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Generators for camping

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30 October 2015, 05:33
ledvm
Generators for camping
Looking for a generator for camping. Large enough to run a camper AC/H. Suggestions?


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
J. Lane Easter, DVM

A born Texan has instilled in his system a mind-set of no retreat or no surrender. I wish everyone the world over had the dominating spirit that motivates Texans.– Billy Clayton, Speaker of the Texas House

No state commands such fierce pride and loyalty. Lesser mortals are pitied for their misfortune in not being born in Texas.— Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to Texas in May, 1991.
30 October 2015, 08:39
MJines
At the deer lease we use a Honda generator. They are reliable, quiet, easy to operate and have a good run time. Downside, they are not cheap.


Mike
30 October 2015, 16:18
ledvm
Mike,
Is that the model you use in your link?


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
J. Lane Easter, DVM

A born Texan has instilled in his system a mind-set of no retreat or no surrender. I wish everyone the world over had the dominating spirit that motivates Texans.– Billy Clayton, Speaker of the Texas House

No state commands such fierce pride and loyalty. Lesser mortals are pitied for their misfortune in not being born in Texas.— Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to Texas in May, 1991.
30 October 2015, 23:40
MJines
Yes. Now the window unit we run is a very small window unit (probably 5000 BTUs I would guess since we are just cooling a 15'x15' room. I have a bigger generator at home (for hurricane backup) and I am thinking about getting one of the Honda's too. They are just very easy to use and start, very portable and run incredibly quiet. You might ask someone at an RV center whether the Honda has enough juice, but I think you will be fine so long as the unit is not a 10,000+ BTU unit.


Mike
30 October 2015, 23:42
MJines
. . . and I forgot, they are a Honda so they seem to have excellent reliability.


Mike
30 October 2015, 23:59
MJines
Can read some reviews on Amazon.


Mike
31 October 2015, 03:11
mete
If you survey amamteur radio types almost everyone of them [me too !] will say Honda .
The newest ones will run computors ,amateur radio equipment.etc ! Generating DC, inverted to AC with almost pure sign wave AC.
Mine is a 3000i and there is a 2000i , and a 1000i ! tu2
13 February 2016, 07:25
cooksey
You can buy a Lincoln or Miller welding machine that makes 10,000 plus watts of power and you get a free welder that you can tig , mig or stick weld with, it can also run a air compressor..
13 February 2016, 21:53
Dans40XC
Honda 2000i will run most single air conditioners/charge batteries & use 5-6 gal of gas in 3-4 days use.


Keep'em in the X ring,
DAN

www.accu-tig.com
03 March 2016, 16:01
Jiri
+1 for Honda. Here, in Europe, we have 230V, but except voltage and freq. it is the same. We call it EU10i, EU20i and EU30i.

Jiri
17 March 2016, 17:03
p dog shooter
Another vote for Hondas
25 March 2016, 09:20
BaxterB
Honda. Nothing else is worth it.
26 March 2016, 16:40
Opus1
We run about a dozen Honda generators from 6 KVa to 15 KVa. The EUXXXXi models are fuel injected, very reliable, fuel efficient, and uber quiet.

But that being said, I would rather employ the Yamaha EFXXXXiS inverter generator as they are even more efficient and provide cleaner power than the Honda's. Unfortunately, they are not available in southern Africa. So you buy what you can find and is best supported, and in southern Africa that is Honda.

At the end of the day, when selecting a generator, make sure you purchase at least twice the generator you need as they operate more efficiently at quarter power and are much more quiet.


___________________

Just Remember, We ALL Told You So.
02 April 2016, 01:35
Bob Nisbet
I have a trailer at my farm that has central heat and AC. The AC draws about 3K. I can not run the microwave and AC at the same time, but all other items can be opersated at same time.
I bought a Champion 3.5Kw (4Kw Peak) generator about 5 years ago and ran it about 200 hours per year. Been no problems. Runs for 12 to 14 hours on 4 gallons of gas. Unit only cost $280.


Bob Nisbet
DRSS & 348 Lever Winchester Lover
Temporarily Displaced Texan
If there's no food on your plate when dinner is done, you didn't get enough to eat.
01 May 2016, 01:38
Rsm458Lott
Honda


It's always so quiet when the goldfish die.(Bror Blixen)

DRSS
Merkel 470 NE
14 November 2018, 00:55
Bob Nisbet
After using the Champion 3500 watt generator for 5 years, it still performed perfectly, but I felt it was time for it to be replaced. Sold the old unit for $180 and bought a new Champion 3800 watt unit for $312.
The old unit would go into lope mode and would run for about 12 hours on a tank of gas. The new one runs at full speed all the time and I only get 8 hours out of a tank of gas.

I am told the difference was the old unit didn't keep voltage and frequency within standard output specs so it could have been a problem with sensitive electronics (which I didn't use it for). The new one keeps proper voltage and freq at all run loads.
If I get 5 years out if this one and sell it for more than half of what I paid, I will be way ahead of the people who paid $899 or more for a Honda.


Bob Nisbet
DRSS & 348 Lever Winchester Lover
Temporarily Displaced Texan
If there's no food on your plate when dinner is done, you didn't get enough to eat.
10 January 2019, 03:18
Snyper
quote:
I will be way ahead of the people who paid $899 or more for a Honda.

Unless their Hondas are still running as many of them do.


One shot , one kill
10 January 2019, 10:55
Cougarz
I've had a Honda 3000 (can't remember the exact model) for the past ten+ years. It powers everything in my trailer and does double duty as emergency power at home.

It's usually windy in the winter where I live so it gets a workout every year. Last weekend for example. It runs today as good as it did when I bought it. The econo mode makes for a long run time between fillings, it's relatively quiet and it works great with electronics. A good investment in my mind.


Roger
___________________________
I'm a trophy hunter - until something better comes along.

*we band of 45-70ers*
15 January 2019, 23:56
Bob Nisbet
To compare durability of units, a person can't judge by how many years they have had the unit. You need to correlate by the number of run time hours and the load during the running. A lightly loaded unit can last twice as long as a heavily loaded unit.
Honda may be wonderful but every gasoline motor has a limited life and that is only extended somewhat by changing oil frequently, but Honda or any other brand will eventually wear out.
A reasonable rule of thumb is that small engines last between 500 and 1500 hours.


Bob Nisbet
DRSS & 348 Lever Winchester Lover
Temporarily Displaced Texan
If there's no food on your plate when dinner is done, you didn't get enough to eat.
19 November 2020, 11:48
cal30 1906
I have 2 Champions myself and at about 400.00 each It was money well spent. Both are first pull starters and 3500/4000 watt.
Couldn't be happier. I do believe that the hondas are a better generator but for camping and occasionally uses when the power goes out it hasn't made a difference.




If it cant be Grown it has to be Mined! Devoted member of Newmont mining company Underground Mine rescue team. Carlin East,Deep Star ,Leeville,Deep Post ,Chukar and now Exodus Where next? Pete Bajo to train newbies on long hole stoping and proper blasting techniques.
Back to Exodus mine again learning teaching and operating autonomous loaders in the underground. Bringing everyday life to most individuals 8' at a time!
20 November 2020, 12:07
NormanConquest
Several years ago I bought a generator from WW Graingers to the tune of 2K, I don't remember the wattage now. I had it chained to a piece of equipment that night before bringing it in the next day. In the night, thieves came with bolt cutters + stole it. When I called the S.O. their only response was "What do you want us to do about it?" Needless to say, I was screwed.


Never mistake motion for action.