While agreeing with the sentiments of the Honda people not everyone can afford them so according to finances any will really do from the very cheap ones on ebay through Hitachi,s.I met someone who bought a 1kva Honda and used it within it's capacity. So depending on your requirements they will all do for a while. We would all like a BMW but have to settle for what we can afford. If you are going to use it a lot though there's nothing like a Honda. Cheers all, Woody46
Hey. Honda are overrated. GOOD. But overpriced. I have trimmer.Lawnmower etc.
Genny wise. I'd go a Yamaha 2.8? over the Honda. Does same job with less stress.and same price. (Bike's better too) Nowadays, I have a chinese (HONDA Engined 3.8kva ) genny.
Lot's don't know. japan exports to third world with MFG's serials ground off because of Western world cantracts.
You can get Chinese copy Honda and Chinese Import genuine Honda engines,(if you check around). Mine about 7 yrs now. coupla tradie mates put me on to them. Chippies on sites. theirs run near all day. every day. $470ish a pop. they buy couple at a time.
-- Edited by macka17 on Thursday 14th of July 2016 12:34:08 PM
Could not afford a Honda so bought a Renegade from Trade Tools at Caboolture. It is their own brand 2kV inverter for $788. Will be interesting to see how it goes.
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Our Rig
VAN December 2019 Goldstar 21ft
TUG 2017 Ford Ranger Wildtrak
Life Was Ment To Be Easy If You Have The Ability To Adapt
Best Buy off Aldi as they have back up . I've bought $500 .. 2700 watt no name off eBay and still goes . Just needed to go over a few bolts with locktite .. Bit like out boards . If you use them frequently they are fine . The generic brands are getting MUCH better . Even with them . Money still counts . Don't go too cheap ..
We picked up a Mammoth Gennie from a guy who discovered that it was to big for his needs. Paid $300 Approx. Was virtually brand new. Has served us for over 6 years.
Honda may be the best.
Jay&Dee
Did lots of research 12 months ago when I thought about buying a small generator. Of the better brands came down to a choice between the Honda and Yamaha. Yamaha won on weight, noise level and the fact that it had a fuel drain so no old fuel is not left in the carby. Mate bought the Yamaha and is very happy with it.
Of the cheaper brands my research came down to the Ryobi from Bunnings. May not be the cheapest or quietest, but the after sales exchange policy of Bunnings is excellent. Any problems with it just take it back for an exchange as long as you have the receipt.
In the end I changed my mind and got extra solar to solve the power problems.
Ah the old generator chestnut, always a delight to add to the blog.
For me and mine we cant go past Honda. Despite the price (we waited for a special from Generator World) its a top performer. Be very careful how they specify the output wattage, 2000 volt amps is not 2000 watts and cant deliver that current. In the true sense a 2KVA (2000 volt amps) delivers the current related to about 1600W true.
I would very wary of the cheaper brands and most certainly look hard at the specs to determine the RMS output current. We saved up our sheckels and got the Honda, never looked back. However as stated above its about financial convenience.
Cheers
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Ex RAAF, now retired. EX Electrician/Teacher.
Homebase is Murray Bridge Tourist Park (in a cabin). New Horse.. 2020 Ford Everest Titanium, Jayco swan for touring.
Not so great on overcast days . Plus who do you call if batteries are flat in the middle of. Woomera ?
Plug the van into the car and start it up, perhaps?
Anyway, what's wrong with the Yamaha range (some here claim that Honda is the best, everything else is rubbish)?
When watching the British F1 GP last week, the after race show had the commentators wandering up and down the pits. The teams have remote monitoring stations on pit wall. Many of them were connected to Yammy generators similar to what I've seen in Rays and BCF. Those folks usually don't skimp on their gear.
Yeah gennies have there place when the batteries run low or you need to run your A/C..
The odd time we have needed a gennie has been that rare, the thing would be more trouble than it's worth,how many people,cart em around with the fuel and hardly use them.
Its a personal choice but don't you hate it when some drop kick runs thereA/C for hours disturbing your nice peace and quite campsite I do grrrrrrrt!!!'
Yeah gennies have there place when the batteries run low or you need to run your A/C..
The odd time we have needed a gennie has been that rare, the thing would be more trouble than it's worth,how many people,cart em around with the fuel and hardly use them.
Its a personal choice but don't you hate it when some drop kick runs thereA/C for hours disturbing your nice peace and quite campsite I do grrrrrrrt!!!'
Gday Ron,
We had the same dropkick at a free camp in Mallala some time back. Started at 8PM and was still running at midnight while they were out on the tiles. VERY tempted to add sugar to the fuel tank. However thats not in my nature.
As far as a genny goes we have used our a few times when our solar isnt enough (cloudy day) and NEVER have it running after 6PM when we have neighbours.
Cheers
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Ex RAAF, now retired. EX Electrician/Teacher.
Homebase is Murray Bridge Tourist Park (in a cabin). New Horse.. 2020 Ford Everest Titanium, Jayco swan for touring.
WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MINDS OWNS A GENERATOR??? THIS IS 2016 NOT 1980'S.
GO GREEN - SOLAR!!!!!!
You know, I agree with you adreamer. BUT there is one over ridding factor. We all like our electrical conveniences and when the days have been dull and the battery is running low the 21st century generators do the job. Our Honda is very quiet and yes it does have an exhaust. Again, its about having power in the batteries. Our solar works great if the sun is on them. But not so flash in the clouds. BTW in 3 years I have had to use the genny 4 times, so going as green as possible is the way for us as well.
Cheers
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Ex RAAF, now retired. EX Electrician/Teacher.
Homebase is Murray Bridge Tourist Park (in a cabin). New Horse.. 2020 Ford Everest Titanium, Jayco swan for touring.
We camped down the 90 Mile Beach one night recently. It was an overnighter for surf fishing. There was a few vans parked there. No power, so I s'pose that they were "free camping" (this is a long time before I had heard of the term).
This guy next to us fired up his genny. Ran from about dusk til sometimes around 10ish. If it wasn't for the brown bottle fish that we'd caught I think that it would've drove us to distraction.
We have an eu30, I think it is, in our local Lions club which is used to power our farmers market stalls. It sounds quiet but is audible over surrounding traffic and general noise. I wonder how it'd sound when parked next to the McAlister river up back of Licola...
Which are the quietest? That would be my number one criteria.
Don't any of you genie hatters ever go to Iluru or 90 mile beach etc . They have generators running 24/7 .. If you're a weekend camper ? They are not really required . But if your away 1000 klrs from no where free camping .. I would'bt be without one .. Ours is built into motorhome . Onan 5000 .. Yes can power a house ..
-- Edited by Aus-Kiwi on Wednesday 20th of July 2016 11:39:47 AM
I often say I would rather the hum of a genie all night than a group of old farts having a hell of time comparing tug and cv and bottles of plonk versus boxes, all whispering away a the top of there voice range.ah the tranquility of the camp, Also, don't get me started on the people who must have there tvs outside that you can hear from a 100 meters away, oh the peace of a genie
cheers
blaze
Have mentioned being asked if I run my geni ? Well the couple who asked . Ride a Harley each with open pipes . Cruising around till after midnight !! Then there's the time you park well away to run genie for 20 min . When two or three vans park near you .. Ahhh !! Ok just don't complain !!
I own a Honda 2000 (paid $1500 brand new about a year ago) and a Yamaha EF2400is (came with the boat) both are brilliant. I've also owned an Engel with Honda motor, good but very noisy. IMHO you can't go past Honda or Yamaha.
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If we are going to be altruistic I want to get something out of it
I often say I would rather the hum of a genie all night than a group of old farts having a hell of time comparing tug and cv and bottles of plonk versus boxes, all whispering away a the top of there voice range.ah the tranquility of the camp, Also, don't get me started on the people who must have there tvs outside that you can hear from a 100 meters away, oh the peace of a genie cheers blaze
My personal opinion would be to fit more solar and forget the generator, but as a previous genny owner I would not buy anything other than either a Honda or a Yamaha.
You gets what you pay for in this world, and long after the cheap genny has died or been unable to obtain spares to repair, the yammy or honda will still be plugging away.
The other answer is do you really need a genny to run the AC ? lots of ways of staying cool with small Caraframo fans that run on minimum power.
Thoughtless genny owners soon become a pariah of the other caravan community.
