Camping question

cl124 · 8/6/19, 6:26 PM

So we just recently bought a cheap camper to take to the local tracks. Wondering what you guys are using for a generator. Don’t want to spend $1000 on the inverter “quiet” ones but didn’t know if the cheaper ones are too loud and draw complaints?

EldoraMark · 8/6/19, 8:21 PM

Don't buy a cheap one , look at harbor freight preditor 3500 I think it is around 600 to 700 dollars. There are a lot of campers that has them and like them.

sw1911 · 8/6/19, 9:16 PM

Really depends what you want to power. Air conditioner? Microwave? Water heater? All at the same time? Need to calculate the maximum watts you want and go from there.

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cl124 · 8/6/19, 10:22 PM

Will be powering air and microwave etc. figured up and need somewhere in the 3000 range. Just trying to get an idea of if the noise is typically an issue at tracks or not with the “old school” generators that are cheaper.

JackSam40 · 8/6/19, 11:22 PM

There is a company called Northern Tool that sell Champion generators that are less costly than a honda that are said to be good. If you don't want to make all your fellow campers hate you buy something that is rated at 58 decibils or less.

cl124 · 8/7/19, 9:09 AM

Harbor freight conveniently started a 20% off deal so i will be buying the predator today!. Than you guys for the input.

TQ29m · 8/7/19, 11:13 AM

When we still had our store and shop. I sold Kawasaki gen sets, not many, but a few, and one day an older fellow came in and was looking and pricing, and he made a very good comment on the cheaper ones, he said a lot of times he didn't even have to start it, just set it out so people could see it, and almost every time, some one would offer to buy their meal, if they'd just not start his gen set, didn't look like he had missed too many meals. They do make after market mufflers that do reduce the noise quite a lot, Briggs offers them, as they almost all attach the same way, it's not a problem to make your neighbors "happy campers" also.

Blackduce · 8/7/19, 1:15 PM

This is easy. Go see and Mike Dreyer at the Worlds oldest Honda dealer. Any body remember Pops at Dreyer sprint cars and midgets. Made the Engines and race cars. What a racing family. Tell Mike what you are doing. Mention racing.
I sold my Honda dealership. And thru out the years and reading magazine test on Gen.
There was never a test of all Gen. made and
Honda won every test in all the wattage.
One said in a test of 3500 generators. That all said they were 3500. Honda was the only one that could do 3500. And the others were only 2500 to 2700. My main gen. Is 28 years old and today no electric it is used to run my house and one on each side.
I have people on the second generation that tell me they still run for them. The same company that won the last F1 race, Indy cars, down to 1/4 midgets. Unbelievable
Company that race most with a motor and win.
So all the benefits Honda. Keep it a few years and probably get all your money back.
Cheap Gen. we call throw a ways. No parts either or service. Mike 317 248 1403

Lynn

tqracer53 · 8/7/19, 1:19 PM

sorry to bust your bubble but the 20 percent off does not work for the generator. just bought one couple weeks ago. it's in the fine print.

Blackduce · 8/7/19, 1:22 PM

There were some tracks during 8 years of sprint car racing that had a rule Honda Gen. only in pits.
Because of noise.

8/7/19, 11:13 AM	#7 Re: Camping question
TQ29m Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 6,557	When we still had our store and shop. I sold Kawasaki gen sets, not many, but a few, and one day an older fellow came in and was looking and pricing, and he made a very good comment on the cheaper ones, he said a lot of times he didn't even have to start it, just set it out so people could see it, and almost every time, some one would offer to buy their meal, if they'd just not start his gen set, didn't look like he had missed too many meals. They do make after market mufflers that do reduce the noise quite a lot, Briggs offers them, as they almost all attach the same way, it's not a problem to make your neighbors "happy campers" also. __________________ "Being old, isn't half as much fun, as getting there"! Ole Robert I!

8/7/19, 1:22 PM	#10
Blackduce Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 1,079	There were some tracks during 8 years of sprint car racing that had a rule Honda Gen. only in pits. Because of noise. _________________________________________________ Last edited by Blackduce; 8/7/19 at 2:08 PM.

8/7/19, 9:09 AM	#6 Re: Camping question
cl124 Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 125	Harbor freight conveniently started a 20% off deal so i will be buying the predator today!. Than you guys for the input.

8/7/19, 1:15 PM	#8
Blackduce Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 1,079	This is easy. Go see and Mike Dreyer at the Worlds oldest Honda dealer. Any body remember Pops at Dreyer sprint cars and midgets. Made the Engines and race cars. What a racing family. Tell Mike what you are doing. Mention racing. I sold my Honda dealership. And thru out the years and reading magazine test on Gen. There was never a test of all Gen. made and Honda won every test in all the wattage. One said in a test of 3500 generators. That all said they were 3500. Honda was the only one that could do 3500. And the others were only 2500 to 2700. My main gen. Is 28 years old and today no electric it is used to run my house and one on each side. I have people on the second generation that tell me they still run for them. The same company that won the last F1 race, Indy cars, down to 1/4 midgets. Unbelievable Company that race most with a motor and win. So all the benefits Honda. Keep it a few years and probably get all your money back. Cheap Gen. we call throw a ways. No parts either or service. Mike 317 248 1403 Lynn

8/7/19, 1:19 PM	#9
tqracer53 Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 156	sorry to bust your bubble but the 20 percent off does not work for the generator. just bought one couple weeks ago. it's in the fine print.