 and set it in a hitch haul mounted on the rear of the trailer . Solves lifting gas cans up high
and i can even change oil without removing generator .The Generator never has to be moved again . I removed the wheels and the axle sits on the frame , fastendown with stainless hose clamps and run ratchet binders criscrossed over top next to filler sap . With a 3000 you will have enough room for gas cans also . Hitch world in Florida keys installed a class 3 hitch for 150.00 . the Mountaineer has a bumper and i had the hitch haul clamped to it but it was too light for a 250 lb generator . Now i can boondock watch hbo with the dish and run both ac units -- tough life in the woods .

[chas]

One more thing i can sleep better knowing there is no chance of carbon dioxide poisining , with the generator away from the sleeping area and not under the camper .

[Gumby56]

I have created an exhaust stack using metal electrical conduit. I used 1 inch conduit with a 90 degree elbow and a copper reducer to create a snug fit on the exhaust pipe (Kipor 3500). The vertical section is cut so that while in the truck I can use one pipe section to get to 10 foot hight and two sections to get 10 feet when it is on the ground.

The one hitch is securing it to the generator. I have a 1 inch standard clamp that I drilled holes through the handle to secure. It works, but it leans a little. I'm looking for a higher quality clamp so that it does not have any bend in it.

I put this together as it is required for one of the camping groups that we are in that host a balloon festival camp-out in NY.

Good luck!