Generator Choice

[mini-me]

You may think your Champion 400 generator is not that loud, but we were at MIS this past week/weekend and I can tell you that is not true. We were there most of the week having a great time until our next door neighbours pulled in Saturday, hooked up their brand new Champion 4000 and disappeared inside for the rest of the weekend. That was the end of us enjoying any time outside for the rest of the weekend. He planned on running it all day and night, until we had to get security at 1:30 to knock on their door and tell them to shut it off as it was keeping us and the people on the other side awake. SO for the love of the people camping around you, unless you plan to camp near no one else, Do not get an open generator!!! Even at a Nascar race, we value some quiet time.

[bikendan]

I own a Champion 3500/4000 open frame generator and I also have a Honda 2000i.

I love the Champion for home usage BUT it is NOT appropriate for campgrounds.
I know how loud it is and how loud the Honda is and unless you have hearing loss, they aren't even close in noise level.
Even when the Honda ramps up, it's still quieter than the Champion.

[1Brownie]

I finally tested out a generator for camping. The Honda e3000 did NOT do the job. When I turned on one a/c, two fridges and tv it turned off in 15 minutes reading "overload". Luckily my buddy was there with a champion 4000 and we swapped for the weekend. The champion was much louder than the Honda is my only complaint and harder to move. There were other campers around with loud generators also which got to be annoying after 4 nights of listening to them. The champion would NOT run both a/c and when only running one a/c it struggled when turning the hot water heater on. Im still searching for a generator in the meantime.

[NMWildcat]

I

Originally Posted by 1Brownie

I finally tested out a generator for camping. The Honda e3000 did NOT do the job. When I turned on one a/c, two fridges and tv it turned off in 15 minutes reading "overload". Luckily my buddy was there with a champion 4000 and we swapped for the weekend. The champion was much louder than the Honda is my only complaint and harder to move. There were other campers around with loud generators also which got to be annoying after 4 nights of listening to them. The champion would NOT run both a/c and when only running one a/c it struggled when turning the hot water heater on. Im still searching for a generator in the meantime.

You will be hard pressed to find an acceptable 'camping' generator that will run both a/c. Also, why don't you run fridge and water heater on propane? While I prefer 2, 2000 units, I have several friends that run their 15k a/c, converter, lights, and TV with a Honda 3000. Of course if you want to use a coffee pot, or blow dryer you have to turn off a/c with the 3000.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by 1Brownie

I finally tested out a generator for camping. The Honda e3000 did NOT do the job. When I turned on one a/c, two fridges and tv it turned off in 15 minutes reading "overload". Luckily my buddy was there with a champion 4000 and we swapped for the weekend. The champion was much louder than the Honda is my only complaint and harder to move. There were other campers around with loud generators also which got to be annoying after 4 nights of listening to them. The champion would NOT run both a/c and when only running one a/c it struggled when turning the hot water heater on. Im still searching for a generator in the meantime.

If you are looking to run BOTH A/C's, the water heater and anything else, you better think about 7000+ watts of generator.

If you want quiet but BIG watts you'll spend BIG bucks for something like *THIS*.

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by 5picker

If you are looking to run BOTH A/C's, the water heater and anything else, you better think about 7000+ watts of generator.

If you want quiet but BIG watts you'll spend BIG bucks for something like *THIS*.

X2. Exactly! As long as you can leave it on your truck bed

[5picker]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

X2. Exactly! As long as you can leave it on your truck bed

Yep... at about 260+ lbs. you wouldn't want to move it much.