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Found a Generator


Ctgriffi

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Not exactly the cream of the crop, but I found this Wen unit on CL recently for $120 and couldn't pass it up. Runs great, steady 121V, and it doesn't seem to have any trouble powering our roof AC. It's a little noisy of course, but it'll sit back on the hitch rack, muffler pointed aft, and keep us cool when we're chugging down the road.

I've ordered one of these caps too, mentioned on another thread, just to help the gen out a bit in the long-term.

 

wen-3500.jpg

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I bought one at Aldi's grocery store a few years ago at a sale.  Has a different brand label on it (King Kraft) but looks  exactly the same.  $199 brand new.  I've used it many times and it has run flawlessly.  For the price, even if it dies tomorrow -I can't complain.  I bet if you read the label, you'll find it comes from the same factory in China that mine did.

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one reason I use the term China Inc........

hard to beat that $....and I suspect you could reduce the noise output a bit with some crude engineering.......vented box with sound absorption foam, and improved muffling....if that matters

Edited by payaso del mar
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Change the color and the lettering and you have a Champion generator I have a 2000 watt unit just like that and it is a Buffalo tools generator (red) the little engine is a nice copy of a Honda. 

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I've heard people warn against the off-brand Chinese stuff because of lack of parts support.  Makes no difference to me.  Of all the generators I've had in the past 40 years - I only had one give me problems that required an OEM proprietary part and that was from an American brand (Coleman). I had their first inverter generator and the circuit board crapped out when it was still under warranty and they could not fix it!   In fact, they would not even release a schematic of the board to me so I could try to fix it myself.  So much for American brands being "better."

I will also note that now have two pieces of equipment with Harbor Freight 6.5 HP engines that were made in China and cost $99 each.  I also now have a USA built 6.5 HP Kohler.   I must stay - the HF engines start better, sound better, and run better.  The Kohler is a big disappointment and I will never buy one again.  Their customer service is even worse then the engine.  Too bad.  They used to make one of the best small engines on the market.

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  • 4 months later...

This thread of mine is kind of old, but I had a follow-up question for any electrical gurus out there: I'm still happy with this little gen and have used it a few times on the road, with good results. Still, I'm pretty sure that, since I'm connecting to it through the L14-30 socket, I'm only getting half of the potential amperage. Basically, I've got a heavy-duty 10-3 cord running from the RV panel to the generator, and the twist-lock plug is wired up ground-to-ground, neutral-to-neutral, and hot to X (see top-right of diagram). So, the other hot leg is currently unused.

How might I go about rewiring this setup in order to potentially use all ~25 amps?

wen-3500-wiring.jpg

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Found this YT video with a HF generator that looks very close to mine, in terms of nearly exact wiring, etc. Some good information, but not exactly a clear, definitive solution to the problem. Sounds like the voltage control unit (AVR in the above chart) creates a problem because it's designed to read a specific control voltage, which will change a great deal, once you've wired both coils up in parallel to maximize amperage. 

 

Hmm... might just have to set this little project aside, for now.

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It works, Ive done it before. What the deal is the 120v sides are 180 out of phase. By flipping the two wires the outputs are in phase and can be wired in parallel. Replacing the 30 amp 240v connector with a 30 amp 120v standard RV connector made the generator  true RV set.

 

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1 hour ago, WME said:

It works, Ive done it before. What the deal is the 120v sides are 180 out of phase. By flipping the two wires the outputs are in phase and can be wired in parallel. Replacing the 30 amp 240v connector with a 30 amp 120v standard RV connector made the generator  true RV set.

 

Yes.

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18 hours ago, WME said:

It works, Ive done it before. What the deal is the 120v sides are 180 out of phase. By flipping the two wires the outputs are in phase and can be wired in parallel. Replacing the 30 amp 240v connector with a 30 amp 120v standard RV connector made the generator  true RV set.

 

Hmm, maybe I will try it after all, although it still sounds like the AVR issue could be a problem (something mentioned in part 2/3 of the video I mentioned above). 

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You can also take 2 115v plugs and parallel them into a 30 amp socket, plug into each of the 13 amp 115v sockets. Mount everything in a box and you won't have to rewire the 240v plug.  

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22 hours ago, WME said:

You can also take 2 115v plugs and parallel them into a 30 amp socket, plug into each of the 13 amp 115v sockets. Mount everything in a box and you won't have to rewire the 240v plug.  

Actually, my unit only has one 115V socket, which is fed by just the one hot leg, so I don't think that would work. I guess that solution would work on other setups, as long as the two 115v outlets aren't 180º out of phase, with respect to each other (yes?).

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What unit do you have? Does it have a 240v outlet or does it have a 115v 30 amp connector?

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Just a friendly reminder. If you use this monster anywhere near any other campers you will be ruining their camping experience to enhance your own. I've had to leave more than one campsite because of some rude arsehole who thinks his need for power outweighs everyone else's right to peace and quiet. Want all the comforts of home? Either stay there or go to campsites with hookups. Stay out of boon docking sites. 

Be considerate.

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I totally agree jm!! My 1st and only boondocking experience was ruined by idiots who had a gennie exactly like the one this guy has. They were over 200 yards away and I couldn't even hear the birds! Had the generator about 50 feet from their tent. Rudest people ever and No respect for anyone else!! 

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They can be very loud and disruptive, I agree. My usage has never been, and never will be, running a generator in the middle of a campground—that's not what it's intended for, by any means. I use mine for 1) keeping the coach cool while trucking down the road 2) occasional power needs when hanging out in a public parking lot (very rarely) and 3) running my Worx chainsaw on the back of my 3 acre lot.

 

On 10/12/2016 at 1:12 PM, WME said:

What unit do you have? Does it have a 240v outlet or does it have a 115v 30 amp connector?

It's the Wen 3500, big photo at the top of this thread...

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Back to the beginning. It looks like WEN has already done the conversion for you. You have a switch labeled 120/240,120. You may have a 30A 120v  feed to the 240/120 connector.

Edited by WME
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  • 5 months later...
On 5/12/2016 at 3:43 PM, Ctgriffi said:

Not exactly the cream of the crop, but I found this Wen unit on CL recently for $120 and couldn't pass it up. Runs great, steady 121V, and it doesn't seem to have any trouble powering our roof AC. It's a little noisy of course, but it'll sit back on the hitch rack, muffler pointed aft, and keep us cool when we're chugging down the road.

I've ordered one of these caps too, mentioned on another thread, just to help the gen out a bit in the long-term.

 

wen-3500.jpg

I'm interested in where you hooked up one of those"caps" for the a/c? Where exactly do you hook it up at? Is it accessible from inside the coach or do you need to get on roof and take cowling off to hook this part up?

thanks

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The booster cap goes inside the AC unit, installed from the roof side.

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2 minutes ago, WME said:

The booster cap goes inside the AC unit, installed from the roof side.

Ok thanks,have you done this? Is it fairly obvious where to hook this up?

thanks

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Had a friend install a Hard Start Capacitor made by Dometic in my rooftop AC. Supco makes a cheaper version but with that large of a generator I don't think you need it. I installed mine for my Honda 2000i to run roof AC which is only1600 watts continuous.

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2 minutes ago, markwilliam1 said:

Had a friend install a Hard Start Capacitor made by Dometic in my rooftop AC. Supco makes a cheaper version but with that large of a generator I don't think you need it. I installed mine for my Honda 2000i to run roof AC which is only1600 watts continuous.

So if I install one of these http://www.ebay.com/itm/111702749501

would I be able to use the HF equivalent to the Honda to power my a/c? And I would want to run the a/c all night long

62523_zzz_500_1.jpg

s-l1600.jpg

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Man I don't want to get into this discussion AGAIN but my AC is a 11.5K Dometic Penguin unit and the Honda runs it fine. Haven't tried in in high elevations or over 90 degrees. Lot of discussion on this in this forum. Not familiar with the Harbor unit. Good Luck!

Edited by markwilliam1
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1 hour ago, redskinman said:

Ok thanks,have you done this? Is it fairly obvious where to hook this up?

thanks

It is fairly obvious, yes, after you remove the AC cover. The capacitor  I purchased was intended for that application and came with instructions. (Like two wires that need connected between cap and compressor power feed. )

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1 hour ago, markwilliam1 said:

Man I don't want to get into this discussion AGAIN but my AC is a 11.5K Dometic Penguin unit and the Honda runs it fine. Haven't tried in in high elevations or over 90 degrees. Lot of discussion on this in this forum. Not familiar with the Harbor unit. Good Luck!

LOL yeah theres a lot of generator "discussions".I'm in Tx and I will be camping in over 90 degree weather and will want to run a/c all night.I have been researching the generator post on here,seen a lot of people say the Honda 2000 will not power the a/c,but none of those post mentioned combining it with the starter power pack.

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6 minutes ago, redskinman said:

LOL yeah theres a lot of generator "discussions".I'm in Tx and I will be camping in over 90 degree weather and will want to run a/c all night.I have been researching the generator post on here,seen a lot of people say the Honda 2000 will not power the a/c,but none of those post mentioned combining it with the starter power pack.

"Starter Power Pack"   a rose by any other name is still a hard start capacitor:lol:

I researched and experimented with this a bit.  My Honda 2000i will not start my roof air  without a hard start capacitor. It will start and run my 11.5k BTU roof air with a hard start capacitor when the temp is in the 70's.   it will not start it when the temps are in the 90's  A bit of a disclaimer here "MY" Honda EU2000i and "MY" 11.5k BTU roof air. YRMV.   Somewhere in between those temp's it becomes undependable, I do not know where.

I added a 8000 but window unit to my Toy so I can camp in comfort in Florida with a reasonably efficient, quiet generator.

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Yes! It's a slippery slope indeed! LOL!

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I'm guessing you cant put a standalone generator in the hole the generator goes and run it,but what are the reasons? I think both of these generators would fit in the spot where mine is.Now i know 1 problem would be where the exhaust vents,what would the other problems be? Would these get too hot in that enclosed space? Are rv gens made differently so they dont get hot?

gen.jpg

gen1.jpg

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Cooling air in, hot air out, exhaust out and a proper muffler.

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