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...

[Wgeorge11]

tr0910 wrote:
Aha,

Advance Auto Parts = Parts America in these parts. That is very local. Will try there too.

Tim

In my experience the local Advance Auto did not stock the Champion, but acted as agent for Parts America. This worked out well for me as I had to return a gen damaged in shipping, and was able to do so via the local store. I too had a 10% off coupon, shipping was free, no sales tax, and the price was right. Best of all, there was no question or hassle with the return. Parts America provided service equal to CPE which in both cases has been outstanding. You'll not go wrong with this winning combo of mfg/sales support, not to mention the tech support.

[tr0910]

Aha,

Advance Auto Parts = Parts America in these parts. That is very local. Will try there too.

Tim

[Old___Slow]

Buying a Genset:

Yesterday I read with interest the quick response of several to help with the request for info' in locating a Champion Genest. Everyone who finds a need for a generator has to start somewhere. Or like Professor95 states, he was intrigued by the new arrivals of so many Gensets on the market. His own interest was amped. Here we are several years later.

This was my experience. Having owned many different types of RV's, the USE (only) of gensets were a known item. Five different RV's came with the Onan brand installed at the factory. I had no interest to learn more than basic knowledge necessary to operated (start and stop) the generator. Always they were serviced with a dealer.

In May this year I purchased a used MH driven only 14,500 miles and 261 hours on the genset meter. The OEM genest was DOA. With so few hours on the unit, my thought was only minor repairs would be necessary. The long story of repairs and cost is not the point of this post. In short, I found the need to located a possible replacement. The search began. First, the local ad's and yellow pages. Didn't know really where to start. As always, good ole Google was my source of info' The Ebay links came up quickly. WOW, was that a experience.
Contact was made with several, my questions were answered by three or four sellers. That ended with more questions to the answers than I could reason. Later RV.NET and this thread was found and the decision was make to purchase the Champion C46540 through Partsamerica.com

Buying the C46540 was not my most desired model. I had read of Professor95 and MrWizard owning the Champion Electric Start 40008.
Champion (CPE) sales had been contacted asking, how to buy the Electric Start 40008 model. One week later I received a Email instructing me to contact Ultra Fab in Indiana. I did. They responded quickly with instructions to look in the yellow pages for a local Ultra Fab listing. Listing found. Called these folks. They gave me the number of a local RV dealer that carried the 40008. I made a visit the the local RV dealer and found my much desired C40008 on the floor. It looked good. The price was $678.00 plus Tax total $737.00 With their attitude and the price no sale. Someone on this thread suggested Partsamerica.com, No 40008 but the C46540 was listed @299.99 and with the code giving a 10% discount I now own that unit with good success.

Here is my point. I just keyed in (Google)"Champion 40008 genset" up came two links. One was one of my own (RV.Net) DuroPower, the other Professor95 (RV.NET) and this thread. Perhaps others that have purchased the Champion C40008 will respond with their buying experience and how this unit was located.:h

[bobandcat]

In MICHIGAN, Murray's auto parts is part of the same company as Checker, Schuck's, & Kragen. Go to PartsAmerica.com and use their store locator with your zip code to find nearby stores.

[Wgeorge11]

tr0910 wrote:


Where are you guys buying your Champion Power Equipment generators?

Tim in MI

Try here

[racefan1965]

Nor sure where in Michigan your at. I used a detroit zip and brought up this page... http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail.aspx?mfrcode=CPE&mfrpartnumber=C46540

I think any zip will work with www.partsamerica.com They (parts america) have the RV ready champion ad right on the front page.

Rick

[tr0910]

Only Tractor Supply is in the Midwest to my knowledge. I'll check with them.

[MrWizard]

kragen auto , shucks, checkers, tractor supply,

remember unless the company is a 'catalog store' not everything they sell is available online or shipped, even costco has seprate items for store and online

[tr0910]

OK, we have oodles of info about the gensets, but now we need to know where to buy them.

Pep Boys are not local, but I can get there if I have to. Tractor Supply I will check. Checkers I've never heard of. Home Depot on their web site doesn't list Champion, only Coleman, Briggs, and Pramac. Harbor Freight sells generators under their Chicago Electric brandname. Any ideas which one this is? It appears that Cabela's might have them, but at $400 rather than the sub $300 prices with Pep Boys. (see pricing from Pep Boys Black Friday ad below)

PowerPRO 3500W Generator $50 MIR $229.98
PowerPRO 5500W Generator $50 MIR $329.98
PowerPRO 9000W Generator $100 MIR $449.98

Where are you guys buying your Champion Power Equipment generators?

Tim in MI

[Oldfordman]

professor95 wrote:

Olddorfman wrote:
Did it look anything like this?Homelite Vintage Generator

Very similar in design - but not exact.

Must have a smaller flywheel/cooling fan. But then again, most every genset would have smaller ones than this one.

[LeeShearer]

bobandcat
Thanks I'll try it.

[bobandcat]

LeeShearer wrote:
The Home Depot in Pottstown Pa is now selling the 40012 for $199. I paid $299 only a month ago.

Home Depot allows returns for 90 days. Go in and see the manager and ask Home Depot to reimburse you the $100 difference.

If that doesn't work, just buy one again at $199 and then return the new unopened unit using the old receipt for $299.

[LeeShearer]

The Home Depot in Pottstown Pa is now selling the 40012 for $199. I paid $299 only a month ago.

[professor95]

Olddorfman wrote:
Did it look anything like this?Homelite Vintage Generator

Very similar in design - but not exact.

[tmfu]

Yes... extension cords are a option. However, I do need 240V to my well pump... and pretty much have concluded that I can't run my well pump and most other things I need during a power outage all at the same time from the 3500 Watt generator. So, I would at least need a 25 foot(preferably 40 foot or more), 4 wire extension cord with a L14-30 type connectors on both ends, I'd have to wire my well pump up to a outlet that had the same type connector/box. I'd also need a adapter that took that L14-30 connector to a 120 volt layout for all my other stuff... Add all that up and I'm probably looking at around $150 minimum... and then I still have to be monkeying around plugging and unplugging things in the dark, etc... I'm leaning toward paying a bit more money and trying to come up with something that requires less manual work... like maybe only flipping a switch or two rather then swapping out extension cord adapters and such.