Generator Requirements

[ronster94]

Good Day,
I have purchased but not yet picked up a new to us 2013 294bhs Jayco Swift. I am shopping for a inverter generator that will run the AC Unit (13.5) As we are in Newfoundland Candada the AC unit is not going to be used that often but I would like to use it when needed. I tried to get a Champoin 3100 but no luck. Now I'm looking at an Energizer 2800. Does anyone have any experience or advise on the Energizer unit. I don't want to spend 2500 for a honda 3000 and I don't want any Chinese crap either?

[bedrck46]

besides the A/C what else will you be running off the generator?

[troutslayer]

Originally Posted by ronster94

I don't want any Chinese crap either?

Don't know if they are crap but I believe both Champion (I have one) and Energizer are manufactured in The Republic of China

[Subaru297]

You can get 2 Champion 2000W inverter generators if you like that brand. Put them in parallel to run the ac and use one if just charging a battery or some small demand.

[ensign]

Don't skimp on a generator, a good one will last for years, and be quiet too.

I have the Yamaha EF3000iSEB. Yes, it is pricy, but it is the last generator you will need. Very quiet too. Runs my 13,5000 air and the microwave at the same time.

Check out some reviews, and all the best

[ronster94]

Thanks for the input

[dougfir1]

I ran into a Cabelas/Champion 3K or 4K genny and you could hear it over half the campground. I have a Yamaha 2k watt which is too small for your application but it is extremely quiet. I am sure Ensigns 3K watt Yamaha is also very quiet. You get what you pay for.

[ronster94]

Yea, the standard 3-4k watt genny is quite loud. The 3100 inverter generator unit is much less noisy. Unfortunately I cannot find anywhere in Canada to buy it!!!!

[licamp]

Did you try Costco

[DustyGeek]

Originally Posted by ensign

Don't skimp on a generator, a good one will last for years, and be quiet too.

I have the Yamaha EF3000iSEB. Yes, it is pricy, but it is the last generator you will need. Very quiet too. Runs my 13,5000 air and the microwave at the same time.

I have the same one. The only caveat is that I could only run our 13.5K A/C as long as the generator was running in full power mode. When in Eco mode, the generator wouldn't come up to full speed fast enough to start up the A/C and pop the internal breaker on the generator due to overload.

Even at full speed, you can have a fairly easy conversation standing right over top of the Yamaha. They are *very* quiet units, even more so in Eco mode. The same could be said for the equivalent sized Honda as well. During our last power outage, I had ours running to power our fridge. I could still hear our neighbor's generator over ours, and it was one street over from us.

Our new trailer has a built-in generator, so my trusty Yamaha will likely be devoted to just emergency and "back 40" duty now.

[ronster94]

Yes I tried Costco. They have no inventory.

[blderman]

I have a Ryobi 2,000w. When I compared the Ryobi to my buddy's Honda we found that a lot of the parts were very similar. I have well over 100hrs on mine including 10 days worth of below 20 degree starts elk hunting last year. I've had no problems whatsoever. $599 at HD

[Ustabslim]

Originally Posted by DustyGeek

I have the same one. The only caveat is that I could only run our 13.5K A/C as long as the generator was running in full power mode. When in Eco mode, the generator wouldn't come up to full speed fast enough to start up the A/C and pop the internal breaker on the generator due to overload.

Even at full speed, you can have a fairly easy conversation standing right over top of the Yamaha. They are *very* quiet units, even more so in Eco mode. The same could be said for the equivalent sized Honda as well. During our last power outage, I had ours running to power our fridge. I could still hear our neighbor's generator over ours, and it was one street over from us.

Our new trailer has a built-in generator, so my trusty Yamaha will likely be devoted to just emergency and "back 40" duty now.

If your start your fan first..let it run a minute..then turn on the compressor you want have any problems.

[Jmooney]

2800 watts divided by 120 volts = 23 amps, times 75% ( high end of desired normal load )= 17.5 amps

At altitude ( 5000 ft ) 40% lost performance = 10.5 amps

Size your gen set accordingly

[pawpaw]

We just got this one.

PH4000Ri/E | Powerhouse Generators

We haven't taken it on a trip yet, but we have tested it on the driveway and it runs our 15KW AC just fine. It's also very quiet.

[Seann45]

Originally Posted by ronster94

Yes I tried Costco. They have no inventory.

http://www.costco.ca/Kipor-Sinemaste...100162664.html

http://www.costco.ca/Champion%e2%84%...100054909.html

The Champion unit can be paralleled like the Hondas

[Lifespalette]

We were in the same boat last Fall, trying to decide. Finally decided on the Honda 2k units to run in parallel. Single 2k isn't enough for the AC, but in parallel no problem running it, a microwave and the coffee maker at the same time......which we desperately needed. Last Labor Day we kicked our whole house renovation into to high gear, forcing us into the Pup for what we though would be 5-6 weeks at most. That turned into just short of 4 months............all on those 2 Honda generators, which ran 24/7 for just about the entire 4 months save maybe December where I alternated running them as we no longer needed to run the AC.

I know they are expensive, but well worth the price.......there isn't anything more annoying (except the neighboring camp site that doesn't have a quiet generator and runs it constantly) than to have to fight with getting a generator started and keep it running. These gems fired up usually on the first pull.....2 at most and were quiet enough that we had them about 20' from the end we were sleeping on (King side) at times and no problems sleeping or carrying on a conversation in the Pup.

You do the math....that's close to 20K running hours for the 4 months. Conservatively I would say each has about somewhere between 15-17k hours on them, since the last month they were alternated in use. Not only were they powering the Pup, but they powered mine and the sub-contractors power tools during the renovation work.

Didn't use them this weekend camping (electrical service site), but I did fire them both up just to get some oil moving in them. I treat both the gas and the oil with Sea Foam additive and they are running as well as the day I bought them. No drop in output and both started on the first pull.............I worked the heck out of those things during the renovation and have gotten every penny that I paid for them out of them and then some. Best $4k investment I've ever made. The utility company wanted $3.8k for a temp service with a 30Amp socket for the Pup..............

When it comes to generators, you get what you pay for and/or pay one way or the other. Just my HO.

[troutslayer]

Originally Posted by Jmooney

2800 watts divided by 120 volts = 23 amps, times 75% ( high end of desired normal load )= 17.5 amps

At altitude ( 5000 ft ) 40% lost performance = 10.5 amps

Size your gen set accordingly

Good advice if you plan to camp at higher altitudes. Some gennies have a carb fix for this situation and some do not.

[SmokerBill]

I have a Honda and it was worth the money, but the more I hear about the Champions (mostly positive), I would probably buy one if I were looking for a generator today.

Lifespalette, I think your math was off. 4 months (120 days) X 24 hours = 2880 hours. Nowhere near 20K hours, even if you combine total hours for both generators. But still, with good maintenance I bet a Honda could very well be able to run 20K hours.

Originally Posted by Lifespalette

You do the math....that's close to 20K running hours for the 4 months. Conservatively I would say each has about somewhere between 15-17k hours on them, since the last month they were alternated in use.

[Quahog]

If you're in the US, Costco online seems to have the Champions

http://www.costco.com/Champion-2%2c8...100139466.html