mrad wrote:
"yep, the open-framed non-inverter Champion 3500 is at least half the cost of the Ryobi and not much louder.
for less than $579, you can get the Champion 2000w inverter generator with parallel capability. and it has a 53db noise rating. "
Where are they under $579?
Costco, but....
The champion has just about zero surge ability, and no ability to run things with a wonky power factor. I have had 3 of these in our family, 2 have the "upgraded" modules, and none of them will start a basic WFCO 8955 converter with a pair of batteries below 50%.
If we disconnect the batteries, fire up the converter, connect the first battery, and then the second, it runs, but not on economy. If the batteries are below 50%, connecting 2 after doing the whole ridiculous disconnect procedure still trips the overload on the generator. All 3 were pretty much identical in this regard.
And don't anyone start by suggesting that there were other loads. EVERY breaker off, 2 campers, 3 gens, 5 different modules. It's just the way it is. Thanks goodness for Costco's good return policy.
If and when one of our champ 2000's decides it is going to work, usually by delayed reconnection of the batteries, it won't do it on economy, and it is not all that quiet on normal. In fact, my dad had a fellow camper go ape on him.
My current Champion 1200/1500 watt gen is far less disappointing. Even counting it cooking it's AVR in the middle of my wife's last week of holiday camping......
