Solar or generator for older camper?

[pcoplin]

I have an 89 Lance camper and plan on dry camping with my wife and toddler daughter.

I'd like to know people's opinions on adding solar versus plopping the dough on a Honda Generator. I'd ultimately like to add solar, but this is really just a starter camper to make sure it's for us as a family. Maybe only have it 2 or 3 years before i get one in the 2000s.

Looks like it will be 500 or so for the stiff to add solar. $1000 for a 2000w generator, even if I need one that big.

What are your thoughts? Pros versus cons? Thanks all for your time.

[ppine]

I like solar a lot. It works, it is quiet. I bought a generator first but do not use it much. Many people have both. For a TC, you do not need that much power.

[time2roll]

pcoplin wrote:
Thanks pnichols, I appreciate the info.

Do you have any info on the EX700? There was one on Craigslist other day for a good price and I missed it.

Also consider a Ryobi 700 watt propane generator if you are OK with small.
None are silent like solar.

[jaycocreek]

But on campgrounds you always have lot of noises.

I would rather here a Honda inverter generator purring along versus an early erra diesel truck..Those are annoying..

Solar would be next to worthless for me and camping in the dense forest of Idaho.

[mkirsch]

"I can't hear it run" is like "tows like there's nothing behind me."

It's a FIGURE OF SPEECH, not literal! Means, it's very quiet. Significantly quieter than a conventional open frame generator, so much so that it would impress someone to the point that they'd make that FIGURATIVE comparison. No reasonable person would hear someone say that and expect the generator to be absolutely silent.

Come on. You are capable of thinking in more than literal terms.

[Kayteg1]

In quiet surroundings you can hear neighbour snoring 100' away, so the only really quiet power source are batteries.
But on campgrounds you always have lot of noises. Once I camp with hookups, but 5 sites away a motorhome had furnace who at night sound like starting jet fighter.
Still on other campground I had close neighbour running inverter generator and then 5 sites away other guy was running 2000 W contractors-grade generator.
I could hear the generator 5 sites away, but not recognize inverter generator noise 25' away.
Fuel consumption? I used to have older RV Generac, who at 4000W rating was using 1 gallon of gas per hr load or not.
My Honda inverter with 1 gallon of gas will power AC for like 6 hr, or with no load run (?) probably for couple of days.

[Unlimited]

Sorry, I know that this topic is very old, but maybe my answer will help someone in the future since I spent a lot of time to find the right information.
Most lower priced non-inverter generators produce 60 cycle AC current directly
by turning at a very specific speed. This means the engine on a
non-inverter genny must run at full speed all the time- even if there is nothing connected to it. This makes more noise and burns more fuel.

Some higher priced inverter generators produce DC current which is
electronically inverted to 60 cycle AC power.
This means the engine does not have to run at a specific speed.
For this reason, when the generator is under light load the engine can run
at a lower speed. This is often quieter and more fuel efficient.

NOTE: Honda calls this eco mode or something. I'm not sure that all
inverter genny have the low speed under light load option so you might
want to check before you purchase one.
Also, this more expensive inverter genny typically have better mufflers.
They are pretty quiet but I disagree with folks who say they can't hear
them run!! I CAN HEAR A HONDA from across the road no problem!
They ARE quieter than most others tho....

Finally, some campgrounds don't allow generators during certain hours.
Even the quiet ones are not allowed in some areas.

Hope this helps a bit!

[pcoplin]

Great, thanks for the link! I'll be on the lookout for an EM or EX650. My buddy won't sell me his. 🙂

[pnichols]

Paul,

Here's all the specification info I currently have on early Honda generators. I guess more research would be required to determine what a Honda EX700 is. However, note from this specification table, that none of the models shown can match the EX650's noise spec:

http://www.tappedin.com/hop/html/litegen.htm

I also own an EX1000 given to me in like-new condition but do not carry it in our RV (instead of the EX650) because of the EX1000's higher noise level and heavier weight. The EX650 is all we need for battery charging. Sometimes I do use the engine alternator for up to an hour for initial battery charging before starting up the EX650 to complete the charging, as the idling V10 is even quieter than the Honda and it's alternator supplies more initial charging current into the batteries than does the Honda when feeding the stock 13.8 volt fixed voltage RV converter. I haven't added solar yet, but may later. I wanted to begin our serious RV'ing with a small ultra-quiet generator instead of solar because a generator permits more flexibility in our camping, as we can then charge batteries anywhere anytime.

I've noticed that a lot of the info on older Honda generator models seems to be posted on sites with UK based addresses, so you might want to kindof keep that in mind when doing searches. Maybe the older Hondas are still popular in Britain?

P.S. You don't need to buy several generators - just one used EX650 from eBay or Craigslist for $150 - $250. 😉

[Reddog1]

You can buy several generators spending more money than the Honda 2000 or 1000 cost, and still have a loud generator. Throwing good money after bad will not get a quiet generator. Nothing wrong with collecting generators if that is your hobby.

[pcoplin]

Thanks pnichols, I appreciate the info.

Do you have any info on the EX700? There was one on Craigslist other day for a good price and I missed it.

[pnichols]

The Honda EU1000i inverter generator has the same noise spec as the Honda EU2000i inverter generator - 53dB at 1/4 load and 59 dB at rated load.

The little discontinued Honda EX650 non-inverter generator has a noise spec of only 54dB - presumably at around that level for all loads, since it runs at a constant RPM. Hence it's reputation for being a very quiet generator. We use one for quiet and economical RV battery charging when drycamping. When battery charging for us it's not fully loaded, so it runs for 5-6 hours on one tank of gas, which is one-half gallon.

[pcoplin]

I wanted to update this. I received the Champion 1500 watt generator. Whoever said it wasn't loud, er, was wrong. 🙂

I had borrowed a friend's Honda EX650, and the Champion is probably 3 to 4 times as loud as the Honda. Going to be annoying at a campsite. Going to keep it just for emergency home use.

How loud are the Honda 1000s? Any comparison to the 650? Thanks!

[pcoplin]

pnichols wrote:

Paul,

Is that a Honda EX650 I see in your front hitch carrier?? It sure looks exactly like the EX650 we carry in our small Class C motorhome to backup our Onan built-in ... and the EX650 our traveling friends carry in their small Class C motorhome to backup their Onan built-in.

If so ... what a coincidence!! I've been mentioning our EX650 for years in these forums and I get the impression that very few, if any, RV'ers use them anymore and that even fewer have ever heard of them. Mine is in great condition, and I have an EX1000 in like new condition that I use around home.

Here's a spec sheet on the discontinued portable Honda models. Note the noise spec on the Honda EX650 - only 1 dB louder at it's full power than the Honda EU1000i and EU2000i inverter generators are when they are running at 1/4th load:

http://www.tappedin.com/hop/html/litegen.htm

It is, good eye! Unfortunately it's a friends who was leting me borrow it to get a feel for my battery usage and my need for a generator. And he won't sell it to me. 😄

I ordered the 1500w Champion today. There's also a couple EX700c's around on Craigslist around here. I may try and pick one up for a primary. I like the smaller size for TCing.

[2BLAZERS]

I love my little Honda 2000 genny. Nice and quiet and it will be useful for the next camper too...

I do plan on Solar for our next camper in a couple years, but will still have my Honda 2000 and the built in Propane Generator too.