Generators

[Nomad]

Thinking of buying a generator for the few times we dry camp and it would come in handy for power failures. Seems the Honda 3000 I is the one of choice. What do you think.

[wayward1]

1L243 wrote:
How come guys with loud gens never think there loud? Just because people don't complain don't mean your not peeing off everybody next to you...

How come guys weigh in on others post with out all the details and don’t even add any constructive info to the OP?

I carry a Honda eu2000 for charging batteries when I'm in confined space. We race drag bikes and spend a lot of our summers camped in race tracks where nitro bikes are running all weekend, most have low cost gen sets or every color including black, yellow, red, blue, green, and grizzly, I have camped next to all of them and some really suck to be next to all weekend. The one I recommended is the quietest one there of its size except for the EU6500 model my buddy has that pits next to me. I actually have done side by side comparisons under identical loads comparing my gen set with his so my advice comes from experience. By the way, I am a contractor and currently own about 50 gen sets some that are over 35 years old with cast iron Kohler power some that are built on trailers with Cummins power. I have also been camping since 1973 with a 1973 25' Winnebago Chieftain that I still own, my lance truck camper and the toy hauler. I do believe that I have a valid piece of ground to stand on when I make a generator recommendation. Read the specs, buy the best you can and go camping. If some one gets pissed at your gen set, see if they will let you plug into theirs.

[eightydo]

mjrfd99 wrote:

Ric Flair wrote:
Ditto on the Champion 3500/4000. It's louder but not that bad and it's only $300 at most retail locations. I love mine but don't use it anymore because my TH has an on board genny.

My neighbor torture tested his Champion during hurricane Sandy in NJ.
Ran it 24/7 [He needs C-PAP mask at night]. I asked him 6 days into the blackout if he changed the oil and got that "I'm not mechanical look" so I did it for him. I already changed my Camping World cheepo 3x [good little machine!]
His oil was low and BLACK. Gave it a quick PM and some Seafoam and he went back to the torture test for another couple days then I gave him another service. The Champion took a licking and keep on ticking.
Gotta say: they may be louder but for the price they're hard to beat.
That being said "You can NEVER go wrong with a Honda anything!!!"

My old TT I would use a loud Gen but on the rear of TT a sign saying "I am The A!! hole with the Generator" . this notified every one of a loud Gen.

[AZDesertRat]

The 4000w Champion is on sale in todays Sportsmans Warehouse ad for $299 until May 27th.
The one I had saved my hide several times during power outages plus was great on camping and hunting trips. It in no way compares to a contractor type generator such as the Generac my best friend has that bellers like a lawnmower. I used to let him shut his off and run an extension cord to mine to keep the peace.

[mjrfd99]

Ric Flair wrote:
Ditto on the Champion 3500/4000. It's louder but not that bad and it's only $300 at most retail locations. I love mine but don't use it anymore because my TH has an on board genny.

My neighbor torture tested his Champion during hurricane Sandy in NJ.
Ran it 24/7 [He needs C-PAP mask at night]. I asked him 6 days into the blackout if he changed the oil and got that "I'm not mechanical look" so I did it for him. I already changed my Camping World cheepo 3x [good little machine!]
His oil was low and BLACK. Gave it a quick PM and some Seafoam and he went back to the torture test for another couple days then I gave him another service. The Champion took a licking and keep on ticking.
Gotta say: they may be louder but for the price they're hard to beat.
That being said "You can NEVER go wrong with a Honda anything!!!"

[1L243]

How come guys with loud gens never think there loud? Just because people don't complain don't mean your not peeing off everybody next to you...

[t_m]

I bought a Honda 3000 and had manual switch installed on the panel box in the house. I made a plug that I hook the generator to the house with, turn all the breakers off I won't use and flip the manual switch cutting of Line power and putting me on generator power. It being the 'overpriced' model I don't worry about electronic devices in the house I may choose to use. I can't run the AC obviously but it will power the furnace blower and keep me from freezing and busting pipes in the winter. I don't have to string extension cords around for the fridge and freezer and my wife can have lights in the bathroom and use her hair dryer. Like in your camper you have to manage power but it will get us through a few days. I'd get a bigger generator down the road for my toyhauler the 3000 is enough so I went with it for my dual use power supply.

[wayward1]

cutty72 wrote:
You could get the EU6500i, that would get you the same output in a quieter package. That's the one I'm looking at, just can't come up with the $$ right now.

More than double the $ for a few decibels? No thanks. The model I suggested has been used often in areas where others are camped with out complaint. The newer gen sets only run hard (loud) under full load. Light loads and moderate loads on a big gen set (like 1 AC) don’t come close to making them run at rated decibel output.

[Ric_Flair]

Doughboy12 wrote:
I assume you are camping at the end of an airport runway if you think a champion 3000 is the way to go. I go "camping" to get away from the noise and am sure not going to listen to a construction site type generator wailing away all day/night.

Oh please. The Champion 3500/4000 is not a "construction site type generator". The noise from people whining about these generators is more annoying than the generators ever were.

[flyinguy68]

Doughboy12 wrote:

flyinguy68 wrote:

Nomad wrote:
Thanks for the info it is much appreciated.
I don't want to power anything but frig and T V.

In my humble opinion if all you want to run are those 2 things, anything 3000 watts whether it's red, blue or yellow is overkill and way too much money. the 2000 watt units are much cheaper and easier to move around by yourself. High end are the Honda & Yamaha 2000 (aka the red & the blue) they will probably run you about $1000 give or take, and will get approx. 1800 running watts give or take.

I bought one Chinese brand called "Powerhouse" which lasted me a year then wouldn't start anymore. I'm now am a happy owner of a "Champion" 2000 watt inverter. It was only 6 or 7 hundred dollars in comparison to the Red & blue but it starts every time without a fuss. It is only rated at 1700 running watts compared to the 1800 for Honda which for $400 savings I am a-ok with.

As someone above stated, most of the 2000 watt inverters can be paired with a twin to double your wattage and still be around the same price as a 3000 watt unit. To me that is the way to go. I.E. if you pair 2 Honda 2000's you will effectively get 3600 watts as opposed to a Honda 3000 which will only give you about 2800 running watts if I recall correctly. The price is very close and you can handle a 2000 much more easily than a 3000.

Hope that helps a bit.

P.S. I also have and would recommend if you are boondocking (you don't have nearby camping neighbors), that you consider a Champion 3000 conventional generator. They are louder and it will be heavy, but mine only cost me around 3 or 400, and again it has been very reliable. Choke it and it fires right up going on 3 years now.

I assume you are camping at the end of an airport runway if you think a champion 3000 is the way to go. I go "camping" to get away from the noise and am sure not going to listen to a construction site type generator wailing away all day/night.

Did you bother to read my post? I stated for the OP that I recommended the Champion if he was isolated. I was giving him my input. I on the other hand didn't ask for yours.

[LowRyter]

I like my Champion 3000. Got it got about $300. These things are much quieter than the old portable gennies, though not as quiet as an inverter gen. It's about as quiet as a 10 year old built-in.

You can't hear it inside the trailer if the air is running. And I have the option of rolling it out further from my trailer. Since it's on wheels with a handle, it's perfect for a toy hauler. Just roll it out the ramp. For $300 it's pretty much expendable. You only use for air, microwave or to charge batteries. The TV will run on 12v and fridg runs on gas.

I keep it at home for back-up if I ever need it.

[MM49]

I have Honda EU1000 for battery charging. The generator has not run correctly from day one. I finally took the carb off and broke the fuel screw off and removed it. I bought a replacement needle and adjusted is correctly. It now runs smooth. This procedure was a total PIA because I had to remove the carb to make needle adjustments. I should not have had to do this for a high priced red generator. I've switched to a blue 3000iseb now. I hope it doesn’t need to be redesigned.
MM49

[ssduane]

honestly, for powering the fridge its kinda pointless as the fridge cycles with demand and you would have to run genny around that. Better to run it off gas.

I had a yami 1000 and it weighted in at 25lbs, held .6 gallons of gas and would run about 12 hours and charge my batteries, and is plenty of juice to power most newer tvs, LED/LCD. Also was great to start up on cold nights when furnace was off and on, my batteries would be chagred in the a.m.

[bkirkpatrick]

2oldman wrote:

Nomad wrote:
I don't want to power anything but frig and T V.

Then you don't need a generator. For refer use gas. For TV use an inverter/batteries.

Here we go. Derailing off topic. Let's look at windmills also.

[Doughboy12]

flyinguy68 wrote:

Nomad wrote:
Thanks for the info it is much appreciated.
I don't want to power anything but frig and T V.

In my humble opinion if all you want to run are those 2 things, anything 3000 watts whether it's red, blue or yellow is overkill and way too much money. the 2000 watt units are much cheaper and easier to move around by yourself. High end are the Honda & Yamaha 2000 (aka the red & the blue) they will probably run you about $1000 give or take, and will get approx. 1800 running watts give or take.

I bought one Chinese brand called "Powerhouse" which lasted me a year then wouldn't start anymore. I'm now am a happy owner of a "Champion" 2000 watt inverter. It was only 6 or 7 hundred dollars in comparison to the Red & blue but it starts every time without a fuss. It is only rated at 1700 running watts compared to the 1800 for Honda which for $400 savings I am a-ok with.

As someone above stated, most of the 2000 watt inverters can be paired with a twin to double your wattage and still be around the same price as a 3000 watt unit. To me that is the way to go. I.E. if you pair 2 Honda 2000's you will effectively get 3600 watts as opposed to a Honda 3000 which will only give you about 2800 running watts if I recall correctly. The price is very close and you can handle a 2000 much more easily than a 3000.

Hope that helps a bit.

P.S. I also have and would recommend if you are boondocking (you don't have nearby camping neighbors), that you consider a Champion 3000 conventional generator. They are louder and it will be heavy, but mine only cost me around 3 or 400, and again it has been very reliable. Choke it and it fires right up going on 3 years now.

I assume you are camping at the end of an airport runway if you think a champion 3000 is the way to go. I go "camping" to get away from the noise and am sure not going to listen to a construction site type generator wailing away all day/night.