Old man and a generator

[Keith_Schumaker]

Find a way to get the champion dual fuel, you won't regret it. Gasoline in a generator that only runs when you have issues or on a random camping trip is not a good thing unless you like to drain your carbs or use stabil. Propane runs cleaner (for the oil) and will start no problem no matter how long the generator sits. My champion 3500 (cabellas and camping world branded 3400) has never and will never see gasoline and it always starts on command even after sitting for a year, where as my grandmother's eu2000i Honda needs the carbs cleaned if it sits for a year. I only use them as emergency generators since I camp with full hookups so they sit a lot.

 

[CaptnJohn]

OP likes Champion. I have 2000 and they do fine. They were $449 at Lowe’s on sale. CW had them on sale last week for $399.
There are 2 gas feeds to shut off to run the gas out of the line. When it quits shut the power switch off.

 

[n0ms]

I leave mine in the pickup bed for the season with a 30 amp ex cord. It sounds like a lawn mower but has remote electric start.

 

[RandK-M]

You plan to tow a 2109S with a Tacoma?

I don't know which Tacoma the OP has, but the larger engine has something like a 6,800 LB towing capacity. A good bit more than the max weight of the 2109S

 

[cd4620]

A/C & GEN.

We have a 2017 Forest River Micro-Lite DS21. We recently had a MicroAir soft start installed & carry our Honda 2200. It handles the A/C with no problem.
The Gen. is under 50# & very quiet.

 

[jimknoch]

I have a Predator 3500i from Harbor Freight. Mine will power the A/C (13,500btu), water heater & fridge with no issues. I generally turn off the A/C when I run the microwave, but I have never had the genny trip under load. I keep mine chained & locked in the back of my truck under a cover when not running. The unit is very quiet, and weighs 96# without fuel, and is a mizer on gas. Should you have issues with the engine beyond the warranty, you can always get parts from Northern Tools (they sell the same unit under the Powerhorse Brand in blue and have the parts.) Mine is 2 years old and has never given a moments trouble ... always starts with a bump of the starter or the first pull on the starter rope. It will run about 10 ~ 12 hours on a tank of gas, so no getting up in the wee hours to refuel. I am very pleased with it. ..... Swampy

 

[dcling]

I use a Generac IQ2000 generator (45 lbs) and have the MicroAir Easy Start installed on a 13,500 Coleman Mach. The generator rides on a mount-n-go shelf mounted to the bumper of a Rockwood 2104S with mount-n-lock safety struts reinforcing the bumper that dalford mentioned in post #8.

 

[McCormickJim]

Be sure to check the run time on whatever unit you buy. The Honda 2200i runs from 4-9.6 hours on a gallon of gas. If your AC runs all night, you'll run out of fuel and AC in the middle of the night.

One nice feature of the Honda generators is they have a fuel pump. This means you can connect them to a 5 gallon gas can, giving you 24-57.6 hours of continuous run time. https://www.amazon.com/Bergs-System...0i+generator&qid=1566154834&s=gateway&sr=8-15

Your unit has a 3500 btu AC. Depending on the AC you have, a Honda 2000 will run your AC. Mine does, but just barely. My Honda has to warm up fully before turning on the AC. After that it works like a charm.

Honda also makes a 2200 unit. My first suggestion is to go to a Honda DEALER with your trailer and ask them to hook up a 2000 or 2200 to see if either will run your AC. You'll need to go to an actual DEALER vs. a general merchandise store for this. A general merchandise store will not start a generator for you.

My second suggestion is go to a Briggs and Stratton DEALER with your trailer and ask them to hook up a 2200 or 3000 (as suggested above) (the 2200 is much cheaper than then 3000) to see if either will run your AC. My guess is the 2200 will run it just fine. You'll need to go to an actual DEALER vs. a general merchandise store for this. A general merchandise store will not start a generator for you. I do not know if a Briggs unit has the option to use an external fuel tank.

My third suggestion, so you can use a "light weight" generator is install a Micro-Air EasyStart in your AC. Then you can easily use a 2000 by any manufacturer. https://www.amazon.com/Hutch-Mounta...=gateway&sprefix=easystart+364,aps,193&sr=8-2

 

[Tundra 2014]

Generator

Check out the Atima brand 2K. It uses a Yamaha engine, says in on the side. Weight is right @ 55 lbs. Sounds the same as the Yamaha and about $300 less each. The Altima 3k is $1100 and has 2600 running watts, also Yamaha engine. This one has wheels and a larger gas tank, below 60 db under load. One 3K generator will be quieter than 2 Ks. LoLoLohoneymoon youtube has a review on both these units, and I believe the Champion. Understand if you go w/ a Dual Fuel model, you loss power on propane and it goes through propane fairly fast. I like the idea of not having to mess w/ gas, but easier to find gas boon docking. I am using a Generic iQ 3500 very quiet and has more power for less money than any other 3 K. Drawbacks, no wheels, only 2.6 gal. tank and 109 lb. empty. I am able to power both, 13.5K A/C and second small A/C, led lights w/ no problem. We camp @ 7 K elevation and you loss 3% of power @ each 1,000', w/o rejetting carb.

 

[Scubanut]

Greetings all!



New to RVing (tent camped 37 years ago, but the similarities are few). Just too delivery on a 2020 Rockwood MiniLite 2109S. Thinking ahead to the time I may camp without an electrical hookup and thus I'm shopping generators. I have to have AC due to health conditions.



I like the Champion line, especially the 3400 watt dual fuel model but there's no way I can lift a 90 pound generator in and out of the pickup bed. Anyone have suggestions? A bed mounted hoist isn't possible since my Tacoma has a composite bed.



A possible solution is a pair of 2000 watt units which are much lighter. Then my concern is sound level. If I remember decibels correctly, a 6 dB increase in level is double the volume so a pair of 53 dB generators would be 59 dB. Any thoughts on the noise level of dual generators?



Finally, has anyone used the Harbor Freight Predator line? The reviews are middle of the road but the price point is very attractive.



Thanks for the time to read my post and for any replies!

Harbor freight/princess auto sell gambrel hoists that lift up to three hundred lbs. They fit in your hitch receiver to easily lift that 100 generator into the back of your truck, sell for about $100 Canadian.

 

[upflying]

I don't know which Tacoma the OP has, but the larger engine has something like a 6,800 LB towing capacity. A good bit more than the max weight of the 2109S

As always, cargo capacity is the limiting factor, not towing capacity.
With tongue weight along with that generator, he's used up a lot of that Tacoma capacity.

 

[milton_w_herron]

Get soft start on AC and a Westinghouse 2500 gen. Starts AC on one gen.

 

[Bob43]

2300I gen CRAFTSMAN

You may be interested in this 60 LB Inv. Gen 3000 Watt start 2300 watt run.
it easily starts my 13,500 BTU A/C in ECO mode ... it is a Generac unit made for Sears sold by Lowes I think . https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-CMXGIAC3000-3000-Watt-Gasoline-Portable-Generator/1000604353

 

[Cherin55]

Our Generator Set-up on a Rockwood Mini Lite 2511

We also need AC when boondocking and came up with our current set up - Stromberg Carlson tongue tray with a Westinghouse IGen4500 Inverter generator (weighs approx. 100#). Hubby is 71 and I am 64 and neither of us wanted to be lifting a generator in and out of the back of our Expedition. The generator is awesome and quiet - our bedroom is right behind the front glass windshield and it is not bothersome at all and runs our 15k AC without any hiccups!! We secured it with 2 ratchet straps and a rubber-coated thick steel cable w/2 padlocks (with a cover for when we travel and it's not in use). Because of this set up we had to give up the hard plastic propane cover in lieu of an ADCO soft cover with a top zipper but it's working quite well. It's not a dual fuel generator, but we purchased a 2.5 gal. gas can and a small step stool to add fuel when needed....also has remote start which worked out great when we stopped at Cracker Barrell and it was raining on our last trip We calculated the tongue weight of our TT, plus the weight of the genny & tray and made sure we purchased the correct WD/Sway hitch for our Expedition (9200 lb. tow capacity) and ended up with a Husky Centerline TS 800-1200 lbs. which has also been great.

Best of luck with your search and setup....happy camping!!

 

[RECONUSMC]

Stay away from Predator-Had one and no parts are available or service from your corner shop is not possible. Champion makes a 4000 inverter open frame that works great https://www.homedepot.com/p/Champio...Generator-with-224-cc-Engine-100302/300576762 or the westinghouse https://www.amazon.com/Westinghouse...argid=aud-801381245258:pla-465828932325&psc=1 for resonable prices that have 3 yr warranty and with the easy start you can run a 15,000 with a 2000 watt Inverter

Buy EasyStart™ Soft Starters Direct from the Manufacturer

 

[Camp2Canoe]

Two suggestions - and I've used both for purposes other than lifting a generator. The first is a trailer hitch deer lift - I've seen them as cheap as $119. It basically is a crane that fits into a 2" receiver. I'm pushing 70 but can lift a 200# deer into the back of a pickup by myself. You'll need to fabricate a sling for the generator. The second is more expensive but is useful for SO many projects around the garage - a hydraulic table. You'll have to get the generator onto the table - several inches at least depending on the table you use. (Maybe fabricate a plywood ramp?) Then you just roll it to the back of your truck, pump the table until the height reaches your bed and push it onto the bed. They are available from many sources, including Harbor Freight, where the employees use them to load compressors and generators into customer's trucks. I regularly use one to lift my outboard motor into the truck and as a raised platform to work on mowers, etc. - Camp2Canoe

 

[SeaMSea]

Did it and it Tocama's will tow and stop fine in the Smoky's

You plan to tow a 2109S with a Tacoma?

Only problem is fuel I could only go 120 miles and it was about dead empty. Mine pulled my 2109s fine. He was not looking for help on the TV

 

[bikendan]

You may be interested in this 60 LB Inv. Gen 3000 Watt start 2300 watt run.
it easily starts my 13,500 BTU A/C in ECO mode ... it is a Generac unit made for Sears sold by Lowes I think . https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-CMXGIAC3000-3000-Watt-Gasoline-Portable-Generator/1000604353

I wouldn't buy any generator that won't publish its noise level ratings. Neither Lowes webpage nor the downloadable spec sheet, has a decibel rating.
That's suspicious.

 

[bikendan]

Stay away from Predator-Had one and no parts are available or service from your corner shop is not possible. Champion makes a 4000 inverter open frame that works great https://www.homedepot.com/p/Champio...Generator-with-224-cc-Engine-100302/300576762 or the westinghouse Amazon.com for resonable prices that have 3 yr warranty and with the easy start you can run a 15,000 with a 2000 watt Inverter

Buy EasyStart™ Soft Starters Direct from the Manufacturer

That Champion open-frame inverter generator is no way as quiet as their true inverter generators. It has a noise rating of 64db, only 4db quieter than their $300 regular open-frame generator. Just cause it says "inverter", doesn't make it quiet.

 

[ncebeemer]

Welcome. I had the same problem. I went to Cabelas and ordered a gambrel hoist 350 lb capacity, with 360 degree swivel. Fits into receiver. Some setup but not hard. Comes in two pieces I can lay in the bed of truck when not in use. I can lift my Honda 3000 from garage floor, and swivel into back of truck (and vice versa). Cost was $129.00 with free shipping (on a special for a weekend). I have a bumper mounted tray, with reinforcements on the frame. When I get to trailer I transfer Genset to the trailer tray. works out perfectly for me cuz I cant lift the 100 lbs anymore and hard to find a helper to lift into truck.