Generators

[rockport]

I find it humorus how some claim the lower priced generators are POS's without any personal experience with them. I have had my champion for many years with no problems. Could it be their way of justifying the dollars they spent. To each their own. Sometimes the so called cheap model is all that is needed for the situation. No need to denigrate them.

[bikendan]

i would never call the Champion open-framed generators POS. Champion has a very good product and provides outstanding customer support. if i needed that type of generator, i'd pick Champion in a heartbeat.

BUT i do think they aren't appropriate for a campground. i was going to buy the Champion 3500/4000 model until i heard one running and then heard a Honda 2000 running.
there's no comparison since the Champion, not being an inverter-type, runs full blast all the time. and since my Honda is usually recharging the batteries, it runs at 54db while the Champion would be at 65db, which is way much louder.

[garbonz]

Originally Posted by Soko179

Not being rude or anything but if you are going to spend that kind of money just get a top of the line solar system. And the last time I checked Honda was not made in the U.S. or Canada. Also when someone here in Canada wanted to get the Honda fixed they waited for 6 months to get the plastic housing from Japan. So it is personal preference and budget.

Good point. I have 160watts of panels that I mounted on roof racks on my truck that offset all the power I use on a good sunny day. I park the TT in the shade and the truck in the sun, or pop them off and put them in the sun. Still carry my honda 2000, tho and use it when needed.

[garbonz]

I take it all back, nobody has any problems with the less expensive generators, and the posts that say that are wrong. Replacement part are available everywhere as is high quality service...

Whew.

[08ramguy]

any one run a portable generator in the back of there trucks.....any problems?....any tips?

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by 08ramguy

any one run a portable generator in the back of there trucks.....any problems?....any tips?

I have.
No issues.
We ran one whilst traveling once to keep supper warm in a roaster lol!

[GASPEDDLER]

Originally Posted by 08ramguy

any one run a portable generator in the back of there trucks.....any problems?....any tips?

I used to run one to power my daughters Girl Scout float in the Christmas parade many years ago. Worked great except for the year I had a camper shell on my truck. Overheat sensor kept shutting the darn thing off. aside from that episode no problems....the fumes weren't pretty either!

[wneise]

People run generators on boats all the time. Don't see am issue on a truck.

[Herk7769]

Mine lives there all year. I made a little water "resistant" house for it.

[dcheatwood]

Originally Posted by 08ramguy

any one run a portable generator in the back of there trucks.....any problems?....any tips?

I did with my bumper-pull. Pointed the exhaust to the rear, dropped the tailgate and slept like a baby. Main concern was exhaust heat melting my bed liner, thus i blew it rearward. Eliminator 3500 gen.

[CZNEDY]

Originally Posted by herk7769

Mine lives there all year. I made a little water "resistant" house for it.

Herk, You have alot of stuff and may be overloaded now. Are you a Doomsday Prepper?

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by CZNEDY

Herk, You have alot of stuff and may be overloaded now. Are you a Doomsday Prepper?

Not "may be" overloaded. He is. :-)

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by CZNEDY

Herk, You have alot of stuff and may be overloaded now. Are you a Doomsday Prepper?

No; but I was a Boy Scout. The truck was not overloaded then and although it was when I weighed last week, it was from all the wine and booze I packed for Goshen. New load data will be forthcoming and when I have installed the ladder and sewer hose mod, I will post the "before and after" weight checks, my math, and my long trip load out in PDF.

Lesson learned.

[gt40]

Harbor Freight has Predator 3200 watts with 4000 maximum for $299. I think it says the noise is rated at 65 dbl.

Has anyone have any experience with one? How would you rate it?


Years ago I had an 8000 watt Generac that was very loud. I attached an old truck muffler to the one that it came with and made it much quieter. Has anyone else tried this with one of their generators?

[wneise]

According to this its 70 dB.

http://www.harborfreight.com/4000-wa...tor-69729.html

Wouldn't want to sleep next to a vacuum cleaner all night.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by wneise

According to this its 70 dB.

http://www.harborfreight.com/4000-wa...tor-69729.html

Wouldn't want to sleep next to a vacuum cleaner all night.

My gennie is super loud, honeywell 5500 watt continuous 6875 surge and you'd be surpised how it lulls you into a deep sleep



Turbs

[Taylorgso]

Originally Posted by Soko179

Not being rude or anything but if you are going to spend that kind of money just get a top of the line solar system. And the last time I checked Honda was not made in the U.S. or Canada. Also when someone here in Canada wanted to get the Honda fixed they waited for 6 months to get the plastic housing from Japan. So it is personal preference and budget.

Honda is a major manufacturer and employer here in NC. The following from their website:

Honda Power Equipment products are assembled at 11 Honda manufacturing facilities around the world, including Honda Power Equipment Mfg., Inc., located in Swepsonville, North Carolina. Research, development, and testing activities are conducted at Honda R&D Americas, Inc., also located in North Carolina, and Honda R&D Co., Ltd., in Japan.

Honda Power Equipment Mfg., Inc. (HPE) has boosted its general purpose engine production to 1,500,000 engines per year for use by Honda and other manufacturers.

In addition to engines, HPE produces Honda lawn mowers, snowblowers, pumps, tillers, and string trimmers.

Honda's North Carolina Research and Development Center is an 11,000 square foot facility established in 1993 that conducts product engineering, prototype development, and testing of power equipment products.

[garbonz]

Originally Posted by Taylorgso

Honda is a major manufacturer and employer here in NC. The following from their website:

Honda Power Equipment products are assembled at 11 Honda manufacturing facilities around the world, including Honda Power Equipment Mfg., Inc., located in Swepsonville, North Carolina. Research, development, and testing activities are conducted at Honda R&D Americas, Inc., also located in North Carolina, and Honda R&D Co., Ltd., in Japan.

Honda Power Equipment Mfg., Inc. (HPE) has boosted its general purpose engine production to 1,500,000 engines per year for use by Honda and other manufacturers.

In addition to engines, HPE produces Honda lawn mowers, snowblowers, pumps, tillers, and string trimmers.

Honda's North Carolina Research and Development Center is an 11,000 square foot facility established in 1993 that conducts product engineering, prototype development, and testing of power equipment products.

Thanks for the information, it is a reminder that not all the rhetoric we hear is accurate. I love quiet and encourage everone to be as quiet as possible. Honda is a first class company and hopefully will be around for awhile, unless the cheap crap knockoffs put them out of business.

You can quiet even the noisiest generator with a little time and effort, and the quietest even quieter.

IMO

[dj3spots]

Originally Posted by garbonz

That's the other point. The "perceived noise level" is dependent on where you are and what you are doing. At night in a quiet campground. Even 53 dB is annoying at best

X2. We have the Honda 2000s and run parallel. After a couple of hours am ready to shut them off.


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[Bamaman]

I was intending to spend $2222 for a Yamaha 3000ISHb, which is an inverter generator that can run 10 seconds @ 3500 watts and 10 minutes at 3000 watts before settling in at 2800 watts. It's specifically for RV's and will run an a/c.

But after reading all the really nice things about Champion, I changed my mind. Not only are they a very competitive product, the company is very customer driven and their service is great. Cannot say that about many Chinese companies.

Champion's 3500 watt units are in the $315 price range. 4000 watt rv generator is $359. But their 3100 watt inverter generator designed to compete with the EU3000 Honda is about $975 online. The cheapest place to buy it is Overstock.com @ $828. Overstock often gives 10% discounts to new customers, too.

That's the best deal going.