It’s hard to beat a weekend or a week camping, away from the daily grind of work and responsibilities. Make it even better with a small, quiet camping generator to make the coffee, run a fan, or add a few festive lights around the campsite.
Image by Chulmin1700 at Pixabay.
There’s nothing quite like getting away for the weekend, or a week, and spending it in the outdoors. Kick back and refresh for a weekend with friends and family at evening campfires, fresh air, and just letting the day-to-day grind fade into the background, even if only for a day or two. It’s rejuvenating. When it’s over, we return to life as usual, jobs, and keeping up our homes.
Out in the woods, at a park or remote campsite, keeping things simple is one way to make the time away more enjoyable and leaving time for other things. Pour coffee from a coffee maker instead of making it on a camp stove or campfire. A small fan can make it easier to sleep through a warm summer night, and a small heater can warm up those fall or early springs campouts.
You don’t need a lot, but it’s nice to charge up the phone or tablet and enjoy the morning cup of coffee without a lot of hassle. Comfort at bedtime goes a long way to making the weekend away enjoyable for everyone.
If the campground has power, no problem. Just plug into your site’s shore-power outlet and you’re all set. The RV has power, your tent has the fan or heater, and in the morning you can press brew on the coffee maker. Simple.
But when you’re away from the campgrounds and hookups, and a RV park was never your destination in the first place, you’re either roughing it without amenities or you brought your power along.
Today’s portable inverter generators for RVs and Camping are quieter than ever, with some no louder than regular conversation once you move away from them. And that’s important. The last thing you want is a noisy machine drowning out the bird calls and scaring away the wildlife.
Top 5 Camping Generators
Camping generators are light, easy to move, simple to use, and quieter than you expect. They have plenty of power for a few small appliances that keep life simple and enjoyable.
Fuel efficient inverter generators convert DC current to AC current at the required frequency and provide exceptionally clean power safe for the most sensitive electronics. At about 2000 watts, they can run at least 12 hours on about a gallon of gasoline or single 20-pound propane tank.
Almost as important, they are small enough to put in a car and typically weigh less than 60 pounds, making them easy to lift, move, and place where you need them.
Portable Generator Safety Rules to Live By
Portable Generators are safe when used outdoors, away from homes, windows, tents, or other abodes. Internal combustion engines produce carbon monoxide (co). an odorless, colorless gas that causes injury, sickness, and death. All of the camping generators in our top 5 include automatic carbon monoxide detection and shutdown, a safety measure to prevent intentional or unintentional misuse. Place the generator at least 20 feet from the home, tent, or RV. Never run a portable generator indoors. Every user manual in our top 5 camping generators includes a statement that the generator should never be run indoors. Safety decals on the generators make a similar statement.
Use heavy-duty, outdoor rated extension cords, with an current rating equal to or greater than the generator outlet current rating. A 20-Amp outlet requires a minimum 20-amp extension cord.
Starting Watts vs Running Watts
There’s more to the power capability of a portable generator than the name on the box. What sounds like more power for the money might actually be quite a bit less than you think, especially with Inverter Generators.
Starting Watts
Electric Motors needa boost of power to start turning. That momentary surge of power is the Starting Watts requirement of the motor. A generator also has a starting watts capacity—a surge of power to get the motor running. It only lasts for a few seconds. Any longer and the generator breaker will trip.
Running Watts
Running watts is the power an appliance or motor needs to run, and it is the continuous power capacity of the genenerator. It is the continuous power an appliance needs to keep running. Starting watts gets a motor running. Running watts keeps it running.
Champion 201323 Dual Fuel Portable Inverter Generator
The 2500 Watt Champion 201323 is a Dual Fuel Inverter Generator with recoil start. It is parallel capable—connect a second generator with a parallel kit and double the power to 3700 watts and 5000 starting watts. The parallel kit, sold separately, provides an RV ready TT-30R 120-Volt 30-Amp outlet. Parallel operation allows you to run either one or two generators to match your power requirements.
** Propane tank not included.
**Parallel Kit and Second Generator sold separately.
Champion 201323 Key Specifications
- Noise Level: 53 dB(A)—Similar to Quiet Conversation
- Running Watts: 1850 Watts (1665 Watts on Propane)
- Starting Watts: 2500 Watts
- Weight: 43.2 Pounds
- Gasoline Run Time: 11.5 Hours
- Gasoline Tank Size: 1.05 Gallon
- Propane Run Time: 25 Hours
- Propane Tank Size: 20-Pound (suggested size)
- The 2500 Watt 201323 Dual Fuel Generator includes a Champion 3-Year Limited Warranty.
The Champion 201317 Portable Inverter Generator is a gasoline only model with the same specifications as the 201323 but without the propane option.
On small inverter generators, a 20-pound propane tank provides a longer run time than gasoline.
Champion 2500W Receptacles
(2) 120-Volt Household Outlets
(1) 12-Volt DC Outlet
Cummins P2500i Gasoline Portable Inverter Generator
One of the most popular inverter generators for camping and small RVs, the 2500 Watt Cummins P2500i is a Gasoline Inverter Generator with recoil start. Double your power capability with a second generator and a parallel kit. The parallel kit adds a TT-30R receptacle for 120-volts at 30-amps.
**Parallel Kit and Second Generator sold separately.
Cummins P2500i Key Specifications
- Noise Level: 53 dB(A)—Similar to Quiet Conversation
- Running Watts: 2200 Watts
- Starting Watts: 2500 Watts
- Weight: 58 Pounds
- Gasoline Run Time: 10 Hours
- Gasoline Tank Size: 1 Gallon
- The P2500i Generator includes a Cummins 3-Year Limited Warranty.
Cummins Onan P2500i Portable Inverter Generator —2200 Running Watts / 2500 Starting Watts
P2500i Receptacles
(2) 120-Volt Household Oulets
(1) 12-Volt DC Outlet
(2) 5-Volt DC USB Charging Ports
DuroMax XP2300iH Dual Fuel Portable Inverter Generator
The 2300 Watt Dual Fuel DuroMax XP2300iH Portable Inverter Generator has the features you need for camping, small RVs, and other outdoor activities like tailgating or picnics. It’s parallel capable with another DuroMax inverter generator and the DuroMax Parallel Kit for up to double your available power.
**Parallel Kit and Second Generator sold separately.
DuroMax XP2300iH Key Specifications
- Noise Level: 52 dB(A)—Similar to Quiet Conversation
- Running Watts: 1800 Watts (1700 on Propane)
- Starting Watts: 2300 Watts (2150 on Propane)
- Weight: 50 Pounds
- Gasoline Run Time: 6.5 Hours at 50% Rated Load
- Gasoline Tank Size: 1.05 Gallon
- Propane Run Time: 18 Hours at 50% Rated Load
- Propane Tank Size: (20-Pound Tank Suggested)
- The XP2300iH includes a DuroMax 3-Year Limited Warranty.
DuroMax XP2300iH Dual Fuel Portable Inverter Generator for Camping and Small RVs includes a 30-Amp Outlet with RV Adapter.
XP2300iH Receptacles
(2) 120-Volt Household Outlets
(1) 120-Volt 30-Amp L5-30 Twist Lock
(1) 12-Volt DC Outlet
(2) 5-Volt DC USB Charging Ports
Westinghouse WH3700iXLTc Gasoline Inverter Generator
The 3700 Watt Westinghouse Portable Gasoline Inverter Generator has about 30 percent more power than the other models in this class and puts out a little more noise. Comparable to a window air conditioner, it’s still fairly quiet. More power requires a larger engine and alternator—this is the heaviest camping generator in our top five. It’s parallel capable for up to 6000 running watts with the Westinghouse parallel kit.
**Parallel Kit and Second Generator sold separately.
Westinghouse WH3700iXLTc Key Specifications
- Noise Level: 58 dB(A)—Similar to Normal Conversation
- Running Watts: 3000 Watts
- Starting Watts: 3700 Watts
- Weight: 70.5 Pounds
- Gasoline Run Time: 8 Hours at 25% Rated Load
- Gasoline Tank Size: 1.3 Gallon
- The WH3700iXLTc includes a Westinghouse 3-Year Limited Warranty
Westinghouse WH3700iXLTc Receptacles
2) 120-Volt Household Outlets
(1) 120-Volt 30-Amp L5-30 Twist Lock
(1) 12-Volt DC Outlet
(2) 5-Volt DC USB Charging Ports
Generac GP2500i Gasoline Inverter Generator – 8251
Generac was one of the first manufacturers to offer inverter generators. The Generac GP2500i is a 2500 Watt Gasoline Portable Inverter Generator. It can run in parallel with other Generac inverter generators with the optional Generac 7118 parallel kit. Generac does not publish noise levels for the portable generators, stating a lack of industry standards for measuring portable generator noise.
**Parallel Kit and Second Generator sold separately.
Generac GP2500i Key Specifications
- Noise Level: Not Listed
- Running Watts: 2200
- Starting Watts: 2500
- Weight: 48 Pounds
- Gasoline Run Time: 8 Hours at 25% Rated Load
- Gasoline Tank Size: 1 Gallon
- The GP2500i includes a Generac 3-Year Limited Warranty
A Generac GP2500i at a campsite powers lights, small appliances, and conveniences usually left at home.
GP2500i Receptacles
(2) 120-Volt Household Outlets
(1) 12-Volt DC Outlet(1) 5-Volt DC
(1) USB Charging Port
