Generators

[Billyk]

I need to get a generator. My General i2000 is not powerful enough to run A.C. And the rest of the trailer. I could buy a second one 1000 bucks. Or get one that will do the job. Harbor Frieght has one 3500 watt for 899.00.Is that enough? Or what should I look for? What do you folks use?.My wife says buy the best with longest warranted. So this is a poll> Thanks for replying.

[Bustinbeards]

The best will be a Honda, But also the most expensive. I went with a WestinghouseDFc 4500. It is a dual fuel that can run on propane or gas.

[gearhead]

One of the issues with getting a larger generator is the weight.
I'm generator poor. I got 2 Honda 2000's for my truck camper and a previous 5th. But the current Landmark has 3 A/C's at 15,000 BTU's each. I bought 2 Champion 4650 watt gens. They weigh 100# each. I either leave them in the truck bed or unload them with a Rack Jack winch.
A Champion isn't a Honda, but it's not a Honda price either. Both the new Champions had fuel issues when new but got sorted out under warranty.
The new Champions are very quiet. Maybe quieter than the smaller Hondas.
I caught the Champions on sale at Home Depot for around $750 each.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078BV5YW7...efix=rack+jack
https://www.championpowerequipment.c...watt-inverter/

[Lee]

Hi,

A few years ago I purchased this 3400W Champion:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Champion-...Start/52591204

It runs my single 13.5K A/C just fine, .... which I had already installed a Soft Start in.

[Javi]

I just bought this one https://www.homedepot.com/p/Champion...1120/318783746

And two of these https://www.microair.net/products/ea...r-conditioners


The generator will easily run one of my 15K Coleman Mach 15's without the Easy Start but with the easy starts it will run both of my 15K Colemans even on propane.. And I will run propane

[jsb5717]

If I needed a generator I'd look at this one. Also look hard at those Easy Starts for the AC's.

https://wenproducts.com/collections/...-fuel-shut-off

[NH_Bulldog]

We have a Generac GP3000i it is super quiet, 60 lbs. and runs my AC, power converter, inside fridge/freezer and outside fridge with ease. Everything worked just plug and play, but I did install the MicroAir EasyStart to make everything smoother and less stressed. Now I can even run everything off a 20 amp circuit if necessary. I picked up the Generac on sale and with a coupon at Home Depot for $650 even (no tax here in NH)

[JBM3M]

I have a 20 year old Honda 3000EU. I also put on the Micro-Aire Easy start one on each AC unit.


Did my first hot weather weekend the last weekend. Generator sitting in sun, worked fine for about 5-7 hours, running both AC units. Then apparently the generator got hot and wouldn't run ANYTHING calling everything an overload. After it cooled, everything was fine again. (I did have to run 75' of extension, 6 gauge, more of a plugs issue than distance needed.)

Oh ya, I saw the HF one this weekend, in use, and I was quite impressed. It was running one AC unit and some outdoor lights all the time, didn't seem any noiser than my Honda. If they made a larger unit that quiet, I would buy at that pricing, but the decibels are much higher on the 6K.

I must say the generator was at it's apparent limits. Also I noticed that if I went down to just one AC unit, didn't matter which, the unit left running got colder. When compressor started it did cause a bump in the noise from the generator. We were at a group camp of a bunch of technologic nerds and the concensus was that the generator could not put out enough for that long without getting too warm and that it just wasn't enough amps to run things right. This generator was before they started the linking 2 together, so buying just one 3000 to do the link thing for 6K watts I would have to buy 2.



Myself, I am looking at the Honda 7000IS. Rated same noise level at the 3000 and Amazon ships for free if you are prime member and they seem to be about the only ones with it available. If we pull the trigger, we will get it loaded in the back of the truck and it will live there. BUT instead of 2-30 amp twist, I wish it had a 50 amp outlet and that is my only complaint.

[bsmith0404]

My thoughts on gens are simple, get one big enough to provide 30 amps continuous run. Then you don’t have to worry about how much power you have, it’s not any different than being plugged in. That means at least a 3600 constant run gen. Anything less than that and you may run into power problems. Also, gens lose efficiency when you go up in altitude, so what works at sea level, may not work at 7k feet. Based on that, I bought a Westinghouse 4500 Peak with 3700 constant running watts. No issues running the primary AC with converter and microwave at the same time. Again, 3700/120=30.8 Amps. So just like being plugged into a 30 amp post.

[Billyk]

I order a Westinghouse generator last night from Home Depot. 125.00 dollar military discount. Happy about that. Free shipping to store, I will pick it up in 9 days. Thank all of your replies that helped me make my choice