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Generator help

By Jimmah,
in Trucks, Trailers, RV's & Toy Haulers

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Jimmah

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I'm having a hard time deciding on what type of generator to get for my 7x16 enclosed trailer. I plan to run a 20'' lcd tv, pc, 2 florescent fixtures, battery tenders, small air compressor mainly for tire filling, possible a radio, microwave, and some sort of outside lighting. I originally was going to buy 2 honda eu2000is but recent budget changes have affected that. I can get 2 brand new EUs for 1600.00 but they are scratch and dent. Today while at BJ's i saw a "3250 watt" generator for $200.00. now obviously you get what you pay for. But I will not be using this setup all to often. the generator was a all power agp 3012. from reading online I guess it's steady wattage is 2500. Any advice?

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madera4x4

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I use to use one eu2000 to power my 21 foot toyhauler. It ran every with no problem and would just rev up alittle when using the micowave.I could run all lights,tv radio and all the other crap the wife would bring with no problem.Plus I could run it right outside the door and didnt know it was there.In fact I still have it and keep it in my new toyhauler as a backup..yes my onan crapped out on me and the honda fired right up and kept us going for 2 more days.Lately I have seen some good deals on EU3000 going for $1500 to $2k and they have elect start. If you can start a EU2000 and start a cheap gen and you will know why the hondas rule, plus they last for ever, mine is 9 years old and will fire on the first pull everytime.

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Farmr123

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One thing to watch. Some of the cheapos aren't good for electronics, they don't control voltage precisely enough. My old generator would always activate the UPS on the computer & the one I have now doesn't. Often, the ones that ARE safe for electronics will tout that fact.

Ditto what UD said, the cheapo was louder than my new one, and had less than half the power output.

My brother has a Coleman 'Black Max' (their better one) and it runs electronics fine, has given zero problems, but is loud. However, for the price he gave (around $600) it has been a good one.

How much are you going to run it, how many hours a year? This should weigh into your choice, as well. The Coleman mentioned works great, but I wouldn't rely on it if I needed a generator 100 hours a month or anything. I just don't think it has as much life in it as a Honda one does.

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Jimmah

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Honestly would run it about 10 hours a yr., depending on how many events I did.

madera4x4: Did 1 EU2000 power everything you needed? I was almost thinking that it wouldn't be able to. Then again it's not like I would run everything at once.

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gixxer_76

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I run my toyhauler with 1 EU2000 as well and it works great. I don't have a microwave but a convection oven/microwave combo that draws 13A. I can run that and all the lights I need and the TV if I keep the fridge running on gas. It will also run the A/C, just not with the oven on. It's pretty easy to work around. For your listed draws, unless you have a huge microwave, you'll be fine with one EU2000.

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rezrider

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Quiet=$$$$$

The Honda is so quiet you can't hear it if you plug it into a 25' extension cord. Lot's of inexpensive generators are very reliable but quite noisy.

That is a fact...I had a friend who was too cheap to buy one in his trailer so he bought an "inexpensive" one at Home Depot...his battery went dead on him at 2:00 am one trip so he decided to strat up his gen and let it run the rest of the night so he and the wifey were nice and toasty...we and our other friends were up all night listening to it scream! needless to say, he ran it all day to charge up his battery for the next night and was threatened NOT to use it again if the batt dies! QUIET is the way to go!!!

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Ud_Luz

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That is a fact...I had a friend who was too cheap to buy one in his trailer so he bought an "inexpensive" one at Home Depot...his battery went dead on him at 2:00 am one trip so he decided to strat up his gen and let it run the rest of the night so he and the wifey were nice and toasty...we and our other friends were up all night listening to it scream! needless to say, he ran it all day to charge up his battery for the next night and was threatened NOT to use it again if the batt dies! QUIET is the way to go!!!

I know a rider that has a Super Soaker full of salt water for use on those pesky construction generators at night. ?

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markseaba

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Buy the Honda for noise alone like the rest are saying. I have the LOUD ass 3500 cheap generator. Runs great, runs everything. I also am the one who parks at the edge of camp and runs it out 100 feet away trying not to bother anyone. At midnight it can be damned ass cold to go out, find it, then turn it off.

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Grand Master

Chickenhauler

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That is a fact...I had a friend who was too cheap to buy one in his trailer so he bought an "inexpensive" one at Home Depot...his battery went dead on him at 2:00 am one trip so he decided to strat up his gen and let it run the rest of the night so he and the wifey were nice and toasty...we and our other friends were up all night listening to it scream! needless to say, he ran it all day to charge up his battery for the next night and was threatened NOT to use it again if the batt dies! QUIET is the way to go!!!

My parents had a rather noisy Onan on their RV, and I added a muffler from a Geo Metro to the end of the tailpipe-still not stealth mode, but you can carry on a conversation while standing next to it in a normal tone now.

You guys crabbing about genset noise make me laugh-you outta pull a refrigerated trailer once.?

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damone

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I run my toyhauler with 1 EU2000 as well and it works great. I don't have a microwave but a convection oven/microwave combo that draws 13A. I can run that and all the lights I need and the TV if I keep the fridge running on gas. It will also run the A/C, just not with the oven on. It's pretty easy to work around. For your listed draws, unless you have a huge microwave, you'll be fine with one EU2000.

I have issues with my EU3000 running my 15K BTU AC (only if nothign else is on, even the fridge on auto), I'm surprised the EU2000 can run what I assume is a 13.5k BTU AC.

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gixxer_76

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I have issues with my EU3000 running my 15K BTU AC (only if nothign else is on, even the fridge on auto), I'm surprised the EU2000 can run what I assume is a 13.5k BTU AC.

Yup, it's a 13.5K, 2008 model. Apparently the newer (I don't know what year would be the break) ones are lower draw. I switch the fridge to gas, not auto, and I turn off the ECO Throttle feature so I don't "brownout" my A/C unit. Once the A/C is running I switch the ECO Throttle back on and it idles down quite a bit. It will actually run the fridge too but there is no point loading it that heavy when I can just use the propane.

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