bought a new...well, used trailer

On Thu, 23 Mar 2006 12:38:36 GMT, "asadi"
wrote:

I am also going
to purchase a small generator, Honda,/Coleman or the like so if you have a
used one, let me know.

Having had lots of experience overall with gensets, and a good deal of recent
experience with what's new, I'd say that a Honda engine is a better long-term
buy than a Briggs or Tecumseh, with Robin/Subaru coming in behind the Honda, but
better than the Briggs/Tecumseh. The brand on the generator assembly might not
be Honda/Briggs/whatever, so I'd suggest checking who made the engine. And
from what I've seen, Honda-branded generators tend to be a little over-priced.
As always, YMMV.

Also, how much power (really, watts) do you want/need? Would an inverter system
work? Maybe a set of deep-cycles, a solar trickle-charger, a diode-splitter on
the tow vehicle (to charge the trailer's batteries while the vehicle is
running), etc., all combined with the inverter would be the ticket if your
wattage requirements are fairly low. You can split things 12v DC and 110v AC so
as to use a smaller inverter, too. Is the connection on the trailer a flat
4-way, a 6-way, or the 7-way "RV" style?

Keep in mind it takes roughly one HP (as rated in the US) to produce 750 watts
from a generator, and that oft-times, a "small" generator (the Porta-Power type
things) can cost 2-4 times per watt as a larger setup. If you want the capacity
of generator rather than an inverter, I'd offer that something along the lines
of 5000 watt (running) would be about the "sweet spot" - a decent one in good
condition can be had used for 400-600USD, it's large enough to supply most needs
at home should the power go out, one person can move it (heck, a little girl can
move if it is fitted with a wheel kit), and for many engines in this range, you
can get a propane/NG kit for it.

TC,
R

Sure, you *can* get all of those nifty amenities; but despite the
relative comfort & convenience, my popup camping isn't really that
different from my tent days. No fridge, only an ice chest. No
furnace, no AC. There's a stove in there I never use, preferring the
ol' Coleman stove on the picnic table setup. No generator, I use
propane lanterns mostly. And the size of the mattress is immaterial
when you're snug in a sleeping bag. Okay, the hot & cold pressurized
water is a good thing; I'm keeping that. I paid my tent dues long ago.

Joe F.

On 23 Mar 2006 12:47:53 -0800, "rb608" wrote:

Sure, you *can* get all of those nifty amenities; but despite the
relative comfort & convenience, my popup camping isn't really that
different from my tent days. No fridge, only an ice chest.

I have a 12v fridge that may be my best ever camping purchase. I run it off my
vehicle battery and, as long as I drive every couple of days, it doesn't run the
battery down. It's great not having to go for ice every day or so, especially
when the nearest place with ice may be 3 or more hours away. Other than that, my
trailer is just like tent camping except that it sets up faster and I take a lot
more stuff along g.
--
Charlie...
http://www.chocphoto.com

On 23 Mar 2006 06:07:04 -0800, "rb608"
wrote:

Congrats on the pop-up. Aside from all of the advantages of weight,
etc., I've always liked mine simply from the perspective of having more
of an illusion of "camping". Instead of an RV and all of those
implications, it's more like a tent on wheels. For me, it's a critical
difference sleeping under cloth vs. inside a box. It feels more
outdoors. You can hear the forest, feel the wind. It's closer to the
reasons I'm out there in the first place.

Have ya ever camped in the snow at East Outlet of Moosehead (start of
the Kennebec)? Fly fishing season is extended to the end of October
at the East Outlet, so Jo and I have been up there several times each
October to fish for land locks and brookies. Great place. Great
fishing.

You could do it with a tent but you'd have a difficult time keeping
clean. If you use a pop-up, bring very low temp sleeping bags. We
were there a couple of years ago in the RV and it got so cold that we
put one of the sleeping bags on Henry. He was happy, but were so cold
that I got up about 1 a.m. and started the furnace. Found out later
in town that it got down to 25. We slept in the double fetus
position, rolling over like synchronized dancers. We had three inches
of snow that night. Fishing the next day was great. Cold, but great.

Unfortunately, that was the last time we went camping with the RV. It
caught fire the following January and was totalled. It served us well
at Penns (2 or three times) Pittsburg, NH (Connecticut River), South
Arm (Rapid River), and of course The East Outlet. The insurance
company (Met Life) gave me a check for $16 less than I paid for it. It
was three years old when it burned, yet they gave me practically what
I paid for it.

I'm too old for tents and latrines. d;o)

Dave

I did used to have one of those thermoelectric coolers that *was* very
convenient. It worked so well that it would tend to freeze anything
too close to the fan.

On 3/23/06 4:22 PM, in article
, "rb608"
wrote:

I did used to have one of those thermoelectric coolers that *was* very
convenient. It worked so well that it would tend to freeze anything
too close to the fan.

A cottage I have had the good fortune to use several times up nort' has a
propane refrigerator. For the life of me, I can't figure out how something
that has a pilot light and burns fossil fuel could turn the milk all
ice-slushy by morning...

:-)

Bill (here to tell you that however it works, it WORKS!)

On 23 Mar 2006 13:22:46 -0800, "rb608" wrote:

I did used to have one of those thermoelectric coolers that *was* very
convenient. It worked so well that it would tend to freeze anything
too close to the fan.

The one I have is an ARB (Engel makes them) and the temp can be adjusted to be
either a fridge or a freezer.
--
Charlie...
http://www.chocphoto.com

"William Claspy" wrote in message
...
On 3/23/06 4:22 PM, in article
, "rb608"
wrote:

I did used to have one of those thermoelectric coolers that *was* very
convenient. It worked so well that it would tend to freeze anything
too close to the fan.

A cottage I have had the good fortune to use several times up nort' has a
propane refrigerator. For the life of me, I can't figure out how
something
that has a pilot light and burns fossil fuel could turn the milk all
ice-slushy by morning...

:-)

Bill (here to tell you that however it works, it WORKS!)

It's a neat set-up. runs off ammonia. they ain't cheap either.

john

"rb608" wrote in message
oups.com...
I know you already know this, but I'll piggyback on rdean's comments to
echo the "how much power do you need?" question. In my experience, a
good, fully-charged 12V deep cycle should take care of your basic
necessities for several days, if used judiciously. In my case, that's
lighting at night & running the on-demand pump. My experience may be
atypical, but I don't use electric lighting much, preferring to use
lanterns, even inside the camper (that's something else that's better
in a popup.)

If you gotta have a generator, (I'm guessing that's not a 3-way
fridge?), I'd keep it as small, portable, and quiet as possible; but
I'm not your go-to guy on that question.

I'd suggest the ARVPUT folks, but I'm not sure that's worth the trouble
of hanging around in there.

Joe F.


Well, I had two deep cycle batteries on my other unit. I do prefer the 12v
lights. The fridge is propane. But a lot of times I'm mushroom hunting, or
kayaking and part of the evening is setting around and cooking up a big
dinner, when it's cold.

Yes a deep cycle will take care of you for some days, but in the early
evening while cooking and eating and story telling or before you go out in
the morning, it's nice to run the furnace. And the furnace really pulls the
juice out of the battery.

Quite is the key and if it has enough watts to handle the furnace, anything
left over will go back in the battery, I haven't really examined the
furnace or converter to see what is what yet.

Usually, at these times I am remote. One thing I hate is the sound of a
generator in the morning when I am trying to sleep late....

john

I got an "A" in Thermodynamics, and I can prove it works on paper; but
you're right - it's still weird. :-)