RV Generator Size Calculator: Solar vs Gas Generator Power Needs for Your Camper
Woke up to my Aliner classic's power system working perfectly in 60°F weather, but now that it's 85°F outside I'm drowning in solar versus gas generator confusion. Coming from a Rialta with a built-in generator where I just added some solar panels, I'm now starting from scratch with just one 88Ah lead acid battery and need to figure out the most practical setup for my boondocking needs.
My power requirements are pretty straightforward - laptop, house lights, furnace for overnight heating, and the occasional use of my 1800-watt toaster oven which is really the main power challenge. In my previous RV, I had 160Ah of lead acid batteries with a 100W solar panel that handled everything except the toaster oven, which required firing up the generator. I'm considering adding 200W of solar panels to this setup.
Here's where I'm getting confused: I've been looking at 2000-2500 watt generators with minimum 1900 running watts, but I heard you shouldn't run more than 80% of the running watts capacity, which would mean I need about 2300 running watts just to safely operate my 1800W toaster oven. Is that calculation correct? Alternatively, I'm wondering if I could skip the generator entirely and run the toaster oven off a large battery bank with a proper inverter - but I have no idea how much battery capacity that would require or if it's even practical. What's the most cost-effective approach for someone who primarily needs reliable power for essential loads but occasionally wants to use higher-wattage cooking appliances? …more
My power requirements are pretty straightforward - laptop, house lights, furnace for overnight heating, and the occasional use of my 1800-watt toaster oven which is really the main power challenge. In my previous RV, I had 160Ah of lead acid batteries with a 100W solar panel that handled everything except the toaster oven, which required firing up the generator. I'm considering adding 200W of solar panels to this setup.
Here's where I'm getting confused: I've been looking at 2000-2500 watt generators with minimum 1900 running watts, but I heard you shouldn't run more than 80% of the running watts capacity, which would mean I need about 2300 running watts just to safely operate my 1800W toaster oven. Is that calculation correct? Alternatively, I'm wondering if I could skip the generator entirely and run the toaster oven off a large battery bank with a proper inverter - but I have no idea how much battery capacity that would require or if it's even practical. What's the most cost-effective approach for someone who primarily needs reliable power for essential loads but occasionally wants to use higher-wattage cooking appliances? …more
