Forum Discussion
76 Replies
- pitchExplorer IIYou are going to need at least 2200 watt
I have two of the 2000Hondas and they do every thing I need. BUT it is a pain to handle two of them, to parallel them. I went with the smaller ones because I can lift and carry them without much effort. Like your first responder said, we need to know your setup and usage.
A 3500 would probably be ideal, but at over a hundred pounds one man handling becomes an issue.
Come back and let us know your decision. We armchair observers have put a ton of thought and effort into this and we need the gratification that good closure gives us. - JimK-NYExplorer IIThe Hondas are top quality, durable and relatively quiet. I spent the extra money to buy one and after 10 years of reliable use, I don't regret the extra cost.
- wa8yxmExplorer IIIabout 2000 watt generator recommendations and logic.
First an inverter generator.. Sweet clean power Yes they cost more but they are clean and the non-inverter "Contractor" grade if you look at the power waveform they can be quite scary.
The inverter generators are also way easier on the ears than the contractor types. IN fact all "enclosed" generators are but fully enclosed traditionals generally stop at 1000 watts.
Plus Inverter generators can be used in Tandem (Two in parallel) so if you need say 3500 watts to kick start an air conditioner. A pair of them with a parallel kit.. Job done.
Now brands. HONDA is a very well known, established and EXPENSIVE brand but unlike all the others they have a genuine honest to need fuel pump.. and an "optionally sealed" gas tank (you open a vent before you start or it stops after a short run).
You can replace the gas cap with another that has a hose attached to an "Extended run" tank Run it for a lot more hours from the extended run tank.
Now Yahama claims they have a better designed (longer life) engine also about the same price... I'm not sure the Fuel Pump is not the more important thing.
Several "Knock off" brands such as Harbor Freight Predator, Champion and others have mixed reviews. but mostly good.
About the only ones I'd go against are the 2-stroke engine types and Kipor due to differences in the sound quality.. They may well be no louder on a DB meter but the QUALITY of the sound is different and .. Well Much more annoying. - wanderingaimlesExplorer2000 watt units will generally run your converter to charge batteries, a larger unit is usually required to operate an AC or more than one larger appliance at a time. (larger being microwave, coffee maker, hair drier, etc) 3000-3500 watt units are common among folks who want to run an AC from the generator frequently.
Inverter generators are much quieter than construction types, but with the lower noise comes a higher cost.
Brands by preference
Honda, Yamaha, Champion, Firman, at this point the second tier takes over with most being Chinese manufacture, most are functional clones of existing Honda or Yamaha designed engines. Predator, Ryobi, Lifan etc fall into this group. Service on these models can difficult to find, but parts for the engines are available through the importers. - gboppExplorerCongrats and welcome to the forum.
Tell us about your RV, make/model etc. and what you want to run with the generator. It will help us give you a more accurate answer.
You generally cannot run several appliances at the same time with a 2000 watt generator.
Enjoy your travels.
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