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...

[msmd1]

Thanks for the compliment, Professor!

[jlaustin]

Well, I'm sure all of those "Honda then, Honda now, Honda FOREVER" diehards would swear your gennie was 10 db quieter if they saw that Honda label!:B

As has been stated before, it's the perception that counts!:W

Regards,
John

[bill_h]

There are a lot of rattletraps out there truly powered by Honda.

I measured a pipe frame generator powered by a Honda Harmony engine (just charging) at 74 dbA, and that was 90 deg of the exhaust. It seemed quite a bit louder directly at the exhaust, but I didn't have a clear path to aim the meter 7 meters.

It had a sticker that said Powered by Honda. Here is a site that sells a whole bunch of them.

http://www.jobsite-generators.com/honda_generators.html

I have an open frame Honda that is a real barker.

[professor95]

Some of the "Old Timers" from the pre-Champion days may remember the stir when I posted this photo. It was, as the current one is, a spoof. But, we had a lot of fun with it. A little work with PhotoShop and a badge from an old Honda motorcycle and the ELM 3000 took on a new life. The joke was to announce the NEW Honda generator. Then, Honda DID come out with their own Chinese built open frame generator. That was a surprise - as was their $900 price tag for the equivalent of a $300 Champion. The extra $600 was for advertising and name recognition - I guess. :h



The "Powered by Honda" sticker I slapped on the front of the Champion has a similar story of orign. I was at our local TSC and the manager and I were talking over one of their farm style ATV's. The engine was a Subaru-Robin and Powered by Subaru was painted on both sides and the back of the the ATV. But, there on the back next to the Subaru logo was a little stick-on label that said "Powered by Honda". I said that was false advertising at which point the guy peeled off the label and stuck it on my shirt sleeve.

I actually forgot about it being there and happened to brush against it a few hours later when I got home. I pulled it off and Low and Behold the nearest thing to stick it on was the Champion - which, BTW, has "Powered by Champion" painted on the front as well.

I started to pull it back off when I made the crane photos but decided, "What the heck - let's see if anyone notices?"

Then msnd1 did notice - shame on you JC, that was your opportunity! And you missed it!:(

[Capt_Storm]

Funny how badgeing works.
I can get some nice wheel simulators fro less then 200 a set..yet..I'm thinking about spending the 300 just to get the chevy bowtie on them..and i should know better ..but I just think its cooler..lol.
LINK

[professor95]

Some of the "Old Timers" from the pre-Champion days may remember the stir when I posted this photo. It was, as the current one is, a spoof. But, we had a lot of fun with it. A little work with PhotoShop and a badge from an old Honda motorcycle and the ELM 3000 took on a new life. The joke was to announce the NEW Honda generator. Then, Honda DID come out with their own Chinese built open frame generator. That was a surprise - as was their $900 price tag for the equivalent of a $300 Champion. The extra $600 was for advertising and name recognition - I guess. :h

[W8NONU]

eBay 2 for $6.25 shipped in any color

[professor95]

daystrom wrote:
I got a new toy! Permission to join this exclusive group?

It's not exclusive and you sure as heck don't need permission. Just a bunch of good old boys swappin' stories and ideas about Chinese generators.

Welcome aboard! :B

Oh, and congratulations for joining the CCS. (As Floyd says, "The Champion Cheering Squad" :B)

[professor95]

msmd1 wrote:

Where can I get my very own "Powered by Honda" sticker, professor?

I was wondering if anyone would catch that. You're Good!!!:R

[jlaustin]

ol Bombero-JC wrote:
"jlaustin" - envious of the building!

I sort-of do the same for my 250# SG hitch using the HF electric hoist.
Back under, install or remove - drive out.
(The hoist isn't permanently mounted - so it can be "hung" inside or outside.)

Why limit yourself to the "range" of the crane?
Since you already have the hoist - how about an overhead "trolly" system?

While it was intended for heavy engines - used a shop once with that setup via chain hoist.
Drove in one end with pickup & ski boat. Removed rebuilt V8 from pickup bed, rolled back (via o/head trolly) to hitched ski-boat, lowered into boat.
Never unhitched or moved the pickup or boat.
Drive out the other end.
The trolly also had a turn - so the engine (or?) could be "flown" over to a work area before lowering. Very slick.

~

Until I built the new building, I had the electric hoist hanging from a beam in my hangar - I would unhitch elsewhere, back under the hoist, lift off the hitch, drive away and then lower the hitch onto a child's wagon to move around out of the way.

Since 99% of the time the FW will be sitting in the building, there wouldn't be anywhere much for the hitch to go with a trolley running in the long axis of the building. I could run a trolley side-to-side in the building, but I don't think that would accomplish much more than the crane.

What I envision is mounting the crane to a vertical frame member on one side of the roll-up door. Once the FW is unhitched, I'll pull forward until the hitch is in the door opening. Then just swing the retracted crane around into the opening, lower it with the electric hoist, pluck the hitch out of the pickup bed (with the electric hoist), swing the crane 180 degrees around and deposit it on an elevated platform in the corner of the building (which just happens (HAHA!) to be exactly the same distance in the other direction as the distance to the center of the door opening! That means I'll never have to touch the hitch once unpinned from the truck bed until it's pinned-in next time:C What's slicker than that???

The electric hoist is a HF cheapy, too, so if I really need another hoist on a trolley, I'll just buy another one! :B

Regards,
John

[W8NONU]

msmd1 wrote:
I got mine the very next day, coast to coast, USPS priority mail! Now that is fast! Had it on in two minutes.

I'm tellin'ya. Processing and through the mail...That's fast.

[ol_Bombero-JC]

"jlaustin" - envious of the building!

I sort-of do the same for my 250# SG hitch using the HF electric hoist.
Back under, install or remove - drive out.
(The hoist isn't permanently mounted - so it can be "hung" inside or outside.)

Why limit yourself to the "range" of the crane?
Since you already have the hoist - how about an overhead "trolly" system?

While it was intended for heavy engines - used a shop once with that setup via chain hoist.
Drove in one end with pickup & ski boat. Removed rebuilt V8 from pickup bed, rolled back (via o/head trolly) to hitched ski-boat, lowered into boat.
Never unhitched or moved the pickup or boat.
Drive out the other end.
The trolly also had a turn - so the engine (or?) could be "flown" over to a work area before lowering. Very slick.

~

[msmd1]

professor95 wrote:
The pictures tell the whole story. Now I can load my 36438 easily onto the back or the Volvo as well as into the bed of the dually. The rig on the Volvo slips into the 2" receiver. I made it up from some scrap steel and 3" pipe (yes, I have a welder).

Both use the small Harbor Freight PU bed crane as the platform. The crane head easily moves from the PU to the piece I made for the Volvo.

I am sharing just to give folks an idea as to how to move the 100+ pound generator from the ground to the bed of a truck without a second or third person to help lift. By using the trailer hitch 2" receiver there are no pipes or brackets bolted to the truck bed. It all comes off or installs quickly and easily when needed. Of course, when used in the receiver of a pick-up the tailgate must be removed. An easy one man process on the GMC.


HF Crane I had installed in my PU bed to lift out the fifth wheel hitch. I added the winch and strap.


This is the piece I made to use in the Volvo 2" receiver with the head of the HF crane that lifts off of the base in the PU. The "thing" on the right is a back step that also fits into the 2" receiver.


This is the 2" receiver I installed on the Volvo - it is pretty much like any class IV or V receiver.


Straps on the generator, starting lift from the ground.


lift with a combination of the winch and the jack on the crane's boom


The crane easily rotates 360 degrees, making moving the generator to the designated landing spot easily accomplished. Now, the generator will be rolled to the front, strapped down and the crane assembly removed and stored so I can hook up the camper. No aching back or shoulder. The weight of the crane head and hitch adapter/support are easily manageable by an old guy like me.

Where can I get my very own "Powered by Honda" sticker, professor?

[msmd1]

msmd1 wrote:

msmd1 wrote:
I will call them tomorrow and post my experience. Still have not heard from them via e-mail or telephone.

Called them at 2:55 pm EDT. My call was promptly answered, I was transferred to a tech named Juan and I told him my situation. He is going to send me a negative disconnect wire but said that the charge diode replacement does not apply to the model 46538.

I got mine the very next day, coast to coast, USPS priority mail! Now that is fast! Had it on in two minutes.

[daystrom]

I got a new toy! Permission to join this exclusive group?