What generator to buy.

SidecarFlip wrote:

theoldwizard1 wrote:

SidecarFlip wrote:
I sold my 10 year old Yamaha 2800I for almost what I paid for it, bought a Champ with the proceeds and still had plenty of cash left.

Very impressive !

I am still surprised that Honda is NOT putting a TT30 outlet on any of their inverter generators.

Put it on Flea-Bay and sold it to a guy in Kazoo in less than a day and he was tickled to get it. 2800I's are not all that common. It has a lot of use besides the RV. I used it strapped to the Quad when doing fence work on the farm and supplying power to a deep freeze to keep game frozen when hunting out west.

Thing I really like about the Champ is the shape and size of the enclosure. It stores in my wet bath shower pan nicely and it's light enough that my wife can get it out and set it up and use it.

Don't care for the Honda's enclosure shape at all, nor do I care for the Yamaha shape. They look 'swoopy modern' but from a storage standpoint, they suck.

I did have a couple issues with it during the time I owned it. The carb had to be replaced and the electronic idle down control failed and replaced that as well and none of those parts were cheap. Just the idle control unit was 100 bucks.

theoldwizard1 wrote:

SidecarFlip wrote:
I sold my 10 year old Yamaha 2800I for almost what I paid for it, bought a Champ with the proceeds and still had plenty of cash left.

Very impressive !

I am still surprised that Honda is NOT putting a TT30 outlet on any of their inverter generators.

Put it on Flea-Bay and sold it to a guy in Kazoo in less than a day and he was tickled to get it. 2800I's are not all that common. It has a lot of use besides the RV. I used it strapped to the Quad when doing fence work on the farm and supplying power to a deep freeze to keep game frozen when hunting out west.

Thing I really like about the Champ is the shape and size of the enclosure. It stores in my wet bath shower pan nicely and it's light enough that my wife can get it out and set it up and use it.

Don't care for the Honda's enclosure shape at all, nor do I care for the Yamaha shape. They look 'swoopy modern' but from a storage standpoint, they suck.

SidecarFlip wrote:
I sold my 10 year old Yamaha 2800I for almost what I paid for it, bought a Champ with the proceeds and still had plenty of cash left.

Very impressive !

I am still surprised that Honda is NOT putting a TT30 outlet on any of their inverter generators.

2oldman wrote:
Overpriced= I don't like the price.

Now the bashing has begun, as usual. Op gone too.

..I wouldn't want to go there and say there overpriced. For myself Id say they are not in my budget so my choice was something else.

theoldwizard1 wrote:
IMHO, Honda and Yamaha are overpriced.

Overpriced= you don't like the price.

Now the bashing has begun, as usual. Op gone too.

theoldwizard1 wrote:
I would have a hard time deciding between a Champion 3500 inverter and a Harbor Freight 3500 inverter. IMHO, Honda and Yamaha are overpriced.

If you are going to be running the A/C a lot, you will use a lot of fuel over 2-3 days. I would have at least TWO 5 gallon cans of fuel. Don't forget to take an extra quart of oil and an extra spark plug. Likely they will not be required, but you never know !

I have to agree (at the chance of initiating a bashing contest, Yamaha and Honda are extremely inflated in price, but conversely, resale is high as well. I sold my 10 year old Yamaha 2800I for almost what I paid for it, bought a Champ with the proceeds and still had plenty of cash left.

I have that fuel issue because where and when I camp but I eliminated the fuel vapor from the stored fuel issue (normal gas cans tend to leak in transit) with Rotapax fuel containers. I carry all my fluids in them, gas, premix (for the chainsaw) and bar oil in separate containers. I actually carry the bar oil in a SIG bottle because I don't use that much. 5 gallon of fuel, 2 gallons of premix. I could probably get away with running the premix in the genny, but I don't.

I would have a hard time deciding between a Champion 3500 inverter and a Harbor Freight 3500 inverter. IMHO, Honda and Yamaha are overpriced.

If you are going to be running the A/C a lot, you will use a lot of fuel over 2-3 days. I would have at least TWO 5 gallon cans of fuel. Don't forget to take an extra quart of oil and an extra spark plug. Likely they will not be required, but you never know !

jaycocreek wrote:
Honda bashers...Post hours working like on most Alaska threads about which generator to buy, that equal what a Honda does,properly maintained...

10-15K hours as norm,properly maintained and some to 20K hours as the only source of electricity.

I am not seeing the others up there in longevity!

You get what you pay for!

Not talking about a prime power unit here. Occasional use only.

I have a prime power backup genset here at the farm. It's a 35KW Cat powered genset with a 1000 gallon fuel tank. Not something a RV'er needs. A bit too heavy anyway. It weighs 1500 pounds without the fuel tank.

If an RV genny gets 50 hours a season, I bet that is a bunch.

mat60 wrote:
I think chevy trucks are the best.

Best response yet!!! The sad part is that it is more relevant than some of the "serious" responses...

Dennis12 wrote:
Make sure you get your 30 day warranty if you purchase a Harbor Freight 3500 peak, and hopefully your not planning to use it for 31 days. They are junk.

Just curious... is your opinion based upon personal use of this generator, or general disdain for Harbor Freight. It makes a difference...