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Old 02-17-2008, 06:59 AM   #1
zechinova
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portable generator

Not sure if this is the forum to post but since I want to "add" the ability to use my lights when not hooked up I'm hoping so. I've searched and read some previous posts on generators. I understand and agree that should I want to run my AC and dry my hair at the same time without making my neighbors mad I need to spend over $1K -but- since we are just starting out.... Suppose you had less than $500 to spend and just wanted to run the water pump, gas heater, gas refrig and a few lights - is there a cheaper alternative portable anyone would recommend?
 
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Old 02-17-2008, 07:34 AM   #2
skypilot
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Have not seen any posts in the last couple of months but keep an eye out for either a new Kipor 2000 or used Honda 2000i; there were some of the later on eBay about a month ago and some went in the 400 to 500 range as I recall -- I wasn't looking for them specifically so didn't really pay a lot of attention to them. Might also want to look at Craigslist for Kansas and MO, possibly OK area -- with the big ice storm we had back in December, a lot of Honda and Yamaha inverter generators were purchased and will probably be coming on the market shortly.

The 2000 models are light enough to carry easily, VERY quiet, and will do what you are asking. Plus, with either Honda or Yamaha, you can add a 2nd one of the same model and parallel them together to run your AC in those warmer days..

Whatever you do, try to stay away from 'construction' grade generators (i.e. SAMS, Home Depot, Lowes) as these are normally very noisy and you will have neighbors upset at the very least.

Hope this helps some.

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Old 02-17-2008, 07:42 AM   #3
Gumby56
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I had the same issue. Didn't want to drop a grand on something that we would get limited use out of on weekends.

I found this website and guide useful:

http://www.kiporguy.com/Kipor_powerusage.html

Based on how low you want to go on requirements you may be able to go with a Kipor IG1000 or Honda i1000. You can get them around $500.

I ended up trolling ebay and Craig's list and ended up getting a used Kipor 3500 that was a year old for $600. I figured I would take the risk to see if I could get unit to handle the A/C as well as other appliances. I was able to get the A/C and 2 TVs on with no overloading of the generator. The downside is that it is heavy so it takes 2 people to easily get it in and out of the truck.

I hope that helps!

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Old 02-17-2008, 07:47 AM   #4
zechinova
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Thank all for advice, but.... while I was waiting I "backslide" and checked out RVnet forum. Found out Cabela is selling a great little Chapman portable 3500W with great reviews. It's new but I like anything Cabela's and it's on sale for $299. Anyone have any experience with it?
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Old 02-17-2008, 08:40 AM   #5
zechinova
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You guys are hard on people who make "missteaks" so I am correcting myself.... I found a "Champion 3500W" generator I am interested in.
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Old 02-17-2008, 08:45 AM   #6
HamRad
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It sounds like you've found a "construction" type gen. As has been mentioned..... stay away from them! I do not know anything about the Chapman but at a $299 price they would probably be very LOUD! When camped next to someone you do not want loud.

Either bite the bullet and go with a Honda or Kipor or wait until you can afford one. Another route would be to go solar. But you would quickly use up $500 going that route.

With generators the temptation is to go cheap but it is the worst thing you can do. Go with quiet. Check out the links suggested above and you should find a good deal on a quiet gen.

Good luck.

HamRad
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Old 02-17-2008, 09:29 AM   #7
sreigle
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You can do all you mentioned in the first post just off your 12v battery. Some of the lights. Refrig on gas. Water heater on gas. Furnace on gas. The furnace blower runs off 12v. If you need more battery power for longer periods of time, consider adding a second battery. Several here have done that. Also, some have gone to 6v golf cart batteries connected for 12v.

If you want 110v then you definitely need the generator.
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Old 02-17-2008, 10:17 AM   #8
TheCoachPotatoes
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Check this out on the Cabela website. It gets very good reviews.


http://tinyurl.com/3x7ksy
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Old 02-17-2008, 12:53 PM   #9
gpats
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68 DB on the Cabela generator is not very quite you need to stay around 58 DB to keep peace with your neighbors--
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Old 02-17-2008, 01:22 PM   #10
fulltimedreamer
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Zechinova,

The Champion you have referenced has been discussed extensively on rv.net. It is a nice generator and the engine design is a Chinese knock-off of a Honda Engine. I have a GST version of this generator that I purchased at Pep Boys several years ago. It is not as quiet as the Honda, but is not nearly as loud as a construction generator either. Generally you would use this generator to boondock and would not be right next to another camper. I used mine to do disaster relief after Katrina. It kept us cool and provided power for our satellite internet set up. I've also used mine around the house in power failures and to use power tools away from the power grid.

68db is not as quiet as the 58db the Honda boasts, but the Honda db numbers are based on a no load situation. Under load an inverter generator like the Honda runs faster to produce more power. The Champion and GST run the same speed no matter the load as the 60 HZ frequency of the AC is a function of the speed of the engine. Also, 68 db meets the noise standards of the National Park Service for daytime usage. That said, I would only use mine in a campground if I was far enough away that it wouldn't bother my neighbor. And to be honest I wouldn't want to listen to my neighbors Honda or Kipor either. BTW if you're inside with the AC on you can't hear the GST running outside. Anyway, $299 for, in my case, a 3500 Watt gnerator was a good investment. If I had to pay the price of a Honda, I guess I'd have to do without.
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Old 02-17-2008, 02:07 PM   #11
Army Guy
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something to think about is the construction type generators also provide a rougher "dirty" power verses an inverter type generator which will provide a cleaner power. You will need a clean power when running a lot of sensitive electric items, ie computers, lcd tvs, etc. The other generators will operate these items too but is a little harder on them. Just my thoughts on this. It will be your call as to whether you want to spend the additional bucks.
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Old 02-17-2008, 03:32 PM   #12
TheCoachPotatoes
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I'm not understanding what dirty power is. However, wouldn't it be cleaned up going through the converter?
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Old 02-17-2008, 04:45 PM   #13
Rondo
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If you go to the Cabela's site mentioned previously and read the reviews--59 of them-- I would say this is "not" a construction generator. Many of the reviews were written and used by RV owners and they are real happy with their performance. This Champion can also be used at the stick incase of power failure and seems not to have any problem there either. This particular Champion even comes with the 30 amp plug in that many of us have on our rigs. One thing about Cabela-- they are not in the construction business. They are in the camping and outdoor living business and I doubt if they would be selling it if they did not recommend it for camping and RVing. I might a little prejudise being from Nebraska -- HOME of Cabela's-- but I think they have top notch items and if you are displeased with the item you purchase they usually have not problem taking it back. You can tell that by their rooms of preused items they put up for sale if they are in good condition.
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Old 02-17-2008, 07:45 PM   #14
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by TheCoachPotatoes

I'm not understanding what dirty power is. However, wouldn't it be cleaned up going through the converter?
This may help you.

Lightweight and Compact Honda Inverter Generators

Honda boasts a sine wave equal to or better than the current from your household power.

Computers and power-sensitive testing equipment require what is referred to as “clean power.” Clean power is electrical current that is consistent and has a stable “sine wave” or signal. If the lights or other basic appliances in your home were being powered by a generator and there was a fluctuation in the AC power, you’d probably see the lights dim and then return to full brightness—no problem! However, if your computer was being powered by a generator and the voltage fluctuated, chances are the computer would either shut down or at least interrupt the program you were working in.

In order to overcome this problem, Honda engineers developed a revolutionary form of inverter technology. This process takes the raw power produced by the generator, passes it through a special microprocessor that provides ultra-clean power that boasts a sine wave equal to or better than the current from your household AC wall outlet. This means that for the first time, you can operate a computer or other sensitive equipment from a remote location without the fear of interrupted service or damage to the equipment.

Honda’s unique inverter technology also dramatically reduces the size and weight of the generator. This reduction is possible thanks to the fact that Honda EU-type generators have the alternator built into the engine itself, eliminating the need for a bulky (and heavy) independent alternator. The EU3000is model is actually half the size and weight of our top-of-the-line EX3300 model.


Another feature exclusive to the EU models is Honda’s EcoThrottle™ system. This system incorporates a load-dependent speed control-type governor that offers excellent fuel economy by automatically adjusting engine speed to the optimum level, given the usage load. This not only reduces fuel consumption and operating noise in the normal usage range, but it also keeps exhaust emissions to levels that clear even the strictest CARB and EPA emission standards.
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Old 02-18-2008, 02:40 AM   #15
8.1al
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Construction generator? RV generator? The bottom line is that it's noisy enough that I wouldn't care to be beside it. As mentioned above, the sinewave may be hard on sensitive electronics. I think I'll play it safe and stick to my Honda
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Old 02-18-2008, 03:19 AM   #16
H. John Kohl
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by sreigle

You can do all you mentioned in the first post just off your 12v battery. Some of the lights. Refrig on gas. Water heater on gas. Furnace on gas. The furnace blower runs off V. If you need more battery power for longer periods of time, consider adding a second battery. Several here have done that. Also, some have gone to 6v golf cart batteries connected for 12v.

If you want 110v then you definitely need the generator.
If you need to run your furnace a lot then I recommend you look at the power draw of the furnace FAN and consider a second battery. If you loose or run down your batteries then all the products working off propane will not function. They need 12VDC to control their circuitry.

Best of luck.
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Old 02-18-2008, 02:58 PM   #17
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Ok lets try this for comparisons of db rating;
Some decibel ratings:
0 db Threshold of hearing
30 db Whisper
40 db Buzz of mosquito
50 db Normal conversation
70 db Vacuum cleaner
100 db Subway or power mower
120 db Rock concert
130 db Jackhammer or machine gun
150 db Nearby jet plane
So...the Honda/Kipor stuff is actually in the 54db area and I can confirm normal conversations can be had stinding right next to my Kipor with a heavy load.
I also have a Coleman Powermate (72db) and its just like a vacuum cleaner...very loud!
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Old 02-18-2008, 05:08 PM   #18
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I have both a Champion 3500 RV generator and a Yamaha 2400iS inverter generator. I got the Champion first, and it ran everything in the 5er with ease as long as I didn't turn everything on at once. The first thing my wife said when I ran the Champion was "my that is loud". I agreed and bit the bullet and got the Yamaha. It is quieter and will still run anything in the 5er, but fewer at one time. I thought I would keep the Champion for home use, but during this winters power outages, I ended up using the Yamaha - mainly because it is much more efficient on fuel and lighter in weight. The problem with the Champion is that it is running at full RPM constantly and is therefore louder, while the Yamaha varies it's RPM with the load. I think if the Champion was able to vary it's RPM the same way, I might not have gotten the Yamaha - even though it would still be louder than the Yamaha. As for cleaner power vs dirtier power, I couldn't tell the difference between the two generators while running applications in the 5er.
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Old 02-18-2008, 06:44 PM   #19
Okie Guy
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For those of us with a loud generator is there a different type of muffler we can purchase to quiet them down? I have a briggs I bought after the ice storm and man that sucker is like a jet taking off. Its great for working around the farm but I don't think I would want to expose my camping neighbors to it for any period of time.
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Old 02-19-2008, 04:38 AM   #20
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If you decide to go with the Honda, you might consider adding a "duration tank". It is a six gallon add-on gas tank that supplies gas to either a single or a paralleled pair. The 2000i's gas tank is 1.1 gallons, so it significantly extends the operating time between refills.

I've used a paralleled pair of Honda EU2000i's on the Montana and they work as advertised. A single one would be great for tail-gating at a football game.
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