Generator Questionds

[roadjunkie]

I'm looking for a generator that is reliable, inexpensive and will run 13,500BTU AC, microwave, coffee maker, refrigerator and PC.

I've been looking at the Champion generators and Camping World has one being offered on sale right now for $299. It's the Champion 3650 Watt Portable Generator, 49-State
Catalog Item # 95895. It produces 4500 starting watts and 3650 running watts and is only 98 pounds and noise level is 68 dB.

There are no reviews on it so I don't know what to think. I have read reviews on the 7500W model and there is a guy that was running two 15kBTU AC's, microwave, refrigerator, big screen TV with DireTV receiver, yadda, yadda, yadda..... and all at the same time.

I could do the 7500W but living alone means I'd be trying to set up a 220 pound generator by myself.

The Honda's are way out of my price range and I get that they're very well made but they're not worth double the price, and sometimes more, of their competition.

Is this too small for what I want to do and does anyone have experience with the Champion lineup? I've heard that they've redesigned their units to compete with Honda.

[Unyalli]

The 3400 watt Champion inverter will do quite a bit. Here is a video of it starting a Coleman Mach III 15k air conditioner in eco mode on the RV propane system at 6200 feet altitude.
Champion 3400 video

These can be paralleled and Champion is the only parallel kit I'm aware of with an RV 50amp connector.
Champion parallel kit

Here are two good resellers.
bottomlinetrading
supergenproducts

- Jeff

[jwstrout]

I have been using a Champion 4000/3500 for several years. I have had ZERO problems with it. (I have never even had to change the spark plug) However, it will run either my 13,500 BTU A/C unit OR my microwave. Not both at the same time. I French press or perk my coffee.

I make sure there is stabilizer in the fuel at all times. It holds slightly over a half of a quart of oil. So I change the oil after every trip. I use Mobil 1 synthetic. (just my preference, as I buy it in bulk, and use it in my truck as well) I also clean the air filter after every trip, and check the spark plug.

As far as noise goes, I do not have anything to compare it to. With the exception of a small 750 watt Arctic Cat 2-stroke, it is the only generator I have ever owned. I typically run it for 3 or 4 hours a day, to charge the batteries. While listening to it is annoying, it is not any more annoying than listening to any other generator, and it is only for a few of hours a day. I also tend to move it as far away from my trailer as possible.

I have a hybrid toy hauler. So there is a toy deck on the front, where the generator rides. In the past, I've had a couple of sons with me, to help me pack it around. They are adults now, and typically do not travel with us anymore. It is just myself, and my wife. I can pack it around myself, but there's nothing fun or safe about it. So I just ordered a wheel kit for it.

In short, I trust the generator to run when I need it, and for the price, it was a great value.

Jeff

[roadjunkie]

I figured as much. Thanks for the input. Product reliability is a big issue with me. Can the larger non-inverter models be connected in a series like the Honda Companions to provide more power output?

Acampingwewillgo wrote:
Didn't mean to confuse the issue....the 2000 watt unit would NOT do the things you want it to do! I only mentioned it to illustrate that Champion does alright with the generators in general. Good Hunting....

[roadjunkie]

Just what the doctor ordered, Mr. Wizard. Someone with experience with the model I'm considering and expectations answered in black & white. I've been spending most of my time in RV parks but would like to get out and spend some time off grid for awhile.

I'm just west of San Antonio and we've been getting the heat like everyone else. It was 105 last Friday but cooler now. Because I'll be traveling the southwest, I'd like to have something around 5000W to 7000W to be able to handle everything but I'm not sure how to mount it/carry it since I travel alone. I need a way to mount a larger one where I don't have to mess with it because lifting a 200+ pound generator into the back of my truck is not going to happen. I saw a frame that mounts over the gas bottles on the trailer tongue but the generator has to be moved to change out bottles.

MrWizard wrote:
Champion has a great customer service dept and parts availably
The company is located in Santa Ana Calif
The Factory is in China

No it doesn't use twice the fuel of an inverter model the same size while running the a/c, it takes x amount of per to make y amount of electricity to run the a/c, and that means w amount of gas
A comparable size inverter model is a little more efficient and will save some gas, but Not 50 percent, maybe 10 or 15

The big savings of an inverter model over open frame of the same wattage
Is when charging batteries and watching TV , and it can coast along at low idle in Economy mode

Generally speaking an inverter model will have a smaller engine than the same size synchronus generator, where the engine always runs at the same speed, the small engine at low speed saves gas,
But when full power is needed it must run faster, typically over 4000rpm to produce the full output

An open frame synchronus generator has a bigger motor a bigger generator head and more startup surge ability , because of the weight an inertia of the mechanical parts and generator head

The 3600 will run your A/C, it will not run everything at the same time
A 1000w MW uses about 1500w input power, it and the a/c plus auxilary loads is an awful lot when it's 100f outside
Just turn off the a/c while using the MW

If you are going to be on private property, then you are not going to bother the sound police when using the 3600, yes it's louder than an inverter model
But it's not chain saw loud, ( like some would have you believe) the 68 db does meet national Park and forest legal sound restrictions
I used to have one and it served me very well, my current generator is the champion 3400w inverter model

[Acampingwewillg]

Didn't mean to confuse the issue....the 2000 watt unit would NOT do the things you want it to do! I only mentioned it to illustrate that Champion does alright with the generators in general. Good Hunting....

[MrWizard]

Champion has a great customer service dept and parts availably
The company is located in Santa Ana Calif
The Factory is in China

No it doesn't use twice the fuel of an inverter model the same size while running the a/c, it takes x amount of power to make y amount of electricity to run the a/c, and that means w amount of gas
A comparable size inverter model is a little more efficient and will save some gas, but Not 50 percent, maybe 10 or 15

The big savings of an inverter model over open frame of the same wattage
Is when charging batteries and watching TV , and it can coast along at low idle in Economy mode

Generally speaking an inverter model will have a smaller engine than the same size synchronus generator, where the engine always runs at the same speed, the small engine at low speed saves gas,
But when full power is needed it must run faster, typically over 4000rpm to produce the full output

An open frame synchronus generator has a bigger motor a bigger generator head and more startup surge ability , because of the weight an inertia of the mechanical parts and generator head

The 3600 will run your A/C, it will not run everything at the same time
A 1000w MW uses about 1500w input power, it and the a/c plus auxilary loads is an awful lot when it's 100f outside
Just turn off the a/c while using the MW

If you are going to be on private property, then you are not going to bother the sound police when using the 3600, yes it's louder than an inverter model
But it's not chain saw loud, ( like some would have you believe) the 68 db does meet national Park and forest legal sound restrictions
I used to have one and it served me very well, my current generator is the champion 3400w inverter model

[roadjunkie]

Do you think that the 2000W models are big enough for what I need. I don't know what I can realistically expect from a 2000W generator. Can I expect to run the 13,500k BTU AC and the microwave or coffee maker or would I need to turn something off? Is it going to run the refrigerator and AC? Having no experience with generators, these are questions I have.

Acampingwewillgo wrote:
The Champion Generator's generally are considered to me less noisy than the contractor type open frame generators. Many RV'ers use the Champion generators and for an inexpensive alternative, they get the job done. I have one from year's ago but I also purchased one of their Inverter Generator's when they first came out(2000 watt) and I've been very happy with both of them!

[roadjunkie]

Good points, Matt. I've been looking at models but wasn't aware that they were Chinese made. I was told by a salesperson on the phone at Camping World that they were U.S. made. I don't buy Chinese products because they usually end up being returned with problems.

Matt_Colie wrote:
Roadjunkie,

You need to make your own value judgement.

Champion is great for price.
My experience says that their sound level measurements are off by some, and I know that their fuel consumption is higher than the inverter units. I also have heard (not first hand experience) that parts are not easy to source and that the basic quality is typical of Chinese products.

By the rating, that unit will do a lot, but not all at once.

It is inexpensive enough that it will tell you if it fills your needs. Just be sure to do the prescribed maintenance and it will last long enough. It is unlikely your ownership will be problem free. Change the oil, and drain the gas when you aren't using it and it will be good for a long time. True, it probably won't last like an Onan or a Honda, but you can wear out a few before you would have paid for a Honda.

Matt

[Acampingwewillg]

The Champion Generator's generally are considered to me less noisy than the contractor type open frame generators. Many RV'ers use the Champion generators and for an inexpensive alternative, they get the job done. I have one from year's ago but I also purchased one of their Inverter Generator's when they first came out(2000 watt) and I've been very happy with both of them!

[roadjunkie]

Thanks kerrlakeroo.... They're also twice the price of the open frame units and I can't think of any reason that I would want to convert 120V to 12V. Isn't that the only difference in a generator/inverter combo. If I had deep pockets, which I don't, I'd go for the smaller, enclosed units like the Honda or Yamaha. Even Champion has some of the smaller enclosed inverter combos but they're quadruple the price for half to wattage.

I'm really hoping to hear from those who have used a generator similar to this one; open framed and around 3500W to 4000W.

kerrlakeroo wrote:
Unless you want lots of noise and to burn twice as much gas as needed look at inverter generators. In eco mode engine speed is controlled by demand to conserve fuel, which also minimizes noise.
Also the inexpensive models such as you listed have open frames, which makes them even louder.

[Matt_Colie]

Roadjunkie,

You need to make your own value judgement.

Champion is great for price.
My experience says that their sound level measurements are off by some, and I know that their fuel consumption is higher than the inverter units. I also have heard (not first hand experience) that parts are not easy to source and that the basic quality is typical of Chinese products.

By the rating, that unit will do a lot, but not all at once.

It is inexpensive enough that it will tell you if it fills your needs. Just be sure to do the prescribed maintenance and it will last long enough. It is unlikely your ownership will be problem free. Change the oil, and drain the gas when you aren't using it and it will be good for a long time. True, it probably won't last like an Onan or a Honda, but you can wear out a few before you would have paid for a Honda.

Matt

[kerrlakeRoo]

Unless you want lots of noise and to burn twice as much gas as needed look at inverter generators. In eco mode engine speed is controlled by demand to conserve fuel, which also minimizes noise.
Also the inexpensive models such as you listed have open frames, which makes them even louder.

[roadjunkie]

Thanks for the suggestions but I thought this was a discussion forum and not a library. I can research on Google if I want to spend all that time. I'd rather "dicuss" it with people who have an interest in helping out.

[2oldman]

Go to Advanced search, type 'champion' in the keywords box, Tech issues forum. Many discussions.