Most durable AC brand??

[HBarlow]

Ten or twelve years ago I wanted a generator for an Avion travel trailer I owned at the time. I was too cheap to pay the $800 - $1000 for a Honda and had never heard one run so I bought a construction site generator from Lowe's Home Improvement.

It didn't take long to realize it was a bad mistake. It would run an AC unit or microwave and I rarely use RV parks but even by myself at a truck stop or interstate highway rest stop I was embarrassed to run the damned thing because of the awful noise it made. I didn't want to listen to it and quickly grew to hate it.

I used it very little and let it go with the trailer when I sold my first fifthwheel.

Construction site generators are meant for running power tools at construction sites during working hours and little else. Their power output is not well regulated and will probably destroy sensitive electronic controllers in RV appliances over time.

Having learned that lesson the hard way my advice would be buy a Honda or similar portable generator then all RV type AC units will probably provide long service.

 

[Turboman]

I'll hook it to my 5th wheel AC and chk the voltage. I hear what your saying on the cheapo gennys. I just thought with plenty of reserve cap it would work ok. Maybe not. Another ??? My 5th w has a 13. 5k ducted. Can I buy a 15k nonducted and put the 15 on the camper and the 13. 5 w the nonducted bottom for the livestock trailer??

 

[HBarlow]

I'll hook it to my 5th wheel AC and chk the voltage. I hear what your saying on the cheapo gennys. I just thought with plenty of reserve cap it would work ok. Maybe not. Another ??? My 5th w has a 13. 5k ducted. Can I buy a 15k nonducted and put the 15 on the camper and the 13. 5 w the nonducted bottom for the livestock trailer??

Checking the voltage output with a simple voltage meter won't help you. Sensitive voltage and alternating current cycle measuring equipment is needed. The control boards in RV refrigerators, furnaces, and air conditioners are sensitive electronic modules. 115 volt power should not vary wildly from 115 volts 60 cycles. Its the variation and extremes of high and low, faster and slower than 60 cycles that kills control boards.

I think the answer to your question is probably yes but you'll have to ask an RV AC technician or parts man to be sure. I think the AC unit itself whether ducted or non-ducted is the same but the ducting kits make the application as ducted air possible. I don't know if the ducting kits are different between 13. 5k and 15k.

 

[Bill Stockard]

I'll hook it to my 5th wheel AC and chk the voltage. I hear what your saying on the cheapo gennys. I just thought with plenty of reserve cap it would work ok. Maybe not. Another ??? My 5th w has a 13. 5k ducted. Can I buy a 15k nonducted and put the 15 on the camper and the 13. 5 w the nonducted bottom for the livestock trailer??

I would not hook up that generator to my RV. There are sensitive electronics controlling the various appliances that can be damaged with "unclean" AC power. As Harvey posted, a simple voltmeter won't detect the voltage spikes and the harmonic distortion produced by that generator. A service center that services generators will have the equipment to check the generator output.



The best route would be purchase a 3K watt Honda inverter type generator and chalk that Sam's Club Chinese sourced generator as a $300 mistake. One of your show lambs is probably worth more...



I don't know whether ducted and non-ducted A/C units are interchangeable.



Bill

 

[Turboman]

Your probably right on the Chinese crap. I should've know better! We almost roasted 8 show lambs back in July coming back from Waco in 110* heat when the voltage reg quit and we didn't know it for a 100 miles.