Champion generator

[uphaul]

Looking for something affordable in a generator to power our zinger with 13,500 ac on the rare occasion we are away from ac power. Zinger seems to draw fromour exterior home outlet without problems. Other than the obvious 1200 to 2400 dollar inverter generaters with many questions I have found a Champion 3500/4000 carb compliant with remote start at cabelas for under $500 delivered with better reviews that I have found, Not many poor reviews, anyone try one?

[martinstwopopfarm]

I have used one for about 3 years when traveling down the road and have been pleased with its performance. It has always cranked on the 1st or 2nd pull. I can run our 15,000 a/c without any problem. The pull start model can be purchased for around $300. For what I use it for, it has been well worth the money.

[LeBo]

Take a look @ http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fu...2.cfm#25486222 Alot of info on champion Generator
Lee



Edited by: LeBo

[Chuck N. Wined]

I have used one of the champion generator you write about for the past 3-4 years. Some people will bash them as being too loud. Mostly on rv.net. I built a fold-up enclosure that I set up around mine. It is open on the side where the exhaust is. I set it up so the exhaust is pointing away from any other campers and it very effectively deflects the vast majority of the sound away from anyone around it. The enclosure cost me about $10 and it is of course big enough that air circulates around the genny so it can stay cooled. It runs my 15K ac no problem. I wouldn't run the fridge, hot water heater and ac on it all at once though. I have also used it at home and will do renovation work on some house. We lost power a few years back when hurricane Ike's remnants came up through Ohio and we were without power for 5 days. Great genny, great price. It is a little heavy but not bad at allif you have 2 people.

Lonnie

[PMSPKS]

Another vote for the Champion generator. We've had one for three years and has never failed to start on the first pull. Powers the trailer fine w/ the 15K AC. It is a little heavy for one person, but theymake a wheel kit for it. Yes it is louder than some, but certainly not obnoxious. You can always do like Chuck N. Wined and make an enclosure, I think lots of folks do that. I have nothing but praise for mine.

[avvidclif]

They may run forever but your neighboring RV's wish they would die. We go to a gathering twice a year and one RV has one mounted on the back bumper. Don't park on the backside of his RV unless you are well over 100' away, and then it's loud. Louder than some is an understatement. Realize this is on an asphalt parking lot, not a campground with trees etc...

[tator447]

Chuck,
We are thinking of camping in a lot of State and National Parks with no power. So, I am interested in a generator but don't want to spend a lot as I plan on upgrading to a 5th wheel next year. So, price is important as well as the comfort and good will of my neighbors. Could you elaborate or send a few pictures of what exactly you did with your sound blocker. I would like to do this too so I am a good neighbor and don't draw the ire of my fellow campers. Also, do you have 1 or 2 batteries in your unit...if so and with LED lights, how long do you think I would have to run the genny each day to refresh the batteries with minimal usage of lights and shower etc. I would run the fridge on Gas too

thanks Chuck,
Jim

[Chuck N. Wined]

I don't have any pics of the enclosure and unfortunately it is buried in the back of my storage shed with all the other camper stuff for the winter. Basically I took a sheet of coroplast (it is like cardboard but made of plastic) and cut 3 equal sized pieces that would be big enough to surround the genny on 3 sides and used gorilla tape to tape them together at the edges so they are sort of hinged and will then fold up like a "Z" for stowing. (This is the second one of these enclosures I have made. The first one was from some left over cheap paneling and I left it out in the rain and it got wet so it had to go.) If it is a little windy I just lay a shovel over the top to weight it down. We do not have LED lights but we do have 2 batteries in our unit. We have never had problems running out of battery power. The problem for us when we dry camp is always grey tank capacity or freshwater running out. I honestly do not ever remember running the generator to intentionally charge the trailer batteries. We usually run it in order to use the microwave, charge the laptop battery or camera battery or to cool the trailer down by running the AC for a while. That has always been enough to keep the batteries up. We do have a fantastic fan and run it when the weather is warmer but even it doesn't draw the batteries down much. We have never run the furnace on only battery because we haven't dry camped in the winter. I might guess the furnace would draw on the batteries quite a bit. (Maybe someone will chime in on that.) Our longest stay in one spot without electric was about 6 days. During that time we only ran the generator 2 or 3 times for about an hour each time. One thing to keep in mind is that you can't run the generator during quiet hours and some of the National Parks CG will restrict the hours you can run the generator during the day. If I remember correctly a couple we have stayed in only allowed generators between 2-4 or 4-6, something like that. I think you will be fine with the electric, if you are like us it was always water that was our limiting factor. I did have 1 guy come over to me 1 time in a National Park CG (The south unit of Teddy Roosevelt National Park) and ask me how long I was planning on running "that d#%& thing?" I told him I was only going to run it for short while. He grumbled something about peace and nature and stomped off. I ran the genny for about another 30 minutes then shut it off. That evening I had to listen to him play guitar and sing for almost 2 hours. Not only was he loud, he and his guitar were out of tune! I guess peace and nature are in the ear of the beholder.
Lonnie

[tator447]

Lonnie,
Thanks for the info, I think it will be a way to go, I'm thinking of some kind of sound deadening board to glue or attach to the inside of of the "z" and maybe see if that helps. Experiimentation will be something I will have to try I guess, maybe around here locally at first Now, the last question I have for you is your "colorful" map. Is that something you were able to find somewhere and "paste" to your profile and you can color as you travel to each state. We have a 4' x 3' map on posterboard with "pins and string" mapping our trips but I kind of like your map. Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks for all your help,
Merry Christmas,
Jim

[Chuck N. Wined]

Funny you should ask about the map. Last night when I was replying my daughter came in and said "Dad, you need to update the map!" She is right but I can't find the file I saved that tells me how to do it. I orginally found it on RV.net. Someone there had posted a link to it. I am going to try to find my info and if I do I will post it here for you.

Lonnie

[LeBo]

Champion Generator 2000 watt now at Menards for $599, nice genny for the money.

[OhioMark]

Just came across this thread. My vote is for the champion inverters with the parallel kits. They're refurb generators, but for us their distribution center and repair facility in here in Medina Ohio. These are very quiet.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-73538i-Cha...item3f29a673d8

[LeBo]

Great price! My camping buddy has two yellow ones, and he likes his a lot. I haven't seen them both run at the same but running one was pretty quiet from about 20',

[RADMiller]

Went to a home show this weekend in the DC area...Generac had an exhibit and was touting the new LP series portable generators. they are supposed to be quieter and the LP is said to allow the genny to run up to 9hrs (20#tank). Would like to hear one run, but I like the idea of no extra gas cans around, (TV is a diesel, so I would not have a need for a gas can anyway).

[mnsunset]

[QUOTE= said to allow the genny to run up to 9hrs (20#tank). .[/QUOTE]
Does that seem like a lot of gas for only 9 hrs? My honda runs 6-9 hours on a gal. of gas depending on load.
Just seems like 3-4 bucks for a gal. vers. where LP gas is at now it may not make sense to run LP.
Just wondering.

[LeBo]

You can buy red and blue generators ready for duel fuel or buy a kit and mod your current generator.

[Tim D]

Originally Posted by LeBo

You can buy red and blue generators ready for duel fuel or buy a kit and mod your current generator.

I have been researching that. Thinking of changing my emergency generator to LP. Less hassle with stale gas/varnish issues, ethanol, etc. Anyone here done it?

[Lloyd]

My stand by generator runs on LP----13KW
It fired up the other night when the storm knocked out our power. Ran off and on for about 14 hrs.
Sure was a nice cozy feeling to hear that thing purring away out there.

[LeBo]

A lot of stuff on youtube about converting generators from gas to LP.

[Tim D]

Originally Posted by LeBo

A lot of stuff on youtube about converting generators from gas to LP.

Yep...Seen several. Seems to work great. Curious if any one here has done a kit conversion?