What Size Generator For Travel Trailer?

When your current travel trailer journey will take you off the power, you will have to consider utilizing a generator’s energy. Let us help you in hooking up with an appropriate generator for your travel trailer. The very last thing you would like to do is waste your hard-earned cash on a generator for your travel trailer only to learn that it will be poorly efficient.

However, you do not have to spend loads of money on one of the most efficient alternatives available as well. This is our guide for assisting you in selecting the finest generator for your travel trailer.

This post will go over how big of a generator you actually require for your travel trailer. All too frequently, consumers buy generators that are simply very little or overly huge, resulting in excessive fuel usage and a waste of money.

So without further ado, let’s get started!

What Exactly is Boondocking?

Boondocking is simply a cool term for camping without electricity, water, and sewer facilities. You could camp in your own garden or far out in the wilderness for boondocking.

Several people enjoy boondocking since it allows them to be completely attached to their surroundings.

They consider it to be one of the best feels, having the safety of a travel trailer with the outdoor-centric sensation of doing tent camping.

Why Is a Generator Required for a Travel Trailer?

Nowadays, the majority of travel trailers as well as campers comes with a battery that provides a modest level of electricity for the lights and other equipment for a short period of time.

So, to fully use all of your travel trailer’s electrical appliances and items, you will either have to hook up to power stations at a campsite or get yourself a portable generator.

Getting your own generator will allow you a lot of freedom in regards to where you want to travel, how long you can spend time there, and how comfy you will be when you’re there.

Thus, if you’re going with your travel trailer for boondocking or dry camping off the power network, we strongly advise you to buy a strong generator.

How Many Electric Items Can be Powered Up by a Generator?

Firstly, let us discuss what it will not power. If you own a hot water system or burner in your travel trailer which is on gas, some propane cylinders can support them. Make absolutely sure they are all loaded and then you will be good to go.

However, a travel trailer generator that runs on gas can transform it into energy for any gadgets that require an electrical source within your travel trailer, and also a few other electrical equipment such as:

• Lightings
• laptop
• Freezer or fridge
• Microwave
• Electric kettle
• Toaster
• Coffee machine
• Hair dryer
• Air conditioning unit (consumes the most electricity in your travel trailer)

How Much Power Supply Do You Require?

We totally understand that it can be your most important concern when it relates to the generator for your travel trailer. It’s not very often that you have to estimate the power rating of all the devices you need and that’s why we are here to assist you! We would strongly suggest that you begin by determining which electrical items and equipment you mostly run in your travel trailer.

This will help you out in identifying how much electricity every device requires and also what kind of trailer generator can accommodate it. It’s definitely a good idea, to begin with your air conditioning unit since it will consume the most electricity for the longest amount of time in your travel trailer.

In addition, once you initially switch on your air conditioning unit, it will automatically consume higher electricity. This is referred to as “Starting Watts.”

“Running Watts” is the amount of electricity required to continue your air conditioning unit operating once it has been effectively initiated. The majority of generators define the highest boundaries of every type.

So, if you’re planning to use your air conditioning unit as well as other standard interior leisure items and equipment, here is a sample estimate for your travel trailer:

Constantly Utilized

• Interior lighting of the trailer: (about 100 watts)
• Fridge (if not propane): (about 300 watts)
• Air conditioning unit of 15,000 BTU: (about 1500 watts)

Occasionally Utilized

• Television: (about 200 watts)
• CD or DVD player: (about 200 watts)
• PC or laptop: (about 140 watts)
• Microwave oven: (about 1000 watts)

Total as an estimation:
(About 3440 watts)

For this amount of consumption, a generator of 4000 watts or more will be sufficient to begin and maintain all of your basic comforts in tandem with your equipment and items that are powered by propane.

To avoid electricity shortages while running this equipment for longer durations of time, we would always suggest you choose one that is at least 30% larger than what your travel trailer requires.

Note:

Please keep in mind that the given estimation is solely for explanatory reasons and therefore doesn’t imply a universal baseline for all the travel trailers, campers, RVs, and more in particular.

You should contact the generator’s maker in order to get precise details on the power usage and constraints of any given travel trailer generator.

What Tends to Happen If You Lack the Required Power?

If you don’t own a trailer generator or if your generator is running low on gas, all of the equipment or items that are hooked up will quickly deplete your travel trailer’s batteries.

You will see that the biggest machines, such as the microwave oven, air conditioning unit, freezer, and fridge will turn off immediately which will be followed by other electrical items including lights, TV, PC, and more.

Certain fragile devices, such as PCs, laptops, televisions, etc, can be harmed by an unexpected absence or excess of electricity, so it’s crucial to have your generator working at all times.

When your travel trailer is stationary, camping without electric energy is not the end of the line, however, it’s risky for traveling and towing.

Your travel trailer’s charge feeds the driving headlights and, in certain instances, the motorized attachment that elevates and descends the trailer for mounting and unmounting to your tow strap.

So, you have to also take this into consideration while searching for a generator for your travel trailer and opt for a type that is appropriate for electrical appliances and devices.

What are the Important Factors to Look for in a Travel Trailer Generator?

Price

When deciding to buy a generator for your travel trailer, pricing is one of the most important factors to take into account. Getting a low-cost generator can entail paying extra cash in the long run.

So, for remaining within your range, we will highly recommend you perform a thorough evaluation and research as per your preference.

Safety elements

You should go with a generator that has weatherproof coverings, energy overload protection, emergency shutdown, and fuel safety measures.

Fuel efficiency

You should evaluate the fuel efficiency and the usage of a few travel trailer generators to find the most economical utilization of natural energies available.

Nowadays, most generators usually feature an economy mode to save electricity. So, turn this mode on if you’re not running all of your equipment and electronic items.

Simple start-up

Certain generators utilize a pull-start mechanism, similar to that of a lawnmower, whereas other types simply need a key or remote control for activating them.

Turning on your travel trailer generator without leaving your couch is quite handy, isn’t it?

Noise intensity

If you’re camping with people or even if you’re alone with your travel trailer, you don’t want a deafening generator interfering with your peace and joy.

So, get a quieter generator for your travel trailer that you could utilize everywhere without becoming a disturbance to the surroundings.

Type of fuel

While looking for a generator for your travel trailer, you have to take into consideration what type of fuel will be ideal for your requirements.

Suppose, if your travel trailer is powered by diesel then it will be better for you to invest in a generator that runs on diesel so you don’t have to pack other types of fuel with you every time you go out for camping.

Propane is also a fantastic power source, and several trailer generator makers provide double fuel choices that can operate either on gasoline or propane, which can be highly useful if one kind of fuel runs out.

Size of the generator

The sizes of generators roughly match their power capacity, therefore, the larger the generator will be, the higher energy you will get.

The size of the generator required to power the normal travel trailer, on the other hand, would usually fit nicely inside the limits of the bed of your truck or the travel trailer itself.

So, you should search for a travel trailer generator that comes with good grips and wheels for making them easier to carry and transfer.

Electronics safety

If you want to utilize your travel trailer generator to run fragile electrical items such as televisions, laptops, PCs, etc, make sure that it’s also designed to effectively protect them.

Lightweight

If you want to keep your generator in your travel trailer, you need to take into consideration the added load and ensure that it’s below the range of your trailer and also within the max weight restriction of it.

Wrapping Up

Frequently-Asked Related Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the price of a portable generator for a travel trailer?

A good generator for travel trailers typically prices between $150 and $500. However, the price of a portable generator will vary based on its size and capacity, the kind of fuel that can be used in it, whether it features an inverter or not, and more.

Inverter generators are costlier than non-inverter generators since they can turn the alternate current into direct current, which could then be retained by battery packs (higher battery storage means you will require a bigger inverter generator).

Non-inverter generators only provide your travel trailer with ordinary alternating current through a typical plug outlet. However, other types have 2 plugs so that both could be used at the same time.

2. Is a generator required for my little camper or travel trailer?

You can estimate how many watts your camper or travel trailer requires every hour as a rough guess. A generator is not required if you own a compact and lightweight trailer that only consumes 100 watts per hour.

It can easily be linked to the electrical source through the shore power and then can be used to recharge items such as laptops, tablets, and phones without any difficulty.

The energy usage of your larger and heavier travel trailer can be affected by its luxuries and size. In general, a good generator can easily manage standard electrical appliances and regular devices without any problem.

The portion of area available in your travel trailer will determine how large or small your generator would need to be.

It’s better not to get a generator with more power rating than you currently require as it will be thrown away if the battery pack has insufficient juice for some real urgent situations.