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Old 07-26-2011, 10:34 PM   #1
TMMiniVan
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Default Where do you mount your generator?

We are about to go dry camping for the first time and we have two questions:

1) Where do you mount your generator when towing? We have a 2004 2720 and we tow with a Honda Odyssey. We don't want it in the van while driving! And we don't want it in the TM either. Help?

2) Can we get away with just one Honda 2000i generator and still run the A/C? We live in the hot midwest so we need to run A/C all night. It hasn't been going below 90 until 2am

-Amy
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Old 07-27-2011, 07:32 AM   #2
Bill
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Though I might be wrong, I don't think anyone actually mounts it, in the sense of bolting it down as you would do in a motor home. Instead, just carry it somewhere handy. Some people carry it in a fabricated bracket carrier of some kind on the rear bumper of the TM, or on the TM hitch. Some people carry it in the TM on the floor, or in the wayback of tow vehicle.

I understand your reluctance to carry it inside the TM or TV, because in my experience there is just enough gasoline smell to be objectionable, especially on a bumpy road. Some people report no smell, and that's great. My solution is to put it in a heavy-duty trash bag, twist-tie the bag tightly, and then carry it in the back of the tow vehicle. Works for us - no fumes!

As for a single EU2000i running the airco? The experience of the group is almost universally no. You can search for "generator air conditioner" and find a lot of discussion.

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Old 07-27-2011, 08:58 AM   #3
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My husband and I are worried about the fumes. I suggested putting it in a sealed bin last night but he said that wouldn't be enough. You think a bin plus a trash bag would be sufficient? I don't want it in the TV as we carry 1 kid, 3 dogs, and 2 adults and I'd hate for us to all be stinked up by the fumes!

We were hoping for an outside way to carry it (this is what I meant by a mount). We talked about putting it where the batteries are but the Honda is too big to fit there. I saw someone on the board talk about putting them where the propane bottles are and they just moved the propane in the TM during towing. Is that any safer than putting the generators in there?

-Amy
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Old 07-27-2011, 10:58 AM   #4
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You can also modify your Honda to run on propane. That way, it will never smell, AND you won't have to carry a can of gas, either. You simply hook up one of your propane tanks on the TM, and you are good to go. And although I do not have a genny, it is my understanding that when you do convert it, you can still operate it on gas. Others here who have done this can comment.

Something like this:
http://www.propane-generators.com/eu2000i_kits.htm

If I was taking a genny camping, this is what I would do.

Dave
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Old 07-27-2011, 11:44 AM   #5
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I have never smelled any fumes and neither has my wife.

We do not carry it in the truck when towing to our destination, because of concern of having gasoline in the passenger area in the event of an accident.

I routinely store the generator in the TM while we are gone for the day or in the back seat of the truck overnight.

Be sure to close the vent in the fuel cap to prevent escaping fumes.

I can start my a/c at home (200 feet above sea level), but I can not recycle it. It will cause the circuit breaker to trip in the generator.

I have subsequently tried running the a/c at home using the generator with the circuit breaker for the converter turned off. This does allow me to recycle the a/c. I have not tried this any where else, so I do not know if it will work at altitude (5,000 to 9,000 feet.)
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Old 07-27-2011, 11:02 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ShrimpBurrito View Post
You can also modify your Honda to run on propane. That way, it will never smell, AND you won't have to carry a can of gas, either. You simply hook up one of your propane tanks on the TM, and you are good to go. And although I do not have a genny, it is my understanding that when you do convert it, you can still operate it on gas. Others here who have done this can comment.

Something like this:
http://www.propane-generators.com/eu2000i_kits.htm

If I was taking a genny camping, this is what I would do.

Dave
I have the Honda 2000i and installed a tri-fuel conversion kit a couple of years ago. It allows the generator to run on gasoline, propane or natural gas. Since the conversion I have run it once on gasoline (to make sure it still worked on gas) - the rest of the time I have run on propane. The propane is real clean, I can switch tanks without worrying about spilling fuel and it's easier on the carb than gasoline.

On also like the idea of being able to run on natural gas at home should their ever be an extended power outage.

Since I installed the solar, I haven't used the genny much.

Only downside is the regulator (currently attached to the generator access door cover per original instructions, but as suggested on another thread could be moved to hang off the tank instead).

My original post on tri-fuel conversion was here

--jim
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Old 07-28-2011, 06:25 AM   #7
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From my research last year, it appears that a tri-fuel conversion on any generator under warranty will void that warranty. There is one Yamaha dealer in WV that does the conversion with warranty protection from Yamaha. I bought a 2800 from them, and per their instructions did the break-in on gas. Now it can run propane.

I thought I would mention it for anyone who has a genny still under warranty - ask the manufacturer first before doing a conversion.
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Old 07-28-2011, 07:09 AM   #8
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Definetly something to consider and Honda will void their warranty as well.

If you buy a new Honda from CMD (Centrail Maine Diesel) with the Tri-Fuel Conversion already installed, the Honda warranty will be void, but CMD will warrant for the same period as Honda.

If you install the tri-fuel conversion yourself, any Honda warranty left ends when you install it, which for me was worth the risk.
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Old 07-28-2011, 08:05 AM   #9
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Though you have a 2720, I use to stow the Yamaha in the exterior under bed storage. You could, on occassion, smell fuel near the locker vent, but not most of the time. On cool days, not at all.

After I did the armoring recommendation, I started stowing mine in the truck bed. When I convert to a pair Honda/Yamaha 2000s (my Puma has a 15K BTU a/c), I may start doing that again...
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Old 07-28-2011, 09:48 AM   #10
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Hi NG2951

My sister in law and brother in laws Puma unleashed fiver has the gas tank and filling station and the back of the camper has the built in venting something similar to the Genturi. Did your camper come with that or can you add it and carry the generators in the toy hauler part of your camper?
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