New to camping and have a couple of questions:Honda 3000's are very expensive as we all know. I have a 30' camper with A/C (my son needs the AC does not respond well to heat and Wife n I like it cool to sleep). Our goal is to be able to have hassle free operation of our A/C and some lights.I have heard that Honda 3000's can sometimes not run your RV and others that say its the only way to go. When going on Amazon to purchase one I found the Briggs & Stratton 3000, 1/2 the price also. I could get this deal https://www.amazon.com/Briggs-Stratton-30545-PowerSmart-3000-Watt/dp/B01CPWX2E6/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1491093267&sr=8-8&keywords=honda%2B3000&th=1 Its one Briggs and Stratton 3000 and 2200 with the Parallel Cable Connector Kit for less than 1 Honda 3000. More power less money. Noise level seems to be equivalent to the Honda's. What do you all think I should do?Also the next important thing to me because I am a man that thinks RESPECT is very important. Is it acceptable in a campground to have your generator running all night to provide AC to your camper? Also do you think if I went with the 2 Briggs and Stratton generator deal it would be too noisy? What is proper etiquette?Sorry for the long post! Any information would be greatly appreciated.Bill from Long Island NY

The Birggs will be extremely noisy, especially compared to the Honda. You get what you pay for with generators. The Honda will be quieter, more fuel efficient, and last much longer.You really need to rethink your whole plan. Most campgrounds do not allow running generators at night. They will typically have "generator hours" but will likely stop about 10pm and not be allowed again until maybe 7am.If I was camped next to you I'd be upset with having the generator running at 7am.I think you should just plan on camping at places that have electric hook up if you need the AC all night. Or, find very very isolated out of the way campgrounds with no generator rules. That will be hard to do in the northeast part of the country I think.

I agree with KD4UPL The Birggs will be extremely noisy, especially compared to the Honda. You get what you pay for with generators. The Honda will be quieter, more fuel efficient, and last much longer.If I was camped next to you I'd be upset with having the generator running at 7am.I think you should just plan on camping at places that have electric hook up if you need the AC all night. Or, find very very isolated out of the way campgrounds with no generator rules.

Bill, it's not whether either of those 2 generators will do what you want it to do... The Honda will do it better and quieter while you are running. The B&S is like running your lawn mower at full throttle, so think about that..They will both run your AC.. The only advice I can give you is to camp where you have full electric hookup if you have to run your AC all night long...No camp ground is going to let you run even the 'quiet' Honda all night long for the most part..Unless it's some out of the way place or where everyone else is running their generator all night long.. (ie rest area, NASCAR infield camping...)Otherwise, you'd not be on my 'nice neighbor' list... ;)Good luck!Mitch

I assume you are talking about the B&S 3000 inverter generator and not an open frame model.Consider the Champion 3100 inverter generator as another option.

Anything the Briggs can do, the Honda can do better, longer and much more quietly. But if it were me I would buy one of the new Yamaha inv. gens.

Honda 3000 or New Briggs & Stratton 3000 | Good Sam Community

ng2951
Explorer
Apr 13, 2017
If you run into more problems check out one of the microprocessor controlled soft starters. They are suppose to lower the LRA at compressor start.
bdawson266
Explorer
Apr 07, 2017
Thank you all so much
OLYLEN
Explorer
Apr 07, 2017
If the OP has not purchased yet here is another option. Two of the honda 2000's hooked together. Lighter, more power, weigh less for carrying around per unit, able to use one when power load is less. At sea level or near might get by with one for A/C and the price is close to the 3000. Sometime looking around you can get the 2000's for $600. Just another option.

LEN
ng2951
Explorer
Apr 07, 2017
Test, test, test
mx727
Explorer
Apr 04, 2017
Briggs, Champion, Generac, Honda, or Yamaha inverters are all great generators. Most people have only owned one and people will always have a bias that the one they picked is the best. If it wasn't, that would mean they made a mistake and people don't like that. It is why there are so many brand debates. I've have a Champion 5500 non-inverter, have the Honda EU7000is, a Generac whole home generator and ride a Yamaha YZ-250 :). I like them all.

The Champion set outside in all weather conditions for two years during construction of a house. Never, ever, was there a problem starting it. That tells me Champion is not junk.

Likewise the Honda is amazingly quiet and powerful. It's also amazingly heavy, but when boon-docking at NASCAR races in the summer, it is sure nice to have both A/C units running at full tilt while making coffee. There aren't as many choices in this size generator, so Honda it is.

Based on my observations, with Champion, I'll probably save the money and get a 3?00 watt inverter if I decide to get something smaller.

BTW, the Generac works perfectly and nothing is more fun than a two-stroke MX bike when it comes to off road motorcycles (IMO). :)

Buy what you can afford, just don't be noisy in the campground!
jpbuch9309
Explorer
Apr 04, 2017
HONDA
SoundGuy
Explorer
Apr 03, 2017
LJAZ wrote:
I have the Honda eu3000is and as a point of reference I can run the AC all night, roughly`9 hrs, on a single tank of gas in Arizona summer temperatures. Now if you have 2 AC units you might need the extended run kit.

Even with just one A/C the downside I see to powering A/C with a genset not equipped with an extended run tank is it's much more likely the genset will run out of gas while the A/C is still running. That's hard on the genset and hard on any load(s) it's powering - better always to first remove the load(s), then shut the genset down for refueling before it ever runs out of fuel.
LJAZ
Explorer
Apr 03, 2017
I have the Honda eu3000is and as a point of reference I can run the AC all night, roughly`9 hrs, on a single tank of gas in Arizona summer temperatures. Now if you have 2 AC units you might need the extended run kit.

Also - check Craigslist. I bought mine there for $500 cheaper than new and it had only been run twice. It still had all the tags on it even.
SoundGuy
Explorer
Apr 03, 2017
troubledwaters wrote:
If it was me I would buy the Champion 3100W inverter generator.

The OP has already announced he's decided to go with a 3000 watt Honda - hopefully he means the class leading EU3000iS, not the Handi which is MUCH noisier. :E

Since the OP is buying this genset with his primary goal being to run A/C I'd personally also invest in a Pinellas Extended Run Kit for his new EU3000iS. Although perhaps not absolutely necessary I'd also think seriously about adding a Micro-Air Easy Start Soft Starter Kit to his A/C unit which would unquestionably ease the load on the genset considerably anytime the A/C compressor motor starts up, thus extending the service life of his new EU3000iS to "forever". :B
troubledwaters
Explorer III
Apr 03, 2017
If it was me I would buy the Champion 3100W inverter generator.