Cruzette
Santa Cruz, CA
Senior Member
Joined: 01/18/2004
View Profile
|
I agree with the two previous posters. Two Honda 2000 and the parallel kit is the way to go. Two Honda 2000 (one at a time) is a lot easier to lift and move around then one big Honda 3000.
There are times that you go camping and you don't need to run your AC and you won't need two gennies, one will do. So you only need to take one and leave the other one at home! One Honda 2000 is enough to run our microwave, as long as we don't have anything else running. It does a great job of charging our batteries too.
The Honda generator is also real quiet.
Here's where we got out Honda generator Wise Sales
Wise Wise Sales has great pricing and they don't charge shipping or taxes. A couple of years ago we paid $869.00 for one gennerator out the door and it was delivered in three days!
Good luck!
Cruzette
SAL Rally Queen
13 Rallies & numerous Gatherings attended so far!
Judy & Ray
Boomer & Petie Pie (2 Doxies)
F-350 Powerstroke
29' Yellowstone Capri, by Gulfstream
w/ 2 slides
|
Mousefart
New Jersey
Senior Member
Joined: 08/15/2004
View Profile
 Offline
|
bikendan wrote:OutTheDoor wrote:We are looking to start carrying a generator with us to use. We have been looking at a Honda. What do you all use and what do you recommend? We're really confused about this issue and need some guidance.
well, you are going to get a LOT of guidance! 
since this is one of the most asked questions, do a search first and read thru some of the similar posts.
you do need to state what RV you have, what you want to use it for, how heavy you want it to be and how much you want to spend.
there are 3 categories of gennies: 1. quiet inverter ones, such as Honda, Yamaha, Kipor and Boliy. these are also more expensive. 2. Contractor-type gennies. these are cheap but LOUD! 3. in-between gennies, like the Champion that was mentioned. it is cheap but not as loud as the contractor-type. but still about 10db louder than the quieter gennies.
#1 and #3 have fans on both sides. i was going to buy the Champion but the DW wanted the quietest. so, i bought a Honda 2000. that way, i can buy another in the future, if we need more power and parallel them.
we don't need the a/c much but it will run ours at sea level.
Well unfortunately, #2 has a large fan base too. And since they are of the "I don't give a krap about anyone else as long as I save a buck" crowd, asking them to please turn it off after they have been running it all day will usually get you a string of expletives that can't be repeated here.  I usually run into them during fall camping (hunters and loud generators seem to go together).
I run a Yamaha EF2400is myself. It has a little more punch than the Honda 2000 and will run most 13,500 btu A/C units, yet it is still light enough to be lifted and stored by one person. It is also in the "ultra quiet" class, so you won't piss off you camping neighbors.
The Yamaha also has the option of running two units in parallel.
Paul (Mouse)
2007 Flagstaff Shamrock 17 Hybrid (heavily modified for boondocking and winter camping).
2007 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab 4x4, 4.7L HO, factory tow, 3.92 gears.
Equil-i-zer Hitch, Prodigy.
Yamaha EF2400 Generator (quiet, cause I care!)
|
LeonardTinker
Iowa
Full Member
Joined: 04/21/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
I looked at the various options and settled on aq 4 kw Honda built in for my fifth wheel trailer. I installed it in the front compartment just behind the tail gate on the truck. I put a 30 amp outlet and just run the power cord from the trailer there and plug it it. I have an outboard tank in the truck box and put the opposite fitting on the front of the trailer aqnd ran a fuel hose to the generator. We went to the Black Hills last week and stayed in National Park campgrounds. I didn't run the gererator after 7 or 8 pm and not before 8 am. No one complained about the noise but I did tell my neighbors if it annoyed them to let me know. It has a remote control I installed on the wall next to the tank monitors. I am going to remount the generator on vibration isolators and I'm going to add some sound insulation. It was a little loud in the bedroom the way it is now, and I need to add louvers on the front compartment cover. Last week I just opened it. The exhaust vents out the bottom and to the driver's side. The generator cost $2500 plus a few bucks for the remote and for the mounting tray. It runs everything on the trailer and all in all I'm quite satisfied.
|
quabillion
Fulltime Native Texan
Senior Member
Joined: 08/20/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
OutTheDoor wrote:We are looking to start carrying a generator with us to use. We have been looking at a Honda. What do you all use and what do you recommend? We're really confused about this issue and need some guidance.
Well I dont really know what your usage needs, budget, fuel preference, size limits, noise limits, and duty cycle are. So Ill just recommend what i use.
13HP 3 cylinder kubota diesel engine
Leroy Somer 6KVA 6KW 1800RPM gen head
I started with a bare engine and gen head. Welded a frame for the base out of 2" square tubing. Welded a frame to hold the enclosure panels of sheet metal. Paint the whole thing brown. My controls system is made from scratch by me, and it will operate the gen if A; If either one or both of my air conditioner thermostats calls for cooling. B; My link10 battery monitor indicates a low battery alarm. C; my electric element in the hot water heater is active and calling.
This system works well for me, being fulltime and off grid, is quite reliable, but is also very heavy at 525#. I had to install a hoist/crane into the truck for loading/unloading. For extra security for the TT i place the gen right in front of the tounge so if someone wants my rig they are going to have to move a pretty heavy paperweight to get it. Fuel consumption is a steady .272 gal/hour or 1.032 liters/hour regardless of load.
First, only, and likely last generator Ill ever buy.
1442 watts of solar on the roof. 600AH AGM battery bank. Prosine 2kw inverter. 6KVA diesel gen with auto start. 100% off grid since 6-1-03
34f Skyline
03 F250 5.4
If you can read this thank a teacher, and since it's in English, thank a soldier.
Battery FAQ
|
quabillion
Fulltime Native Texan
Senior Member
Joined: 08/20/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
Im figurin out how to get pictures on here, hopefully I can make this work.
   
|
|
|
alexs
Westminster, MD
New Member
Joined: 04/21/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
another vote for the Yamaha EF2400i. I got a tri-fuel, and runs on LPG. I would have gotten the EF3000iseb for a few more $ but it weights a lot more than the 2400 about 100lb. more.
|
|
