Generator recommendations...

[primotenore]

Hi all,
I have a 2022 Bambi w/Solar and "Easy Start".
I would like to purchase a generator for AC whilst boondocking.
I would appreciate your advice.

1) Quiet
2) Light enough for me to pick up by myself
3) Will run my Airstream's AC

[WellSaid11]

Originally Posted by primotenore

Hi all,
I have a 2022 Bambi w/Solar and "Easy Start".
I would like to purchase a generator for AC whilst boondocking.
I would appreciate your advice.

1) Quiet
2) Light enough for me to pick up by myself
3) Will run my Airstream's AC

Gas? Propane? Both?

Tons of options. Honda 2200, Champion 2500, Firman (Costco version), Westinghouse, Harbor Freight (Predator) plus others at all different feature sets, options, weights, etc.

Do a search on here and you will find plenty of threads on it.

For me, I bought 2x Champion Dual Fuel 2500 generators on Amazon (replaced my 2 Yamahas). One will fire and run 1 AC and 2 together will fire and run both ACs (with Easy Starts). They are propane/gas and light at 39 pounds each. Super inexpensive as well @ $630 (now) plus $85 for a 4 year extended warranty. I run them off of propane exclusively, they are quiet, they start easily and have been bulletproof so far.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.championpowerequipment.c...fuel-inverter/

Good luck!

[AgBullet]

Honda 2200 Genconnix propane. Runs our 15K a/c with easy start, although it's sensitive to altitude when running the a/c. Light, easy to move around and very quiet. Pricey, yet holds its value. As stated, tons of threads on this topic.

[Hans627]

Originally Posted by AgBullet

Honda 2200 Genconnix propane. Runs our 15K a/c with easy start, although it's sensitive to altitude when running the a/c. Light, easy to move around and very quiet. Pricey, yet holds its value. As stated, tons of threads on this topic.

This is what I use. Works well!

[Dennis C]

Hondas are great but they’re expensive. I own a Champion and it works very well for half the price of a Honda. If I had to do it all over again, I’d buy another Champion.

[WellSaid11]

Originally Posted by Dennis C

Hondas are great but they’re expensive. I own a Champion and it works very well for half the price of a Honda. If I had to do it all over again, I’d buy another Champion.

This x1000.

The Genconnex propane converted Honda is $1600 plus $90 shipping. Will not ship to CA as well due to CARB insanity i’m sure.

The Champion is actually substantially less than half with free shipping as well with Amazon Prime. Hondas are great (I have owned Honda gennys, cars and countless Honda engines/lawn and garden pieces), but paying 40% of what a converted propane Honda will cost is a no brainer IMO.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

All generators go through pricing cycles. Right now Honda's are in short supply. That has the prices up a bit. When I bought my 2200 propane unit, it was < $1,000 with free shipping. I also have a big heavy noisy Champion.

At least as big an issue: A/C off of a generator. No matter what the fuel or generator, running an A/C for a while uses a lot of gas or propane. Sure, cooling down the trailer after a drive is fairly quick ( we can cool ours in < 2 hours with both A/C's running ). Staying cool in the hot sun all day with near 100% duty cycle will use a lot of fuel.

The alternative? You *are* mobile. In the hot months go somewhere it's not hot. Looks like it *might* get up to 56 degrees here today .... (now, if it would just stop raining .. ).

Bob

[WellSaid11]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

All generators go through pricing cycles. Right now Honda's are in short supply. That has the prices up a bit. When I bought my 2200 propane unit, it was < $1,000 with free shipping. I also have a big heavy noisy Champion.

But what the Honda may cost in a year or two, or what it cost 2 or more years ago, is really not relevant to people that want to use it now.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by WellSaid11

But what the Honda may cost in a year or two, or what it cost 2 or more years ago, is really not relevant to people that want to use it now.

Hi

If the price of a Honda comes back to "normal" in two months, it might be worth waiting.

Bob

[kscherzi]

I bought a Honda 2200, installed the Micro Air Easy start for the rooftop AC for similar reasons but have found we rarely use it. To power the air conditioner the generator has to run flat out which makes it loud. Inside the trailer the air conditioner is loud, and on hot days takes forever to cool down.

We found instead we'd rather put up with the heat under the shade of the awning and enjoy the quiet. Even better, move to somewhere else where it's cooler if you can.

[WellSaid11]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

If the price of a Honda comes back to "normal" in two months, it might be worth waiting.

Bob

Two months? With no AC while boondocking now?

Well…..

I will take a friendly forum wager (i.e. nothing!) that the Honda won’t be within $700 of the Champion in the next two months, if ever!

[Edward Szabo]

One you can lift yourself and operate the AC depends on the size of your AC and the quality of your back.

I have owned a Predator 3500 for two years now and I am approaching 150 hours of use at every location and elevation from the east coast to west. It is the quietest generator in it's size and starts with push button every time.

It is heavy at about 100lbs, and I do lift it in and out of my truck bed on my own. If you require something lighter, check out real user reviews on youtube. The Predators are standing the test of time very well. People love them. Honda generators are awesome, but that Predator 2000 at $550 is less than 50% the cost of a Honda 2200.

[InvertdEagle]

We have a pair of Generac GP3300i inverter generators. They are super quiet! About the quietest generator I have ever used. 3300 watts surge an 2500 running watts. We use them on a Classic 33 with two 15K air conditioners. One of them will start a 15K AC even without a soft start - though I recommend that you add a soft start kit to your AC regardless. The generators runs 57 lbs, and is roughly the same footprint as the Honda 2200. I lift it in & out of the pickup truck bed so they are relatively portable. 57 lbs isn’t the lightest generator out there, but for the weight they are amongst the most powerful inverter style generators out there in this wattage/size category.

[Dennis C]

It should also be noted that elevation needs to be considered when selecting a generator. In Indiana where the OP lives, this won’t matter. If there are trips planned to the mountains, then it might matter. Internal combustion engines lose 3 - 4% of their power per 1,000 feet of elevation increase. If your generator is small and pushing the limits of capacity to run the air conditioning at lower elevations, then it may not be able to run the air conditioning at higher elevations. For this reason, I went with a larger generator and I installed the high-altitude carburetor jet (supplied free by Champion).

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by WellSaid11

Two months? With no AC while boondocking now?

Well…..

I will take a friendly forum wager (i.e. nothing!) that the Honda won’t be within $700 of the Champion in the next two months, if ever!

Hi

Depends entirely on where this summer's trip is planned to go. It's going still be in the 50's here today. We've seen two days in the 70's so far this year.

Bob

[Powerrunner]

Does anyone know if the Champion 2500 Dual Fuel will operate from a hose connection to the Airstream gas line intended for connecting to a gas grill?

[Acheron2010]

yes it will. research the original thread, there are pics and instructions

[TitusNW]

We have the Champion 2500 Model 200961. Yes it will but you'll need to separate the pressure regulator off the demand regulator and fit the quick connector. The Airstream quick connect delivers a bit too much flow for our generator but once started I can close the quick connect a bit and the RPMs come right up.


Steve

[WellSaid11]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Depends entirely on where this summer's trip is planned to go. It's going still be in the 50's here today. We've seen two days in the 70's so far this year.

What? OP asked as follows:

Originally Posted by primotenore

Hi all,
I have a 2022 Bambi w/Solar and "Easy Start".
I would like to purchase a generator for AC whilst boondocking.
I would appreciate your advice.

1) Quiet
2) Light enough for me to pick up by myself
3) Will run my Airstream's AC

OP obviously is going to need AC while boondocking as that is what he said. Not sure how what the weather might be where you are is relevant to his question and request for a recommendation?

Waiting 2 months in the current heat wave to buy a Honda (that will not go down in price by $700), and then also changing your travel plans altogether to not run your AC at all for 2 months during that wait really does not seem like realistic advice.

In any event - he needs a generator to run his AC.

[TitusNW]

I'd like to add to my previous post (#18). While the Champion 2500 can run off the Airstream quick connect, my testing today found propane will not run my AC unit. I've only used propane fuel with the generator to run the furnace and microwave.



I was planning on installing a Softstart for the Dometic AC but reading on the forums it was suggested that the newer units didn't require one. This morning, using propane as fuel, the generator managed to hold on to the surge amps (measured 25.5A) and ran for a few minutes before the generator breaker let go.


An hour or so later I put gas in the generator and tried again. Surge amps measured 28.73A, running amps were 13.6A and I ran it for 20 minutes with no problems. Champion specs state 1665 watts continuous on propane, 1850 watts gas.



The Dometic specs seem to claim 16A for our unit with both the compressor and fan running. They also state no more than 24' of 12ga wire. I was using the generator at the end of a 25' 12-3 extension cord I made with a SmartPlug for the trailer. In addition to my extension cord is the internal wiring of the trailer - it all adds up.


I don't know what AC unit is supplied with the Bambi but a quick scan of the Dometic specs for 13,500 - 15,000 btu units seem pretty consistant.




Steve