Looking for a GOOD low price generator

[83 SunRader]

I thought I had read a thread about this already, but I couldn't find it again so sorry if this has already been discussed.

I'm looking for a good, low priced generator. It appears that I will need at least a 3000w to run the AC and a couple of other things at the same time. I know everyone really likes the Honda's and Yamaha's, but honestly at this time I can't afford the price. Something around $500 - $800 would be great.

Is it possible to get a cheap generator and put an after market muffler on it to quite it downGood?

Any information is appreciated. Thanks!

[Totem]

Funny you bring this up; it was my post I think on cheap chinese gensets. The topic was identical to yours; i was trolling for experience with alternatives to the Honda/Yamaha solutions (that are VERY pricey and theft targets).

Anyhow I basically came down to two that I was trying to decide on... One was a Duro Power 3000watt diesel powered inverter (which I LOVE the concept on because diesel has a much longer shelf life so this could play into am emergency stash situation. Its a tad heavier than a chinese gas knock off but it is a factory California genset outlet with fantastic reputation. That generator is also on holiday sale! $699 free shipping i think :

http://www.duropower.com/item.asp?PID=449&FID=14&level=1

So to me I would barrel some diesel for SHTF but also use it for camping. 3KW is enough to run home nicely in power failures due to storm damage, war or government and societal collapse.

Diesel motors can burn most any oil (short term) also and if you heat the oil you can run dang near anything if its filtered so to me thats a VERY nice feature cause lets face it if you are using one you might not be getting refined gasoline any time soon.

Most of the comments I got came from die hard Honda fanatics that were trying to claim it was worth paying double for the Honda which has sketchy build quality (half of them aren't even made in japan) and had a coupel tales of refusal to honor warranty. well, if they wont honor warranty and the motor is the same style as the chinese...why pay extra

The other genset I liked was a chinese Honda knock off that I think I found as cheap as about $600 and it was 3KW rated also. it had a nice 30 amp port in it already and my favorite feature was remote start and load based fuel throttling... very nice. I dont have a link to that one it was on ebay I think.

[83 SunRader]

Hey Totem what was the title of your post? I can't find it. Thanks

[83 SunRader]

I found this gennie on craiglist. http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/boa/3434352813.html The owner just took it to a dealer and found out that it needs a circuit board that costs about $125. Any thoughts?

[zero]

I'm looking for a good, low priced generator. It appears that I will need at least a 3000w to run the AC and a couple of other things at the same time. I know everyone really likes the Honda's and Yamaha's, but honestly at this time I can't afford the price. Something around $500 - $800 would be great.

Is it possible to get a cheap generator and put an after market muffler on it to quite it downGood?

The cheapest generators are AC and there isn't any way to make them as quiet as an DC based inverter generator. An AC generator must run at a fixed speed to achieve the 60 Hertz cycles. High speed equals noise from cooling air flow and exhaust. The quietest AC generators are built "double sized" and run at half output and half speed. Some old Delco diesels at 1/3 speed. So, the cheapest AC units run 3600 RPM, the better ones at 1800 RPM and some Delcos run at 1100 RPM. Also, the water-cooled models run quieter then the air-cooled models. Some AC generators have an "idle down" option so they run slow when NOT making power. They still must run fast when making power.

An inverter generator is a DC generator. It makes DC current and then runs though an inverter to make AC. The inverter simulates the Hertz cycle so engine speed is not an issue. Subsequently an inverter generator can make 60 cycles at any speed. It only has to rev up enough to make enough current to satisfy the load.

The absolute best deals on inverter generators are the Honeywell 2000i models. The older red ones were selling for $299 at Home Depot parking lot truck sales. I met several RV people who used them to run 5000 BTU AC units (with soft-start capacitor kits). I have two of them and am very impressed with the quality of the AC power it makes. An inverter generator is only as good as the inverter inside it. Some are mod-wave and some are almost "true" sine wave.

One issue though. A 3000 watt inverter generator running 5000 watt AC unit will run slower then a 2000 watt inverter generator running the same. The bigger the inverter generator, the slower it will running making equal amps.

[zero]

I found this gennie on craiglist. http://jacksonville....3434352813.html The owner just took it to a dealer and found out that it needs a circuit board that costs about $125. Any thoughts?

Isn't it just an AC generator? If so, you can buy a brand new 3000 watt AC generator for $300 if you shop around.

[Totem]

Hey Totem what was the title of your post? I can't find it. Thanks

http://toyotamotorhome.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=5115&hl=

[83 SunRader]

jdemaris - Thanks for the info on the inverted and non inverted genies.

[stamar]

There is the very cheap 800 watt ac generator for 80 bucks new from harbor freight with an ebay coupon.

Generally reviewed as a great deal.

[Totem]

ebay coupon? what a waste... www.retailmenot.com then search on harbor f..... free coupons for ever.

[zero]

There is the very cheap 800 watt ac generator for 80 bucks new from harbor freight with an ebay coupon.

Generally reviewed as a great deal.

HF has had two different 800 watt models. A two-stroke-cycle for around $70 and an four-stroke-cycle model for around $110-$120. The two-stroke is a cheap piece of junk. OK to light a few light bulbs and run a small eletric drill -but otherwise not very useful. Barely puts out 105 volts at full load. I haven't tried the newer four-sroke unit and don't know if it's any better. I'm sure it's at least quieter and does not need oil mixed in the gas. AC generators that are cheap often make AC power too poor to run certain type of electrical apllicances. What is called 120 VAC grid power is actually 170 volts swinging up and down on the sine-wave. Some of these el-cheapo AC generators only make 140-150 volts at the tops and bottoms of the sine-wave. That lower voltage really shows up with some items with high-tech control boards, some battery chargers, some smoke alarms, GFICs, etc.

Harbor Freight has a 3500 watt four-stroke that often goes on sale for $299. That one I have - but i got it new for $199 at a truck-load sale at Aldis. Fairly quiet for a 3600 RPM generator and makes pretty good AC power. For $199 - having next to no parts support is what I regard as a "non issue."

[stamar]

i havent even seen the other one.

the 2 stroke one has generally good reviews.

soon as i get a direct link id go for that other one. the biggest drawback to the 80$ one is it has a peircing whistle sound.

the 2 cycle one ( only one i found at harborfreight.com and in the store) is actuall from a kawasaki dirt bike from the 70s. it has its drawbacks but it has stories of being very reliable.

comes with a cheap chinese spark plug you should replace with a 1.99 one from sears.

the only purpose I had for one was to run a laptop or to recharge deep cycle cells.

it has no real way to run an ac but it can be a more economical way to keep the battery bank up to pace with a microwave.

here we go

http://www.harborfre...rnia-69381.html

im almost sure this one is 2 cycle also. theres something better about it though as its always sold out.

edit this 2nd one is still a s cycle generator, very closely related to the blue one that goesw for 80$ but its much quieter and has some parts made better than the blue one especially an adjustable carburator. the worst part of the blue one is frequent stalling.

it doesnt really have a part in something made to run a roof ac I must say but could have a part in something to run a window ac.

once you need something to run that roof ac youre in a different ballpark.

[zero]

i havent even seen the other one.

the 2 stroke one has generally good reviews.

soon as i get a direct link id go for that other one. the biggest drawback to the 80$ one is it has a peircing whistle sound.

the 2 cycle one ( only one i found at harborfreight.com and in the store) is actuall from a kawasaki dirt bike from the 70s. it has its drawbacks but it has stories of being very reliable.

comes with a cheap chinese spark plug you should replace with a 1.99 one from sears.

the only purpose I had for one was to run a laptop or to recharge deep cycle cells.

it has no real way to run an ac but it can be a more economical way to keep the battery bank up to pace with a microwave.

here we go

http://www.harborfre...rnia-69381.html

im almost sure this one is 2 cycle also. theres something better about it though as its always sold out.

edit this 2nd one is still a s cycle generator, very closely related to the blue one that goesw for 80$ but its much quieter and has some parts made better than the blue one especially an adjustable carburator. the worst part of the blue one is frequent stalling.

it doesnt really have a part in something made to run a roof ac I must say but could have a part in something to run a window ac.

once you need something to run that roof ac youre in a different ballpark.

The 800 watt four-stroke-cycle generator at Harbor Freight is $119. 63cc, 900 Watts Max/800 Watts Rated Portable Generator - Certified for California. SKU 69381. 33 lbs.

I tested the two-stroke-cycle model and it makes low AC voltage - just as many cheap gas AC-based generators do. Fine for some things and not for others. Low AC voltage is a big problem when running certain types of battery chargers.

Most so-called "reviews" I see for inverters and generators a basically useless. Few people do any real testing.

Some companies sells "step-up" AC transformers to make the small AC generators work better. But that's just another added expense. Inverter generators rarely if ever have a problem making good power.

To make a really nice DC bulk charger just for charging the RV battery bank - a small 2-3 horse engine coupled to an auto-alternator works much better then an AC generator. You can run at any speed. You can take a 3 horse engine and with the correct pulley ratios - run the engine at 1500 RPM and a 50 amp alternator will easily put out 40-50 amps to the batteries. Only slight catch is the standard internal regulator is not quite correct for deep cycle batteries. If someone wants perfection - and custom reg can be built for $20 in parts. I have the schematic. Basically, that is what an inverter generator is. An engine coupled to a DC "alternator" and then an inverter is added to make the output AC.

[zero]

http://www.harborfre...rnia-69381.html

im almost sure this one is 2 cycle also.

It can't be. The description says it has an OHV engine. A two stroke doesn't have any mechanical valves and especially not overhead valves (OHV).

[zero]

It can't be. The description says it has an OHV engine. A two stroke doesn't have any mechanical valves and especially not overhead valves (OHV).

Correction. When I stated "can't be" I was correct. But it seems Harbor Freight has a misprint. They list that generator as having overhead valves (OHV four-stroke-cylce only) AND needing a 50 to 1 mix (needed for a two-stroke-cycle only). I read the manual on it and it is indeed a two-stroke-cycle engine it has NO engine valves. The OHV in the ad is incorrect. This is the same generator they sometimes sell for $79. Same one I've tested in the past.

[waiter]

I seen a review on that one, guy said tighten all the loose bolts, replace the spark plug with a good one, and its a fairly good little generator.

John Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

[zero]

I seen a review on that one, guy said tighten all the loose bolts, replace the spark plug with a good one, and its a fairly good little generator.

John Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

I doubt the reviewer actually tested the output voltage but maybe? They come "out of the box" with low AC voltage. The engine RPM governor can be defeated and the RPMs raised to get the AC voltage proper. Then the cycles are wrong though (too high/frequent). Not a huge issue with most appliances but certainly is with some. Low voltage means many battery chargers cannot work properly. High cycles means anything with a clock will be off (no big deal I guess). For $70 though, an OK deal. For $120? There are better generators around for the price that don't need oil mixed in the gas.

[Totem]

I had that 2 stroke generator.. Mine output as advertised.

Also after I upgraded the spark plug it even was easy to start and ran well.

It ran the fridge, the charger and the clock in my Monterey was 9v battery powered so no issues there.

I tried running a small portable indoor air conditioner on it; the smallest that HD sells; it choked it every time on start up. Ultimately I found it useless as my harbor freight solar panels did just as good a job if not better when coupled with an inverter.

[stamar]

If there is a 4 stroke generator for sale somewhere on earth for 120 please direct link it here

[Derek up North]

I bought 2 at HD being liquidated. 1500w, $100 each.

[Maineah]

Check out Champion generators they get pretty high marks. They are open frame and not real quiet but a pretty good generator for the money 3500 watt for $330 and it even has a RV 30 amp socket and a 1500 watt one for $199. Quite a few big outfits carry them including Camping World and Tractor Supply so you could pick one up locally and save the shipping.

[5Toyota]

seen the champion and others at CABELAS also

[stamar]

for the 200$ mark that seems like a smart one.

the listed dba is really low actually which leads me to believe its totally false.

my memory fails me at times but I do believe theres a member here who put that in the generator box of their toyhome. Thats the brand Im almost sure.

everyone said it was a bad idea but he did it. he used styrofoam or something like that to make it quieter.

I like seeing lists of whats smartest to get thanks for that I have a champion pencilled in. I have a on board generator project thats a long long ways off after my solar panel project.

the fact that is has a 30a socket makes it seem like its made for a toyhome honestly because most people dont want that. These on board battery converter things we have went out of vogue for real rvs in the 80s. Thats like exactly what I want.

[zero]

Check out Champion generators they get pretty high marks. They are open frame and not real quiet but a pretty good generator for the money 3500 watt for $330 and it even has a RV 30 amp socket and a 1500 watt one for $199. Quite a few big outfits carry them including Camping World and Tractor Supply so you could pick one up locally and save the shipping.

I got a 3500 watt Champion new at Aldis for $199 at a truck-load sale. Aldis is a odd-ball European grocery store near me that gets non-grocery stuff at times in big sales. Has a Chinese overhead-valve 4 stroke engine and runs pretty quiet. I've only run it twice as it's just a spare. Only problem I had was the same I've had with many Chinese engines. Hard starting until I pulled the carb apart and cleaned out the jets. For $199 - great deal.

[83 SunRader]

Thanks everyone for your input! Since I needed something with at least 2500w (to run AC I'm in Fl.) and money unfortunately is an issue I ended up getting the Champion 4000w (really a 3500w). I have run it for over 30 hours now and haven't had a problem. Well actually I did have a problem trying to change the oil. The drain plug is right above a support beam and when you try to drain the oil it hits the beam and runs EVERYWHERE! You can either get a shallow pan to collect the oil since the capacity is only about 1/2 quart, but that is a pain and can still be messy. I called their customer service and they promptly sent me (for free) a hose to attach to the drain hole. No problem now. Yes it is noisy, but I'm going to enclose it and that should make it about as loud as a Honda. I'll keep you posted on how it works out and maybe even get some pictures once I build the enclosure.

Edited December 27, 2012 by 83 SunRader

[Totem]

I got a 3500 watt Champion new at Aldis for $199 at a truck-load sale. Aldis is a odd-ball European grocery store near me that gets non-grocery stuff at times in big sales. Has a Chinese overhead-valve 4 stroke engine and runs pretty quiet. I've only run it twice as it's just a spare. Only problem I had was the same I've had with many Chinese engines. Hard starting until I pulled the carb apart and cleaned out the jets. For $199 - great deal.

I love Aldi. I picked up a great St. Cloud temperpedic mattress there for my rig, but liked it so much I took it into the house. Keep waiting for them to get more... Only cost $150

[DanAatTheCape]

I consider the onan 2800 and the honda 2000 as the only alternatives worth a hoot for me. I have a winnie warrior which originally came with a 2.5 kohler. The gen compartment can be modified to hold either using a sawzall.

since the onan would have been $2.5 TO $3k i went with the honda ($900) and have out 2 hundred hours on it. I can set it up - it is quiet, efficient & at sea level will run the ac and electric heat just fine. At 10k it works hard to run the heat strip - no need for ac up there. The main jets are easy to change - *the onan can be adjusted by turning a screw accessible without opening the carb.

if you get the cheap chinese unit you will get what you paid for.

I carry a 2.5 gallon gas can on the rear bumper in front of the spare. I wired the old gen electric fuel pump so I can get gas from the main tank. I have seen people mount gens on the rear bumper - not for me - to much weight behind the rear axle.

I use a cable lock to attach the gen to one of the bumpers when I have it out for service - if it might rain I put the gen in the front & use the hood to hold a tarp which I weigh done on the corners so I can run the gen rain or shine.

[Marco1503]

buy mine!

its a 3.0 rv genset by onan

its on my dolphin but im going solar and i want to get rid of it.

works good starts right up (when i have over half a tank of gas wich is anther reason why im not hanging on to it)

ill put up pictures.

NOTE: these are google pictures mine is the same model but its still in the rv.

Buyer must remove. i will help.