Suggestions/advice on generators

Hello all,

I'm seriously looking at generators. Have any of you mounted one in your Wildcat? What about the exhaust?

Am interested in the Honda EU3000SI. Not the Handi--SI will deliver 25 amps vs Handi's 12 amps and for less money. The tradeoff, of course, is weight: 134# vs 77#. I could not lift the heavier gen myself. Would like to use the generator at home during power outages, as well as possible boondocking...mainly to power up batteries (that's my next topic...)

Have also seen generators mounted in the truck bed in a box similar to those aluminum toolboxes that go across the bed up by the cab. Any experience with those?



Any suggestions much appreciated, including what kind of generator you have and how you like it.

Thanks!

Deanna

Someone on here built a platform for the back of the CAT, which was connected using a trailer hitch with 2 receivers on it for strength. They mounted their Honda 3000 onto this platform and made a box to cover/hide it.

Hopefully, they will chime in, or someone will remember where the picture is and repost it for you.

You can have a generator mounted in the front compartment but it will be expensive. Someone did it. Jetskier?? Camping World carries Onan's and will install them.

I have twin Honda 2000's. They weigh 48 pounds each. One of them will run anything except the AC or the microwave (at high elevations). The two of them (along with a parallel kit) will run everything.

Look for it at the top .

Here is what I did, it is an Onan 5500 and I have since painted it white. There are more pics in my gallery. The fuel tank in 12 gallons and that will get me 18 to 20 hours of use.

I just bought the Yamaha EF3000iSEB. The Honda 3000 did not have enough juice to start my 15,000 btu AC, but with the extra 500 watts of boost from the Yamaha's battery for a few seconds is enough to start up without me worrying about putting too much stress on the compressor motor or the generator. I know there are those of you out there that say yours starts up just fine, but I prefer not to push the compressor or the inverter. IMHO, both will last longer and be happier for it.

Now I just need to buy the "toys" for it, like the remote start and a propane adapter so I don't have to carry gas.

Admin wrote:Look for it at the top .

YEAH, thats it...... Thanks Phillip.....

I think its a GREAT idea, and would do it if we ever needed a generator setup.

I am thinking of mounting my "Champion" genny the same way. On a rack in back of the Wildcat.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ONAN-5500-GAS-MARQUIS-RV-GENERATOR-UNDER-200-HOURS_W0QQitemZ220512453124QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3357910204

Here is a nice Onan on ebay if you're interested

Great ideas from all of you; thanks very much.

I like the portability of the Honda2000's. Does one of them have the 30 amp plug-in? If not, do you just use an adaptor plug and plug in the rig cord?

Having the generator on the back bumper is really appealing, too. Thanks for the picture at the top! Is the rack custom-made or ....?
How is the gen secured...both for safety or theft?

Deanna

Deanna wrote:Great ideas from all of you; thanks very much.

I like the portability of the Honda2000's. Does one of them have the 30 amp plug-in? If not, do you just use an adaptor plug and plug in the rig cord?

Having the generator on the back bumper is really appealing, too. Thanks for the picture at the top! Is the rack custom-made or ....?
How is the gen secured...both for safety or theft?

Deanna

My two Honda 2000's require a kit to get a 30A outlet and operate them in parallel.

Honda EU2000iA Generator


Parallel Operation Info

However, you do not need to buy that anymore. They now make a Honda EU2000ia Companion (extra $100) that has a built in 30A plug. You buy one standard generator and one companion generator; no need for the kit. You just buy a couple cables and save a couple hundred bucks.

I will definitely check in to that. The appeal is also that you could use one and/or the other to power a few lights, etc, in a bad weather outage, like the ice storms that seem be more frequent here in past years.

Haven't followed your links yet, but where did you buy yours?

Deanna wrote:I will definitely check in to that. The appeal is also that you could use one and/or the other to power a few lights, etc, in a bad weather outage, like the ice storms that seem be more frequent here in past years.

Haven't followed your links yet, but where did you buy yours?

Wise Sales

Shop around, I found mine for about $899; been a year or two.

Honestly; I have never had the need for both units. I've fired them up and tested them, but never really needed them. I seldom camp anywhere that I need AC; if it came to that I'd probably stay home. I did use them to run the microwave and my daughters hair dryer this past summer, but I hardly consider those necessities. At our elevations, it takes both to run the microwave.

RV Parallel kit for use with two standard Honda 2k generators:

$200 at Wise Sales

Parallel cables for use if you buy 1 companion and 1 standard Honda 2k.

$40 at Wise Sales. The companion cost about $100 extra, so with the $40 set of cables it would be about $60 less than the older kit version. Plus, they take up less space because you don't have the large converter hanging off the front of one of the units.

I think you should also consider the Yamaha generators. I have not done much research, but they seem to be nice units. Check both out.

Found about the same price at Camping World. There's a supercenter about 80 miles from me, so may take a trip and check the Hondas out.

Thanks very much for your help.

FWIW, I have the ONAN 5500 in my front compartment. Forest River put it in at the factory as a factory option. The frame was modified with the isolation base for the genset. I did not have it installed after deliver.

If I were to do it again, I'd probably go with the little Honda (or the pair). Most of the time you don't need more than 10-15a. The Honda can do that for the small loads and sip the gas. My Onan will run about 7-8 hours on 7 gallons of propane. The only time the bigger genset is nice is it can run two ACs.

One of the downsides to the portable units is security. You have to lock them up.

jetskier , i have a 2008 30lsbs i put my 3000si generator in front of my receiver in the bed of my truck, i had the local rv dealer instal a tranfer swich and another 30amp plug in the front next to my receiver on the camper , they also gave me a short 30amp cord , i plug it in when traveling. i then purchased a remote starter from hayes equipment with a key fob it works upto 100 ft away. this set up works awesome i can kool the camper down in route. i do alot of nascar races and this set up works great. cost me in total about $2700.00 . the problem with onan units is the use a lot of propane. my set will run my 15k a/c unit all night with my a/c cranking in 95 degree heat. generators that are installed in the front compartment ad weight , they can be noisy. my unit is super quite and i can park the truck in the front or in the back of my camper when parked and disconnected.

If a generator is mounted in the storage compartment, and the Cat's ductwork has little holes so heat can get into the storage compartment to keep it from freezing, what keeps fumes from the generator from entering the living quarters? Even with the storage compartment doors open, it seems to me fumes that get in through those little holes, and any other openings (around water pipes, etc.) could be strong enough to be dangerous.

Am I being paranoid?

I think if we were to get a generator, it would be mounted on the back.

Tater

There's a firewall and the front compartment is fully vented.

Essentially there are two compartments in the front. The side access and the front access. The storage pass-through is still through the sides. The generator and batteries are on the front. There is a panel between the two and it is caulked. The heater vent is in the storage area and does not share the same air as the generator.

See the diamond plate behind the genset and batteries........aka the firewall




See the diamond plate behind the batteries........aka the firewall



And the bottom (fully open to Genset mounting base)




The front door w/ vent.

Wow...great setup. Thanks for the pictures.

Deanna

Tom... like your set-up, how much weight do you have on the back rack? How much did it change the pin weight? Our unit ( 24R) has a 1 1/4 class II hitch, I think about 300 pound limit.

f150k wrote:Tom... like your set-up, how much weight do you have on the back rack? How much did it change the pin weight? Our unit ( 24R) has a 1 1/4 class II hitch, I think about 300 pound limit.

I would not put a generator on that hitch; not even sure about bikes. FR welded mine to the bumper; not a real strong set up. A lot of us have remove the 1 1/4" hitch and installed a 2" hitch welded to the frame. Link to photos in my signature.

The new Honda 2000 has a 30A plug built into one unit.

Yeah, I saw that. I've about convinced myself to go w/the Hondas. M/b start w/ one and see if a second one might ever be needed.

Do you guys have one/two?
Love your AKA Camping Dog title....

I have two. The second one is needed if you want a/c.

I like the Honda EU3000i. I have had mine since 2002. It still works great, has the same starting battery after 7 years and still meets all my needs.

http://www.bobbystuff.com/RV/05-01-Honda_Generator_cover.php

I have the EU3000i. Works great and handles all my needs. It also will not harm your laptops, LCD tv, etc. I only use the high idle for the AC...low idle is very soft and cannot be heard inside camper. ONLY complaint is the 144 # weight.

Update--I went to Camping World and bought the Honda 2000 and the Honda Companion. The price was right, and they were available. No shipping b/c I picked them up at the store. Generator weight was a big factor in my decision, as well as the db levels.

Thank you all for your input!