Discover top-rated RV generator 30 Amp options for seamless camping adventures! Expert guidance, safety-focused advice, and practical tips to power your journey. Read on!
Own an RV? If you don’t have enough electricity from your solar panels, one of the most valuable pieces of equipment that you can purchase is a portable generator.
This will ensure that you have power no matter where you are.
However, with so many generator options on the market, how do you choose the right one? How do you find the best 30-amp RV generator?
We will run you through the five best RV generators on the market on this page.
These generators have been selected for their portability, power production, quietness, and ease of use.
Whether you are a new traveler or an experienced boondocker, you will find a generator for you on the list below.
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At A Glance: 5 Best RV Generator 30 Amp Models
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1. Westinghouse WGen9500DF
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2. WEN 56380i
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3. Westinghouse iGen4500
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4. Champion Power Equipment 200986
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5. Champion 3400
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Why Do You Need A Generator For Your RV?
Not everybody will have a use for a generator in their RV. Therefore, we don’t want to come across as telling you that a generator is a must-buy.
After all, if you are spending your camping time at sites with electrical hookups, then a generator will be rather pointless.
However, if you want the freedom to explore the roads of the United States while still using power-hungry electronic devices, a generator will come in handy.
A generator will allow you to have power no matter where you are. As long as you have the generator and fuel in tow, you can power most of what you will bring along in an RV.
30-amp RV generators should be more than enough to keep smaller RVs powered. While they can be rather heavy, they are nowhere near as large as their 50-amp counterparts.
What To Look For In a 30-Amp RV Generator
We have gone through some of the best 30-amp RV generator options on the market. The chances are that one or two of them may have caught your attention.
But, how do you make that final choice?
How do you decide which RV generator is right for you? There are a few things that you will want to consider here.
Size & Weight
To be honest, when it comes to 30-amp RV generators, the size and weight between the models will be very similar. You may shave off a couple of inches or pounds here and there, but it won’t be too crazy.
Still, if you have a limited amount of space in your RV, you will want to try and pick up the smallest RV generator that you can find. Even a couple of inches smaller really can make all the difference.
Fuel Economy
The fuel economy of an RV generator can be tough to work out. This is because no generator manufacturer is going to explicitly tell you how fuel efficient the appliance is.
This is because how quickly the RV generator burns through fuel will be based on how you are using the generator.
To work out the fuel economy of a generator, you need to know two things:
- The number of watts your electrical items require
- How many watts the RV generator can pump-out
The closer these numbers are together, the harder the RV generator needs to work. This means it won’t be so fuel efficient, e.g., you won’t want to purchase a 2000-watt generator if you are using 1,800-watts of power.
You will forever be throwing new fuel in there.
We suggest that you try and purchase the largest generator that you can afford while, at the same time, taking into consideration the amount of space that you have in your RV to store it.
You may find that fuel economy is a little bit better in higher-quality generators. However, the main difference will always come from how hard you are pushing the generator.
Noise Level
Generators can be pretty noisy beasts. Even if you choose the options that claim they operate quietly, there will still be a considerable amount of noise being pumped out.
If you are the type of person that normally camps in the middle of nowhere, then you may not have to think about the overall noise level all that much.
Sure, having a generator churning away outside of your RV is annoying, but it is only going to be impacting you.
If you are spending most of your time on campsites or around other people, then you owe it to yourself and others around you to purchase the quietest generator that you can afford.
While we are sure that you are capable of dealing with the noise that the generator makes, there is no guarantee that the others on the campsite will love the sound.
They will probably hate you if you purchase a noisy generator.
You will want to keep an eye out for generators that have a low dB or explicitly state that they run quietly. Do bear in mind that no generator will ever run silent, even if the marketing material says that it will.
Reliability
We are fairly confident that you don’t want your RV portable inverter generator to break down in the middle of nowhere. It can cut a camping trip short.
Not to mention a lack of power can ruin food, prevent the charging of your devices, stop you from being able to cook, etc.
The problem is that no RV generator is going to tell you how reliable the product is. This means that you will need to read between the lines.
In our opinion, you should avoid any cheaper RV generator. These are never going to be reliable. They can’t be. They use cheaper components.
The best products to go for are those that come from big brands. A lot of the time, they will have spare parts readily available.
This means that if the generator does break down, you can easily get new parts. It will save you from having to purchase a whole new generator.
The biggest telltale sign of a reliable generator, however, is when there is a rather substantial warranty in place. This means that there is a lot of confidence in the product.
When a company doesn’t offer a warranty or has a huge number of restrictions on the warranty, then you should probably start to worry.
1. Westinghouse WGen9500DF – Overall Best 30-Amp RV Generator
Specifications
- Wattage: 9500-watts
- Product Dimensions (LxWxH): 27.2 x 26.1 x 26.5
- Item Weight: 211lbs
- Voltage: 120 & 240 Volts
This generator is easily one of the best options on the market, which is why it is included at the top of this list.
It can work using both gas and propane, making it ideal for using either fuel source depending on your ability to buy, store, and use one particular fuel type.
The Westinghouse WGen9500DF has an electric start, which means you never have to worry about spending an age trying to get the generator chugging along, particularly in cold weather.
Just press one button, and the Westinghouse WGen9500DF will explode with power. It even comes with a remote start key fob, so you don’t even have to be close to the generator to get it running.
Operating at a rate of 9500-watts, this generator should be able to keep most RVs properly powered.
A handy display will keep you up to date on gas left in the tank, as well as predicted operating hours at current consumption.
What We Like
There is a lot of power here. It should be more than enough to keep most RVs running effectively.
The generator also comes equipped with a 12-Volt battery charger so that you can store excess power. We also love the fact that the build quality is superb.
This is something that will easily last you for years. You can buy the high-altitude kit, and it will work over 2000ft for those who expect to travel across mountain ranges.
What We Don’t Like
It is on the weighty side, which is never a good thing.
However, that is to be expected with such a powerful generator. Our biggest concern is the noise, and it may be a little bit too loud to use close to other people.
Pros
- Lots of power
- Electric start
- Great build quality
- Dual fuel
- Can run an RV Air Conditioner (11,000 BTU)
Cons
- Very heavy
- It may be a little bit too loud for some people
- Customer support isn’t the easiest to get in touch with
2. WEN 56380i – Best Budget-Friendly 30-Amp RV Generator
Specifications
- Wattage: 3,800-watts
- Product Dimensions (LxWxH): 23.2 x 18 x 20.1
- Item Weight: 99.2lbs
- Voltage: 120-volts
The WEN 56380i is perfect for those that want a budget generator for their RV. Weighing in at just 99.2lbs but pumping out 3,800-watts, this generator could be ideal for small families or couples.
It has full EPA III and CARB compliance.
Running this at half-load should easily allow you to run it for 8.5-hours. This means that you can enjoy keeping basic power running through the night. This may be ideal if you want to keep a RV refrigerator or freezer running.
The power that comes from the WEN 56380i produces clean power. It even has a USB slot that you can plug your devices directly into.
Other ports include:
- 2 x standard three-prong 120V sockets
- 120V NEMA TT-30R RV socket
- 12V DC socket
A digital display will allow you to keep tabs on how much fuel you have left, as well as the amount of load you are putting the generator under.
What We Like
The low price is certainly the biggest reason why it was included on this list. We also enjoy how lightweight it is. However, our favorite feature is how much power it can pump out in such a small package.
This can easily run through the evening at half-load, and there are very few RV generators in this price range that can do that.
We also liked the Parallel Connection Kit (sold separately) to share wattage between multiple units. That means we could run several units if we wanted.
The included spark arrestor allows for legal use in national parks and campgrounds.
What We Don’t Like
The biggest issue is that there is no locking mechanism on the 30-amp socket.
This means that the plug can, sometimes, vibrate loose. It doesn’t happen often, but it can be annoying to suddenly lose power.
Pros
- Affordable
- Runs very quietly
- Lightweight
Cons
- No locking mechanisms on sockets
- Can’t produce enough power to run an AC
- Low warranty
3. Westinghouse iGen4500 – Best Quiet 30-Amp RV Generator
Specifications
- Wattage: 4500-watts
- Product Dimensions (LxWxH): 24.5 x 17.5 x 20
- Item Weight: 104.7lbs
- Voltage: 120 & 240 volts
If you want one of the quietest generators on the market, then this is the one you need. It can go as quiet as 52db.
It will be a little bit louder at higher loads, but it is still quieter than the other generators on this list.
The portable inverter generator is rated up to 4500-watts but works best at 3700-watts.
The fuel efficiency of this generator is superb. When the fuel efficiency mode is turned on, you can get up to 18-hours of use on a single tank fill. This is a 3-gallon tank.
We don’t think there are that many generators out there that beat this one in terms of fuel efficiency.
Multiple displays help to keep you up to date with the power being generated by the iGen4500. However, our favorite readout is the estimated run time based on the current load.
This will give you an idea as to whether you will need to top up the fuel before you turn in for the night. It stops the generator from just dying on you.
Outlets include:
- 5-20R 120V Duplex Household Outlet
- TT-30R 30-Amp Outlet
- Two USB Outlets (clean power for charging electronic items)
What We Like
The major highlight is how quiet it runs. If you are a couple or a small family heading to a packed campsite, then this generator is probably going to cause the other campers a lot less irritation.
It is fairly light too, which makes it ideal for solo campers.
You can buy the high-altitude kit, and it will work over 2000ft for those who expect to travel across mountain ranges.
What We Don’t Like
It is a minor gripe, but we would have liked there to be more sockets on the system. It would have been great if this was a dual-fuel product like some of the other Westinghouse products too.
Pros
- Quietest generator on this list
- Great fuel efficiency
- 3-year warranty
Cons
- Could do with more sockets
- The interface can be a little bit complicated
- It is “CARB Compliant,” but Amazon won’t sell it in California
4. Champion Power Equipment 200986 – Best Eco-Friendly 30-Amp RV Generator
Specifications
- Wattage: 4500-watt
- Product Dimensions (LxWxH): 23.2 x 17.7 x 20.1
- Item Weight: 95lbs
- Voltage: 120-volts
The Champion Power Equipment 200986 is very eco-friendly. Load this up with 2.3-gallons of gasoline, and you may be able to receive up to 14-hours of run time.
We don’t think there is a single generator on the market that can produce as much power using as little fuel as this product does.
One of the coolest features of this portable inverter generator is that it is parallel-ready. This means that if you purchase a couple of them, you can wire them together.
This can be ideal for those that may have a sporadic need to consume a little bit more power.
The power in this is clean. Less than 3% THD, which may make it one of the cleanest-running generators on the market. It comes complete with the following outlets:
- 120-Volt 30A RV
- 2 x 120V 20A household outlet
- 12-Volt automotive outlet
- Dual USB ports
You should have no issues connecting your electronic devices directly to this.
What We Like
The fuel efficiency is probably the main reason why we love this generator.
However, we do love the expandability of the system; being able to wire two of these together whenever you want means that you can customize it to suit your power requirements.
What We Don’t Like
The tank could probably do with being a little bit bigger.
However, we understand that making the tank bigger would seriously impact the weight of this device.
Pros
- Great fuel efficiency
- Low weight
- Can easily wire multiple generators together
- Quiet
Cons
- Small tank
- An extra port or two would be handy
5. Champion 3400 – Best 30-Amp RV Generator With Electric Start
Specifications
- Wattage: 3400-watts
- Product Dimensions (LxWxH): 25.1 x 17.3 x 18.3
- Item Weight: 95.7lbs
- Voltage: 120-volts
We have another dual-fuel portable inverter generator option for you here. You can load the Champion 3400 up with either propane or gas, depending on what you have available.
This can be great for travelers who may not always have access to certain fuel sources. Run this on gasoline, and you will be able to get up to 7.5-hours of run time from it.
It is quiet too. At 23-feet, which is about the average distance between RVs at campsites, the volume is just 59db.
It is not the quietest generator on the market, but it certainly isn’t going to annoy too many people.
The electric start on this product is among the best around too. It is so responsive.
There is a 3-position ignition switch, which gives you a bit more control over what you do.
What We Like
The responsive electric start is our favorite feature. We don’t know about you, but we aren’t massive fans of being in the middle of nowhere and taking an age to get our generator up and running.
The fuel efficiency is good too.
What We Don’t Like
We would have liked it if the Champion team could have made the fuel efficiency a little better. Just a little. Sure, it is good. However, we would prefer something closer to 8.5-hours on a single tank.
That would mean you can sleep through the night without the worry of refilling your fuel tank.
The lack of any sort of indicator telling us how much time is left to run on the generator is a huge negative for us.
Pros
- Quiet operation
- Dual fuel
- Can run multiple generators in parallel
- Good electric start
Cons
- The tank could be slightly bigger
- No digital display
In Conclusion
There are a lot of 30-amp RV generators on the market. You will need to choose one based on your needs. This may be power production, weight, or the type of fuel that the generator accepts.
For most travelers, we recommend the Westinghouse Outdoor Power Equipment WGen9500DF Dual Fuel Portable Generator Able to produce 9500-watts of power; this portable inverter generator will be able to keep even the most power-hungry RVs running.
Graham Bogie
Graham is a seasoned marine electrical engineer with two decades of experience designing customized electrical systems for plant machinery and converting campers and overland vehicles. His expertise has led him to author the reputable Campervan Electrics Handbook and become the chief designer of the RV Wiring Design Tool. As a knowledgeable figure in the field, his YouTube channel, blog, Facebook group, and newsletter, offering electrical advice and product reviews, reach more than a million users each year.
