Waiting to be evacuated

[Woodsie8*]

Sorry, longer post;
I am in Oregon with fires. No electricity for 5 days now. Used generator on RV chassis to run freezers in my home for 3 days (about 4 hrs a day) via extension cords. RV house battery went dead and now can’t fire up generator. Water pump, lights, etc, won’t come on.
Now investigating the following option without going overboard.

1) Another free standing generator for home freezers when there is a power outage. Seems over kill if I can plug into RV and use RV generator but obviously that only worked for 3 days, because nothing to keep RV house battery charged.
2) Solar panel on RV, to keep RV battery charged (to fire up generator) but will it be enough charge to run things in RV and start generator, to either boon-dock or plug in home freezer in outage?
3) Some kind of fully charged portable 12V battery charger that I can attach to house deep cell battery to replenish it and then recharge it with cigarette lighter d/c connection (chassis battery) with rig running
4) I am older, not sure if I can pull start a generator and if I get an electric start, I will still need electricity to keep it’s internal battery charged.
5) The only things I need to keep going in the house is the frig and deep freeze. I can go without the water heater. If in the winter, it would be nice to have heat but I could go into RV with propane heater but not sure if it needs battery.


It seems crazy to buy another generator when I have one in the RV, but if I need to use battery for more than 3 days, that did not work.

What would be the wisest choice? I have a 20’ RV, not a lot of room to haul another generator. May take a long time to charge one of those battery chargers with a cigarette lighter d/c connection.

FRUSTRATED BECAUSE I managed to keep food frozen and stay in the RV for 3 days without a problem. Now probably will have to toss food, dumping water in toilet to flush, and using my little solar lights to get around at night with.

Furthermore, let’s say this doesn’t have anything to do with freezers and I want to boon-dock longer than 3 days. Is there a reasonable solution that I can both keep freezers going in a power outage and boon-dock for an extended period Of time?
Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

Could you use a set of jumper cables from the battery on another vehicle to get your RV generator started?

It does sound like you may need new batteries as they should have been charged while the generator was running. Were you using the coach batteries for any heavy draw appliances between charging cycles?

TJ

 

[Woodsie8*]

Oh my gosh, I wonder if I could do that! It is under th rig, not sure if cables will reach but I will try that in daylight.

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

Oh my gosh, I wonder if I could do that! It is under th rig, not sure if cables will reach but I will try that in daylight.

Good luck and be careful. Be ready to leave at a moment's notice, if necessary. "Things" can be replaced, lost lives cannot!"

TJ

 

[murphysranch]

Stay safe is the most important thing. I'm in Medford Oregon and its been like Hell here. Same with the rest of the state with so many small towns burning to the ground. I wish I had a generator. Someday I'll invest in one. You and your life are more important, as you well know. Sorry to not have any advice.

 

[Woodsie8*]

It has been horrible!!! Up in the Mt Hood area. What a huge eye opener! I was amazed at how little I even thought of to grab. Cats, me, important papers. Cats have more food than I do I am so sorry about your area. My grandparents had a place in Talent. I used to know many people down there. Breaks mt heart.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Solar is not an option in smoke. Start the engine before you connect jumpers to the house system. after the genset is running disconnect the chassy cables. I have a friend near salem right now. only one way out for him and a broken truck. Try and stay safe.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Sorry, longer post;
I am in Oregon with fires. No electricity for 5 days now. Used generator on RV chassis to run freezers in my home for 3 days (about 4 hrs a day) via extension cords. RV house battery went dead and now can’t fire up generator. Water pump, lights, etc, won’t come on.
Now investigating the following option without going overboard.

1) Another free standing generator for home freezers when there is a power outage. Seems over kill if I can plug into RV and use RV generator but obviously that only worked for 3 days, because nothing to keep RV house battery charged.
2) Solar panel on RV, to keep RV battery charged (to fire up generator) but will it be enough charge to run things in RV and start generator, to either boon-dock or plug in home freezer in outage?
3) Some kind of fully charged portable 12V battery charger that I can attach to house deep cell battery to replenish it and then recharge it with cigarette lighter d/c connection (chassis battery) with rig running
4) I am older, not sure if I can pull start a generator and if I get an electric start, I will still need electricity to keep it’s internal battery charged.
5) The only things I need to keep going in the house is the frig and deep freeze. I can go without the water heater. If in the winter, it would be nice to have heat but I could go into RV with propane heater but not sure if it needs battery.


It seems crazy to buy another generator when I have one in the RV, but if I need to use battery for more than 3 days, that did not work.

What would be the wisest choice? I have a 20’ RV, not a lot of room to haul another generator. May take a long time to charge one of those battery chargers with a cigarette lighter d/c connection.

FRUSTRATED BECAUSE I managed to keep food frozen and stay in the RV for 3 days without a problem. Now probably will have to toss food, dumping water in toilet to flush, and using my little solar lights to get around at night with.

Furthermore, let’s say this doesn’t have anything to do with freezers and I want to boon-dock longer than 3 days. Is there a reasonable solution that I can both keep freezers going in a power outage and boon-dock for an extended period Of time?
Thanks for your thoughts!

I have a freezer but I have to tell you haven't used it in 3 or 4 years. I have resorted to canning. I do keep a residential two door refrigerator running and can do it on a 280 watt panel for extended time as long as I have no more than 2 days of clouds. Smoke is another problem. in smokey conditions I am lucky to keep the fridge going even with 1000 watts.

 

[Woodsie8*]

I am rethinking the deep freeze. I think I will use it but for grain berries, nuts, ice, ice packs. . If it is off, the grain and nuts will be fine. No more storing a bunch off food! Such unneeded added stress.

 

[BGMAC]

Here is a short clip a friend of mine took in Salem Or in the middle of the day. Most are working from home and staying in doors.