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...

[MrWizard]

Costco or sans club, approx $70 each, plus core charge plus taxes
I walked out the door of sans club in Oct , four GC's about $300

Dan86300zxt wrote:
Batteries....
This is very much blowing my budget. From all of my calculations, I know I need to have atleast 400 amp/hrs. of 12 volt storage.
*The best deal I can find is an auction for $500 plus shipping(390amp/hrs...2-6 volt L16 deep cycle batteries)..so I am looking at about $700. The size and weight is of no concern as I am fabricating my own storage location.

**What is the secret to budget battery bank building/buying? I could careless if I have to do this all over again in a couple years. Where do I find the screaming deals, used batteries, or whatever???

Advise appreciated.
Dan

[byates]

Old & Slow wrote:

professor95 wrote:

Old & Slow wrote:
Now for some serious stuff. Between the two of you ingenious fellow threaders, I need a mobile crane set-up. My gen is in the genhouse on the bench. Got her there several years ago with the help of DW. Now, there she sits. If I could back a mobile crane up to the genhouse, the Champion is just inside the door.

Floyd,

How far or where do you need to move the generator? If you only want to get it off of the bench and onto the floor, there are easier (and less expensive) ways. To move it across a building into the back of a PU can present a different challenge (and cost).

Knowing a little bit about your current health situation, the weight of a crane being placed on a PU might not be something easily overcome - meaning, help would be needed in doing an install.

The need. To lift the gen off the bench and out the door for transport about 300 feet, over grass sod, and into the trunk of DW's Volvo. For a trip of 40 miles to the MH storage shed (MH is set up for long term use) No electricty in the shed, not located close by. Kinda had a wild idea of a squirt boom devise from HF installed on one of their heavy duty wagons with folding outriggers attachhed. I could get some help with the move, perhaps, might be the easy way. But then, here is the deal. I wouldn't be able to go out to the genhouse, turn the key start, and hear the little beauty come to life. Sometimes I just do that for fun.:)

Floyd, why not just purchase an additional generator for the MH? Probably cheaper than the cost of a system to lift and transport and a lot more convenient.

[Dan86300zxt]

Batteries....
This is very much blowing my budget. From all of my calculations, I know I need to have atleast 400 amp/hrs. of 12 volt storage.
*The best deal I can find is an auction for $500 plus shipping(390amp/hrs...2-6 volt L16 deep cycle batteries)..so I am looking at about $700. The size and weight is of no concern as I am fabricating my own storage location.

**What is the secret to budget battery bank building/buying? I could careless if I have to do this all over again in a couple years. Where do I find the screaming deals, used batteries, or whatever???

Advise appreciated.
Dan

[ol_Bombero-JC]

EPenney wrote:
FIL use one of THESE to lift his Champion up to the tailgate of his TV.

Floyd:

For the situation you describe, I think the above is your best answer.

For the trip over the sod (depending on just how soft it is) you may need some strips of (1/2") plywood. Say 4 ft long by 12" wide.
Put down, pick up and repeat.

No matter how many years young "we" are -
Hydraulic table lifts, electric hoists, cranes, "cherry picker" type engine hoists, etc. - are all great -and handy- to have!
Saves: backs, knees, feet, groin pulls, shins, hands, etc., etc.

Harbor Freight should have just about anything you could want.

A poster (5er forum) a couple of years ago said he was removing his PullRite SuperGlide (hitch = about 250#) from his pickup bed the "macho" way (grunt) - and dropped it on his foot.

He ain't macho no more!! . :W

~

[tvman44]

I used to put the Champ in the truck bed by hand, but this past summer I had a total knee replacement on my left leg and will soon be doing the right leg and I am not supposed to ever pick up over 50 lbs again. So the oldest son got me the hoist I pictured before and I had 5 of the movers at the shop so I brought one home for the ginny. No more lifting. Guess it is time to start using my brain instead of my brawn like I have done for the past 68 years.

[EPenney]

FIL use one of THESE to lift his Champion up to the tailgate of his TV.

[toprudder]

tvman44 wrote:
I keep my champion on a Movers Dolly from Harbor Freight (they have a couple of different sizes) and roll it from the workshop to the truck then hoist it into the truck.

I store mine on a mover's dolly as well. I never installed the included wheel kit on mine. Without the wheel kit, the generator just fits under my tonneau cover. I would love to have a crane to lift it in the bed, though.

[Old___Slow]

professor95 wrote:

Old & Slow wrote:
Now for some serious stuff. Between the two of you ingenious fellow threaders, I need a mobile crane set-up. My gen is in the genhouse on the bench. Got her there several years ago with the help of DW. Now, there she sits. If I could back a mobile crane up to the genhouse, the Champion is just inside the door.

Floyd,

How far or where do you need to move the generator? If you only want to get it off of the bench and onto the floor, there are easier (and less expensive) ways. To move it across a building into the back of a PU can present a different challenge (and cost).

Knowing a little bit about your current health situation, the weight of a crane being placed on a PU might not be something easily overcome - meaning, help would be needed in doing an install.

The need. To lift the gen off the bench and out the door for transport about 300 feet, over grass sod, and into the trunk of DW's Volvo. For a trip of 40 miles to the MH storage shed (MH is set up for long term use) No electricty in the shed, not located close by. Kinda had a wild idea of a squirt boom devise from HF installed on one of their heavy duty wagons with folding outriggers attachhed. I could get some help with the move, perhaps, might be the easy way. But then, here is the deal. I wouldn't be able to go out to the genhouse, turn the key start, and hear the little beauty come to life. Sometimes I just do that for fun.:)

[tvman44]

For lifting the ginny in and out of the truck try one of these. Oldest son got one of these for me and it swivels around, rated for 450 lbs and slips into the 2" receiver. I keep my champion on a Movers Dolly from Harbor Freight (they have a couple of different sizes) and roll it from the workshop to the truck then hoist it into the truck.

[tvman44]

For lifting the ginny in and out of the truck try one of these. Oldest son got one of these for me and it swivels around, rated for 450 lbs and slips into the 2" receiver. I keep my champion on a Movers Dolly from Harbor Freight (they have a couple of different sizes) and roll it from the workshop to the truck then hoist it into the truck.

[professor95]

Old & Slow wrote:
Now for some serious stuff. Between the two of you ingenious fellow threaders, I need a mobile crane set-up. My gen is in the genhouse on the bench. Got her there several years ago with the help of DW. Now, there she sits. If I could back a mobile crane up to the genhouse, the Champion is just inside the door.

Floyd,

How far or where do you need to move the generator? If you only want to get it off of the bench and onto the floor, there are easier (and less expensive) ways. To move it across a building into the back of a PU can present a different challenge (and cost).

Knowing a little bit about your current health situation, the weight of a crane being placed on a PU might not be something easily overcome - meaning, help would be needed in doing an install.

[Old___Slow]

Elvis-N-Amy in Texas wrote:

jlaustin wrote:
Hitch/Generator Crane

Recent discussion about using pickup cranes to lift gennies, etc., inspired me to build a crane mounted in my RV barn to lift my hitch off the pickup.
John

I back my 5th wheel into place; and pull the pins that hold it to the bed. Then, the DW elevates the Fiver legs; and I pry the hitch out of the rails.
I store the hitch attached to the Fiver.
Re installation is a tad more difficult; but I can drop the hitch in place and in 2 or 3 mins its back in place an pinned.

BUT; I do like the idea of AC winching a Gen set out of the truck.
Picking mine off the floor and placing it on a 40 inch tall bench earned me a nice little operation..

When I first looked at the screen name I thought I read 'Elvis-in the army' I do believe 'Elvis-N-Amy' is quite fine. Old and Slow, fits me from A to Z. Now for some serious stuff. Between the two of you ingenious fellow threaders, I need a mobile crane set-up. My gen is in the genhouse on the bench. Got her there several years ago with the help of DW. Now, there she sits. If I could back a mobile crane up to the genhouse, the Champion is just inside the door.

[Elvis-N-Amy_in_]

jlaustin wrote:
Hitch/Generator Crane

Recent discussion about using pickup cranes to lift gennies, etc., inspired me to build a crane mounted in my RV barn to lift my hitch off the pickup.
John

I back my 5th wheel into place; and pull the pins that hold it to the bed. Then, the DW elevates the Fiver legs; and I pry the hitch out of the rails.
I store the hitch attached to the Fiver.
Re installation is a tad more difficult; but I can drop the hitch in place and in 2 or 3 mins its back in place an pinned.

BUT; I do like the idea of AC winching a Gen set out of the truck.
Picking mine off the floor and placing it on a 40 inch tall bench earned me a nice little operation..

[TeamSlacker]

Just a small update: Put the AP 2k inv back together last night after cleaning up the valdez slick.
My prior ETQ tests were in the open in the back yard, with gen sitting on grass. with a low of 58db. Last night with the ETQ on concrete and snowbanks around the driveway, I saw 63-64db. The AllPower was 67-68db under the same conditions and same side (panel opis of exh) I was still hearing a loud plastic rattle, seems to be coming from fuel filler neck to case junction. I was out in the cold alone so didn't have anyone to stop the rattle while I steped away and read the db meter.
If I have some time this weekend I'll try some more tests, maybe with bigger load, and also check the output with the kill-a-watt and on the o-scope.

[snarfattack]

It is legal to ship oil and make a mess inside the box... it's not allowed to leak through to the outside of the box. Oil is not considered flammable. Paper will catch on fire before oil will.

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