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Old 03-22-2015, 01:21 PM   #1
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Champion 2800 Inverter Generator Review

I recently purchased the Champion 2800 watt generator. This is a quick review and account of my experience so far.

Out of the box the generator looks good. It appears sturdy and everything is easy to use and read. Instructions are clear and straight forward. The handle is large and even though plastic, it looks sturdy.
I added the included oil and topped off the fuel. Two screws hold the panel cover closed for the oil and everything is easily accessible. You can get to the oil drain plug but I would suggest adding a small hose to drain it easier.
Starting it was simple 3 pulls and it was very quiet. I don't own a db meter but it's quiet enough. Comparable to the red and blue. It ran for 5 hours as suggested using varying loads. No issues at all. Draining the oil was fine and as I said a little hose to extend it would make it more convenient. But let's face it your not even draining a full quart.
Today was the test powering my TT. I own a ST32BH with a 15,000 BTU AC. It had no issues powering the AC. I ran the fridge together with the AC and it ran both as well. This I only did for a few minutes. The generator was 3 ft from rear of the TT and it it was not that loud. From the front with the AC on the sound was almost non existent.

So I highly recommend this generator with my limited use. This summer we will be camping for a month. After the summer I will give another review.
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Old 03-23-2015, 08:08 AM   #2
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Thanks for the review. I'm curious about the sound level since I've owned a Honda and now have a couple of Ryobi units.

The Apple Store and Play Store both have free sound meter apps for Apple or Android phones.

Would you be willing to post the db readings here?
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Old 03-23-2015, 07:24 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mbutts View Post
The Apple Store and Play Store both have free sound meter apps for Apple or Android phones.
What are they called? Have you used them? That might be fun.
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Old 03-23-2015, 07:40 PM   #4
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I downloaded one today. I'm not sure how accurate it is but I'll give it a shot. Let's see if this weekend I can run the TT and test it. It's definitely quiet though.
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Old 03-24-2015, 07:52 PM   #5
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On Android, I have the Sound Meter by Smart Tools.
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Old 04-11-2015, 03:34 PM   #6
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I downloaded an app from the PlayStore and did a few test with it. These are my results.
Next to the generator with ambient noise 42db
Generator running 1ft away 82db, 25ft away 72db.
Inside the RV with the generator 6ft from the door 62db. My AC running 68db.
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Old 04-11-2015, 06:53 PM   #7
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Thanks for that report Bert.
By the looks of it, the Champion isn't as quiet as first thought, or as they are advertised.
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Old 04-11-2015, 07:05 PM   #8
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I think they advertise at 1/4 throttle at 25 Feet.There's a lot things can help and hurt whitest making sound measurements, It's good practice to measure from the front and at 45 degrees off center then average the numbers.
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Old 04-11-2015, 07:40 PM   #9
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Thanks for the update. I'll have to take some measurements this summer with my new generators.
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Old 04-11-2015, 10:36 PM   #10
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Too be fair, the only way to truly test these generators is side by side. Not sure of the degree of precision on a smart phone app.
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Old 04-12-2015, 06:11 AM   #11
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That's what I was going to say Mark how accurate is my phone. They do advertise 58db @ 25ft. I was running it at pretty close to 100% at 25ft. Without running 2 on the same load side by side I could not honestly say whether the Champion is as quiet as a Honda. What I can say is that this generator is quiet enough for me and for the price I could not be happier. So far I highly recommend it. We used it last week for a few hours and it was great.
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Old 04-12-2015, 06:33 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bert View Post
I downloaded an app from the PlayStore and did a few test with it. These are my results.
Next to the generator with ambient noise 42db
Generator running 1ft away 82db, 25ft away 72db.
Inside the RV with the generator 6ft from the door 62db. My AC running 68db.
I wonder how accurate that Db app is? When you mention AC running at 68 I assume that is inside with blower running? In which case you probably can't hear the generator anyway? Does it idle down when the load comes off?
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Old 04-12-2015, 06:41 AM   #13
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I have no way unfortunately to test the accuracy.
This was with the blower running and the generator sound was almost non existent. The generator does idle down, not as much as if it were in economy mode. Keep in mind the generator was only 6 ft from the front door. Normally I would camp with the generator as far as my cord would allow. This was more like if we were stopped at a rest stop.
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Old 04-12-2015, 07:06 AM   #14
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Exactly. Which I think would be great for it's intended use.
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Old 05-07-2015, 02:40 PM   #15
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I made a crapy video to give some of you an idea on how loud the generator is. My teenage daughter forbids me to make another one without her help. Hopefully any future videos will be much better.
https://youtu.be/QHw1J_Yt-1E
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Old 05-07-2015, 04:11 PM   #16
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Nice. I like how they added the receptacle covers
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Old 05-07-2015, 04:19 PM   #17
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Fine video. I think for it's intended use it is perfect. Gonna have to get one. I would be curious how long it will run your camper AC on a full tank of gas?
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Old 05-07-2015, 06:45 PM   #18
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I've used a Champion Generator since I saw a link to them on CrossRoads site about six years ago. One of the contributors put a link up stating the Champion 4000 watt generator was on sale for around $250.00. I've lugged it all over my hobby-farm (16 acres), I never go camping without it, although I rarely use it. I also have a trailer I special built for it with a roof, but open sides, so I can haul it out to my RV in case a blizzard or ice storm takes the electric out; we leave the slides out all winter.
So, I have to add my vote for Champion. Just service it once a year, and start it up every couple of weeks and let it run for a while, and you're good to go. Let me also add that, the decibel level is really low on these units. If I run my power line all the way out, you can barely hear the generator once you're inside, especially with the heater, or a/c running.
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