Generator questions!

[coolmom42]

We are looking at buying either a 3000W Honda inverter generator, or the 3000W Predator brand inverter from Harbor Freight. Will be using these to intermittently charge 2X 6V Trojan golf cart battery setup, or running a 13.5K BTU AC unit. (I do not know details of the converter/charger, except that it is a WFCO unit.)

We are planning to leave in late April/early May for a 4-6 week trip to Wyoming and Montana, with the end point being at Glacier NP when Going to the Sun Road opens. Exact timing depends on our best estimate of the opening date. No doubt we will need heat at some points and AC at others.

Question 1: Does anyone have any experience with the Predator brand? It has good reviews. However, it only has a 90 day guarantee. My vote is to wait until late winter and see if the reviews are still good, after people have used them through the winter.

Question 2: How much does altitude affect the performance of this type of generator? Many of our planned campsites are at 5000 ft elevation or higher.

[Ron3rd]

TomG2 wrote:
As much as there is a love for anything Honda, there is a hate for anything WFCO on these forums. I have used both for the last fourteen years. I have not boiled a battery or lost one for any other reason. The batteries are always up to a night or two between campgrounds with hookups. I guess that I am somewhere in the middle. I like my Honda generator but would spend my money somewhere else next time. I don't care one way or the other about my WFCO converter but will replace it with something "Better" if it ever fails.

X2; my cheap Parallax bottom of the barrel never let me down after 9 years in my old trailer, but I must admit, the buddy I sold the trailer to had to replace it about a year after buying the TT off me.

My equally cheap WFCO that came with my new trailer works fine, but I must admit it does not charge as well, or go to 14.8V like the good PDs do. When it goes, I'll go PD.

[Ron3rd]

coolmom42 wrote:
Thanks for all the input folks. Right now I am leaning towards the Champion 3400 watt inverter instead of the Predator, mostly because of the included warranty and the established track record of the Champions.

Am going to find out the details of the converter and take it from there.

How difficult is it to change out the converter? How is the wiring connected to the converter?

Daughter and her husband just bought the Champion 3400 with remote start, see my post above. I've heard both, hers and my EU2000 and the 3400 Champ aint bad, slightly louder than my Honda to my ears but certainly fine for a campground.

[Ron3rd]

wanderingaimlessly wrote:
My last 2 generators were a Honda (open frame) and a Champion (honda clone engine open frame) the Honda lasted 15 years before totally giving up. The Champion is still running and 11 years old but getting rough. I will agree with oldman in that the honda was better built, but it did not last twice as long, but did cost 3 times as much.
The Honda will likely be a better unit. Will it be enough better to justify the price increase is questionable.

FWIW my next genny will be the remote start Champ.
I have no overt desire to go outside in the morning to fire it up to make coffe when its raining.
Honda $2000
Champ remote start $900
Pred $650

edit add on HF offers a 1 year warranty for a low price, Over the counter exchange, not a repair.

X2, Honda EU2000 owner here, but take a good hard look at the Champion 3400 with remote start. My daughter found hers online for $999 with no tax and free shipping. Champion appears to be a great value and would be my first choice if I went with something bigger. I've been on this forum for 14 years and everybody's happy with Champion it seems.

I've seen HF pushing the new gennys but can't say good or bad about them. Time will tell.

Love my little Honda BTW, 13 years and still runs like new.

[johndeerefarmer]

TomG2 wrote:

johndeerefarmer wrote:
My plan isn't cheap by any means but the Honda should last for years and parts are readily available.

Honda makes good generators. What kind of "parts" do you anticipate needing?

From my experience it's the circuit boards that fail. It doesn't matter the product. The electrolytic capacitors can't take the heat. They dry up and fail. If the board isn't potted I can repair them if I can get parts. If not then I need a source for a replacement. Other than the electronics then the hoses and plastic parts will fail next from the heat.
I currently own two Honda EU2000s and a Honda EU7000 and so far haven't needed any parts other than new rubber feet for the 2000's

[TomG2]

johndeerefarmer wrote:
My plan isn't cheap by any means but the Honda should last for years and parts are readily available.

Honda makes good generators. What kind of "parts" do you anticipate needing?

[johndeerefarmer]

First my WFCO story: I had a battery on my fiver destroyed last summer. I was also using one to charge the batteries on my ham radio repeater. I ruined one of those too. I now have Boondockers and no issues.

I am also looking for a 3000W.

The Predator doesn't interest me if I can't get parts to repair it. It doesn't matter if I can buy three for the price of one Honda or not. I don't like throwing stuff away.
The Champions are popular because they are inexpensive but they are noisy. The Honda is 49dB at 1/4 load while the Champion is 59dB at 1/4 load. This means it's twice as loud. The Honda at full load is the same loudness as the Champion at 1/4 load. If you can put the genny 50' from your RV it's no big deal. For me it will be mounted on my RV and therefore needs to be as quiet as possible.

My plans are getting the Honda EU3000, adding a remote control as well as choke kit. I also camp in the mountains and it does get hot sometimes.Last year around Durango/Silverton it was mid 80's and at that elevation the sun is hot. I will try the MicroAir Easy Start first and if necessary have high altitude jets.
My plan isn't cheap by any means but the Honda should last for years and parts are readily available.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

TomG2 KUDOS!

When I horsepacked you can imagine how little electrical went with me*. Quicksilver has no generator and a mere 15-amp receptacle cord and plug. 51 x 4 Kyocera panels for battery maintenance.

To each their own.

*Not even a campfire ignite and adjust flame remote control 😄

[TomG2]

To the OP: Like i said, we have some experts who love tinkering and fussing with their batteries.

There are people happily getting along with 200 or even less watts of solar charging. It does not take an expensive high powered model 707Extrazoom charger to enjoy rving. You are on the right track with your remove and replace strategy.

[Kayteg1]

ReneeG wrote:
Can't speak to the Predator, but we have a Honda and elevation does affect them. They tend to run a little uneven, but you can get a high altitude kit.

I run my Honda 3000 with AC just for the test at 8800 feet just fine.
That said, cheaper alternatives when it comes to machinery do work most of the time.
All it takes is buy Predator and test it at high attitude within 90 days.
If it doesn't work, refund it and spend a fortune on Honda.
I kind of like the big tank on Honda that gives me at least 14 hr of running with AC. First pull start is hard to beat as well.
Costco lately had great offer on dual fuel generators.
Would I not have Honda, I would look at it very carefully.

[RSD559]

Greyhound RB wrote:
I'd like to add a few points I think are worth noting. I have been using an 8 year old Yamaha inverter generator. It's 2800 watt continuous & 3500 watt surge. It can surge the extra 700 watts because it uses the starter battery to add extra power to inverter for surges. That will start-up my 13.5k ac every time.
Also my Yamaha & the Honda EU3000i (3.4 gallons) hold about
DOUBLE the fuel of the Preditor & Champion (1.6 gallons) I'm pretty sure. That makes a big difference to me.

Neither of the less expensive brands are as quiet. Also, an important distinction to me.

In the Detroit metro area I've talked to a very popular small engine fix-it place & they won't touch a Harbor Freight unit.

I'm glad every one has had good results with many different brands. I just wanted to bring up a few things that I don't remember reading in this thread. Good camping to all.

The Champion does have a small gas tank, thus, they offer the dual fuel where you can run off of propane as well. The Harbor Freight has a 2.5 gallon tank. Larger than the Champion, but smaller than the red and blue. The thing about fixing the Harbor Freight generator is that if you buy the inexpensive warranty, you just drop it off and pick up a new one. No fix-it place to worry about. As for the sound level, the Predator is pretty darn quiet. The Champion is the loudest of the bunch. But, if you are someplace where the Champion is too loud, the others will not be welcome either.

[azrving]

Pnichols
Nice find. I like that one.

[pnichols]

David .... I agree that manual control of battery charging using just the right generator-charger combination can indeed be kindof simple, very good for the batteries, and thus K.I.S.S.-like .... if and only if the charger comes from the factory with meters and knobs to do the manual adjusting.

This is especially true with respect to our camping setup. I want to charge with our little 550 VA (650 watt) four-cycle ultra quiet gas sipping Honda portable genny max'd out during initial boost charging. Using a power supply of around the size in your link but with simple adjustment knobs and meters, I'd just K.I.S.S.-set the voltage first to 14.4-14.8 volts and later to 13.6 volts - while K.I.S.S.-setting/limiting the current as high as I could so as to just barely keep the little genny's current limiter from kicking in (probably at around 30-35 amps or so).

Doing the above would permit me to experience the shortest possible recharge time using our little generator so as to not have to buy a larger portable generator or fire up the big Onan.

Here's a typical easy to use adjustable 15V, 40A (40A from the backside terminals) power supply that would be perfect for use with small portable generators for manually regulated battery charging while you sit with a cool drink or two: https://www.amazon.com/TekPower-TP1540E-Adjustable-Switching-Digital/dp/B015QHVJP6

P.S. This particular line of adjustable power supplies is also available with higher maximum current ratings.

[Greyhound_RB]

I'd like to add a few points I think are worth noting. I have been using an 8 year old Yamaha inverter generator. It's 2800 watt continuous & 3500 watt surge. It can surge the extra 700 watts because it uses the starter battery to add extra power to inverter for surges. That will start-up my 13.5k ac every time.
Also my Yamaha & the Honda EU3000i (3.4 gallons) hold about
DOUBLE the fuel of the Preditor & Champion (1.6 gallons) I'm pretty sure. That makes a big difference to me.

Neither of the less expensive brands are as quiet. Also, an important distinction to me.

In the Detroit metro area I've talked to a very popular small engine fix-it place & they won't touch a Harbor Freight unit.

I'm glad every one has had good results with many different brands. I just wanted to bring up a few things that I don't remember reading in this thread. Good camping to all.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

K.I.S.S. reigns supreme. I'm retired, but have plenty of other things to take up my time besides figuring out how to supply external control signals to that power supply in order to set it's voltage and current outputs. I read it's .pdf manual ... and couldn't see where any readout meters or control knobs were located on it's chassis.

It has DEFAULT controls EXACTLY the same as any Meanwell or Megawatt. Exterior potentiometer. Using the OPTIONAL current, voltage and sense lead is exactly that, OPTIONAL. It's all discussed in the online nomenclature.

Mr. Wizard's greatly appreciated link to an INDUCTIVE panel ammeter would be a simple to add aid. No one who Boondocks should be without an accurate ammeter and voltmeter.

The last thing I expect to do when boondocking is sit on my --- watching television and controlling my environment with a remote. I have to force myself to actually arise out of a chair to perform chores. Toss the "campfire light and adjust flame" remote into a drawer and walk around - it's good for the heart.

The nice thing about manual (voltage limited) battery charging is the process is not a Gyro Gearloose lab experiment where a bit too long equals a mushroom cloud. Having a battery sit for a half hour after minimum amps is achieved isn't going to hurt the battery at a 14.8 volt charging limit. But who in the world starts a generator to recharge batteries forgets about it? The ergonomics is absurdly simple. If it took three hours the last time to recharge them from 50% what would make the "next time different if the same hotel parasitic draw was reasonably the same? Set an audio timer on a cell phone or any other type of timer. For especially stubborn cases rig up a dog shock collar with a timer.

Having actually done this and being with folks who charge batteries with a manual power supply I can say the process is absurdly simple and unobtrusive. The key is the generator. Who ignores s generator? Who will forget that it is running? Connecting a power supply to a pedestal is infinitely more important to insure automatic charging shutdown.

When pistons are going up and down, and money is flying out of my wallet for fuel and wear and tear, the last thing I need to do is waste my time listening to a generator run endlessly doing nothing. Adding 10 - 20% more ampere hours into the batteries in the same amount of time is important to me........especially on the way back from the gas station with a far lighter wallet. When I start any of my generators, they are going to work and not play games. And I am not going to use excess effort or personal energy in the process.

My batteries cost way too much to abuse. Personally, I use a Samsung cellphone's timer to remind me of ANY time important event taking place. The alarm even reminds me to take medicine on time.

Choosing to do stuff manually reminds me of my personal joke about whether to perform all the effort to prepare a meal or simply run down to the Golden Arches a McSlider. After all the syntho burger is a no brainer, eliminates hunger pangs, and well dying young from cardiac infarction is, well it is EASIER than doing stuff manually.

Charging with a power supply and generator pales in comparison to to actually HAVING TO COOK and wash dishes. How could I ever survive camping without a McSlider and push button dishwasher?