Champion 3100 Inverter

[LowRyter]

My Toy Hauler was robbed in the storage lot. The crooks took the radio and Champion 3500 (actually 3000) generator. They wheeled it right down the ramp.

I had good luck with the old Champion and a replacement is about $400.

Instead, I am thinking of getting the champion Inverter 3100 which is about $850. I assume it will run a 13.5 air conditioner like the old one did.

I've checked the forum and haven't found a lot of info. Are they quiet? Are they reliable? Are they recommended?

Thanks. Any info appreciated.

[LowRyter]

I was able to get the 3100 pull start model for $750 at Cabelas. Ice storm coming this weekend and Lowes was sold out of everything.

[LowRyter]

gbopp wrote:
Champion 3100 Posts

been there done that. Lots of noise to signal.

This was much better getting straight answers, thanks. 🙂

[Sandia_Man]

Although we already have an onboard Onan genny, I ran across a great deal for the remote start Champion 3100 that I couldn't pass up. Our Onan has been rock solid with over 1000 hours of powering our rig as if connected to shorepower, it's just way overkill for most uses.

Purchased this past March, our Champion 3100 already has over 100 hours on it, with 90% of it's use above 6500' elevation. Easily runs our 13.5K, 9 year old Dometic AC, even on eco-mode. Highest elevation AC usage thus far was in Red River, NM at just shy of 9K'.

It did run fine out of the box at home which is nearly 6K' elevation, but according to the manual, a high altitude jet should be used above 4K'. True to form, Champion's customer service is great and had the new jet on my doorstep 3 days later.

I have owned Honda products in the past and can attest to their quality and durability. The comment that a Champion is the poor man's choice is a bit elitist, after all, I can buy 4 Honda 2K watt units for the price of our onboard Onan.

I do have a technical/engineering background and results are all I'm interested in, not name plates, badging, or labels. Champion has been producing power equipment for decades and their customer service is readily available to handle any warranty or future service needs.

[MrWizard]

I did a little research
There are two new inverter versions
3500 peak for gasoline only model

The dual fuel gasoline or portable l.p. Tank propane model
Is 3400 peak gasoline and 3100 peak on propane

[Rolling_Condo]

Supergenproducts
These folks are excellent for sales and most importantly service. I own a pair of the 2000's with a parallel kit and a 3100. Just went 5 days with out power thanks to hurricane Matthew. Thanks to the generators we managed quite well.

[theoldwizard1]

Champion now has a 3400W inverter for a few $$$ more.

[gbopp]

Champion 3100 Posts

[bikendan]

LowRyter wrote:

I've checked the forum and haven't found a lot of info. Are they quiet? Are they reliable? Are they recommended?

Thanks. Any info appreciated.

there are literally hundreds of posts about the Champion 3100w inverter generator here.
have you done a search in the Tech Issues forum?

[MrWizard]

my remote electric start version

same engine, same power

has over 3000 hrs use on it

very dependable, and if you need customer service, you call an American number and get a real person

[LowRyter]

thanks!

[BobsYourUncle]

Buddy of mine has one. I asked him why it's 3100 and not 3000 or 3500. I still wonder.....

A bunch of us were on a fishing trip boondocking a couple weeks ago at a lake in the boonies east of Merritt BC. I had my Honda 2000 and he had his Champion 3100.

Of course it was louder than the Honda 2000 but it really wasn't bad and it was quite tolerable for noise. A heck of a lot quieter than his old Champion 5000 that we all used to complain about due to the confounded racket it made.

Yeah it was ok. I was quite impressed actually.

We put it on the far side of his 5ver while we sat around the campfire drinking our healthy beverages and it was audible but far from obnoxious like the 5000 was.
I'd say, yeah, get one. If I didn't have the Honda I would buy one.

And it's not bad to lift too. I picked it up myself and put it in the back of his pickup when we left. A bit of a grunt but not bad. Don't need a fork lift like some if those army tanks out there.

[TUCQUALA]

$699 at Costco!! In store (at least some!!) or shipped from their website.

[brirene]

I've seen more than one review that describes the noise level as being comparable, but just slightly louder than the Hondas. I've got a couple of the 2k's and have been happy with them. Mostly good reviews on the 3100's too.

[Cydog15]

It will. Poor mans Honda but it will do it.