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I'm thinking Harbor Freight might be the way to go. I get coupons all the time and I think I have 2 coupons that get the Harbor Freight 3500 watt inverter generator at $699, and it seems a lot of folks have been having good luck with them. We have a HF store right here in town.
However, it's been cooling off quick here...temps in the 60's during the day, so needing a generator for AC is not necessary at the moment. We can use the Champion we have, it's just louder than I like. But it would get us by. I just got back from Wally World with another RV battery, cables, etc. The trailer only came with one battery. So I'm "converting" to a two battery system this afternoon. That should keep us in shape for dry camping for a while.
I like solar. Here in New Mexico it's generally pretty open country. We have a backcountry getaway place that is off the grid. I put Harbor Freight solar panels on the roof 10 years ago, and they are still going strong. I bought a different charge controller, though, because at the time the Harbor Freight panels got great reviews, but the controllers got terrible reviews. One of them "smoked" in my driveway here at home just testing the system out. HF replaced it no problem, but I never used it again. I want to say the controller I bought to use is an ASC? It's been working for ten years down there too. We use three of the biggest WalMart RV batteries to run that place, and a 1000 watt inverter. It runs lights, tv, stereo, small microwave, etc. Even small power tools. It's worked well, considering it can be 90-100 down there in the summer, and below zero in the winter, and the whole system sits unattended most of the time.
Eventually I do want to get one of the folding solar panel setups for our trailer..it has a plug on the frame, but I'm told one does need an external charge controller.
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