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Best Travel Trailer RV Generators (for 2022)

Published on May 30th, 2018 by Ray & Tammy Roman
This post was updated on January 20th, 2023

camping with the best travel trailer RV generators
Sooner or later, every RVer needs portable generator power.

If your travel trailer does not come equipped with a generator, sooner or later, you are going to want one. If that day is now, our list of the best travel trailer RV generators can help you decide which to buy, depending on your camping style and power needs.

What is the Best Travel Trailer RV Generator Size?

The best size generator for a travel trailer depends on what you intend to power with it. Most RVers need a generator to run their air conditioner and lights. Others want to run electric grills, microwaves, television, radio, etc.

If your A/C is 13,500 BTU, you need a generator with a starting wattage of about 2800-3000 with a running wattage specification of 1500-2000 watts.

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best RV generators
Consider how much amperage you will need and how long you want the generator to run.

What To Look For In A Travel Trailer RV Generator

When it comes to purchasing a portable generator suitable for RV camping, there are several things you need to consider before you make that purchase.

Noise Level

One of the first things you need to consider is how much noise the generator will make. At many campgrounds, there is a limit on just how much noise there can be. Most campgrounds will not tolerate a generator that makes more than 65 to 68 decibels of noise.

When looking at the specifics of the generator you are thinking of buying, look for one with a decibel rating of less than 68.

Power Output

Next, you need to consider just how much power the generator puts out. To choose the right size RV generator, you’re going to need to know just how much power your travel trailer will require.

Typically, you are only going to run a few things off the generator. That might include lights and air conditioning if it’s summer.

The Champion generator we chose above puts out 3800 running Watts, sufficient for running A 15000 BTU RV air conditioner.

Reliability and Durability

The next thing you need to consider before buying a portable RV generator is reliability and durability. You don’t want your generator to crap out on you when you need it most. So it’s especially important to choose a brand that is recognized in the industry and has a good warranty.

Price

Finally, the last item you need to consider is the price. The more expensive the generator, the more features it has. The more power that is put out, usually the quieter it is.

This is where you have to determine if getting more power and more features and a quieter generator is worth the extra price.

Best Dual Fuel Generator for Travel Trailers

Champion 76533 Dual Fuel RV Ready Generator
This generator runs on gas or propane, without mods!

The Champion 76533 Dual Fuel RV Ready Generator has several features that make this portable generator an excellent dual fuel generator for travel trailers and RV camping.

The Champion is a dual fuel which means it will run on gas or propane. No modification is needed since it is dual fuel right out of the box.

The Champion Power 3800 portable generator is also one of the best RV generators for boondocking.

Why the Champion Generator is Our Favorite

The engine itself is a 4-stroke engine, 224cc Champion engine with a rated noise level of about 68 dB from 23 feet. It can run up to 9 hours on a full gas tank and about 10 1.2 hours on a 20 lbs propane tank. It has Touch Start, which is a push-button electric start. The battery for the Touch Start is included.

As far as power is concerned, it will produce 4750 watts starting and 3800 running watts when using gasoline as the fuel source. Using propane, you will get 4275 starting watts and 3420 running watts.

It is RV-Ready with a standard 30A RV outlet with sufficient power to start and run a 15,000 BTU air conditioner.

Champion 3800-watt Generator: best dual fuel for camping use

You get plenty of outlets:

  • 120V 30A RV
  • 120V 30A locking outlet
  • 120V 20A household outlets

This all comes with Volt Guard, a surge protection system designed to protect your appliances from power surges. You also have the Intelligauge, which monitors power and tracks maintenance intervals.

In addition, you get a 3-Year limited warranty with Free lifetime technical support.

This one is not the most powerful camping generator, is not the most expensive, and is not the quietest portable generator either. But it offers the best all-around value for those looking for a generator to power their travel trailer when shore power is lost or while boondocking.

We choose the Champion 3800-Watt Dual Fuel Portable generator as the best travel trailer RV generator.

Best Quiet RV Generator

Honda EU2200i 2200-Watt 120-Volt Super Quiet Portable Inverter Generator with CO-Minder
When quiet is more important than output, the Honda EU2200I wins!

If a quiet generator is more important to you than power output, you may consider the Honda EU2200I. This Honda generator is a 120-volt 2200-watt quiet portable inverter generator. It is rated a 57 dB, less than a normal conversation.

This makes the Honda EU2200I our top pick for one of the best quiet generators for travel trailers.

The dimensions of this portable generator are 20 x 11.4 x 16.7 inches. It weighs just 47 pounds and uses gasoline as its fuel.

If you need more power than the Honda can provide, you can connect to the generators in parallel, giving you up to 4400 watts of power.

Clean, stable power in a small, quiet camping generator.

Depending on the load, this generator can run from 4 to 9.6 hours on a single gas tank.

The inverter technology in this Honda generator means you get stable, clean power in a smaller, lighter package.

In addition, it has a color-coded startup routine that makes starting the generator very easy. It is designed to have increased ventilation that improves the airflow around the generator resulting in better cooling and stability of key components.

Best RV Generator Inverter

Generac GP2200i portable travel trailer RV generator
A parallel-ready generator for twice the power.

The Generac 7117 is another excellent generator that can be used for camping or with your travel trailer.

The Generac 7117 is compact and quiet. It is also very easy to use. Some of the best features of this portable generator include the following:

  • Clean, stable power of sensitive electronics
  • 1.2-gallon fuel tank provides up to 10.75 hours of run time (at 25% load)
  • Built-in handle for easy carrying
  • It has an economy mode that extends run time and reduces noise
  • It is parallel-ready so that you can connect two for 2x the power
  • It has a 12V DC outlet and a USB outlet as well
Light, portable, and easy for weekend camping.

The GP3000i is RV connection ready, but you will need a cord to connect the generator and RV.

It won’t power as much as the Champion above since it is rated at 2,200 watts, but if you are looking to run a few items inside your travel trailer or if you are going to use it at your campsite, then it will do just fine.

This portable generator weighs 46.6 lbs and measures 19.7 x 11.4 x 17.9 inches. Overall a great little generator that will provide years of reliable service.

Best Built-In RV Generator

Cummins Onan Quiet Series Gasoline RV Generator
This built-in RV generator easily powers A/C units.
Many RVs come standard with the Cummins Onan generator.

It runs quieter than the National Park Service sound level requirements and comes with an hour meter.  Plus, it features high-quality, pure sine wave electrical output to help prevent damage to appliances

Best RV Solar Generator

Bluetti AC200P solar generator
Power your RV with a solar generator!

The Bluetti AC200P solar generator is a portable solar power station with an excellent assortment of features that make it an excellent solar-powered RV generator.

This solar generator features five different charging modes, 17 output ports, and a nice touchscreen for precise power control.

Bluetti makes the top solar generator.

The lithium iron phosphate battery is rated for up to 3500 charges, and the battery’s chemical composition makes it more environmentally friendly than most other types of RV batteries.

If a gas generator is not to your liking, then we think you’ll love this solar-powered RV generator by Bluetti.

Best Generator for RV Air Conditioner

Westinghouse WGen6000/7500 portable generator
You won’t be starved for power with the Westinghouse WGen6000/7500.

You need plenty of power to run your RV air conditioner with a generator. The Westinghouse WGen6000/7500 portable generator gives you exactly that. Rated at 6,000 running watts with a peak of 7,500 watts, you are not starved for power.

The 6.6-gallon fuel tank lets you run the generator for up to 13 hours. The WGen6000 features two GFCI outlets and five 120V outlets with rubber covers for safety.

The generator is powered by a 420c Westinghouse 4-stroke OHV engine with automatic low oil level shutdown and a digital hour meter.

Best Generator For 50-amp RV

DuroMax XP13000HX Dual Fuel Portable Generator
The best generator for 50-amp RV power.

For a 50-amp RV that can handle about 12,000 watts of electricity, you will need at least a 12,500-watts generating capacity. Our choice for this huge task is the DuroMax XP1300HX.

The DuroMax is one of the better RV generators on the market, featuring a newly redesigned control center with a digital multimeter and push-button start. Now you can change the fuel type in seconds with the front-facing fuel interface.

DuroMax makes high-end portable generators.

This is a 13000-watt generator that runs on gas or propane. It has a carbon monoxide sensor that shuts down the generator if poisonous gas is detected.

It has 4-120V GFCI outlets, one 120V 30AMP outlet, one 120/240V 30AMP twist-lock outlet, and a heavy-duty 120/240V 50AMP outlet making it ready for your RVs transfer switch.

Before you buy a portable generator, find out how much solar power your RV needs.

Final Thoughts on the Best Travel Trailer RV Generators

If you’re going to be doing a lot of camping at campgrounds, then getting a quiet generator is your best choice; if you’re going to be boondocking where annoying the camper next door is not such a big issue, then get the Champion generator we picked above as we consider it one of the best travel trailer RV generators for just about any situation.

The Champion portable generator we chose above is a balance between price, power, durability, and noise.

Like any other purchase you will make as a travel trailer owner, do your research before spending money. Make sure the travel trailer RV generator you buy is right for your needs and the environment you’re going to be in. Generators are not cheap. However, they are a must-have for most travel trailer enthusiasts.