So you just bought your first RV. Congratulations! Now you need to think about how you are going to power the things inside the RV when you take her on her first trip. You don't want to run the engine in order to turn on the lights in the middle of the night or use the air conditioner. This is what portable RV generators are for. There are some things to consider before shopping for them. Don't just buy the first or cheapest one you can find.
How much power do you need? These type of generators come in different sizes, which means some have more power than others. If you have a small RV without many electronic devices, you may not need as much power. The more power you buy the more expensive it will be. Take an inventory of everything in the RV that will require power and how many watts they use. Don't forget about the air conditioning and any televisions or game systems you might bring along on a trip.
Once you have figured out how much power you need, you should determine when and for how long you will be running your RV generator. Will you likely only run it at night when you are sleeping or do you think you'll need it throughout the day as well? Portable RV generators take gasoline and some tanks are larger than others, typically from one gallon to five gallons. You will get much longer running time on your generator if it has a larger tank, but you'll also pay more because the larger tanks are usually reserved for the RV generators with more power.
Can you sleep with the generator noise going on? Some of these are quite loud, but there are generators being manufactured now that are very quiet, too. Check the decibel level of the models you are shopping for and see how loud they will be. Higher decibels mean louder generator noise.
How will you transport your generator? Does your new RV have a place to attach it on the back? Some do, others you will have to build a lift for it. Some people put their portable RV generators in the back of their pick up trucks to transport them to the camping location. This is fine, but if you plan to do this make sure that you also have ramps. You won't be able to easily lift the generator because they can weigh nearly 200 pounds.
Ease of use is another consideration when shopping for one of these units. Some generators are started with a pull cord while others have an easier electric start using a key. The electric start RV generators will be more expensive than the pull cords but they really are quite convenient, and they can be converted to a remote start generator without much problem.
You can start shopping for portable RV generators online and get an idea of the costs and features you will see in the stores. If you order your generator online, watch for excessive shipping costs. However, you can typically save up to 35% by shopping online, which could more than cover any costs for shipping.
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