Does generator brand make a difference?

[tporter]

I bought an inexpensive generator to use with our fifth wheel which is a 2014 Solitude. The generator is a Predator with 4000 watts maximum, 3200 running watts. The generator runs one air condition (15k) for a few minutes then the breaker trips on the unit. The power cord is plugged into a 120/220v, 13A plug. The plug is a four prong twist lock. The only other plugs on the generator are two standard plugs that can handle a standard extension cord. With the above information I should be able to run one air conditioner shouldn't I? When the a/c was running you could tell that the generator was working due to a change in the motor noise. I have the Progressive electrical management system, it never stopped power to the with wheel.

Eventually I will be buying two Honda 2000's for the fifth wheel but after buying the inexpensive 4000 watt unit I question that the 2 Hondas can power an air conditioner. Does brand really make a difference in performance? Can two 2000's run an air conditioner, if not what do I need?

[rapracing]

I have no problems running the 15k A/C with two Honda's. I cannot have the water heater on electric while running the A/C or the wife's hair dryer. I run them in Eco setting and have no problem when the A/C kicks on.

[danberg36]

I was looking at the predator, and saw the reviews on Harbor Freight website. The ones that made reference to using it with an RV said the same thing, popping the breaker too easy. I was considering the predator, but not now.

[renegade99]

If you have a 50 amp connection on your RV it is actually a 240 circuit, ie. 2-120 volt legs, but the extra leg in a 50 amp versus a 30 amp is ONLY for a second A/C unit, unless someone has changed the wiring. You would still not necessarily have enough amps available from a 50 amp 240 volt genset to run your entire AC load and the gen would need specific R/V wiring (connector) to connect properly. The 2 2000 watt gens ie. Honda/Yamaha etc. use a parallel cable hook up that runs them together on 1-120 leg, and keeps them in phase to provide the added capacity. Also even 2 2000 watt Hondas may not run your 15K A/C depending on it's efficiency or it may suffer an early demise do to running too hot. I have a pair that runs my 15K and microwave ok, but will barely run my friends 15K A/C and then it is at it's absolute limit and won't restart until it is off for a long enough time to cool down.

[plauterer]

On low end generators you have to look at the circuit breakers. If they are 13 amp then it probably will not run the air conditioner. My cheep generator has a 30 amp breaker and two 20 amp breakers. It only has 120 volt outlets on it and is rated to hold at 3500 watts. When I was looking for a generator I noticed that any that had a 240 volt outlet did not have the current output needed for operating the air conditioner but had wattage rating over 3000.

[ChuckV1]

tporter this one reason I bought a EU6500ISAC, yes they are expensive
along with being heavy but I can run every thing I want with no worry.
The EU6500ISAC never brakes a sweat with the air, tv, lights on and
DW running the microwave along with the frig and battery charging
on eco mode it is electric start (and remote option)

[avvidclif1]

My 2 cents worth. I have the Yamaha EF4500. It is an inverter generator and will run my main AC (15k) and the coffee pot, microwave, etc. at the same time. When on generator the WH is on gas but the fridge is on electric. Basically it allows me to act as if plugged into a standard RV 30A connection.

The minuses, it's heavy (just over 200 lbs) and expensive ($3k+)

Pluses, it has a 4.5gal tank which runs for over 8 hours with the AC running, it is electric start (and remote option), it is a constant RPM generator (no eco mode), the sound level change from no load to full load can't be detected by me and it's rated at 62dBa IIRC, hour meter, and percentage load meter.

A personal observation,with both setups powering a 15k AC it is quieter than 2 Honda 2000's. Maybe not a 3000 but it also has more capability. Never had that next to me.

The 4k Champions that sell for abt $400 are like a jack hammer. The new inverter models are supposed to be quieter.

[dave17352]

Me Again wrote:
It appears that loudness level doubles every 10 db not 3 db. Power level doubles every 3 db. Chris

http://www.sengpielaudio.com/calculator-levelchange.htm

Well scrolling down on the calculator it looks like if I had to hondas putting out 55 db each when next two each other running it would sound like 58 db. Which would be way lower than 73 db. Now I am not saying I read that right but just throwing it out here.

[tporter]

Thanks for all your help. I was able to return the generator and will replace it with the correct one.

[wwest]

I assume your RV service input is 120 VAC and you have somehow adapted from a three-prong plug to a 240 VAC 4-prong (120 Volt "A" phase and 120 volt "B" phase).

The way I read the owners manual this genset can only supply 15 amps for each 120 volt leg of the 240 volt output. If you can somehow split your RV input service so that the A/C runs on one side of the of 240 volt output and everything else on the other leg then all will be well....

Many inexpensive gensets of this type have an internal wiring connection arrangement that will allow you to reverse the phase of one leg and connect it in parallel with the opposite phase in order to provide a single 30 amp rated 120 volt service.

[lawrosa]

Look at this.. Amazing .. I did not even know they were running when I first saw this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmCHf-AemlU

[Me_Again]

It appears that loudness level doubles every 10 db not 3 db. Power level doubles every 3 db. Chris

http://www.sengpielaudio.com/calculator-levelchange.htm

[2oldman]

nomad297 wrote:
I was taught in OSHA training that two pieces of identical equipment will produce twice the dBA as just one piece, and three pieces will produce three times, and so on.

Probably true, but 2 paralleled gens act in a different manner.

If you're trying to run a heavy load with one, it will be loud. With two, they both throttle back to a much less db level. The sound is now the resultant db of the much quieter individual sound. If that's being "captain obvious".. I apologize.

[nomad297]

Hiking Hunter wrote:
dBa is an acoustical power rating which doubles every 3 dB. Twice the amount of sound would be a rating of 76dBa. But, it's more complicated than a straight formula and depends on specific frequencies, etc. The best way to determine the noise level of a couple of generators would be to measure them while running with an audio real time analyzer (RTA). It shouldn't be higher than 76 dB though.

I found this chart which pretty much shows what you said. Based on this and your reply, what I learned in OSHA training is wrong, which really doesn't surprise me, because whenever OSHA is involved with anything, the truth is exaggerated.

Bruce

[bpounds]

tporter wrote:
...Does brand really make a difference in performance? Can two 2000's run an air conditioner, if not what do I need?

OP, did you get your answer? Or did all the bickering confuse you?

Short answer is, brand doesn't matter but specs do, and you have to know how to interpret the specs.

The output from one leg of your generator is approx the equivalent of the output from one EU2000. And the result is just about what we get when we try to run an AC on just one of the EU2000. It almost can do it, but exceeds the 100% duty cycle of the generator and eventually overheats. You can be assured that the two EU2000 units with the combiner kit that you are considering can do the job. As could Yamaha, Champion, Kipon, and probably some others.