Portable RV Generators Features and Benefits

Inverter Portable Generators Continue to Gain Popularity with RV Owners

RV Owners love the life. The campgrounds and parks with the camaraderie and new friendships. Shared food and drink around a bonfire. The freedom to travel anywhere in a home away from home. To head off the beaten path and into the great outdoors to some remote location and boondock it for a few days or much longer.

All the comforts of home—including electrical power. At RV parks and some campgrounds, shore power lets you plug in. Boondocking at a remote location or even in a big-box store parking lot relies on batteries and generating your own power. 

Although large motorhomes and some fifth-wheel RVs come prepped with a RV Generator, travel trailers, pop-ups, truck campers, and many fifth wheels do not. The solution is a portable RV generator.

It’s a practical solution that simplifies life on the road with electrical power wherever and whenever you need it.

Improvements in sound control, fuel economy, and RV Ready Features make Portable RV Generators a smart choice.

Portable Generator Safety Rules to Live By

Inverter Generator Technology

As an RV Generator, Portable Inverter Generators have a big advantage. They generate efficient 3-phase power, convert it to direct current, then use electronics to invert the DC to 120V 60hz power. An inverter configuration allows the engine speed to control the amount of power produced. Lower speed means less fuel used and less noise to disturb the peace.

Conventional portable generators are noisy and some can have you reaching for hearing protection within moments after startup. Portables run at a constant 3600 RPM—faster than the average lawnmower engine and considerably louder. They have their uses on job sites and in remote locations where power is needed, and occasionally for home backup power during an outage. Most campgrounds and RV Parks have noise restrictions that apply to loud generators, especially overnight.

Portable Inverters are quiet. They vary their speed based on the power needed. Many are quiet enough for people to engage in normal conversation a few feet away. Some models have a remote electric start. Plug them into your RV, push the remote start, and power the rooftop AC and other conveniences with far less noise and about half the fuel use of a comparable RV Generator.

Parallel capability is another advantage. Two generators connected in parallel provide the power of both instead of just one or the other. One 2000 Watt + one 3000 Watt gives you 5000 watts total. Instead of running a 5000 Watt generator all the time, you can run one of the smaller generators for everyday needs and start the other generator to run the AC. A parallel kit joins the two generators and allows them to synchronize their output. 

Paralleling requires synchronization to prevent the two generators from destroying each other. 

Don't try to parallel two generators without a manufacturer's recommended parallel kit.

Quiet Generator for an RV—What to Look For

To start, choose a generator that will power everything you need to run at the same time. How often will you use the microwave and an electric blanket at the same time? Perhaps never. A coffee pot and a microwave both use a fair amount of power and chances are good you might use both at the same time. Sizing a portable generator for an RV is not difficult, but you must find the power requirements for each appliance you intend to use. Air Conditioners are the biggest users of power on an RV.

Noise levels are important, especially in RV Parks, Campgrounds, and National or State Parks. Sound level ratings are usually at 7 meters, or about 23 feet. Look for decibel ratings below 60 dBA. As power use goes up, so does the noise, but inverters are much quieter than regular portables and most are quieter than regular RV generators.

Some other features to consider:

RV Ready Receptacle: A TT-30R Receptacle for power at 120-Volts and up to 30-Amps. A regular household 14-30R receptacle will also work with the right adapter.

Electric Start: So much easier than a pull start, even if the generator starts easy. At the end of a long drive, hassle free electric starting gets your generator going with a minimum of effort. But there’s an even easier method—Remote Start.

Remote Start: It would be nice if you didn’t have to go outside to start the generator before making the morning coffee or toasting your English Muffin. Raining? Just push the remote start button and seconds later the RV has power.

Parallel Capable: Sometimes you don’t need much power. A smaller generator works just fine and sips less than a gallon of fuel over an 18-hour day. Other times, you want the A/C running. Add a second generator to run parallel with first. This requires the appropriate parallel kit. Some manufacturers allow parallel operation with other brands or different size generators.

Dual Fuel Option: Gasoline or Propane. Wouldn’t it be nice if you didn’t have to choose? Dual Fuel generators give you the option of using either gasoline or propane. Dual Fuel engines have slightly less power which lowers the generator power available.

Portable RV Inverter Generator

Almost any portable generator could power an RV, but inverters with the above features fit the bill for most travel trailers, fifth wheels, truck campers, pop-up campers and even tent camping.

Shop All Portable RV Generators at Norwall

Cummins-Onan P4500i

The Cummins Onan P4500i Portable Inverter Generator Digital Inverter with Push Button and Remote Start. Ultra-Quiet 52dBA noise level compares to quiet conversation. Built-in wheels and telescoping handle for easy transportation. Use in Parallel with another Cummins-Onan Inverter for more power. Excellent for Travel Trailer and Fifth-Wheel power.

• Remote Start with factory-paired FOB.
• Parallel Capable with Parallel Kit for up to 50 Amps.
• TT-30R Travel Trailer Receptacle.
• Two 120-Volt Household Receptacles.
• Two USB Charging Ports
• 3700 Running Watts.
• 4500 Starting Watts.
• Up to 18-Hour run time on 3.4 gallons of gasoline at 25% rated load.
• Economy Mode
• Pre-Assembled 5.5-Inch Wheel Kit.
• Digital Data Center for fuel, run time, power output, voltage, total hours.
• EPA/CARB compliant for sale in all 50 states.

Cummins-Onan P2500i

The Cummins-Onan P2500i Digital Inverter Portable Generator features ultra-quiet 52 dBA noise that compares to quiet conversation. Easy to carry wherever its needed with the built-in carry handle—weighs just 48 pounds. Parallel ready with optional kit. Great for camping, smaller RV travel trailers, and truck campers.

• Easy recoil starts.
• Parallel Capable with optional parallel kit.
• Two 120-Volt Household Receptacles.
• Two USB Charging Ports
• 12-Volt 8-Amp Receptacle
• 2500 Starting Watts.
• 2200 Running Watts
• 10 Hour run time on 1 gallon of gas at 25% rated load.
• Economy Mode
• Digital Data Center for fuel, run time, power output, voltage, total hours.
• EPA/CARB compliant for sale in all 50 states.

Generac GP2500i

Generac GP2500i 2500 Watt Inverter Generator with COSense Very Quiet Operation. Easy to use start dial for Choke Run Start Stop. Economy Mode Switch Saves Fuel. Use with a second GP2200i and the Generac Parallel Kit for an L5-30 Receptacle.

• Recoil Start
• Parallel Capable with Parallel Kit
• Two 120-Volt Receptacles
• 2200 Watts
• 2500 Starting Watts
• Runs Up to 4.5 Hours on 1 gallon of gasoline at 50% rated load
• Weighs just 48 pounds
• EPA/CARB Compliant—For Sale in All 50 States
• Generac 3-Year Limited Warranty

Könner & Söhnen 5000 Watt Dual Fuel Inverter Generator

Könner & Söhnen 5000 Watt Dual Fuel Inverter Generator with Electric Start and Automatic Carbon Monoxide Shutoff. The Dual Fuel Könner & Söhnen Inverter operates at just 64dBA with two fuel options—propane or gasoline. Integrated mobility kit and built-in handles. Includes a smart battery charger for the starter battery, an automotive style USB adapter, LPG Hose with regulator, and an oil funnel. Run Parallel with another Champion for additional power.

• Electric Start—Recoil Start
• Parallel Capable with Parallel Kit
• 120-Volt 30-Amp L5-30R Receptacle
• Two 120-Volt 20-Amp Outlets
• USB Charging Ports
• Automotive Style 12-Volt DC Outlet
• 5000 Watts Gasoline / 4500 Watts LP
• 5500 Starting Watts Gasoline / 4950 Starting Watts LP
• to 6.8 Hours on 2.9 Gallons Gasoline (50% rated load)
• Propane Tank run time varies by tank size
• 86.9 Pounds. Transports on Built-In Wheels and Handles
• 2-Year Warranty

Champion 3500 Watt Remote Start

Champion 3500 Watt Remote Start Inverter Generator The 3500 Watt Champion Open Frame Inverter runs on gasoline and includes a wireless remote start that works from up to 80 feet away. Perfect for RVing right out of the box. This RV portable inverter parallels with other Champion Inverters from 2800 to 3500 watts for up to double the power with the Champion Parallel Kit.

• Remote Start—Electric Start—Recoil Start
• Automatic Carbon Monoxide Shutdown
• Parallel Capable with Kit
• 120-Volt 30-Amp TT-30R RV Receptacle, Two 120-Volt 20-Amp Outlets, 12-Volt DC Automotive Outlet
• 3500 Running Watts
• 4250 Starting Watts
• Up to 22 Hours on 4 Gallons of Gasoline at 25% Rated Load
• Weighs 90 Pounds. Easy Transport with Built-In Wheels and Handles
• EPA/CARB Compliant for sale in all 50 States
• Champion 3-Year Limited Warranty

Soaring RV Popularity Drives Record Sales

Carbon Monoxide Sensors and Your Portable Generator

Carbon Monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas. You can't see it, taste it, or smell it. It is produced by any appliance or engine that uses a combustible fuel as an energy source. 

Portable Generator Safety Rules to Live By

Never Run a Generator Indoors. Keep it at least 10 feet from your home and away from windows, doors, vents, crawlspaces, and other openings. It only takes a tiny crack to pull CO into the home and poison everyone inside. Take it Outside. 

Ahead of new rules that require a generator to shut down if carbon monoxide levels reach a dangerous level, some manufacturers now add a carbon monoxide sensor to their generator.

While CO Sensors are an important safety measure, it is important to understand that they only work for the space the generator runs in. If the generator is outside, it won't detect carbon monoxide inside. In fact, the generator produces carbon monoxide the entire time it is running, but outdoors in an open space, the gas cannon accumulate and the sensors won't detect it. The sensor cannot prevent carbon monoxide from entering your home, RV, tent, or other structure. 

Install Carbon Monoxide detectors in your home, RV, and use a battery powered model in your tent. 

Be aware of the symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Shortness of Breath
• Dizziness
• Fatigue

If you feel symptoms, get everyone outside the building, RV, or tent. Shut the generator off.

Updated July 25, 2024