Generators to run your hunting camp

[Tikkamike]

I recently bought a 22' Terry bumper pull camper. My main reason for buying is for hunting. I have always just gotten up early and driven to where I was hunting because I am pretty centrally located. Then last year during elk season a friend and I stayed in his wall tent with a stove and it was very comfortable so I decided a wall tent needed to be purchased but the more I thought about it the less I liked the wall tent idea because I hunt a lot in the spring also and its usually pretty wet which means the tent will be wet when I want to put it away and I really dont have a place to hang a big wall tent to let it dry before I put it away. So I ended up with a camper. So my question is generators.. I have a 30a service which I think is pretty standard. Most of the time I wont be running A/C but if I take the family camping in the summer its a possibility. so I want something big enough to run everything. It looks like a 3500 watt generator would do the trick. Just wondering if any of you can offer some experience or wisdom on the subject.

 

[IDelkhunter]

We have 6 campers in elk camp. Over the past 15 years we have gone from too small (Coleman 1250's) to too loud / too big (Generac 5000) to too heavy (Honda 3000ies)......we all now own the Honda 3000i Handi. It is far and away the best compromise between noise, weight and mobility. They are expensive, but trust me....worth their weight in gold when it drops to 15 degrees in camp and your Coleman dies.....

Hope that helps...

Marcus

 

[FearNoWind]

Our elk camp relies on a wood fired stove in a wall tent. For summer we just take off what the law will allow. Having said that, if you've gotta have A/C, you may find that a couple of Honda EU2000i machines with a Reliance 30 Amp RV Parallel Kit will get the job done.

 

[300 ultra]

If you do ohms law of volts X amps=watts. 12O volts x 30 amp service you would need 3600 watt generator. I just recently purchased the Honda and love it. Its quiet and plenty of power for my 32' toyhauler.

 

[TOM H]

Mike, I've got a 22 ft with one slider and we use during the late spring springs thru hunting season and it's small enough I can get back country. I have a hitch on trailer and cargo basket that I leave Honda 3000is in that so I'm not loading unloading ever time. After hunting season I''ll store in the garage. I also made up short 30Amp cord from generator to trailer plug-in works little better.

I'll run generator to keep the batteries charged and wasn't too bad here Co last year elk season but batteries run down with heat on

 

[kbaerg]

My wife and I started off with a Honda 3000 watt, liked it and worked great on our first travel trailer. it was heavy but worked. Then we upgraded to a fifth wheel and needed more watts so we got a Boliy. Weighs 75 lbs, was as quiet as our Honda with a few more watts and lots cheaper. I'll have it with me ;-). I thought about getting two of the smaller Honda's and parallel them together but the price swayed me to the Boliy. So far we are three years into ours and no issues as of yet. If you can afford the Honda I would highly recommend them.

 

[dah605]

When I can stop buying gun-related stuff, I'm planning to get a pair of Yamaha EF2000iS generators with the parallel kit. The main difference between the Yamaha and Honda being that they can operate independently from each other or together. It is my understanding that the Honda Companion unit cannot be used independently--please correct me if I am wrong.

The Honda is supposedly the quietest combo available, with the Yamaha a very close 2nd.

-David

 

[TOM H]

I'm not lazy but I like the electric start on Honda 3000is and it's something my wife can handle if I'm not around.

 

[Tikkamike]

I guess I should have been a little more specific. I was more looking for what size than what brand. Sound isnt realy too much of an issue to me I just wanted to be able to make sure I had enough power. I ordered a champion 3500/4000 from cabelas on sale for $299.99 they have great reviews and are 68dba at 23 foot compared to a honda which is 52-60 dba the extra $700 can go toward another NF or something. if the noise bothers me I plan to build an insullated box with an open back and no floor that I can slip over it that will still allow cooling and fresh air but will help deflect some sound

 

[wyomingblizzard]

Hi Mike. I had a champion 3500 for about 5 years before it burnt up, it was plenty big enough to run the camper + a coffee pot, micro wave or the a/c justnot all the same time. Now I have a generac 3250, it does every thing the same as the champion did. For a trailer your size it would do well. The championi is very loud, the Generac is a little bit quieter. I hope this helps.

 

[FearNoWind]

If you do ohms law of volts X amps=watts. 12O volts x 30 amp service you would need 3600 watt generator. I just recently purchased the Honda and love it. Its quiet and plenty of power for my 32' toyhauler.

Watt's Law (P=IE) will give you the same answer. But keep in mind that most of those generators "peak" outputs are based on periodic temporary loads and not on continuous outputs. When you buy a generator get the specs on continuous loads and make sure their AC output data is RMS rather than peak. A 120 volt continuous output will require 169 peak volts (169 x 707 = 120). You sure don't want to end up with a smoking red can and no A/C.

 

[LONGSHOOTER]

Watt's Law (P=IE) will give you the same answer. But keep in mind that most of those generators "peak" outputs are based on periodic temporary loads and not on continuous outputs. When you buy a generator get the specs on continuous loads and make sure their AC output data is RMS rather than peak. A 120 volt continuous output will require 169 peak volts (169 x 707 = 120). You sure don't want to end up with a smoking red can and no A/C.

There is also the matter of amperage requirement of the generator for the startup of a heavy load; air conditioner, elec water heater, etc.

Those with motor loads can require 2.5-3x the running amps to prevent overload and subsequent burnout.

 

[FEENIX]

When I can stop buying gun-related stuff, I'm planning to get a pair of Yamaha EF2000iS generators with the parallel kit. The main difference between the Yamaha and Honda being that they can operate independently from each other or together. It is my understanding that the Honda Companion unit cannot be used independently--please correct me if I am wrong.

The Honda is supposedly the quietest combo available, with the Yamaha a very close 2nd.

-David

My buddy had it down to these two choices and ended up with the Yamaha ... but I don't remember what the deciding factor was. All I know is that his parallel set-up is very quiet.

 

[flashhole]

Nothing to add, I just want to follow the thread. I have a portable Generac 8500 (peak to 10000) for the house during outages. Wanted to ensure I had water (includes septic), heat and cold storage (fridge and freezer). Turns out it runs the whole house as long as we're not stupid. Being portable I can take it around the farm and run my welder or anything else that needs powered.

Guys on the 100 acre plot next to me have a hunting cabin and they use a Honda unit ~3000 watts. Very quiet.