Best Generator for Pop up.

[kitphantom]

Air conditioner, lights,laptop(TV) fan.

One thing to remember is that if you are in an established campground, there are usually limited generator hours, so you can't run your generator all day. Often the hours are something like 7-9 a.m., 6-8 p.m. I don't think I've ever been in a campground that allowed generators at night.
Lights and fan can be run from your battery, using the generator to recharge that during allowed hours. laptop depends (we only use ours if we have Shore Power)

Full disclosure: we've stayed with solar panels, they work well the vast majority of the places we camp these days. I could not handle a generator on solo trips, we don't want to have to tote the fuel for it, and both dislike the sound of them. If we ever decide to head to darker, more rainy climates, we might get a good, quiet one as a back-up, but will likely head for sites with power. That's what we do now if it's going to be very hot or cold on a trip.

 

[Dnodoz]

We have settled on a Dual fuel Champion 2500 watt Inverter generator. Model is 100899. We were using two Honda 2000 gens before.

We only use propane in the Champion so we don’t have smelly gas and clogged fuel systems anymore. I believe the Hondas weighed about 48 lbs each. Our one Champion only weighs 39lbs.

The Champion will run our 10500btu Coolcat a/c unit on propane and 6000 feet above sea level so we have everything we need.

I believe it is only rated a decibel louder than the Honda although I couldn’t tell any difference when we had both.

 

[davido]

With air conditioning, one 3500w Inverter generator, or a pair of parallel 2000-2200 watt Inverter generators. Honda, Yamaha... even Predator are acceptable as long as they're Inverter style. A pair of 2000 or 2200 w generators will have more output, and be easier to carry (individually) than a single 3500w, though a heavy 3500w will be less expensive than two 2000w generators. Two 2k's are easier to pick up and move around, but more overall weight, cost, space.

Consider the loads:

• Keeping the 12v system charged, running laptops, lights, small appliances: 1000w Inverter style generator.
• Space heater, larger appliances, heavier power tools: 2000w Inverter style generator
  • You *may* get lucky if you have a 13000btu Air Conditioner with a startup capacitor; a single 2200w Inverter *may* work fine.
• Air conditioning (13000btu w/o startup capacitor, or 15000btu), space heaters (plural): 3500w Inverter style generator, or pair of 2000w Inverter style generators in parallel.

You can get adapters to fit a 30A plug into a 15A or 20A generator. You wouldn't be able to draw more output than the generator is rated for, but the plug can fit, and this is perfectly fine if you know you're not running AC.

 

[no Fries]

The Harbor Freight Predator generators have become quite popular. I run the 3,500-watt Inverter type from Harbor Freight. I've had it for almost two years now with no problems. Some folks will say that their brand is the best. But I think most brands out there will do the job quite well. Still, other folks say that Honda is the Gold-standard for generators. They may be! But the price is a limiting factor for most of us. I also think that Honda has been knocked off the pedestal by many of the alternative brands, but they just don't know it.

You will go crazy if you try to follow every suggestion submitted here. But the suggestions you will need to take seriously are, what are your power and financial needs? And, how much weight can you lift? I made a small ramp to push my Predator up and into the front door of my camper. I show you how I do it in a video if you are interested.

I'll second this post. Friend of mine that works in the generator industry recommends the Predator Inverter from Harbor freight. Honda value and quality has dropped over the last several years price is same or higher, and more parts are outsourced. Many others are comparable. Do try to purchase a name that has been producing Inverter generators for a time and check into parts availability, some knock off generator from Amazon you may never be able to fix just because you can't buy parts for it.

 

[Jim Keeling]

I am a genrator dealer, so I have a little experience in this area. Definitely want an Inverter generator. I have owned both champion and firman dual fuel 3200 watt generators. They are quieter than an open frame generator for sure, but neither are quiet enough to use in a campground by any means unless you hate your fellow campers. Last year I orders a Geneac IQ3500 for a customer. I was very impressed with is. Got one for myself and sold the firman I had at the time. It boast being 40% quieter than a Honda 3000 watt unit. It is actually much quieter at full load with my AC running than my firman was at Idle. Plug a hair dryer into it, and the noise of the hair dryer drowns out the engine noise. It also has a digital gauge that displays the normal stuff like run hours, voltage, etc. But will also show you how many watts it is providing, percentage of fuel remaining, and remaining run time based on load. Only downside it is heavy, and no wheels. Worth looking into, and much less expensive than the Honda.

That's great info.tks

 

[Jim Keeling]

I'll second this post. Friend of mine that works in the generator industry recommends the Predator Inverter from Harbor freight. Honda value and quality has dropped over the last several years price is same or higher, and more parts are outsourced. Many others are comparable. Do try to purchase a name that has been producing Inverter generators for a time and check into parts availability, some knock off generator from Amazon you may never be able to fix just because you can't buy parts for it.

Really had bad luck with Harbor Freight stuff. Seems cheaply made. But thanks. Will try Westinghouse.

 

[Jim Keeling]

Really had bad luck with Harbor Freight stuff. Seems cheaply made. But thanks. Will try Westinghouse.

Also,hard to get parts from Harbor Freight. Waited 2 months for chop saw part.

 

[Grandpa Don]

I'll second this post. Friend of mine that works in the generator industry recommends the Predator Inverter from Harbor freight. Honda value and quality has dropped over the last several years price is same or higher, and more parts are outsourced. Many others are comparable. Do try to purchase a name that has been producing Inverter generators for a time and check into parts availability, some knock off generator from Amazon you may never be able to fix just because you can't buy parts for it.

Thanks for that second. I thought I was going to catch Hell for saying something negative about Honda.

 

[Grandpa Don]

Also,hard to get parts from Harbor Freight. Waited 2 months for chop saw part.

I wouldn't know about that. In two years of ownership, I have never had to order any parts. Most of the time when someone has trouble with a particular generator, it's because of neglect or improper maintenance. Now and then you do get a defective unit or part. It can happen with anything you buy these days. The "I got a bad one" story is the only one you will hear about or see on Youtube. The thousands of happy customers remain silent!

 

[xxxapache]

I have had a bad experience with 2 HF Predator generators in the past 6 months. Once my clubs uses a small gen 2 or 3 days a week to power our lights. Our current 1800W Champion quit putting out power. It was 4 or 5 years old, so we figured we'd just replace it. We ran out and bought a Predator 1800 watt open frame. We noticed it would skip a beat and the lights would flicker. We used it a few days and then exchanged it for their 1400W super quiet Inverter. Talk about frustrating. It would start and run about 30 seconds. After restarting it 10 or 15 times, it would finally run. After a few aggravating days and trying this and that to correct it, we returned that unit to the store.

The good part of the story is one of our members diagnosed the problem with the Champion as a bad capacitor. He fixed it for 10 bucks. We've probably put 150 to 200 hours on it since. It's still going strong.

 

[no Fries]

Thanks for that second. I thought I was going to catch Hell for saying something negative about Honda.

Warranty on this one is also probably worth it. They are very generous and just give you a new one should you have problems. Very few to no questions asked. Then you can buy another warranty on the replaced one. I've heard of people turning them in in working condition at the end of the warranty, and starting over. I don't condone this just shows you how liberal they are with replacements.

 

[Grandpa Don]

Warranty on this one is also probably worth it. They are very generous and just give you a new one should you have problems. Very few to no questions asked. Then you can buy another warranty on the replaced one. I've heard of people turning them in in working condition at the end of the warranty, and starting over. I don't condone this just shows you how liberal they are with replacements.

I did purchase the warranty on the one I have. My intent was to do just as you described above. But I haven't had any problems with mine so far. However, the newer ones do have a couple of newer features that mine does not have. It might be worth it to just turn this one in and get one of the new ones. I think I still have about 24 months to go on my warranty. I could do it at any time.

I got the warranty after viewing a couple of Youtube videos from people who had trouble with theirs. I didn't want to take any chances. But after I did more research I found out why they were having trouble. It was almost always due to fuel issues or a clogged spark arrester. Others were overfilling the fuel tanks way beyond the marked "do not fill above this line" warning. All of the issues were easily correctable with proper maintenance and by following the instructions. Surprisingly, there were many Youtube videos showing that Honda had the same issues for the same reasons.

 

[no Fries]

I did purchase the warranty on the one I have. My intent was to do just as you described above. But I haven't had any problems with mine so far. However, the newer ones do have a couple of newer features that mine does not have. It might be worth it to just turn this one in and get one of the new ones. I think I still have about 24 months to go on my warranty. I could do it at any time.

I got the warranty after viewing a couple of Youtube videos from people who had trouble with theirs. I didn't want to take any chances. But after I did more research I found out why they were having trouble. It was almost always due to fuel issues or a clogged spark arrester. Others were overfilling the fuel tanks way beyond the marked "do not fill above this line" warning. All of the issues were easily correctable with proper maintenance and by following the instructions. Surprisingly, there were many Youtube videos showing that Honda had the same issues for the same reasons.

Yes many people want to just put gas in them and use them as they need. Maintenance is a must for all combustible engines. And small engines seem to be the most finicky. As you described many problems stem from people not taking care of them. Leaving gas in them for months on end, Using standard gas and leaving that in them, as you mentioned overfilling, not changing the oil. Every summer I see 5-10 lawnmowers that come back to Lowes or HD where they hadn't put oil in the mower and are reconditioned or on clearance. I always try to use Ethanol Free gas, (not easy to find all the time) and if I can't find it I'll be sure to run it dry and or shut off the fuel and drain the tank. I know this will probably get reactions but NEVER use True fuel or a product similar. You still can get it at HD Lowes and all the other Big box stores but check your local lawn and garden stores that sell lawn equipment only. They don't carry it for a reason.

HF does have some items I wouldn't buy, but the Predator is NOT one of them. I'd recommend it. They do have bad ones, but the initial warranty (2 YEARS!) will cover it . HF is cheap because QC is less but overall their products are better knock offs and are improving.

 

[Jkoht]

I run a harbor freight predator 3500 Inverter when I go camping at music festivals. I've had it running for basically 5 days straight at a time and it doesn't miss a beat. It runs the AC unit on my trailer with power to spare. If you buy the additional warranty you have 3 years of no questions asked bring it in and swap for a new one ease. Although I must say I've never had a problem so I'll probably out run the warranty. Do a search online and you'll see a lot of people singing their praises. Last year at the one music festival I go to I counted at least 50 other same units around me, and that was only a small percentage because this place brings in a couple thousand campers. If you're looking at duel fuel just be aware propane usage doesn't give you the same wattage as gas because the energy is far less dense than gas. I think you lose about 20-25% so a 3k generator would put out only around 2400 watts. Propane is also dry and will cause premature wear on the piston rings.

 

[BikeNFish]

Yes many people want to just put gas in them and use them as they need. Maintenance is a must for all combustible engines. And small engines seem to be the most finicky. As you described many problems stem from people not taking care of them. Leaving gas in them for months on end, Using standard gas and leaving that in them, as you mentioned overfilling, not changing the oil.

You nailed it. I don't understand people that buy anything with moving parts and think they can let them sit without any maintenance. This also includes their popups!

I have two generators (2000watt and a 3300 watt) and I make sure I run them, under load, for at least 30 minutes every 3-4 weeks in the off-season. I always put non-oxy gas in them and treat the gas with stabilizers. I also change the oil every 40 hours of run time and clean (or replace) the spark plugs when appropriate. I've owned the 2000watt genny for 5 years. I have never had an issue with either generator following my maintenance routine.

If you take care of your stuff, it takes care of you.

By the way, I am going to list the 2000watt Inverter genny for sale this spring if anyone near the Twin Cities is interested. It is a PowerHorse genny from Northern Tool. I store it in it's original box and has a cover. $250 and it's yours. I think I paid close to $500 for it in 2017.

HERE is another description of it. I no longer need it because I bought the 3300 watt genny last year for my TT.

 

[Patrick w]

I have the one without the electric start.. but having the electric start battery be their common 18v tool battery is brilliant.

RYOBI ONE+ 18V Bluetooth 2,300-Watt Starting Electric Start Gasoline Powered Digital Inverter Generator with CO Shutdown RYI2322EVNM - The Home Depot

Whether you are tailgating, camping or on the jobsite, the RYOBI Bluetooth 2,300-Watt ONE+ 18V Electric Start Inverter Generator is ready with clean, quiet power for any occasion. With 2,300 Starting Watt and 1,800 Running Watt, this generator is whisper quiet and is safe for most sensitive...

www.homedepot.com

 

[Patrick w]

You nailed it. I don't understand people that buy anything with moving parts and think they can let them sit without any maintenance. This also includes their popups!

I have two generators (2000watt and a 3300 watt) and I make sure I run them, under load, for at least 30 minutes every 3-4 weeks in the off-season. I always put non-oxy gas in them and treat the gas with stabilizers. I also change the oil every 40 hours of run time and clean (or replace) the spark plugs when appropriate. I've owned the 2000watt genny for 5 years. I have never had an issue with either generator following my maintenance routine.

If you take care of your stuff, it takes care of you.

By the way, I am going to list the 2000watt Inverter genny for sale this spring if anyone near the Twin Cities is interested. It is a PowerHorse genny from Northern Tool. I store it in it's original box and has a cover. $250 and it's yours. I think I paid close to $500 for it in 2017.

HERE is another description of it. I no longer need it because I bought the 3300 watt genny last year for my TT.

Non ethanol gas is banned here.. I gotta drive like 30-40 miles to get a station with it.

My old powermate (non Inverter) served its duty dilligently during sandy... no issues. I had gas it in from sandy... for like 6 years.. and she still started up. Then I refilled it with our "new ethanol laced" gas.. and after 6 months, ate the carb.

 

[Grandpa Don]

Yes many people want to just put gas in them and use them as they need. Maintenance is a must for all combustible engines. And small engines seem to be the most finicky. As you described many problems stem from people not taking care of them. Leaving gas in them for months on end, Using standard gas and leaving that in them, as you mentioned overfilling, not changing the oil. Every summer I see 5-10 lawnmowers that come back to Lowes or HD where they hadn't put oil in the mower and are reconditioned or on clearance. I always try to use Ethanol Free gas, (not easy to find all the time) and if I can't find it I'll be sure to run it dry and or shut off the fuel and drain the tank. I know this will probably get reactions but NEVER use True fuel or a product similar. You still can get it at HD Lowes and all the other Big box stores but check your local lawn and garden stores that sell lawn equipment only. They don't carry it for a reason.

HF does have some items I wouldn't buy, but the Predator is NOT one of them. I'd recommend it. They do have bad ones, but the initial warranty (2 YEARS!) will cover it . HF is cheap because QC is less but overall their products are better knock offs and are improving.

Now that we are talking about maintenance for small engines, I'll mention a couple of mods I did to my Predator to make it run even better. For starters, here is a Youtube video I made:


There is one thing that most people with small engines don't think of. Some of the Youtube videos that had a lot of trouble with the Predators were actually in the high country of Colorado. The trouble they were having was the loss of power, not starting, fouled spark plugs, and clogged up spark arrestor. The problem was caused by the jet in the carburetor. The generators come from the factory with a seal-level size jet installed. I think it is a .76. That's fine for sea-level operation. But the higher up you go in altitude the thinner the air is. This means you have to lean out the fuel mixtures for the best performance or the engine will run rich. This applies to any small gas engine. I do this all the time when I'm flying my Cessna. In the airplane, I do this with a control in the cockpit. But small engines don't have a control feature to lean out the mixture to compensate for altitude.

One of the folks on Youtube figured that out and made up a chart showing what the best size jet would be for a particular altitude. Even though I was not having an issue with my Predator, the chart said that at my home altitude (2,500 feet), the best jet size is .72. Where I go camping, the altitude is 7,000 feet. Up there I should be installing a .68-size jet for the best performance. Yes, it will still run up there, but for the best performance, I should install a smaller jet. Of course, you can't be changing jets all the time, so I'm just going to leave mine at .72 and expect a little power loss. I can deal with that. But if I were going to always be at that altitude, I would have to change the jet. Very few people consider the effect altitude has on a normal air breathing gas engine.

 

[Patrick w]

Now that we are talking about maintenance for small engines, I'll mention a couple of mods I did to my Predator to make it run even better. For starters, here is a Youtube video I made:


There is one thing that most people with small engines don't think of. Some of the Youtube videos that had a lot of trouble with the Predators were actually in the high country of Colorado. The trouble they were having was the loss of power, not starting, fouled spark plugs, and clogged up spark arrester. The problem was caused by the jet in the carburetor. The generators come from the factory with a seal-level size jet installed. I think it is a .76. That's fine for sea-level operation. But the higher up you go in altitude the thinner the air is. This means you have to lean out the fuel mixtures for the best performance or the engine will run rich. This applies to any small gas engine. I do this all the time when I'm flying my Cessna. In the airplane, I do this with a control in the cockpit. But small engines don't have a control feature to lean out the mixture to compensate for altitude.

One of the folks on Youtube figured that out and made up a chart showing what the best size jet would be for a particular altitude. Even though I was not having an issue with my Predator, the chart said that at my home altitude (2,500 feet), the best jet size is .72. Where I go camping, the altitude is 7,000 feet. Up there I should be installing a .68-size jet for the best performance. Yes, it will still run up there, but for the best performance, I should install a smaller jet. Of course, you can't be changing jets all the time, so I'm just going to leave mine at .72 and expect a little power loss. I can deal with that. But if I were going to always be at that altitude, I would have to change the jet. Very few people consider the effect altitude has on a normally asperated gas engine.

There is an answer to this. TURBOS! Though I havent seen a portable gasoline turbo generator....

 

[PopAnimal]

LOL, I have nitrosoxide on a 2 stroke predator motor. Turbos are way to complex to work out without a factory. 2 Local machinists and semi pro drag car builders/racers tried to fabricate a super charger for one but it never really worked. Ane imagine the dump woosh on an already loud generator, neighbors in camp would love that!