Keep that generator, quiet.
Posted by Jim in Best of, Campsites, Full-Timing Tips, RV Tech
When we first left on this trip, our friend Ranger Mike told us horror stories about how often generators would get ripped off at the parks where he worked.
This would truly be a horror for us indeed, because I love my little Honda. I don’t love using it, but whenever I have to, I love it. You see, the Honda EU200i lives up to its “Super Quiet” branding.
And that’s a good thing when you’re in a campground with others and not boondocking way out in the woods by yourself.
The Fruita Campground in Capitol Reef National Park is beautiful. It is nestled among an oasis of fruit trees in the midst of desolate wilderness with trails like the Frying Pan Loop and Cohab Canyon. It has lots of shade, great views of the bluff, clean restrooms with flush toilets, and plenty of grass for a dessert. It does not have hookups.
Having tent camped here long ago, I think they should keep all us obnoxious RVer types in the second loop and keep the first loop for tenters. The second loop has bigger sites anyway. But it probably wouldn’t make much of a difference to reduce noise, considering some of the generators out there.
When we finally had to run our Honda after a couple days in the shade, I started it up and stepped inside. To my amazement, we could hear the generator a few sites away over ours right outside the window. Like I said, I love our little Honda.
That’s why we keep it locked up – not out of camper paranoia, but out of love. Oh, and the fact that it is expensive, small, and very lightweight. A long Kryptonite lock connected to a front jack through the handle works well when its in use. And we use a Lasso Security Cable to secure it to our hitch while stored in our truck bed.
That way we can rest easy at night and go on long hikes – like this one to spot where I proposed to Rene 12 years ago – without any worry …
With our solar set-up and power conservation habits, our little Honda 2000 suits us just fine. But another great thing about it is, if we ever need more power we can just get a second one and use the optional Honda EU2000i 30 Amp RV Parallel Kit to link the two together. This is still cheaper than a 4000 watt generator!
Entries (RSS)
- Generators are a blessing in remote areas. It’s no wonder why so many would want one for themselves (legal or illegal means). I never purchased a Honda myself, but I do have the yamaha EF2400iS which is great because it powers everything w/o the loudness that normal generators tend to make (like a chainsaw). I bet it’s still louder than the Honda you have though.
- I’ve never been to Cohab Canyon, but I have been to Slick Rock in Moab back in 2002 (side trip from Grand Junction) and that area is perfect for a bit of R & R.
- I use the same security cable as you. I suppose great mind do think alike! Brilliant.
Quiet is good, especially in campgrounds. I read a while back, in the last couple weeks, about a guy that was killed by two drunks in the camp next to him because they thought his generator was making too much noise. Strange world we live in.
Great video by the way.
I must add that little Honda has clean electricity too! I wouldn’t go without mine!! (Hardley use it but when i do…budda bing)
We have the same generator and love it also. We keep it locked to our trailer. We hardly ever use it (because of solar) but it sure is nice to have when you need it. Since we’re in the land of midnight sun right now - we have had nearly 24 hrs. of solar power and no need at all for a generator.
Leave it to my romantic husband to pick the song we played just before we said our vows.
Love you baby. xoxo
Yep,
Hard to beat a Honda, bet it runs for well over 100,000miles
or what ever hours those things are rated at
I’d get one myself except the longest trip in our Chalet was 2 weeks and we did not kill the battery even then. Upgraded to a fan in the roof vent (home built fantastic type fan vent) this year though, so we might kill it on this trip