We are still in the planning stage of our hope to become grey nomads ( hopefully this time next year ). Our van selection has narrowed down to 22' van with club lounge, queen bed and ensuite. The kitchen will include oven, large 2 door fridge / freezer and washing machine. My question is in regards the use of a generator when "free" camping. Is this ok? What are the guidelines. I see using the generator for topping / recharging the vans battery supply.
Cheers
Mr Ed
-- Edited by mr ed on Thursday 11th of August 2011 08:30:09 PM
The van sounds beaut. Generator in free camps are acceptable within reason as long as it's quiet. No generators after about 9pm and not too early in the morning. Fridges not on gas should stay chilled for 12 hours if left shut. As you're not using batteries for lighting during the night everything should be good. Do you have solar as well for charging batteries? It sounds as though you're all set up to go.
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
My advise would be include solar panels and a few 120 amp hr batteries and you will hardly ever need a genny, and if you do all you will need to do is top up batteries during the day. Remember some places dont allow genny's, they all allow solar panels.
We are considering one fixed solar panel and possibly one fold out movable panel to maximise the sun
Mr Ed
I'm not trying to offend you Mr Ed, nor chasing an argument from others so please don't take it that way. It irritates me when people spend a small fortune on a rig and it contains either no or insufficient solar then chose to pollute the nice quite bush evening with generator noise
You have a large fridge and you need some large solar imput.
I also have a genny but it seldomly gets a run.
With solar it's best to plan for the times when conditions rant ideal.
-- Edited by jack biggles on Friday 12th of August 2011 08:19:34 AM
-- Edited by jack biggles on Friday 12th of August 2011 08:20:50 AM
Just remember.......apart from the noise......you got to take fuel etc.......and a reminder.... summer is coming up........and generators do start bushfires.........and ofcourse they arent cheap to buy....(good ones that is).......as Jack said.......solar is the way to go.....make sure they support the amount of battery power required........you might need 4 x 120 watt panels.....or as CG said.....run fridge on gas...
-- Edited by Smokeydk on Friday 12th of August 2011 08:38:17 AM
Just remember.......apart from the noise......you got to take fuel etc.......and a reminder.... summer is coming up........and generators do start bushfires.........and ofcourse they arent cheap to buy....(good ones that is).......as Jack said.......solar is the way to go.....make sure they support the amount of battery power required........you might need 4 x 120 watt panels.....or as CG said.....run fridge on gas...
-- Edited by Smokeydk on Friday 12th of August 2011 08:38:17 AM
Smokey, you have the runs on the board & if only everyone approached it like you.
Seriously, why head out into the bush if you want to make all that awful noise, you are missing out on so much and making others suffer too.
Sometimes when people are completely inconsiderate with the genny I often feel like doing my morning movement on the bonnet of their car !
Smokeydk wrote: Sometimes when people are completely inconsiderate with the genny I often feel like doing my morning movement on the bonnet of their car !
Then other folk have to see it....do it in the genny fuel tank instead!
I will go with Blaze and the common sense approach. If you are out there for an extended time in overcast and/or inclement weather a generator can be a godsend for some. Having said that, we rely almost entirely on gas.
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If there is such a thing as a tourist season.... why cant we shoot them?
Good one Bill - haven't we all put up with a generator at one stage or another - inconsiderate users that is. One Easter out of Jamieson, Vic, some blokes were keeping their beer cold using a genny on the fridge - all day and still going well into the night - early hours of the morning another camper went and cut the supply cable - the silence was deafening - until the cheering started!!!
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jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
I have 3x120w solar panels and 2x110 batteries and I use a CPAP machine and during overcast days the batteries struggle to get to 12.5v....... also have a 12v compressor fridge ..I run the CPAP through a 300w pure sine wave inverter which draws 4.5amps total and unless the batteries are fully charged by morning they get down to 12.3v too low for my liking so on these days I run the genny (quiet ) for about 2 hours to charge up the batteries .. I always keep the genny right next to the caravan and the exhaust pointing under the cruiser to keep the little bit of noise as close to us as possible ...never had a complaint yet .........Cheers ...BOB...
I have 3x120w solar panels and 2x110 batteries and I use a CPAP machine and during overcast days the batteries struggle to get to 12.5v....... also have a 12v compressor fridge ..I run the CPAP through a 300w pure sine wave inverter which draws 4.5amps total and unless the batteries are fully charged by morning they get down to 12.3v too low for my liking so on these days I run the genny (quiet ) for about 2 hours to charge up the batteries .. I always keep the genny right next to the caravan and the exhaust pointing under the cruiser to keep the little bit of noise as close to us as possible ...never had a complaint yet .........Cheers ...BOB...
An example of the common sense (and consideration too) mentioned elsewhere, i.e. run the genny if necessary during the day when it's much less likely to disturb one's fellow campers. Even a modern quiet genny can unreasonably intrude on the amenity of a bush camp during the the night.
If not on "ground" power taking care to economise on the use of battery/genny power will not only reduce the need to use a genny but with a bit of planning a considerable cost saving by not needing a oversize battery/solar combination.
Keep in mind that an AGM or wet battery can be partly recharged by connecting to the car battery with a set of jumper cables and running the engine for an hour or two.
I will go with Blaze and the common sense approach. If you are out there for an extended time in overcast and/or inclement weather a generator can be a godsend for some. Having said that, we rely almost entirely on gas.
It never ceases to confound me how some GNs spend thousands on an oversize solar/battery system but whinge about the cost of staying in a caravan park, or just to save the cost of gas in a 3 way fridge.
I can't get my head around the logic of spending thousands of dollars to save a few dollars, especially when the regular replacement cost of large battery banks is taken into account as well as the opportunity cost of the up-front capital expense.
Jr, there's a bit more to spending money on solar than just avoiding cvan pks or whinging about the cost of them. I resent being herded into certain places and having my choices reduced by other people solely based on economic reasons.
I ap
That's why we are going solar, we want to avoid caravan parks - we are leaving to get away from the rowdies - we don't want to be crammed in even closer with them!
Gennies are handy to have for those 'Oh bugger!' times, but reliance on them is never a good idea. And running them at 6 in the morning, or all bluddy night is not on at all.
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The Mobile Madhouse: me (Rosie), him (Troy), a kelpie, a kelpie-dingo, a husky & a rainbow lorikeet.
Well mr ed, I think you now know the suggested guidelines regarding the use of generators when "free camping", & the divisive nature of their use. Just do what you need & keep other peoples comfort in mind. Actually, I like to think that's how I live life.
Terry
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Chris & Terry
3.2lt 4 x 4 Mazda BT 50, single cab chas with full alloy canopy
