champion 3100w inverter review.

[syoungs]

So I purchased a champion inverter 3100 last week, probably has 20-25 hours of use on it now. I was skeptical of it due to the price, but over twice as much for a honda or Yamaha wasn't in the cards.

Right outta the box (after filling oil and gas), it started on the 2nd pull, started on the first ever sense, I've run multiple power tools on it, have had it running for 13 solid hours with my av on high in my trailer, (in 105f temps), while lights, tv, etc were running, it's pretty quiet, not as quiet as a honda 2k, and barely louder then the honda 3k. In eco mode it sips the fuel, even running hard I think I used something like 4 galons today.

My only regret was not buying the remote start version for 100$ more, but they didn't have any in stock, and I needed it then.

This is just the ticker for me, if I didn't care about the ac, I would have went 2k watt for about 1/2 the cost, and a little quiter. It's running, chained to my tongue in my camper right now, and I can't hear it over my ac on low, so it's pretty quiet anyways!

Hopefully it'll hold up as well as my champion non inverters, those things were tanks!

[KFhunter]

Thanks for the review, I might PM  you after the 4th see if it held up while you were manning your fireworks stand.


Shopping for an inverter generator myself, was leaning Yamaha.

[syoungs]

I ended up leaving it on from 7am- about 5 am yesterday, ran it out of gas, woke up about 6 when the camper started heating up, filled it full and fired off first pull. It will run upwards of 20 hours a day for the next week straight, in triple digit temps, if it survives that, I'll be sold for sure!

[bobcat]

This may be a stupid question, but what's the difference between a regular generator and an inverter?

[KFhunter]

Not stupid at all, inverters use some electronic wizardry that allows the generator to throttle to the electrical demand required, whereas a traditional generator is matched with RPM.  So the generator needs to spin x RPM to achieve proper output.  Not many people including myself really understand how they work exactly.  I just know that the engine doesn't have to stay at a fixed RPM to get 120 volts.  If the RPMs drop on a traditional generator the lights go dim, not so with an inverter.


Uses a lot less fuel and runs a lot quitter idling along at a low demand, if you max out the capacity of the generator - and it's running full blast then there isn't much difference.

[syoungs]

Still a huge difference in sound even at full blast, plus, the power has a "clean" or maybe it's "square" sine wave, allows you to run sensitive electronics, I've got 4 tablets, a phone and my Bluetooth speaker charging/running, as well as a blue rat player, a flatscreen tv and my cpap at the moment, all of which could and eventually would be damaged by the "dirty" power of a regular genset.

I'm averaging about 3.8 hours per gallon during the day, and even better then advertised fuel consumption at night, I though that to be pretty darn good.

[syoungs]

Another 14 or so straight hours of run time today. Temps measured in right about 120f where the genny is sitting, still no problems! Fuel consumption was a little higher today, but the ac was working it harder to, so it was to be expected.

[syoungs]

Generator hasn't shut off for more then 10 total minutes sense the morning of the 27th. At this point I'm sold. Been almost completely flawless, only issue I've encountered so far, is the chain that secures the gas cap from dropping to the ground when it isn't installed broke, or I mean to say I broke it, was still in the threads and I tried to tighten it down.

[syoungs]

well, after 10 days of running, im estimating about 230 hours, I never once had a bad thing to say against this generator.
 It sat on pavement, right next to the camper, in 100+ weather, running my A/C full blast in the camper, charging multiple things, running shop lights in the stand etc. never missed a beat, when it cooled off some at night and the A/C didn't work as hard, I got about 9.5 hours out of a tank of fuel, 1.9 gallons, when it was hot and everything was running, I got closer to 5 out of a tank.
I had no trouble sleeping in the trailer with it right at the tongue, couldn't hear it run over the A/C fan, even with fan off, you could hear it, but it didn't drone on like a contractors generator. Even when super hot, and the A/C cycled, it had enough oomph to start it from eco mode.

if it ran out of gas, it started 2nd pull every time. if you shut it down using the switch it would start on first tug about 75% of the time, I had to pull it 3 times only once. pretty sure my 10 year old son could start it without a problem to.


Im sold on it, glad I purchased it, and expect quite a bit of trouble free running.

[Greenhorn]

Thanks for the review.  I have a Honda 2000 that I love but will not run my AC for my trailer.  I am always interested in a 3000W.

[syoungs]

cabelas had these on sale for 899 last week, still might be, Im sure you could pull almost that much from a used Honda.

[NorthFork]

Costco has this unit online for $699.99, shipping included. The Costco unit is all black and has covers over the plug-ins, Other than that it is identical and has the full Champion registration and warranty included. They are in limited quantity and I think the sale expires on the 12th---

[syoungs]

Long term check in!

Generator finally broke this winter. Completley by fault, left crap ethanol gas in it for about 6 months. I always try to run ethanol free, or at least flush the ethanol out with good gas, apparently I forgot this time.

Not a big deal, simple carb clean and I should have been back in business. Took carb apart, cleaned it all, and reinstalled. Soon as I put the gas to it I noticed the fuel bowl gasket leaking, also not a big deal, I thought.

That all happened in mid November. called champion to order a gasket, no dice, gotta buy a whole carb for 40$. No biggie, give me one. Customer service dude never asks me exactly what model generator, I ask him if he needs it and he tells me they are all the same.
3 weeks later, the carb shows up. It was the wrong carb.
Back and forth with champion a couple times, finally get them to send the correct carb, I'm back in the money!
Weeks go by, I finally call at week 8 (should have called sooner, kinda forgot about it as it wasnt a priority), apparently the carb was backordered, no idea when I'll receive it, but maybe they will get one the following week. No promises though.
The next day a brand new carb showed up on my doorstep!

Moral of the story is dont use cheap gas in your power equipment, and champion customer service is lacking.

Even with the not so great carb fiasco, I'd buy this sucker again, still runs like a top, approaching 1000 hours on it now, I have had to adjust the valves a few times as preventative maint, I put a new spark plug in it before the hardest run of the year (7 days on blacktop running my ac, without a break) and replace the carb (not the units fault), and that's it outside of oil changes.

I'm going to try and source a extended run kit for it, it would be nice to get 8 hours of run with the ac on when needed.

[rtspring]

I have the same unit, but with Remote Start..  that feature is awesome!  Can be started 75 yards away easy while lying in bed to get coffee cooking.. 

No issues with mine probably has 800-1000 hrs on it.  I use a sheet of plywood to redirect the noise and it really helps out. 

[Machias]

Going to order this one myself  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M3R711N/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1