New owner - Genny questions??????

[Wicky]

Signed for the new Sunset Trail 32 yesterday.....Genny time! All the regular electronics and a 13.5 A/C. Nothing extraordinary. Here's my dilemna. Do I parallel two 2Kw's or buy a 3Kw? Is 3Kw enough?
I don't see the reason to run 3Kw to run a tv and a couple lights. QUIET is of the utmost importance to me. A/C will seldom be used. Without the A/C running, what watts will I be drawing (on average)? Two TV's, two fridges, mostly LED lights, radio and a couple other low wattage things. I love the blue and red but have seen some way lower priced units (Dometic). I know I opened a can of worms here, but any and all advice MORE then welcome

[AmericaOverland]

I forgot to mention that I am looking at the Predator 2500 generator from Harbor Freight because it is small enough that I can handle it by myself. The more powerful generators, I can't possibly move it in and out of my Jeep by myself.

What is this about turning off the "converter" when running the generator? My travel trailer is a very small one (18' with a 13' body on it), and I've NEVER run the AC above Low setting, temp set to about one-half to two thirds of the dial turn, all summer long. It is that good for such a small space that I have to crank the temp upwards or I'll get froze out.

[AmericaOverland]

I'm an absolute newbie about generators. I have a Dometic Brisk Air top manual AC unit, (Duo-Therm model 57915.541). I'm trying to determine what I need to get to be able to kickstart the AC AND keep it running continuously along with a computer and at most 3 lights.

I live in the coastal Texas region, so AC is a requirement at this time. I will need this next month because night temps stay above 90 degrees for most of the night. I will be in an area where you have to be completely self-sufficient (no connections of any kind available).

If you need additional information from the labels under the AC, I have the photos right here on my phone (I'm staying in Victoria while I wait on word for my freshwater tank replacement shipment).

Thanks!
Stephanie

[Greentow]

Also , look at a Boily. It's 3500, weighs about 70 pounds, Honda quiet.

[pitch]

I have two Hondas. I take them both most trips and set them up in parallel. I run one or both as needed. They stay tied together. I try to equalize run time on each one.
Just a note of warning, generators, no matter how quiet, are still noisy to my ears. They will sound quiet in your yard or at a dealers demonstration, but in the woods with only natural sounds to compete they make quite a racket.
Luckily the unducted ac unit makes enough noise to mostly drown them out.

[Mr_Beebo]

I recently sold a very nice Honda EU3000. The champion 2000's sounded no louder than the Honda. They did have a different type of tone, but it was certainly just as quiet. I cannot imagine you needing to dampen the noise any further than what they are now.

[time2roll]

If you do not need the air so much.... consider 200w to 500w of solar.
A small 300w inverter will run the tv, dvd, laptop, and charge phones etc.
If you need air that bad there is nothing wrong with finding a place to plug in.

[Wicky]

I think I'm going to go with the Champion 2Kw in parallel. Half price. Same wattage. Build a box to dampen any additonal Db's. If I was smart I would just wait to see how/if/how often I'm going to even run a genny. Besides, I have all winter to chnage my mind 37 times. This is tougher then it was choosing a trailer!

[Mr_Beebo]

You do not have to remove one 2K genie from the other; if you don't need it, just don't start it up. Our champions are stackable if needed. Might want to remind folks thinking of a remote start gennie that you will need to have the genie switched on at the unit before the remote will work, and yes, if your unit is a little cold blooded, plan on going out and working the choke. That didn't influence my decision, it came down to the weight of a 3k+ vs the versatility of two smaller units.

[beemerphile1]

The 3000 should be all you need. Or two 2000 will do the job.

Keep in mind that the 3000 is heavy and difficult for one person to load/unload.

Also want to point out; are you sure you need a generator? Most people do not.

Do yourself and everyone around you a favor. Get an adequate battery bank, an inverter, and operate your television and lights from the batteries. There is absolutely no need whatsoever to run a generator to watch television!

[deleted-2]

Ooops...

Please delete.

[wbwood]

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
The means I can be sitting in my trailer when it's cold and rainy out and push a button and start the 3KW genset. I REALLY like that idea a LOT! I can't do that with a 2KW genset.

Hopefully it will start up on the try with the remote and will not require you to go out there and pull a choke or something on it. Defeats the purpose then.

If Niagara isn't going to use the A/C, I wouldn't bother with anything over 2000. With a 3000, you are talking about twice the price off a 2000. But only getting half more the power. For the price of 1 honda 2000, you can get 2 champion inverter 2000's. Same output. Good quality. If one goes out in a couple years, then you really are not out anything at all. And who knows, in a couple years, you may decide you don't even wanna camp anymore, can't or don't use but one of the generators.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

Wicky I'm in the same boat. I have thought about this for quite some time and still don't have an answer.

One thing that I did not see mentioned is the fact that you can get a remote start kit with a 3KW genset and you have to pull a rope on the 2KW's.

The means I can be sitting in my trailer when it's cold and rainy out and push a button and start the 3KW genset. I REALLY like that idea a LOT! I can't do that with a 2KW genset.

Still don't know what I'm going to buy. :h

[wa8yxm]

h you do not have to disconnect the not-in-use generator unless I'm mistaken, the Inverter gennies protect themselves from a "Foreign Generator" quite nicely.

[Wicky]

It's just the thought of tripping around outside in the dark to disconnect one genny when not in use, smaller tanks, double the noise with two running??????, and of course the cost factor to go blue or red in parallel has had me spend the last two days researching and shopping.
I don't wanna drop $35 grand on a trailer and nickel and dime the genny but I also don't want to buy too much or too little of a unit(s). I was quite shocked at the weight of the 3Kw Yamaha and Honda. That too makes me leary of lugging that much weight in and out of the truck. Any and all input helps though

[wa8yxm]

Ok, I will give you arguments both ways

3KW One box. Simpler hookup

pare of 2KW's. One a Companion one regular

Well, Odds are you will use one more than the other.. Thus odds are one will wear out faster.. And the other... Will be your "Spare" when that happens leaving you with half power. but half is better than nothing, epically in the cooler seasons.

Also you have 30% more total power when you need it.


Suggestion:

ON your house put a proper generator transfer switch and inlet.. You can likely use no more than 3.000 to 4,000 watts in the winter to keep food cold, house warm and lit and a bit of television so you can watch the news coverage about the power outage. I think I used 3,400 watts on my house (1700 twice) NOTE, these generators will not run an electric range or dryer.. But they will run the fridge, Freezer and Furnace if you have enough power.