# Generator



## toolman (Jul 12, 2005)

I am considering the purchase of a generator for my 21RS. I have been hearing good things about the Honda EU2000 & 3000 generators but they are also VERY expensive. I have acces to a 4200 watt Craftsman Generator with the 30amp plug for $ 450. Do I need to purchase a generator with the 30 amp plug or can I just use the converter? How big of a generator do I need?

Toolman


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## Bob G (Aug 22, 2004)

I have a Generac 3500 watt that I mount between the 5th wheel hitch and the tool box. It runs every thing we need while the A/C in on







. 
I'm sure you could run with the adapter plug with no problems. 
The Honda's are nice units but way to much money







for the amount that we would need them.
Bob


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

The reason the Honda's are spendy is they are quiet, the Yamaha line is a lot quiet and about the same price. If you plan to camp around anyone else please make sure you buy a quiet generator, one of the Craftsman is fine if you are camping in the boondocks, but not if you'll have a neighbor. The Honda/Yamaha line use good sound proofing so you can run your generator and still carry on a conversation without yelling. The cheap, contractor grade generators are so loud you'll find your neighbors will hate you.

On our last trip out one guy pulled out one of those generators, and of course put it behind his camper near us. Fired it up. OMG we couldn't talk without yelling. By the next morning I asked him to move it on his side of the camper since we couldn't carry on a conversation. You know he didn't want that, but he did it. Of course the generator no longer ran for 2 hours at a time.

If you shop around on the net, and the back of Trailer Life magazine you can save a lot of $, and in the long run you'll be happier and your neighbors will thank you too.


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## rdowns (Oct 20, 2004)

It isn't only annpying for your neighbors it will make you grouchy as well. I really only see two camping applications for them:
1) you camp in the middle of _nowhere-no neighbors at all_ then I would only run it when I was away from camp like riding or hiking and only to charge the batteries.
2) Many people say loud generators are completely unnoticable at a nascar race

We have been fighting the generator game as well and there are some new, less expensbve generators on the market that are supposed to be pretty quiet. They are elim and also kipor. Kipor is the more expensive of the two. Camper Andy has one and may be able to chime in. The Chinese honda knockoffs are becoming very popular and can be found at pep boys, checkers and ebay. I am going with a built in so I haven't done much research on them but they are discussed with some regularity on rv.net. You may want to get some feedback over there.


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## 76 cougar (Jan 30, 2005)

I have one of the chinese copys mounted behind my 21rs. Ive used it 2 times now. You can see a picture of it in the gallery under mods. Ran it at night on the road for ac. I could here it in the camper but it was no loader than the ac it was running so no problem sleeping. Got it off ebay for less than 400. including shipping.


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

I have the Kipor KGE3500Ti and it is a very good value.

It is not as quite as the Honda EU3000IS out of the box, not much louder but noticeable. I added a Thrush Glasspack to it and except for the color you would not know it was not a Honda generator.

To the door cost is close to $1100 so it costs a bunch more then the elim but a ton less then the Honda's or Yamaha units.

So far I have about 20 hours, 10 testing, 10 camping (3 for ac cause it was too hot to eat inside and I did not have the bug tent up yet, 1 for microwave reheating food and 6 for battery charging).

When in Econo mode charging batteries it is completely camper friendly at 40 feet.


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## Banjo (Aug 1, 2005)

Y-Guy said:


> The reason the Honda's are spendy is they are quiet, the Yamaha line is a lot quiet and about the same price. If you plan to camp around anyone else please make sure you buy a quiet generator, one of the Craftsman is fine if you are camping in the boondocks, but not if you'll have a neighbor. The Honda/Yamaha line use good sound proofing so you can run your generator and still carry on a conversation without yelling. The cheap, contractor grade generators are so loud you'll find your neighbors will hate you.
> 
> On our last trip out one guy pulled out one of those generators, and of course put it behind his camper near us. Fired it up. OMG we couldn't talk without yelling. By the next morning I asked him to move it on his side of the camper since we couldn't carry on a conversation. You know he didn't want that, but he did it. Of course the generator no longer ran for 2 hours at a time.
> 
> ...


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## Banjo (Aug 1, 2005)

toolman said:


> I am considering the purchase of a generator for my 21RS. I have been hearing good things about the Honda EU2000 & 3000 generators but they are also VERY expensive. I have acces to a 4200 watt Craftsman Generator with the 30amp plug for $ 450. Do I need to purchase a generator with the 30 amp plug or can I just use the converter? How big of a generator do I need?
> 
> Toolman
> [snapback]46216[/snapback]​


In the long run, I think you would enjoy the Honda much more. Many campgrounds will not let you use the cheaper/louder units.
Will


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

Please buy a quiet unit, whatever you buy. Your neighbors (and you!) will appreciate it.







Those other construction gen's are way too noisy for most camping.


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## Humpty (Apr 20, 2005)

Also, consider renting one for a test drive. I will admit that the Honda's are expensive, but my EU3000 purrs like a kitten while pushing the A/C unit.

I have camped by someone with a contractor grade generator at a NASCAR event. VERY VERY loud! No one wants to see a neighbor unload a rattle trap!

Please, Please invest in a quiet generator.


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## nascarcamper (Jan 27, 2005)

rdowns said:


> It isn't only annpying for your neighbors it will make you grouchy as well. I really only see two camping applications for them:
> 1) you camp in the middle of _nowhere-no neighbors at all_ then I would only run it when I was away from camp like riding or hiking and only to charge the batteries.
> 2) Many people say loud generators are completely unnoticable at a nascar race
> 
> ...


Nascar race weekends are full of loud contractor grade generators and most people I've talked to are sick of it. We got lucky and ended up with elec and water hook-ups but you still get tired of hearing them rattle all night. Some people even run them all night when it's really cool out. Interesting enough they also end up putting them much closer to their neighbors than themselves. If I could only camp next to that racket I'd stay home and watch the race on TV.


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## rdowns (Oct 20, 2004)

nascarcamper said:


> Nascar race weekends are full of loud contractor grade generators and most people I've talked to are sick of it. We got lucky and ended up with elec and water hook-ups but you still get tired of hearing them rattle all night. Some people even run them all night when it's really cool out. Interesting enough they also end up putting them much closer to their neighbors than themselves. If I could only camp next to that racket I'd stay home and watch the race on TV.
> [snapback]47377[/snapback]​


You, know that makes a lot more sense to me. I guess people are justifying their loud units







O.K. then cross that exception off the list.


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## nascarcamper (Jan 27, 2005)

rdowns said:


> nascarcamper said:
> 
> 
> > Nascar race weekends are full of loud contractor grade generators and most people I've talked to are sick of it. We got lucky and ended up with elec and water hook-ups but you still get tired of hearing them rattle all night. Some people even run them all night when it's really cool out. Interesting enough they also end up putting them much closer to their neighbors than themselves. If I could only camp next to that racket I'd stay home and watch the race on TV.
> ...


I bought one just for races and I've never used it for that but I have used it for hurricanes a couple of times. It's built by Toro and I got it at Lowes. It's not as quiet as the Honda but it's 3500 or 4000 watts with a five gallon tank and you can stand over it and carry on a conversation. If I remember correctly it was only $400.00 a couple of years ago so it was much cheaper than the Honda with very little tradeoff in the noise department. The loud ones at the races are the 5 or 6000 units that spend the rest of the year under the barn with no maintenance. You can walk down the racetrack camping area at night and you wonder how they even sleep not to mention all the safety problems. I've seen them at Darlington with the cords lying in the mud puddles.







Anyone out there know of good camping areas at any of the east coast tracks? Now that Darlington is down to one race we need to find a replacement.


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