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Brad Hunt · 10-18-2007, 07:03 AM

Has anyone tried a Kippor generator in 3000 or 6000 sizes. Made in China and a 3000 elec. start can be picked up for $1100.00 +-. Just curious if anyone has tried one and has an opinion.

CanoeStream · 10-18-2007, 07:31 AM

Hello Brad -- I read that and I think "how noisy" and "how heavy" and most important "how durable."

Other threads on similar imports:
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448...rue-34134.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448...ors-33718.html

Let us know how they check out. Thanks

Boondocker · 10-18-2007, 08:06 AM

I could swear that someone linked a review article in one of the threads earlier in the year, but dern if I can find it now. Maybe if you have enough coffee and time you can find it........

I looked at them briefly. They are Chinese knock offs which was one strike, and they don't convert to propane which was strike two. I want to say there are reports of the Kipors living short lives, but I can't find those reports this morning either so it may just be in my head

. I decided to take the long view. I went Yamaha, got the propane conversion. From all accounts, that setup should run just about forever. More money on the front end, but it should be less over time (I hope).

wasafari · 10-18-2007, 08:08 AM

go to rv.net, then the tech section and do a search for "chinese generators". But beware, last time I looked the thread was over 400 PAGES!!!!

Boondocker · 10-18-2007, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gen Disarray

I could swear that someone linked a review article in one of the threads earlier in the year, but dern if I can find it now. Maybe if you have enough coffee and time you can find it........

OK, found the article, but it wasn't linked here. Turns out it was in a magazine. Camping life, October 2007 issue pgs 32-39. They did a comparison of five gensets (unfortunately Kipor was not included, which may be telling). They looked at the Subaru (2 models), Yamaha, Honda, and Coleman.Not a bad article. Here is another review from the same folks but for the 1000 watt models. So not kippor, but maybe helpful anyway.

tpi · 10-18-2007, 09:17 AM

I have both Yamaha 3000/boost and a Kipor 3.5 KW diesel.

The Yamaha is 3 yr old and just flawless. Lots of hours, reliable.

The Kipor is close, the Chinese are getting better. But it is still sort of half-baked. Most of the construction is very nice with a few "how did that slip through" screwups. I've had to glue some of the interior sound deadening/heat insulation back into place in the first 100 hours. It rattled when I got it, had to do some work with motor mounts and subframe vibrating into the case. Fuel cap leaks a little diesel when sloshed around. The good: Yanmar diesel clone sounds great, absolutely dry gasket surfaces, runs cool in hot weather. Big heavy high inertia rotating mass effortlessly starts motors.

The Yamaha should be much easier to obtain parts/service for, and for a longer period of time. While the Kipor model isn't what you specifically asked about, it gives you some idea of the build quality coming out of the company.

2airishuman · 10-18-2007, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad Hunt

Has anyone tried a Kippor generator in 3000 or 6000 sizes. ...

not many are posting who do have these...

here's my take last year, post #57.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448...tml#post213599

cheers
2air'

Wabbiteer · 10-18-2007, 12:03 PM

I own two Kipor invertor generators - the 2300/2600 watt 57-lb suitcase style and the 2800/3000 watt 132-lb apple crate style. Neither of them have leaks or any other issues over the last two years with light usuage.

They are not hard to start. These were bought before their prices crept up so both were bought and shipped for less ($1550~) than what a Honda eu3000 could be purchased for then.

I have partially disassembled the 3000 out of curiosity and found many of the internal plastic moldings to be quite crude compared to what the North America market has come to expect but work just fine - its like who really needs $20 shoe laces in their Ked sneakers...

The cylinder may be aluminum and it may have different number of rings on the piston but few here would skimp on oil grades used (synthetic) or oil changes. Other than normal carbon blow-by the oil was clear of powdered aluminum or any ferrous particles after the break in period oil change.

Yes I have known Honda eu3000's to obtain 12,000 hours run time before they suffered catastrophic failures - but there were both unscheduled and preventative maintenance repairs done continually on them, and I know a place in Colorado where eu2000's have racked up 5-6000 hours before they shook themselves apart internally. When I bought these it was almost 2-for-1 price ratio; now its not so attractive.

If one could get the Kipor for a true wholesale price its a viable option - if not the online Honda merchants would be my next choice. My only fear with a Honda or Yamaha is the gigantic "STEAL ME' flag that appears wherever one is in use; I'm reasonably sure my suitcase style Kipor will be liberated from a remote campsite somewhen and then I'm not sure what I will do...

LittleRadio · 10-18-2007, 12:46 PM

$1,100 for a 3kW AC generator doesn't sound like a great deal to me. (Is this Kippor an AC unit or an invertor unit?)

I purchased a Yamaha 2kW (with 2400 watt peak) for $1,100 and am happy. It's quite, relatively light (especially with 2 people lifting) and better yet -- delivers pure AC sin wave power (meaning I can power sensitive computers and other electronics right into it).

Downside is invertor generators such as mine, or the Honda's people write about here, are 3-4x as expensive as AC units.

If power quality and noise aren't an issue (and the latter should be if you camp near others), you can get a 5kW AC generator for under $1,000 (at Costco, for instance).

Hope that helps.