mjmhunter Report post Posted May 14, 2007 I'm in the market for a generator for my trailer. I'm looking for something from 2000 wt to 3000 wt. I know the Honda and the Yamaha are really nice but also around $2000, which I don't want to spend. What generators do you guys recommend that are around six hundred or less. I'm more intrested in reliability than noise.------- Thanks, Manny Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jamaro Report post Posted May 14, 2007 Manny I have a Kipor KGE 3000Ti... It ROCKS.. Jason Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
More D Report post Posted May 14, 2007 I know how you feel. I looked for a long time at the generators and I finally bit the bullet and bought the Honda 2000. I was 'forced' into the Honda because our tow vehicle is not a truck and a regular generator was to heavy to load and unload and would have taken up to much space in to back of my wifes Armada. The $1099.99+tax price for the Honda 2000 is very steep but there are online stores that will sell you one shipped for around $900.00. I found a local Honda dealer that matched that price OTD. I would look into the Troybuilt line at Lowes. My uncle has the 8500 watt that he uses for hunting and work that has give him zero problems after 3 years. They also sell a 3500 watt for around $529 I think. That is the one I would have bought if not for the issues I had. Good thing you don't care noise because they are noisy and they run at 100% all the time. I was in your same boat last year, good luck! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
COUESAZ Report post Posted May 14, 2007 I use the honda ex650. It is old and does not run my AC or very many things together. But we like it just fine. A normal conversation is louder than this generator. My neighbor has the 3000 watt Kipor and it is just a quiet. If you put the kipor side by side to the honda they are exactly the same. Just like DEWALT is made by Black and decker I would not be suprised that kipor made by honda. Keep an eye on craigs list for them. I see the hondo 2000 for great prices on there all the time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Huntn coues Report post Posted May 14, 2007 I have the yamaha 6600. It will run everything I have but it is extremely loud. I am also looking for a smaller generator that will be efficient and quiet. It just needs to be able to keep the batteries charged and maybe run the micro on the toyhauler. Any idea on how many watts the gen will need to be? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GameHauler Report post Posted May 14, 2007 Microwave ????? A 2000 should do that just fine If you plan on running the AC you should have a 4000 If you just want to charge your batteries the best way to do that is with a small Honda or Yamaha in the 500 to 700 range and use a home type battery charger rather than the on board converter I use a 700 Yamaha with a 100' extention cord and set the gen behind a tree. Can't evan hear it. Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kphunter Report post Posted May 14, 2007 I would look into the Troybuilt line at Lowes. My uncle has the 8500 watt that he uses for hunting and work that has give him zero problems after 3 years. They also sell a 3500 watt for around $529 I think. That is the one I would have bought if not for the issues I had. Good thing you don't care noise because they are noisy and they run at 100% all the time. I'm also in the market for a 4000 watt or better generator. How quiet are the Troybuilt, do they compare favorable with the Honda's? KP Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ROBERT RIVERA Report post Posted May 14, 2007 I got my Honda @ swap meet fer $50 needed rubber feet 1 pull start every time. if u have the time i would check out swap meets Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stanley Report post Posted May 14, 2007 Coming from someone that does not own one, my recomendation would be to find the most quiet model possible! Nothing like getting up into the woods for some nice quiet camping..... S. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Huntn coues Report post Posted May 14, 2007 Microwave ????? A 2000 should do that just fine If you plan on running the AC you should have a 4000 If you just want to charge your batteries the best way to do that is with a small Honda or Yamaha in the 500 to 700 range and use a home type battery charger rather than the on board converter I use a 700 Yamaha with a 100' extention cord and set the gen behind a tree. Can't evan hear it. Mike Yep a wife and three daughters that all hunt. They MADE me buy them the toy hauler. The 6600 runs everything perfect A/C...micro.. But I am just looking for something that will run the heater (instead of using the batts all the time) and run the micro. There is no need to lug around that big generator when the A/C is not being used not to mention the gas it burns up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GameHauler Report post Posted May 14, 2007 The Heaters in a RV is a dry campers worst enamy The best way to go is a catalytic heater That is all we use in our RVs They operate strickly on Lp , so there is not any battery drain and will stay at a constant heat unlike the start up and shut down cold air you get with the furnace they also use less LP. The ones that we use are the Olympian Wave models There are 3 sizes depending on the RV size. They range in price from $300.00 to 500.00 Little pricey up front but well worth it Mike PS I will be glad to give any CW.com member a 10% discount on one. Here is a link http://www.uscatalytic.com/uscatalytic/Heaters.cfm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
COUESAZ Report post Posted May 14, 2007 I have used the furnace in our last pop up and our new travle trailer. What i do is run the heat at night with the generator. The generator is also charging thr batery at the same time (not much). Then when the family is in bed i go out and shut of the generator and the come in and shut down the furnace. My control to the furnace is right above me in my bed So in the morning i reach up and flip it on. It warms up enough for me to get out of bed and get dressed. Then i go out and fire up the generator again. Then when the wife gets up she turns it all off and we do it again the next day. I do not run the generator during the day. We just use it to keep things going and to have it incase the batery goes dead. The batery charges the whole way from mesa to unit 27 most of the time anyways and has a good charge to start. Like game hauler said you will get a stronger and faster charge from a small charger than running it off you generator. I am thinking about converting over to the 2 6 volt batery system than just the one 12 volt. I have been told they last longer that way. We do not use our fridge either so we do not run the power on it the whole time. My brotherin laws honda 2000 runs my AC just fine for some reason. My AC is 13k btu i think. If you start with a honda 200 then down the road add another with the conection set up you will have 4000. There is a guy on craigs list selling 2 honda 2000's and the conection unit For around 1500.00 My neigbors Kipor will run his AC, Microwave,TV, And sleep apnia machine at the same time. I am goin to look into the heater that gamehauler is talking about though. Any power saved is a good idea when Boondocking or dry camping. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tjhunt2 Report post Posted May 14, 2007 If your battery is more of an issue than anything else then consider what Gamehauler has to say. I went with a cat. heater and found it cured my battery problem. The microwave won't run off the batteries so another genarator isn't the answer in my thinking but if you decide on that direction then really consider quiet. I'm one who hates to shell out the extra bucks but it's like binos, it's worth every penny. You can't put a price on quiet. Gamehauler's in the business and thanks to his advise my friends and I went with cat. heaters and have never looked back. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GameHauler Report post Posted May 14, 2007 TJ, Batteries are allways a issue with you You only know 1 way to turn a light switch ( UP ) and they all have to be on You just don't have to worry as soon about the batteries thanks to the cat heater AZ G. Are you that Guy who runs his gen while I am sitting around camp trying to have a nice quite beer after dark Yes the 2- 6 volt batteries will give you more capacity The fridge uses very little voltage Put it on LP mode and run it Do not have it on the auto mode because it will switch to ac every time you start the gen. Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
COUESAZ Report post Posted May 14, 2007 You do not here my gen. Unless you are the guy that comes in at 3:00 am and camps right next to me. I am generaly the camp thatr is the farthest back in as i can get. With my new trailer that will change greatly though. Honestly my generator was running one morning when i walked over to a camp that did just what i mintioned at 3:00 in the morning. It was around 9:00 am that morning as they all sat in camp as there three kids kept driving right through my camp on there quads. And i mean right through my camp between the fire and trailer. I could not even here my generator while at there camp. I got to about 15 feet from my trailer and i could here the pur of it. Like i said above it is a honda ex650 very small and quiet. I do not like the loud gen's. The guy that camped right next to me sure did as he fired up his job site gen set all hours of the night to stay warm. We use ours only when we need to. I am a very friendly camper that does not like to incroach on others with my camp and noise from my camp. I can not run my fridge on LP yet i have to get my unit upgraded the the recall. I know the parts are out i just need to get on it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
