I have a few weeks to our annual (2 week) re-enacting camping trip. Because of my disability, we will be just seting up a "day camp" in the re-enacting area & setting up the Toy Hauler camper in the remote parking lot. It is completely self contained, everything runs on propane or 12V... it has 3 good sized marine/RV batteries. I will be taking my battery powered mobility scooter (medical equipment gets an exemption). I'll need a small generator to run the battery chargers for the scooter & camper. I don't know what to get. I've heard the cheapies are junk... but the I've heard the same about the small Honda & Yamaha inverter types. I've concluded the only ones who write reviews are the ones who had problems... and I expect that there is a tendancy to over load the small generators which I don't think I'd do. So guys, what would you recommend?Russ

get one of the samll Honda "suitcase" style. They have an eco switch that will let it run all day on one tank of fuel when lightly loaded. They are very quite. A EU2000i which is a 2000 watt one is about $1000. You may be able to get away with a EU1000i is a 1000 watt which is a couple hundred less. Yamaha makes a similar unit that is very good too. Both produce clean sinewaves that won't screw up your electronics. http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/products/models.aspx?page=models&section=P2GG&category=sq

I have 3 generators for my business. They are the Troy-Bilt 5550s. I use them 5-6 times/yr, and they run an average of 8-12hrs each time, non-stop. 6 gal. gas runs each one that long. You can pick them up for ~3-400$ used. 6-700$ new.You can also get a smaller 2000-3000W units for a good bit less.I'd love to own a Yamaha or Honda, as they are whisper quiet., but I just cannot justify 2X the price for something 1/2 the size.

There are a lot of good units out there, but nothing can hold a candle to the whisper quiet of a Honda. You pay for that peace and reliability though.

To go along with Bryan's post, My dad has one of the 2000 watt Honda generators that he linked to and its been a great little generator for us. We mainly use it when out on jobs building barns where no electric outlet is available to us. The 2000 watt generator runs a 14 amp circular saw great, and it also runs our small electric air compressor too, although I can't say that we've had it running both the air compressor and saw at the same time. If you do get one of honda generators like that, you need to make sure you have the vent switch that's on the top of the gas cap switched the right way while you run it, other wise it will die after running for awhile because of the vacuum created in the tank. we've had that happen to us a few times

I have an EU2000i Honda that my dad bought new in 2003. For the first 5-6 years it was used once a year for power at elk camp. It probably ran 5-8 hours a day for 3-4 weeks each year. I then bought it from him in 2008ish. It still runs great, but it did develop a lope at idle and wouldn't respond to rapid/large power changes and trip the internal overload.. Well I cleaned the carb last week and it now runs like a new unit. I highly recommend one. If you have a 13.5K BTU A/C unit it probably won't power it. It does power my 9K BTU unit, and does it much better with a new larger hard start cap, but I think the OEM 13.5K unit's are too large for it. They are great units, and require very little maintenance.. but if it starts to run funny clean the carb! They also have 3 different jets for altitude, sea-5K, 4-9K, 8K+. The jets don't really help with power loss, but they do make it run smoother and burn less fuel at altitude.

I called around & surfed the net... found the Honda 1000w for $699 + 20 shipping... $139 less than next best. I ordered it. Thanks guys! Russ http://smarttrucks.1freecart.com/i/87838/honda-1000-watt-generator-eu1000ia2.htm

That will certainly recharge the batteries very quietly!

Indeed it will.

Sometimes yas find a good deal... It's best to grab it while you can! Too often, I've gone back & found I'd missed out on it. We're all 12V except the AC which we've not even used yet. Hopefully just fans will do on this trip... I opened up some cabinettes to utilize wasted space (wife thinks I went nuts with the jig saw)... the new doors just arrived today. Stain & varnish before mounting.

I got a notice from PayPal that the payment has not been picked up for the generator. There's a 916 phone number to call (Sacrenento, Calif). I'll try it later to see if they are going to sell to me or not. At least they did not take the money & then not deliver... yet. I need a generator & if not, I'm back to shopping. Drat, I hate to think I wasted all that time. After I ordered, I erased the others from my favorites.

edit

I called & left a message. Let's see if I get a call back as the recording promised.

further info

I checked PayPal & the funds had not been picked up. I don't have time to be screwing arround so I took PayPal's advise & cancelled the transaction.

After I cancelled the previous order... NO Response... I can not afford to be jerked around, wasting time! I had to search all over again after I got the notice from PayPal. The first place I had on my list gave me a good price but had just sold the last one in stock. I called Speedway Sales... in stock, to ship Monday... estimating 4 days. http://www.speedwaysales.com/honda-eu1000i-super-quiet-generator-p-3958.html Final cost was slightly less!!

I'm prayin' for ya...

It should not be so d@rn hard to buy stuff on line.

I'm delighted. Speedway Sales gave me what I think is a super price. http://www.speedwaysales.com/honda-eu1000i-super-quiet-generator-p-3958.html He was as good as his word, the package arrived Fed Ex THE MORNING on day 4! With so much crap going on in the world of on-line sales, it's nice to credit someone's honesty.

Nice generator Russ... Now I'm waiting for the report of how it does with the trailer and your little get-around cart.

The little Honda was a bit difficult to start on arrival... but once we had run it... it started first pull, no choke. It barely sipped gas, we took way too much with us. I'm going to get a smaller gas can to make fueling easier. I was able to run the Norcold Refridge (direct cord under the trailer) on it until I figured out how to light the propane. Most of the time, there is no other generators running but this year there was an ice machine in the lot with a large Honda generator which they ran during the day. I ran mine at the same time and was able to charge the scooter batteries and the bank of 3 RV batteries in the camper, very nicely. One must be very aware of loads as it is only 8 amp, but it does exactly what I bought it for. Very satisfied.

Great to hear!If the 1000 is like the 2000 the have a vacuum driven fuel pump, and when the bowl in the carb goes dry it takes 10-12 pulls on my 2000 to fill it and then the gen fires on the first pull every time.

The 1000 generator is very easy to overfill... only holds .55 gallons. I'm thinking of a quart measure to transfer to so to avoid spillage in the future.

Russ... Your idea rubbed off on us... MoparMom and myself are picking up a small generator as well for our RV. We figure with the amount you pay in a RV park for 1 night or 2 nights you coulg pay for a generator and stay out somewhere in the woods for much less. So here is what I found... http://www.allpoweramerica.com/assets/docs/132__specs.pdf Simular in design just a bit more power and slightly louder...

I've got a decent sized generator in the barn... Honda 6500... it needs to be serviced but we decided that was too much generator for our needs. NO AC applances. I guess 2000 would have been better so we could run the refridge on AC and charge batteries. We don't run the AC & have no microwave. Really the trailer is set up to run on the bank of 12V batteries, as long as they last.i did pick up one neat item at WM... a gas funnel with a float so you can stop pouring gas before it floods over the top. Too bad it doesn't seal so you could lift it off & back onto the gas can, but it'll do.Mike, I was scared of brands I didn't know. I'll be interested in how yours holds up.Russ