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...

[Old___Slow]

professor95 wrote:

Skibane wrote:
I'm waiting for some manufacturer to introduce a portable generator dust cover that doubles as a noise shield - Perhaps a 2-piece enclosure that expands outward when the generator is running, and collapses for generator storage. The outside would be rigid and rain-tight, and the inside would be lined with sound-absorbing material.

Most folks buy a dust/weather cover for their portable generator anyway - So why not buy one that also reduces noise?

There is such a device that is being manufactured and distributed by a new start-up generator accessory company called SuperGen. It is called a GenTent. I do not think it is ready for shipment yet but do know it should be available by July as the vendor will be at the big Woodall's/Trailer Life Rally in Louisville to display their wares. I will also be at the rally as a media representative for Woodall's and will be sure to get any info I can to share on the thread. Sharing should not be a problem as RV.net, Trailer Life, Motor Home, Woodall's, Good Sam, Camping World and The Rally are all part of Affinity Media.

It is amazing the e-mail I get from China Vendors and other places related to generators and accessories. Most of the time I don't even need to ask for info, it just lands in my in-box. I guess 5 plus years of Shepherding this thread has created the impression that I am a contact person for all this stuff. In any event, I share what I get so we can make the appropriate decisions as to what to buy or ignore. If this SuperGen company flys we should see some really neat and exciting accessories for our 3,000 watt Chinese gensets that have not been available elsewhere. Right now their Web Site doesn't show anything but a front page. They tell me it will be completed "soon" with all the products listed. 🙂

The more I think about this 'SuperGen' the more I look forward to a review and recommendation from our new media man for 'Affinity' our Professor95. Hope this thing flys and will soothe all ears of campers near a noisy generator. That will be the day we will all appreciate and will give us a happy outing in the world of 'quiet'. In the persent time, some of us folks will prod along to find some answers to lower the noise factor of the portable gensets now on the market. SuperGen, might sound good?

[Old___Slow]

bill h wrote:

Skibane wrote:
I'm waiting for some manufacturer to introduce a portable generator dust cover that doubles as a noise shield - Perhaps a 2-piece enclosure that expands outward when the generator is running, and collapses for generator storage. The outside would be rigid and rain-tight, and the inside would be lined with sound-absorbing material.

Most folks buy a dust/weather cover for their portable generator anyway - So why not buy one that also reduces noise?

I made a folding hog house out of soundboard and duct tape. It was temporary and ugly, but it worked so well that I will be building a dog house that fits right over the generator. With a divider to keep the hot air from the inlet air.

I'm banking on you billh, been reading your posts for years and I do believe your the man with the plan. You could save the camping world by giving comfort to the ears from noisy gens. Yes, must separate the hot air (no pun intended) from the outside cooling air. Looking forward to seeing your post showing the 'new dog house' design. As for the 'Gen Tent' thing, it must require one giant compressor. Got to blow the hot air out some way? Right??

[bill_h]

Skibane wrote:
I'm waiting for some manufacturer to introduce a portable generator dust cover that doubles as a noise shield - Perhaps a 2-piece enclosure that expands outward when the generator is running, and collapses for generator storage. The outside would be rigid and rain-tight, and the inside would be lined with sound-absorbing material.

Most folks buy a dust/weather cover for their portable generator anyway - So why not buy one that also reduces noise?

I made a folding hog house out of soundboard and duct tape. It was temporary and ugly, but it worked so well that I will be building a dog house that fits right over the generator. With a divider to keep the hot air from the inlet air.

[Old___Slow]

OMG ~ Something happened on the way to the 'forum'. Living near a large city in Texas, while in HD or Lowe's I always look for new or strange sightings. This time, the other day, it was like I had won the Texas Lottery and I did a little 'Texas Two Step' What I was looking at caused my eyes to open wide. And no, it wasn't Lady Gaga.
To my utter amazement, I was looking at two Champion 40026 gensets. At $299. Hey, these things make power just like plugging into a wall socket in my stick house. And all for $299. For a Texas lad, he is short some sox (socks to some folks) so got to go back to Lowe's and look, might have left something thar. Was it because of the Texas Two Step?

JC: Good stuff!:B

O & S

[ol_Bombero-JC]

toprudder -
"Put a lid on it".
I handle that (the truck bed, rain shield) with a chunk of plywood in a triangle. Gen is in (or toward) the front corner of the bed. Plywood on top of the bed.

Covers the gen from the rain - with two sides covered, front of the triangle is open for air flow & exhaust.
Be as creative as you want with edging for rain gutter/s etc.

Toss it in the bed - or storage compt when not needed.

Might not do a lot for noise -or- wind blown "horizontal" rain.

disclaimer - I haven't done that with the Champ (yet) - it is/was a 2400 Yam.

~

JC

[toprudder]

Skibane wrote:
I'm waiting for some manufacturer to introduce a portable generator dust cover that doubles as a noise shield - Perhaps a 2-piece enclosure that expands outward when the generator is running, and collapses for generator storage. The outside would be rigid and rain-tight, and the inside would be lined with sound-absorbing material.

Most folks buy a dust/weather cover for their portable generator anyway - So why not buy one that also reduces noise?

I have often thought the same thing. I have a rack on the tongue of my camper where I can carry a generator, but I end up putting it in the back of the truck so it is out of the weather. If I had a cover that would open up when I need to run the genny, and still cover it from rain, that would be great. Sound abatement would be nice, too.

[blkfe]

Jeez Professor...
I swear I remember the gen in a topper post from way back when.
Thanks for everything,
Brad

[Old___Slow]

I like the Web Site front page. We can all hope they do offer many items that will lead to a 'Happy camping experience' If they even come close to adding the 'quiet' like we all enjoy, super duper!! Good times for all:C

[professor95]

Skibane wrote:
I'm waiting for some manufacturer to introduce a portable generator dust cover that doubles as a noise shield - Perhaps a 2-piece enclosure that expands outward when the generator is running, and collapses for generator storage. The outside would be rigid and rain-tight, and the inside would be lined with sound-absorbing material.

Most folks buy a dust/weather cover for their portable generator anyway - So why not buy one that also reduces noise?

There is such a device that is being manufactured and distributed by a new start-up generator accessory company called SuperGen. It is called a GenTent. I do not think it is ready for shipment yet but do know it should be available by July as the vendor will be at the big Woodall's/Trailer Life Rally in Louisville to display their wares. I will also be at the rally as a media representative for Woodall's and will be sure to get any info I can to share on the thread. Sharing should not be a problem as RV.net, Trailer Life, Motor Home, Woodall's, Good Sam, Camping World and The Rally are all part of Affinity Media.

It is amazing the e-mail I get from China Vendors and other places related to generators and accessories. Most of the time I don't even need to ask for info, it just lands in my in-box. I guess 5 plus years of Shepherding this thread has created the impression that I am a contact person for all this stuff. In any event, I share what I get so we can make the appropriate decisions as to what to buy or ignore. If this SuperGen company flys we should see some really neat and exciting accessories for our 3,000 watt Chinese gensets that have not been available elsewhere. Right now their Web Site doesn't show anything but a front page. They tell me it will be completed "soon" with all the products listed. 🙂

[Old___Slow]

Skibane wrote:
I'm waiting for some manufacturer to introduce a portable generator dust cover that doubles as a noise shield - Perhaps a 2-piece enclosure that expands outward when the generator is running, and collapses for generator storage. The outside would be rigid and rain-tight, and the inside would be lined with sound-absorbing material.

Most folks buy a dust/weather cover for their portable generator anyway - So why not buy one that also reduces noise?

I da know, perhaps a great idea, I'm not ME qualified. Anyway, we all admit noise is made to be made more quiet. That's a double negitive? Prof' has used his Volvo and GMC as an analogy. The Volvo tow truck is more quiet than the GMC. So, there is a difference to be appreciated. That's what we are looking to find. Without ear plugs, or something that will blow away with the first wind. It's no secret that the open frame genny like my Champion, needs real help. DuroPower has added panels around the genset as have other manufactures, that will no doubt add some comfort to out ears. It's all about a pleasant camping experience. Just like a quiet ride down the road to happiness for the fortunate few.

[Skibane]

I'm waiting for some manufacturer to introduce a portable generator dust cover that doubles as a noise shield - Perhaps a 2-piece enclosure that expands outward when the generator is running, and collapses for generator storage. The outside would be rigid and rain-tight, and the inside would be lined with sound-absorbing material.

Most folks buy a dust/weather cover for their portable generator anyway - So why not buy one that also reduces noise?

[professor95]

Many moons ago, or pages as the case may be, I shared two different sound abatement enclosures that proved to be extremely simple yet impressively effective in reducing or eliminating generator noise.

One experiment was to mount the genny in the bed of a PU with a camper shell. Exhaust was run through the top of the shell, a fan placed near the front window and the rear glass propped open with a 2x4. The engine ran cool and the sound level was in the low 60 dBA range.



The other enclosure was made of 1/4" thick poly foam fan fold board as used for under layment for vinyl siding. One end was open and pointed away from areas that would be disturbed by generator noise. The simple foam tent also resulted in 60 or lower dBA readings on the closed sides. The entire system folded flat and could be stored under a bed mattress.





As summer camping approaches more and more generators will appear. What I hope to accomplish with these postings is that a considerable amount of generator noise can be eliminated for little or no cost. It is not necessary to build a fancy and expensive enclosure to reduce annoying noise.

This works for all makes and models of portable generators.

[Old___Slow]

professor95 wrote:
Just some general comments and observations on the overall issue of sound abatement:

Snip:

Lastly, the simplest, least expensive and most effective method of sound abatement is to carry a box of foam ear plugs and pass them out to everyone close by -- just as I did when we had a hormone driven, mood altering and screaming teenage daughter at home.

It works!

Prof, I always like your style. As above, KISS. Perhaps you might mention to Mr. Paul Cole to include a six pack with each unit.:) On a more serious note. I have discarded at least 10 sound lower boxes from my little Yellow and Black genhouse/shop. Only one is left. It has 3 1/2" walls. Not quite portable and not in use. From all the ideas posted here and on other threads, I will start a new project for my beloved Yellow and Black Champion. 'One panel' at a time. One duct at a time. I've heard, 'inch by inch, life's a cinch'. Putting many ideas and hints to work (thanks John, for the latest), my plans are roughly penciled. The finished unit must be contained within the OEM frame. The unit will need to be LPG, so as to remove the fuel tank. Hope to get as low as 60 dBA. Later, O & S

[professor95]

Just some general comments and observations on the overall issue of sound abatement:

Last week I was in Virginia Beach at the East Coast Heavy Duty Truck Rally . The jets flying over the camp ground Thursday as they left the local military base were unbelievably loud. Of course, they were so low that it was possible to actually read any markings on the planes. When a jet flew over, conversation was impossible due to the noise. The patio TV was useless, even at full volume, since no one could hear to follow the program dialog.

So, what did we do?

Step one was to go inside. The box (trailer) immediately reduced the noise level.

Step two was to close the door to the camper rather than leave the screen only open. That helped even more.

Still the jets were extremely noisy -- just not as bad.

I turned on the air conditioner. While it added noise, it also "drowned" out some of the jet noise. It is possible to fight fire with fire -- or noise with yet another noise. The sound waves can cancel rather than combine. One of my early experiments used this principle. Put a large boom box speaker in the side of an enclosure. It worked, to some extent, to change the drone of the engine on the outside.

Finally, I quit and went to bed, placing a pillow over my head and ears. Now the noise was acceptable and I went to sleep.

OK -- here is the point. Sound abatement is nothing new to any of us. We do it all the time, often without even thinking. If you just stop long enough to assess what is happening when you turn a corner, close a door or even change direction you have 80% of the sound abatement problem with generators figured out.

The other 20% is maintaining air flow to remove excess heat. Again, not rocket science. Somehow we all manage to breathe when we change direction or location to reduce noise. The same principle applies -- sound waves do not always follow air flow. Simply placing a camping generator in the bed of a truck, behind a bush or under a picnic table partially draped with a heavy blanket can do wonders for noise levels.

I also begin thinking about my big Volvo with a 12L Diesel engine knocking away at our feet while rolling down the highway at 60 mph. Inside it is much, much quieter than my GMC dually. I can listen to the radio or carry on a conversation with my wife. What is the difference? Two words - insulation and isolation! The truck cab is massively insulated. Additionally, the use of rubber isolation mounts is extensive, leaving no pathway for sound transmission via vibrations of surrounding steel.

Lastly, the simplest, least expensive and most effective method of sound abatement is to carry a box of foam ear plugs and pass them out to everyone close by -- just as I did when we had a hormone driven, mood altering and screaming teenage daughter at home.

It works!

[jlaustin]

W8NONU wrote:
Nice job!

How about some wide shots of the genny? I like to see the whole genny in the frame.

In the next few days, I'm pulling the FW over to the house to de-winterize it and get ready for a trip next week. I'll put the genset on the mount on the FW and get you some pics then.

Regards,

John