Generator recommendations for 3 or 4 day fishing trip.
- Thread starter Troutster
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I recently had my Yama 150 looked at for missing at idle. The tech, who has many years experience, said the engine was fine and asked if I'd used stabilizer in it. I said yes I'd use Seafoam. He said he did a test on Seafoam, red Sta-bil, Marine sta-bil and a few others. Said that the only one that held up for more than a few months was Marine Sta-bil 360 and the Mercury stabilizer. He also said to run a full tank of ethanol free fuel through it. I did so and it has not skipped a beat since. Chuck
Meatwagon
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
It states 53db in the description. The 3500wt unit that I'm using for my camper is so quiet that I can't hear it inside the camper with the TV or radio on with it locked up to the front bumper of the truck. I think this one was rated at 56 or 58db.
I really like the remote start with this one, I don't even have to go outside to start it up in morning to make coffee
.Run only E Free in your toys and you can skip all the "magic sauce" additives! No more "snake oil"
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Marina Bum
Escalante-Class Member
I was told by a guy in his shop who repairs Hondas to change the oil often. I keep a close eye on it and as soon as it starts to look dirty I drop it; It only takes a quart. Mine tends to run on continuous duty sometimes so for the price of a quart of oil I feel like it's a good bet.
Changes were made much easier when I got the fill tube extender with the extended run cap, you just thread in the extender and tilt the generator over a bucket to change. I too have a large traditional Westerbeke on my HB but run the Honda when I don't need ac just to charge my battery bank so we can stay silent at night. My 2200 will charge through my inverter and run my swamp cooler. I have the 2200 as back up, as a trip saver and as a fuel saver.
I also built a cord to use the 30 amp twist lock and lit up just the one leg I have going into the HB. From there I arranged my breakers one sided to supply just what I want to run on the Honda.
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TR.
Escalante-Class Member
This just popped up in microskiff.
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Dorado
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
I have seen several tutorials on the dangers of charging lithium on an alternator. Not only do you risk overheating the alternator due to the fact that the lithium batteries will try and draw so many amps. But there is also a big risk from the battery management systems. If the BMS senses unacceptable voltage range or temperature, it will instantly cut power to the battery. When this happens, there is no where for the current coming from the alternator to discharge. This can lead to a massive spike in current, frying not only the alternator, but any other unprotected electronics. Sounds like David Dexter has the solution if you have the cash!!!
jimmybame
Well-Known Member
I agree totally I’ve even changed mine out on the lake simple enough to do I have a large cup with the exact measurement marked for a oil change
Ryan
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
I'm surprised about the comments of the recommendations from "people who repair Honda's". Like I said, my Yamaha doesn't run right. I took it into a Yammy dealer and they advised against putting money into it and I didn't listen. By the time I was done with the repair, I was only a couple hundred dollars below what a new unit would cost. It ran fine for less than a year, and started burning oil and running rough again - out of the warranty repair time frame.
Buddy with the Honda EU3000 that doesn't run was told the same thing from a Honda dealer - not worth repairing. At least his has around 2000 hours. I am sure my Yamaha has less than 1000. And these things should run multiple times those hours.
I'm normally the you get what you pay for guy, but my experience just says that isn't the case with these small generators. If I were buying today I'd go with one of the off brands. Even if they last half as long (I think they will last longer, especially when you read online reviews in the camping forums), they are a fraction of the price.
Buddy with the Honda EU3000 that doesn't run was told the same thing from a Honda dealer - not worth repairing. At least his has around 2000 hours. I am sure my Yamaha has less than 1000. And these things should run multiple times those hours.
I'm normally the you get what you pay for guy, but my experience just says that isn't the case with these small generators. If I were buying today I'd go with one of the off brands. Even if they last half as long (I think they will last longer, especially when you read online reviews in the camping forums), they are a fraction of the price.
48Straight
Member
Get a honda or a Hobo Freight knockoff (usually the same manufacturer) with enough of the thickest power cable you can find. Throw it over the hill behind a rock and you will barely hear it. I think a tank of gas on one of those runs about four to five hours depending on the load. As CB said they can be joined together. Rather than buying a mating cable I just used home depot AC boxes. Humans talk at about 75 DB and these generators run about 60??? I am too lazy to look it up and your results will vary depending on the generator. These generators do not need to be phased so your quiet enjoyment depends on how far away they are. I think mine were 100 feet away, over the hill and behind some rocks to reflect the sound away from the boat. I also have a 50X60 foot solar field too. They ran the PA up top for the band, the battery chargers for the house boat, all the lighting, and a giant home sized refrigerator freezer. We had all the ice we wanted and more than what we needed. The first time I really felt free at Powell was when I had more ice than 20 people could use in a day. The only time we really noticed that they ran out of gas and were off is when the lights went out..
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Rainbowbridge
Keeper of San Juan Secrets
Excellent & useful points!.....except where you said 'Humans talk at about 75 DB'. Obviously you didn't know my ex wife or stepdaughters.....
Joe Wilson
Well-Known Member
I bought one of these units from Tractor Supply last year and even though I've only had it a year with minimal usage, it has been great so far. This is what I used for charging my boat batteries last year (whether it needed it or not). It is comparable in noise to the Honda's/Yamaha's that I have been around that are the same size.
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