Until not so long ago, the generator was the way to get 230V mains power in a motorhome when there was no hook-up. Today, with the rise of lithium batteries and solar power, its role has changed a lot. Is a generator still worth it, or is it better to invest in a battery and panels? Let's look at it honestly.
What a generator does
A generator burns fuel (petrol or diesel) to produce 230V electricity, just like a mains socket. It lets you use power-hungry appliances (even air conditioning or a power tool) wherever you are, without relying on a hook-up.
The advantages
- Power on demand: delivers a lot of energy when you need it, useful for high-consumption appliances.
- Doesn't depend on the sun or on having a hook-up.
- Recharges the battery quickly on days without sun.
The downsides (and there are quite a few)
- Noise: bothers you and your neighbours; using one is frowned upon or banned outright at many sites and campsites.
- Fumes and fuel: pollutes, smells, and you have to keep filling it up.
- Weight and space: it takes up room and adds weight.
- Extra maintenance for another engine.
The modern alternative: lithium + solar
For the vast majority of travellers, a good lithium battery combined with solar panels has replaced the generator: it gives you power quietly, cleanly and automatically, with no fuel to buy and no one disturbed. With a properly sized system, you can cover almost everything without a generator. We cover this in solar panels and in how much battery you need.
When does a generator still make sense?
In very specific cases: if you regularly need to power very high-consumption appliances without a hook-up (air conditioning for hours, for example), if you spend long spells in areas with little sun, or as an emergency backup. For normal camper use, it rarely pays off compared with a good solar setup.
In summary
A generator delivers a lot of power but is noisy, polluting and often banned at sites; for almost everyone, a good lithium-plus-solar setup replaces it with advantages. The step you can take today: before considering a generator, calculate whether a properly sized battery with solar panels covers your consumption; in most cases, you'll save the noise, the weight and the fuel.
