Generator Quiet Hours, in Plain English

Few things start a campground argument faster than a generator running at 10 p.m. Here's how generator rules usually work, and how to be the neighbor nobody complains about.

01What quiet hours mean

Most campgrounds set quiet hours at night, often around 10 p.m. to 6 or 8 a.m. Many limit or ban generators during that time. Some, especially national park campgrounds, only allow generators during set blocks of hours in the day, or don't allow them at all in certain loops.

Rules are different at every campground, so:

• Check the campground's page on the reservation site
• Read the sign at the entrance or on the bulletin board
• Ask the host

02Why the rules exist

Generators are loud and their exhaust drifts into tents and campers next door. Carbon monoxide is the real danger.

03Being a good neighbor

• Use an inverter generator. They're much quieter than open-frame generators.
• Point the exhaust away from other sites and tents, and away from your own windows and doors.
• Run it during allowed hours only, and charge batteries while you can.
• Don't run it unattended for hours to power a TV.
• Use a power station at night. See portable power stations for camping.

04When the campground cuts power in the fall

Some campgrounds turn site power off in the fall. You'll lean on the generator more. Plan your charging:

1. Run the generator in the morning and evening allowed windows to charge your batteries.
2. Use propane for the furnace, fridge and water heater.
3. Turn off everything you're not using.

05Cold-night furnace

An RV furnace runs on propane, but its fan runs on your 12-volt battery, and it can drain it fast on a cold night. If you can't run the generator at night, make sure the battery is full by quiet hours.

Following the rules isn't just about avoiding a ranger. It's how campgrounds keep allowing generators at all.

Photo by is463940 on Pixabay.

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