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  1. #11
    Big Traveler
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    The link provided by gbkims shows MSRP as $1149.95 US.

  2. #12
    Full Timer warsw1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bamaman View Post
    I would be going for one Champion 3500 watt inverter generator for around $800. The deluxe model with electric start and remote control is just under $1k.

    They are 90% as good as the Honda for car less than 50% of the cost. And the company actually has fantastic customer service.
    X-2. I went this route after using two 2K watt generators in parallel for two weeks. What I found is that even though one 2K watt generator is fairly quit two are not as quit as one 3500 watt Champion. Two 2K watt generators will use way more gas than one 3500 watt generator. Setting up two 2K watt generators is enough more work that you find yourself just skipping it. Two 2K watt generators weigh about 110 lbs and take up more room than a 90 lb 3500 watt Champion. The champion has remote start which is super nice in the mornings when you first get up and want to make that pot of coffee. The Champion will start and run my 15K AC even at 7K foot elevation. I really like a single Generator over messing with two. All of this for the price of one 2K watt Honda. Just my humble opinion.

    http://www.cabelas.com/product/CHAMP...ER/2236565.uts
    Randy & Sharon (Went full time April 14th 2017)

    2016 Ram CC SB Outdoorsman 4x4 CTD
    Michelin 295/70R18
    Fold-A-Cover G4 tonneau,
    Dee Zee truck bed mat,
    Dee Zee tailgate assist,
    Dodge Ram 4x4 Steering Gear Box Brace
    Fumoto oil drain valve,
    Husky floor liners,
    WeatherTech No Drill Mud Flaps,
    Firestone Ride-Rite Suspension Kit
    Reece Pro Series 20K lb 5th wheel hitch

    2018 Solitude 375res
    8K lb axles, springs & hubs with Nev-R-Lube bearings
    MORryde HD shackle kit with brass bushings & wet bolts
    Reece Sidewinder 19K lb pin box.

  3. #13
    Big Traveler SouthTX's Avatar
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    After seeing this thread earlier today, I was looking at the Honda generators and the 2000 watt unit has been replaced by a 2200 watt unit. Cheapest I saw them advertised was $999. I experimented a while back and found that a Champion 2000 watt generator would not start a 15k AC, but the Honda 2000 watt would. It was close, but the Champion just wouldn't do it.

    I also noticed that Ryobi also has a nice looking 2200 watt generator for $599 and it has a 3 year warranty. Has anyone tried this generator? If so, will it start a 15k AC? It also occurs to me that my 337RLS has both a 15k and 13.5k AC and I'll bet that gen will at least run the smaller AC. Being able to run at least a single AC and charge the batteries checks most of the boxes for me. My current 3000 watt generator is just getting to be to much trouble to load and unload.
    John and Jean
    Springer Spaniel furkids Mea and (the late) Molly
    Blogs - BataanMissing.com - AirSafety.info
    2017 Ford F-350 6.7L CC SB, Andersen Ultimate Hitch.
    2018 Reflection 337RLS fifth wheel.

  4. #14
    Full Timer warsw1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SouthTX View Post
    I experimented a while back and found that a Champion 2000 watt generator would not start a 15k AC, but the Honda 2000 watt would. It was close, but the Champion just wouldn't do it.
    A 15k AC requires 3300 to 3500 watts to start and 1500 to run. How does a Honda generator, that only puts out 2K starting watts max, start a 15k AC? Just curious. I have never even had a 2000 watt generator that would start a 13.5 AC. They take 2800-3000W to start.
    Randy & Sharon (Went full time April 14th 2017)

    2016 Ram CC SB Outdoorsman 4x4 CTD
    Michelin 295/70R18
    Fold-A-Cover G4 tonneau,
    Dee Zee truck bed mat,
    Dee Zee tailgate assist,
    Dodge Ram 4x4 Steering Gear Box Brace
    Fumoto oil drain valve,
    Husky floor liners,
    WeatherTech No Drill Mud Flaps,
    Firestone Ride-Rite Suspension Kit
    Reece Pro Series 20K lb 5th wheel hitch

    2018 Solitude 375res
    8K lb axles, springs & hubs with Nev-R-Lube bearings
    MORryde HD shackle kit with brass bushings & wet bolts
    Reece Sidewinder 19K lb pin box.

  5. #15
    Big Traveler SouthTX's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by warsw1 View Post
    A 15k AC requires 3300 to 3500 watts to start and 1500 to run. How does a Honda generator, that only puts out 2K starting watts max, start a 15k AC? Just curious. I have never even had a 2000 watt generator that would start a 13.5 AC. They take 2800-3000W to start.
    Its amps that start motors and - in theory - the 2000 watt generators have the starting amps to do the job. The problem is that while the Honda puts out enough amps to get over the hump, so to speak, and get the motor running, the Champion doesn't put out enough amps quite long enough to get it done.

    I found this out when I installed a Micro-Air starting unit and found that the Champion 2000 wouldn't start it. The Micro-air engineers were great and bought a Champion 2000 to test it against the Honda 2000 they already had.

    The Micro-air unit is not cheap, but it is less expensive than a second generator (and the extra weight, etc). If you're interested in the Micro-air there is an excellent thread (and discount code) on the Airstream forum.

    With all that said, I'm intriguied by the new generation of 2200 watt inverter generators and I wonder if the non-Honda units have enough oomph to get the job done - with or without the Micro-Air.
    John and Jean
    Springer Spaniel furkids Mea and (the late) Molly
    Blogs - BataanMissing.com - AirSafety.info
    2017 Ford F-350 6.7L CC SB, Andersen Ultimate Hitch.
    2018 Reflection 337RLS fifth wheel.

  6. #16
    Setting Up Camp
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    Well I just learned something about purchasing from Amazon..... You see a deal, JUMP ON IT! Those Honda generators just went up to $2,200 👎 I guess I'll be watching everyday now...

  7. #17
    Full Timer warsw1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SouthTX View Post
    Its amps that start motors and - in theory - the 2000 watt generators have the starting amps to do the job. The problem is that while the Honda puts out enough amps to get over the hump, so to speak, and get the motor running, the Champion doesn't put out enough amps quite long enough to get it done.

    I found this out when I installed a Micro-Air starting unit and found that the Champion 2000 wouldn't start it. The Micro-air engineers were great and bought a Champion 2000 to test it against the Honda 2000 they already had.

    The Micro-air unit is not cheap, but it is less expensive than a second generator (and the extra weight, etc). If you're interested in the Micro-air there is an excellent thread (and discount code) on the Airstream forum.

    With all that said, I'm intriguied by the new generation of 2200 watt inverter generators and I wonder if the non-Honda units have enough oomph to get the job done - with or without the Micro-Air.
    Watts equate to amps. If you don't have the watts you don't have the amps. Watts=power. Amps=flow. If you don't have the power (amps X volts) its not going to work. If you installed some sort of soft start in your AC then both generators should have started it unless there was something wrong with the Champion. The Champing is actually rated the same as the Honda for starting watts and rated 100 watts higher for running watts.

    Watts=power (used or in the case of a generator, available)
    Amps=flow rate (what the device draws)
    Volts=pressure (how much electrical push)

    The problem with these cheap soft start devises is they will void your warranty. Use at your own risk.
    Randy & Sharon (Went full time April 14th 2017)

    2016 Ram CC SB Outdoorsman 4x4 CTD
    Michelin 295/70R18
    Fold-A-Cover G4 tonneau,
    Dee Zee truck bed mat,
    Dee Zee tailgate assist,
    Dodge Ram 4x4 Steering Gear Box Brace
    Fumoto oil drain valve,
    Husky floor liners,
    WeatherTech No Drill Mud Flaps,
    Firestone Ride-Rite Suspension Kit
    Reece Pro Series 20K lb 5th wheel hitch

    2018 Solitude 375res
    8K lb axles, springs & hubs with Nev-R-Lube bearings
    MORryde HD shackle kit with brass bushings & wet bolts
    Reece Sidewinder 19K lb pin box.

  8. #18
    Full Timer warsw1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SouthTX View Post
    With all that said, I'm intriguied by the new generation of 2200 watt inverter generators and I wonder if the non-Honda units have enough oomph to get the job done - with or without the Micro-Air.
    The 2200 watts Honda will not even start a 13.5K AC without the aid of some sort of soft start. I had a Honda 2200 watt open generator back in the late 70s. I mostly used it to run the coffee pot and micro. I got brave one hot day and thought I would see if it would start the AC (13.5). When I turned the AC on it pulled the generator down and stopped it. The generator tried but just couldn't put out the 3000 watts it took to start the AC. The Hondas are good generators and liked by many but, they still won't magically put out half again their rated full load.
    Randy & Sharon (Went full time April 14th 2017)

    2016 Ram CC SB Outdoorsman 4x4 CTD
    Michelin 295/70R18
    Fold-A-Cover G4 tonneau,
    Dee Zee truck bed mat,
    Dee Zee tailgate assist,
    Dodge Ram 4x4 Steering Gear Box Brace
    Fumoto oil drain valve,
    Husky floor liners,
    WeatherTech No Drill Mud Flaps,
    Firestone Ride-Rite Suspension Kit
    Reece Pro Series 20K lb 5th wheel hitch

    2018 Solitude 375res
    8K lb axles, springs & hubs with Nev-R-Lube bearings
    MORryde HD shackle kit with brass bushings & wet bolts
    Reece Sidewinder 19K lb pin box.

  9. #19
    Site Sponsor gbkims's Avatar
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    This thread had some good info on 13.5K, 15K A/C inrush & running amps and 2000W generator rated and max amps.
    https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...ze-Genny/page3
    - Gene

    Kim & Gene
    2015 Reflection 317RST
    2017 Ram 3500 CC LB 4x2 6.7 CTD AISIN 3.73 DRW Auto Level Rear Air, BD3, Prodigy P3, Aux Tank

  10. #20
    Big Traveler SouthTX's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gbkims View Post
    This thread had some good info on 13.5K, 15K A/C inrush & running amps and 2000W generator rated and max amps.
    https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...ze-Genny/page3
    Thanks for posting that link, Kim & Gene. It was much more useful than a primer on Ohm's Law. Matteo, the Microair engineer, knows his stuff and is happy to share it. There are several additional threads on the Airstream forum if someone really wants to learn. There is also a thread there with a discount coupon - http://www.airforums.com/forums/f206...er-161955.html

    Best,

    John
    John and Jean
    Springer Spaniel furkids Mea and (the late) Molly
    Blogs - BataanMissing.com - AirSafety.info
    2017 Ford F-350 6.7L CC SB, Andersen Ultimate Hitch.
    2018 Reflection 337RLS fifth wheel.

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