Generator choices

[DirtyDawg]

After my trip away, I noticed two extreme differences in Gen set noise..
I camper had a Trade type genset which 100m was still noisy to the point at 10pm I asked him to turn it off, the other ( a Mate) has his Honda running all nite and you couldn't hear it 50m away...
What have you guys got and how do you find them..I was thinking a small diesel jobbie from ebay as not to carry two types of fuel
Something like this

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/New-5-5KW-Diesel-Generator_W0QQitemZ130121967756QQihZ003QQcategoryZ 46412QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[JDNSW]

In my view the cost, weight and noise of a diesel is not worth it for the advantage of single fuel, while not denying this is a real advantage.
What do you need a generator for when camping? Keeping the fridge/freezer going and a few lights, recharging the battery, and that is about it. This does not require a big generator unless you are running big freezers and/or 150w floodlights (which are pretty antisocial anyway).
Personally, I have a small, very quiet Honda generator - petrol.

At home I have a big, noisy, heavy, Honda petrol generator, and an even bigger and noisier Lister diesel generator for solar backup.

John

[Barra1]

I bought the little Honda 10i simply because that brand was what on the shop floor where I get my Stihl chainsaw stuff from.

How lucky was I! :)

It is fantastic - ever reliable, quiet and does the job.;)

[waynep]

If you are interested in the environment try to go for a 4 stroke rather than 2 stroke ....

[landrovermick]

If you are interested in the environment try to go for a 4 stroke rather than 2 stroke ....

while im not trying to start a blue, the honda inverter range are the way to go Nige - we have one (i20) on out van at work and its the ducks nutz! they are so quet that you and i could be standing talking with the honda unit between us and we wouldnt need to raise voices,

IMO if i were going to buy a unit id get the honda

now in relation to the environment and two stroke engines, i have been told - and am willing to listen otherwise that new generation two stroke engines offer less emission output than their four stroke equivalent. Soemthing to do with EU rulings on emissions im told. .....

[abaddonxi]

After my trip away, I noticed two extreme differences in Gen set noise..
I camper had a Trade type genset which 100m was still noisy to the point at 10pm I asked him to turn it off, the other ( a Mate) has his Honda running all nite and you couldn't hear it 50m away...
What have you guys got and how do you find them..I was thinking a small diesel jobbie from ebay as not to carry two types of fuel
Something like this

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/New-5-5KW-Diesel-Generator_W0QQitemZ130121967756QQihZ003QQcategoryZ 46412QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Well with that little fella you won't need to worry about carrying a jerry can or a second battery, comes with it all on board.

It's frickin huge.:eek:

Cheers
Simon

[Camo]

What have you guys got and how do you find them..I was thinking a small diesel jobbie from ebay as not to carry two types of fuel
Something like this

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/New-5-5KW-Die...QQcmdZViewItem

Holy moly..would be great but at over 170 kg's.. wee bit heavy!

[ladas]

now in relation to the environment and two stroke engines, i have been told - and am willing to listen otherwise that new generation two stroke engines offer less emission output than their four stroke equivalent. Soemthing to do with EU rulings on emissions im told. .....

It's unlikely to be the case, due to the nature of the animal, oil and petrol is burnt - in rather a haphazzardly fashion - and the emmisions from the burnt oil alone would have higher polutants in it than just the petrol.

2 strokes are inefficient by nature, due to the lack of valves, electronic injection has improved things to a degree, but they will never be able to reach levels of efficiency (clean burn) as 4 strokes.

[Blknight.aus]

I carry 2 inverters and one of those cheapy 800w 2 strokes from bunnings, super crap, aldi, kmart and a few other less reputable places...

The genset stays in the trailer with the chainsaw stuff and only comes out if im running the flood lights,grinder or drill for some reason or need the 30amp battery toaster other than that the little inverter charges laptops and mobiles from the car and the other one runs from a battery on a solar panel in the trailer.

[rrturboD]

I have a Yamaha EF1000, replaced my Honda 700. Yamaha is quieter than the Honda. Y has a bigger oil capacity vs H 1000 and a bigger fuel tank I think. Repairer suggested Y over H as historically he had repaired less, and parts easier to get. I had no issue with reliability of either. I use mine locked to the end of 20m lead, and have only shared the power with other campers, never had noise issues, but then do not run late at night either.

[Jamo]

I've got a Honda EU10. Great piece of kit! Quiet and efficient and easy to service.

[blitz]

I have a umm not sure what brand 4 stroke 1200w got it from super crap or one of those, started cord packed it in about a minute after the warrenty ran out. if I did it again I would go for a 4 stroke inverter type bloody efficient fuel wise, quiet as, light weight and small to boot and they are so reliable its amazing. Mind you they are more expensive though but I think worth it.

I would only go the diesel if it was a lighting plant size 5kw up even 5kw would be a question mark if it was only used occasionally due to weight noise and vibration.

Blythe

[JohnE]

Did a corpse job a few years ago at the river Island Nature resort( I know some of you nudists go there) and team camped there, the osg guys had sourced a few of those honda gen sets, they are amazing, as mick said, you can trip over them because they are so quiet , they ran most of the night on a tank of fuel,
thats what I would get if I was in the market for one. One tank of fuel on normal camping i think would last ages.



john

[abaddonxi]

Did a corpse job a few years ago at the river Island Nature resort( I know some of you nudists go there) and team camped there, the osg guys had sourced a few of those honda gen sets, they are amazing, as mick said, you can trip over them because they are so quiet , they ran most of the night on a tank of fuel,
thats what I would get if I was in the market for one. One tank of fuel on normal camping i think would last ages.



john

Ran all night.:eek:

Was that for the electric blankets?

Cheers
Simon

[JohnE]

Ran all night.:eek:

Was that for the electric blankets?

Cheers
Simon


No mate we were tuff we wore clothes, it was a bit off putting our group all dressed up in our searching gear and the locals walking around starkers with nothing but a backpack on. The dangly bits made my two dogs interested.
But it was a first for a few of us, i walked around the shower block in the nick, just to say i did it, some of the other guys went up to the rec area during the evenings and got there gear off, not a pretty sight!



john

[dmdigital]

I bought a Honda EU20 a few months back. Very pleased with it. I seriously considered the Yamaha 2400. It's more powerful and on paper etc as quiet. The only thing that turned me off the Yamaha was that it was about 11kg's heavier and also about 3" wider.

[Bigbjorn]

Like Black knight I have a $98 Chinese two stroke generator. now over 4 years in service. I fitted a vibratory hour meter to it when new. It now has over 500 hours, no troubles. I use it to run my 12 v. fridge when out of the car. Also a couple of 12 v. fluoro lights. It can run separately a 600w. x 240 v. GE coffee percolator. It charges batteries, and in domestic black outs, runs flouro lights and a TV on the 240v. side. A magic little camping tool. It will run under light load, e.g. fridge only, for 8-10 hours on a 5 litre tank. If you dont have one you are bloody mad.