Generator for camper trailer

[Brightwhite]

My wife and I finally bucked up and got a camper trailer so we can get our young kids out with us to do more things in the future.

I plan on doing 80% or more of the camping away from dedicated pay sites, so that leads me to believe I must have a good generator.

Most of our fun will be in Colorado where the biggest energy suck, the AC unit probably won’t get used much. But if I’m dishing out the money on a generator I want to do it hopefully only once and have something that will supply enough power for lights, appliances, and the AC if we do a trip to a warm weather climate.

Any advice from roksliders on what I should be puttting my hard earned money towards?

Right now I am eying these two options:

Two of the Honda 2200 models with a parallel kit. Costly with about $2k+, but light to maneuver in and out of my truck bed or camper.

Champion 3000 watt model, has remote start, looks like it’s not as quiet or fuel efficient as the Honda’s, but would be half the cost at $900-$1000. It looks like some of the RV sites claim it will run a 13.5btu ac, but I’m thinking that it’s probably the top end of what it can handle.

I am worried about portability and moving it around. I would be doing some solo trips for hunting as well and do not want a 150 pound’er that I can’t get out of the truck bed.

 

[Terrapin]

I think you are on the right track with the 2200 Honda. Buy one, then decide over time if you need the second. We never added the second one.


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[87TT]

You could bet two of a cheaper brand quiet type generators that run parallel, I picked up one with a Yamaha motor for $400 at Costco a while back. 2000 watts is a little misleading as they as well as the Hondas are really only 1600 to 1800 running with a peak of 2000. With two small ones you can move them farther away easier and have the option of only using one if full demand isn't there.

 

[hodgeman]

I've had the Honda for the last 5 years...nothing but good things to report. Quiet and efficient.

 

[Boomer51]

Get the Hondas. Quiet, easy starting, relable. I bought the Champion first. Too heavy to move easily. Too big to put inside the camper. The hondas are awesome. We live and camp in MT. It's soooo nice to have AC when you need it.

 

[Smithb9841]

I’m a big fan of my WEN generator, I have the 3800 model and it works very well. They have an open frame model now that’s a little cheaper which they didn’t when I bought mine a couple years ago but I like the closed frame model. It’s pretty quiet I have had it running all night right outside my window of my trailer and I sleep through it no problem.
I have never tried to run my AC unit with it but it powers everything in my trailer no problem.

 

[tdhanses]

I have a 3000watt Firman, very similar to a Champion and it has zero issue running the AC. If you get the Honda, some have had good luck using it to run the AC with only one by installing an easy start on the AC.

I really like my 3000watt but it is heavy and bulky but a buddy of mine has the Champion electric/remote start and man would it be nice to not have to go out in the morning to start it or the rain. The Champion is the same size as mine so heavy and bulky as well.

You could try one Honda, look into the AC easy start especially since you don’t think you’ll use the AC much, really doubt you would use the 2nd unit much and this may save you around $600.

 

[tdhanses]

EasyStart Breeze Soft Starter

Choose from 2 different models to best meet your specific needs. EasyStart Breeze - At a Glance Compatible with RV rooftop or basement air conditioners and heat pumps. Significant reduction of up to 75% in starting current. Real-time fault detection technology is available to accurately identify...

www.microair.net

 

[colersu22]

I have been around the Yamaha 2000, Honda 2000 and ryobi 2000 all at the same time and hands down the Honda was the quietest. The other two where not bad by any means even when they ran all night long it was still easy to sleep.

 

[Crowmangler]

You won't regret getting the Hondas. bombproof & extremely quiet which IS a big deal when you're out like that. Not just to you but if you ever camp around other folks they will be happy you did also.
It's also nice to be able to move them around by yourself easily

 

[92xj]

I just went through this process last year.
We bought a 25' because the wife was done with the tent with a 6month old and a 2 year old.
I ended up buying two of the smaller units, like you are wanting to do. It's the perfect solution. Easy to move around by yourself when setting up camp. Have the wife take the kids and go play, you do the camper solo. I bought the parallel cord for that one day we run everything at once. I went with Westinghouse from home depot. Found them on sale for around 425, they are just as quiet, one pull start and have had zero issues with them. Summer time in the desert we hit temps above 100. These two powered our AC perfectly. I take both with my everytime we go out and alternate running each one. Full tank of gas will last us a weekend, so each one is run every other trip. No complaints so far.

Westinghouse iGen2500 2,500/2,200-Watt Super Quiet Gas Powered Inverter Generator with LED Display and Enhanced Fuel Efficiency iGen2500 - The Home Depot

The Westinghouse iGen2500 Portable Inverter Generator produces up to 2,500 peak watts and 2,200 running watts, making it perfect for emergency home backup during a power outage or for recreational uses

www.homedepot.com

Westinghouse WHPC Inverter Generator Parallel Cord WHPC - The Home Depot

The Westinghouse WHPC Inverter Generator Parallel Cord allows you to combine the power output of two Westinghouse Inverter Generators. Compatible with any Westinghouse Inverter Generator. Including new

www.homedepot.com

 

[Justin Crossley]

I bought two of the Yamaha generators from Costco and they run the AC fine. Only issue I've had is one them got an air lock in the fuel line. Easy to fix by quickly venting the line once I figured it out. I wasn't very happy at the time though.

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[Brightwhite]

Wow, thanks for all of the quick feedback, too many good ones to comment on them all.

For the Yamaha ones at Costco that a few of you are running are you talking about these A-iPower ones that are saying "powered by Yamaha" engine?

https://www.costco.com/a-ipower-1600w-running--2000w-peak-gasoline-powered-inverter-generator.product.100343958.html

That price looks super tempting with the parallel cord included.

 

[87TT]

That's the one but they were on sale for $399 at the time.

 

[Broomd]

... No complaints so far.

Westinghouse iGen2500 2,500/2,200-Watt Super Quiet Gas Powered Inverter Generator with LED Display and Enhanced Fuel Efficiency iGen2500 - The Home Depot

The Westinghouse iGen2500 Portable Inverter Generator produces up to 2,500 peak watts and 2,200 running watts, making it perfect for emergency home backup during a power outage or for recreational uses

www.homedepot.com

..

I have the Westinghouse as well. I really deliberated on that as I am a HondaYamaha guy. I took a chance.
Our (prior model) 2400 generator has been flawless, zero issues for about five years now.

I liked it so much I bought the Westinghouse 9000/7500 unit for my whole home use. It has a dedicated generator house wired into the home wiring. It's also been bulletproof for almost 4 years, and at 1/3-1/4th the cost of the Honda or Yamaha!

 

[Wrench]

You guys that haven't seen a Yamaha 2400ishc need to check it out. Honda noise and fuel use but starts the microwave and the ac in one small unit.

I use it on my arctic fox trailer and can't tell if it's running or not.....and its mounted on the trailer.
I

 

[Justin Crossley]

Wow, thanks for all of the quick feedback, too many good ones to comment on them all.

For the Yamaha ones at Costco that a few of you are running are you talking about these A-iPower ones that are saying "powered by Yamaha" engine?

https://www.costco.com/a-ipower-1600w-running--2000w-peak-gasoline-powered-inverter-generator.product.100343958.html

That price looks super tempting with the parallel cord included.

Those are what I bought. Couldn't beat the price.

 

[92xj]

Check your needed watts to start the AC. Then think about everything else that could be running using those watts. When doing all my calculations, I really wanted to be around the 5k watt so those Westinghouse fit the bill at 2200-2500 a piece. Just to start my 15000 BTU AC I needed 3500 watts.

 

[Wrench]

Check your needed watts to start the AC. Then think about everything else that could be running using those watts. When doing all my calculations, I really wanted to be around the 5k watt so those Westinghouse fit the bill at 2200-2500 a piece. Just to start my 15000 BTU AC I needed 3500 watts.

The ishc has a built in capacitor bank to kick off the high demand loads. The gen doesn't even accelerate as the load is applied.....it just slowly ramps up.

 

[widnert]

We use this Generac 3000i unit. Runs our entire camper with ease. Using the DB sound meter I downloaded on my phone, it's just as quiet or quieter under load than the Hondas.

Generac GP3000i 3000-Watt Gasoline Powered Recoil Start Inverter Generator Super Quiet with PowerRUSH Technology - 50 State/CSA-7129 - The Home Depot

Keep your essential items powered with the addition of this Generac Gasoline Powered Recoil Start Inverter Generator Super Quiet with PowerRUSH Technology.

www.homedepot.com