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Old 10-28-2016, 02:36 PM   #61
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I'm struggling with this dilemma myself, so I'm very interested to see the various solutions. Our current rig is a fifth wheel with an installed Onan generator, so we will need to change our setup when we move to the AS.
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Old 10-29-2016, 08:21 AM   #62
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If you don't want to carry any fuel you aren't already carrying, and diesel isn't an option, you may want to consider a propane-fueled generator. We sure do love ours.
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Old 10-29-2016, 11:41 PM   #63
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Diesel is the fuel of choice in sailboats and other applications because is not explosive like gasoline, can be stored in tanks (bladders) built-in pickup toolboxes which can feed the bed-mounted genset. Such generators can afford to be larger and heavier to provide plenty of juice (8KW and beyond) for anything you want to run simultaneously plus, with a transfer switch, even power your house if you can park your truck close. Heavy, permanently bolted genset is harder to steal too. Models of this company may be good: http://www.whisperpower.com/4/5/prod...(low-rpm).html and others from this factory look good, they are also low noise, but they have limited service centers in USA. Still looking...
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Old 10-31-2016, 10:23 AM   #64
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cost?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Vitaver View Post
Diesel is the fuel of choice in sailboats and other applications because is not explosive like gasoline, can be stored in tanks (bladders) built-in pickup toolboxes which can feed the bed-mounted genset. Such generators can afford to be larger and heavier to provide plenty of juice (8KW and beyond) for anything you want to run simultaneously plus, with a transfer switch, even power your house if you can park your truck close. Heavy, permanently bolted genset is harder to steal too. Models of this company may be good: http://www.whisperpower.com/4/5/prod...(low-rpm).html and others from this factory look good, they are also low noise, but they have limited service centers in USA. Still looking...
What is the cost and how much does that sucker weigh; what is your TV?
Never mind...I saw the website; 420lbs; says 66 DB at 10 ft. running at "half load"; wonder what the noise is at full load? Size is not that bad (approx. ~3'x2'x2'), but weight and cost: $7,400; plus now I would have to deal with yet a 3rd fuel issue (gas, propane, and diesel). Not practical for us. But, if you keep us up on your travels, many of us could possibly connect up with you and use your power source! LoL
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Old 11-13-2016, 07:15 PM   #65
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I have 11 year old Yamaha 2800 inverter generator with low hours. I had to have new carburetor installed due to being gum up from lack of use. I hooked it up to our 2017 26 U with two ac units and it ran the larger 15k unit well. I was pleasantly surprised how well it worked and it fairly easy to handle at 60 lbs. Converting to propane would be nice upgrade and not to have to carry gasoline in back of truck.
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Old 11-16-2016, 09:16 AM   #66
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OK, the Onan was not a valid option and I had to return it. It has to be serviced from underneath, meaning I can't bolt it to the bed of the TV and need to lift it for oil changes, etc. Is too heavy. I ended up getting two Hondas 3KW each and a parallel cable to get a total of 6KW. Received one and waiting for the second. I hope this works well. For Gasoline (my F350 is Diesel) I got a toolbox/gas tank combo they will install tomorrow. All covered with a tonneau. Hope it works well.
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Old 11-16-2016, 10:09 AM   #67
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Chanmpion Dual fuel on sale Costco- free shipping

Not sure if you saw this one I posted on another thread, but the Champion Dual Fuel is on sale at Costco with shipping for $849. Reviews are strong and weight/noise factor is minimal for this unit. Not sure it will run "dual A/C" set up (?), but single 1500 A/C will run fine.

http://www.costco.com/.product.100284958.html
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Old 11-17-2016, 07:30 AM   #68
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Not sure if you saw this one I posted on another thread, but the Champion Dual Fuel is on sale at Costco with shipping for $849. Reviews are strong and weight/noise factor is minimal for this unit. Not sure it will run "dual A/C" set up (?), but single 1500 A/C will run fine.

http://www.costco.com/.product.100284958.html
Thanks for your reply and info. That appears to be an excellent choice, my concern is about reliability (Honda is legendary and owners swear by them) and fuel. I understand propane is an excellent fuel by quite inefficient (volume vs BTU), meaning that my 30 pound bottles will run down quite quickly giving me less autonomy. I got a toolbox/gas tank combo for the bed of the truck (Northern Tools) with a 46 gallon capacity. That should fuel the one (or two) Hondas, depending on the need) for days without compromising my supply of propane for water heating, cooking, etc. 6KW is also a good backup to power the house (need a transfer switch, on order now) if a snow storm blacks out our area. That is the rationale I used since my first choice (Onan/Cummings diesel genset 8KW) proved impractical. Again, thank you.
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Old 11-17-2016, 07:33 AM   #69
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Gypsidad, PS: I see that the Champion is dual fuel, so there would be no need to run it under propane therefore some of my 'rationale' is mistaken as I can use the gasoline to power it. Nevertheless, I still like the dual 3KW Honda as I have redundancy, they look cool and they reputation for reliability is very high. Thanks.
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Old 11-17-2016, 08:08 AM   #70
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Champion generators are very reliable and have plenty service centers. Many Comercial builders use the industrial models because of that. Honda and Yamaha are great also but cost 2x. I currently have Champion 1800-2400 model which like Honda,can also be stacked together. 1/2 the cost of other 2. Now that I am back in TX I will likely get the dual fuel model in spring so I can run A/C; Didnt need access in MT in summer. Maybe I will try a second 1800 first. Just think 2 units are more of a hassle with fuel, connectors, etc...but maybe not. It does give flexibility in winter.
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Old 11-17-2016, 08:22 AM   #71
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I have a Champion 3500 with a 30 amp outlet that powers my roof AC and have been very happy with. However, if you are looking for a deal on a Boss 2000 inverter generator, Home Depot has one on sale as the deal of the day (11/17/2016) only. Regularly $549 - today only for $399 - a savings of 27%.
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Old 11-18-2016, 02:16 AM   #72
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I wonder how much noise Champions produce to make 6 KW. I think the Hondas are very quiet. Otherwise Champion is defenetly a better choice.
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Old 11-19-2016, 07:07 AM   #73
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Read the specs and compare to Honda or Yamaha. My Champion 2000 is pretty quiet. Just saw Cabell as has them on sale for $399. I may get second unit with 30anp harbess.
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Old 11-19-2016, 09:13 AM   #74
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Originally Posted by gypsydad View Post
Read the specs and compare to Honda or Yamaha. My Champion 2000 is pretty quiet. Just saw Cabell as has them on sale for $399. I may get second unit with 30anp harbess.
That should read, "Cabelas", has them on sale for $399; may get second unit to try out along with the 30amp harness. But to elaborate a bit more, I have compared all 3 Yamaha, Honda, and Champion specs on line and the sound level and weights are very comparable; it is the price where Champion is a great alternative. I also compared the sound of my 1800-2000 Champion to the Honda 2000 a couple times this past summer, while camping in MT. I could not tell difference. Both are quiet. But, in the end, its your money.
Per the manufacture's websites:

Champion 2000 USB: ($399 at Cabela's)

  • 2000 Max watts
  • 1700 Rated watts
  • 12V DC Automotive Style Outlet
  • Dual Port (2.1A/1A) USB Adapter
  • 12V DC battery charging cable
  • 9.5 hours at 25% load
  • 53 dBA @ 25% load
  • 48.5 lb. dry
  • 2 year limited warranty
    73540i (US) - Champion Power Equipment

Honda EU2000i: ($949 thru Amazon)

  • 2000 Max watts
  • 1600 Rated watts
  • 12V DC Automotive Battery Charging
  • 9.6 hours @ 25% load
  • 53 dBA
  • 46.3 lb. dry
  • 3 year limited warranty
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Old 11-19-2016, 09:16 AM   #75
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Note that a 3 DB difference in the loudness numbers represents a doubling of the noise level.
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Old 11-19-2016, 10:00 AM   #76
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gypsydad View Post
That should read, "Cabelas", has them on sale for $399; may get second unit to try out along with the 30amp harness. But to elaborate a bit more, I have compared all 3 Yamaha, Honda, and Champion specs on line and the sound level and weights are very comparable; it is the price where Champion is a great alternative. I also compared the sound of my 1800-2000 Champion to the Honda 2000 a couple times this past summer, while camping in MT. I could not tell difference. Both are quiet. But, in the end, its your money.
Per the manufacture's websites:

Champion 2000 USB: ($399 at Cabela's)

  • 2000 Max watts
  • 1700 Rated watts
  • 12V DC Automotive Style Outlet
  • Dual Port (2.1A/1A) USB Adapter
  • 12V DC battery charging cable
  • 9.5 hours at 25% load
  • 53 dBA @ 25% load
  • 48.5 lb. dry
  • 2 year limited warranty
    73540i (US) - Champion Power Equipment

Honda EU2000i: ($949 thru Amazon)

  • 2000 Max watts
  • 1600 Rated watts
  • 12V DC Automotive Battery Charging
  • 9.6 hours @ 25% load
  • 53 dBA
  • 46.3 lb. dry
  • 3 year limited warranty
There's no difference in the sound. I also test ran all of them and bought B&S 3000i. I have a big loud contractor generator for the house if power goes out. Keeping the house warm and lit takes priority over sound level in that case.

Most of the kids and dogs at the campground don't follow generator hours. Don't sweat every dB.
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Old 11-19-2016, 10:24 AM   #77
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Loud generators drive me nutz...

Just a point in passing...in many campgrounds, the space provided may not be sufficient to insulate "others" from the sound of a noisy generator...which you may ask, "who cares"; as long as I have my power! But, to others, (myself included) the sound of a "noisy generator" is very irritating, and can resonate throughout the campground. We were in Many Glacier earlier this year, and there were 4 campsites camping together with various trailers and each was running very loud commercial type generators each day during the period when allowed(some times even beyond the time limits) Needless to say, this can get very irritating; Ranger pointed out that they did not have a noise level in the park, so nothing could be done about noisy generators at this park. She said, that is why they are now designating "no generator" areas in campgrounds and it will likely grow. I do have solar and use when I can, but there are times when you need to use the generators. Off grid campgrounds are looking better all the time!
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Old 11-19-2016, 10:24 AM   #78
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The problem with relying upon mfr's data is that their sound-level measurements may not use the same standards. (Same meter, same environment ...both on grass? one on pavement? nearby trailer-wall? open area? i.e., not the same laboratory conditions used...it's a marketing claim.)
My Coleman ProForce unit measures 62db on my meter at 15' while the Honda 2000i unit at the last rally measured 60db at the same distance. The difference to the human ear, however, was that the Honda was absolutely not objectionable while the Coleman was tolerable to everyone camping nearby....and that difference was due to the fact the measurements were taken with the Honda "idling" (it's an inverter type) while the Coleman (non-inverter type running at steady speed) was putting out approx. 2500 watts at the time the sound was measured.

When dual Hondas were req'd to support airconditioning they measured 63 db at 15'. The bottom-line was that the Coleman was a steady drone while the Hondas varied up/down in noise levels throughout the period.

ANY generator is objectionable to someone listening for birds or crickets in the wilderness, while anyone at a group campsite (I maintain that is the only time generator noise is important) should not object to small generators regardless of brand, as long as they are not large contractor-types designed for 5K watts running full speed ahead.

If gen noise vs bird-listening is an issue for you...then don't camp in large groups. IMO
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Old 11-19-2016, 10:37 AM   #79
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A difference of 6 DB would mean one unit is four times louder than the other. The DB scale is geometric rather than linear.
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Old 11-19-2016, 10:58 AM   #80
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Boxite View Post
The problem with relying upon mfr's data is that their sound-level measurements may not use the same standards. (Same meter, same environment ...both on grass? one on pavement? nearby trailer-wall? open area? i.e., not the same laboratory conditions used...it's a marketing claim.)
My Coleman ProForce unit measures 62db on my meter at 15' while the Honda 2000i unit at the last rally measured 60db at the same distance. The difference to the human ear, however, was that the Honda was absolutely not objectionable while the Coleman was tolerable to everyone camping nearby....and that difference was due to the fact the measurements were taken with the Honda "idling" (it's an inverter type) while the Coleman (non-inverter type running at steady speed) was putting out approx. 2500 watts at the time the sound was measured.

When dual Hondas were req'd to support airconditioning they measured 63 db at 15'. The bottom-line was that the Coleman was a steady drone while the Hondas varied up/down in noise levels throughout the period.

ANY generator is objectionable to someone listening for birds or crickets in the wilderness, while anyone at a group campsite (I maintain that is the only time generator noise is important) should not object to small generators regardless of brand, as long as they are not large contractor-types designed for 5K watts running full speed ahead.

If gen noise vs bird-listening is an issue for you...then don't camp in large groups. IMO
I also use a sound meter to measure and I understand subjectivity of surface when measuring. My point on noise, was the difference between a low noise inverter generator such as a Honda, Champion, or Yamaha, and a commercial, as I mentioned. I also had a Honeywell Inverter, rated at 60db; it was much louder, however, and I sold it after just 2 camp trips. Hey, I live in TX also; noise all around us...right?
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