Generator Recommendations?

[Super Eagle]

Originally Posted by Jopopsy

Does your Eagle have a 15k BTU AC? Does the Honda spin it up?

I have the 13.5k.
Yeah, the Honda keeps it all working just fine; although when demand is high, the Honda purrs a little louder.
I've received several comments, and thank yous, for how quiet the Honda is compared to most at the campgrounds.

[Jopopsy]

Originally Posted by Ottawasteve

My father has a 3000i which is a bit quieter and longer run time but it is heavy to lift and move by yourself.

I put a aftermarket wheel kit on mine. Pneumatic tires, makes moving it around a lot easier. The EU3000is is not a genny to just 'hoss' around where you need it unless you have two people.

[Hohenwald48]

Originally Posted by Ottawasteve

My father has a 3000i which is a bit quieter and longer run time but it is heavy to lift and move by yourself.

Yeah, you wouldn't want to lift it in and out of a truck bed by yourself on a regular basis. That's why mine is permanently mounted on a tongue rack. I only had to lift it once to install and then I'll do it again if I ever sell the TT.

[Super Eagle]

Originally Posted by Hohenwald48

Yeah, you wouldn't want to lift it in and out of a truck bed by yourself on a regular basis. That's why mine is permanently mounted on a tongue rack. I only had to lift it once to install and then I'll do it again if I ever sell the TT.

Do you have a picture?
I'm currently lifting it in and out of my F350.....

[dewey02]

Originally Posted by Super Eagle

Do you have a picture?
I'm currently lifting it in and out of my F350.....

I don't have a generator mounted on my trailer tray, but I have my bikes mounted on it.

But here is a photo of the trailer tray with a generator (although not the Honda).


RVUpgrades has the cheapest price and free shipping: Under $200.
Gotta watch your tongue weight however.
https://www.rvupgradestore.com/Trail...F8227F5463A11B

[johnarose]

Originally Posted by lightcs1776

While I am frugal, I simply couldn't bring myself to try the Harbor Freight models. I have heard they are noisy.

Sent via mobile - Chris

I hear that, the HF decibel rating is pretty high according to their specs - which are usually wrong/low.

Speaking of sound, Yeti cooler company was outside the Cabelas doing gift wrapping in a custom camper-trailer. They had a larger Honda (6000 or 7000 series) generator sitting there powering the whole thing. I stepped right over the cord going into the store and heard this low humming noise. It was the generator about 3 feet from me and I easily could have not noticed it - and it was running.

[Super Eagle]

Originally Posted by dewey02

I don't have a generator mounted on my trailer tray, but I have my bikes mounted on it.

But here is a photo of the trailer tray with a generator (although not the Honda).


RVUpgrades has the cheapest price and free shipping: Under $200.
Gotta watch your tongue weight however.
https://www.rvupgradestore.com/Trail...F8227F5463A11B

I'm not sure if there is space in front of my cap because the propane tanks are hidden within the cap. I will have to check.
Thanks.

[pconroy]

Originally Posted by johnarose

We all know how iffy HF is, but wonder if someone has bought a HF 2000is equivalent and tried it out?

There's a fellow Coloradoan who's bought two of the newer ones. He's happy. He posted on Youtube.

I'll see if I can find the link:

Here he is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYdXamR6gI0

[Stingray75]

We're considering adding a genny also. Even tho I'm a Honda guy at heart, Champion has my attention right now. Having lost power a couple times this past weekend, the one who must be obeyed understands that having something at the ready might just keep the inside temp above igloo levels. ( 5 hours no power inside temp fell to 54 degrees - outside was 6 and slipping ) back to the genny . . .

Here's a review of one option

https://youtu.be/iC6A1SMldcc

[rcmike]

Buy a Honda EU series if you can and never look back,, You will thank yourself many times a long time from now, because it will still be running for you with no problems if you take care of it. I would hate to be camping somewhere and at 2 am in the morning the other brand generator shuts off and wont start again as your standing outside in your PJs while it rains. I'm kinda bias, I splurged on buying 1 eu 15 years ago and went back 5 years later and got another so I could run them in parallel and two years ago went and got the eu7000 for my first TH and now there all a paper weight except when I start them up about every four weeks or so. If Honda made a 50 amp one I would swap that baby in where the onan is on my trailer. Honda has done its homework on there generators, take a minute and go read the reviews about them or the brand your thinking of getting.

[fragmag]

Bought a Honda 3000is and while it hurt when the final total was wrung up, it is well worth it. I know I have one of the best genny's out there.

I was camping at Assateague Island this past summer. The quiet hours for generator's ends at 10pm. We were watching a movie with my daughter and it was going to last about 30 minutes past quiet hours. I went to both "neighbors" and asked if they would mind, but both said they didn't even know it was running. Honestly, standing outside the trailer all I could hear was the sound of the waves crashing on the beach.

These things are the best and like someone said earlier, they are the gold standard for a reason. Highly recommend this generator. Like my dad said, buy right and only buy once.

[BeachRetreat]

I bought a Honda 3000is. The deciding point for me was the oil change interval. Look at the difference between brands. What I found a few years ago was that the cheaper brands were ensuring engine life by reducing the engine oil change interval. One couldn't even run an entire football weekend.

Sent from my XT1030 using Tapatalk

[pconroy]

Originally Posted by fragmag

. Like my dad said, buy right and only buy once.

"cry once".

[Jopopsy]

Ditto on the 'cry once' - that's how I learned it as well.

[Hohenwald48]

Originally Posted by Super Eagle

Do you have a picture?
I'm currently lifting it in and out of my F350.....

I use the same rack that dewey02 posted. I did modify the rack a little to make it more sturdy. I have the generator bolted to the rack with security bolts, 2 padlocks and 2 cable locks. I cover the generator with an outboard motor cover from Bass Pro when towing and throw a cheap plastic grill cover over it when the trailer is stored.

I was going to build a fancy awning over it so I could run it in the rain. We were at a tailgate one weekend and it started raining. I got in the storage compartment and found one of my $7 beach umbrellas. Bunch of bungee cord and a couple of spring clamps later I had the generator protected from the rain with plenty of free air circulation. I decided that would be my "fancy" generator awning from now on. Works great.


The eu3000is runs my 15K A/C, microwave, converter and refer all at the same time just fine. I told my wife to not run the microwave when the A/C is on and she said "why not, I've been doing it all weekend". I just said OK then.


Those eu7000 generators are the quietest of all. I know folks like to say their "X" brand is just as quiet as a Honda but if you spend an hour wandering around a football tailgate lot you can actually hear almost all brands running. In my opinion, nothing is a quiet as a eu Honda. I don't care what the specs say.

[Jopopsy]

Originally Posted by Hohenwald48

The eu3000is runs my 15K A/C, microwave, converter and refer all at the same time just fine. I told my wife to not run the microwave when the A/C is on and she said "why not, I've been doing it all weekend". I just said OK then.

So it does spin up the 15k A/C? That's really good to know. I thought it might since that breaker in my camper is a 20amp breaker and the max amps on the EU3000is is 23 amps or something like that.

[Ottawasteve]

Originally Posted by Jopopsy

So it does spin up the 15k A/C? That's really good to know. I thought it might since that breaker in my camper is a 20amp breaker and the max amps on the EU3000is is 23 amps or something like that.

Jopopsy, I have read about installing a Hard Start kit on an A/C when starting from a generator. Not that big a deal for the generator as it will pop the breaker but apparently it is hard on the A/C compressor if the available amps are borderline for the startup surge. Here is one off of amazon. I don't endorse this one nor do I know anybody that has used this particular kit but it explains the reasoning for it. You might want to look into it further if you are concerned about starting the A/C from gen power.


https://www.amazon.com/Compressor-Sa.../dp/B003FNMADE

[BeachRetreat]

Originally Posted by Jopopsy

So it does spin up the 15k A/C? That's really good to know. I thought it might since that breaker in my camper is a 20amp breaker and the max amps on the EU3000is is 23 amps or something like that.

Ours runs the 15k air conditioner as well. However, I have found that it can't start it from the lowest idle point on the Eco setting. There has to be other load that has raised the RPM or you have to set it on full throttle. There's not enough reserve capacity for the engine RPMs to spin up fast enough without over loading. Typically this is not a problem as it doesn't run at the lowest setting very often and doesn't take much RPM raise to be OK.

Sent from my XT1030 using Tapatalk

[Hohenwald48]

Originally Posted by BeachRetreat

Ours runs the 15k air conditioner as well. However, I have found that it can't start it from the lowest idle point on the Eco setting. There has to be other load that has raised the RPM or you have to set it on full throttle. There's not enough reserve capacity for the engine RPMs to spin up fast enough without over loading. Typically this is not a problem as it doesn't run at the lowest setting very often and doesn't take much RPM raise to be OK.

Sent from my XT1030 using Tapatalk

Mine will start in the low idle ECO setting but it does put a strain on the generator. Only once did it actually trip off while starting in ECO. It's usually not an issue because it's so hot outside that the A/C doesn't cycle off and back on during the day and run current (measured) on my 15K is only 8 amps. I don't know if my A/C has a hard start cap or not. If it does it's because it came from the factory (doubtful) with one as I didn't install one.

[whitedogone]

The champion 3000w meets the following requirements for me.

Good quality
Excellent price
Fairly quite
Clean power
Enough power to run AC OR anything else in camper
Good warranty
Great customer service (from what I hear)