Generators, what to buy? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

pheasantplucker · RV-Dreams Family Member

Generators, what to buy?

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

you said the greatest recommendation out there......Honda 2000......great starter and can be added on to!!

pheasantplucker · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks Mike, looks like I'm on the right track then.

jimindenver · RV-Dreams Family Member

A Honda, Yamaha, or Champion 2000w would all do pretty much the same and all can be combined with a second for more power.

Today I saw a link to a generator box Honda is making for their 2000 that reduces the noise level to just 8-10DB. Too bad it's only sold in Japan and cost more than the generator does.

cherylbrv · RV-Dreams Family Member

If my budget will allow, I'm looking at a Mobile Suites. The generator it comes with is the Onan® 5,500 Marquis Gold Generator. How does that compare to the Honda?

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Cheryl,

The Onan is a bigger generator than even our Honda EU3000IS. Our Honda is supposed to be capable of running one air conditioner with a few other items. The Onan 5500 should be good for both air conditioners and some other items. Better yet would be the Onan 6500, which I think gets one a full 50 amps of power. If I remember right, the 5500 puts out somewhere around 45 amps.

Terry

LoupGarou · RV-Dreams Community Member

pheasantplucker wrote:
The next item on our checklist is a good generator, we will be boondocking part of the time.
I'm thinking of starting with a 2,000 watt Honda or something equivilant, then adding another later. I doubt we will be needing the air conditioner until next summer.
Any suggestions or advice?

Generator selection can be a tricky thing, one has to balance the need, wattage size, fuel consumption and portability. Its important to determine what the start-up currents are on items like the A/C.

Just a FYI, MagnumEnergy now has a new MSH-M Series inverter in their line.

From their Web Site:

"Most inverters only use one source of energy to power the inverter loads—either from the incoming AC power (i.e., shorepower or generator) or from the batteries. The MSH-M Series combines the energy from both the AC input and the batteries to power the inverter loads. This feature gives the inverter the ability to recharge the battery when there is surplus power, or to deliver more power to the loads if they require more than the AC input can supply by itself."

-- Edited by LoupGarou on Tuesday 22nd of October 2013 02:50:10 AM

-- Edited by LoupGarou on Tuesday 22nd of October 2013 02:53:29 AM

NWescapee · RV-Dreams Family Member

We have the Yamaha 3000 series and at least ours has been quieter than even some of the Honda generators - this is from experience at art shows with free dry camping and most of the artists with their Honda generators.

Terry - not sure if you've tried this, but we have found that if we're running the fridge, water heater, etc. off propane, we can run both AC units off our Yamaha 3000, the trick is not trying to start both at once. We generally turn on the salon AC then after it's running and we check the amps, we'll turn on the second AC. Works great for us when we return to the trailer after a long hot day at an art show with no electric running all day.

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

Keep in mind that if both A/C compressors cycle on at the same time to many times you will be either replacing the stator in your generator or buying a new compressor or A/C.

When your coach is plugged into the generator your charger/converter is operating and drawing power...the TV is drawing ghost power if plugged in..in fact you would be amazed at how much power is being consumed just in ghosting.

but your A/C units pull a substantial amount of power each time the compressor cycles on when both decide to cycle at the same time on a 3000 watt generator you will be digging into the extreme safety area that the generator is capable of........each time it will over heat the stator until it burns thru and the generator fails

CampSweet · RV-Dreams Community Member

Lucky Mike wrote:
Keep in mind that if both A/C compressors cycle on at the same time to many times you will be either replacing the stator in your generator or buying a new compressor or A/C.

Mike is soooo right here. We had this happen on a 7k generac unit in our old HR class A - with less than 300 hours on it. If I remember correctly the stator alone was over $700 when the part FINALLY came in. It was not a happy day. We never ran the 2nd a/c again unless we were on shore power.

Al

-- Edited by CampSweet on Monday 28th of October 2013 09:23:37 PM