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Hiya,  I've been thinking about getting a small generator for a little while now as to avoid even worrying about EHU but was wondering if there are any general camping rules regarding noise..  I know they need to be pretty quiet ones but when I look about some say quiet, some silent and other just give you decibels so I'm a little confused as to what plan of action to take as the price varies somewhat from £200 to £1000 and obviously I would like to spend as little as possible but still have something thats going to last for a few years, what ones do you have ?

  Thanks Julie

Oh blimey really ?

I've only been camping twice and am booked to go to the F1 this year in July, I rang the campsite a little while ago as I booked last year to enquire about ehu and they said generators are very welcome so I just assumed all were the same, I just didn't ask about dba's..  

So even the "quiet" ones are a no no then ? I suppose some use them at night too which would cheese anyone off :(

We have found that even on C&CC THS's any use of generators was limited to an area set aside for their use about 100 yards away from the actual campsite and only for the express use of recharging your battery during very restricted times.

I would be very miffed indeed if I was relaxing outside my camper of an afternoon and my next door neighbour started running a generator.
I pay for an EHU just so that I do not annoy anyone else on the campsite because I need power for some essential medical equipment.

If you are on a campsite and you require power, then buy the power that is there for your use. If you don't want to pay for it, then do without it.

Generators are only for "off campsite" use where there use is acceptable to others around you.

Aww thanks guys, I appreciate your imput & I'm not too sure what I would need one for other than my hairdryer & straightners, lol..  I think maybe I was getting ahead of myself .. 

I suppose I was thinking if maybe we cant get ehu and we are away for a week maybe more then the genny would be a good option but after reading your comments, I think maybe not .. The last thing you want to do is fall out with your neighbours although the thought of having frizzy hair for an entire week is almost giving me sleepless nights, I'll have campers offering me their electric points once they cop a look at my mop ...

Oh well, its all part of camping having the natural look !!

  Julie

For weekends I stick my hair in a ponytail, I wouldn't be bothered with either hair or makeup when I'm camping. Ok I know everyone is different.

I groan with despair when I see someone pulling up with a generator. Last year the whole camp field was empty, there's no EHU for anyone on the site. The man in the caravan could have chosen any part of the site to pull up to but he chooses to pull up right beside my tent. Then he tells me he's got a generator, not to worry as he'll not keep it on long. I wasn't too pleased when he used it to watch TV all evening and after midnight, then first thing the next morning it woke me up as the TV was switched on again. Bloody Emerdale.

I have to agree with the majority of the postings so far in that you could make yourself very unpopular very quickly; especially if you use a generator where it is not appreciated; even rallies do not always welcome them unless they are used during specified times. That's not to say that you cannot use a generator; you just have to be considerate and sparing in its use.

That said, we justified the purchase of our generator on the grounds that we would like to 'wild-camp' (well, wild by our standards!), rally more often (the rallies we have attended are theme affairs where generators are allowed during prescribed hours to illuminate your 'van etc but will also top-up your battery at 8amps per hour) but more importantly, we suffer from around 10-12 power cuts per year; ranging from 30mins or so to a day and a half or longer.

We have had a 'stand-alone' socket fitted to the rear house wall so that if we lose all power (and sods law dictates that it will be when its cold and one of the children are unwell) we can plug the generator in and provide power for a 1Kw heater plus a 60w bulb plus radio or Tv. We have a twin electric hob that we could use either ring as well as a travel/camping kettle (low wattage) so we should be pretty much self sufficient until the power goes back on.

Bit of a luxury, but with a 25m trailing socket we can have light around the house if we didn't want to huddle in one room downstairs. A 1Kw heater does not have a massive heat output but it does, over time, warm a room up nicely (especially when it's -2 outside and you have not had any heating for 12hrs!

Consider a solar panel (as we are) or a second battery kept in the car charged from a split-charge system or fully charged from home before you leave. If you're new to camping, you can buy a huge range of 12v appliances including satellite tv systems and televisions if that was the main reason you wanted to stay with 230v.

Defender

Carnevas in Cornwall has a hair drying room free of charge,usually has ques out of the door every tea time.

If you are close by its actually noisier than a genny,and thats only the chatting going on

Quote: Originally posted by scoobybloo on 29/1/2011

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Aww thanks guys, I appreciate your imput & I'm not too sure what I would need one for other than my hairdryer & straightners, lol..  I think maybe I was getting ahead of myself .. 

I suppose I was thinking if maybe we cant get ehu and we are away for a week maybe more then the genny would be a good option but after reading your comments, I think maybe not .. The last thing you want to do is fall out with your neighbours although the thought of having frizzy hair for an entire week is almost giving me sleepless nights, I'll have campers offering me their electric points once they cop a look at my mop ...

Oh well, its all part of camping having the natural look !!

  Julie

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