GENERATORS??? |
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Colt
Senior Member Joined: 16 Nov 2019 Online Status: Offline Posts: 383 |
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Topic: GENERATORS??? Posted: 16 May 2021 at 11:18am |
I had a discussion with a retired Honda generator tech. He droned on and on about how much better a Honda was than everything else. I've had 4 Honda Motorcycles, 1 Car and now a Honda powered lawn mower.
Honda generators may well be better. I don't need a Rolls-Royce to drive to work. And I sure don't want to pay for one. My Ducati has been as reliable and trouble free as the best of my Hondas. My Kawasakis have been perfect! The Honda engine on my mower is great if you can start it without WD-40 (no ethanol, always stabilizer treated fuel). The Accord was the most expensive car to maintain I've ever had and needed a new tranny at 98k miles. I'm not anti-Honda, but they are not sliced bread. OP, you sound like you want an inverter generator for the noise. I have a Powerboss 3500/4350 synchronous generator that starts my A/C with barely a change in sound. I think you should be looking at a generator with a surge capacity in the 3500 watt class, to keep weight and cost down. Look at Briggs inverters; I think they have one in the right size. |
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John
'16 R-Pod 180 |
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offgrid
Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 15 May 2021 at 10:12am |
You can run your a/c from a Honda 2.2k if you install an Easystart on your a/c to reduce startup load. That would give you a small lightweight, high quality generator for about $1k. The Easystart costs about $300 but is well worth it.
Also consider a propane conversion, much cleaner and easier than carrying around gasoline. You already have propane on your trailer. As for noise, the inverter generators are quiet when at low power demand because the inverter allows them to run at low rpm. But none of them are quiet when heavily loaded, including the Hondas. There are numerous studies on the energy balance of corn ethanol, and although the majority conclude that it has a positive energy balance, its certainly not great. Ethanol's main benefit is as an oxygenating agent so it improves air quality. But it's bad for small engines for sure, especially one that sit around unused for long periods. |
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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Pod People
Senior Member Joined: 22 Sep 2011 Location: Chapel Hill,NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 1078 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 15 May 2021 at 9:48am |
I have a Honda 2200. It was "on sale" at CW for $995 including a vinyl cover. I converted it to propane and added a MicroAire Easy Start to the AC. The Honda powers the AC fine. I can't run M/W and AC at the same time, but everything else is available with the 2200. It is quieter than most generators, starts every time and has been mechanically sound. It is light enough that my wife or I can carry it. I view it as a long term purchase and happy I spent the extra money to get the quality I wanted. If it were stolen or I needed a generator, I would buy another one just like it. I have no hesitation recommending it. Vann
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chasl
Newbie Joined: 04 Mar 2021 Location: New Mexico Online Status: Offline Posts: 30 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 15 May 2021 at 9:34am |
I purchased a Champion 3100W generator some years ago. It's working well, and runs everything (not at the same time) in my RPOD including the air conditioner.
It's pretty quiet for 3000 plus watts, and the one they make now which replaced this model is dual fuel. I've not used one of those, but it's output is 3400 Watts peak, and claims to run fairly quiet. I've heard the Honda generator is the best for reliability and noise, but they do cost considerably more than other brands.
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cl
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campman
Senior Member Joined: 26 Mar 2021 Location: La Salle, MB Online Status: Offline Posts: 209 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 15 May 2021 at 8:53am |
https://www.pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=ON
Here is a link that many may be interested in for finding ethanol free fuel, at least in Canada and the USA. Seems I just lucked out in my choice of fuel stations in our little town where I fill up my gas cans. |
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Andy and Laurie
'16 F150 5.0 4X4 w/factory tow pkg '21 RP192 "If the women don't find you handsome...at least let them find you handy!" Red-Green |
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campman
Senior Member Joined: 26 Mar 2021 Location: La Salle, MB Online Status: Offline Posts: 209 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 15 May 2021 at 7:32am |
Thanks Stephen, I stand corrected...not all premium fuels are ethanol free, even if we wish they were!
:-) Suffice to say,imho, what ever fuel you use in your seasonal/low use engines, put the best fuel in it you can get in your area and stabilize it. I always add good quality fuel stabilizer and enough to last 2 years. I use Stabil, Seafoam or Phaseguard to help ensure less chance of the fuel going bad. To further guard against carb issues I also turn off the petcock (where available, and every genny I have had had a fuel shutoff) and run 4 stroke motors until the carb is emptied of fuel. 2 stroke motors like chainsaws please don't run them out of fuel as they need the oil for lubrication. I used to mix my own but for years now I use the engineered premixed fuel. It is good for at least 2 years and I haven't regretted it. Once the motor has burned all the fuel available and stalls out, I then pull the start cord until firm resistance is felt...this rotates the motor until it reaches its compression stroke which means both intake and exhaust valves are closed. This seals the motor from air/moisture getting in which could lead to corrosion/damage in the motor over time. |
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Andy and Laurie
'16 F150 5.0 4X4 w/factory tow pkg '21 RP192 "If the women don't find you handsome...at least let them find you handy!" Red-Green |
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StephenH
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6326 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 14 May 2021 at 11:35pm |
The dirty secret about ethanol is that it has less energy per gallon than gasoline. When 10% is added to gasoline, the mileage one gets from that adulterated gasoline is about 10% less than if gasoline without ethanol were used. Not to mention that something that is a food stock is then diverted into making ethanol. I'm not sure about the numbers, but it takes much more energy to produce a gallon of ethanol than it does to produce a gallon of gasoline. The link below has some numbers, but that is only one side of the picture. The second link has pros and cons of ethanol.
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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
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Tars Tarkas
Senior Member Joined: 14 Jan 2013 Location: Near Nashville Online Status: Offline Posts: 1447 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 14 May 2021 at 11:22pm |
Absolutely, positively, use ethanol-free gas in any small gas engine. Ethanol will kill a small engine if you aren't careful. Around here I don't think it's available in premium octane, but it is more expensive than gas with 10% ethanol gasoline. TT
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2010 176
FJ Cruiser |
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jato
Senior Member Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3252 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 14 May 2021 at 10:27pm |
What normally is ethanol free is called RV gas . . . no ethanol and is 90-91 octane. I run it in all my small engines: string trimmer, chain saws, leaf blower, log splitter, snow blower. Most amazing is I never have to add Stabil or any thing similar to RV or Rec. gas. My leaf blower sits for 11 months at a time without getting used. 1 pull on full choke and it starts right up - been that way for years. Wouldn't do that with regular gas sitting in a tank for that long. Before using rec or RV gas I would add Stabil to my log splitter as it would not get used for up to 6 months at a time, bad results, as things gummed up and had to purchase a new carb, it was so gummed up I was unable to clean it out good enough to have it run properly and it was only 3 years old.
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God's pod
'11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
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StephenH
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6326 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 14 May 2021 at 10:05pm |
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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
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