50 or 30 amp?

[packnrat]

been looking at maybe buying a montana fifth wheel. about 35 to 40 ft.  everything says needs 50 amp service. my eu3000 is a bit lacking there.                                                                                                                    if i boondock would i be in trouble without a larger gen?    and my plan is to boondock everywhere,  except where unable. yes full time in retirement, 

i am cheap, and not much of a paid parking lot person..                        aka: in a rv park.

 

eek... tried to not get a double line spacing.

[mptjelgin]

You'll only "need" all 50 amps (which is actually two separate 50 amp legs, so you can think of it as 100 amps) if you decide to turn everything on. With it you can run two A/C's, electric water heater, microwave. etc.. all at the same time. 

If you are using only a 3000 watt generator you'll be fine, but you will be limited regarding how many high-amp appliances can be run at the same time. No harm in having a 50 amp "capable" unit but only using 20 or 25 amps. You will not be able to run both A/C's if you find yourself in a warm area, and keeping a 35-40' Montana cool would require both. 

[packnrat]

ok so having a sub unit can work just keep most turned off.

i have a couple years to go. so have time to work it all out. or splurge for a installed (5-6K) onen gen.  or buy a second eu3000.  other?

[Chad Heiser]

I had two different 35+’ Montana 5th wheels.  I used a Honda eu3000is regularly with both of them.  It was fine until it got hot.  The eu3000 will only run one AC unit at a time and the bigger Montana’s need both AC units going to get them and keep them cool in hot weather.  If you avoid overly warm conditions, you will be fine with one generator (and one AC).  

Pay attention not to run the refrigerator on auto (electric) or the hot water heater on electric when running off the generator (to conserve generator capacity).  Also watch running the microwave or coffee pot with other large draw items.  Otherwise it will work fine.  

I eventually got a second eu3000 and ran them in tandem.  It would usually run both AC’s, but I still had to be careful about turning anything else on at the same time.  If both compressors kicked in at the same time on the AC’s it could overtax the generators and their protection circuits would kick in and kill output.

[packnrat]

other than a built in owen. who makes a "rv" type of gen that would not bother people 10 miles away?  the biggest camp style i know about is the eu3000.

time to do some searching and research into gennsets.

[TXiceman]

parallel your EU 3000i with another one.

Ken

 

[Chad Heiser]

If you really want to spend some money, you could step up to a Honda eu7000.  It will run 50 amp/240 volt (not true 50 amp like an RV Park, but two separate legs of power which is plenty to run everything in an RV), but it is big and heavy.  If you already have one eu3000, I would go with a second one and get the parallel kit.

[packnrat]

never heard of a eu7000.

must be one huge unit.

but from the sounds of it a montana is not well insulate? but two eu3000 would fit in the bed of my pu. ( bolted down of course). would hurt if they decided to go out for a walk, and got lost.

my total power thinking is lots of solar up top,  6 or 8, 6 volt deep cycle batteries, should take care of everything except the air and ? then enough gen abilty to cover the heavy loads.

but must be able to be out for a good two to three weeks before a must to a town.

[mptjelgin]

22 minutes ago, packnrat said:

but from the sounds of it a montana is not well insulate? 

Montana is about middle of the pack as far as insulation, and  let's face it, most RV's are not particularly well insulated. You'll have 3, 4 or 5 slides depending on the model that you get, and slide roofs and floors are typically more poorly insulated than the rest of the RV. So if it is sitting out in the sun in warm weather it will heat up very quickly and will require both A/C's to stay cool. Most boondockers avoid warm summer weather for just this reason...

[packnrat]

when it gets to or above 80F i cook. i am used to working in a freezer van, and outside at night, so colder temps are good for me. but not too cold as it hurts my joints.

but if needed can bring in a slide or two. add something to the inside walls. black out the windows, etc.  i have been a day sleeper for over two decades now, so i kinda live in a cave like. even my time (2 years), living in my sunnybrook day sleeper there. but it was hooked to a hard wire power supply.

[Darryl&Rita]

Watch the CCC of Montana's if you plan on carrying 8 batteries. That's a lot of cargo to give up.

[Chad Heiser]

Powerwise with what you described you will have no problems staying out without hookups.  You will, however, be limited by your tanks.  I would say with a solo RVer in a typical 40 ft Montana, 2 weeks will be about the limit for the tanks.  You may be able to fudge some things to go longer, but  2 weeks will be a typical limit with moderate conservation (the grey and fresh water being the most limiting).

[packnrat]

fresh is no problem with the extra tank i have.

and the places i go. ok to dump the grey. but never black.

but a " recycle" pump set up, some of the grey aids in the black fill.

so there are ways to extend ones stay.     and yes i am single.

[cowolter]

Definitely go 50 amp and pre-wired for a second A/C if you have the option.

We added the second A/C to our Laredo one year after we bought it and it saved our bacon when we broke the Kenmore Smart in Nebraska in the dead of summer. Both A/C units ran constantly to keep up with the 90+ temps and 80%+ humidity. Water from both was streaming off of both sides of the roof for the three days we stayed there waiting on truck repair parts and the labor after the parts arrived. (Now there's proof you got the trailer leveled correctly!)

[packnrat]

well i have chosen a montana rear bar kitchen.

will sell off some of the factory furniture, for better for my needs. maybe keystone can delete and cut the cost?

not thought much about viewing it online but seeing one in real life i can forgo a rear window.

with luck will order it late 2019 or mid 2020. more a tag thing. need to talk finance but that can wait till next month.  but yes it will have the onboard owen 5500 gen.

now i just need $100K splurge moneys😁

[Hot Rod]

ditto Chad.  My EU3000 will run one ac just fine along with lights and such, but if you want to turn on a coffee pot, microwave, or hair dryer you need to turn the ac off.  And yes, keep the fridge on propane to keep the electric draw down.  which you should always do boondocking anyway as it really doesn't use that much propane and saves the batteries/electric for things that need it.

The only conversations I ever had with neighbors about the noise of the Honda went like this:  (standing right next to the thing) "you mean to tell me the ac is on right now and that is all the louder it is?"  "yep".

[packnrat]

fo me noise is no problem.

i have ringing in my ears, but otherwise good hearing. even a cheap unit a frend has is quiet. but after so many years even a noiser gen is better than having to hear the ringing. ( it is 24-7-365).

yes i understand quiet, i used to love it. no i would not want to hear a cheap  gen runing at 2:am.

so yes i do belive in gen hrs. not posted hrs, but just using common sence ( sad there is a shortage of it these days) and being polite.  thus why i plan on having a large bank of batteries ( maybe even some in the pu bed?) and solar. as well as enougth gen to take care of my needs. plan big and over kill so there is never a want or need for more.  heck maybe even sell some to others?  never enough beer and propane. 😜