Best overlanding electric generator

What size and brand is the best quality/priced electric generator for 1-2night overlanding trips? What I would be looking to power is a small fridge/cooler that plugs into 12v power, phones, sounds machine at night for the kids and other miscellaneous needs.

 

Solar/ Dual battery is the most Overland, Dometic/Goal Zero and other portable battery packs are also pretty Overland, Honda is known to be quiet, and then there's a guy pushing a 2nd alternator "Never take a generator overlanding again"


Or just book a site with power hookup...


But really those loads listed can be run off your single battery in your truck for 1-2 nights. Get some portable phone battery packs and a battery powered noise generator.

 

$25 CZH-LABS LVD Low Voltage Disconnect Module. (12V / 30Amp)

https://www.amazon.com/CZH-LABS-Vol...710954&sprefix=12+volt+low+vol,aps,177&sr=8-2

$26 Wireless Portable Charger 30800mAh 15W Wireless Charging 25W PD QC4.0 Fast Charging Smart LCD Display USB-C Power Bank, 4 Output External Battery Pack Compatible with iPhone 15/14/13/12, Samsung etc

https://smile.amazon.com/Wireless-P...1&keywords=battery+pack&qid=1626710809&sr=8-4

$20 White Noise Generator, Rain Sound Machine for Sleeping, Baby Soother - Portable White Noise Machine for Office Privacy & Noise Canceling, Sound Machine Battery Operated or Plug-in Nature Noise Maker

https://smile.amazon.com/Big-Red-Ro...+generator+for+sleeping&qid=1626710854&sr=8-5

 

TBH any deep cycle battery would have no problem running your fridge. I ran mine for the longest time and sometimes still do off my deep cycle and let it sit for 12 plus hours sometimes with out cranking the truck. Thats with other accessory's (lights) running. That being said i have recently acquired a jackery 240 and it will run the fridge for about 20 hours from a full charge with the fridge on eco mode. Id get the 300-for a 1-2 night trip.

 

Yeah I guess the fridge/freezer is the only thing I would really have to run off of an additional power source.

 

I would love a jackery with a solar panel lol they are pricey though!

 

https://smile.amazon.com/GOOLOO-Por...=gooloo+solar+generator&qid=1626712321&sr=8-3

Using the coupon, this 500 watt rig is only $298 right now!

I've had awesome luck with GOOLOO jump packs, so I jumped on this guy a month or so ago. My sis, and two of my friends also bought it. All working great so far.

 

yea i won mine from a jockey giveaway. So that was nice.

 

Don't have to have a seperate power source, but I'd definitely install a 12v low voltage cutoff

 

ARB and Dometic, at least, both have a setting to automatically cut off at some voltage level. I always set at the highest voltage when running off my House batteries, even thought they weren't needed for starting. If using a solar generator though, most lithium ones require you to run your fridge on the lowest voltage shutoff, since Lithium runs at such lower voltage.

 

Good point, but OP didn't give a brand, better safe than sorry. Or also get a jump starter pack.

 

Wow great deal!

 

That’s awesome

 

I think EVERY person should have a jump pack in their car!! Work great for other things too. Recharging phones, running small 12v Accessories (I run a 12v Water pump from one and 4x light a life 350 Goal Zero lanterns in our screen room), and of course jumping a car.

 

For a deep cycle battery? how long would it last just with the battery and an inverter? few days? If running fridge and charging phones?
I feel that's a cheaper alternative, than those fancy jackrys and GOOLOO
I also heard you can charged a dead AGM battery.

 

I ran mine off 12v I put in bed and ran it for 12 plus hours with lights charging phones and what not and truck still started up the next day no problem.

 

I’ve got the diehard 720CCA battery

 

Best to run as many 12v appliances as possible. No real need to bring 110v things and convert 12v to 110v and back to 12v or 5v

 

THIS ^^^^

You should absolutely stick to 12v stuff. Just running an inverter eats power without even plugging anything into it! And with the power loss every time you change voltage you are just throwing away even more power.

 

Two weekends ago, I ran an Iceco VL45, with insulated cover, on a Duracell AGM Deep Cycle 31M Battery for just shy of 72 hrs. I prechilled the fridge at home using 110v and then utilized 12v for the 72 hrs. I was using the VL45 as a fridge, not a freezer and had it set between 39 and 41 degrees Fahrenheit. I used the fridge for food, not drinks, so I wasn't getting in it all that often, probably 10x per day. Outside temps ranged from 70 to 85 degrees. When I unplugged the fridge the battery was still cranking away.

This is the battery I have: https://www.samsclub.com/p/duracell...p-size-31dtmagm/prod3590232?xid=plp_product_4