Huntindog wrote:
Road Phantom wrote:
I have a fiber glass cap on my pickup. Cost being a factor, my thought was to buy a cheaper generator like a "Champion" and crank it on inside the cap with an opened window to keep the noise level down outside. Does anyone else do this and does it work for you? I only need it to turn on for the AC on the hottest of days or charge the batteries. So, it would have to be at least a 3000 W gen.
VS a Honda for $1800, a Champion cost about $300+.
Between my brother and I we have 3 Honda EU2000s and 1 Champion 3500. My brother bought the Champion in a pinch. It was back when I had just bought my first EU 2000, and he had a Coleman. We were Elk Hunting and his Coleman died. So He ran into town and got the Champion.
The Champion is of course louder than the EU2000s, but it is quite a bit quieter than most of the contractor type generators.
It served him well for several years. A long extension cord can manage the noise easily... Of course we don't use campgrounds where there are neighbors that may object. Except for dog trials, we only boondock in dispersed camp settings out west... If I can see another camp.... They are too close.
About three years ago I picked up a couple more EU2000s with the parallel kit for a very good price, and gave my brother the first Honda.
He still has the Champion, but never uses it anymore. He has discovered the great benefit of the Honda's fuel economy. The Champion goes thru fuel at a astounding rate.
The Honda sips it. Since the 3500 watts of the Champion is rarely needed, he can now carry less fuel to our remote camp sites.
We figure that the Hondas will likely pay for themselves in fuel savings.
So yes, the Hondas intial price is higher, but the overall price of ownership is not.
Of course, the more you use it, the faster the payback is.
I just thought I would bring up a point to consider that is rarely written about here.... It's always about the noise.
Fuel "economy" argument is invalid if running a Honda at FULL LOAD.
The only time this is a valid statement is if you are at 1/4 load and using economy setting along with only using ONE 2000W Honda..
Here is Honda's OWN "specs"
Honda 2000w inverter gen
4 to 9.6 hr on 1 gallon of gas DEPENDING ON LOAD (4hr at RATED output and 9.6 hr at 1/4 load)
2 paralled will double the fuel to TWO GALLON for 4 to 9.6hr
47 lbs for one. (two is 94 lbs)
Sound level of 53db to 59 db (53 only while in economy mode and if you paralle you double the loudness so that would be 56 DB to 62DB or adding 3DB)
Parallel "kit" extra expensive "option"
.96 gallon fuel tank, requires refueling OFTEN under heavy loads.
98CC engine 2.8 HP
I have a Chinese 4000W gen (very similar to a Champion 4000W using a 6.5HP knockoff engine).
Recently this winter we had a major power outage (power company had a substation failure). Ran my 4000W gen for 6hrs strait, used a little less than half of the 4 gallon tank. Ran with a little over 1/2 load during the outage.
It would have taken TWO of the 2000W Hondas together to run my loads so the Hondas would not have been running in econo mode. So, Two Hondas would have used TWO GALLONS of gas for FOUR HOURS, my cheap knockoff gen ran for SIX HOURS on just under two gallons.
Put it another way.. The Honda 2000W gens have engines at 98CC with 2.8 HP, the 4000W gens use 6.5 HP engines with about 230 CC.
In a nut shell pretty much the SAME amount of fuel will be used when TWO Honda 2000W gens are paired and not running econo mode..
Then you look at fuel tanks, .98 gallon requires refilling often (every 4 hrs) when running full loads, my cheap gen will easily run up to 12 hrs on half load for one tank fill..
Cost, well lets say that for the $299 I paid for my cheap knockoff I have no problem feeding mine a bit more gas for YEARS.
Weight.. Well my gen weighs in at 105 lbs with full tank.. Two Hondas will weigh in nearly the same. The only saving grace for the Hondas is the fact that you have two which might be a bit easier for one to move but it makes it much easier for THIEVES also..
If you have the money to burn then Hondas will do that for you in a grand fashion.. If you don't (like myself and others) and don't mind a little bit more noise then the cheaper knockoffs are a great way to get some power on the cheap..
Champion has built a good reputation so don't knock it...