Vintage camping. Generator usage, rules?

[Bailey47b]

I usually camp in vintage camping. I have a small Honda type of generator that I would like to use for short periods to recharge my devices and maybe a small fan. I've seen other folks (especially the Pirates Cove group) use generators. Are they allowed during certain hours? Thanks. Bob from Baltimore.

[Joe Delene]

I have a Honda 2000 generator. All you have to do is put it behind your tent and no one will hear it.

[FlyingRon]

Technically generators are a no-no, but day time use of a quiet generator isn't going to bother anybody (as you've noticed people get away with it). Of course, Vintage runs a charging station and there are plugs around the shower huts/trailers. If you volunteer, there are other charging opportunities likely available to you.

I have both a ceiling fan and a small table top fan that run on D cells (and the batteries easily last me for the 12 days I'm usually on field).

[aaronrodg]

Now we have so many advanced technologies so i think for camping there is no need of generators now a days, you can use solar charge able batteries for that and they are very easy to carry also.

[Cary]

One year someone not too far from me in the North 40 ran a generator all night--little Honda. No matter how quiet they are in the daytime when there's other noise around, at 3 a.m. they're too darned noisy. I didn't report him, but it was oh so tempting! Fortunately, he only stayed a couple of days.

Others have run them in the day, and I don't think anyone cares, because routine airplane noise drowns them out.

But they're really not necessary. I made an adapter to attach directly to my airplane's battery (fused, but not through the master), and I recharge my iPad and iPhone with it. Last year, I had some concerns that recharging them regularly all week (I was there from Friday evening before until Monday afternoon, almost 10 full days) would cause a problem starting, and the digital volt meter showed just under 12 volts, but my airplane cranked over with no trouble and fired up.

I also carry a battery pack, which is ostensibly good for a couple iPad recharges and several iPhone recharges, but I haven't tested it yet to determine its total capacity. I see others with solar chargers, and I guess they work pretty well. And as Ron says, there are all sorts of places to plug into 110v to recharge.

From one unpleasant experience, though, I would not recommend leaving a device unattended to be recharged. There are unfortunately some dishonest among us.

As for fans, I also have a ceiling fan in the tent that runs from D cells, and it lasts all week, as do all of my lights. I make a point of arriving with fresh batteries in everything.

Cary

[Gil]

as Ron says, there are all sorts of places to plug into 110v to recharge.

From one unpleasant experience, though, I would not recommend leaving a device unattended to be recharged. There are unfortunately some dishonest among us.



Cary

I have left my phone unattended to charge many times and never worried about it. I probably would not leave a tablet or laptop, though.

A couple of years ago in the North 40 you could leave your phone or computer for charging in the shack where you paid for fuel near the SE exit. The guys there would watch over things. Not sure if that is still going on, the last couple of times I drove in for the day and did not camp.

[Cary]

I have left my phone unattended to charge many times and never worried about it. I probably would not leave a tablet or laptop, though.

A couple of years ago in the North 40 you could leave your phone or computer for charging in the shack where you paid for fuel near the SE exit. The guys there would watch over things. Not sure if that is still going on, the last couple of times I drove in for the day and did not camp.

At the price of today's smart phones, I think that's taking a chance. What I lost was a spare battery and charger for an earlier Qualcomm smart phone. It wasn't a popular phone, and the charger and battery weren't usable in any other device, so for someone to steal the battery and charger was quite a surprise.

Cary

[FlyingRon]

Heard recently that they've totally rebuilt the Vintage "Red Barn." They building that contained the charging station is gone, don't know if they've got a new home for it or not.

[kshaw]

Our camping group has a solar panel about 4'x4' with a deep cycling battery. It keeps everyone's phones, radios, and IPads charged. You really do not need a generator.

[Hal Bryan]

Heard recently that they've totally rebuilt the Vintage "Red Barn." They building that contained the charging station is gone, don't know if they've got a new home for it or not.

Volunteers built a whole new building for the charging station - you can read a bit about it and see a photo of it (inside one of the exhibit hangars) here:

http://inspire.eaa.org/2017/04/27/we-work-weekends/

[Wrongway Feldman]

Are dem tuba fours or tuba sixes ? Vintage Red Barn interior (http://inspire.eaa.org/wp-content/gallery/2017-04-vaa-work-party/VolunteerWorkWeekend2-1.jpg)

[FlyingRon]

We had a running joke while building a friend's house:

HIM: Bring me a 2x4
ME: How long do you want it?
HIM: A long time, I'm building a house with it.