โMar-02-2005 06:20 AM
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 โcloningโ 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 โrunningโ 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. โSupposedlyโ 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 โabove average qualityโ 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 โavailability listingโ.
The generator head itself is a brushless design. The only really significant wear parts in the generator are the bearings โ most likely universally available.
The published dB rating is 67 at 23 feet. This is โreasonablyโ 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 โlook alikeโ eng...
โOct-28-2005 06:53 PM
Kamphiker wrote:
Power Pro 3500 the little chinese generator that can!
Well I'm finally able to get back on line. Wilma Hit us HARD here in Broward county Fla.. We lost power at 4:30 AM on monday. I have been running the generator for around 8 - 10 hours a day to keep the House Refer cold and run lights, TV, Satellite, ceiling Fan, My computer and a couple of outside motion sensor security lights.
Due to the lack of Gas in the area (few statikons w/ power and 5 - 6 hour wait with a $ 20.00 limit) I am limiting the amount we run the Generator.
After reading the material posted by the professor I went to pep boys and bought one of the power-pro generators. I didnโt mess with the internal wiring just looked at the diagram and made two separate 110 V 15 amp circuits. I ran my fridge on one line and the freezer from the other. It worked swell during Wilma who blew through Fort Myers Monday morning. We were out of electricity five days and I ran the unit over twelve hours each day. We watched TV had lights at night as well as fans. The unit used five gallons of gas to operate the unit for two days. The unit is noisy but it did better than what I could hope for. It will get rest until another hurricane decides to blow into town. I donโt have an RV anymore but still enjoy reading all the adventures you guys are having.
โOct-28-2005 09:20 AM
โOct-28-2005 06:44 AM
Bahamaboy wrote:
I have also beenhit hard with Welma and have been running my Elm3000 as i have in the past for my fridge a few lights and TV but just noticed today that the output voltage has droped to almost 100VAC and to my way of thinking i am just ovet 50% load is this common i never noticed the low voltage before?? Is there a way to increase the voltage to about 115VAC??
THanks for any help
Bahamaboy
โOct-27-2005 07:46 PM
โOct-27-2005 07:34 PM
โOct-27-2005 06:04 PM
โOct-27-2005 07:40 AM
โOct-26-2005 09:15 AM
XR4rider wrote:
Hi- I am looking for Professor95's opinion (although anyone's opinion would be greatly appreciated)
I have read this forum back to front and front to back. I am actually a litte dizzy as a result. So, after all the reading,
I have come to the conclusion that i would like to find a generator that I can pretty much just plug and play. No wiring or rewiring. I have a 21' toyhualer that I usually keep in the desert all season with full hookups. About 2 or 3 times a year I take the trailer places where there are no hookups. So I am not looking for a full time RV generator, just occasional use. I would like to be able to run my AC and microwave(not necessarily at the same time) and a few lights at night.
From the reading, I get the impression the ELM3000 would be okay if I just plugged my trailer in (with the adapter) and didn't re-wire anything. Is that a good assumption. Do you have any advice for my situation.
Thanks for your time
โOct-25-2005 05:06 PM
โOct-25-2005 02:04 PM
Does anyone know what the exhaust temp is coming out of the muffler? I was wondering if i could use CPVC pipe to extend the exhaust out of an enclosure?
โOct-25-2005 03:05 AM
โOct-24-2005 10:19 PM
PatJ wrote:presp wrote:
...the generator 220v is incompatible with "household" 220v.
This is due to the phasing difference.
Household 220v is at 120 degree phase shift. Generator 220v is at 180 degree phase shift.
Resistance appliances, like a water heater, will probably work ok.
However, a 220v electric motor that is phase sensitive (e.g. capacitor start) can have trouble.
Easiest solution is DO NOT run 220v anything with it.
Only use 120v unless you are willing to ensure phase shift compatability.
Of course, the above is somewhat academic if you are only running 120v.
Presp
A normal single phase residential service is 180 degree, at least around here, just like the generators. Industrial three phase delta or Y are 120 out of phase, but at least in my corner of the US, most homes have a single phase service using a 240V center-tapped transformer. That makes 180 degrees.
My Champion runs my 240v air compressor and 1 HP 240v well pumps without problems. Both are single phase 240V motors with capacitor start.
โOct-24-2005 09:27 PM
presp wrote:
...the generator 220v is incompatible with "household" 220v.
This is due to the phasing difference.
Household 220v is at 120 degree phase shift. Generator 220v is at 180 degree phase shift.
Resistance appliances, like a water heater, will probably work ok.
However, a 220v electric motor that is phase sensitive (e.g. capacitor start) can have trouble.
Easiest solution is DO NOT run 220v anything with it.
Only use 120v unless you are willing to ensure phase shift compatability.
Of course, the above is somewhat academic if you are only running 120v.
Presp
โOct-24-2005 07:21 PM
Bahamaboy wrote:
Thanks for the info i was afraid it would melt the CPVC guess i will have to use metal conduit.
I would never run the unit inside my house or eeven close but have it in a sound enclosure and was hoping to pump the heat out of the box to help keep the unit cooler the enclosure/Generator is 40 feet away from my house
โOct-24-2005 06:55 AM