5 Ways a Generator Makes the Great Outdoors More Fun and Relaxing
In less than 100 years, electricity has changed our lives in ways that many cannot imagine. Once a luxury reserved for wealthy city dwellers, electrical power became the necessity we all rely on for comfort, convenience, and safety.
Leaving home for the great outdoors doesn’t have to mean leaving electricity behind. Whether a weekend campout, a month on the road in an RV, or a tailgate party at the sports stadium, recreational generators let us take power wherever we need it.
Big Generators have their place. Constructions sites. Jobs where power isn’t easily available. Home Backup when the power goes out. Public events or Food trucks and trailers. Going away for a weekend of peace and quiet or hosting a party shouldn’t mean hauling a big heavy generator or disturbing the peace with noise.
Portable Generator Sizing Guide
Quiet Generator
How can we define quiet? We can listen to the birds. Have a conversation. Fall asleep with the crickets chirping and the distant call of an owl. Your party guests won’t notice any noise while they listen to the music. Quiet is a generator over there by the car, maybe twenty or so feet away. Over here, you’re talking in a normal voice with a group of friends. A crockpot filled with a favorite dish is hot and ready to serve, powered by the generator.
The Quiet Generator at about 25 feet makes less noise than two people having a conversation. You can still hear it, but the noise isn’t intrusive. The quietest generator makes about 51 dB of noise at 23 feet, comparable to the refrigerator in your kitchen. It’s a little louder than a small brook tumbling over stones, and quieter than the average home dishwasher.
Small Quiet Generators are perfect for virtually any outdoor activity.
Camping Generator
If your idea of fun is a campsite, adding a quiet portable generator to your standard equipment can make it that much better. It doesn’t matter if your shelter is a popup, the latest high-tech tent, or traditional canvas, the generator adds lights, fans, and heaters. Step over to the outdoor kitchen and brew your morning coffee with a coffee maker. Heat food on a hot plate or warm it up in a microwave oven.
String festive lights around the camp for a campfire party. Invite the neighbors, turn on the music, and enjoy the great outdoors with all the amenities it has to offer.
With a camping generator, you can enjoy the great outdoors even more with a few small conveniences and necessities you didn’t leave at home.
Recreational Generator
Some generators have features that make them particularly suitable for a specific task. For instance, a portable RV generator probably has a TT-30R Travel Trailer outlet. Remote start and a long run time make it even more convenient to use the generator for power in your RV travel trailer or fifth wheel.
Others are less specific, but virtually all have an inverter generator design. They are quiet, because everyone wants to enjoy the peace without a noise engine interfering. Fuel efficient so you don’t have to carry large quantities of fuel. Some offer many features. One weekend they go to a tailgate party. The next finds them at a campground or RV park. Maybe they provide power at home for a few critical necessities when the power goes out.
Recreational generators can serve more than one purpose and still do the job well.
Small Generators
The smallest, quietest, and most fuel efficient are the small inverter generators. However, some of the small regular portables are quite affordable and work just fine for outdoor activities. Ranging in size from 1200 watts to about 4000 watts, a small portable generator fits a variety of needs without making too much noise, whether they are inverter or standard portables.
We’ve listed some of the best inverter generators for home use that do double duty in the great outdoors.
Small inverter generators range in size from 1200 watts to 2500 watts, operate at less than 55 dB, and run for hours on a small tank of gas. Regular portables in the same power capacity don’t weigh much more. Small engines and a variety of features give them the edge on affordability while still providing a long run time before refueling, and they operate in the range of 60 dB to 68 dB.
Small generators run concessions, power youth sporting events, family picnics, and give tailgate parties a boost with electricity for cooking, entertainment, and lights.
Inverter
An Inverter Generators works differently than regular portable. They still need fuel to run the internal combustion engine, but they use it more efficiently by varying the motor speed to match the output required. Power from an efficient multi-phase alternator is rectified and then inverted into exceptionally clean 60 Hertz AC Power almost indistinguishable from utility power. Inverter Generators vs Standard Portables. What’s the Difference?
An inverter generator up to 5000 watts enclosed in a sound deadening case can operate at sound levels as low as 51 dB. A 2200-watt can run up to 12 hours on a gallon of fuel.
Parallel operation where two generators connect through a special kit combines the power of both into a single output for up to 50 Amps of 120-Volt power for running RV Air Conditioners, Furnaces, Heaters, and appliances.
Inverter Generator Models for the Great Outdoors
Portable RV Generators
Almost any generator could serve double duty as a portable RV generator, but some do the job much better than others. Features that make a generator perfect for RVing include ultra-quiet operation, fuel efficiency, dual fuel options, RV Ready Outlet, and Remote Start plus Parallel operation. Features for the Best Inverter Generator for RV Use.
The United States Forest Service has specific noise requirements for generators in National Parks. The right Portable RV Generator keeps the peace and keeps your air conditioner running along with the refrigerator and everything else.
The Best Generator for RV Use in Parks and Remote Campsites
Tailgating Generator
Who doesn’t love a tailgate party? You’re meeting your friends at the game. Everyone is bringing refreshments. You’re grilling some food. There’s a crockpot of nacho cheese and another filled with chili. Team spirit and rivalry runs high. A small, portable tailgate generator powers music or television, the crockpots, and maybe a powered heater for those really cold days.
Key features include portability, low noise levels, easy starting, and enough power for a few kitchen appliances and maybe that heater. If it’s a big party, you might want to plug in a keg cooler or small refrigerator.
The Best Generator for Tailgating runs everything, doesn’t drown out the fun, and goes from place to place without having to lift 300 pounds into the back of the car or truck.