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Old 11-25-2020, 08:12 AM   #1
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Inverter/Generator

After camping in Shenedoah for 5 days without power, decided to get a generator. Looking at wen and champion. I just can't see why Honda is $1000+, while the wen and champion are both around $500. Both get good reviews. Any suggestions.
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Old 11-25-2020, 08:30 AM   #2
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Harbor Freight Predator generators. Some say they're decent.
https://www.harborfreight.com/search?q=generators
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Old 11-25-2020, 10:20 AM   #3
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looked at them, I buy alot of stuf from Harbor Frieght.
Pred. vs Champion/Wen
65db - 57db
47lb - 39lb
2000w - 2300w

These are off there web sites, I don't know what true stats are. I'm 68 with back problems, so weight is important. I started looking inverters with a 30amp rv outlet, but the weight is between 80lbs and 100lbs. To big and to heavy. Just trying to keep battery up run microwave/coffee maker.
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Old 11-25-2020, 11:47 AM   #4
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I barely heard 2 of the Predator 2000W models a couple of years ago from about 25 feet. Guy just brought them back across the border and was trying them out in his truck bed. I thought they were pretty quiet, compared to most.
Honda and Yamaha are definitely quiet, but pricey.
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Old 11-25-2020, 12:39 PM   #5
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Lots of folks get 2 inverter generators rated 2000 watts peak, 1600 watt continuous (14 amps) that can be run in parallel using a special parallel operation cable.

Harbor Freight sells a 2K Predator two in parallel kit for $ 70. For half the price of a Honda 2X setup it's worth considering. Have not seen any negative reviews for it.
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Old 11-25-2020, 01:24 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg Morrow View Post
Looking at wen and champion. I just can't see why Honda is $1000+, while the wen and champion are both around $500. Both get good reviews. Any suggestions.
The Honda is clearly a superior product. Built better, more displacement, quieter, decades of experience building reliable generators. Despite the specs saying they are "just as quiet as the Honda", I can identify the difference easily as I walk through a campground and hear the various generators, picking out the quieter, smoother sound of the Honda. The Honda is 2200w and has a 121cc engine, while the others have a much smaller 79cc motor. Even the Wen that is rated at 2350 watts has this tiny motor!

That said, I bought 2 Champion 2K inverter Generators. At half the price of the Honda, and having just payed cash for my new trailer and thousands more to outfit it, I couldn't justify spending more than 2X as much for the Honda. As I said above, the Honda IS a better genny, but is it worth double the price? In the long run, probably. As they say, buy once, cry once. You do get what you pay for. But so far I'm happy enough with the Champions.
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Old 11-26-2020, 07:41 AM   #7
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I'm leaning toward Champion now. I won't use this until April, so I'm not going to rush out and buy 1 . Champion makes a 2000w and a 2500w, same engine and size/weight. If I'm not running my a/c can I get away with the smaller one, only recharging batteries and maybe a toaster or microwave while there charging. Most SP and NP restrict hours of operation.
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Old 11-26-2020, 11:27 AM   #8
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I have a Yahama, however, I think the competition has caught up. If I were going to buy a new generator today it would be a Champion. I do not have confidence in Harbor Freight. Most of their stuff inferior.
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Old 11-26-2020, 04:03 PM   #9
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Prior to my predator 3500 had both Ryobi 2300 and Honda eu2200

Ryobi, runs smooth, put 125hrs on it, my brother has it now. still great, good value for money. 79cc engine. pretty quiet, has wheels and carries well, starts easy in warm weather, cold not so much. 3 years warranty @ homedepot, big easy service network.

Honda EU2200, nice machine, runs well bigger engine but has a nasty big drone/hum when loaded up, the previous 100cc motor did not have that issue.
Starts well under cold temps. poor warranty for the price.

Currently have a predator 3500, heavy as hell so not option for you but generally run it out of the back of my truck. switched to a smaller carb yet and runs like glass with it. worst warranty, HF sells an extended warranty. 50hrs on mine but have seen one with 900hrs on it, ran solid.

There’s lots of options. my pick next round would be Yamaha 2400HISC
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Old 11-26-2020, 05:20 PM   #10
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There is a reason the Honda costs more and is so popular. Yes, there are cheaper gensets but the Honda is still the benchmark all others are judged by.

I had two. Ran them for 10-yers. Put nothing but gas and oil into them. Sold them in one day on Craigslist for 62% of the original purchase price 10-years earlier.

Good luck doing that with any other brand.
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Old 11-26-2020, 06:57 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg Morrow View Post
. If I'm not running my a/c can I get away with the smaller one, only recharging batteries and maybe a toaster or microwave while there charging. Most SP and NP restrict hours of operation.
The 2000 watt should be fine most of the time. The one exception I have found is in the morning, when the battery is charging at max current. That load in combination with your microwave OR toaster might be a bit much. But, you can identify the AC breaker that feeds your converter and turn it off while you use these appliances and resume charging when you are done. The batteries will provide 12V while the breaker is off.

Once you have the trailer, hook up to your genny to your shore power connection, disconnect your battery (at the disconnect switch in the pass through storage) and find the breaker that kills your LED lights but not the microwave. That's the one that feeds your converter.
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Old 11-26-2020, 07:05 PM   #12
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There is a reason the Honda costs more and is so popular. Yes, there are cheaper gensets but the Honda is still the benchmark all others are judged by.
My grandfather had a Honda generator back in the 70's. When he had to give up RVing, he gave it to my dad who used it for many years himself. That genny was providing power to our family for at least 35 years before it was sold to someone else along with my dad's MH.
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Old 11-29-2020, 05:55 PM   #13
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I see the words inverter and generator used somewhat interchangeably, but you want an inverter. If you wonder the difference google it. My 2005 Winnie naturally has a generator. My power protection shows the voltage of it in the safe range, (or it whould shut down the power,) but it is quite variable. Inverters are said to be much more electronically tight in this regard.
If I was buying one, I'd be price driven, as a retiree, if there was a great difference in cost, but if I was financially well off, the fact that there's a propane adapter kit made for the Honda inverter, would be pretty sweet, and just might swing my thinking to the Honda.
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Old 11-29-2020, 05:57 PM   #14
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I see the words inverter and generator used somewhat interchangeably, but you want an inverter. If you wonder the difference google it. My 2005 Winnie naturally has a generator. My power protection shows the voltage of it in the safe range, (or it would shut down the power,) but it is quite variable. Inverters are said to be much more electronically tight in this regard.
If I was buying one, I'd be price driven, as a retiree, if there was a great difference in cost, but if I was financially well off, the fact that there's a propane adapter kit made for the Honda inverter, would be pretty sweet, and just might swing my thinking to the Honda.
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Old 11-29-2020, 06:19 PM   #15
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Solved my back problems.
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Old 11-29-2020, 06:49 PM   #16
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Consumer Reports recently tested portable gensets. Apparently there is a new government standard re CO emissions on these gensets. IIRC the Honda emitted too much CO to be rated acceptable. Some of the cheapos tested pretty well.
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Old 11-29-2020, 07:22 PM   #17
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Consumer Reports recently tested portable gensets. Apparently there is a new government standard re CO emissions on these gensets. IIRC the Honda emitted too much CO to be rated acceptable. Some of the cheapos tested pretty well.
Link?
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Old 11-29-2020, 07:33 PM   #18
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You have to be a member to access the entire thing, but this has some info.

https://www.consumerreports.org/port...s-of-the-year/
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Old 11-29-2020, 07:39 PM   #19
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Wen 3800

Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg Morrow View Post
After camping in Shenedoah for 5 days without power, decided to get a generator. Looking at wen and champion. I just can't see why Honda is $1000+, while the wen and champion are both around $500. Both get good reviews. Any suggestions.
I have a Wen 3800 that will power my whole Winnebago cost me about $1000 they’re on sale now for about $600.

https://wenproducts.com/collections/...-fuel-shut-off
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Old 11-29-2020, 09:20 PM   #20
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I see the words inverter and generator used somewhat interchangeably, but you want an inverter.
Rick, it is an "inverter generator". The gas engine drives a generator that makes less than 110v and the integral inverter inverts the power made by the generator into usable 110v 60 hz power.

There are generators that produce 110v 60hz power natively. They don't use an inverter to create that output.

Small portable quiet gensets are inverter generators. And, small Onan RV gensets are as well. But larger Onan generators don't use an inverter to reach their stated output.
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