Generator question for the Genny Gurus

Ok I think the OP got the message. Generator police stand down.

CLOSED

Let's see. We have not had a twenty page generator thread this month. I think that I will get one going by asking about the advisability of using a 7,000 watt construction generator for RVing. Duh.

Predictable replies all, except the one threatening to kill someone between their sixth and seventh birthday. Now that is a real "Sound policeman"! Beware.

There really are 3 levels of generators being talked about here:

1, Open frame contractor generators, they are cheap, typically have a 500-700 hour service life before needing a new lawnmower style engine and run at a fixed speed of 3600 rpm. And are about as pleasant to be around as the neighbors teenage son's hotrod with no muffler at 3 am.

2, Onan RV generators, modern versions of these are usually enclosed in a fiberglass box and are mounted inboard under an RV, the RV body and the generator enclosure along with a real muffler, help the noise issue, though they can still give off a fair amount of sound and run at a fixed speed, 3600 rpm for the smaller units up to 4000 watts, with lower speeds, typically 1800 rpm for the larger units though some have reduction belt drives and run at 2800 or so rpm. The 3600 rpm Onans typically have a 1,500 -2,000 hour service life, and the lower speed ones have even higher with proper maintenance.

3, Inverter generators, these are the most fuel efficient, usually the lightest for a given output, and the quietest, they are also by far the most expensive for a given output when comparing quality brands, like Yamaha or Honda (see the Honda EU series for examples like the EU3000is or the EU7000is (the biggest of the honda inverter units, with a price tag to match at almost $4,500)

An Onan generator is a higher quality piece of equipment, represented in the price. It will likely be quieter, more fuel efficient, produce a better regulated "cleaner" output, and likely last 10 times longer if taken care of.
If you're only using if for a couple weekends a year then either device will probably last for several years. If you're using it for hundreds of hours a year I doubt the DeWalt will last more than 1 year.

I'm betting that the Dewalt is so loud that even if he boondocked in the desert, someone would call the police.

One other rather important difference between the DeWalt and a typical Onan RV generator is that the Onan would be built into the RV, rather than just be a separate portable generator. The Onan would be plumbed into a built-in fuel tank (or possibly the propane system) and have controls to start and stop it inside the RV and usually be wired in through an automatic transfer switch.

Yup, two differences: The Onan is quieter and more expensive.

Your buddy will find that the DeWalt will make him a pariah in most any location where he has neighbors closer than a half-mile away. His own family may disown him. Don't be like your buddy.

Yup. What everybody said here. HIGHLY RECOMMEND he take it back. He'll make a lot of enemies at a campground with it.

The Dewalt may not have a very pretty sine wave which may become even worse under load. It is a noisy contractor grade device. Not my cup of tea.

"Open frame" generators like that are built to put out power at a jobsite and are LOUD. If your buddy likes to take his trailer out in the woods and wild for fishing, hunting and the like, it's probably a good choice because 7000 watts will run the a/c, microwave, etc. Would be OK at a NASCAR race where it's already loud.

BUT, no way is it suitable for a campground, sate park, festival, or any kind of place where folks are camped close together. If your buddy was in the site next to you and fired that DeWalt up, well, he wouldn't be your buddy anymore....

For campground or park use you want an "inverter" generator that has enclosed sides and can throttle down when under partial load. These run MUCH quieter.