Generator and Fuel Management...

[lazinskm]

And has anyone tried to make their one genturi? I have seen plans for them, but haven't pulled the trigger. The pre-made ones are pretty expensive.....

[revjeffrey]

****Great thread! I think I'm leaning toward the Champion 3100 Rv. After reading this. Safe Travels.

[The Gritz Carlton]

I didn't take my Hondas this weekend...only the Champion 3100 with the 30A plug. Excellent unit...ran great, and covered every need we had except for the dual A/C's running at the same time. Best of all...runs for 3-4 hours on 1/2 gallon of gas...or less.

[revjeffrey]

If I was dry camping and for some reason (I have a Thor) All
Batteries drained. WILL Not Start..... Can I use champion for a jump start? Would I use CABLES or just plug in 30 amp cord and charge thru unit??

[The Gritz Carlton]

The unit comes with a build in plug AND a cable with battery clamps...especially for this purpose. It's only 10 amps but it will do the job. the Hondas have same thing. It will also charge the batteries just as it would if you were plugged into a 30A pole.

[revjeffrey]

I'm all in.... Unit will pay for itself. Thanks Everyone! Will be @ Joliet Races and Dragstrip this Summer. Party on!

[lazinskm]

How often do you have to run this unit to keep it going? Recommended monthly like RV generators?

[The Gritz Carlton]

My previous TT didn't have a generator. That's why I "built" my power program with the dual Hondas and the Champion. It gave me 2,000W, 3,100W and 4,000W options. I installed the BERGS dual extended fuel system to Hondas as they have fuel pumps. I can run them either or both of them on this fuel system. They would run all night and half the next day without refueling. I later bought the Champion 3100 for short term use as it was a quick and easy setup but only 3-5 hours on fuel tank. Research this as there are many options, depending on your use. For me...sleeping 8+ hours without having to refuel in the middle of the night was nice. We do a lot of races, dry camping and "outback" events. I have raw land in Florida we use a good bit also.

[The Gritz Carlton]

I crank every generator I own (6) every month and put a load on them, drill, saw...anything. Generators, boats and wives do not like being left alone!! I use regular gas on the road...when home, I replace it with non-ethanol while they sit. The Champion has a fuel shut off whereby you can run the carb dry before storing.

[Chance]

Is this the Champion you have? It’s a lot cheaper than smaller Honda 2000.

The reliable 171cc Champion single-cylinder OHV engine produces 3100 starting watts, 2800 running watts and can handle your essentials during an outage. Since this inverter produces only Clean Power (less than 3% THD), you can connect your sensitive electronics with confidence. Designed for safety with a low oil shut-off sensor, this inverter has a 0.6-quart oil capacity (recommended 10W-30).

Included are a 120V 30A RV (TT-30R), two 120V 20A household outlets (5-20R) plus a 12V DC automotive-style outlet with a dual USB adapter and 12-volt DC battery-charging cables.

Enjoy up to 8 hours of run time at 25% load when the 1.6-gallon tank of gasoline is full. From 23 feet, this inverter operates at 58 dBA – about the same noise level as normal conversation.

[The Gritz Carlton]

That's it!!

[The Gritz Carlton]

You would need two of the Hondas 2000's in parallel to run one A/C.

[The Gritz Carlton]

If I were going to do it over, I would pay just a few bucks more and get the Champion 3400 (not the dual fuel model) as it gives you just a little more wiggle room. A 13.5 A/C surges close to 2800. If by chance fridge compressor or anything else clicked in at the precise moment as A/C it could cause an overload. I never had a single issue this weekend (or ever) with the 3,100 and 1 A/C but...I would buy the 3,400 if I were you.

[Chance]

The Champion web site only shows the dual-fuel 3400 model (gasoline and propane). The other model may have been discontinued because it doesn’t pull up details.

Odd that I can’t find the weight. The larger 1.6 gallon fuel tank (compared to Honda 2000) is nice, but larger size plus remote electric start with battery may make it heavier than I’d want to mess with. Honda’s weigh under 50 pounds.

Anyway, how effective is remote electric start? That’s a nice feature I wish smaller Hondas had. Honda 2000 could also use larger fuel tank so they can run greater load overnight without refueling.



PS — Found weight at 95 pounds according to Amazon

[lazinskm]

https://factorypure.com/products/cha...-gas-generator

[Muggs]

Is an inverter style generator really needed?

I live in florida and have used conventional generators since Hurricane Andrew. Never seen an issue with cable TV, satelitte, internet, TVs or any of our computers.

I have a 5000 (Ancient), a 5500 (Katrina) and the recent RV ready Champion (It says 4000 surge, 3500 running). Only the Champion is ethanol acceptable. The advent of ethanol mix probably cost the older units 3 to 5% output. Seems to be less with older flathead 5000.

I have a 2016 Vegas, the A/C is 15,000 unit upgrade. The champion has no issue starting it. Once A/C is running, wife can use Breville convection/toaster oven or hot water pot without issue. The A/C and unit microwave cannot run together. The Champion will run 12 to 16 hours on 3.5 gallons of gas.

I figure the Champion will be in service 4 to 5 years then will give to son for his use.

The external generator is great for independant external power supply. I always carry a small battery charger, spare water pump, small air compressor and tools.

[The Gritz Carlton]

Good find, lazinskm...that's it!! I'm not a fan of electric or remote start. More things to break, another battery to manage, adds more weight and most generators need to run for a minute or so before you throw a load at it. Plus, I like to be there and visually observe connections before starting. I can unplug the camper, start generator and run for a few seconds, then re-connect.

[The Gritz Carlton]

Biggest advantage to the inverter styles is the ability for them to ramp up and down with power demand, thus quieter and saves fuel. I think the "sine" feature more applies to protection of sensitive devices like computers, etc.

[The Gritz Carlton]

If price is not a big deal, dual Honda 2000's with extended run fuel system and parallel kit is the best setup. Probably $2,000 -$2,200 range. A little more work setting up but huge run time.

[jpmihalk]

Originally Posted by The Gritz Carlton

AND...thanks for the advice and wake-up call on the Genturi!! Never hear of them but saw a fair number of them this weekend. What a great product and they break down for storage!! I will be ordering one of these this week. Many of these mega "gooberamas" such as race tracks, dragways, etc., where campers park close to each other are now starting to limit camping to self-contained motorhomes only and use of an exhaust riser is mandatory (Gator Nationals in Gainesville is one).

All NASCAR events require a Genturi or some sort of exhaust riser in the camper lots now. We tailgate at a lot of football games and wish they made it a requirement. I hate when my CO alarm goes off in the middle of the night and I have to go deal with my neighbors. Most are good about it but you never know...