Quiet Power

Generating electricity without making a lot of noise is the goal of most people using a generator in their RV. Most campers want the convenience of electricity without the noise of a generator working, so searching for the best combination of low decibels and high wattage production can become a time consuming ordeal.  

Another factor to consider is fuel type.  Gasoline powered generators have a broad range of wattage capabilities and prices.  Gasoline is readily available and inexpensive, however, it has a relatively short shelf life and will gum up the fuel system if left in during storage.  Propane, on the other hand, has an indefinite shelf life but the generators are often noisier and more in the mid to upper end of the price spectrum.  Extra propane can be stored without fear of it getting old.  Diesel generators can be very quiet and the fuel is more stable but the generators tend to be less portable.

A third consideration is intended  use.  If you expect to run an air conditioner or heater, power tools, toaster, etc. you can get by with a simple generator.  On the other hand, if you may be powering sensitive electronic devices like computers or newer TVs, then you will want an inverter type generator.  These cost more but produce "clean" electricity which will allow electronic devices to perform properly.

After considering my needs I chose the Honda 3000is. It is an inverter type 3000 watt generator and runs on gasoline. I add Sta-Bil to the fuel to extend its life.  Yamaha offers a line of inverters similar to the Hondas.  Ryobi has a 2200 watt inverter that, like the Honda and Yamaha can be combined with a second unit to produce twice the wattage. The Ryobi unit costs about half as much as the others but it is new on the market and its quality is yet to be determined.

I mounted the generator on a receiver hitch type cargo carrier and secured it with a ratcheting tie down strap and a locking cable.  The power cable for the trailer can be extended from the back of the trailer adjacent to the generator so we could conceivably be pulling the trailer down the highway with the generator running and powering the air conditioner. 

While staying overnight in New Haven, Connecticut we saw these bad boys quietly working.

They are hydrogen powered fuel cells capable of generating 200 kilowatts.  My Honda produces 3.  The noise level was about the same or less than the Honda.  There was no exhaust smell, only a little steam cloud.  They supply the energy for the entire Cabela's campus.  It was pretty unbelievable.

Research, research, research.  If you find one you think you like, try to get the dealer to start it up for you so you can actually hear it run. Sometimes their idea of quiet and your idea of quiet aren't the same.