Champion Generators - anybody own one??

[WilliamBos]

Just got a flyer from Costco, the 7200 Watt Champion generator will be $150 off come March.

Does anybody on here have one?? Need one, and this looks like a great deal.

Specs of it, from the Champion site.


41552 - Champion Power Equipment

 

[Canada_CT230]

I own a Champion 4000/3000W generator that I got from Canadian Tire. They renovated the store and the re-grand opening price was $288. I've never seen it that price again.

I put full synthetic oil in it. I can start easily in our Manitoba winters with a few pulls. It runs smooth and have had no problems with it. I use it now for our RV trailer. It is not a whisper quiet unit but does work. I had to buy a much bigger unit to run our house. I bought a Powewmate 8125/6500W genny from Costco's website. It has electric start and thank God for that. That one needs a primer fuel bulb...it takes a few cranks to get fuel in there. The Champion fires right up though.

The only quam with the Champion is that in small print on the sticker it says continous wattage is 2850W. On the box and in larger print on the sticker it is a 4000/3000W unit. I'm missing 150 watts. Thats it though.

 

[Craig Clayton]

I am just south of you. I depends what you really need the Champion gen for. I feel they are ( OK ) but I think they are imported from ??. If you are looking for the larger wattage I would suggest a better quality brand. If you want a small one CT or TSC had a 1200 ?? Watt for $179.00 ??. That would be cheap but it depends.
You get what you pay for.
I have a 5000W Coleman floating neutral with Briggs engine.

Craig Clayton

 

[Canada_CT230]

The Powermate one is on for $699.99 again. The Champion that you are looking at is $899.99 right now. So same price essential but slightly larger wattage 7200W vs. my 6500W.

I don't know if the larger Champions have the same starting qualities as my Powermate. If I had to buy another I'd probably buy the Powermate again...the large 420CC engine is probably the cause of harder starting. Probably common traits among brands.

 

[WilliamBos]

Thanks Guys. Arc welder, mig welder, and chop saw will be the biggest uses. Also, if we do have a power outage, will be nice to have.

It does have an electric start, which is nice...

 

[CAS300D]

I own this exact generator and put in a 30AMP interlock kit (Generator InterLock Kit) on my 200 AMP Panel, it is very strong, I was able to run my entire home, minus the central AC Units, I then wanted to test it so I started one of the central air units 3 Ton High Efficiency, you heard it dip just a bit but ran it just fine with all the other pull in the house. I must tell you for the money you can't beat these units and the customer support is excellent. I also had a smaller unit that I got from Lowe's which ran for 4 days powering some essentials like 1 AC unit and cable and sub pump in basement. Ran flawlessly. These are very very good for the money and I looked at Generac, Ridgid, Honda, Winco (which are excellent units but $$$) but for me they were either overkill or twice the price. I got mine from Costco as well about 2 months ago when they came in stock.

You will not be disappointed.

Chuck

 

[WilliamBos]

I own this exact generator and put in a 30AMP interlock kit (Generator InterLock Kit) on my 200 AMP Panel, it is very strong, I was able to run my entire home, minus the central AC Units, I then wanted to test it so I started one of the central air units 3 Ton High Efficiency, you heard it dip just a bit but ran it just fine with all the other pull in the house. I must tell you for the money you can't beat these units and the customer support is excellent. I also had a smaller unit that I got from Lowe's which ran for 4 days powering some essentials like 1 AC unit and cable and sub pump in basement. Ran flawlessly. These are very very good for the money and I looked at Generac, Ridgid, Honda, Winco (which are excellent units but $$$) but for me they were either overkill or twice the price. I got mine from Costco as well about 2 months ago when they came in stock.

You will not be disappointed.

Chuck

Thanks a ton!! March 13 is when the sale starts... Will update this when I get it.

 

[Travelover]

I read a very long thread about Champion generators on an RV forum (which I cannot find right now). Upshot was that Champions are the premium Chinese generators - i.e. actually engineered and built using modern quality controls. I've also heard that they have a very good customer service interface. Additionally, my dealings with Costco have been that if you ever want your money back, they just give it to you, with no hassles.

 

[colinc]

Just got a flyer from Costco, the 7200 Watt Champion generator will be $150 off come March.

Does anybody on here have one?? Need one, and this looks like a great deal.

I've got the 5500 W model (it too was on sale at Costco! yay!!) and I've had no troubles with it. I use it with a generator switch panel to power parts of the house during our frequent Nova Scotia power outages.

 

[WilliamBos]

I've got the 5500 W model (it too was on sale at Costco! yay!!) and I've had no troubles with it. I use it with a generator switch panel to power parts of the house during our frequent Nova Scotia power outages.

Awesome... Thank you.

 

[aczlan]

We have a 3000W 120v Champion. It works well enough, but the lack of 240v is a big negative.

Aaron Z

 

[WilliamBos]

We have a 3000W 120v Champion. It works well enough, but the lack of 240v is a big negative.

Aaron Z

That is why I have been holding off, want 240.

 

[sseelhoff]

I have the 3500w (4000 surge) that I bought at Cabelas a few years ago. It worked fine for a few years, then started having problems. Took into the shop for repairs, and the shop refused to work on it, and said they could not get parts.

I'm looking for a replacement. Will likely go with the Yamaha inverter style.

 

[Canada_CT230]

Neglect of any gas engine will cause problems. My small Honda generator is more of a pain that my larger ones. I pickle ALL fuel in my gas engines, run them every month and I don't have any problems.

Only a few of the small Champions don't have 240V the larger ones do. My Champion doesn't have 240V but at 20A output it wouldn't run much on 240V. I use mine for our RV in Wal-Mart parking lots while travelling. Runs the AC unit and microwave just fine. I use my big generator for the house.

Also, running an arc welder on the generator would be somewhat questionable. You'd have to be careful of the Amp draw. Most larger gens only output 30A on their 240V plugs.

 

[WilliamBos]

Neglect of any gas engine will cause problems. My small Honda generator is more of a pain that my larger ones. I pickle ALL fuel in my gas engines, run them every month and I don't have any problems.

Only a few of the small Champions don't have 240V the larger ones do. My Champion doesn't have 240V but at 20A output it wouldn't run much on 240V. I use mine for our RV in Wal-Mart parking lots while travelling. Runs the AC unit and microwave just fine. I use my big generator for the house.

Also, running an arc welder on the generator would be somewhat questionable. You'd have to be careful of the Amp draw. Most larger gens only output 30A on their 240V plugs.

Thanks. Just checked the arc, it is 50A. Will probably not run it, eh??

Could be time for a welder upgrade.

Invertec V155-S Stick Welder

 

[Samandothers]

I am on my, second 3500/4000 unit. First one lasted 3 years for $300. It is RV ready and works great for what we need. So we got our second one and starting year 2 with it.

 

[JJZ 109]

I've got a little 3500 watt unit that came from Lowe's for $299. Its run my seamless gutter machine for 2 seasons now without a hitch, through 160+ jobs.

 

[Skyco]

I just bought a Champion 1500 W surge 1200 W continuous generator from Northern Tool, a few weeks ago, on sale for $169. Had a $20 off coupon so got it for $149.
I'm not impressed. It will not hold 1000 W continuous, lugs down to about 53 Hz.
It also has a lot of trouble recovering from a sudden removal of load, surges wildly for a minute or so before it settles down. Running the 700 watt measured draw coffee pot at my camp, it goes nuts when the thermostat on the pot cuts off...it will NOT start the 750 watt measured draw microwave oven.
The gas cap leaks when it is moved.
Northern will NOT take back a generator that has been oiled and fueled. Caveat emptor.
I'm kind of a generator "nut' I own 8 not counting the Champion.. This Champion has been the worst. I have two Hondas, a Kipor, an Onan, a Coleman, a Generac and two generic chinese 6kW "silenced (HAH!)" diesels.
The Champion has been the biggest disappointment.
:2cents:

 

[Canada_CT230]

Must be a Canada / USA difference. My Champion is of what I consider a pretty good quality. I have seen some real cheapo units out there.

My Champion 4000/3000W is really decent for what I paid for it. It could be whisper quiet but didn't spend $2000 either. So I'm happy.

I'd buy another...no hestiations.

As far as your ARC welder. 30A output may get you welding with some smaller rods and lower Amps. Try it and see if you can. Probably the reason why gas engine driven welders are the size of a small car.

 

[Skyco]

Yeah the one I bought is relatively quiet....not campground quiet, but better than many inexpensive generators.
I suspect the inability to load to spec and the surging is due to being CARB certified, ie too lean.
Since I can't return it I will remove the carb and see if the main jet is removeable to replace with a larger one...if not the micro drills will come out
I bought it solely to recharge batteries at my camp in the winter, and run the microwave oven/coffee pot etc . My diesel is way overkill when I don't need air conditioning and my little 35 year old Honda 600 watt generator* is too small for anything except charging the battery bank, which takes around 500 watts alone.

*they don't make them like that anymore! Small but very heavy, I think it outweighs my Kipor 2kW invertor generator!


Added later- discovered another minus to the Champion generator- I mentioned the fuel cap leaks, well today I noticed the paint they use on the steel tank is NOT gasoline resistant...starting to come off where the gas gets on it when the cap leaks during movement :thumbdown: