inverter generator

[sunnyside1]

OK looking at generators (and I'm on a budget) I have looked at a lot of them and keep going back to the champion 3400. It seems for the money $1079 it has a lot of features and competitive stats. Any one have an opinion?
Thanks

[270S]

Originally Posted by sunnyside1

OK looking at generators (and I'm on a budget) I have looked at a lot of them and keep going back to the champion 3400. It seems for the money $1079 it has a lot of features and competitive stats. Any one have an opinion?
Thanks

I had 1, it was great, especially for the price. It has a dedicated single phase 30 amp plug in that will match your cord exactly. BTW the 3400 model I had from Lowes was only $300. $1079 is the IG version. I did not feel it was required for the extra money. I manufactured my own sound enclosure - Available with Genturi Exhaust Adapter!

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Champion-Po...ngine/50436748


IG Version
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Champion-Po...ine/1000039763

[bikendan]

There's currently a thread on the Champion 3100 inverter generator with electric remote start, for $590.
It's Amazon and Walmart.

The thread title is "Awesome deal on a new generator"

It's in the Community Discussion section.

[fella10]

Originally Posted by sunnyside1

OK looking at generators (and I'm on a budget) I have looked at a lot of them and keep going back to the champion 3400. It seems for the money $1079 it has a lot of features and competitive stats. Any one have an opinion?
Thanks

take a look at BottomLineTrading.com(link below), ..... I bought my Champion 3400w #100261 from them and they had the best price I could find w/free shipping and no tax, ... one of the owners is the man on the 47 min. youtube video who instructs how to make the extended run fuel tank setup for the Champion gens, ...

Champion Inverter Generators

[5picker]

Originally Posted by fella10

take a look at BottomLineTrading.com(link below), ..... I bought my Champion 3400w #100261 from them and they had the best price I could find w/free shipping and no tax, ... one of the owners is the man on the 47 min. youtube video who instructs how to make the extended run fuel tank setup for the Champion gens, ...

Champion Inverter Generators

Yep. The 3400 with remote start... $977.77. free shipping.

[SidecarFlip]

Originally Posted by 5picker

Yep. The 3400 with remote start... $977.77. free shipping.

Amazing that competition breeds price reductions. Time for overpriced Honda to step up and step down their inflated prices...

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by SidecarFlip

Amazing that competition breeds price reductions. Time for overpriced Honda to step up and step down their inflated prices...

neither Honda nor Yamaha have done anything to reduce prices, even after years of numerous new brands on the market, like Champion and Boliy and Kipor, that are quality/good customer support/similar specs and are much cheaper.

[mvan48309]

Get a quiet one.

[sunnyside1]

amazon has the 3100 with remote start for $595 . I think thats a no brainer. Opinions?

[325BH]

Originally Posted by bikendan

neither Honda nor Yamaha have done anything to reduce prices, even after years of numerous new brands on the market, like Champion and Boliy and Kipor, that are quality/good customer support/similar specs and are much cheaper.

It isn't a company's job to lower prices. The marketplace does that. Supply, demand and competition.

Only when enough people stop buying the Honda and Yamaha generators... and buying other brands will those companies be motivated to lower their prices.

I still contend there are quality differences between the price points (along with brand reputation) and I am sure other folks do to.

I know the Honda 2000 generators perform slightly better regarding watts and decibels, although not by much.

[SidecarFlip]

Originally Posted by bikendan

neither Honda nor Yamaha have done anything to reduce prices, even after years of numerous new brands on the market, like Champion and Boliy and Kipor, that are quality/good customer support/similar specs and are much cheaper.

I know very well. 11 years ago I bought a Yamaha 2800 I (which is an open frame contractors style inverter unit) with 'smart throttle' aka: economy control and was a very quiet unit for an open frame.

Being as it was getting old (never gave me a moment's issue) I sold it on E-Bay for 2/3 rds of what I paid for it which was $1200.00 new so they hold their value well. It lasted maybe a day on E-bay and was gone.

Turned around and bought a new Champ (same output, same THD, same everything) as the Yamaha, with the proceeds and still banked a couple hundred dollars

I would still have the Yamaha today but I was getting concerned about the age and the reliability of the electronics. Now, I have a new unit and it might not be a Yamaha or Honda but new is better component wise than a 10-11 year old unit, least in my view.

I see Honda did come out with a lower cost inverter though it it an open frame unit.

When Honda and Yamaha came on the market there was no competition. FYI, Yamaha holds the patent on the 7 pole head that Yamaha and Honda both use.

The Yamaha 2800I is still north of a grand today. It's a very nice unit but so is the Champoin and the Bolly and the Kipor and even the Briggs Inverter, none were around back then, just Honda and Yamaha.

I would think, from a retail sales standpoint that to stay competitive in the marketplace today, Honda and Yamaha will have to get thrir prices in line or sell fewer and fewer units ans the competition gobbles up sales.

[f5moab]

Originally Posted by 325BH

It isn't a company's job to lower prices. The marketplace does that. Supply, demand and competition.

Only when enough people stop buying the Honda and Yamaha generators... and buying other brands will those companies be motivated to lower their prices.

I still contend there are quality differences between the price points (along with brand reputation) and I am sure other folks do to.

I know the Honda 2000 generators perform slightly better regarding watts and decibels, although not by much.

In my opinion, quality and Honda generators in the same sentence is an oxymoron.
I have a EU 2000 that is four years old, so far, two power inverter units have been replaced (one under warranty, one paid for by me $400+), one circuit protector out of warranty (40+) and last month when running it temporarily due to a power problem it will not go into ECO mode (might be a switch, not sure).

I will never recommend one of these to anyone and most likely run from any Honda small engine device. Granted, I might have purchased a lemon, or a fluke for the first power inverter unit to fail and the repair shop screwed up and caused future problems. But still....

[SidecarFlip]

Originally Posted by f5moab

In my opinion, quality and Honda generators in the same sentence is an oxymoron.
I have a EU 2000 that is four years old, so far, two power inverter units have been replaced (one under warranty, one paid for by me $400+), one circuit protector out of warranty (40+) and last month when running it temporarily due to a power problem it will not go into ECO mode (might be a switch, not sure).

I will never recommend one of these to anyone and most likely run from any Honda small engine device. Granted, I might have purchased a lemon, or a fluke for the first power inverter unit to fail and the repair shop screwed up and caused future problems. But still....

While it's not RV related, I can steer you to why your units isn't going into 'Economy' reduced throttle mode...

Yamaha and Honda both use the same carb, it's a Kehin and the 'smart throttle module' sits on top of the carb. It receives the signal from your controller to reduce the throttle opening in economy mode ans is over ridden by the controller when the controller senses amperage draw above a pre set threshold (programmed into the controller) and it opens the throttle correspondly).

The 'smart' throttle is a magnetic induction linear motor that advances and retards the throttle plate according to the signal from the controller. It mounts on top of the carb body and is replaceable as a individual part at a lesser cost than the entire carb. I know, I replace the one on the Yamaha because my Yamaha was having the same issue. It gets old and cranky after a while....

Hope that helps. Mine was I think, about 50 bucks.

When you install a new one, you have to manually advance the throttle wide open (by putting your finger on the throttle plate and holding it open when you start the engine and then you let the actuator take over. Found that out after the fact, I downloaded the entire shop manual. Should have read the fine print.

[SidecarFlip]

Additionally, I have had issues with 2 Honda engines. One, the carb was defective and was replaced under warranty on a pressure washer, the other, a 6.5 horse Honda threw a rod on a roto tiller, went right through the crankcase and yes, I changed the oil regularly. I ate that one. replaced it with a Harbor Freight (Lifan) engine. Lifan also builds the engines for Champoin generators.

Never had any issues with HF Lifan's.

[mzbrandi]

Originally Posted by f5moab

In my opinion, quality and Honda generators in the same sentence is an oxymoron.

I have a EU 2000 that is four years old, so far, two power inverter units have been replaced (one under warranty, one paid for by me $400+), one circuit protector out of warranty (40+) and last month when running it temporarily due to a power problem it will not go into ECO mode (might be a switch, not sure).



I will never recommend one of these to anyone and most likely run from any Honda small engine device. Granted, I might have purchased a lemon, or a fluke for the first power inverter unit to fail and the repair shop screwed up and caused future problems. But still....

My two 2K Honda are 3 years old with no issues at all. Worth every "inflated" penny I spent and after being parked next to so called "just as quiet" genis. I'll keep my Hondas.

[jaymemiller]

Originally Posted by sunnyside1

amazon has the 3100 with remote start for $595 . I think thats a no brainer. Opinions?

Works just fine.

[cmac7203]

Originally Posted by SidecarFlip

Amazing that competition breeds price reductions. Time for overpriced Honda to step up and step down their inflated prices...

I just bought the 3400 dual fuel electric start. Awesome. Specs say 14.5 hrs on 20 lb propane at 25% load. Mine is gong on nineteen hours so far...

[325BH]

I'm all for competition and price drops, however I really question how reliable these lower price-point generators can be.

$500 or $600 for an inverter generator, where there are:
An engine
Alternator/generator
Inverter
Frame
Housing
Labor
Shipping
Profit for manufacturer
Profit for retailer

I get high volume, however the reliability for all of these seems questionable to me.

[tfolks]

Can you hook the dual fuel right up to a propane connection on your camper or is it necessary to have its own tank?

[cmac7203]

Can hook right up to RV. BUT...check the CPE website because I THINK the regulator that comes with the genny is sensitive to length of hose.