Running generator in the truck bed?

[Renie&me]

For those of you towing fifth wheels, especially during overnight stops, do you run your genny in the truck bed while remaining hooked? I'm planning on storing them in the front of the truck bed, and running them from there when necessary, but have concerns about CO emissions. Anyone do it, and what, if any, precautions do you take? Thanks for any responses.

Edited August 31, 2019 by Renie&me
Typo

[DesertMiner]

Is the plan to just run the genny to make dinner or to run the A/C all night?

Edited August 31, 2019 by DesertMiner

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

On our HDT, we have a contractor style 5500 watt generator.  if we overnite in a truck stop or Walmart/Cabelas' that I'll run the generator until the fuel runs out...hopefully that is when its cool in the early AM.....  If we stop at a "Park" local, state or federal, I'll run as long as we can off the batteries and inverter and then shut down.... No noise....

[Renie&me]

DesertMiner, to run the ac in most circumstances. 

[dartmouth01]

Ive done, it has worked for for me.  Just get a carbon monoxide detector in the bedroom if you're concerned at all.

[Ray,IN]

A friend had his genset mounted on the 5er's hitch, special-made frame. He also ran a 30A receptacle to the hitch area to plug-in the genset. I ran my genset in the truck-bed at times, however, the truckbed amplified the exhaust sound in my case. There is little concern about CO emissions when the genset is outside the RV unless you have open windows, CO has practically the same weight as ambient air, any air movement disperses it readily.

[Jennifer Ministries]

From what I have been able to find out on the subject of grounding, you would need to have at least an 8' ground rod to be efficient. Most campground location would exclude driving a metal rod into the ground for fear of harmful water or electrical lines. Thanks.

[Renie&me]

Thanks very much for your responses.

[Ray,IN]

On 9/2/2019 at 2:00 PM, Jennifer Ministries said:

From what I have been able to find out on the subject of grounding, you would need to have at least an 8' ground rod to be efficient. Most campground location would exclude driving a metal rod into the ground for fear of harmful water or electrical lines. Thanks.

I have never seen anyone drive a metal rod into the ground when using a portable genset, for any use. Now if you have an EMS in your RV, you must  make a 15A plug with a jumper between neutral and ground, then plug it into the genset; otherwise the EMS will trip out to prevent what it perceives to be a ground fault.

Kirk, John T, and other sparkys, If I'm wrong there, please correct my thoughts.

[sandsys]

2 hours ago, Ray,IN said:

I have never seen anyone drive a metal rod into the ground when using a portable genset, for any use. Now if you have an EMS in your RV, you must  make a 15A plug with a jumper between neutral and ground, then plug it into the genset; otherwise the EMS will trip out to prevent what it perceives to be a ground fault.

Kirk, John T, and other sparkys, If I'm wrong there, please correct my thoughts.

I know nothing about electricity but I do know when friends tried to use a portable genset to charge my batteries it wouldn't work. Something about my EMS protecting me, I think. Since we were on BLM land in the AZ desert there was no way anyone was going to sink a pole to provide grounding.

Linda

[Ray,IN]

On 9/2/2019 at 2:00 PM, Jennifer Ministries said:

From what I have been able to find out on the subject of grounding, you would need to have at least an 8' ground rod to be efficient. Most campground location would exclude driving a metal rod into the ground for fear of harmful water or electrical lines. Thanks.

I have never seen anyone drive a metal rod into the ground when using a portable genset, for any use. Now if you have an EMS in your RV, you must  make a 15A plug with a jumper between neutral and ground, then plug it into the genset; otherwise the EMS will trip out to prevent what it perceives to be a ground fault.

Kirk, John T, and other sparkys, If I'm wrong there, please correct my thoughts.

Linda, this is my reference/source: http://noshockzone.org/generator-ground-neutral-bonding/

This is the OSHA explanation and approval of the same information: https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_Hurricane_Facts/grounding_port_generator.pdf

Thank you for encouraging me to locate and list my references, it's been 30 years since I retired and I didn't trust my memory.

[Renie&me]

Great information, thanks Ray,In!

[packnrat]

as to being worried about the exhaust gasses. make a stack to vent the gasses up 14-16 feet off the ground. (2-3 feet above your highest point on your rig).

easy to build just use some 6 or 8 foot lengths (pending your storage area for them) of 4 inch, can get away with 3 in if necessary, pvc plastic piping, with one end belled so the parts can slip fit on each other. and a amount of electrical conduit, bent to connect, one of the metal elbows, fixed to the bottom of your stack, held in a way to keep it centered as it will get HOT.  going up in the conduit a good foot, more is better, then have the stack held a bit (6 inches is great, a foot is more than enough) off the ground to allow unlimited cold air to be sucked in. the exhaust gasses are forced up, as they are hot, heat rises so the cold air is sucked in cooling things a bit. no filter required or needed.

i would draw something but i am not very good at even making a straight line.

but the base section stands a good 4 feet tall. and add on two 8 foot extenders, with connections for angled supports so it does not fall over.

[Truckman]

I ran mine in the truck bed for many years, both in front of hitch and behind under the 5er. Both ways worked fine and never had any problems.

[markandkim]

11 hours ago, Truckman said:

I ran mine in the truck bed for many years, both in front of hitch and behind under the 5er. Both ways worked fine and never had any problems.

2nd that.

[Jennifer Ministries]

On 9/3/2019 at 2:58 PM, Ray,IN said:

I have never seen anyone drive a metal rod into the ground when using a portable genset, for any use. Now if you have an EMS in your RV, you must  make a 15A plug with a jumper between neutral and ground, then plug it into the genset; otherwise the EMS will trip out to prevent what it perceives to be a ground fault.

Kirk, John T, and other sparkys, If I'm wrong there, please correct my thoughts.

Dear Ray,

Thanks a ton for your nice replay. actually what is happened with me i have shared. 

will take listen in your suggestion and hope so it will help a lot. 

[Kirk W]

On 9/3/2019 at 4:31 PM, Ray,IN said:

Now if you have an EMS in your RV, you must  make a 15A plug with a jumper between neutral and ground, then plug it into the genset; otherwise the EMS will trip out to prevent what it perceives to be a ground fault.

Kirk, John T, and other sparkys, If I'm wrong there, please correct my thoughts.

You are not wrong. 

[Friz]

First time out ours overheated after about 30 minutes and stopped.  It ran fine when sitting on the driveway. When I realized what had happened, I had it all the way forward in the truck bed up against the box wall, I moved it back to the hitch and it ran fine. Even considered plugging a 20" box fan into it to increase air circulation but have not had to yet.  

[Renie&me]

OP here. Thanks for all the responses. Since I asked this question, I've upgraded to the Predator 3500. As a solution to my use, based on a lot of these comments, I plan to run it in front of the hitch, under the trifold cover. I've got a 10' length of high temp silicone hose which will allow me slide the cover slightly forward, connect to the exhaust, and run the exhaust over the bedside all the way to the ground away from the trailer. I've run it this way and found that temps are not getting over 200* at the exhaust or anywhere along the tubing. I think this should work well. Any flaws in my thinking?