Inverter Generators

[BobRip]

I recently purchased a Champion 2000 peak watt, 1600 continuous watts inverter generator. I plan to use it to run a small refrigerator and small freezer and my solar hot water pump during power outages. I got it after Irene. Its main advantage is quiet and lower fuel consumption. I expect it will also run the TV and some lights. It will run for abut 9 hours on a gallon of gas at 25% of full load.

What experience have others had using inverter generators?

 

[Larry Caldwell]

They work great for continuous load, but don't have the surge capacity of a conventional generator. Test it to make sure it will handle the starting surge on your refrigerator and freezer. At best, it's likely you will have to run one at a time. Your solar circulation pump should be tiny, and probably won't be a problem.

 

[scott_vt]

Good Afternoon Bob,
My wife and I also succumed to generator fever after Irene. I was actually just running it out in the driveway before reading your post !

We have propane heat here, along with our woodstove, so we went with a small propane unit. 3500 watts peak and 3000 constant. Im hoping it will handle my cellar sump pump, two refrigerators and a couple of lights. I think you can see where Im going on the sump pump front... the cellar only stays dry when we have AC !!!

I like the idea of not having to lug fuel cans, and also not worry about gummed up carburators...

Good luck with your unit !

 

[Ductape]

I've got one of the Honda EU2000i generators. Got it to run our refrigerator plus a few lights during power outages. We heat with a woodstove, so heat is never an issue even in winter. After much browsing online, I made an external gas tank using a six gallon outboard tank, so it will now run for days on one fill of the tank. One great bonus with the Hondas..... they have a fuel pump. Eventually I'll get something large enough to run more of the house, along with the electric hot water heater so we can shower when the power is out. So far, we have dodged the bullet during the past couple big ice storms. We had neighbors a block away without power for 6 - 8 days while our lights never even flickered.

 

[whistlepig]

What little I know about inverter generators is that if you are going to run your computer or TV on a generator it should be hooked to an inverter generator. Our generator is not inverter and we won't run our computers or TV on it.

 

[TheGoose]

Would like to see your boat-gas set-up for the Honda. I've got the same one.

I've got one of the Honda EU2000i generators. Got it to run our refrigerator plus a few lights during power outages. We heat with a woodstove, so heat is never an issue even in winter. After much browsing online, I made an external gas tank using a six gallon outboard tank, so it will now run for days on one fill of the tank. One great bonus with the Hondas..... they have a fuel pump. Eventually I'll get something large enough to run more of the house, along with the electric hot water heater so we can shower when the power is out. So far, we have dodged the bullet during the past couple big ice storms. We had neighbors a block away without power for 6 - 8 days while our lights never even flickered.

 

[ultrarunner]

Another plus with Inverter Generators is they can be combined... Honda sells a wire harness for that... you can put two of the 2000 together... as an example.

 

[arrow]

What little I know about inverter generators is that if you are going to run your computer or TV on a generator it should be hooked to an inverter generator. Our generator is not inverter and we won't run our computers or TV on it.

I ran the plasma flat screen off of the Coleman gen. Didn't try to run the computer but it would not run the washer.

 

[MikeInMaine]

Honda makes a good 2000 watt inverter generator. The Westinghouse brand model, at half the price, is not worth the money.

 

[JB4310]

I recently purchased a Champion 2000 peak watt, 1600 continuous watts inverter generator. I plan to use it to run a small refrigerator and small freezer and my solar hot water pump during power outages. I got it after Irene. Its main advantage is quiet and lower fuel consumption. I expect it will also run the TV and some lights. It will run for abut 9 hours on a gallon of gas at 25% of full load.

What experience have others had using inverter generators?

I don't think it matters that it's an inverter type, sounds to me like you are asking to much from such a small genny. There was another thread recently where a guy couldn't get the fridge to run with small generator. I guess his was a full size fridge but you are saying a fridge and a freezer?

We have propane heat here, along with our woodstove, so we went with a small propane unit. 3500 watts peak and 3000 constant. Im hoping it will handle my cellar sump pump, two refrigerators and a couple of lights. I think you can see where Im going on the sump pump front... the cellar only stays dry when we have AC !!!

Hey Scotty,

Not all at once, I'm almost certain of that.

I just called the Zoeller pump company Thursday for a lady that was interested in a generator just for her sump pump. Their 1/3 hp model is the industry standard pump we use around here.

They told me that pump needs up to 3000 watts for start up.
I was recommending one of those nice little Honda 2000 watt machines cause they are light and quiet, simple to use, good for an older woman to handle, but I'm not sure of what their start up capacity is?

JB.

 

[scott_vt]

Good Afternoon JB,
Well both sump pumps dont run at the same time to start with...

I was borrowing a 1000 watt gen from the FD and that one ran the garage frig and one sump pump.

I will agree that when the sump kicked on you could hear that little Honda labor but it did it...

A couple of 75 watt bulbs in the house sounds like the least of my worries

I might have to alternate the inside and outside frig units...

Thanks for the heads up though...

 

[Tenn_Blue]

From our Florida days, we have a Honda 2000eu inverter generator. I CAN tell you from experience that it will run a fridge and a handful of lights/radio/tv/computer. We had a "cool room" - a bedroom that we could put a small window unit in - the honda would run the window unit and a few lights, tv etc.
You don't need to run a chest freezer or even a fridge all the time. If you don't open it, a freezer will stay cold for quite a while. We would run the appliances in rotation. Fridge most of the time, freezer for an hour or so, and then the ac in the heat of the afternoon and at night so we could sleep.

One year we had three huricanes (thankfully not really strong when they hit us...) came through our area and the generator ran quite a bit! A bigger generator would have been nicer, but the Honda got us by - and it didn't use much fuel.

We still ahve the honda and it is running strong. we take it camping and use it around the house - it only weighs 40 lbs or so so is easily transportable. The honda is a little more expensive than the "cheaper" units, but they last forever.

 

[JB4310]

Good Afternoon JB,
Well both sump pumps dont run at the same time to start with...

I was borrowing a 1000 watt gen from the FD and that one ran the garage frig and one sump pump.

I will agree that when the sump kicked on you could hear that little Honda labor but it did it...

A couple of 75 watt bulbs in the house sounds like the least of my worries

I might have to alternate the inside and outside frig units...

Thanks for the heads up though...

From our Florida days, we have a Honda 2000eu inverter generator. I CAN tell you from experience that it will run a fridge and a handful of lights/radio/tv/computer. We had a "cool room" - a bedroom that we could put a small window unit in - the honda would run the window unit and a few lights, tv etc.
You don't need to run a chest freezer or even a fridge all the time. If you don't open it, a freezer will stay cold for quite a while. We would run the appliances in rotation. Fridge most of the time, freezer for an hour or so, and then the ac in the heat of the afternoon and at night so we could sleep.

One year we had three huricanes (thankfully not really strong when they hit us...) came through our area and the generator ran quite a bit! A bigger generator would have been nicer, but the Honda got us by - and it didn't use much fuel.

We still ahve the honda and it is running strong. we take it camping and use it around the house - it only weighs 40 lbs or so so is easily transportable. The honda is a little more expensive than the "cheaper" units, but they last forever.

Good to hear the hands on experience, I have none myself.

People have been asking me alot lately what they need for their sump pumps,
If that 2000 watt honda would do it that would be ideal, since they are so easy to handle.

Yeah the hondas cost more but are worth it IMO.
A neighbor just got a 5-6KW honda, he paid close to $3,000. compared to a home depot unit the same size for $600. that's a big difference, but money would not be your biggest concern when the power goes out.

I don't know if I'd say they last forever, but maybe true for occasional use, they are the top of the line in their class.

I've got 2 Hondas, one a little 2200 older style non inverter and a larger unit that is primarily a welder but has 4KW output, no 220volt though. I also have a Multiquip 3-4KW which is a contractor grade unit, very heavy for it's output, but probably on par with a honda.

JB

 

[BobRip]

My refrigerator and freezer are 4 cubic ft. Each. They average together about 100 watts total. No problem with them.

If you want to run lights then put in compact fluorescents. This reduced load can mean a lot to a small generator.

FYI, I have two other generators (5000 and 8000 watts) for higher load times. My problem is the refrigator must be run at least 12 hours a day. It must not be unpowered for more than a couple of hours. I tested my big refrigerator and it ran 50% of the time. I wake up after a night of not running and it shows an internal temperature of 60 degrees. We still drank the milk and did not get sick, but threw away the food left when the power came back. With the inverter gen we will run all night. Also to get solar hot water I have to run the generator. I know we are being cautious, but being sick while not having power does not sound good.

 

[Ductape]

Would like to see your boat-gas set-up for the Honda. I've got the same one.

I'll take a few pictures of the set-up when I get a chance. It's popular with the RV crowd. Also good when coupling two 2000i's together..... they can both draw off a single outboard tank. I don't remember the exact numbers, but a single EU2000i can run for something like four days with a partial load on a six gallon outboard tank.

 

[thatguy]

Would like to see your boat-gas set-up for the Honda. I've got the same one.

here is one link

Captain Goddammit


there are quite a few others out there.. BEFORE you go and convert the standard gas cap - save yourself the trouble and buy one of the metal ones for sale online (ebay and other places). they are about $30..

Brian

 

[BobRip]

I don't think it matters that it's an inverter type, sounds to me like you are asking to much from such a small genny. There was another thread recently where a guy couldn't get the fridge to run with small generator. I guess his was a full size fridge but you are saying a fridge and a freezer?

JB, the small refrigerator and freezer (two separate appliances) only pull about 110 watts each. The generator has no problem with them. The solar pump is 40 watts.
I tried a 1500 watt heater today. It would not start from off if the generator was in econo mode. If I turned the heater to 750 watts, turned it on and then switched to 1500 watts it worked. I was hoping to see if someone had a lot of experience using the Champion, but it may be too new.

 

[JB4310]

JB, the small refrigerator and freezer (two separate appliances) only pull about 110 watts each. The generator has no problem with them. The solar pump is 40 watts.
I tried a 1500 watt heater today. It would not start from off if the generator was in econo mode. If I turned the heater to 750 watts, turned it on and then switched to 1500 watts it worked. I was hoping to see if someone had a lot of experience using the Champion, but it may be too new.

I'm surprised those 2 small appliances use that little power, if that's the case you should have no trouble keeping them running. even if their start up requires 3x more.

For those few things you want to run that you mentioned in the first post, you should be right around the 25%/ 9 hours to a gallon, which is about the best I've ever heard of as far as being economical goes.

JB

 

[ultrarunner]

I don't think it matters that it's an inverter type, sounds to me like you are asking to much from such a small genny. There was another thread recently where a guy couldn't get the fridge to run with small generator. I guess his was a full size fridge but you are saying a fridge and a freezer?

JB, the small refrigerator and freezer (two separate appliances) only pull about 110 watts each. The generator has no problem with them. The solar pump is 40 watts.
I tried a 1500 watt heater today. It would not start from off if the generator was in econo mode. If I turned the heater to 750 watts, turned it on and then switched to 1500 watts it worked. I was hoping to see if someone had a lot of experience using the Champion, but it may be too new.

Think the generator given to me by my brother's father in law is a champion... it's at the cabin.

It has been easy to start and fairly quiet...

I believe he paid about 1/3 the price of a similar sized Honda.

 

[BobRip]

Is it an inverter model? The model numbers ends in I.