As more and more Americans struggle to find affordable ways to travel, attention has turned to the niche market of recreational vehicles.
But is it possible for eco-minded travelers to reduce their carbon footprint""or tire tracks""when driving these behemoths?
Welcome to the world of green RVs.
The good news is that the RV industry is adjusting to the demands of a more environmentally conscious public. Vehicles are offering more efficient fuel usage and improved design, while providing spacious accommodations that can fit realistic budgets.
Modern motor homes use fuel-efficient diesel engines that get about 15 miles per gallon as opposed to the industry standard of 8-10 mpg.
Manufacturers are building RVs with lighter composites [similar to the material found in golf balls], experimenting with new design, combating wind resistance by making sleeker front ends that improve overall fuel efficiency, changing the look of trailers to a more European design, with an aerodynamic front that conserves energy.
Innovations hitting the RV world include units powered by solar and wind turbines, which generate electricity, power gourmet kitchens, full bathrooms, and home entertainment centers. According to the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association, a coalition of nearly 500 manufacturers, suppliers, and dealers of recreational vehicles, up to 20 percent of RVers use solar panels to power on-board systems.
Meanwhile, manufacturers like Winnebago and Fleetwood are introducing newer hybrid models that incorporating diesel engines and batteries. Like hybrid cars, these RVs rely on battery power for city and slower driving, and both the battery and diesel engine at higher speed [which charges the battery at the same time]. That means a hybrid vehicle can travel up to 700 miles without refueling, using approximately 12 miles per gallon.
Then there is the option to simply downsize. While most people still associate RVs with the lumbering giants of years past, smaller, lightweight vehicles are growing increasingly popular. Just look at the San Francisco-based Lost Campers USA [lostcampersusa], which has converted American minivans into camping vehicles that feature bed, storage, awning, and camping necessities. The small, sleek vehicle provides a creative, budget-friendly option""rates start from as little as $31 a day.
A recent independent study by the Department of the Environment in Britain showed that, on average, RVs released 4.58 pounds of CO2 per mile versus 1.39 pounds per mile for an average car. But an important factor to consider is how RVs reduce our carbon footprint through conservation and efficiency. Essentially a home on wheels, RVs are a one-stop shop that transport, feed, wash, and entertain traveling groups. There's no need to worry about the carbon output of flying, staying in a hotel and eating in restaurants.
In fact, according to PKF Consulting, a research firm specializing in travel and tourism, families of four taking RV vacations generate less carbon dioxide than families traveling on a plane, renting a car and staying in a hotel.
This study analyzed the CO2 emissions of vacations varying in length, and included car/folding camping trailer, SUV/travel trailer, Type C motorhome, and Type A motorhome [diesel]. Using the carbon calculator methodology developed by Conservation International, an organization promoting biodiversity conservation, PKF found that in each case, RV vacations had a softer environmental impact than the typical airline/rental car/hotel vacation.
In even better news, according to the Office of Transportation and Air Quality, a branch of the Environmental Protection Agency, modern RVs currently meet top emission standards across the board. The EPA has implemented a lengthy process of testing and enforcing standards, which means that all RVs in the United States face a rigorous process of certification by the National Vehicle Fuel Emissions Lab in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Bottom line? RVs are poised to make a positive impact on travel. It's time to get into gear and get moving.
About the Author
PeterGreenberg.com is a constantly updated source for the latest in travel news, analysis and information led by travel guru Peter Greenberg. For more information, please visit www.PeterGreenberg.com.
generator In Rv RV Generator Won't Start-Nothing Happens?
We recently purchased an RV with a Onan Emerald III GenSet Generator. The previous owner says it started last fall & hasn't been started since. We replaced main(chassis) battery in RV. We press the Start Generator button in RV, nothing happens. Go outside & press Start button directly on RV, nothing happens. And I mean nothing, no click, no hum. Was told if RV has less than 1/4 tank gas, generator will turn over, but won't run & its not even turning over. I read that the generator has a battery of its own & I have no idea if thats true or where it is to try & jump it. Fuse has been checked on generator & it is fine. Any detailed troubleshooting someone can give me would be great!! I'm not very mechanically inclined but not a complete moron either. Thank you!!!
The FUEL PICKUP for the genset is SEPARATE from the one for the motor and does NOT go all the way down in the tank so someone won't run their genset and then run the RV out of fuel for the motor. Try putting some GAS in the thing. Also, I can tell you from personal experience you will have about $500 in that genset before you get it up and running correctly. Have you even CLEANED OUT THE FUEL PUMP? There is a cap on the bottom of it that you turn and take off to CLEAN THE FILTER.. you do know that.. right? What does the MANUAL tell you?.. you DID get an engine manual with the RV.. right?
I've had some fairly dramatic mishaps involving RV's. On one family trip to Alaska, in particular. (Sidenote- have you ever driven to Alaska from the contiguous 48 states? It is a very, very, very long drive.) I was four or five years old; now, you may wonder if I can actually remember what happened back then—I have heard this story countless times, and doubt that I will live it down by the time I go to that glorious RV park in the sky. <br>
I had been doing remarkably well for a four-year old, entertaining myself and not singing John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt too many times. I was something of an I Spy prodigy, though, so a few dozen games of that were in order. I believe my Polly Pockets had a lot of action on that trip, too. Well, and then there was always my older brother to answer questions that led to more questions that led to more questions. <br>
One night, after we had pulled into the park, I used the bathroom and (very hygienically) tried to wash my hands. However, the water was out in the park, so nothing happened and I apparently didn't see the need to turn the not-working water off. This would have been fine were it not for a little quirk I'd developed of always putting the plug in the sink when I washed my hands. We left the RV for dinner by the lake, and while we were gone, the water came back on. When we got back, well, there was a lake in our RV. <br>
That night, our towels and the wet/dry vacuum hooked up to our generator all got a workout sopping up and pumping out the gallons upon gallons of water that had accumulated in there. We had a little help though, the water had started pouring out the cracks of the doors, as well. <br>
The next day, with spirits high but slightly damp, we set off again. I went back to use the bathroom again, but when I was done, I forgot to flip the switch that turns the water off. On one of the bumps in the road, a rogue roll of toilet paper fell out of the cabinet and wedged itself between the wall and the lever that lets the water in, so the toilet bowl filled. and filled. and filled. We were all blissfully ignorant up in the front until we started going uphill, and all the water rushed to the very back. <br>
Two for two. Needless to say, I wasn't the favorite member of the family that night. Our still-damp towels were hauled back out, along with the wet/dry vacuum and RV generator. Luckily, as much as you could depend on me to flood the motor home, you could depend on our RV generator to have the power to clean the mess up. <br>
Your home away from home should be just as dependable as your home that's not on wheels, and I know from experience that RV generators are an indispensable part of that. They run on either standard gasoline, diesel or propane, and are rated by their output, anywhere from 1000 to 7000 watts. If you're planning on running an air conditioning unit in your RV, you should have a minimum of 3000 watts. <br>
RV generators aren't only useful in your RV; they're great for campsite, jobsites and your home. Where I'm from, power outages are common, so having at least a small generator at home is a necessity if you want to keep the food in your fridge and freezer from spoiling. Most of them weigh just a little over 100 lbs,, making for easy transportation between locations. <br>
Before you set out on your next big RV trip, there are three things I highly recommend you do. First, instruct all members of the expedition in the intricacies of RV bathrooms. Second, become highly skilled in games such as I Spy or Pretending You're Asleep so Small Children Don't Ask You to Play I Spy Again. Third, and definitely most important, buy an RV generator!
Generator On Rv Charging battery in a travel trailer?
I am new to camper with a travel trailer. I am aware that the rv batteries are charged from the tow vehicle but is it efficient enough (more efficient than say a 10watt solar panel)? If I charge the batteries at home fully and than go on a 7 hour trip to the campsite that has no hookups, will my truck maintain the charge on the rv battery? What happens if the rv batteries go dead, can my truck recharge them? I do not have a generator. What advantages does two 6v batteries have over one 12v batteries have?
Hey Chuck, your other answers here are correct, but understand, a 10 watt solar panel will accomplish almost nothing. It will put out about 1/2 amp, in direct sun only, for a couple hours in the middle of the day. If it were me, I would go with the deep cycle batteries, not the ones you buy in the Walmart automotive section, but golf cart batteries, in particular Trojan T-105. They are 6 volt, so you need 2 of them wired end to end for 12 volts. Then if you had a real panel, something like 50 to 75 watts, you could put it on the roof of your camper, and it would make some power you can use. You would still be able to charge them from home before the trip, or at a campsite with hookups, or with the vehicle, the panel will only add power when it is needed. Also, by using a panel not over 75 watts, you would not overcharge the golf cart batteries even if they were full and the sun was out. That size panel has a max current of about 4 amps, less than he 2% limit to operate without a charge controller.
As far as how long they would last, it is just a matter of usage. You'll have to go camping some time and try it out. In a few nights, you'll get an idea for what items use power the fastest, and how long you can operate your normal loads without a charge cycle, but a good sized panel will vastly extend the recharge times, if it is at least partly sunny. Check out some sources below, and good luck, Rudydoo
Rv Generator No How do you travel with pets, as in RV'ing in a conversion van?
Concerns are leaving pet in car. No generator for air conditioning or heater. I'm thinking more on what can I do with my pet if I am traveling and I would like to go to a tourist attraction ... like a museum or zoo or something for a few hours? Conversion vans aren't large enough for a generator like a massive RV is. I'd like to travel with my dog, but I'd like to see more than just the scenery. If it is too warm or too cold to leave the dog, I could keep the van running, but by doing that, I leave the chance of having it stolen.
No AC and No heat???? Don't! Flat out, just don't.
Airstream RV Blog #29 - A Great "No Hookup" Campground
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Beating Winter Temperatures In An Enclosed Rv Carport
The versatility and affordability of enclosed RV cover / carports has expanded their uses beyond just sheltering vehicles to functioning as home offices, work spaces, and/or play areas. As these uses become more integral in work and family life, having the area in which these activities take place get shut down due to cold temperatures becomes less and less of an option. As carport designs continue to evolve, making them more like room additions than bare bones shelters, a variety of heating options has also developed.
The two primary options for heating these living spaces are electrical or gas generated heat. Getting the right sized heating unit for the space being used is critical to make sure that enough heat gets generated without spending too much on a unit that is bigger than it needs to be. The following are approximations for the heater output required to warm the square footage of a living/working space:
After getting the right sized heating unit, the next decision will be how best to heat the designated area. Depending on whether heating must be spread throughout the area or targeted to a specific area will determine the proper type of heater. For heating wide areas, going with a convection heater is usually the best choice. An example where a convection style heater would be best is an area where people might be dispersed or moving around such as a play area or for a business with work areas which are spread out over the square footage of the structure. A less expensive option, such as a radiant or infra-red heater, would work if the area to be heated can be targeted to a specific area, such as a work desk. Money can also be saved by insulating the structure and adding weather stripping to doors and windows.
As more RV carports are being wired for electrical output, hooking up regulation heaters has become a common practice. For areas that don't experience freezing temperatures, space heaters can also provide enough heat from a 120 volt outlet but care must always be taken to keep the heaters upright and away from all kinds of flammable materials. A "tip-over" feature automatically turns the heater off or emits a beeping sound should the unit be upended.
Gas heaters can generate heat from both fixed and portable sources. Natural gas and liquid petroleum supply heaters from fixed piping systems while propane and kerosene are carried in storage tanks. With any gas based heating system it is extremely important to ventilate the heated area as well as placing carbon monoxide sensors around the interior of the structure to alert occupants of any kind of buildup of the noxious gas. Of the four gas sources, kerosene carries a consistently strong odor making it probably the least desirable source of heat, especially in an enclosed or poorly ventilated structure.
About the Author
RV Carports Direct is one of the largest distributors of quality steel buildings, RV Covers and carports and metal garages in the continental United States. For more information visit: RV Cover For Sale
