Best Generator for Camping: Don’t Lose Power |Survival-Mastery

If you’re one of those people who don’t think they could survive without their electronic devices while they’re out camping, then you’re not without options. Finding the best generator for camping will ensure that everyone can stay happy using their laptops and phones and keep you safe for when you need power to control lights and other forms of security. But these generators aren’t the same things that you’d use in your home.

For one thing, your house requires a lot of electricity, requiring large generators to power everything in your home, and lugging one of those with you to a campsite will be more than cumbersome. Thankfully, smaller, more portable generators are more suited for the task and are a lot kinder to your budget.

Choosing a Generator

People go to the outdoors for peace, and you can’t have that if you’ve got a generator roaring all day and night, keeping you up when you should be resting. So the market is being flooded with more and more quiet generators that people can take with them on their camping trips, so they can still have all that quiet along with the convenience and comfort of having their electronic devices working.

There are different types of generators to choose from, so buying the first one that you see is not always the best idea. They all serve other purposes and provide different power wattages for your need. For instance, the most popular types are:

• Recreational: these are the generators that are designed to be used by campers, tailgaters, and those engaged in recreational activities. They are mostly small and portable, while others are much larger to be able to power the air conditioning unit of an RV.
• RV: these are much larger and are used in RVs to power electronic devices as well as cooling units. They are designed to be permanently mounted to the motorhome or trailer.
• Standby, PTO and towable: these are all generators that are much to big to be used at a campsite and provide a lot more power than you actually need. Standby generators are used to power homes when there’s a blackout or brownout. PTO generators are used on farms to power tractors, and towable generators are used at construction sites, carnivals, and concerts where a lot of power is needed.

How it Works

Many people may have used generators before in their lives, but they’re not sure how they work. That’s why we will describe a basic generator model so everyone can understand.

They consist of two main parts: an engine and an alternator. The engine of a portable recreational generator is about 50 to 180 cc in size – almost as big as a small motorcycle engine. Many of the mobile units have four-stroke machines to produce electricity through gasoline without generating a lot of pollution.

The alternator is the part that produces the electricity that you’re using at your campsite. It converts the mechanical energy of the engine into AC electricity. Alternators can come in two modes: conventional and inverter.

Conventional is the original form of the alternator and is similar to what is used in cars. It’s reliable, but it does require the engine to be running at full speed regardless of how much electricity is needed. Unfortunately, this means that they also create a lot of noise and pollution while it’s running.

On the other hand, inverter alternators employ digital circuitry to maintain a steady outflow of voltage no matter how much is needed. These kinds of generators combine the engine and alternator into one unit, meaning that it runs much quieter and makes a lot less pollution. Inverter generators are also capable of producing both AC and DC power.

Important features

There are some other things to look for when you’re looking to invest in the best camping generator money can buy. That way, you’re getting your money’s worth and a reliable generator that won’t give out on you when you need it. These features are noise level, power output, run time, and dry weight.

Generator Noise Levels

Many manufacturers don’t care much about the noise level of the generators that they make because they’re meant to be kept outside and separate from where you live and sleep. It can also be challenging to know how noisy a generator will work until you’ve already bought it unless you go to the dealer and have them demonstrate the generators for you.

One of the best places to do this is at a Camping and RV show, where many distributors bring their generators for people to see for themselves what these devices are capable of.

But don’t feel hopeless if these aren’t prevalent in your area. Some generators are labeled with their noise levels in dBA or decibels. However, numbers only mean so much. To get a good judge of what a good dBA level is, 140 dBA is as loud as a shot of gunfire, while 60 is about as loud as a normal conversation with another person.

The more popular models of recreational generators run at about 50-60 dBA. Generators are usually labeled as having a range, such as 53-59 dBA, which is the range of the generator at 1/4 rated load and full rated load. Some manufacturers only list the lower number to make their generators seem quieter. Still, the generator may end up being a lot louder than you expected when it’s running at the total rate.

Power Output

The outage of a generator is given by its wattage rating, usually in two kinds of output levels. Maximum power is the output that a generator can produce and is generally available for about 30 minutes. Rated power is what a generator can makeover extended periods, usually at about 90% of the maximum power. Portable generators especially are categorized into three sizes based on their power output:

• Lightweight: these generators usually provide about 1000 watts of power, and are ideal for providing power to portable TVs, electric razors, small lights and fans, and charging your cellphones. See our article review of the Kalipak 601 to guide you in your choice.
• Medium weight: these are slightly larger models that provide around 2000 watts of power. They are great for microwaves, hair dryers, electric grills, space heaters, and coffee pots.
• Heavy weight: if you have a lot of devices that require heavy amounts of electricity, then this generator will keep you satisfied with the over 3000 watts that it provides. They’re capable of powering anything that you bring with you on your camping trip, and are even capable of powering an RV AC unit. Keep in mind that these are a lot heavier, weighing at about 100 pounds, and will cost you a lot more money than you bargain for.

To figure out which generator is best for your needs, add up the wattage of the devices you’ll be bringing with you that you’ll want to be powered simultaneously. An alternative is to choose a much smaller generator and power your appliances one at a time. The choice is really up to you in determining how much power you’ll need.

Run Time

The run time is how long a generator can run on a gas tank before it needs refueling. This is determined by the load, the efficiency of the generator, and the size of the gas tank. Run times may be provided for both 1/4 and full loads, while others present the lower number. This can be misleading, as you could run out of fuel a lot faster on a full-rated load than you realize.

Dry Weight

This is the weight of a generator when it is empty of fuel. This lets you know how much weight you’ll be carrying with you to your campsite. An added gallon of gas weighs roughly six pounds, which isn’t a whole lot but can be cumbersome for much larger generators. Be sure to stock only the fuel you’ll need on your trip, as you want to travel as light as possible to your campsite.

Additional Features to Consider

Though the above-listed features are essential, there are some other options to consider when you’re buying a camping generator. For example, you may want a generator that has parallel capability, where you can combine two generators to get double the power you need. This option is possible with generators that have inverter technology. Having a low-oil-monitor can also be beneficial to know when more oil needs to be added.

Circuit protection prevents the generator from overloading and turns itself off when the load is too much. A fuel petcock is a manual valve used to control the flow of gasoline. You can allow the carburetor to run dry and reduce contamination from occurring by turning it off.

These may seem like small insignificant features, but they’re worth looking into if you like to have all of the features at your disposal to ensure the safe and enjoyable use of your generator while you’re camping.

Why not try making your generator? Our piece on the DIY hydroelectric generators is an easy project – check it out.

Finding the Best Generator for Camping

Now that you know what to look for, some tremendous portable generators on the market will help you make the best choice for your needs.

Yamaha EF2000iS

This small portable generator has 1600 running watts and 2000 starting watts, allowing you to power many of your standard electric devices. In addition, it has an extremely quiet muffler, at only 51 dBA at a 1/4 load rate. And, at only 44 pounds, this little generator won’t take up a lot of space in your camping gear.

This is one of the most portable generators that you can have with you in an emergency. Although the output is on the low end compared to other portable generators, it’s great to take with you if you don’t plan to carry a lot of devices with you. However, the price for this unit leaves much to be desired, as it costs around $955.

Like this unique product? Then you can buy it on Amazon.

DuroStar DS4000S

This heavy-duty steel generator packs a bigger punch in terms of power, with 3300 running watts and 4000 starting watts. That’s enough to power just about anything you bring with you on your trip. It has a four-gallon gas tank with a running time of about eight hours at a 50% loan rate. It has a 69 dBA rating because of the quiet muffler and has an automatic oil shut-off to protect the engine (this can be very useful if you can’t check the oil meter very often).

The EZ-pull recoil system makes it very easy to get this generator started, but at around 94 pounds, the generator doesn’t come with wheels, which can make it very easy to get out of your vehicle and move around. If you want wheels with this model, you’re going to have to pay extra for them. At $300 without the wheels, that may be a cost some people are willing to make.

If you think that this product could be helpful for you, then you can buy it from Amazon.

Champion Power Equipment 46539

This wheeled generator model produces 3500 running watts/4000 starting watts for your use. It does come with an electric remote control start, saving you the time and effort to start it up yourself manually. Weighing at about 126 pounds, this generator is a lot noisier than you expect, but it delivers the most value for your money at only $419.

It runs for 12 hours on a full tank of gas at a 50% loan rate, which is a lot of power when it’s being run constantly on four gallons of gas.

Like this unique product? Then you can buy it from Amazon.

PowerPro 56101

This tiny 36-pound generator has 900 running watts/1000 starting watts and has everything that you’re looking for in a small portable power supply. In addition, it uses oil and gas mix for fuel, so there’s never the need to perform an oil change.

At half load, the one-gallon tank generator can run for about five hours, which is enough to charge up the majority of your electronic devices. It operates at 60 dBA from 22 feet away, so you might want to keep this generator running away from your tent if you plan on taking a nap in the afternoon. The spark arrestor, which prevents errant sparks from being created during its use, makes it safe to use in any park, as there’s no risk of having a forest fire start, especially during the warmer months of the year.

If you like this product, you can find and check its price on Amazon.

Goal Zero 23000 Yeti 400 Solar Generator

Do you want to be even more environmentally conscious? This solar power generator won’t have you lugging around those containers of fuel that you’ll need to refill once it runs out of juice. Instead, it runs off the power of the sun and provides enough wattage to charge your cellphones and laptops.

It only weighs about 12 pounds, making it easy to fit into any bag for easy storage. After 17 hours of full sunlight, it’s capable of charging a dead laptop twice over. And if you happen to have a spell of cloudy days or rain, the generator can also be set by connecting it to your car’s 12V power adapter. It comes with 2 USB ports, two 12V ports, an AC port, a charging indicator light, and a battery display telling you how much juice is left. It can be a bit pricy at $404, but you’ll have to spend extra for the solar panels that you’ll need to make full use of it.

Like this unique product? Then you can check its price here.

WEN 56200i

With 1600 starting watts/2000 starting watts, this fifty-pound generator is excellent at providing you with the power that you need. At a quarter rate load, it runs at about 51 dBA, providing you with the peace you need after a hectic day of hiking.

The gas tank is efficient: its one-gallon tank can provide six hours of power at 50% half-load run time. And if you need more power than what it can provide, it is also parallel connection capable, allowing you to get more for your buck. The WEN Eco-Mode will also enable you to save on your fuel by adjusting its fuel consumption based on the devices plugged in and charging. That allows you to get the most from every drop of energy, so you can end up extending your run time even longer than you thought.

If you like this product, you can find and purchase it on Amazon.

Pulsar PG1202s

This nifty portable generator runs at only $136 and provides a 1000W rated/1200W peak for most of your small devices. In addition, it runs for a regular eight hours at a half-rated load on only 1.5 gallons of the fuel mix. And at roughly 38 pounds, it may just be the smallest portable generator you can find.

It has a quiet mode system that creates noise levels of around 65 dBA, and it is EPA-approved, meaning that it doesn’t generate a lot of pollution. This makes this generator perfect for the environmentally-conscious camper who needs to charge his phone or power some small lights now and again.

The best camping generators will only get you so far as long as you maintain them properly. Allowing the interior workings of your generator, especially ones that use gas and oil, can lead to malfunctions and even the destruction of the parts themselves.

Please read our article reviews of the best portable generators to power up your home or camp for more options.

Performing a regular maintenance routine on your generator will help it to last longer and provide you with all the benefits you’ve received since day one. If you’re unsure how to maintain your generator, you should contact the manufacturer or go over the manual for better details on making sure it’s kept in peak condition.

Tap into solar energy! Check out our reviews of the top portable solar generators to give you more options.