Which generator?

[mtnman210]

This would be for camping. Mostly to power a small slide in camper and charge the battery. I'm sure it will get used for other things while out camping as well, like power for a small air compressor, stuff like that. I've got it down to a couple choices. Both have pros and cons, so what does everyone else think?



Option 1
This one would be new with warranty. Smaller but probably be enough power. Lighter. Price would be $250

http://www.samsclub.mobi/product?productId=197400

Option 2
Used off Craigslist but still new with 0 hours. No warranty. 4x the power. Really heavy. Can get it for $350
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d.html/ref=aw_d_detail?pd=1&a=B001BMA09W

 

[Fordum]

Well, assuming that both are good, never a sure thing on Craigslist, you will happier at night and around the camp with the small one.

Its quieter, easier to handle, and just less intrusive.

But, its weak. It will charge your battery, run a small TV and some lights, but thats about it.
A camper style refrigerator will work, but a compressor type would tax it if you have anything else running.
And forget most camper top air conditioners.

You only have about 14 amps running with about 18 amps surge to work with. As long as you know and are fine with the limitations going in, it would be fine.

You would hate the big one until you needed it for something. Its going to be louder, harder to handle, and a pain to work with unless you rig up something in advance. Some way to lift it into the truck or a mount of some kind.

You would need to invest in a good really heavy power cord so that the genset can positioned away from the camper due to noise.

But, with over 50 amps continuous and about 70 surge, you can have much more comfortable and less restricted lifestyle.

If you like really getting away from it all, making do with what you have, and won't miss a lot of the comforts of home, go with the little one.

But, if you like airconditioning, cold beer, and 110 volt lights and roughing it gently, and don't mind putting up with the weight, go big.

Remember, a small block will get you there, but a big block will get you there in style. But with worse gas mileage.

The wheels on the big one are just for moving it around. But, you might rig up a trailer for it or modify the existing frame to make it towable.

A trailer in which it could ride with its tires still on would be ideal. You could pull up to where you are going to camp, if its late you could crank it right where it is until you got ready for bed.
Then the next morning roll it off the trailer and roll it to where its going to be for a while.

Plus you can play around with the muffler and improve it.

At my old hunting camp, we had a big genset. We put it a ways from the camp, but we also had a fitting welded to the output of the muffler.
We would dig a deep hole with a post hole digger, attach a pipe to the muffler and stick it down into the hole so the sound was about 4 feet under ground.

Very quiet.

 

[Indy4x4Fab]

im my viewing of these to i say nether. looking at it as a small engine tech u cant get parts for ether one, the engine in both of these is a nock off of a honda engine but its not a true honda in them, there usally r no parts avalible when something brakes and ur SOL, i would look for something thats got a name brand iengine in it, honda, briggs and straton, techumse, or even an onan. that way ull have it for years and years and years, not just a couple years. he!! i have one id sale u, for three hundrad just rebuilt the carb, replaced the head gasket, valve cover gasket, and put a new muffler on it. the muffler alone was 100 dollars and shipping would be ease, chris (throttleissuse) could bring it back to cal. with him when he makes the treck out here over july 4th. mines a porter cable 5500 with a ohv briggs 8 hp. think about it.