What generator???

[Mudman]

I would like opinions on which generators are good and not good.  I would like one which will power a travel trailer, air compressors and saws, and have just enuff poop to hook up to house and keep the refridgerator and well operable.  Im thinking I need both 120v and 240v at about 3000watt to 5000watt?  I dont want any bigger than I need.  Dont want to power entire house.  Fuel consumption and noise and quality are a concern as well as price.  I know hondas and yamahas are good but what about the rest???  Coleman powermates and Champions seem to get good reviews??

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

HONDA!

[luckyman]

5000w is the minimum to do what you want. You're going to have a lot noise unless you go with something of quality like the Honda eu6500. The champion with get you buy but it will be loud.

[HUNTIN4SIX]

I own a champion 4000w. It powers our 5th wheel ac, heater, microwave, etc... for 8+ hrs.  8yrs no problems.  It is quiet for what you get, not like a Honda obviously.  If money is not an issue buy a Honda, much more quiet.

[ICEMAN]

5000w is the minimum to do what you want. You're going to have a lot noise unless you go with something of quality like the Honda eu6500. The champion with get you buy but it will be loud.

I own a Honda eu6500IS, at full throttle you can stand next to it and talk quietly and be heard. No BS. Go to a honda dealer and see for yourself. Bring you wallet too cause they cost an arm and a leg, but worth it.

[rosies or bust]

Try solar1234.com. Steven Harris is brilliant. Listen to his podcast. He gives the info for free and discusses all the pros and cons of ALL generators. Plus he'll tell you how to use it properly.

[splitshot]

i have a honda 1000 and a yamaha 2000 and love them both.   need the yamaha to make coffee and run a microwave.  you might get a 3000 or more.  take out a loan.  mike w

[follow maggie]

Honda if you can afford it. If not you can make the others a lot quieter with a cheap motorcycle muffler.

[EDT]

Coleman Powermate's are made by another company now, not Coleman, you can get the powermate at Home Depot.  they are not bad either, they run well and give good power.  They are a whole lot less expensive than Honda and I am happy with it, I have the 3750 model.

All of that said, I really like Honda's.  If you can afford a Honda - GO FOR IT.  If you cannot quite afford a honda, the Powermate is a great alternative.

[Jburke]

The champions that cabelas sells are not that loud I didn't think.  Obviously not as quiet as a honda but the price difference is crazy.  They have sales on them once in awhile also.  I got the 4000 peak watt generator with the weekender package at cabelas for 400 on sale last sept. for my dad's 27' travel trailer.  I think it was well worth the money   

[fly-by]

Consider 2 Honda eu2000i units and a parrallel cable to connect them.  It's a litlle more pricey but there are lots of advantages:

1)  Redundancy. Chance of both breaking down at once are small. You may not have 4k, but you're almost guarnateed to always have 2k.
2)  Fuel efficiency.  If you are idling a lot, or running sub 2000 watt loads, you will use less gas than running one big unit.
3)  Each one only weighs 46lbs dry. Easy to move around and pack into small spaces.
 
Only downside is the internal tanks are kind of small at 1.1 gal.  I have an 8 gallon tank made for marine use plumbed to some aluminum replacement fuels caps and the pair will run a loooooong time.

[Mudman]

I bought the Champion 4000watt.  There is several models to choose of this so be carefull.  I got the one with 240v 120v and the RV plug.  68 decibals, it is pretty quiet for a bigger gen.  No Honda but you can stand next to it and talk.  Cant hear it in house or trailer.  4gallons run it 12 hours 50% load.  I like it.  Online Tractor Supply store I paid 299.99.  Seems well built and starts easily.

[NRA4LIFE]

I bought the Yamaha (only a 1000) over the Honda for several reasons.  They're quieter, a little cheaper and has a longer run time.

[Fl0und3rz]

Consider 2 Honda eu2000i units and a parrallel cable to connect them.  It's a litlle more pricey but there are lots of advantages:

1)  Redundancy. Chance of both breaking down at once are small. You may not have 4k, but you're almost guarnateed to always have 2k.
2)  Fuel efficiency.  If you are idling a lot, or running sub 2000 watt loads, you will use less gas than running one big unit.
3)  Each one only weighs 46lbs dry. Easy to move around and pack into small spaces.
 
Only downside is the internal tanks are kind of small at 1.1 gal.  I have an 8 gallon tank made for marine use plumbed to some aluminum replacement fuels caps and the pair will run a loooooong time.

I have a Honda eu1000i and a larger 6500 KW unit. 

Kind of the same thing,  but you cannot link them. 

[TheHunt]

Try solar1234.com. Steven Harris is brilliant. Listen to his podcast. He gives the info for free and discusses all the pros and cons of ALL generators. Plus he'll tell you how to use it properly.

Great site....  Thanks for sharing

[Jburke]

Oops my bad.  I got it for 300 not 400 last fall.

[Mudman]

Oops my bad.  I got it for 300 not 400 last fall.

I think it to be a greattt deal!  What else can you ask for?  Multi-use in this size appealed to me.  I can run my well and much more on my house.  My 27ft tt and my tools in the field like saws compressor and welder.  Perfect for me.  It surprised me how quiet it was, I expected it to be louder.

[flinger]

I bought the champion 3500/4000 under 500 ,remote start 68 db. I think the hondas run at 65 dbs not enough difference to bother me

[Mudman]

 

[Jburke]

Oops my bad.  I got it for 300 not 400 last fall.

I think it to be a greattt deal!  What else can you ask for?  Multi-use in this size appealed to me.  I can run my well and much more on my house.  My 27ft tt and my tools in the field like saws compressor and welder.  Perfect for me.  It surprised me how quiet it was, I expected it to be louder.

Even quieter if you throw it behind the trailer at camp or wherever. 

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Id be curious to see how the long jevidy of the champion compared to the honda is? 5,10,20,30,years from now?

[C-Money]

I am running a Honda 2500 watt for my little 5th wheel. Works great for us. Ours is an industrial model, and is nosier than the camping model. We don't mind it at all though. Runs 14+ hours, 3 gallon tank. Runs longer than the manual said it would on a tank of gas.

[Mudman]

Id be curious to see how the long jevidy of the champion compared to the honda is? 5,10,20,30,years from now?

I would never argue it is better than a honda. I am a Honda fan.  That said I know they are well made as champion has been making good equipment a long time now. Many reviews over several years praising these.  I would argue that the 3 champions I could buy at the price of Honda would indeed outlast them.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Well then time will tell.

[Ghost Hunter]

Honda   Just keep it chained down.  Don't ask me how I know

[Bofire]

I bought my Craftsman 3500 off craigs list for $125.00. all accessories and cords included. Has ran perfect for about 10 years of use. Not a Honda but I can buy a lot of them!!!
Carl

[Hunterman]

I have had a Colman for the house for the last 15 years. Runs the well, everything in the house (except the water heater, and heater) I have a wood stove for everything else.

Hunterman(Tony)

[jstone]

We bought a trailer in 04 and a honda 3000. The honda is bullet proof. No problems at all.

[kglacken]

Our Honda powers our whole house, and we use it in elk camp as well. It does great on fuel and is so quiet it just sounds like someone humming. Love it!  Pay the extra money, if you have it, and go with a Honda

[Hawgdawg]

5000w is the minimum to do what you want. You're going to have a lot noise unless you go with something of quality like the Honda eu6500. The champion with get you buy but it will be loud.

I own a Honda eu6500IS, at full throttle you can stand next to it and talk quietly and be heard. No BS. Go to a honda dealer and see for yourself. Bring you wallet too cause they cost an arm and a leg, but worth it.

I agree with Iceman. I have had a es6500 for 13 years. It has a radiator and you can barely here it purr. As far as running your home and well. I wired my home for back up power. Live in Enumclaw! unless your well is close to your elect. panel you might have issues with running house  and well at the same time. Make sure you install a UL rated transfer switch for safety reasons. Northern equipment has some good prices and free shipping, Use to be no tax on internet sales.

[Mudman]

Hondas are great and the best.  But there are cheaper brands with good quality also. I need to get transfer installed next.  Or I could just turn off main and plug generator into dryer 220v plug to energize whole panel.  Well doesnt pull 30amps.  Dryer and hot water and oven are big power suckers and microwave and even coffee pot.  If you manage breakers correctly it can be done right.  I think i will go with transfer switch.

[coachcw]

Honda eu3000 wil run your a/c and microwave , very quiet with smart trottle will run all day on a tank of fuel and comes in at 124 lbs .

[Hawgdawg]

Hondas are great and the best.  But there are cheaper brands with good quality also. I need to get transfer installed next.  Or I could just turn off main and plug generator into dryer 220v plug to energize whole panel.  Well doesnt pull 30amps.  Dryer and hot water and oven are big power suckers and microwave and even coffee pot.  If you manage breakers correctly it can be done right.  I think i will go with transfer switch.

Please don't plug into a outlet. Even is you pull your meter you can back feed and kill a lineman 10miles away and you wouldn't even know it.  A baby ass generator can back feed and hit transformers turning it into hoover dam elect. Maybe some licensed elects. can feed it but I know for a fact to be true.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

I know when i pull out my old Honda and reach down to pull start it. It will. Each and every time. This statement comes from a very redneck dont buy nothin with a foriegn name! At this time it is the only foriegn named equipment i own.

[Tman]

ide look at the honda eu series. Quiet, good on fuel, reliable and light weight.

[sled]

[Mudman]

Hondas are great and the best.  But there are cheaper brands with good quality also. I need to get transfer installed next.  Or I could just turn off main and plug generator into dryer 220v plug to energize whole panel.  Well doesnt pull 30amps.  Dryer and hot water and oven are big power suckers and microwave and even coffee pot.  If you manage breakers correctly it can be done right.  I think i will go with transfer switch.

Please don't plug into a outlet. Even is you pull your meter you can back feed and kill a lineman 10miles away and you wouldn't even know it.  A baby ass generator can back feed and hit transformers turning it into hoover dam elect. Maybe some licensed elects. can feed it but I know for a fact to be true.

Are you sure?  If the main breaker is off how is this possible?

[300rum]

I went with 2 Yamaha 2000 paralleled.  I didn't like the pull start on the Honda's.  If you look, the rope wears on the side of the plastic cutting deep groves in the plastic eventually wearing out the rope.  My brother in law (who is an electrician) has had to replace his pull rope a couple of times.  The Yamaha has a piece of metal there so it doesn't burn into the plastic. 

If I remember correctly the Yamaha's are easier to parallel, quieter, lighter and cheaper by a few bucks.

The only thing I don't like about both of them is the plastic handle.  I wish that they would have put a steel handle on it or some kind of steel somewhere so that you could thread a cable through it.  all someone has to do is saw through the handle and they have a generator.  I asked my insurance agent if they are covered while camping if they are outside and he said yes. 

Online you can look at wisesales.com.  They were the cheapest and they even came down a few bucks from their posted price.  I put the generators in my "cart" after setting up an online account but didn't check out yet as I was looking at a few other sites.  A little while latter, maybe the next day?  I received an email from them that there were items in my cart and to "make them an offer" if I wanted to.  I called and made them an offer and the guy I talked to gave me a price that he said was the lowest he could go.  I can't remember but it was a little cheaper then the listed price.  Shipping was quick and safe and in 15 minutes, both Ginny's where running.   

[coachcw]

honda eu electric start !