This article is about the best 30 amp RV generators that you can buy for your RV.

Of course, if you’re always plugged into shore power at a campground, you may not even need a generator at all.

Instead, you might just have it as a backup in case there’s a power outage.

But if you like to boondock at all in your 30 amp RV, then having a portable generator can be very handy and very much appreciated!

And this is true even if you have solar power for your RV. That’s because you can sometimes go days without the sun even appearing.

And after several cloudy days, your solar power system often just can’t keep up.

So that’s where having a generator can be very helpful to fill in the gaps in your power needs.

Table of Contents

• Why Do You Need A Generator For A 30 Amp RV?
• What Takes The Most Power To Run In Your RV?
• How Much Electrical Power Do These Generators Produce?
• The Best 30 Amp RV Generators – The Quiet Ones
• #1 On My List Of The Best 30 Amp RV Generators
• My #2 Choice For An Inverter Generator For Your RV
• The #3 Generator That I Can Recommend
• One Of The Most Popular Generators Among RV Owners
• This Makes Using These Generators Simple And Easy
• Conclusion

Why Do You Need A Generator For A 30 Amp RV?

But what does a generator do for your 30 amp RV? And for that matter, what is a 30 amp RV anyway? What does it all mean?

Well, I made a video a while back on 30 amp and 50 amp RV electrical services in RVs. And it explains the differences between them.

There’s a lot of information there that even many experienced RVers don’t really know or understand.

So it would be a good idea to watch the video to learn more about RV electrical services.

And you can click the image below or click here watch that video.

But for this article, let’s just simply say that a 30 amp RV can handle 3600 watts of simultaneous power.

That’s the most that it can handle at one time without tripping breakers and becoming unsafe.

What Takes The Most Power To Run In Your RV?

And the biggest draw in most RVs is the air conditioner. In fact, it takes a lot of power to get an air conditioner up and running initially.

In many cases it may require up to 3000 watts to just start up. But then it settles down and runs on a continuous 1,800 to 2,000 watts of power.

Now obviously, that’s a huge chunk of your 3600 total watts of available power!

And it’s also why most 30 amp RVs only have one air conditioner. Because two air conditioners would just overload the electrical system.

So many of the generators I’m going to talk about here have a 30 amp plug built right into them.

And that way you can just plug the cord from your RV right into the generator.

When you do, they can provide 80% – 90% of the power you’d get if you were hooked up to a campsite power pole.

How Much Electrical Power Do These Generators Produce?

So these generators are going to have an output somewhere between 3,000 and 3400 watts of continuous power.

And that will power most of the electrical needs you’ll have, including your air conditioner.

But here’s one of the drawbacks on these generators. They are not lightweight at all!

In fact, most of them are going to weigh around 100 lb. So you’re going to need to find a place to put the generator in your rig.

And a lot of people put it in their tow vehicle or pickup’s bed. Which works well for a lot of RVers.

But wherever you put it, it has to have good ventilation to disperse the fumes it puts off.

And most of these generators are also gasoline powered. So very often, it means you’ve got to take another power source, gasoline, along with you.

And the gasoline has to be stored safely in an appropriate container when not used.

Also, you’re going to need to refill the generator with fuel from time to time. Because its tank is going to go empty after running for a while.

The Best 30 Amp RV Generators – The Quiet Ones

Now one last point about these generators I am going to recommend in this article. And that is, they are what are called inverter generators.

Now what that means is that they are the quietest generators that you can buy.

And believe me, that’s going to be really important to your RVing neighbors.

In fact, I never recommend using a construction type of generator for your RV. You know, the ones that are on a frame and are very loud.

Their sound is very obnoxious, and you’re going to make enemies really fast. Especially if there’s any other RVers anywhere nearby.

So all the ones I’m going to show you here are inverter generators. And they are designed to be as quiet as possible.

OK, so let’s go over my list now for 30 amp RV generators that I can recommend for you.

And all the links to each one will be listed below so you can check them out for yourself. Just click on the images to learn more.

#1 On My List Of The Best 30 Amp RV Generators

Let’s start off with number one, that’s from Generac. It’s the IQ 3500 model.

Generac has a solid reputation among many people for great quality and great reliability.

However this particular generator is not very light to handle. It weighs in at 109 lbs, and that’s quite a bit to move around.

It puts out 3500 watts of starting power and 3,000 watts of continuous running power.

And that’s pretty useful for most RVers with a 30 amp RV. And another good thing is its noise level which many reviewers say is very low.

It also offers an electric start, so it’s pretty easy to operate for almost anyone.

And the price on this inverter generator is very affordable at just over $1,000. But it’s also the most expensive one on my list here.

My #2 Choice For An Inverter Generator For Your RV

Next up on my list is the Champion 4500 watt generator. And yes, it’s 4500 watts of peak power, but it runs continuously at only 3150 watts.

The noise level is said by Champion to be at about 61 decibels of sound.

And to understand that, just know that normal conversations are usually held around 57 decibels.

Now it’s also the lightest generator in the bunch here, at 99 lbs. of weight.

But its claim to fame is that it’s a dual fuel generator. And what that means is you can run it not only on gasoline, but another fuel source as well.

In fact, you can actually run this generator very well on propane too.

So you may not even need to bring another power source with you on your RV travels.

You can just run it on the propane that’s already in your RV LP tanks. And a lot of people like that!

Now the cost is right around $900, and that a pretty affordable inverter generator solution.

The #3 Generator That I Can Recommend

Next up on my list is the Wen 3800 watt generator. Yes, 3800 watts of peak power, but it runs continuously at 3400 watts.

And it comes in right around 100 lb for weight. Also, it’s quiet. It’s 57 decibels in loudness, about the same as all the others in this article.

And it has an electric start feature that makes it super easy to use by almost anyone.

Plus, it’s the least expensive generator on my list here at only $850. And that’s a real deal!

One Of The Most Popular Generators Among RV Owners

Last up on my list is a generator that comes from Harbor Freight. And Harbor Freight has made generators for a few years now.

They produce the the Predator line of generators. And actually RVers of all kinds like them because there’s a lot to like, for not a lot of money.

So the Predator 3500 watt generator is 3500 watts of peak power and 3,000 watts continuous running power.

It comes in at 102 lb. for weight and it’s quiet at 56 decibels of sound. Plus, it’s very affordable at only $800.

OK, so there’s my list of generators that I think you should consider if you have a 30 amp RV.

And you should be able to find something that you need in there somewhere.

This Makes Using These Generators Simple And Easy

But let me mention this too. As I said before, all the best 30 amp RV generators have a built-in 30 amp RV plug.

So you can plug your electric cord from your RV direct into the generator.

Of course, some have the actual RV plug that works with your power cord. And you just plug it into the generator.

But in others, you’re going to need a small adapter that’s very cheap to make the connection.

And in that case, you just put the adapter on the generator and then plug the cord directly into the adapter.

Just check the instructions for each generator to see how the RV cord attaches to it.

Either way, you can plug right into the generator though, and that makes everything super easy and simple.

Conclusion

Well, I’m very confident that with this list I’ve given you, you can find a generator that’s going to work for your 30 amp RV needs.

And hopefully, it will fit not only your needs but also your budget at the same time.

Have safe and happy RV travels!