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...

[DrBaker]

I have that cover on mine with the handle kit. It fits just right.

[Wrace]

tvman44 wrote:
You can get a generator cover from Champion Power Equipment for about $25.00 that fits their ginny perfectly, love ours.

Thanks. Does yours have the handle on it? I know it doesn't add much to the length of the gen but my experience with these covers on other items is they are sometimes sized pretty tight.

[tvman44]

You can get a generator cover from Champion Power Equipment for about $25.00 that fits their ginny perfectly, love ours.

[mrekim]

bill h wrote:

I hope you propane converters can share some information here, as I use ours to power the well when power goes out.

I used a kit from US Carburetion. It was somewhat pricy, but it was also a simple bolt on install. I did have to cut the gen frame to get the air cleaner back on, but it's not really that big a deal. For about the same price you can send them your carb to be modified for tri-fuel and you can avoid cutting the frame.


There is also info in this forum (in this thread?) about how to do your own conversion.

[bill_h]

mrekim wrote:

mlts22 wrote:
There is always one use for this type of generator: Add the carb Venturi extension and regulator, and make the genset a tri-fuel model. This is something I'm planning to do to all my generators once they are out of warranty.

What this gives is not just the option to run on propane, but if you have access to CNG, you can use that. To boot, in a lot of disasters (power failures), the gas will still be pressurized, so might as use that for pennies on the dollar compared to propane or gasoline.

I'm working on this now. I have it working on propane, but haven't added a natural gas line yet.

It's much nicer running the generator every few weeks off propane. Just hook up the propane tank, run it, and put everything away. No draining carbs and fuel lines, etc. 🙂

I hope you propane converters can share some information here, as I use ours to power the well when power goes out.

[mrekim]

mlts22 wrote:
There is always one use for this type of generator: Add the carb Venturi extension and regulator, and make the genset a tri-fuel model. This is something I'm planning to do to all my generators once they are out of warranty.

What this gives is not just the option to run on propane, but if you have access to CNG, you can use that. To boot, in a lot of disasters (power failures), the gas will still be pressurized, so might as use that for pennies on the dollar compared to propane or gasoline.

I'm working on this now. I have it working on propane, but haven't added a natural gas line yet.

It's much nicer running the generator every few weeks off propane. Just hook up the propane tank, run it, and put everything away. No draining carbs and fuel lines, etc. 🙂

[mrfixit454]

I still have my ELIM 3000 that is just on standby. I had to replace the fuel gauge since is fogged up. I was able to locate a Briggs and Straton part that was exact on the gauge part, I just had to change out the float lever arm as this is for a larger gas tank. Ad says Generac but the part comes in a B&S box.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Generac-Generator-Fuel-Gauge-Float-189136GS-/320761560941

I did end up getting an EU3000 but can't seem to part with the ELIM. The electric start and 220V features are a nice have.

Fixit

[Wrace]

Howdy,

I would like to purchase an electric start kit for this generator, and a weatherproof cover that would fit the generator given how it's configured in this picture (minus the piece of plywood and the honda on top of course) 🙂 Need the cover to fit properly over the handle in the folded position.

Thanks

[tvman44]

I was beginning to think this thread was dead, been so long since I saw a new post.

[Wgeorge11]

I'll bet there are at least 320 posts waiting to be generated from both the lovers and haters (and all those folks twixt & tween) of these Chinese generators. Maybe we've become so accustomed to having these reliable old dogs laying around that we are complacent and just take them for granted. I do have to admit to my failure of not "exercising" mine regularly, but I can't complain. When it's time to roll I just whistle a happy tune, feed it some fuel, yank its chain and hear its moderate growl. Needless to say, I don't leave home without it even knowing I don't plan to use it. That, in my mind, is what it's all about. While my battery pack will carry me a couple days, the generator will last til death do us part! My ace in the hole. As long as there's no fuel in the tank or bowl when parked, like an old dog it'll respond when you whistle and feed it for the next run. Just don't forget to check the oil as we all know your engine may run without gas, but NEVER without oil. Then we'll see who quits first.

[mlts22]

There is always one use for this type of generator: Add the carb Venturi extension and regulator, and make the genset a tri-fuel model. This is something I'm planning to do to all my generators once they are out of warranty.

What this gives is not just the option to run on propane, but if you have access to CNG, you can use that. To boot, in a lot of disasters (power failures), the gas will still be pressurized, so might as use that for pennies on the dollar compared to propane or gasoline.

[MrRchitty]

😞

[MrWizard]

It does get a lot of refferral links in new generator threads
It is the defintive refference point for all chinese generator info
The newer model inverter sets now garner more attention

[professor95]

Guess after seven years the need for info on the Chinese 3,000 watt generator class has waned.

I know there are a lot of NEW users out there. This thing is like an old dog - I hate to see it's passing.

[professor95]

ol Bombero-JC wrote:


Prof:
Have you heard who is the replacement for Paul Cole at Champion?

~

It is my understanding that no single individual was hired to take Paul's position. Rather, his duties have been assimilated into the current tech support staff with perhaps some new names and faces added to the group along the way.

We both know there was much more to Paul's contributions to CPE than just tech support. IMHO, he was instrumental in the success and growth of CPE.

Paul is currently serving as an "independent contractor" for CPE providing specified knowledge, skills and experience. He now has time for a life of his own and is apparently enjoying it to the max..