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Truck Camper Forum _ Support Equipment _ Generator?

Posted by: DA TOAD Jun 29 2016, 06:05 AM

Our new camper can with one of the Honda 2000 generators. It is a heavy little sucker. Difficult to get into the storage compartment that is supplied for it on our Arctic Fox sad.gif ...but it is what is.

For those of you that do carry the generators with you; how much gas do you carry along and what type of container dot you carry it in. I am a little leary about carrying 2-3 gallons of extra gas. wink.gif

I am testing the generator today for the first time hooked up to the camper to make sure I know how it works and if it works properly. I have not tested the generator yet to see how long it runs on a full tank of gas. This weekend I plan on filling it up in the morning, turning the air conditioner and refrigerator on and probably a few lights to see how it runs and how long it will run on a full tank of gas under a load.

Any tips or suggestion greatly appreciated. biggrin.gif

Posted by: Spanky Jun 29 2016, 08:54 PM

I have a Honda eu3000i and it is 30amp, its also very heavy. My friend has a Honda 2000 and when it is running and his ac kicks on sometimes it will stall the generator. I carry 5 gallons of gas in an old army jerry can mounted on my Jeep.

Posted by: Colorado_Kid Jul 10 2016, 06:29 PM

I don't believe the Honda 2000 generator was meant to run an air conditioner. You need two 2000 or a 2000 and a 1000 combined.

Posted by: DA TOAD Jul 11 2016, 07:53 AM

QUOTE(Colorado_Kid @ Jul 10 2016, 07:29 PM)
I don't believe the Honda 2000 generator was meant to run an air conditioner. You need two 2000 or a 2000 and a 1000 combined.
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Tested it out last week. Ran the AC, and lights no problem at all. Even ran the water pump with the AC and lights and everything worked just fine.

Posted by: deminimis Aug 26 2016, 11:17 AM

If you can, I'd rec you carry gasoline outside the vehicle and camper. I'd recommend against carrying gas inside your camper's storage compartment. I suspect your waterpump ignition is not sealed (unless it is rated for marine use) and the tiniest electric spark, coupled with gas fumes, and you could be in a world of hurt. Although I'm sure some might disagree with me, but it you have to carry fuel inside, then I'd rec your shower/bathroom with the room vented. Make sure the camper is well vented of fumes before you start firing up appliances. We'll done this and although not ideal, you should be fine if you take precautions.

We have a onbaord genny and a Honda 2000. Since we picked up the Honda, I don't even touch the onboard genny except to exercise it once in a while. In fact we don't eve run the Honda if it's day time due to all our solar. The Honda is quiet and it sips fuel. 8hrs on a tank is not unreasonable (that would be without overstressing it trying to run an AC unit) but I confess, we've never ran it anywhere that long at one time (perhaps a couple of hours to watch a flick at night at most).

Posted by: SidecarFlip Oct 16 2016, 07:09 PM

I don't need or want a stinking air conditioner..... I camp in the woods. It's always cool there, even in mid summer.

I carry a Champion 2000 watt inverter. I fill the tank on the Champ before I leave home, turn the gas off and close the tank vent and put it on the floor of the camper...weighs 50 pounds, maybe. Plenty of gas for a weekend.

I use the genny to top off the house battery so I can run my CPAP on the xantrex inverter all night and maybe run the bug zapper that hangs on the camper awning if the bugs are bad in the woods (usually are)...

Runs in economy mode all the time so a full tank lasts a weekend and then some. The Champ was 1/2 the cost of a Honda or Yamaha, both IMO are overpriced.

Posted by: AraWithSpirit Jan 18 2017, 08:57 PM

Getting the Honda 2000 out in the Northern Lite is also a pain while the outside cabinet is at shoulder height! That is the only bad design of this camper... Having had spine surgery 11 months ago, a new hip 4 weeks ago, well, it is still in the cabinet... [we do have solar also]. My solar is limited however as there is not much room for many batteries and I do need to use the Genset about once a week to edit photos and videos. As someone wrote above it does run about 8 hours and will also on the NL run the air conditionner which we rarely use.
As far as carrying extra fuel try the Rotopax 2G. They are a bit pricey [$70] but do not leak and can be stored in the bed of the truck between the outer camper wall and truck bed wall. You can actually store more than one!

Posted by: SidecarFlip Jan 19 2017, 07:34 PM

I'm 66 and I have no issue handling my 50 pound Champion. I keep it on the floor of the camper and carry no gasoline except what i inside it. Lasts all weekend. Solar don't work in the woods.

Posted by: janojebo Feb 4 2017, 04:44 PM

I am normally a Honda man...but because of money issues I purchased this Champion 7336i 2000 watt generator w/inverter and have found it performs better than my Honda 2000 watt generator and it's much quieter also...the best part is that it was $600.00 cheaper and I could buy two for the same price as my Honda...it's definitely a best buy for a 2000 watt generator w/inverter...my brother liked it so much that he has ordered one also...It does run 9.5 hours on a single gallon of gas...I am very happy with it
http://campingadvise.com/

Posted by: SidecarFlip Feb 5 2017, 05:14 PM

QUOTE(DA TOAD @ Jul 11 2016, 07:53 AM)
Tested it out last week.  Ran the AC, and lights no problem at all.  Even ran the water pump with the AC and lights and everything worked just fine.
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I bet that wasn't in economy mode.... No 2000 watt inverter will start a roof air unit in economy mode. My 2800I Yamaha I had (and sold) would, but it struggled in economy mode. Running in normal mode, maybe but in normal mode, 3600 rpm, you are sucking down gas pretty quick.

Problem with carrying fuel with a TC is gas cans like to leak. I carry my fuel for my chainsaw and bar oil in Rotapac containers which fasten via a mount system, to the outside of the camper and don't leak. I carry 3 gallons of gas (premix) for the saw and 1 gallon of bar oil and I also use the pre-mix in my inverter if I need gas over and above what is in the fuel tank, which is rarely because I'm always in economy mode. I run my inverter to charge up my house batteries in the evening for an hour before bed and thats it.

I like to listen to the sounds of the woods, not an ac unit or a generator running. I sleep better that way...

Posted by: SidecarFlip Feb 5 2017, 05:16 PM

QUOTE(janojebo @ Feb 4 2017, 04:44 PM)
I am normally a Honda man...but because of money issues I purchased this Champion 7336i 2000 watt generator w/inverter and have found it performs better than my Honda 2000 watt generator and it's much quieter also...the best part is that it was $600.00 cheaper and I could buy two for the same price as my Honda...it's definitely a best buy for a 2000 watt generator w/inverter...my brother liked it so much that he has ordered one also...It does run 9.5 hours on a single gallon of gas...I am very happy with it
http://campingadvise.com/
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I have a single one of yours. Good little units I might add and the price is even better.

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