Champion generator

[1handyhubby]

I've been saving for a Honda generator (2000i companion) for a while now because several people have recommended them. 1friend recommended a Ryobi and today I was looking at a Champion generator at Costco. $400 cheaper and 1db less than the Honda which is 59 db. Anyone here have any first hand experience with the Champion? It's rated at 2,800. Saving money is always good but I'm a bigger fan of reliability. Thanks.

[Ron3rd]

Daughter has the Champion 3400 inverter genny with the remote start and it works great. She found it online for $999 with free shipping and not sales tax. I think it's a great brand and see no problem going with them.

I own a Honda EU2000 from 15 years ago. Paid $700 and change from a friend that had a Honda dealership. It's great but would not hesitate to buy a Champion. I've read here that they have good customer support and parts available too.

[Gdetrailer]

B.O. Plenty wrote:

wing_zealot wrote:

BarabooBob wrote:
... Some people will never admit than anyone but Honda can make a quality gen set. Honda, Yamaha, and Champion all make good gen sets. Make a decision and live with it.

They paid more, so they have to justify their purchase by convincing themselves its worth more.

X2!! I agree 100%. I think it's this way with a lot of things. If it doesn't have the right name on it how can it be any good? Sold my seldom used Honda before it got stolen, bought a now seldom used Champion 2000. Can't tell the difference except I had more beer money.
B.O.

X3!

Sometimes I think the folks who bought the more expensive name brands just want to force on everyone else their miserably bad expensive purchase in order to justify their over priced purchase as better.

In some respect, there is no "best" one size fits all generator, not everyone camps in the same way nor can afford to layout $2K on a gen which only gets used for one or a couple times a year so in those cases a lower cost (and perhaps slightly louder) gen can fill in the need for this type of budget and camping style.

Yes, I have heard those supposedly quieter gens, they are not quiet, they STILL make a considerable amount of noise, you are only kidding yourselves to think they are worth $2K for everyone.

I myself settled on a much more affordable Chinese import gen since I do not boondock in a CAMPGROUND setting so I am not going to hurt anyone's ears.. Been a worthwhile $200 purchase which has served me well for nearly 15 yrs.

[B_O__Plenty]

wing_zealot wrote:

BarabooBob wrote:
... Some people will never admit than anyone but Honda can make a quality gen set. Honda, Yamaha, and Champion all make good gen sets. Make a decision and live with it.

They paid more, so they have to justify their purchase by convincing themselves its worth more.

X2!! I agree 100%. I think it's this way with a lot of things. If it doesn't have the right name on it how can it be any good? Sold my seldom used Honda before it got stolen, bought a now seldom used Champion 2000. Can't tell the difference except I had more beer money.
B.O.

[wing_zealot]

BarabooBob wrote:
... Some people will never admit than anyone but Honda can make a quality gen set. Honda, Yamaha, and Champion all make good gen sets. Make a decision and live with it.

They paid more, so they have to justify their purchase by convincing themselves its worth more.

[BarabooBob]

If I need the power to run a construction site, I get my 8500 watt gen set out. When I start it, conversation is not possible but with the table saws, air compressors, circular saws, etc all running at the same time, ear protection is required.
When I want to charge my batteries in my TT, I fire up the Champion. Some people will never admit than anyone but Honda can make a quality gen set. Honda, Yamaha, and Champion all make good gen sets. Make a decision and live with it.

[TomG2]

cpaulsen wrote:
I have a Champion 2000i inverter generator and it works perfect for my needs. Runs everything I need to run and understand that it is NOT a 5K unit so I use it accordingly.

Bingo! Like most of these threads where everyone touts what they own, we forget to define the OP's wants and needs. I hauled one generator over 10,000 miles and two years without using it once. Another, I ran every night for a month as I did mostly Walmarting on that trip. The one that got the free ride could have been red, green, blue, or yellow. (It was a Honda 2000i

For instance, a generator to run a 15k air conditioner at Nascar races might be different from one used to top off the trailer battery once a week.

[cpaulsen]

I have a Champion 2000i inverter generator and it works perfect for my needs. Runs everything I need to run and understand that it is NOT a 5K unit so I use it accordingly.

[bikendan]

jdc1 wrote:

smarty wrote:
to me the most important element of this decision is the noise level. my experience camping is that Honda can't be beat in that category.

Almost every inverter generator is as quiet as a Honda now. To be competitive, they have to be.

actually, very few can match Honda's decibel ratings. most come close but only a handful match it. and i'm a fan of a number of non-Honda inverter generators.

[TomG2]

Having owned and used dozens of portable generators over the years in our construction company, I like the Champions on a price versus performance basis. Some are nosier than others but a lot cheaper and some are just as quiet as the famous brands and a lot cheaper.

NO mechanical portable generator is something I want running outside my open window at night, I don't care what color it is.

[jdc1]

smarty wrote:
to me the most important element of this decision is the noise level. my experience camping is that Honda can't be beat in that category.

Almost every inverter generator is as quiet as a Honda now. To be competitive, they have to be.

[jdc1]

Artum Snowbird wrote:
Some generators throttle down when they are not being heavily used. It's a real advantage to not waste gas, and noise, when you don't need too.

With your Honda, you get that, their electronics let the motor just shuffle along and it makes the right voltage for your system without all the pounding at 3600 RPM.

The Champion does the same thing as a Honda. I have both.

[Range_Maggot_Bo]

BendOrLarry wrote:
I have used a Champion 3100 invertor generator for the last 3 years, had a Honda and it died. I would not go back to Honda. The Champion is a great generator, runs our AC at 6000 ft elevation and has never missed a beat. I see no reason to spend more than twice the money for a Honda or Yamaha. If you like status, or wasting money then buy a Honda or Yamaha.

Don't care about status and don't waste money. I bought the best brand generators out there, it fits all my needs, and it ain't no Champion.

[jseyfert3]

JiminDenver wrote:
Champion makes a quality product and has good customer service. That said it is my belief that if you are going to need a generator all day long every day, get the Honda for the better piston sleeve. Otherwise the Champion will serve most people well.

That does not mean that Honda's are perfect. I have seen many needing repairs out here on the road including a two week old 2200. The shop charged him $185 for a tune up and told him that there was a recall on it but they did not have the parts. Poor guy is still waiting after 6 months. Luckily he now has 1079 watts of solar and doesn't care.

Honda's certainly aren't perfect, but how was a 2 week old Honda not fixed under warranty? They the owner put 6 month old gas in it or something? Or was the shop not a certified Honda small engine repair shop?

There is a recall on it, for a potentially leaky fuel valve. There were only 19 reports of leaky valves, no injuries, but Honda did a voluntary recall on them. I happen to have a certified Honda small engine repair shop a few blocks away. Did the recall earlier this spring. When I stopped to ask if he could do it he said give him 2-3 weeks for new valves to come in. I came back and dropped it off 3-4 weeks later, had it back the next day.

Bottom line is with charging for something on a two week old unit (unless the owner did something stupid) and no valves for the recall after 6 months, I'd be leary of using that shop for continued work on my Honda, if I were him.

[bikendan]

Billsten wrote:

skiles wrote:
We have the Costco Champion generator 2800 and so far I am quite pleased. It was purchased last October. We were loading up for a trip last week and I used it to run the AC as it was over 90 outside. It had no problems running the AC for a couple hours straight until the inside cooled off. A full tank of gas lasted just over 4 hours in those conditions. Next option is adding the external fuel tank. I would certainly buy another one if needed.

An ideal RV air conditioner generator will be able to be determined by analyzing a few factors, enough power consumption, level of noise, a remote control for your generator makes your life much easier. if Champion 2800 can't meet your requirements, I suggest that you can choose https://www.bestpowerstation.com/best-generator-for-rv/#_Best_Generator_for_RV_Travel_Trailer_Westin...Westinghouse iGen 4500 generator, it has a noise output of about 52 decibel and has a run time of up to 18 hours on a 3.4 gallon gas tank.

that same generator is made for other brand names, like Cummins, Onan and Pulsar.
it's a cloned generator, made in China, for different companies. they'll put on any label and in any color, if the price is right.
And Westinghouse is a brand name bought by a Chinese company, to use to brand their products with. Like Bell and Howell.