7 Best Generators For Static Caravans
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Generators are extremely handy to have to hand if you are staying in a static caravan as they are a back up power source for when your original source drops or is low. They can provide you with electricity to keep your fridge cold, tv and even heating to keep you warm.
Generators are both useful and practical for static caravans no matter where you are as they provide power when power is low or non-existant. Generators can be as industrial as you can afford or small and portable for ease of use.
In this article we are going to talk about what you can use a generator for, what you should be looking for in a generator and what the best generators on the market are.
Can I Use A Generator For A Static Caravan?
You certainly can use a generator to supply power to your static caravan. In fact, we’d be surprised if you have a static caravan and haven’t looked into generators in the past.
The main reason you’d want to use a generator for your static caravan is that the location of your caravan could have a poor power supply at the moment. This could be because there’s currently no mains supply, or the mains supply itself is faulty.
Either way, we understand why you’d want to use a generator, and you can be sure that you’ve come to the right place – as we’ve made sure to do more than our fair share of research on the best things to look for in a generator for your static caravan.
Main Categories of Generators
Generally speaking, there are four main categories of generators. While they aren’t expressly important in deciding which type of generator you want or need for your caravan, knowing the types can be helpful. Knowing more about generators, in general, makes you more knowledge to pick the right generator for you.
1. Recreational
These are fairly small generators that tend to be particularly quiet and very portable – by design. These generators are ideal for charging any battery packs that you might take with you when camping, as well as running your caravan itself.
Additionally, these generators can be used for small portable backup requirements.
2. Portable Trade
This type of generator really has a great description built right into the name – these generators are much larger than the ones in the recreational category, but they’re still fairly portable, and best used for farming and construction work.
Generally, these generators also have specialized safety solutions as they are likely to be used in a dirty, messy, and otherwise hazardous environment.
3. Emergency Backup
Again, these generators have a name that makes their function fairly obvious – they’re designed to be plugged into a house or office in case of an emergency. Typically, these generators are often used for buildings that have an off-grid power setup already installed and working, but that system is a little unpredictable.
For example, an off-grid office building may have solar panels pre-installed and working, but they may also have an emergency backup generator plugged in so that they can be sure to always have power, even if the solar system fails.
4. Stationary
These types of generators are very large affairs that are often only able to be moved by crane or forklift. Usually, they’ll be put into place at the start of a given project, and configured to the requirements at hand.
They may have certain outlets added or removed, and be configured to supply a specific wattage at all times. Typically, this type of generator is used for council or government buildings, utility companies, and data centres.
What Should I Look For In A Generator For A Static Caravan?
Quietness
The relative noise of a generator has a huge impact on the environments in which it can be used. In the product listing for a generator (or on the generator itself) you should be able to see a dBA (decibel) rating.
The lower a decibel rating is, then the quieter it is. Of course, only you can know how quiet you’d like it to be – but we’d advise going for a quieter generator if you’ll be around people while using it.
For a little perspective, the sound of an average lawnmower is typically around 70dBA. Realistically, a generator designed for use on a static caravan site should be quieter than that.
Mains and Generator Toggle
This is an important feature to have if your static caravan is already hooked up to the mains power of wherever you are. If that’s the case, then you may be considering a generator to provide you power during periods of unpredictability with mains electricity.
A mains and generator toggle is essentially a switch that allows you to switch the power of your caravan from drawing from the mains to drawing from the generator itself. These switches can be manual or automatic, and if you’re willing to spend a bit of money – they can be almost seamless.
In the case of an automatic switch, you’ll avoid having to trek out to your generator in (potentially) adverse weather conditions. An automatic switch can also be implemented to ensure that your batteries are topped up when necessary – this could be useful to top up solar batteries during the night or cloudy periods.
Power Output
The power output needs of every person who’s using a generator will be different for everyone out there. Generally speaking, the power needs of a caravan and the output of a given generator are measured in watts. An appliance will say on it what wattage it draws. If it doesn’t say that, then the information will likely be available online.
To find a generator that’s ideal for you, add up the wattage of everything that you’ll have in your caravan. To be on the safe side, you want to have a generator capable of powering everything in your static caravan at the same time – this will ensure you don’t accidentally overburden your generator, which is understandable dangerous.
Fuel Tank Capacity
Fuel tanks are big things that people generally overlook when buying a generator. Most generators make power from petrol or diesel, and then pipe that power into your static caravan via cables. Of course, they cannot do that if they don’t have enough fuel to do so.
Ideally, you want a generator that is fuel-efficient and can see you through the required tasks without needing constant refueling. Generators will typically be advertised with how much fuel they use per hour, allowing you to calculate how much fuel you’ll need to run them for the longest time you could possibly be using them for.
Once you have that figure, you’ll be able to figure out what size fuel tank you need. If you’ve found a generator that’s right in every way aside from the size of the fuel tank, then you can always get a couple of jerry cans to fill with petrol. Keep an eye on how often you’ll need to refuel the generator though because you don’t want to be hassled with that if you can avoid it.
Weight and Portability
As we discussed in the first portion of this list, there are many different types of generators, each of which is uniquely suited to a different set of potential problems. In order to find the best one for you, make sure you’re getting as lightweight a model as possible to ensure that it’s easy to transport.
If you do need a large model, however, there is a large amount of kit on the market that is ideal for transporting these large examples, should you need to.
Remote Start
A remote start for your generator may seem like a needlessly extravagant feature, to begin with, but it’s actually a really great idea. It’s best for use in situations where you are connected to mains power, but the power sometimes goes out and therefore isn’t suitable for round-the-clock appliances.
In that situation, you’ll typically be quickly alerted to the mains power being unavailable, and you may want to quickly turn on your own generator. In that case, a remote start is ideal – being able to simply press a button on a remote means that you’ll have reliable power quickly and easily – potentially for several hours until the generator needs to be refilled with fuel.
Top 7 Generators For Static Caravans
1. Sealey Inverter 2Kw Generator
This is a great generator, ideal for intermittent use with your static caravan. The generator itself delivers up to 2000 watts, which should be plenty for domestic or workshop usages.
The thing that makes this generator ideal for use as part of a static caravan is that it is almost silent – the 4 stroke petrol engine is extremely quiet. You can actually configure the generator to run on eco mode, at which point it will run at the very quiet 60dB.
2. Bohmer-AG Quiet Portable Generator
The Bohmer-AG generator packs an awful lot of great offerings into a fairly compact generator. For example, the tank itself has an eleven-liter capacity, which allows it to run for sixteen hours on a single tank.
The generator is also very safety conscious, with an overload sensor built-in to ensure that the generator isn’t overburdened. In that same vein, the generator has an auto-shutdown function in the case that it is low on oil – which can happen from time to time – just like in a car.
Perhaps the most impressive function actually isn’t part of the generator – there is a UK-based technical support line that is completely free to call in the event that you have any trouble with the generator itself. The operators will be happy to help you out; that level of customer service is always impressive!
3. Gowe 3.5 Kw Inverter Mobile Generator
This particularly petite generator is ideal for those who don’t need much power and are confident, comfortable, and happy with something that will provide them with just the right amount. With that said, the generator certainly does pack a punch, with an upper limit of 2600W split between two AC electrical outlets.
This generator also has a remote start function, which is an often-overlooked but always appreciated feature that we love to see. The remote command function can be expanded by as much as fifty meters!
Finally, we’re really impressed by the fuel tank and overall efficiency of this generator – the 7.5-liter fuel tank virtually ensures a long functioning period.
This generator also has some alternative power outlets, from USB outlets for smaller appliances like phones to cigarette lighter outlets, which may be useful for older pieces of technology that are still working like a charm.
4. Draper 700W Small Petrol Generator
This generator is among the smallest on our list – weighing in at eighteen kilograms and having a 2.5-liter fuel tank. This small size means that the body can house a 2 stroke fuel engine, which provides 700 watts of power. This isn’t an awful lot, but it may be plenty for those who are going it solo, or with just one other person.
The generator also has a number of handy features – such as its ergonomic design. For example, the body of the generator is built with a handle that allows the user to easily pick up the generator and move it around – ideal for a small generator such as this one.
5. Briggs & Stratton Small Generator For Tenting
This is another particularly small generator, but this one doesn’t hold back on the power that it can supply. For example, up to 1600 functioning watts are available in the small body of the generator, which is a testament to the efficiency of the small appliance.
This efficiency is also shown by the fact that the large (for a compact generator) fuel tank can house up to t3.6 liters of fuel, which is perfect for 6.5 hours or more of continuous usage.
Impressively, this generator also has dramatically reduced upkeep, as well as impressively low functioning volume level. The internal motor has an ambient volume of 59 dB, which is low enough to even be slept near to. This feature is what makes it impressive for use with a static caravan – the low noise output is ideal for caravan parks which may house a number of people all at once.
6. SEi Hyundai 3Kw Electric Petrol Generator
This generator is the favourite of a number of different blogs out there, and we’re no different. The 3Kw electric petrol generator is very light – weighing only 29kg – and has an integrated handgrip as well.
The generator is ideal for leisure time use, and the upper limit of 3Kw allows you to easily power televisions or laptops. We wouldn’t recommend this generator for round-the-clock use, rather for occasional use in areas with unpredictable power supply.
This is where the final feature comes in: the generator offers remote devices ideal for starting power production when mains power might fail you. This is sometimes the case in a static caravan, which means that we’d recommend using this generator as a dependable external source of electrical power.
7. Champion Petrol Inverter Generator UK
This is quite the generator, providing 2300 watts as its upper limit. Furthermore, the machine has been tested at great length to ensure that it’s very safe. There is a delay stop function within the generator which shuts down electrical power, meaning that there will never be a surge from this generator.
The generator itself has a peak electrical current of 15.8 amps, which makes it perfect for static caravans.
Most impressively for use in a static caravan, however, is the lack of noise that this generator produces. At a distance of twenty feet, the volume clocks in at 53dB – exceptionally quiet! As we’ve pointed out several times in this article, the amount of noise that a generator produces is an important part of using it.
As such, a generator as quiet as this one is definitely worth considering.