Generator question, please....

[candied]

Hi all - I hope you don't mind if I ask my silly question, but am needing a bit of advice. I live in California but have not had the opportunity to stay at the Fort (I dream all the time of going). We have a Keystone Outback TT that we have had for 2 years next month, but have never bought a generator, we just use a friends (that actually sucks - to hard to start).

Any recommendations on a generator? I want one to run the air conditioner if needed, but mainly one that I can start without DH's help. On our last trip to the beach, DH couldn't even get the generator started. Our batteries are not the best either.

I was looking at the Honda eu3000is, but is that to much power?

Thanks so much!

Candace

 

[LONE-STAR]

No such thing as to much power. Just make sure it is enough power. Honda is the best IMHO.

 

[stacktester]

No such thing as to much power. Just make sure it is enough power. Honda is the best.

I have the Yamaha 2400 for when we go 4 wheeling (dry camping) in Ocala Forest. It will easily run my a/c, lights, tv, etc. I didn't think it would be enough but a friend got one first and it worked for him and it was a fraction of the cost of the 3000 Honda. If you have the budget (around 1,800) for the Honda I would go with it for sure. Check craigslist as well because I've seen a few deals on them recently. Both are great units IMHO. Whatever you do, do not buy a loud contractor type unless you want everyone to hate your guts lol.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

I have the Yamaha 2400 for when we go 4 wheeling (dry camping) in Ocala Forest. It will easily run my a/c, lights, tv, etc. I didn't think it would be enough but a friend got one first and it worked for him and it was a fraction of the cost of the 3000 Honda. If you have the budget (around 1,800) for the Honda I would go with it for sure. Check craigslist as well because I've seen a few deals on them recently. Both are great units IMHO. Whatever you do, do not buy a loud contractor type unless you want everyone to hate your guts lol.

I've been kicking around the idea of a generator for a couple years now. I wanted something for the trailer and to run my pellet stove and refrig during the frequent winter power outages we get. I didn't think I could get along with anything less than a 3000, but now I'm gonna look at the Yamaha 2400. I have a Yammy dealer just up the road from me. If it works for the Stacktester, it'll work for FWGuy. Thanks, Donnie.

 

[LONE-STAR]

I have the Yamaha 2400 for when we go 4 wheeling (dry camping) in Ocala Forest. It will easily run my a/c, lights, tv, etc. I didn't think it would be enough but a friend got one first and it worked for him and it was a fraction of the cost of the 3000 Honda. If you have the budget (around 1,800) for the Honda I would go with it for sure. Check craigslist as well because I've seen a few deals on them recently. Both are great units IMHO. Whatever you do, do not buy a loud contractor type unless you want everyone to hate your guts lol.

We have the loud contractor model . But we have never taken it camping. Its more for power outages so we can keep the water well going.

 

[candied]

Thanks - we are currently borrowing a LOUD contractors one. As well as being to dang loud it is a pain in the rear to start up.

I was specifically looking at the 3000s because that was all that I thought we could use, but it you use the 2400, I might look at that as well. Do you think the Honda 2000 will work for the trailer? When we are dry camping we obviously use propane to run the fridge.

Thanks!

Candace

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

I need to get one for the house and wire a 220 inlet to feed my panel. My brother has an EM5000S and only lives 20 mins away but I dont have a way to backfeed the 220 into the house. Our well runs on 220 and during last years tornado (took down part of the new TSC less than a mile from my house) the only thing we needed was the well since we had the trailer fridge on propane.

 

[candied]

I have checked out Craiglist and Ebay but I get so overwhelmed with all the information that I don't know if I am looking properly. I have seen a couple on Craigslist but the distance to get one is not worth it with these gas prices.

Candace

 

[RvUsa]

We have the honda 2000, it won't quite run the a/c. We bought it for something else, then got a trailer. It is A W E S O M E!!!! I wish it was the 3000, but oh well. We also have a 4500 contractor style we bought when we built our log home in the middle of a corn field. I have a great story about that one and camping..... lets put it this way, when it ran out of gas, the WHOLE campground started clapping!!

 

[AuburnJen92]

I have checked out Craiglist and Ebay but I get so overwhelmed with all the information that I don't know if I am looking properly. I have seen a couple on Craigslist but the distance to get one is not worth it with these gas prices.

Candace

Why don't you put the descriptions and prices of the top 5 you like here and let the techies help you out?

 

[DisneyBishops]

If you are going to buy a genny. Always buy more than you need. Never buy just what you need or less. It is always cheaper to buy more than you need. If you buy cheaper then you will be buying a bigger one soon enough anyway.

Not so with everything but with a genny bigger is better

 

[LONE-STAR]

lets put it this way, when it ran out of gas, the WHOLE campground started clapping!!

 

[candied]

We have the honda 2000, it won't quite run the a/c. We bought it for something else, then got a trailer. It is A W E S O M E!!!! I wish it was the 3000, but oh well. We also have a 4500 contractor style we bought when we built our log home in the middle of a corn field. I have a great story about that one and camping..... lets put it this way, when it ran out of gas, the WHOLE campground started clapping!!

Thank you so much - that is exactly the kind of information I was hoping to get.

Why don't you put the descriptions and prices of the top 5 you like here and let the techies help you out?

I will check this out. I have passed this on to DH about wanting and needing a generator and hopefully he will figure out what to get. I am pushing to have one in hand by our next trip August 14 to the beach - DRY CAMPING!

Candace

 

[stacktester]

I bought mine on Ebay actually from a dealer in the Chicago area. It was $1,200 and shipping was $100 but they had a $100 rebate at the time which scratched the shipping. I forgot to mention the 2400 will only power a 13.5k a/c. It will not do a 15k. I believe the a/c has to be post 2003 as well because of a change in how the thing powers up. BigDisneyDaddy knows I'm sure exactly what part I'm thinking of. I wanna say converter but not sure.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

I bought mine on Ebay actually from a dealer in the Chicago area. It was $1,200 and shipping was $100 but they had a $100 rebate at the time which scratched the shipping. I forgot to mention the 2400 will only power a 13.5k a/c. It will not do a 15k. I believe the a/c has to be post 2003 as well because of a change in how the thing powers up. BigDisneyDaddy knows I'm sure exactly what part I'm thinking of. I wanna say converter but not sure.

Probably has something to do with the number of amps it pulls at start up.
Right now I just cant justify the expense but sometime in the future I hope to buy one for home and RV use.

 

[DznyRulz]

I think the latest issue of Trailer Life has an article on generators, or it might be Highways. They had a nice spreadsheet for several manufacturers and models. For ease of use get a gennie with electric start. I think the Honda 3000 even has a remote start option. I use 2 Honda 2000 gennies with a homemade parallel cable. They run everything I need.

 

[ntsammy5]

If it works for the Stacktester, it'll work for FWGuy. Thanks, Donnie.

I used to have a cheap one that we bought to run the coffee pot in the TOC - that worked great but it was just too small for a real job. I also like the honda - need it to run the sump pump when power goes out or the basement floods.

 

[candied]

Thank you so much everyone for your replies - any more that can help are more than appreciated.

You all just ROCK!

The electric (even remote) start could be totally awesome. I would love it. I also saw that the Honda 3000 weighs over 100 pounds so I told DH if that is the case then we would need to purchase the wheel kit or build our own. There is no way I could move it without wheels. Even the one we are borrowing has wheels and is tough to move.

Candace

 

[candied]

I bought mine on Ebay actually from a dealer in the Chicago area. It was $1,200 and shipping was $100 but they had a $100 rebate at the time which scratched the shipping. I forgot to mention the 2400 will only power a 13.5k a/c. It will not do a 15k. I believe the a/c has to be post 2003 as well because of a change in how the thing powers up. BigDisneyDaddy knows I'm sure exactly what part I'm thinking of. I wanna say converter but not sure.

I think our A/C unit is 13,500 according to the information that I can find on Keystones website. But I am wondering if we should get the 3000 in case (I don't think we will) trade up in the future and then we don't have to get a new generator.

Thanks,
Candace

 

[candied]

I have a great story about that one and camping..... lets put it this way, when it ran out of gas, the WHOLE campground started clapping!!

When we went to the beach in May, we had the mega LOUD generator on in the middle of day and someone came up next to us to camp. They came over to us and asked us if we would have it on all day long because if we were he was going to move to another campsite. My DH told him no, that we are just charging up some stuff in the trailer.

Candace