Thanks!

If that is all you want to do, a smaller inverter generator can suffice. You would only be able to operate it during limited hours anyway. Some of the smaller generators can be easier to lift, such as the 1000 watt or under models. Harbor Freight has a TailGater 900 Max Starting/700 Running 2 cycle generator for $109.99 but its 91 dB sound rating is not likely to make you any friends. Walmart's web site lists a Sportsman 1000 Watt Inverter Generator ( Walmart # 550149034) for $179 that has a 51 dB sound rating. That is much better. It weighs 21 lbs according to the specs listed, so would be easy to carry. Hopefully, this will give you some idea as to what to do.

With any of these generators, plugging the RPod in to charge the battery/batteries is about all you will be able to do beside run the lights. They would be inadequate for the microwave and definitely not suitable for running the AC.

While the initial cost is fairly high, it works, especially with judicious electrical loading. I have an external switchbox so I can choose between trailer battery or one of the solar batteries.

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Regarding a generator, I would strongly advise buying one that puts out a minimum of 2000 watts. It won't power a microwave, but will handle your furnace. I bought an induction cook plate which draws less power.

Remember, most generators are advertized for their continuous output, not start-up output, so the initial draw of an appliance load may kick the generator off-line. Carefully assess what appliances you wish to have available off a generator before you buy. Mine is a Champion which puts out 2200 watts and it starts easily, is quiet and not too heavy to offload from my truck. My generator is basically a back-up for the solar system. 

I think manufacturers like to promote the larger number, which is the surge rating.

So in your 2KW example, the continuous rating is probably more like 1800 watts or thereabouts. 

Basic items you will need for just about any small generator are: Gas can, funnel, oil, starting fluid, fuel stabilizer, and maybe a spare sparkplug and wrench if you camp in high altitudes. Generators usually operate in high altitudes fairly well (with some loss in power) but if you consistently camp in very high altitudes, its a good idea to change the carb jet. Of course some of the new small generators have fuel injection so no jetting change is required. 

The microwave requires 12.3A which is no problem at all for the Honda 2K. 

0.85 is optimistic, I've seen compressors show .5 or less....

I doubt its that low, most compressors I've seen are around the 0.8 to 0.9 power factor range. Also, that would mean the a/c unit was only drawing about 880 watts true power, giving it an EER of around 15.  That would be unrealistically efficient. 

But, if anyone has a true power meter it would be interesting to get an actual measurement. I don't currently have accesss to one that will handle the required current (the little kill-a-watt units are only rated to 15A).

Thanks!

I am surprised you only get 4 days. In a 171 I get three to four with one Group 24. (We use headlamps a lot at night.)

I assume your two are not 6 volt golf cart batteries but Group 24s. Just as a cheaper suggestion than a generator, for a 'minimalist' approach, how about two Group 27s?

The thing about batteries is that if they aren't recharged they will eventually run down no matter how many you have or how big they are.  With a 2000+ watt generator you can keep your batteries charged and while doing so, run the microwave or coffee maker and/or other 120v appliances.

It can be a lot to lug around, but if you're okay with that, and the very common campground generator hours, that are sometimes more restrictive than "quiet hours" (sometimes generators aren't allowed at all -- always check), and the fact that if your neighbors can hear it they will hate you (unless they also have a generator), a generator is a great solution and can really provide some peace of mind.

Be sure you get the quietest generator you can afford that will do the job you want.

TT--

Electrical requirements vary a lot by personal choice and especially weather. For example, below is my typical summertime usage in warm to hot weather. Totals about 70 AH/day so I get about a day and a half to 50% depth of discharge out of my GC2's. 3/4 of that load are fans that are generally on 24/7 when its pretty hot.  Fans are big energy hogs.  If I hit a nice period with no heating or cooling I drop to only about 16 AH/day and can go close to a week on the two GC'2. 

Lisa Paul Jennings, I don't have any experience with those particular gennies but I think in your situation getting a 2 to 2.4 kw generator is a good choice. Its going to be about 50 lbs so not too bad to lift but large enough that you can choose in the future to run your microwave or even your a/c if you install an easy start device. I suggest getting one that has a continuous duty rating of at least 1600-1700 watts. Also, you might want to look at a dual propane/gasoline one so you don't have to carry gasoline around while camping. 

As for the easy-start capacitor installation for the air conditioner, if you're going to get a generator, try the air conditioner without doing the easy-start thing first, if you even care about running the air.  You may (likely) won't need it.  My air con works fine with my Yamaha EF2400iSHC.  It might be less expensive, and more useful, to get a generator with a few more watts than a smaller generator and the easy-start kit.

Microwave display on but not cooking, propane detector on, LED lights off, USB port lit but not charging anything, radio off but lit up, vent fan off. No other items such as furnace, fridge, or water heater powered up. Typical stand-by setting.

1175 watts at 115V with 0.95 pf works out to only 10.75A though, which is much lower than the 15.3A I was getting in hot conditions last summer, which at 0.95pf works out to 1671 watts. I'm guessing your a/c wasn't building up much back pressure due to pretty mild temp conditions. What were the outside and inside temperatures during the test? 

The kill-a-watt is too slow for the a/c start surge. But it probably doesn't really matter. Either it starts reliably or it doesn't.  The running power factor is more useful because that tells us how much energy the a/c requires. If its producing 13.5 kbtu/hr cooling on a hot day using 1671 watts then its EER is only about 8, which is terrible compared to high quality modern inverter based minisplit units, some of which have an EER exceeding 15. 

Thank you but I am afraid that I speak for a lot of electrically-challenged people when I ask you to give us a 'bottom line' on your investigation. I did an internet search for 'PF' and I don't think you were referring to 'pension funds'.  

                                                                    

The ambient temps were at about 88 degrees with full sun on the roof, partial sun on the side of the trailer, and starting interior of the pod temp at about 92. It cooled down to around 75 in about a half hour, of course I was cycling the A/C on purpose and the door was opened and closed several times. No attempt was made to super-cool the pod nor measure the cool-down time.

Possibly you had your fridge on AC power which is around an amp or so, and maybe the charger was working more, maybe a few more items loading down the AC line. 

Dunno, but I will call it good for now.

Originally posted by offgrid It’s useful to know what the power factor of a load is for a couple of reasons. One is that you can’t just use your clamp on current meter to measure power used in ac loads. The other is that if you’re running a load with a low power factor on a generator you could overload the generator electrical circuit and trip it’s breaker while still having plenty of power available from the engine itself.

If one has a clamp-on meter that claims to be able to measure true RMS current, would it measure accurate pwer used for AC loads?

It's a 2019, with a standard 13.5 Dometic roof air.
 

Things get curiouser and curiouser....

No, it won't. RMS stands for root mean square, which is a fancy way of "averaging" the current or voltage beining measured. That doesn't tell you anything about how far out of phase with each other the current and voltage cycles are, so you don't know what the true power being used is. The kill-a-watt is a pretty low cost way to do it, but those are limited to 15A.

You might try one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JB9B2QL/ref=psdc_14244471_t1_B01MRZAFAF - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JB9B2QL/ref=psdc_14244471_t1_B01MRZAFAF

Yes, that is indeed curious. The 1762 watts is pretty close to the 1670 I get using my clamp on ammeter measurement and your power factor measurement. Do you have a clamp on ammeter you can compare to the current reading on the kill-a-watt? 

http://www.dometic.com/en-us/us/products/climate/air-conditioners/rv-air-conditioners/dometic-brisk-ii-air-_-20674#specifications - http://www.dometic.com/en-us/us/products/climate/air-conditioners/rv-air-conditioners/dometic-brisk-ii-air-_-20674#specifications

Coincidentally that shows a power consumption of 1670 watts. 

In the US a/c's EER (energy efficiency ratio = BTU/hour divided by watts load) and power consumption are typically spec'd at 95F 40% relative humidity outdoors  and 80F 51% RH indoors. I was pretty close to that when I took my measurements last summer. We know that the SEER (seasonal) efficiency ratings of a/c's are much better than the EER's which implies that they are a lot more efficient when its cooler outside. 

Here is a link discussing this 

http://www.powerknot.com/2011/03/01/cops-eers-and-seers/ - http://www.powerknot.com/2011/03/01/cops-eers-and-seers/

Even it you find that you're pulling the 1700 running watts when it gets hot I don't think your 3500 watt genny will have any problems starting the a/c unless you're trying to run the microwave or some other big ac load at the same time. Folks seem to usually have trouble starting the a/c (without an easystart) with gennies rated at 3kW or lower.