Generator input

[Crows Nest]

Hi. We need a 3,000 watt generator with 30 amp plug. Any recommendations? Noise is a primary concern. Dual fuel would be nice but not essential.
Thanks

[SageRpod]

Originally Posted by Crows Nest

Hi. We need a 3,000 watt generator with 30 amp plug. Any recommendations? Noise is a primary concern. Dual fuel would be nice but not essential.
Thanks

I would seriously look at the Honda 3200i EFI. Expensive? Yes. Quiet? Reviews indicate it is quieter than many 2200watt inverter generators out there. Fuel injection means highly reliable at any altitude.

[Crows Nest]

That’s a little out of our budget.

[SageRpod]

Originally Posted by Crows Nest

That’s a little out of our budget.

Yep. Honda's tend to do that.

[occer]

There are several threads on generators.

This link has a video that compares generators.

https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...one-24933.html

[Rockhead]

We have the champion 2500 duel fuel generator. It quiet n weights 39 lbs. it runs our ac with no issues.

[Crows Nest]

I’ve been looking at the Champion generators. The one you suggested doesn’t have a 30 amp RV connection. How do you connect it to the trailer?

[SageRpod]

Originally Posted by Crows Nest

I’ve been looking at the Champion generators. The one you suggested doesn’t have a 30 amp RV connection. How do you connect it to the trailer?

With one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Camco-PowerGr...214759986&th=1

ETI supplied one with our trailer.

[Crows Nest]

So the 15 amps is enough to run everything?

[SageRpod]

It usually is if you have a soft start on your AC. That doesn't mean you can run all of your electrical at one time, however. I was able to run the Coleman Mach 10 with soft start on our 5.0 with a Champion 2000watt.

[brroberts]

15 amps won’t run everything at once. Fridge on electric, A/C or heat on electric, inverter/ charger on electric, water heater on electric if you have it, Max fan, bathroom vent, lights, vent hood, radio/TV, etc. If you add all that up, it’s way over 30 amps. If you are careful, you can run A/C and a few small things at the same time on 15 amps. Ir you want to run stuff in the trailer as if you were plugged in, you need closer to a 4000 watt Gen and at least 3000. If you want to run a few things, but not everything, you can get by on one of the better 2K gens, at least until altitude gets too much.

[Iowa Dave]

We have run just the AC and a few lights or AC and the TV on occasion. We have the water heater on propane at this time. If we need a more significant power draw we “toggle” between the AC and whatever the other draw(s) are. We have a 2200i Honda and the micro air soft start. We’ve only run it at about 750 Ft elevation. But it works well and conservatively sips the 93 octane unleaded fuel.
Iowa Dave

[hugh]

Buying a pair of the Champion 2500w generators might be a good option. You can connect them with a parallel kit which would give you about 30 amps of capacity, and lugging two 40lb generators around is generally easier than a single 80-100lb generator.

[Mark James]

I wire a Honda 2200 and an older Honda Companion 2000 together using their parallel cable. Works well both on my 5 and for electrical while at anchor on my power boat which has a 30 amp system. The Honda Companion model has a 30 amp outlet. Each one weighs about 45 pounds.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Rockhead

We have the champion 2500 duel fuel generator.

Originally Posted by Crows Nest

I’ve been looking at the Champion generators. The one you suggested doesn’t have a 30 amp RV connection. How do you connect it to the trailer?

Originally Posted by SageRpod

With one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Camco-PowerGr...214759986&th=1

The small plug on that adapter, the receptacle that it is plugged into, and the wiring to that receptacle are all suitable for only 15 amps. Because the trailer's inlet is designed for 30 amps, it won't prevent overload if more than 15 amps is used. Fortunately, the generator probably has a 15 amp circuit breaker to protect the receptacle and wiring.

Originally Posted by SageRpod

ETI supplied one with our trailer.

They supplied it for connecting the trailer to a 15 amp (1800 watt) circuit if that is all that is available, not for connecting to a 3000 watt or 30 amp generator.

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by Crows Nest

So the 15 amps is enough to run everything?

When using a generator there are things you can do to make sure it will run without the added expense of soft start.

First do not use ECO mode on the generator.

Second, make sure there are no other loads using 120 volts in the trailer. Make sure the refrigerator is set to Gas, make sure the 120 volt switch is Off if you have a dual water heater, turn off the breaker to your trailer converter so it's not trying to use generator power to charge your batteries.

Third set your air conditioner so the fan is on and set to low to both reduce the total power required, and to lower the power difference between pulled on the generator when the compressor starts.

Doing the above I can run my 13.5K BTU Dometic Penguin II air conditioner on a Champion 2500 Dual Fuel on Propane which is supposed to only produce 1900 watts when running on propane.

[John in Santa Cruz]

I regularlly run my AC on a 15A extension cord, I just don't use any *OTHER* 129V devuces at the same time. The AC is drawing about 8 amps while its running.
most of those generators have 20A outlets, one of the flat sockets looks like a "T" so it takes either a 15A or 20A cord (the 20A plug has one pin rotated 90 degrees).

[kathytony1985]

We bought the dual fuel Firman from Costco. Works great on propane for our AC.

[John in Santa Cruz]

oh, I just realized, the picture above shows a 250V 20A plug. the 120V 20A plug has the *other* blade rotated 90 degrees.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

... most of those generators have 20A outlets, one of the flat sockets looks like a "T" so it takes either a 15A or 20A cord (the 20A plug has one pin rotated 90 degrees).

Yes, and that's how a generator with up to 2400 W can deliver its full output over a single cord without a 30 amp outlet.... but the fact that a 15 A cord can plug into that 20 A outlet does not mean that the cord can handle 20 amps. I know that John isn't overloading his cord; I'm just cautioning others to not try to get more than 1800 watts through an inadequate single cord by abusing this outlet and plug compatibility.

To safely use the full output of a 3000 watt generator requires either splitting the load between at least two cords, or using a 30 amp outlet and cord.