Looking for a generator

[burgess001]

Have always had onboard generators with motorhomes. Have downsized to a Travel Trailer. Feeling the need for a generator for the RV, and as a backup for the house. One big enough for the RV Air Conditioner/Microwave, etc would work for the "emergency leg" of the breaker box in the house. What would you suggest? Propane? Duel Fuel? Electric Start? Other considerations?

[TomG2]

jplante4 wrote:

TomG2 wrote:
Quick question. Do people really "camp" in congested campgrounds with everyone running generators? Doesn't "sound" like fun to me. I get it at Nascar races, etc.

We did a week at Horseneck Beach last June. It's a series of roads with pulloffs for sites. They stagger the sites so you're not directly across from anyone, but it's fairly crowded and no hookups at all. The majority of campers have either a built-in Onan or a Honda and it was noticeable but not annoying. I didn't notice one brand of portable making any more noise than another. To be honest, the sounds of the ocean and the wind pretty much attenuated any man-made sounds.

That is my point exactly. It doesn't matter what brand of generator you have as long as we are far enough apart. A Champion generator one thousand feet away is less noticeable than my "quiet" Honda in your front door. In fact the sound of the little Honda working its guts out to make 1500 watts is not pleasant at all. 500 watts is quite acceptable.

[Ron3rd]

badsix wrote:
Champion 3500 about a 100.00 more and remote start. I just cant make myself depend on anything from Horrible Freight.
Jay D.

X2, in laws found a Champ 3500 with remote electric start online for $999 with free shipping and no sales tax.

...another reason is Champion has good customer support and parts available.

The HF might be fine but IMO their gennys are too new so the jury's still out for me.

[jplante4]

TomG2 wrote:
Quick question. Do people really "camp" in congested campgrounds with everyone running generators? Doesn't "sound" like fun to me. I get it at Nascar races, etc.

We did a week at Horseneck Beach last June. It's a series of roads with pulloffs for sites. They stagger the sites so you're not directly across from anyone, but it's fairly crowded and no hookups at all. The majority of campers have either a built-in Onan or a Honda and it was noticeable but not annoying. I didn't notice one brand of portable making any more noise than another. To be honest, the sounds of the ocean and the wind pretty much attenuated any man-made sounds.

[Gulfcoast]

Why are the new Honda generators being recalled? Glad I bought a Champion.

I found out why...

Honda

[TomG2]

bikendan wrote:
...snip.....

It is an inappropriate generator for camping in a campground.

Quick question. Do people really "camp" in congested campgrounds with everyone running generators? Doesn't "sound" like fun to me. I get it at Nascar races, etc.

[fj12ryder]

Wow, lots of information going back and forth and it would seem that no one is reading anyone else's posts. Yawl are arguing at cross purposes.

[allen8106]

RGar974417 wrote:
I am an electrician who has installed a lot of generator hookups for home. You don't need to run everything,just the basics.Usually furnace, refridgerator, water pump if you have one, micro wave ,one receptical circuit and one lighting circuit would be minimum. This will be enough to let you get by comfortably.Generally speaking, you want one in the range of 5,000 watts for your house. For your RV you could get by with 2,000 watts to charge the batteries,run the microwave etc. If yoy want to run the A/C then you would need 3,000 watts.

I'm not an electrician but I stayed at a Holiday Inn once so I agree with you.

I have a Generac 5500 Wheelhouse bought in January 2005 that runs my furnace, refrigerator, 22 cubic foot freezer, all my lights, my wife's' CPAP, television, well pump, etc. I've not yet been able to overload it. The one thing I haven't tried running is the house AC. Ours runs from a panel below the meter with a cutout switch plate to disconnect the grid and feeds the entire house panel.

[72cougarxr7]

We have a lot of mis information about the Champion generators on here.
It is disingenuous to say how loud the Champion contractor generator is, then compare the decible rating to a Honda ibverter. If you fairly compare a contractor style Honda to a contractor style Champion, you will find them comparable.
Likewise, the Champion inverter are very similar noise wise to Honda's inverters.

And finally, the Champion inverter vary the rpm with load just like a Honda or Yamaha inverter.
It is NOT like if you plug a lamp into a Champion inverter, it will run at full rpm.

[bikendan]

2manytoyz wrote:

D.E.Bishop wrote:


toomanytoyz, you are comparing apples and oranges. The genny you're quoting is an open frame contractors model and not an inverter. Please try and keep up.

Please go back and read the post by wa8yxm, he's talking about contractor grade 3500, which is VERY popular with the RV crowd.

I have to disagree. I own the Champion 3500w contractor-style generator and it's too loud for RVing unless you're boondocking.
I've seen only one or two campers using that generator in a campground, in the 10 years+ that generator has been around. And they were not popular.

It is an inappropriate generator for camping in a campground.

[2manytoyz]

badsix wrote:
CHECK your FACTS again, that's a contractor gen not an inverter. unlike the 3500 inverter model 100262 at 59dba. Champion also has several 2000w inverters that run 53 dba
Jay D.

wa8yxm had mentioned the standard contractor grade Champion generator, to which I was referring to. A couple of posts above yours, I did compare the inverter model Champion. Several brands and models are being discussed.

[2manytoyz]

D.E.Bishop wrote:


toomanytoyz, you are comparing apples and oranges. The genny you're quoting is an open frame contractors model and not an inverter. Please try and keep up.

Please go back and read the post by wa8yxm, he's talking about contractor grade 3500, which is VERY popular with the RV crowd.

I also discussed the differences between the Champion 3500 inverter model verses the Honda and Yamaha inverter models, just a couple of posts above yours.

"I" have been keeping up. :W

[badsix]

CHECK your FACTS again, that's a contractor gen not an inverter. unlike the 3500 inverter model 100262 at 59dba. Champion also has several 2000w inverters that run 53 dba
Jay D.

[badsix]

CHECK your FACTS again, that's a contractor gen not an inverter. unlike the 3500 inverter model 100262 at 59dba. Champion also has several 2000w inverters that run 53 dba
Jay D.

[enblethen]

2manytoyz and Boon Docker are mixing apples and oranges. 2Manytoyz is a standard genset where Boon Docker is showing an inverter genset.