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...

[racefan1965]

Oldfordman wrote:

Wgeorge11 wrote:
Can't speak for the rest of you birds, but I still feel reassured having my basic, pull start, no frills Champion at my side (more at rear), and the convenience of power anywhere, anytime from the gitgo.

I join you in your thoughts on a basic generator. My Champ has been nothing but reliable. The idea it will work when nothing else does (the power grid, specifically) is reassuring. The thought of taking a $300 generator and adding hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in modifications does not interest me. If I was interested in doing something like that I would find a 2 or 3 cylinder water cooled engine (like a GEO Metro engine) and build a genset around it. Fuel Injected, Turbocharged, Electronic Injection, and enough power to run an electric range to boot.

For now I'll just use my Champ to keep the lights, TV, and Furnace going during power outages and keep the AC, Microwave, and battery charger happy while camping.

BTW, I'll probably need the money I would have spent on modifying something that works great as-is to buy gas for camping.

Beautifully said oldfordman! You took the words right out of my mouth. It meets all my needs and wants when I need or want them 😉 and that is what truly matters to me! I'll live to my standards and everyone else can live to theirs. 🙂 I just want to be judged for who and what I am, not what I can afford.

Rick

[Oldfordman]

Wgeorge11 wrote:
Can't speak for the rest of you birds, but I still feel reassured having my basic, pull start, no frills Champion at my side (more at rear), and the convenience of power anywhere, anytime from the gitgo.

I join you in your thoughts on a basic generator. My Champ has been nothing but reliable. The idea it will work when nothing else does (the power grid, specifically) is reassuring. The thought of taking a $300 generator and adding hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in modifications does not interest me. If I was interested in doing something like that I would find a 2 or 3 cylinder water cooled engine (like a GEO Metro engine) and build a genset around it. Fuel Injected, Turbocharged, Electronic Injection, and enough power to run an electric range to boot.

For now I'll just use my Champ to keep the lights, TV, and Furnace going during power outages and keep the AC, Microwave, and battery charger happy while camping.

BTW, I'll probably need the money I would have spent on modifying something that works great as-is to buy gas for camping.

[professor95]

New LPG Conversion thread is here.

[MrWizard]

I thought this fit in..
http://dieselrvowners.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=12531ce4239ada6731db3251cee92751&action=dlattach...

[VDOCAD]

A while back I PM the Professor about a link to a thread with all the mods people have come up with for the Champion generators. The propane conversion would be just another mod(?).
Just another idea for the new thread.

[Old___Slow]

Prof95

Yes, it's been a vary good year. You have taken us into new territory. One question. How did you know all about the 'On demand' thing? Your mind is awesome! And that button on the remote to open the lid. That was classic. Your the best of the best, just don't think about that retirement stuff. What would all us old birds do? No place to fly, with that rod on that cork float for a fuel gage.

[Wgeorge11]

Can't speak for the rest of you birds, but I still feel reassured having my basic, pull start, no frills Champion at my side (more at rear), and the convenience of power anywhere, anytime from the gitgo. These little suckers -say Chinese gensets- can multi task on gas, propane and in combo TVO (gasoline/kerosene)fuel. Add to this the abundant modification ideas including turbine boost, robotic operation, and how much more you can really do via creative enhancement. Sure beats that little blue pill.
If my unit lasts as long as this thread reads, I'm sure to love it forever. The real value of course has been the strength in this community exploring ideas/issues, the Wizards "truthiness" and the volume of data (which still needs to be indexed).

[JConatser]

A new thread with the name you proposed (Propane Conversion for Chinese Gensets) would be great.

[sjhanksaz]

tvman44 wrote:

professor95 wrote:

HedoTravelers wrote:
Professor, I would be very interested in the propane conversion information. I bought my Champion mainly for camping. Using the existing propane is much more convenient and cleaner than gasoline.

I can do that. I have addressed it in the past, but never detailed the entire process. Should we do it here or start a new thread on Propane Conversion for Chinese Gensets?

I'll probably do it in several parts to make each posting smaller and more manageable.

I second a new thread.:?

I give it a 3rd

[tvman44]

professor95 wrote:

HedoTravelers wrote:
Professor, I would be very interested in the propane conversion information. I bought my Champion mainly for camping. Using the existing propane is much more convenient and cleaner than gasoline.

I can do that. I have addressed it in the past, but never detailed the entire process. Should we do it here or start a new thread on Propane Conversion for Chinese Gensets?

I'll probably do it in several parts to make each posting smaller and more manageable.

I second a new thread.:?

[HedoTravelers]

I thought the thread title you gave was going to be a link 😞
Sure, a new thread is probably a great idea as anyone looking for this info would have to sift through thousands of posts. A new thread would condense it, and make it simpler to manage.
I appreciate your time and the wealth of knowledge you bring to this forum. Thanks! 🙂

[professor95]

HedoTravelers wrote:
Professor, I would be very interested in the propane conversion information. I bought my Champion mainly for camping. Using the existing propane is much more convenient and cleaner than gasoline.

I can do that. I have addressed it in the past, but never detailed the entire process. Should we do it here or start a new thread on Propane Conversion for Chinese Gensets?

I'll probably do it in several parts to make each posting smaller and more manageable.

[sjhanksaz]

HedoTravelers wrote:
Professor, I would be very interested in the propane conversion information. I bought my Champion mainly for camping. Using the existing propane is much more convenient and cleaner than gasoline.

This site has some info

http://www.propane-generators.com/

[Old___Slow]

CosmicVagabond wrote:

Old & Slow wrote:
Thanks Wiz

CS @ Champion is at my command for the life of the genset? I'm tired too, of you AND your praise for Champion. Did you not know other brands have service after the sale. Maybe you need to change your thinking about others on this thread. Are you above consideration of my opinion? Do I have no rights? Does this thread belong only to you?

Why are you tired of someone praising something that they feel deserves it?

:B Maybe silence is golden, I'll try.

[HedoTravelers]

Professor, I would be very interested in the propane conversion information. I bought my Champion mainly for camping. Using the existing propane is much more convenient and cleaner than gasoline.