User Tag List

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 11
  1. #1
    Left The Driveway
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Posts
    7
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Generator / Invertor

    Stupid question ... What is the difference in generator vs invertor? What would I need to pull electric requiring 50 AMP

  2. #2
    Site Sponsor Scousers's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Vail, AZ
    Posts
    223
    Mentioned
    2 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    A generator generates power/energy whereas an inverter takes energy out of batteries and generates power/energy. The battery has to be replenished somehow...usually by the generator when boondocking.

  3. #3
    Site Sponsor
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    SW Indiana
    Posts
    1,956
    Mentioned
    42 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    An inverter changes low voltage DC into 120V AC. It runs off your batteries, so it won’t last long running any big power consuming device. You’ll also require a power source to recharge the batteries. Solar or a generator likely, though you can get a little charging from your tow vehicle while on the road.

    To provide 50A RV service, you’d need a huge generator. 12,000W. It would be big, expensive and make you unpopular with your neighbors because of the noise.

    To add confusion, there is also an inverter generator. It tends to be quieter than standard generators.

    You need to know what you want to power and for how long to choose an appropriate power source.
    John & Kathy
    2014 F250 Lariat FX4 6.2L SBCC
    2014 Reflection 303RLS
    SW Indiana

  4. #4
    Long Hauler DaveMatthewsBand's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Posts
    2,794
    Blog Entries
    2
    Mentioned
    22 Post(s)
    Tagged
    2 Thread(s)

    Generator / Invertor

    Quote Originally Posted by jkwilson View Post
    An inverter changes low voltage DC into 120V AC. It runs off your batteries, so it won’t last long running any big power consuming device. You’ll also require a power source to recharge the batteries. Solar or a generator likely, though you can get a little charging from your tow vehicle while on the road.

    To provide 50A RV service, you’d need a huge generator. 12,000W. It would be big, expensive and make you unpopular with your neighbors because of the noise.

    To add confusion, there is also an inverter generator. It tends to be quieter than standard generators.

    You need to know what you want to power and for how long to choose an appropriate power source.
    12,000 watts?
    Where do you get your information from?
    You’re saying it takes 6,000 watts to run each one?
    I can run my single 15,000 BTU roof air on my tiny 2200 watt Honda generator.
    Plenty of people run 2 roof air units using 5500 watt generators. I have even heard some people can do it with a 4500 watt generator if they installed a soft start.



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Last edited by DaveMatthewsBand; 06-10-2019 at 12:20 PM.
    Resistance is Not Futile, It's Voltage Divided by Current.


  5. #5
    Seasoned Camper
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Boerne, TX
    Posts
    324
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by DaveMatthewsBand View Post
    12,000 watts?
    Where do you get your information from?
    You’re saying it takes 6,000 watts to run each one?
    I can run my single 15,000 BTU roof air on my tiny 2200 watt Honda generator.
    Plenty of people run 2 roof air units using 5500 watt generators. I have even heard some people can do it with a 4500 watt generator if they installed a soft start.



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    From what I have read, conventional wisdom says you can run both A/C units with a 5,000 watt generator as long as you don't hammer the thing by also running the microwave and other appliances at the same time. If you have your fridge on propane, that takes some of the load off. You can add a Honda companion to your 2200 Honda to increase the wattage but that still gives you only 4400 watts. Still a little light. One suggestion would be to only run one A/C at a time and use your existing generator. You could cool the living space during the day and the bedroom space when you turn in for the day. Since I have a severe case of tight-waddery, that is what I would do if I already had the Honda. In fact, I have a 3100 watt max generator that I usually only use to charge the batteries, mainly because when we dry camp, we are in an area where we don't need A/C.
    2019 F250 Lariat
    2020 Solitude S 2930RL
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

  6. #6
    Site Sponsor
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    SW Indiana
    Posts
    1,956
    Mentioned
    42 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by DaveMatthewsBand View Post
    12,000 watts?
    Where do you get your information from?
    You’re saying it takes 6,000 watts to run each one?
    I can run my single 15,000 BTU roof air on my tiny 2200 watt Honda generator.
    Plenty of people run 2 roof air units using 5500 watt generators. I have even heard some people can do it with a 4500 watt generator if they installed a soft start.



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    I was responding to OP’s question
    What would I need to pull electric requiring 50 AMP
    Without specific details about what they want to run, that is the answer. Obviously not the right answer because it’s kind of the wrong question.
    John & Kathy
    2014 F250 Lariat FX4 6.2L SBCC
    2014 Reflection 303RLS
    SW Indiana

  7. #7
    Big Traveler
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Posts
    1,539
    Mentioned
    13 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by DaveMatthewsBand View Post
    12,000 watts?
    Where do you get your information from?
    You’re saying it takes 6,000 watts to run each one?
    I can run my single 15,000 BTU roof air on my tiny 2200 watt Honda generator.
    Plenty of people run 2 roof air units using 5500 watt generators. I have even heard some people can do it with a 4500 watt generator if they installed a soft start.



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    It looks like JK was referring to supplying a 50a RV service fully. That would be 50a X 2 legs = 100a @ 120v would be 12kw, 6kw per leg. Simple Ohm's law.

  8. #8
    Long Hauler DaveMatthewsBand's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Posts
    2,794
    Blog Entries
    2
    Mentioned
    22 Post(s)
    Tagged
    2 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by jkwilson View Post
    I was responding to OP’s question

    Without specific details about what they want to run, that is the answer. Obviously not the right answer because it’s kind of the wrong question.
    I see what you’re getting at now.
    I agree the question is vague and so I assumed the OP was referring to the amount of power necessary to run 2 roof air units and a few smaller draw items, not every single appliance simultaneously.
    Incidentally, all this can be done with solar and a large battery bank without ever needing to run a generator at all.
    One of our members has such a setup.



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Resistance is Not Futile, It's Voltage Divided by Current.


  9. #9
    Left The Driveway
    Join Date
    Jun 2019
    Posts
    13
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by Chiefblueman View Post
    It looks like JK was referring to supplying a 50a RV service fully. That would be 50a X 2 legs = 100a @ 120v would be 12kw, 6kw per leg. Simple Ohm's law.
    This was my thought as well, while reading the initial few posts of this thread.

    E=IR
    Not just a good idea; it's the law!

    Hope this helps,
    John

  10. #10
    Long Hauler DaveMatthewsBand's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Posts
    2,794
    Blog Entries
    2
    Mentioned
    22 Post(s)
    Tagged
    2 Thread(s)
    Seeing as a lot of you have 50-amp service and go boondocking, and none of you has a 12,000 watt generator...
    I'll put it this way, the standard practice to power a 50-amp service RV is to use the 5500 watt onboard generator that is available on the Solitudes and Momentums, to run most of the items in the trailer, including the roof air.

    Resistance is Not Futile, It's Voltage Divided by Current.


Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

DISCLAIMER:This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Grand Design RV, LLC or any of its affiliates. This is an independent site.