Generator Question

[BaysideBruce]

I will be going to New Orleans in a few weeks to help out with the hurricane relief effort.  I am bringing my popup along for a place to stay but there will be no electric hook up, so I am thinking about buying a small generator to recharge my battery and help run the fridge (I need to keep my meds cool).  I have one medium size generator already but it is VERY noisey and I am sure the others that are staying in the "tent city" would not like to listen to it no matter what time of day it is.  Can anyone recommend a small generator that is quiet that I could use to recharge my battery and/or run the fridge?
Thanks

[tlhdoc]

Honda EU2000i.

[chkster]

any of the "inverter" type 2000 of more generators Honda, Yamaha, Kipor

[6Quigs]

Run the fridge in your Bayside on propane, and you should have no problem keeping your meds cool. A 20lb tank of propane will last months if only running the fridge.

If you only need the generator then for topping up the battery, then a Honda EU1000, or a Yamaha EF1000 should be sufficient, as they are very quiet.

[BaysideBruce]

Can I run the fridge off the battery and then charge the battery up with the Yamaha EF1000 generator?  I found a "good" deal on the EF1000 but is it large enough for what I need?  I will only be using it to charge the battery and maybe run the water pump for time to time.  

I agree that maybe I should run the fridge off of propane, but I have never done that... actually forgot that I could.  Is the fridge easier to light then the hot water heater... since it seems like it takes the hot water heater forever to light the pilot light.  Thanks for the reminder!

[tlhdoc]

The fridge will drain the battery in a few hours.  Unless you want to run the generator most of the time, you will be better off running the fridge on propane and using the generator along with a battery charger.

[AustinBoston]

In addition to what others have said, running the fridge on battery isn't very effective.  On the first warm day that comes along, the fridge would get too warm inside.

Austin

[BaysideBruce]

Thanks for relaying your experiences about the fridge.  I have always had an electrical hook up so this is the type of stuff I need to find out.  Once again, typically, how hard is it to light the fridge?  As hard as the hot water heater?


Any comments on a Yamaha EF1000 vs the Honda EU1000?  Or are both of them just too small?

[Kelly]

Once again, typically, how hard is it to light the fridge? As hard as the hot water heater?

Don't have a water heater, so I can't compare.  But I can say that I've had Dometic fridges in both my PUs and they are extremely easy to light when using propane.  If I can do it ~ anybody can!  

... and kudos to you for heading to New Orleans to help out.  Safe journeys.[/FONT]

[tlhdoc]

Thanks for relaying your experiences about the fridge. I have always had an electrical hook up so this is the type of stuff I need to find out. Once again, typically, how hard is it to light the fridge? As hard as the hot water heater?
 
 
Any comments on a Yamaha EF1000 vs the Honda EU1000? Or are both of them just too small?

Either generator will be fine for running a battery charger.  As for lighting the fridge it takes time for the propane to get to the fridge.  Just keep holding down the propane button and push the igniter every 5 seconds or so until it lights.  The flame maybe hard to see (you need to swing the view hole cover up out of the way) but if you look where it sparks you can see it.

[Gone-Camping]

You may also be interested in knowing that the refridge will probably do a better job cooling while running on propane than it does on electric...either the 120vac or the 12vdc. I also agree, the heating element in the fridge would kill the battery in very short order, but the propane will keep it cold and you don't have to worry about dead batteries. If you plan to use propane for cooking too, then having a spare propane bottle would be a good idea...