The benefits of owning a generator

Last year, my husband has made a purchase for the RV after thinking about it for the past two previous years.   After checking prices and looking at the different models he could purchase, he decided to get a used generator that had been barely used by the previous owner.

Turns out that this purchase has been fabulous in numerous ways whether while we were on the road or during the family reunion I wrote about last week.

After the purchase last year, we ended up going to Toronto twice (in May for a whole month of contract) and in August (for a move that never happened).  While drive there and back home, we used the generator every time we had to stop so we could enjoy the air conditioning during a hot day or use the microwave for lunch time on the side of the road.   It was great to know that my husband enjoyed eating in the RV because of the AC (He is a naturally warm person…) And if we would have decided to do a longer break while traveling long distance (like we are thinking of doing if we ever go to Florida with the RV), it also means that we would have the possibility of watching a movie with the kids just to relax from the driving time and decompress before going back on the road.

Anyhow, what we didn’t know is how this purchase would be a life saver during the family reunion and dry camping we experienced earlier this month.

We own a Yamaha EF2800i which is a light weight (68 pounds) and compact model.  In fact, according to Yamaha it’s is the lightest generator in its class which also makes it extremely portable.   This specific model also has been design with a Smart Throttle feature which will automatically adjusts the engine speed to match the load.   Basically, depending of what you are using it will automatically adjust itself in order for you to experience the maximum fuel efficiency.   No need to have it run at full time when you only use it for small items.   And to make sure that you prevent engine damage, avoid costly repairs and minimize the down time, the generator also has an oil watch warning system.

The generator is also equipped with a pulse width modulation that will allow you to use equipment that requires stable frequency and voltage like a computer or other sophisticated electronics.  It can also recharged 12 volt batteries for the RV, auto, marine or other kind of equipment using 12 volts.

When we went to the family reunion, we didn’t know how beneficial it would be to have this item.   Once there, we experience a small setting issue at some point and the generator came to the rescue as it helped to use power tools that were needed to rectify the problem.    The generator also helped in using the microwave when needed for breakfasts and lunches (which were our responsibility), the air conditioning like I mentioned and also the furnace fan because of the cold temperature at night (we were in Northern Ontario.)   We were particularly glad to have it when we discovered that the furnace fan wouldn’t work without it.

Another benefit of having a generator while doing dry camping is that it would recharge the RV battery when it was running during the night.    It was nice not to have to worry about it when the morning showed up. 

When we initially installed it, we had picked a spot near the RV but the wind was carrying the smell around so we decided to move it a little bit further in order to avoid the fumes from the generator.   But having this equipment with us was a blessing as we had a great time doing dry camping at the family reunion.    The battery on the RV was getting recharge every time we would start it, we had warmth during the cold nights and we were able to use the microwave when we needed it.

One thing you will have to invest if you purchase a generator would be to get a gas tank as well as a plastic container to store it (in order to avoid spills in the storage section of the RV).   If you decide to do dry camping for a certain number of days, you need to make sure you have enough gas for your generator to work properly.   Our stay at the family reunion was from the Friday until the Monday morning and we had plenty of gasoline for our generator.

In conclusion a generator that produces clean power in order to allow you to be able to have a great time during long breaks while travelling long distance or to power your RV when doing dry camping would be a great investment when you decide to purchase an RV.   Take the time to inform yourself properly before investing in such equipment so that you can make a wise choice depending of your own needs.