3000W Chinese Gensets Info.

[professor95]

professor95 wrote:
EDIT ADDED 45/5/2013- When this thread started in March of 2005, I never expected to see it survive this long or amass the quantity of information that has been shared here.

In the eight year run of this thread we have amassed almost 10,000 postings and surpassed a million views. This creates somewhat of a dilemma for anyone who has just discovered the forum.

Since the amount of information is virtually overwhelming, I suggest you set your preferences for this thread to read "newest first" and then begin to page backwards.

What you will find in these pages is a wealth of info on virtually any make or model of Chinese manufactured synchronous (non-inverter) generator in the 3,000 watt performance class. Info will include how to rewire series coils to parallel to obtain maximum wattage from a single 120 volt outlet. Tips on further reducing sound levels, how to care for these generators, which ones are "RV ready" and provide the best overall performance for the dollar invested. Which companies NOT to deal with, where the best prices are, how to safely wire the generator into a home or RV, how to check your RV for electrical faults, sources for generator accessories, which 20/30 adapters are safe to use and which are not. How to convert a gasoline generator to propane or NG. This is only the beginning. The forum has a life of its own with the focus sub-topic switching frequently. Still, the main topic of utilizing the amazing, inexpensive Chinese gensets is always there. The amount of creativity and innovation presented in these pages is indicative of the talents shared in the diverse backgrounds of the folks who make up our combined RV community.

Many of the original brands and models of Chinese gensets mentioned in the introduction and early pages of the thread have since disappeared. New EPA and CARB emissions requirements, company bonds assuring the emissions warranty will be honored even if the company goes out of business, and fierce competition in the industry have changed the playing field. Champion Power Equipment has become the apparent "trophy team" providing an ever expanding retail outlet, an ample parts supply, a strong warranty and excellent customer service. CPE has continued to improve their product and now offers a new model (#46538) with exclusive convenience, safety and performance features aimed at the RV market. Big names like Cummins/Onan, Honda and Generac all now have Chinese built open frame synchronous gensets available. Ironically, the prices often found on these gensets has not significantly changed during the past eight years - even with the devaluation of the American Dollar and new EPA/CARB requirements.

I also encourage you to use the search function and even the advanced search options to find information. Key works such as "rewiring", "PowerPro", "Champion", "Onan Homesite", "Duropower", "ETQ", "Jiung Dong or JD", "Tractor Supply", "Costco", "Lowe's" and "Home Depot" are all examples of keywords that will give you specific information on different models being sold by retailers today.

Or, you can fill your glass with your favorite beverage (keep more close by - maybe some munchies as well :D, sit back at your computer, tell your wife (or significant other) that you will see her in the morning and spend the next 10 or so hours reading through the postings.

No one on the forum gets mad if you ask a question that is a repeat. Please do not hesitate to post to the forum. All questions are considered important and those active on the forum will do their best to respond with a valid answer.

Also note we are not out to knock the Honda, Yamaha, Kipor or other brands of high end digital gensets. We recognize the quality of these products and their suitability for quite, efficient RV use. But, there is a flood of reliable, inexpensive and comparatively lower cost gensets coming out of China that are excellent alternative choices for the RVer wanting power to run an air conditioner, microwave, etc. without excessive noise or breaking the budget.

Oh, one last thing. The folks on this forum are true gentlemen. We do not flame one another or the product discussed - period. Ugly contributors usually have their comments and remarks ignored by our masses. It is not a forum to start arguments to obtain a clear win. We do disagree on many issues, but we have all agreed to do that in a respectable manner.

We now have the introduction of more and more inverter gensets. There is a rather extensive thread named "The Official Unofficial Champion 2000i Generator" on this forum. Today, I added info on the new Champion 3100i inverter genset. Discussion on this product may get moved to its own thread at a later date.

Many have looked upon this thread with distain saying Chinese is cheap and doomed to failure. I remember saying exactly the same thing about Japanese products a few decades back. But, over the past eight years the track record for Chinese built generators has shown otherwise.

Please, join us in a fascinating journey down the Chinese built genset road of knowledge.

This is the question I posted that got it all started back in March 2005.......

Randy

For a little over a month now, I have been somewhat intrigued by the availability of a 3000 watt, 6.5 HP generator at Pep Boys and Northern Tool for under $300.00. The engine on this generator looks identical to a Honda 6.5 HP OHV engine. Knowing that the Chinese have become very adept at “cloning” reputable technologies from other manufacturers, I was not surprised at the similarities. Neither store could give me any information on the generator nor did they have a “running” display model.

I have done a little research. This is what I have discovered:

Many of these generators are imported by ELIM International (www.eliminternational.com) out of Buffalo, New York from Jiung Manufacturing in China. (The unit at Northern is identical but carries the JIUNG name.)

The engines are indeed a Chinese knockoff of the popular 6.5 HP 196cc Honda Engine. “Supposedly” Honda has licensed the engine technology to the Chinese manufacturer of the product.

The Chinese company that makes the ELM3000 generators is a rather large, diverse, long-standing company with a reputation for “above average quality” Chinese made products (Jiung Manufacturing). There are many more Chinese companies making almost identical gensets.

The generators at PepBoys do have a six month limited warranty. But, it is only on the engine (not the generator) and requires paying for shipping to and from Buffalo. Probably not a very practical thing to do if you have warranty issues.

ELIM does supply replacement parts (a PDF parts manual is available on the ELIM web site). No prices are given for replacement parts nor is there an “availability listing”.

The generator head itself is a brushless design. The only really significant wear parts in the generator are the bearings – most likely universally available.

The published dB rating is 67 at 23 feet. This is “reasonably” quite for a generator of this size as most comparabl.... The 67 dB rating is the same as Honda gives their 3000 watt CycloInverter with a “look alike” eng...

[MrWizard]

the champion 4000 watt would likely be of better service

besides having more power, the schematic that was posted, was a generator with electronic voltage regulation which will give cleaner power than a brushless and superior voltage regulation

yeah it cost a little more, but it appears to be worth the increase

[jimpcon]

Capt-Ron wrote:
Hey Jim,
Did the box have a picture that showed the muffler?
According to Wen Power Products the 5500 is rated at 72db, wish that I could find one down here.
I'm going to be in Birdsboro, Pa for a week beginning July 7th, wonder if other Pep Boys up there would have any?

Thanks for the info.
Capt Ron

No, it didnt.

I flipped the box all around and upside down(its heavier than the 3500) specifically looking for a picture that showed the exhaust. I wanted to see if it had an exhaust like the 3500.

Jim

[Capt-Ron]

Hey Jim,
Did the box have a picture that showed the muffler?
According to Wen Power Products the 5500 is rated at 72db, wish that I could find one down here.
I'm going to be in Birdsboro, Pa for a week beginning July 7th, wonder if other Pep Boys up there would have any?

Thanks for the info.
Capt Ron

[jimpcon]

FlugPoP wrote:
Sorry link is now fixed:o

Got it now, thanks!!

BTW, I was in PepBoys tonight and they had one of the 5500 watt Power Pro genny's in stock. Going by the box because they didnt have a display model, it is not at all like the unit pictured in the ad/flyer. First of all its red, it has one 220 outlet and 4(four) 15 amp outlets. There are other differences too. Its not a bad looking unit.
I wanted to take it out for a better look but was not allowed. No specs on the box as far as sound ratings. Basically all it said was that it was 5000 watts with a 5500 surge.

I am sure its louder(70+ db) but with some of the sound abatement ideas that have been shown in this topic it might be a nice unit to have for $399.00.

Take care,
Jim

[FlugPoP]

Sorry link is now fixed:o

[Capt-Ron]

The url worked for me but I think that you would be better off with the TG3000.

Here's the link: TG3000.

[jimpcon]

FlugPoP wrote:
Ok I am about to buy a "cheap" genset. I am debating between

this http://www.easterntools.com/product_detail.asp?ProductID=69 299.00

I am getting a page not found when I click on, or copy and paste, your provided URL.

Jim

[professor95]

Now--I need gen help. I bought a Mobile Scout, wired for 50 amp service, but that's because it has washer/dryer connections. The identical unit w/o w/d is wired for 30 amp service. I would, of course, prefer to mount a generator in the unit as opposed to carrying one in my truck, but can't find any good, comprehensive advice as to how.

The easiest way to do this is purchase a ready-made 50 to 30 amp RV adapter.

This adapter ties both legs of the 50 amp service together to a common feed point for 30 amps.

There are other ways, all more complicated and expensive. None of them really work any better than the 50 to 30 adapter.

What stinks is you will need yet another adapter to convert the 30 amp adapter to 20 amps for the generator. But, this works too. The only potential problem is resistance between the metal friction points (contacts) that can produce heat and resultant failure of the adapters. So, keep the contacts clean, out of the weather and occasionally check for melted plastic or heat at the connection points.

Rather than hard wire the generator into the RV, which requires a transfer switch, just plug the RV's power cord into the generator. If this presents a problem, write back and I will give you more options.

[FlugPoP]

Ok I am about to buy a "cheap" genset. I am debating between

this http://www.easterntools.com/product_detail.asp?ProductID=69 299.00

which is the one(from what I am reading)that replaced the Nikota 3500

Or the one from Kragen that is the same price and power output.

So which one should I get?

[Dave___Debbie_S]

Your writeup on the Chinese generators was very thorough. In the past few years, I've been buying tools from Harbor Freight, and have not had a problem yet with any of them. Have even used one of their $50 wenches on my 4 wheeler, and it has held up.

Now--I need gen help. I bought a Mobile Scout, wired for 50 amp service, but that's because it has washer/dryer connections. The identical unit w/o w/d is wired for 30 amp service. I would, of course, prefer to mount a generator in the unit as opposed to carrying one in my truck, but can't find any good, comprehensive advice as to how. Dealer wants $2,000 labor and misc parts to install an Onan 4000 Microquiet, and that doesn't include the generator! I want a quiet installation. I'll compromise some on convenience (inside starting, gas gauge, etc.), but won't compromise safety. I haven't bought a generator yet, so am open there. Do you have any input that might help?

Dave Sledge
225-791-6858
dave.sledge@cox.net

[TubaPete]

Bamaman,
Somebody will probably answer it better than me, sooner or later, but yes, you would do better to just run off of the 20 amp duplex. When you use it, you flip the switch to 120 volts and get power from both generator windings. When it is set to 240 volts and you use the 30 amp plug, you only get power from one of them.

[Bamaman]

Question...I have a ELM 3000L...I made a dogbone from the 4 prong 30 amp plug to a 30amp 3 prong plug for my Travel Trailer. I only connected to one side of the 4 pronged plug, which would give me 120 volts vs 240 with both sides hot. Problem is I really don't think I am getting all the amps that I should be. Case in point...the microwave clock ran fast...and running anything but the A/C seemed to be too much. My A/C says min amps to be 20 amps. I run it fine from my home 20 amp house plug.

Would I be better off just running from the 20 amp Duplex plug? Would it help to dogbone both duplex plugs to a 30 amps RV plug?

Thanks in advance.

[VicT]

I was considering a Gen and came across this forum. WOW is there ever good info available. So I got on Ebay, bought one ELM3000 from Buffalo and am expecting delivery daily. Thanks everybody for simpliying my research.

[beach_house]

Great thread! I read every page before buying my elim 3000. It arrived yesterday and I was fired up. Well I opened it up and put gas in it. Fuel was pouring out from the carb area! I figured the fuel line came loose during shipping. I got it to mostly stop and started the generator on the 2nd pull. It ran great, putting out 120volts for about 30 minutes. I hooked up my trailer and ran the ac during this time. No problems. I shut it off for awhile. About 20 minutes later I started the eliminator and the engine fluctuated up and down few times? It settled at the lower idle and would only put 95-100 volts!
On the 220 side it would put out only 200 volts?! I did not try to run the ac with the low voltage. I called eliminator intl. and spoke with Tracey. She was very helpful. After about 1 day I finally spoke with Mark, who agreed to replace the unit. I will keep you posted on the quality of the replacement when it arrives.

Beach House
1999 Chevrolet 4 x 4 Suburban
2005 Jayco Jayfeather 29 Y
2000 Seadoo GTX , 1998 Kawasaki 1100 STX Jetskis
Beautiful Wife, 3 happy daughters!

[TubaPete]

guy48065 wrote:
In the schematic for the Wen PowerPro 3500:
http://www.y4hdesigns.com/images/PP3500schem.jpg
The Green/Yellow wire is shown only going from the chassis to the AC outlet(s).

bobgay wrote:
TubaPete-The Green and Yellow wire is heavier than the green wire. Because of the type of fitting on the end of the green wire, it couldn't attach to the 110 volt receptacle. The green and yellow wire does have the type of connection that would fit on the 110 volt receptacle that now has nothing attached. Am I making sense?
Bob

According to the schematic the green/yellow is the ground wire and should go to the duplex. Sorry that I was wrong. On the schematic the only green wire is between the DC coil and the rectifier. I don't know how that equates to what you have described.