Charging with a generator when boon docking

[bwaltrip]

Has anyone had great success charging with a generator when not anywhere close to a charging source? If so I would appreciate details on required generator output and set up required.

Thanks,

BTW

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[VSG]

There are lots of threads with lots of info. Use the forum search, and do the math before you commit - you're not going to get a lot of extra range.

 

[Ddowns2050]

Has anyone had great success charging with a generator when not anywhere close to a charging source? If so I would appreciate details on required generator output and set up required.

Thanks,

BTW

You have to buy a generator grounding plug. You just plug it in to one of the 120v receptacles on the generator. It ties the ground and neutral together so you don't have a floating neutral. Without this the truck will show a fault and won't charge. I have done it and it works fine. Here is an amazon link to what you need. If you have a generator large enough like a 12 KW or larger it will charge just like and as fast as at home since we only charge at about 11 kw. If you have any problems just dial the truck down a few amps to match your generator. Don't use too small of generator without adjusting the amps. Volts X amps = KW. 240 volts X 48 amps = 11.5 kw. So do the math to match your generator..
https://www.amazon.com/Southwire-Company-LLC-44400-Generator/dp/B07F4R7BDL/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1YG4V9UCI2ZX2&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.UQpjbr11RTMuab-aVLrtLQLBdyrUyPjtyvORF6snGbbZgBJW89t7uxep8ERhq3SKjfUgiIs_shkgTZBhiCcpdLyJXXYctmm8UU3d6TrjWR6lnHYWm7i06S7DWUPkOyNoMkmn4kOuKriLuTxqCy0yheO2ELY8DjExcRSgDM6lOn61q70cMzTOoFLBi7r771oSKfWh9b2JgPhfErEkBdzq5CDHfupdgy3H1BPxYXQFkrk.6Z5B043NThKe5C7QDOZ96HfAISmMFceNQ3BwxdOSIfQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=southwire+generator+grounding+plug&qid=1767395584&sprefix=southwire+generator+grounding+plug,aps,189&sr=8-1&th=1

 

[Thedude]

It’s pretty easy. A neutral bonding plug and an adapter or two depending on what style outlet you have on the generator. You can go as simple as a lightweight 2000 watt generator all the way up to the big 10000 watt plus generator depending on how much space you want to lose to the generator and gas and how quickly you want to charge the truck.

 

[Time2Roll]

Only going to achieve 12 to 14 miles per gallon. How many gallons will you carry?
And how will the gas be safely transported?

 

[Ddowns2050]

I have a westinghouse 11,500 watt continuous and 14,500 watt surge. It holds 9 1/2 gallons of gas. According to the literature that came with it, it will run 19.5 hours at 50% capacity and 9.5 hours at 100%. If this is correct if you dialed the amps down to 24 you could put 243 miles back on the truck on one tank or at 100% which would take half the time 237 miles. If you are in the middle of nowhere this is very doable. If you take 10 extra gallons of gas on top of what is in the generator you can almost put 500 miles back on the truck. This generator weighs 230lbs dry. 2 guys can easily load it and it is on wheels, so it is fairly mobile.

 

[TheIglu]

You can make your own bonding plug for a generator if you are going to charge via 120v. Super easy, and is less than $5, all in.

 

[SwampNut]

What size is determined by how fast you want to charge. It's just simple math. I happen to own one that could do the full 30a on a TT-30 connector, but only ran it at 26 for safety. That's about 3kW. If you buy a larger one you could go as far as 240v and 42a, for 10,000w charging.

https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/threads/i-installed-a-gasoline-engine-in-my-rivian.53354/

 

[Fraslin]

As everyone is mentioning, you don't get a lot of range and have to transport the gas safely. And if you are Boondocking, do you really want to hear a generator all day?

 

[FooF]

I would think solar would be a better option if you are staying in the same place for a while.

 

[SwampNut]

And if you are Boondocking, do you really want to hear a generator all day?

Just park far away, put the gen in the bed facing away from camp.

I would think solar would be a better option if you are staying in the same place for a while.

Do the math on how many panels it would take over how much time to generate anything meaningful.

 

[mkhuffman]

Another benefit is running propane or NG won't clog the carberater like liquid fuel does. Running Propane keeps the engine clean and reliable, year after year.

Propane isn't as energy dense as gasoline, so when it runs a generator, the power output is normally less.

 

[ebellinder2]

I would think solar would be a better option if you are staying in the same place for a while.

While it’s sounds viable most likely require 8-10 solar panels, a charge controller and an inverter to obtain 20 amps 120 vac power. A lot of components but if you had a cabin out in the sticks might be viable.

 

[SwampNut]

Come on people, do the tiniest bit of math before making wild recommendations that are mostly unusable. I even posted most of it in the link above. I have a DF generator and love its advantages, but they are only valid with casual low-power usage. It's an absolute no-go for high-power, long time usage. For a given number of BTU/kWh, propane cylinders are much larger, heavier, and more expensive. And you can eliminate most gas hassles very easily.

A 20 pound cylinder holds a real-world capacity of four gallons. Go fill a cylinder and watch the pump. I do so every month in winter. I own three cylinders so I can cycle one in the device, two empties to take in. A lot of people do this. So that's only 12 gallons. BUT! It's the same as 8 gallons of gas in energy available. That's nothing, if we're talking about charging a truck. In my real world test I got 13-16 equivalent MPG across several days, and used over 20 gallons. That's going to be more than SEVEN propane cylinders. In camp, we had around 40 gallons of gas between us all, and would just refill when someone needed to run into town. Imagine seven propane cylinders or the wait to refill propane which is rarely short.

NG won't clog the carberater like liquid fuel does.

Gasoline doesn't clog carbs. NEGLECTED machines with bad gas in them do. You can prevent problems 100% by doing it right. I've had a lot of gas machines my entire life from childhood. Camping, motorcycles, much more. Carbs don't clog willy-nilly. They clog from neglect. I have a 20 year old yard blower with white gas in it. Starts in 1-2 pulls every time. I've done NOTHING to it. But white gas is intrinsically clean and stable unlike automotive gasoline. Diesel is also extremely unlikely to cause problems.

I use a no-spill, automatic fast-fill gas can/nozzle that eliminates the smells and hassles of gas. Easy solution, though it is $45 not your $10 Walmart can. Tuff Jug and Ripper v2 nozzle.

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