Author Topic: Inverter Generators.  (Read 12332 times)

Offline Agronomist_at_IA

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #60 on: Oct 24, 2016, 12:37 AM »
That's the point of the inverter generator. It's a fuel efficient very quite unit so you don't have to lug around 20 gallons of fuel or more for a weekend. My uncle has the Yamaha it's nice. 5 gallons got us through a weekend with the Yamaha. Thought I'd give the champion a try though, so far so happy.

Offline massNtrash

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #61 on: Oct 24, 2016, 08:18 AM »
You may want to take a look at the Polaris ones. They are mid range priced with a good company/warranty to back them with similar performance to the Yamaha or Honda.
http://www.polaris.com/en-us/generators

Offline rbalkevitch

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #62 on: Oct 24, 2016, 09:24 AM »
Woot as a deal on Inverter Gen today.

http://tools.woot.com/?ref=sh_gh_tg_5

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Offline Agronomist_at_IA

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #63 on: Oct 24, 2016, 11:30 AM »
Woot as a deal on Inverter Gen today.

http://tools.woot.com/?ref=sh_gh_tg_5

That's a great deal. It is the exact same motor the Yamaha has in it.

Offline Mainehazmt

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #64 on: Oct 25, 2016, 12:27 PM »
I have had inverter generators for for about 7+ years.  the first one was a John deere 1750   ran great still does I use it for camping and once I start it I never shut it down for a min of 3 days at a time  nothing better than always having power in the camper and hardly hearing it.  Got to have the sat TV and coffee pot going or Im staying home!    about 3 years ago I bought the Honda eu300is fantastic machine  a little heavy  but outstanding.  run it the same and it also runs the AC  the main reason I got it for the camper   and it is even quieter than the JD   I like the electric start  and a tank of fuel extends beyond 24 hrs at a time.   Just check and change the oil regularly .   I also have a large 6200 watt generator in case of emergency at home just for the 220 for the water pump   havent used that in 8+ years   prob no good now  lol   toooo loud!
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Offline Idahogator

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #65 on: Oct 25, 2016, 01:33 PM »


                      Just check and change the oil regularly . 



True Hazzy.

I change the oil in my Honda EU2000i at the very least every second year since 2004 and even then, the oil is still perfect.
 Here's a link to that oil/lubricant:  Synthetic       AND, it comes with a warranty.      ;)2
      

Offline Drifter_016

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #66 on: Oct 25, 2016, 05:04 PM »
True Hazzy.

I change the oil in my Honda EU2000i at the very least every second year since 2004 and even then, the oil is still perfect.
 Here's a link to that oil/lubricant:  Synthetic       AND, it comes with a warranty.      ;)2

I change mine every 100 hours. ;)

Offline Idahogator

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #67 on: Oct 25, 2016, 08:58 PM »
I'm closer to 500 or 600 hours, or every other year.    Once at 4 years and it was as clean as it went in.      ;)2
      

Offline J Hynes

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #68 on: Nov 06, 2016, 11:09 PM »
anyone know about Hyundai generators. I had a 3000 or 3500 watt and a 2000 watt inverter given to me. the guy said they needed some work to get going.

Offline Idahogator

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #69 on: Nov 06, 2016, 11:24 PM »
They may need fuel system cleaning if Ethanol blended fuel was used.     ;)2
      

Offline lunkerslayer

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #70 on: Nov 07, 2016, 01:50 AM »
Anyone purchase a smarter tools 2000 watt genie that has the same motor as the Yamaha

Offline DrewFlu33

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #71 on: Nov 07, 2016, 12:34 PM »
Any body bite the bullet and try one of the Harbor Freight "Predator" ones yet?  Doesn't look any cheaper than the Champion being mentioned at regular price, though I've seen them on sale (or available via coupon) as low as $400 flat. 

I'm certain they're no Honda or Yamaha, but I suspect you could buy one, add the two year free replacement, and still come in close to half of what the Hondas and Yamahas cost. 

I always shied away from Harbor Freight, but it seems like their quality has been on the upswing lately.  I bit the bullet on one of their "Central Pneumatic" air compressors a while back and have been nothing but impressed with it.  Very solid machine.  I had it with the two year replacement (which also allows you to trade it up to a more expensive model within that timeframe) out the door for $50 less than Menards cheap equivalent model.

Offline Agronomist_at_IA

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #72 on: Nov 07, 2016, 04:58 PM »
Any body bite the bullet and try one of the Harbor Freight "Predator" ones yet?  Doesn't look any cheaper than the Champion being mentioned at regular price, though I've seen them on sale (or available via coupon) as low as $400 flat. 

I'm certain they're no Honda or Yamaha, but I suspect you could buy one, add the two year free replacement, and still come in close to half of what the Hondas and Yamahas cost. 

I always shied away from Harbor Freight, but it seems like their quality has been on the upswing lately.  I bit the bullet on one of their "Central Pneumatic" air compressors a while back and have been nothing but impressed with it.  Very solid machine.  I had it with the two year replacement (which also allows you to trade it up to a more expensive model within that timeframe) out the door for $50 less than Menards cheap equivalent model.
i

Not sure on those, but I know the WEN & Champion are the two most common ones that most people go to when the yamaha and honda are to high priced. I picked up the champion for $450 shipped since it is a 1700 watt running. WEN was higher at the time. I figured I could buy another champion and stack the two for $900 and still be cheaper the the honda or yamaha with a lot more running watts avalible. The only thing about the champion is the fuel is gravity fed so any extended run tank needs to be set to gravity flow to it. where the honda will suck the fuel up on an extended run fuel tank.

Offline DrewFlu33

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #73 on: Nov 08, 2016, 07:43 AM »
Did Yamaha recently change to have a fuel pump?  I've always read that's a reason for choosing the Honda over a Yamaha.

Offline Agronomist_at_IA

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #74 on: Nov 08, 2016, 05:30 PM »
Did Yamaha recently change to have a fuel pump?  I've always read that's a reason for choosing the Honda over a Yamaha.

Your right you would have to gravity feed the Yamaha to.....so guessing WEN would also be that way.

Offline magnumguy

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #75 on: Nov 08, 2016, 08:33 PM »
We have used a Honda for years ( 15 I think ) for the ice hut, never let us down once, runs a ceiling fan, satellite box and tv, lighting inside and out and a couple of CPAPs and the furnace fan. We bought a cheaper one so we could use two at once when ice traveling, Damn thing didn't last one season. Wait until You can afford the best ( Honda Yamaha ), then You won't be left in the dark. 
Magnum

Offline lunkerslayer

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #76 on: Nov 11, 2016, 01:29 PM »
Cabelas has the champion inverter remote start 3100 watt for 799.00 that's 300 off regular price.

Offline Agronomist_at_IA

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #77 on: Nov 11, 2016, 06:03 PM »
We have used a Honda for years ( 15 I think ) for the ice hut, never let us down once, runs a ceiling fan, satellite box and tv, lighting inside and out and a couple of CPAPs and the furnace fan. We bought a cheaper one so we could use two at once when ice traveling, Damn thing didn't last one season. Wait until You can afford the best ( Honda Yamaha ), then You won't be left in the dark.

Why do you feel they are the "best" lots of people have had great results and experiences with the Yamaha and the Honda, but if you talk and look at reviews the WEN & champion also have a lot of good reviews. I mean I'm not saying the champion is the best or anything, but from talking to people and reviewing things it seems pretty reliable and works well for a lot of people.

Also at half the price you can get two vs one which would allow you to run the AC in the summer. I mean when it comes to cars a lot of people would call a caddy the best, but a GM, chevy, or ford does the job for less $$$. I agree that the Honda and Yamaha are good units, but are they really worth $550 more?

I chatted with a guy that used an older version of a champion that only had 1600 running watts vs the newer 1700 running watts they have now. He told me it ran his ice shack and stuff just fine, and couldn't really tell much difference vs the Honda that he had before. I asked him why he didn't get another Honda. He replied saying his Honda ate its pigs and when they went into MENARDS to get a new inverter generator that the champion was what was avalible so that's why he picked it up.

Offline Agronomist_at_IA

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #78 on: Nov 15, 2016, 06:20 PM »


No having to go out and refill the Ginny every 6-9hrs. Should be able to go a weekend without having to refill.

Offline chilly-willy

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #79 on: Nov 19, 2016, 01:21 AM »
Just thought to say this but on Sunday November 20 cabelas.Com has the champion 3,100 watt inverter genny on sale for 699.99 reg price is 999.99 just thought to throw it out there maybe some one will get a great deal on this one.. this is a one day only sale so trying to give time and heads up to every one about it..

Offline Shack man Shoney

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #80 on: Nov 19, 2016, 06:23 AM »
Where did you get the BERGS system?

Offline Agronomist_at_IA

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #81 on: Nov 19, 2016, 08:17 AM »
http://www.genxdirect.com

A guy could make one easy enough if you can find/buy just the cap for the generator you have.

Offline Agronomist_at_IA

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #82 on: Dec 06, 2016, 08:30 PM »
Camped out in my Ice Castle at my mother in laws this weekend. Tested out the champion generator, it was cold and a snow/sleet out. Champion ran great ran my ice castle just fine. eco mode worked great and kicked up and down when the fridge and funace blower kicked on. Guess I'll see how it goes this winter.

Offline Idahogator

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #83 on: Dec 06, 2016, 08:52 PM »
Where did you get the BERGS system?

I wont ignore your question, Shoney.     ;)2

 Here's a link to the cap and hose: Click here

And here's a link to the kit with tank: Click here
      

Offline Agronomist_at_IA

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #84 on: Dec 21, 2016, 12:08 AM »
Just a little update.

Head out to Upper Red Lake Sunday morning with the Ice Castle and Generator. Got to JR's Access at around 4:30 and there was 14.5in of ice. JR's acess was  letting out 8x16 wheel houses and 1500 pickups. Got out to about 9-10 ft of water was east of the rock pile a bit.  We drove about 8 hours up in around -25*F temps with the champion generator in the truck box. I was a little worried it might not start and might need warmed up in the truck or something. I pulled it out of the back of the truck box, and it started and ran on the second pull. I ran 10% ethonol blend no problem. The eco mode kicked up and down like it should when the mini fridge and furnace blower kicked in and adjust to the watt draw like it should with no issues. It ran like it should zero issues. I did have the top of the line synthetic oil in it though.

Now we ran it from 4:30 Sunday night to about 9AM on Monday. Temps changed from around -25*F to about 14*F. Sunday night sleeping on the ice was pretty crazy. It was about the loudest and most cracking I'd heard on the ice ever. We planned to stay until Wednesday morning. Well that changed quick. i was just getting ready to throw in a breakfast pizza while drinking our freshly made coffee. Then it just stared cracking loud and louder and louder.....I was like **censored**? is a truck or something driving by. So I opened the shack door to check.........OMG about 30ft or so from the shack the Ice started to heave up about 3ft high and the ice castle just shook like hell. The three of us ran out of the shack and watched a "Breaker" occur wondering if the shack and truck were gonna go in the water. A big crack from the main breaker shot under our shack and water shot up it, but the crack didn't seperate/open. To the shack north of us it just missed catching the back end of a guys truck. Another shack by us had a 2 foot wide crack occur under there I shack, it almost got there generator which was 6in from going in.

Since none of us had ever experianced a breaker or anything like it right outside out shack like that we were pretty nervous. Especially since we were kinda pushing it with an 8x16 wheel house and a 1500 truck. So we scrambled and loaded up the stuff and found a way back to the main road and around the cracked open breaker. Once we got back to shore we went in to see what JR's position was. They closed down and weren't letting anyone out or back out for two hours until they could acess the situation. After some debate, we ended up leaving and driving 8hrs home.

Does anyone think we over reacted driving home? I'm really thinking we did, and if the breaker would have happened 100yards away or more vs 20ft and seeing the ice raise 3ft we would have just kept fishing.

Thoughts?

Offline Whopper Stopper

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #85 on: Dec 21, 2016, 05:30 AM »
Been there, had that happen to me about ten years ago. You have to go with what was in your gut, I chose to stick it out when it happened to me, it is definitely unnerving. I didn't at the time have a house as big as yours so that was a plus in my case, also the bite at the time was fantastic.

There was a guy in a portable that had the ridge go right through directly under him throwing him 15 feet from where he was fishing. He has never been back lol

Under the circumstances you probably made the right choice. Getting stuck on the wrong side of the sheet could have been a disaster.

                  WS

Offline UFCreel

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #86 on: Dec 21, 2016, 05:42 AM »
Happened to us on LOW several years ago. Tilted the sleeper we were in.  :o We stayed. The bite after the tilt was fantastic.
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Offline Agronomist_at_IA

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Re: Inverter Generators.
« Reply #87 on: Jun 18, 2017, 12:58 AM »
Just a little update for guys. I ran across a pretty beat up Honda eu2000i and got it bought for $200. I then ordered parts off the net and fixed it up and got it running. Purrs like a kitten.

I did some test and ran it next to my champion 2000. All I can say is they are both great units, and both took what I threw at them. If someone is looking to save a few bucks, I wouldn't be afraid of the champion.

Now I just gotta sell or trade one of these so I can get a matching pair to parallel.

Also, just a heads up. The extended run gas cap, oil drain tube, and magnetic oil dip stick are must haves for these units. I'm supprised just how many fines these magnetic dip sticks pic up.


 



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