Might want to check Harbor Freight if you are looking at Gensets

[Cottonwood]

[QUOTE=Iowa Dave;852117]I like my Hondas. I have an FR 700 rototiller that I bought new in the spring of 1978.
Quality is economy.

I have some interesting experience with the output quality of portable generators. For a number of years I did environmental groundwater sampling. The submersible pumps were highly technical machines with controller made by Grundfos. Over the years a number of groundwater engineers from CH2M Hill learned that the pumps would often stop operating when using rental generators from a number of companies. We never had failures with Honda's and the reason I don't remember the other brands of generators is we simply purchased Hondas and supplied all the sample vans with them. With extensive use by multiple samplers a single generator never failed to my knowledge.

Maybe a trailer doesn't need such precise output; I don't know. Some of the converters and starters now a days are pretty sophisticated. I do know that the world will likely go to hell a lot faster if our expectations for a tool, appliance, or machine is that it only last a few years before going to a landfill.

There are economic realities and compromises we all have to make; I get that. But in general you will always be happy if you buy quality.

[jwcolby123]

Originally Posted by ShelbyM

I think it's just fine that OP found a generator at a price he likes and posted about it. What's unfortunate is the need to snipe at Honda. It's reverse snobbery, implying that Honda buyers are clueless spendthrifts. Folks have different priorities and we have choices to suit.

I quite agree. Whatever floats your boat. The reverse is also true of course. There are many 'non' hondas which are really fine machines.

[Jon MB]

Out of curiousity (boredom) I looked up the specifications of a Honda generator closest to my Champion. The EG4000 in the Honda 'economy' class appears to be the closest.

Champion 46514 Honda EG4000
Voltage C 120/240 H 120/240
Watts C 4000/3500 H 4000/3500
outlets C 1 5-20, 1 TT30, 1 L14-30 H 2 5-20, 1 TT30, 1 L14-20
sound level C 68 db H 67 db
fuel tank C 4.0 gal H 6.3 gal
displacement C 196 cc H 270 cc
run time 50% C 12 hr. H 14.8 hr.
Fuel/hr 50% C .33 gph H .43 gph
weight C 98lb H 146 lb
dimensions C 17 ½ 17 ½ 23 ¼ H 26 ¾ 21 22 ½
warranty C 1 yr. H 3 yr.
Cost C $279.00 * H MSRP $1,899.00**
*Grand opening special purchase **no one pays MSRP

But in general you will always be happy if you buy quality

I've heard that money can't buy happiness, but spending almost 7 times as much buys enough happiness to justify the increased expense?

p.s.:The 240 volt capacity generator was chosen rather than a 120 only set so that I can run the well pump, a Danfoss. Works without any issue.

[Iowa Dave]

I gained self assurance around twelve years old when hiking and hunting in the woods, fishing the creeks near home and in the fields and sloughs watching wildlife.

Sports weren't for me. I decided I liked the road less traveled and I k liked making as many of my own decisions as I could. I trapped 40 pocket gophers for the bounty and used the $4 to buy a case pocket knife. It lasted for years. Then it was on to other items that some folks thought might be too good for a kid. Along with that came an attitude of I don’t care what other people think, I think for myself. Hasn’t changed for me for over 60 years.

I saw a Bigfoot fifth wheel on the road today. I didn’t wish I had one, I just commented to Rita, you don’t see many of those. You pays your money and you takes your chance. Makes no difference to me.

If you fire up your genset in the campground and it’s relatively quiet and the exhaust isn’t pointed my way, you’re good, if not, you’re a jerk in my book and that’s about all there is to it.

Have a great weekend, stay safe and if you’re going to be weather impacted get fuel for your reliable genset, check the oil and start it up for a few minutes. Or Don’t, just friendly advice from:
Iowa Dave

https://www.google.com/search?q=ink+...id:0G5wqiLiPHg

[jwcolby123]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

I gained self assurance around twelve when hiking and hunting in the woods, along the creeks and in the fields and sloughs. Sports weren't for me. I decided I liked the load less traveled and making as many a of my own decisions as I could. I trapped 40 pocket gophers for the bounty and used the $4 to buy a case pocket knife. It lasted for years. Then it was on to other items that folks thought might be too good for kid. Along with that came an attitude of I don’t care what other people think, I think for myself. Hasn’t changed for me for over 60 years. I saw a Bigfoot fifth wheel on the road today. I didn’t wish I had one, I just commented to Rita, you don’t see many of those. You pays your money and you takes your chance. Makes no difference to me. If you fire up your genset in the campground and it’s relatively quiet and the exhaust isn’t pointed my way, you’re good, if not you’re a jerk in my book and that’s about all there is to it.
Have a great weekend, stay safe and if your going to be weather impacted get fuel for your reliable genset, check the oil and start it up for a few minutes. Or Don’t, just friendly advice from
Iowa Dave

I would love to have a bigfoot 5th wheel. I would also love to have a honda genset. I can't afford either. What I can afford is a 1995 Scamp 5th wheel and a nice little Wen 2350. And so that is what I own.

I bought a 1970 Morgan Out Island 33' sailboat a long time ago. I paid 10K for that boat and it was a fine old lady. I truly enjoyed it. My kids have wonderful memories of her. When I shared my find on the sailing web site I got one reply "You can't get much of a boat for 10K". I disagreed then and I disagree now. She was a fine boat but the person making that comment couldn't be happy with that. Oh well.

Sounds like this conversation. Truth be told, the key is to be happy with what one can do and have, not pine for what isn't available. If I had the money to buy a honda I would do so. If I had the money to buy a 200K sailboat I would have done so. I cannot, which simply means that I need to do the best with what I can afford. I have no need to imply that spending more than I am able is a waste of money.

[Iowa Dave]

Thanks for the reply. I used to shoot trap for prizes. One night a guy showed up with a beat up 870 Remington pump gun. People snickered. I watched him warm up. This kid was pretty good. And he won most of the good prizes that night. A few weeks later I got paired with a guy shooting a Krieghoff. He looked at my gun and said “you’re shooting that that ?” It told him I was and proceeded to pick up two of his misses to keep us in the competition and we won $40. Later he looked me up to partner with him again.

I learned a long time ago to take care of my equipment and not to knock anything about someone else’s equipment. So I don’t.

I’ve never owned a sailboat but I’ve owned my share of fishing boats, never fancy, a couple good outboard motors and had a lot of fun.

I was only ever in one Bigfoot fifth wheel and I will agree they had a great design, excellent workmanship and good quality.
I still have an 870 with the old “corncob” front end. Fits me.
Iowa Dave

[jwcolby123]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Thanks for the reply. I used to shoot trap for prizes. One night a guy showed up with a beat up 870 Remington pump gun. People snickered. I watched him warm up. This kid was pretty good. And he won most of the good prizes that night. A few weeks later I got paired with a guy shooting a Krieghoff. He looked at my gun and said “you’re shooting that that ?” It told him I was and proceeded to pick up two of his misses to keep us in the competition and we won $40. Later he looked me up to partner with him again.

I learned a long time ago to take care of my equipment and not to knock anything about someone else’s equipment. So I don’t.

I’ve never owned a sailboat but I’ve owned my share of fishing boats, never fancy, a couple good outboard motors and had a lot of fun.

I was only ever in one Bigfoot fifth wheel and I will agree they had a great design, excellent workmanship and good quality.
I still have an 870 with the old “corncob” front end. Fits me.
Iowa Dave

Ahh the stories. I grew up hunting dove in the Imperial Valley California. It is the flyway for the migrating dove north south down into Mexico. I owned a 4-10. I inherited my father's double barrel 20 gauge and a 12 gauge. All were cool guns. I was a pretty good shot. Dove and quail and (planted) pheasant. Rabbits, rattle snakes. And of course we ate what we killed.

I gave my nephew my fathers 30-06. He takes a LOT of deer over in TN. Several a year. Growing up in the desert I hunted deer but never actually bagged one. They knew we were coming a mile away.

[AlanKilian]

I've never shot a gun in my life and likely never will, never need to.

Had plenty of wonderful experiences in my life and plan on having plenty more.

[Patriot]

We are having our loud 11.5 btu Dometic Penguin AC removed from our Oliver Legacy Elite 2 and replaced with the new quieter 13.5 Truma Aventa AC this coming May. The new Truma requires a 3000 watt gen to run. Truma says installing an easy start will void their warranty.
I recently converted our new Honda eu3000is to LP by installing the Hutch Mountain LP conversion kit. The kit requires a demand regulator (pic) to prime the gen upon initially starting it. We like Honda products and as others have mentioned it’s really quiet especially on eco mode. The eu3000is is fueled by our Olivers (2) 30# LP tanks. No need to carry/store smelly gasoline or keep up with shelf life or fuel treatments. I will be purchasing a gentent for the eu3000is soon.

[Iowa Dave]

Looks like a Pretty sanitary setup for hauling the generator.
Then do you lift it off the trailer and put it in the gentent a little ways away? How heavy is it or do you have a wheel kit or cart? Nice looking Honda Generator.
Iowa Dave

[Patriot]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Looks like a Pretty sanitary setup for hauling the generator.
Then do you lift it off the trailer and put it in the gentent a little ways away? How heavy is it or do you have a wheel kit or cart? Nice looking Honda Generator.
Iowa Dave

Thanks!

The eu3000is is a little hefty and weighs in at 130#. The upshot is it won’t grow legs and walk off as easy as the smaller portable gens. My wife and I are in pretty decent shape and can move it carefully from the bed of our 1 ton truck into the basket. This is a new set up for us. So with time and use I feel sure we will find the sweet spot to locate and run the gen. I do have a shop lift table at home that will help when loading it onto our trucks tailgate. The eu3000is Hutch Mountain conversion kit gives three fuel options. LP, LNG, or gasoline. Just LP for us.

[jwcolby123]

Originally Posted by AlanKilian

I've never shot a gun in my life and likely never will, never need to.

Had plenty of wonderful experiences in my life and plan on having plenty more.

LOL, I hear you. I grew up in a hunting environment. All of my family hunted, my family reloaded shells. Etc. Never actually thought about using it for defense though.


At 17 I joined the Navy and left the guns behind. I have never fired one since. I am now in the "don't own one, don't need to own one" camp. A gun doesn't now and never did "make me a man", and I don't live in fear of bad guys.

[Patriot]

I thought this was a generator thread? Is this a now gun thread? �� Can we please keep the discussion about generators?

[AlanKilian]

Originally Posted by Patriot

Can we please keep the discussion about generators?

That's unlikely.

There are a couple of people who start threads down paths that eventually get the thread closed due to anger.

I shouldn't respond and generally I don't, but I couldn't resist this time, sorry about encouraging the poor behavior, I'll resist harder next time.

[Jon MB]

Originally Posted by Patriot

The new Truma requires a 3000 watt gen to run. Truma says installing an easy start will void their warranty.
I recently converted our new Honda eu3000is to LP by installing the Hutch Mountain LP conversion kit.

I was going to question any de-rate factor (about 10% reduction in wattage) inherent when running on propane and whether that was a concern with being so close in peak output to the AC's requirement, but a YoohooTube video by Hutch showed that the propane was able to hold a sustained 2.8 kW resistance load with negligible voltage drop. How it would cope with a capacitance load is unknown.
At that near to max specification load it'll be nowhere near operating in Eco mode.

Adding the inverter genset cost, LP kit cost, and the cost per hour for operation on propane (vs. $/hr. for operation on pump gasoline) puts that setup beyond my wallet comfort level.
What I spend instead is the 5~10 minutes a year when I drain the carb float bowl.

[Patriot]

Originally Posted by Jon MB

I was going to question any de-rate factor (about 10% reduction in wattage) inherent when running on propane and whether that was a concern with being so close in peak output to the AC's requirement, but a YoohooTube video by Hutch showed that the propane was able to hold a sustained 2.8 kW resistance load with negligible voltage drop. How it would cope with a capacitance load is unknown.
At that near to max specification load it'll be nowhere near operating in Eco mode.

Adding the inverter genset cost, LP kit cost, and the cost per hour for operation on propane (vs. $/hr. for operation on pump gasoline) puts that setup beyond my wallet comfort level.
What I spend instead is the 5~10 minutes a year when I drain the carb float bowl.

You are very wise to roll with what your circumstances and budget allow. ���� While towing our Oliver with our Honda gen storing, treating and carrying gasoline is just not worth the hassle. The quick connect LP set up is fast and efficient based on our needs.

[CharlesinGA]

In 2019 I was contemplating whether to buy a generator and what genset to get, when my problem was solved for me. I bought a Bigfoot. (see my signature below) and it had a 2500LP Onan under it.

https://youtu.be/pmrSYhydtjg

After that, the issue became, how to best monitor the LP usage, and that became a Mopeka LP cylinder sensor installation.

Charles

A problem has a solution. A dilemma has two solutions each which are equally bad. -- Ryan McBeth

[mosquito13]

I own a couple . Only failure I have had was from user error with overloading a 2000. A/C running and coffee maker.... Replaced no questions asked at store in rural Tenn.. Try that with a Honda.

[Cottonwood]

If your genset has functioning overload protection it should not burn-up and require replacement.

[ShelbyM]

Originally Posted by mosquito13

I own a couple . Only failure I have had was from user error with overloading a 2000. A/C running and coffee maker.... Replaced no questions asked at store in rural Tenn.. Try that with a Honda.

So much hate for Honda. And yeah, I overloaded my Honda once as an experiment. It just shut off, no drama.