generators

Without A/C, adding more batteries, you could go for a weekend without any generator. Solar could take care of minor draws as long as there is any sun, with no noise at all. They get cheaper every year. Though 4*GC alone should be enough for 2-3 days, with some care. Mostly, keep an eye on the MW use.

The thing is, they said "may or may not use A/C" :). Just one of those questions, you know...

3000W should run A/C if you install a soft-start capacitor.

Kayteg1 wrote:
Since we are talking options with no AC, I had HF coupon and bought this babe for $80.
It powers everything in my camper but AC.
I have small coffee maker and I can run it with charger at the same time.
Microwave is 700W rated and it will run with charger from 700/900W rated generator.
It is not consider quiet, but small engine doesn't make much noise.
I like it for the price and carrying it as backup -tend to use it more than build-in.

Those are fun and handy generators. Not something I want running within twenty feet of the dinner table, but out away from everyone, they work.

Since we are talking options with no AC, I had HF coupon and bought this babe for $80.
It powers everything in my camper but AC.
I have small coffee maker and I can run it with charger at the same time.
Microwave is 700W rated and it will run with charger from 700/900W rated generator.
It is not consider quiet, but small engine doesn't make much noise.
I like it for the price and carrying it as backup -tend to use it more than build-in.

Almot wrote:
"Coffee pot" - which one? There are coffee makers that draw 1600W, though the smallest one still draws over 600W.

Our Cuisinart 4-cup Coffee Maker is rated at 550 watts, actually draws just over 500 watts and works just fine powered by my 1000 watt PSW inverter and single G27 battery. I also run a 750 watt toaster that actually pulls just over 700 watts and also works just fine powered by the inverter. :B

MrWizard wrote:
Champion 3100w electric remote start portable inverter generator
use a 30amp to 50amp dogbone adapter
the Champ comes with a 30amp RV plug built in

This is what I have. I even modded mine to include an external tank.

mlts22 wrote:
I would go with the Onan generator, as well as an inverter/batteries. The key to Onan generator noise is the installation. Install it right with shock mounts where the pipes and wires are not sending vibrations, as well as a resonator, it can be quiet. Install it wrong, and it can be quite noticable.

I personally have a 3000 watt generator... given the choice again, and an Onan isn't possible, I'd go for a set of Honda 2000 watt twins, or a Honda eu7000i, which runs just as quiet as the 2000 watt models, except has a slightly higher wattage, and can eat the entire amount of locked rotor amps coming from an A/C without fussing.

Would love to quiet my Onan 4K rattle box but from what I can tell majority of the noise is from the fan. No real way to quiet that down from what I can see.

I would go with the Onan generator, as well as an inverter/batteries. The key to Onan generator noise is the installation. Install it right with shock mounts where the pipes and wires are not sending vibrations, as well as a resonator, it can be quiet. Install it wrong, and it can be quite noticable.

I personally have a 3000 watt generator... given the choice again, and an Onan isn't possible, I'd go for a set of Honda 2000 watt twins, or a Honda eu7000i, which runs just as quiet as the 2000 watt models, except has a slightly higher wattage, and can eat the entire amount of locked rotor amps coming from an A/C without fussing.

i'm not advocating generator start stop for one minute of MW use

but once an engine runs long enough to warm up, whats the difference between 10 minutes and 60 minutes, except for fuel use

many of the people talking about short run time harming the engine
think nothing of doing the same thing to their motorized vehicles
which cost a lot more money than their portable generator

With Mexican "climbing" scale, those using high-draw devices are punished severely. OTH, rates per KW for people with a few lights and no MW are lower than in the US. Low-usage customers are subsidized at the expense of those high-usage, otherwise they (i.e. majority of population) wouldn't have survived. This is their system, and I see some rationale there.

For heating and cooking, propane is cheaper and simpler to use than generator-powered devices. Inverter is almost "mandatory" with those. Onoff/onoff regime is bad for any gasoline engine.

We found out not all coffee makers are the same! Our keurig takes a ton of power (1500 watts) so be ready for that. We also found out not all 2000 watt generators are the same! Honda has a much larger motor and can hand the end rush of startup of equipment MUCH MUCH better that the generac units we had tried. The Honda will also handle everything in the trailer on 1 unit till you need the ac then you can fire a second unit up.

I guess what I am saying is we love our twin Hondas. We have a 50/30 amp dogbone to bring it down to the right size too

Chris