Portable generators

[ernest917]

Anyone use a Champion Power Equipment 200988 4500-Watt Dual Fuel RV Ready Portable Inverter Generator, Electric Start while camping????

[code2e]

Many folks don't realize how noisy their newly acquired generator will be until they buy it and try it.

The Champion you are looking at actually only supplies 3500 continuous watts on gasoline. Only 3150 watts on propane. Not sure how much you will be needing, but good to know.

The Champion develops 61 decibels of noise. By comparison, A Honda EU3000iS delivers 2800 continuous watts and only develops 50 to 57 decibels of noise.

May not look like a big difference, say 57 vs. 61. Except that each decibel increase is a doubling of noise. So 4 decibels higher is 4 times as noisy. The Honda at low demand only develops 50 decibels. 11 times quieter.

Just good info to have. Honda's cost more and have resale value because of popularity and dependability. Champion costs less and won't bring much resale.

[Backcountry1]

Originally Posted by code2e

Just good info to have. Honda's cost more and have resale value because of popularity and dependability. Champion costs less and won't bring much resale.

A Honda 3000 cost roughly 2 1/2 times the price of a Champion 4500. Is the Honda 2 1/2 times more dependable in both performance and longevity? Even if the Champion only last on average 5 years, I can still get 12 years of Champion generators before I reach the price of a Honda. And the resale price of a 12 yo Honda… probably not the greatest anyways.

[Solo_RV_Guy]

Originally Posted by Backcountry1

A Honda 3000 cost roughly 2 1/2 times the price of a Champion 4500. Is the Honda 2 1/2 times more dependable in both performance and longevity? Even if the Champion only last on average 5 years, I can still get 12 years of Champion generators before I reach the price of a Honda. And the resale price of a 12 yo Honda… probably not the greatest anyways.

The noise from that Champion will be the bane of the campground. Seriously. You won't realize it until you have to run it in the evening and see your neighbors giving you the Evil Eye.

Resale on Honda generators is hard to gauge because you seldom see used Hondas for sale. Because folks keep 'em.

[Olyteddy]

Originally Posted by code2e

...May not look like a big difference, say 57 vs. 61. Except that each decibel increase is a doubling of noise. So 4 decibels higher is 4 times as noisy. The Honda at low demand only develops 50 decibels. 11 times quieter...

Not quite. a 3dB change is a doubling or halving of power but a perceived doubling of noise is actually around 10dB.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics...ess-perception

[Berryfarmer]

Actually it takes a 3 decibel increase to double the intensity of a sound, but to be perceived by the human ear it takes an increase about 10 decibels to sound twice as loud. The four decibel difference between the 57 Decibel Honda and 61 Decibel Champion generator noise levels to the average person wouldn’t be 4 times louder, the Champion would only be louder, but not “sound” twice as loud.

[vsheetz]

While the Honda generators are quiet. The comparable Champion I'd not characterize as being annoying to neighbors.

I've a champion 2800 for several years. Quiet, easy to start, reliable - in my experience.

[sahively]

Champion 3100 owner here. While I love the slightly quieter Yamaha/Honda sound, I've never felt like I'm annoying my neighbors at all. The Champion is louder for certain but in no way does it sound 10 times louder. I'm pretty self conscious about this stuff and wouldn't turn it on if I felt it was potentially bothersome.

[Backcountry1]

Originally Posted by Solo_RV_Guy

The noise from that Champion will be the bane of the campground. Seriously. You won't realize it until you have to run it in the evening and see your neighbors giving you the Evil Eye.

Resale on Honda generators is hard to gauge because you seldom see used Hondas for sale. Because folks keep 'em.

I own two Champions, a 2500 watt and a 4650 watt. The 4650 is noticeable louder than the 2500. And it also is louder than a Honda. BUT, I have never had neighbors give me the stink eye for running my 4650 on over half power. So much so that I’ve gone to my camping neighbors (in State Park, COE, and NF campgrounds) and have personally asked them while running the generator if they were annoyed, bothered, or believed it was too loud. Never had a complaint yet.

[code2e]

Originally Posted by Backcountry1

A Honda 3000 cost roughly 2 1/2 times the price of a Champion 4500. Is the Honda 2 1/2 times more dependable in both performance and longevity? Even if the Champion only last on average 5 years, I can still get 12 years of Champion generators before I reach the price of a Honda. And the resale price of a 12 yo Honda… probably not the greatest anyways.

I was not inferring that Honda was the only generator worth having. They arguably are the most dependable and certainly are the quietest.

That said, they are expensive and every buyer should make an informed decision. Value is a different number for each of us.

I merely offered information many don't find before buying.

[code2e]

Originally Posted by Olyteddy

Not quite. a 3dB change is a doubling or halving of power but a perceived doubling of noise is actually around 10dB.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics...ess-perception

I should have used the term "perceived sound pressure" and not just decibels. What we perceive in noise levels doubles by decibels. An increase of 4 decibels would be perceived as 4 times as much sound pressure to our ears.

You are correct that a 10 decibel rise doubles the sound level.

Either way, a buyer needs to be ok with the noise level, as do their neighbors.

[Backcountry1]

Originally Posted by ernest917

Anyone use a Champion Power Equipment 200988 4500-Watt Dual Fuel RV Ready Portable Inverter Generator, Electric Start while camping????

Are you looking to buy one, or already own it? The reason why I ask is this; The price from gas only to a dual fuel one is approximately $150 difference. The dual fuel is nice IF you don’t plan on using it for an extended amount of time while on your camping trip, or you plan/want/can carry atleast 1-2 LP bottles to run the propane off of. The run time on LP is 21 hours at 25%, while gas is 14 hours. BUT… for the same space (5 gallon gas can vs 20 lb LP bottle) you get approximately 30 hours on gas, compared to the 21 on LP. Plus gas is probably easier to come by while camping than getting a tank refilled/exchanged. And cheaper too.

Many people use their dual fuel on strictly propane, but many only for a few hours a day to charge batteries and such. A 4500 seems like you’re looking to power the entire rv/trailer for a while at a time. If you wanted the convenience of being able to use LP, then the extra $150 might be worth it. But if you wanted to use the generator to fully power the rig off grid for a long weekend or such, I think you’ll come to see that the LP is cost inefficient and that extra $150 wasn’t necessarily worth it.

[Cumminsfan]

Last time I went camping a few weeks ago I left my Generac 3500iq in the bed of the truck so it wouldn't bother the CG neighbors. I was diligent about using it. But then one neighbor fires up his Honda 2000 at close to max rpm and you couldn't here my 3500iq that was 30' from me. Then the other neighbor fires up some off brand harbor freight? 1000w gen that sounds like a 2cycle dirt bike trying to climb a widow maker.
Point being it seems like more and more people are running gens these days at least where we camp. So run what you got because chance are your neighbors will be the noisier ones.

[code2e]

Originally Posted by Cumminsfan

Last time I went camping a few weeks ago I left my Generac 3500iq in the bed of the truck so it wouldn't bother the CG neighbors. I was diligent about using it. But then one neighbor fires up his Honda 2000 at close to max rpm and you couldn't here my 3500iq that was 30' from me. Then the other neighbor fires up some off brand harbor freight? 1000w gen that sounds like a 2cycle dirt bike trying to climb a widow maker.
Point being it seems like more and more people are running gens these days at least where we camp. So run what you got because chance are your neighbors will be the noisier ones.

Honda also makes open frame construction generators, They are loud. The Honda's referenced here are Invertor models like EU2000i. Very quiet.