Generator for RV

[WSU]

I want to buy a generator for my travel trailer.  I'm toying with the idea of buying one of the Harbor Freight predator models.  I've talked to a few people that have had good luck.  They are half the cost or less than the Honda, which I know is the gold standard.

Has anyone got input on the Harbor Freight generators, good or bad?  It's hard to want to spend the money for a Honda, especially since I'll probably only use it a few times a year.  But, I also don't want to by a piece of junk that will break in a year or two. 

Any other good alternatives?

[slowhand]

Buy the Honda at it will last You for ever. My EU2000 uses almost no gas and is quiet as a mouse.
Buy the best and You will have no regrets.
My friend went cheap and this year His Gen failed while hunting. He had to plug into Mine.
Another note on the Honda My uncle has one that I swear it's 15 years old and still works like new.
 

[WSU]

Is the 2000 enough?

[slowhand]

Is the 2000 enough?

It is for what I have.
Are You planning to run an A/C unit?

[WSU]

Is the 2000 enough?

It is for what I have.
Are You planning to run an A/C unit?

Maybe in the summer.  Mostly fridge, coffee maker, lights, and space heater

[slowhand]

Is the 2000 enough?

It is for what I have.
Are You planning to run an A/C unit?

Maybe in the summer.  Mostly fridge, coffee maker, lights, and space heater

I don't think You will be able to run an A/C unit or an electric space heater unless it's a low power unit.
The other items are no problem. I can even run the microwave with it.

[luckyman]

I have the Honda eu3000is and it would run all that with ease. 8 -12 hours on a tank depending on load. Very quite. I also have some of the cheaper ones and they work fine but not quite.

[Mudman]

I plan on a predator 3000i.  Buy 3 of em for price of Honda and it is a clone right!!  It will run most all including AC.

[Wanderer]

I have the predator from HF.  took it to Arizona last December elk hunting with our travel trailer.  had no problems at all with it.  nice and quiet and started right up every time.

[Mark Brenckle]

I have a larger one I got at home depot that is loud and heavy. Total pain to take hunting and I could hear it clearly from 200 yards away. I bought a Champion 2000w inverter for 400 I believe, quiet as a mouse and does great on gas. Powered the lights and furnace in quiet mode with ease, the microwave made it work a little bit. I'd want one size larger if I needed AC.

[j_h_nimrod]

I just bought a Westinghouse 3600 on Amazon for just over $300. It seems like a good unit but is fairly heavy and a bit loud. It is fairly fuel efficient and will run my whole rig easily. My FIL bought the Predator 2000 and it is super quiet and efficient, but trips with the microwave and nothing else.

If I had my druthers it go with a Honda 3000, but the price tag is high. A clone would probably work great and most units are pretty reliable anymore.

[bullfisher]

The little Hondas are very nice!
That said, I bought the first harbor freight model, the 2500. I was in a pinch and figured I'd burn it up and just eventually get a Honda. That was 3 years ago and it's still running good, and I use the crap outta that thing. It even runs the AC!

[Sandberm]

I bought the Honda 2000 and its companion if I wanted to run the ac about 7 years ago. I justified the price by figuring if I took care of them I would never have to buy another generator as long as i live. Neither gen has run on anything but non ethanol gas.

After getting burned buying the low cost piece of crap air compressor at Harbor Freight I didnt think it was a good idea to buy a generator from them. Burn me once, shame on you , burn me twice shame on me.

My Honda 2000 will run the microwave and heat the water in the hot water tank in my Nash 20N nicely but it will not run the ac by itself.

Its light in weight vs the 3000 which I like a lot. If I summer camped all the time and wanted ac perhaps the 3000 would have been the better buy vs buying two 2000's 

A sidenote, sometimes I want to take an air compressor away from the house to air up a tire or blow something off with compressed air, and will use my mated up gennys to run it. One 2000w generator wont run an air compressor. I have to mate two together.

Another observation. The wife and I went camping off the Bumping River road a couple weekends back. Our travel trailer and pickup are older but well maintained. Ive got maybe $12,000 combined into the truck and tt. Well, a younger guy and his wife with a really nice 4 door Ram truck and humongously long brand new tt camped next to us. It had to be $100k worth of vehicle and trailer. ALL THAT MONEY SPENT AND HE BOUGHT A CHEAP!!!,LOUD generator. Come on man! If you got a 100 grand laying around go ahead and buy a quiet generator.

[birddogdad]

HF are louder than Honda's if that matters to you

[Craig]

I have the Honda eu3000is. Great generator. Bigger fuel tank , key turn on and off, and very quiet. We do a lot of winter camping for 4-5 days at a time at white pass for snowboarding. Will run everything we need and boot dryers. Don’t use the AC in the winter but I tested it in the yard one day and it ran it just fine.

Not the cheapest option but very quiet and reliable.

[DeKuma]

Have the Honda 2200 and it runs our 24ft Cougar great.  Everything except A/C that is.  Runs up off idle for running a Kuerig coffee maker, but all else runs great.  Will buy the companion for summer camping with the A/C.

What else can you say except it is a Honda?

[AWS]

I have a 3500 HF for the backup on the house, it is electric start(my wife couldn't pull start the old 5500 Milwaukee).  I've had is set up outside in a shed and it starts every time, it's been out there 6 yrs.  I try to run it for an hour every month.

[hiway_99]

I use a Yamaha 2800 inverter.  It will run the a/c, microwave and space heater.  Not all at the same time.   The plus to it over the honda 2000 is it has a fuel shut off.  I shut the fuel off and run the carb dry everytime I use it.  Its started on the first pull everytime.   The yamaha is around 75# so its manageable for one person. 

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[syoungs]

I run a champion inverter generator and am very happy with it. I've left a long term review on the board here, I've run it in VERY harsh environments non stop for weeks at  many time, only issue I had was with my own neglegince using crap gas in it.

[WSU]

I bought the 3500 predator after talking to a friend. They are switching their Hondas over to predator at work.  The had one they bought because their Honda died and they needed one ASAP. They ended up running for about a year nearly 24/7 and it replaces for free when the cord broke.  I figured I’d give it a try. So far I used it for a week and it’s been great.

[CAMPMEAT]

Buy the biggest one you can. My Onan was 4500 or 5500 in my camper. Never skipped a beat.....

[hunthard]

I have a Honda 2000i and it will run the A/C unit in my Lance camper, I camped at Brewster this past summer for 2 days sockeye fishing and believe me I needed it. As long as I turned the idle switch off before I turn on the A/C it seemed to work for me.

[Mudman]

I bought the 3500 predator after talking to a friend. They are switching their Hondas over to predator at work.  The had one they bought because their Honda died and they needed one ASAP. They ended up running for about a year nearly 24/7 and it replaces for free when the cord broke.  I figured I’d give it a try. So far I used it for a week and it’s been great.

I know of other Const Co have done this as well and had great luck.  I am considering a Pred 3500 inv as well.

[kball4]

I have a Riobi 2200 inverter and it runs everything including the AC and microwave.  Had it for 3 years no regrets.  You could but 4 of them before you pay for 1 honda.

[Fl0und3rz]

I see you've already purchased, but for future readers, look for a used Honda.  Most are just run a few times then passed on with fairly deep savings (mine was when I sold it).  It may run as much as a new no name one, but you might likely still be happier with the Honda in the long run.

[SilkOnTheDrySide]

Just used the Predator for a full season, 9 trips and maybe 20 days with a a generator.  ZERO complaints, especially for the price I paid. 


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[KFhunter]

I bought a pair of I power from Costco, they're powered by yamaha and blue. 

so far so good but haven't used them much.  I see costco jacked the price up 50 bux or so.

[MADMAX]

Honda 500 for the rv
Runs fan for propane heater , tv and dvd and lights
Cant run AC don’t care about it when camping really
Works for me