Roughing It: Camping Made Better with a Portable Generator

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Typically, you go out into the open wilderness with the intention of getting away from the hustle and bustle of life in the city. A weekend (or longer) trip away from cell phones and mobiles devices to sit around a crackling campfire with friends and family. While this picture may be great for a lot of people, in the 21st century, we are increasingly dependent on our devices and electronics to get through. In fact, according to a recent survey by North American campground association, the number one amenity people want from their campsite is access to free Wi-Fi.

While some may consider this “glamping” and not actually camping, if you are interested in enjoying the lush freedom of the Great Outdoors with the modern conveniences of America, you are going to want to look into getting a portable generator for your next camping trip.

Types of Generators

There are different types of generators that have a wide variety of different uses in different situations. Here is a brief rundown of the different types of generators that are best suited for camping:

  • Recreational: These generators are designed to be used for RVs, campers, tailgaters and other recreational activity. They trend small and portable, although larger models exist and can power an RVs air conditioning and other appliances.

  • RV: This type of generator is made specifically for powering RVs, their appliances and the accessories typically found inside of an RV. These will typically be permanently installed and run on gasoline, liquid propane or diesel.

  • Towable: Large and industrial, these generators are mostly used for outdoor events such as a concert, carnival or other outside event that requires a lot of power.

While they are all great for different reasons, this article is going to focus mostly on recreational portable generators, that do not require any installation.

Related: Glamping: Roughing it with style

Noise Level

An often overlooked feature of all portable generators is the level of noise they are going to produce when operating. However, if there is one thing that a camper will want to know about before making the investment, noise levels is one. You don’t want some loud, industrial machine ruining the calm stillness of the forest or wherever you happen to be.

Unfortunately, this means that you will want to go to a dealer who will actually demonstrate just how loud the engine is while running and many showroom operators will not do this. However, if you attend a Camping and RV show, there will usually be some vendors there who will show off just how quiet (or loud) Generac portable generators actually will be when in use.

Power Output

The overall power output of a generator is given by the amount of wattage it supports. The wattage rating is given using the two different output levels:

  • Maximum Power: The absolute most output that a generator can produce and is usually only available for up to 30 minutes.

  • Rated Power: The amount of power that can be produced for long periods of time – usually around 90 percent of the maximum power.

To determine the best size (or Power rating) generator for your needs, just add the amount of wattage needed for each of the devices you want to charge. If you don’t require as much wattage to power your devices then you will likely only need a small, quiet generator.

Camping, glamping or straight roughing it- all modern campers love using Generac portable generators to make the most of their time outdoors!

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