which generator would you recommend?

[djconklin]

I was looking at a Champion B46517 4,000 watt generator. But I was warned off because one guy (I know great sample size) said his "broke within a few hours and could never be fixed properly. I'd never buy a Champion again."

I've heard bad news about Onan, so I'm not sure I'd got that route.

Which model would you buy if you were to buy one today?

[wbwood]

WeBeFulltimers wrote:

wbwood wrote:

Bionic Man wrote:

wbwood wrote:

Bionic Man wrote:
A Honda or Yamaha inverter style generator.

Your neighbors will thank you for it as well.

We camp to make our neighbors happy?

Something that seems to be largely lost these days is common courtesy. Most people don't camp to hear loud generators running. Leave those crappy industrial generators at the job site.

If you are in a place that allows generators to run, then you can expect to hear them running. If a park says only 53 decibel generators, then fine, that's all that should be run. But if one has an adversity to hearing a generator running where it is allowed, then they should not camp there.

Was camping last weekend on blue ridge parkway and guy across from us had a champion 3500/4000 on the back deck of his small TT. Could I hear it running during the day? A little but it was no more obnoxious than the diesel trucks that passed by occasionally. And once I cranked up our built in Onan, I couldn't hear his at all.

If one wants total peace and quiet while camping, then they need to seek out a private spot and not in a developed campground or popular spot. Like I mentioned about diesel trucks. I don't like them. Their loud, smelly and their drivers often feel the need to bow out their chest with making them louder. But they are allowed and I have to deal with it.

You should thank a truck driver every day because you have food in your gut and clothes to keep you warm! Very often they are making a delivery to a warehouse at 3 am while you are likely curled up in your bed. You apparently don't get the entire picture. :M

Actually I am a Federal Law Enforcement Officer that works at night (11pm - 7am) and sleeps during the day while neighbors are cutting their grass, garbage trucks are running, delivery trucks and etc. I guess you should actually be thanking a cop and the military (which I am also former) for the freedom you have to be able to camp and to remain safe every day.

[WeBeFulltimers]

wbwood wrote:

Bionic Man wrote:

wbwood wrote:

Bionic Man wrote:
A Honda or Yamaha inverter style generator.

Your neighbors will thank you for it as well.

We camp to make our neighbors happy?

Something that seems to be largely lost these days is common courtesy. Most people don't camp to hear loud generators running. Leave those crappy industrial generators at the job site.

If you are in a place that allows generators to run, then you can expect to hear them running. If a park says only 53 decibel generators, then fine, that's all that should be run. But if one has an adversity to hearing a generator running where it is allowed, then they should not camp there.

Was camping last weekend on blue ridge parkway and guy across from us had a champion 3500/4000 on the back deck of his small TT. Could I hear it running during the day? A little but it was no more obnoxious than the diesel trucks that passed by occasionally. And once I cranked up our built in Onan, I couldn't hear his at all.

If one wants total peace and quiet while camping, then they need to seek out a private spot and not in a developed campground or popular spot. Like I mentioned about diesel trucks. I don't like them. Their loud, smelly and their drivers often feel the need to bow out their chest with making them louder. But they are allowed and I have to deal with it.

You should thank a truck driver every day because you have food in your gut and clothes to keep you warm! Very often they are making a delivery to a warehouse at 3 am while you are likely curled up in your bed. You apparently don't get the entire picture. :M

[JiminDenver]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

Current pricing where I am is 1.309 per liter. So those six gallons in two days would cost $29.76.

It was a provincial park and they don't "push you out the door" so I arrived early and left late, getting two days of air conditioner run time for $22.00

Not to mention two days of charging. 🙂

wbwood wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

I live in the land of expensive fuel. It was cheaper for me to go to a $22 campground than to run the genny for two days. I'll be pushing my check out time to the limit (of course).

You should be able to get by on about 3 gallons of fule a day if runnign 24/7. Gas is $7/gallon there?

3 gal of fuel to run a air conditioner for 24 hours. That's impressive. We rarely run the Champ now and then only for AC for a hour or two. From those short runs I know that the Champ is a pig and it would be pricier than a FHU site here. Lighter loads OTOH it does a lot better.

[frankdamp]

The only potential gotcha is whether the generator is OK with gas with ethanol, particularly if it's a built-in and runs off the motor-home gas tank. I'm having generator problems which might be a result of ethanol damage. We don't use the generator much, being FHU site users. I think we've only run it once in the three years we've had the rig (except for the routine "run for 30 minutes once a month). I don't think the original owners used it much either, since it only had 48 hours on the run-time meter after 9 years. We've put 5 more hours on it in the two years we had it before it died.

I'm thinking I won't fuss with it until we get ready to sell the MH in maybe 3 years.

[Mr_Beebo]

I will add that while I own two champion 2000s and am very satisfied, I picked up a Honda 3000eu at an auction last week for a great price. Had been used only once. It is a very nice generator and you can tell the quality. However, I won't take it on our trips due to the weight and I'm 6'2 and 250lbs. It just isn't practical for us.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

Current pricing where I am is 1.309 per liter. So those six gallons in two days would cost $29.76.

It was a provincial park and they don't "push you out the door" so I arrived early and left late, getting two days of air conditioner run time for $22.00

wbwood wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

I live in the land of expensive fuel. It was cheaper for me to go to a $22 campground than to run the genny for two days. I'll be pushing my check out time to the limit (of course).

You should be able to get by on about 3 gallons of fule a day if runnign 24/7. Gas is $7/gallon there?

[westend]

TyroneandGladys wrote:

bikendan wrote:

EsoxLucius wrote:
The generators previously cited to run in the low 50's dBA do so at no load. Who uses a generator like that?

those of us that use a generator for recharging our batteries!

my Honda 2000 idles at that db level, when i'm recharging the batteries, which is the most common use of generators when camping.

Unless you are in an area where it is 87 degrees at 4 in the morning

Oh, you mean, like Minnesota....:B

(actually, I'm stretching it a bit, this morning 3:59--79f)

[wbwood]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

I live in the land of expensive fuel. It was cheaper for me to go to a $22 campground than to run the genny for two days. I'll be pushing my check out time to the limit (of course).

You should be able to get by on about 3 gallons of fule a day if runnign 24/7. Gas is $7/gallon there?

[rhartman911]

I have two Honda EU2000 works great

[pianotuna]

Hi,

I live in the land of expensive fuel. It was cheaper for me to go to a $22 campground than to run the genny for two days. I'll be pushing my check out time to the limit (of course).

[wintersun]

I would look for a Yamaha and if they did not make what I needed I would get a Honda. There are more Yamaha repair shops for service and parts than the rest of the companies combined. A warranty is of no use if you cannot get the unit to a service center without paying a lot for having it crated and shipped by a freight company.

[Veebyes]

Even the much revered Honda 2000 makes a racket under a good load such as, a coffeemaker, the water heater or combo of fridge & high rate battery charger. The fridge & water heater can be left on propane. Truth is, for normal AC needs like the TV, phone chargers other AC things that do not produce heat or have a compressor the Honda, and similar, produce very little noise.

The argument is, well how about a genny for air? Well, if it is that hot I'd guess that everyone is inside running their gennys for air so nobody can hear anyone else's.

[Mr_Beebo]

EsoxLucius wrote:
The generators previously cited to run in the low 50's dBA do so at no load. Who uses a generator like that?

Many of my camping companions and neighbors have been very quiet; however, once they are paired together or under a load, they can become quite noisy as well. Far over 68db I am sure...

[time2roll]

OP is headed to the slabs 😉