Stowing a generator solo

[JBCrete2]

I thinking of purchasing a generator that weighs close to 200lbs and wonder how I could get it off the ground and into the pick up bed solo...Hand crank? Winch?

[7GenTex]

My generator weighs about 100# (Champion 3500/4000) and I just leave it in the pickup bed chained and under a soft / roll up (Truxedo) cover.

Guess I am getting old!

What kind of genset are you looking at?

A 200# unit sounds like a fuel eater...........?

[JBCrete2]

I'm getting old myself my friend...thinking of a Yamaha EF4500iSE Inverter Generator

[AirsDream]

My Yamaha 6600 weighs 190 lbs. ... but it's WAY too much generator for a trailer. You need something much smaller and lighter, unless you're gonna' load up a whole-house backup generator of some sort. On the couple of occasions I've needed to take the big generator somewhere, to power a big welder or some such, I've used the "two teenage sons" sort of lift device.

There are "portable crane" sorts of devices that fit into the stake holes on a pickup truck bed and/or into the hitch receiver ... and you could use those to lift your genset into a pickup truck bed. I just wouldn't.

[Chipster]

I installed a hercules power chair lift in the rear of my pick up. it will lift 300 lbs. at the push of a button. I also have a bedslide which will locate the generator where you want it. I found the used lift on craigslist for $100.00.
No problem putting the yamaha 3000iseb in the truck!
Chip

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by Uptightto

I thinking of purchasing a generator that weighs close to 200lbs and wonder how I could get it off the ground and into the pick up bed solo...Hand crank? Winch?

I sold my 3500 watt generator because it was getting difficult for me to lift by myself. My replacement choice was Honda 2000, because they weigh around 60 lbs each with a full tank of fuel. One regular with one companion will run your trailer under full load. If you don't need the AC, one will work to run the fridge, charge the battery, and run the microwave all at the same time. You can buy the pair with the wiring harness for around $2,100 to $2,200+tax, if you find them on sale. I have had mine for 2 years and I am extremely happy. Not one problem since I purchased! They are extremely quite. I waited till they were on sale, and found mine for around $800 at Northern Tool. I saw a companion at Camper World this week on sale, if I remember they had $900+ on the sale tag. And the wiring harness was $60 +/-.

When you do buy a generator, make sure you buy one that will not damage your equipment. If the equipment you will operate has circuit boards, computer chips, etc... make sure you get the right kind, or you will be replacing the generator and buying new or repairing the old equipment. Study up on "sine wave patterns".

edit: Saw you later post #3. That Yamaha will safely work.

[DKB_SATX]

I use an inexpensive "deer hoist" to load a Yamaha EF3000iSEB by myself. I often have to load out by myself since my partner either can't get time off for a trip, or his time off is JUST the days of the trip and I need to get the generator in before I hitch up, there's not enough room to open the tailgate while hitched.



I wish I hadn't bought QUITE such an inexpensive one... the hand winch mechanism is very cheap, but it does the job.

Oh, and generally I just leave the generator cabled in the truck bed during a trip and run it from there as needed.