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Champion 2500 Generator


Ctgriffi

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Finally sold off our old $120 Craigslist special, a 15 year-old Wen 3500, and upgraded to a new Champion 2500 watt inverter-style generator. 

 

 

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First impressions:

  • I really like the weight of this thing at just 39lbs dry. The old Wen was about 110lbs and very difficult to haul around, not to mention the stress on the rear cargo rack.
  • Materials and build quality look pretty good, and I also like the fuel shut-off knob, handy LED status indicators, and rubber outlet covers to limit dust/moisture. 3-year warranty is another plus.
  • I'm still doing the 5hr break-in period with the provided 10W-30, but I can already verify that it definitely handles the roof A/C on high, plus our Norcold in 120v mode. (My A/C has an EasyStart 364 Soft Starter unit.)
  • Only holds 1.1 gallons of fuel, which means that it'll need refilling every couple hours with high usage—not a big problem when highway cruising and stopping regularly for gas, but would be pretty tiresome if boondocking.
  • Not crazy about the noise level, which is pretty disappointing. This thing is supposed to be among the quietest, but when running near max-capacity, it's probably still 85% as loud as the old open-frame Wen! Of course, the Champion is much quieter in eco-mode, when you're only pulling a few hundred watts, but that's not how we're typically going to be using it.

 

Always pros and cons, especially when you can't drop huge money on a Honda. Any thoughts or recommendations? Should I keep it? 😀

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I really like the light weight. Sounds like something I could handle with no problem. As far as the sound I gotta tell you those expensive Honda's are not all that quiet. Some guy left one running next to me all day and I was surprised how loud it was. I did have a Kohler that was still running back then so I started it to compare. Standing equal distance between my generator and the Honda they sounded the same, neither of them quiet at all

Linda S

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The only time the quiet generators really are is when they are not working hard. At max load they run just as fast as the cheap ones the difference is lighter loads the inverter ones slow the engine down. 

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16 hours ago, linda s said:

I really like the light weight. Sounds like something I could handle with no problem. As far as the sound I gotta tell you those expensive Honda's are not all that quiet. Some guy left one running next to me all day and I was surprised how loud it was. I did have a Kohler that was still running back then so I started it to compare. Standing equal distance between my generator and the Honda they sounded the same, neither of them quiet at all

Linda S

Yeah the Kollers were not real quiet. The Onan's were a bit better. Had a friend with a large MH He bough a new generator because the Onan 5KW didn't run. I swapped it out for him and he gave me the old one, a bit of labor latter and a $4 part I had it running. I think that was the quietest generator I have ever heard bar none. Onan did a little magic the engine only ran at 1800 RPM not 3600 like the others. In order to make 60 CPS (like house wiring) most run 3600 the Onan 5000 had a 4 pole field instead of 2 so it only turned half the speed! The draw back it was some thing close to the size of a 22RE! 

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Modern Onan generators built into RV's are very quiet. Onan's are just very expensive and the smallest ones would still require modification to fit our small spaces. Most of the 80cc generators(I'm betting that is the size of the Champion above) have a very similar noise level. Decibel ratings are all at low load on eco mode. Driving an AC with one of these ramps up the motor and the sound. Finding a way to build the generator into your RV compartment dampens the sound outside some.  The compartment needs to be well insulated to make the sound tolerable inside the RV. The compartment has to be modified to fit the unit, exhaust the unit safey, and keep the unit from overheating. I modified my compartment to fit my 80cc generator, and have been pleased with the result. Figuring out ways to decrease load help with sound as well. 

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Ok here is the deal with RV generators they exhaust out the bottom, both heat and engine exhaust putting a portable generator in a box is not a real good ideal. Good place to store it but run it on the ground out side.

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17 hours ago, Scott iv said:

 I modified my compartment to fit my 80cc generator, and have been pleased with the result. 

I'd be very interested to learn more about this as I am thinking about doing the same thing, using a small inverter generator  - 2000w or thereabouts. I was thinking of removing the plastic panels and gas tank from the generator and then squeezing it into the current generator space - likely have to remove the current electrical cord that is sorted there. I know it would mean fabricating exhaust and fan cooling solutions but seems do-able! 

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Don't discount what Maineah said. It can dangerous and deadly, and needs to be thought through.  Removing the panels on the generator will reduce the amount of noise reduction; that is the main reason for the panels. I cut the bottom of my box out, welded a steel frame lowering the generator in the box, and the box is in open air in the bottom. I didn't have the electric cord you are referring to. Fan cooling, ventilation, and exhaust rerouting are the key. It is doable but you don't want to just squeeze the generator in there and run it.

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1 hour ago, Scott iv said:

Don't discount what Maineah said. It can dangerous and deadly, and needs to be thought through.  Removing the panels on the generator will reduce the amount of noise reduction; that is the main reason for the panels. I cut the bottom of my box out, welded a steel frame lowering the generator in the box, and the box is in open air in the bottom. I didn't have the electric cord you are referring to. Fan cooling, ventilation, and exhaust rerouting are the key. It is doable but you don't want to just squeeze the generator in there and run it.

 

Yes, I've been thinking about this for some time and considered those issues. The exhaust would be routed to exit the same location as the current generator. Cooling might be interesting but if the plastic is removed I'm guessing that should assist. Point taken regarding noise, so I would line the space first with some heatproof noise insulation. Do you have any pics that you could share?

Edited by neilp
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Removing the plastic casing of the generator will get you many complications. On the other hand for one I know a honda will fit in your compartment if you move the off shore plug and wire. Not a big deal. Then you need to lower the floor a bit. There's room. Then you add one of the many available exhaust extensions that will fit a Honda and probably many others. Then all you need is a computer fan in your vented access door for more incoming air.  Easy peasy

Linda S

There used to be a fantastic online site with a perfect example of putting a Honda into a truck camper. Unfortunately time has eaten all the pics

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A few pictures of my generator box. I split my box and have my 1500w inverter in a portion of it. The remainder is sealed off for the generator compartment. The fan is an electric radiator fan 9".  I installed a carbon monoxide detector/propane detector in the camper. 

IMG_20210615_190532545.jpg

IMG_20210615_190623880.jpg

IMG_20210615_190555236.jpg

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i will be doing something similar.   thanks for sharing

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"Devil's advocate", you now have a gallon or so of gasoline inside the RV with a running engine in a plastic container and a fan that draws 5-10 amps from the battery. About 20,000 RV's die in fires a year.

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2 hours ago, Maineah said:

"Devil's advocate", you now have a gallon or so of gasoline inside the RV with a running engine in a plastic container and a fan that draws 5-10 amps from the battery. About 20,000 RV's die in fires a year.

Neyt... over the last 3 years the average is 15 deaths per year  and 100 injuries

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5 hours ago, Maineah said:

"Devil's advocate", you now have a gallon or so of gasoline inside the RV with a running engine in a plastic container and a fan that draws 5-10 amps from the battery. About 20,000 RV's die in fires a year.

 

I'm thinking about ditching the gas tank and using the existing fuel line for the old generator to supply fuel. But may have an issue if the carb float cannot hold the pressure.

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4 hours ago, john*thomas said:

 How difficult was it to attach the exhaust extension? Did you weld it on?

 

I've seen fittings designed to attach to the exhaust of the honda inverters on ebay. I'm thinking they may fit other brands?

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27 minutes ago, neilp said:

 

I've seen fittings designed to attach to the exhaust of the honda inverters on ebay. I'm thinking they may fit other brands?

 

 I've seen some fittings for something or another........they were weld on. I can do that but I was just curious as the route here. From what I saw on the fittings you could make one for about a 10th of the price. 

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Check out “scooter mufflers” on search engine. They come in small diameters and various configurations.

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5 hours ago, WME said:

Neyt... over the last 3 years the average is 15 deaths per year  and 100 injuries

Generally they are easy to escape the MH usually doesn't make it.

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2 hours ago, neilp said:

 

I'm thinking about ditching the gas tank and using the existing fuel line for the old generator to supply fuel. But may have an issue if the carb float cannot hold the pressure.

The existing original generator fuel line is not pressurized how ever the portable generators do not have a fuel pump to draw fuel from the tank they are gravity feed. Do not even think about connecting it to a fuel injected port any where, the fuel pressure is way too great and you soon will have gasoline every where. 

 

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