camping and generators

[Threewolves]

I would like to hear from folks about generators Honda or Yamaha any big difference? I was thinking about getting the 2000 watt in either Honda or Yamaha to use for my camping trailer. One would run everything but the A/C.  I know there is not a big call for a/c in W. WA, but I plan on going places. Ii is nice to watch movies when it is raining. Both Honda and Yamaha have the ability to hook two generator together for 4000watts then it could run the air conditioner. Has anyone ran two generator hooked together? Thanks, Paul

[Lowedog]

I have no other experience other than the Honda EU2000i but I would highly recommend them.  I have 2.  One runs everything in our trailer but I can hook them together if I want to run the A/C.  They are super quite, light, small and fuel friendly. 

[7mag.]

I have no other experience other than the Honda EU2000i but I would highly recommend them.  I have 2.  One runs everything in our trailer but I can hook them together if I want to run the A/C.  They are super quite, light, small and fuel friendly.

   Fantastic little generators. Very quiet, and compact.

[carpsniperg2]

  And spendy I would love one or 2 to run my lights on my boat for some night bowfishing

[MP123]

Another vote for the Honda 200 here.

I've had mine for a long time now and it's worked great.  Very quiet and the nice thing is it throttles up and down depending on the load so if you're not running much it doesn't burn much gas or make much noise.  As soon as you turn something on it automatically revs up.

Never tried the Yamaha or tried linking two together (I know you can) but those inverter based generators are the way to go unless you have really huge loads.

[lokidog]

Don't know about them, just turn them off after 10!!!     They are annoying at any hour though....   

[KFhunter]

you gotta get you one of those briggs n stratton gennys out of northern tool, or walmarts

then you'll be camping in solitude by morning 









either that or someone will shoot it 

[BOWHUNTER45]

My last generator experience was a buddy getting pi$$ed off and peeling out and throwing gravel all over another buddies tent ... I think it was to noisy for him ...

[steelyonfly]

Not really a reply here, but this topic was timely for me as well.

I've been looking online this weekend for generators and have talked to a couple of owners wanting to sell Hondas.  Best price I've found is $800 on 30hour used EU2000iA and $880 on a new one with free shipping and no tax.  Very tempting to go with the new one.  My question to add to this topic is have any one had experience with the Duramax brand of 2000W generators?  I could buy one new for about $500 and the $380 savings would go a long way for me.

[sakoshooter]

My only experience with generators is all negative. Noisy. Intrusive. Disturbing. Bad around other campers.
If you're the only one within earshot of it, then they're ok.

[GrainfedMuley]

And spendy I would love one or 2 to run my lights on my boat for some night bowfishing

Agreed, The highest priced generators on the market. You can get cheaper generators with the same power. Sure they are not as quite. But a 100ft cord and with a tree or some other object between the generator and camp cures that. Anything to deflect the noise. I have even used a piece of plywood. I think that beats several hundred dollars for a quite mufler. The ones you talk of above, you are paying for the name. Just like Harley, HK, and Ducatti.

[rasbo]

honda 2000,quiet,runs a long time on a tank...when mommason is with me it runs continuous,fill it in the am before I head out and in the evening before bed..

[klickriverchromer]

I work on both lines and have no complaints about either.. When it comes to bikes I'm more of a yamaha man, but when it comes to pwr. equipment Honda takes it.. Like I said though no complaints on either. Both are very reliable machines and I don't see any problems w/ either besides lack of maintenance.. Keep the oil clean as well as the air filter and run good gas thru either one and it will last forever!!! I think the Honda's are slightly less money as well..

[rangerstx2316]

if your after saving money we got a 3500 watt champion  had it for a year or so now and got around 200 hours on it and we have ran it for days on end with no trouble  it still starts first or second pull, and they do pretty good on fuel as well 4 gallon tank will easy run 12hours  it might not be as quiet as a honda but like grainfedmuley said 100ft cord solves that problem

[Mandownitis]

I have a Honda 1000 watt.  It is quiet and I like it.  But!  I just don't understand why people have to run a generator all day while camping.  I can dry camp for a week and only need to run mine once to top off my batteries.  I just got back from Mineral Lake,  a couple of people there run their generators all dang day!  I just don't get it.  I can only figure it is like this.  "I got this generator and it works so good I run it just in case I want to fire up the Mr. Coffee or nuke my roll". 

Maybe someone can explain the generator thing to me?

[brush hunter]

You'll need a 3000 at the least if you plan to run a/c I have a Honda and have had no problems with it. If you plan to run two 2000's together remember you have two tanks to fill and two generators to start, and there's a Chance there could be damage to your charging system in your trailer if the generators aren't running in sink with each other

[kirkl]

take a look at these champion suitcase generators. i just bought one at costco. costco price is 489. i think its quiet as the honda. hooked up my daughters 1875watt hairdryer and it ran great. you can also parrellel them to double the watts. theyve had good reviews on the research ive did. and you get two for almost the price of a honda unless you find a really good deal. if ya dont like it costco has a good return policy.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Champion-2000-Watt-Inverter-Generator/1149997.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dchampion%26x%3D22%26y%3D12%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=champion&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

[MIKEXRAY]

I have the Honda 2000 and have had it work flawless for 7 years. Starts right up, runs for more that 12 hours on a small tank of fuel.   I agree with the above statement about running two together, might as well just get a little bigger single unit. Two together would cause all kinds of concerns.  Mike

[brush hunter]

take a look at these champion suitcase generators. i just bought one at costco. costco price is 489. i think its quiet as the honda. hooked up my daughters 1875watt hairdryer and it ran great. you can also parrellel them to double the watts. theyve had good reviews on the research ive did. and you get two for almost the price of a honda unless you find a really good deal. if ya dont like it costco has a good return policy.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Champion-2000-Watt-Inverter-Generator/1149997.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dchampion%26x%3D22%26y%3D12%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=champion&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

Looked at those for weekend trips, they look like a good deal

[elkaholic]

I hate the noise but like said before long extension cord/plywoood and trees.... Its either taht or my dad at camp cant use his sleepingmachine and everyone stays awake...... thats louder then the generator!!!1
I have a champion it works great, hunting partner has the honda he has had for 15 years (quiet and he loves it)

[Bofire]

  My RV runs about 5-7 days on the two batteries even using the forced air heat. One tank of fuel in my generator charges me up for another week. I bought a Craftsman 3000 from the nickle ads about 10 years ago, it works great cost me $125.00. I have a 20 foot electrical lead from my RV and another 20 footer extension and its not too loud at that distance. I like the honda but I do not see the cost.
Carl

[rangerstx2316]

theres a champion on craigslist right now for $250 i think its  a great deal that what i paid for mine off of craigslist brand new like this. http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/tls/2409993484.html

[Rick]

You'll need a 3000 at the least if you plan to run a/c I have a Honda and have had no problems with it. If you plan to run two 2000's together remember you have two tanks to fill and two generators to start, and there's a Chance there could be damage to your charging system in your trailer if the generators aren't running in sink with each other

You don't need 3000 watts to run an A/C. My 2400watt Yamaha was designed by Yamaha to run RV A/C units.

[brush hunter]

It will run it but it will run in the brown mode and that's hard on the A/C

[Lowedog]

Have never had a problem running my 2 2000i's together using the parallel kit. 

[Bofire]

2 $1000.00 machines to do  what one $125.00 machine does............hmmmmmmm??
Carl

[Lowedog]

Yup you are certainly smarter than me there Carl.  Thanks for your input. 

[MHWASH]

After owning both the Honda 1000 and Yamaha 2600, I would recommend either one. One advantage to have 2 2000 to run in parallel is you don't always have to bring both, onlt when the weather is bad. Unless they make 100' extension cord with mufflers, I've yet to hear an off brand that is as quite as a Honda or Yammy.

 I hate generator noise as much as everybody, but atleast with the costly ones, you can run them during the night and still have a conversation around the campfire.

[MADMAX]

2000 watt honda
Great generator !
Just chain it up good so the POS's do not steal it

[robodad]

I'll add to this conversation in that I have the Honda 2000iu and really like it, I don't use it often but its great when I need it !!

My RV runs about 5-7 days on the two batteries even using the forced air heat

What type and size batteries are you using, I have been having trouble with my batteries lasting even a whole day and they are fairly recent (2008) batteries.

Also if I were to install 4 6v batteries would I have to change my inverter/charger ??

[Bofire]

 :)I bought the two batteries at a NAPA store I think they are 27 something. I'll pull the cover and look in a day or two. Heck my sister runs her motorhome for 4 days on the battery. sounds like you have some huge draw.
Carl

[gasman]

I don't even bother with the gererator if I am any less then 4 days out, or the wife comes along 

I have only drained my battery down once sence I have had my camper and that was after 5 days.

[addicted]

If you can, try to get ahold of a DRMO milspec 2 or 3 kw unit.  It will be deisel and litterally sip fuel. not to mention you'll get a lot more hours out of it.   You would probably get it for pretty cheap too.

I don't know anything, I'm just a generator mechanic.

Remember to change your oil on your generators to the manufacturures specs of every 250-300 hours.

[actionshooter]

I just bought a Yamaha 2000 last week and I'm going to be using it for all of next week, so I'll let you know. 

[44 Flattop]

I can't say enough good about the Honda 2000i generator.  Very quiet and on eco throttle just hums right along.  I'm off the grid and run my refrigerator/freezer, kitchen range (also have a wood cook stove) and a tankless water heater with propane.  Lights, computer, tv, coffee pot, toaster, water pump, even my washing machine are ran by a Honda 2000i (though not all at once...).  The last one I sold with over 15,000 trouble free hours on it (never even changed the spark plug) and the one running right now has another 5K hours on it.  Change the oil every 10 gallons of gas or so and you will never wear it out except from just sitting around rarely being used.  They are very quiet on eco throttle, right now I can just barely hear mine purring out the back door and if the tv was on I'd have to go outside to be able to hear it. 

44

[Threewolves]

Thanks for all the info guys, That is why I love this site. Take Care, Paul