Question on generators, inverters

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 10:22 pm

I did some more studying on Kipors... they did originally suck ass, but the general consensus is that quality and reliability have improved a lot.
Most reports are that they aren't quite as quiet as a Honda or Yamaha. I consider that a very big deal. Hell, I want my Hondas to be quieter than they are!

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 10:35 pm

You could encapsulate them like the FPs and some RV generators.

Post by **mdmf007** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 10:43 pm

SOme chinese stuff is actually pretty solid as fas as tools go.

capjbadger · Post by **capjbadger** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 11:43 pm

At this point I'm mostly looking for one that I can charge the art car battries off of in case the solar panels aren't enough on the MV.

Badger

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 12:02 am

Just Three weeks ago I bought a KIPOR and immediately returned it.
Wouldn't start at all, no matter what.

Out of box failure, I guess it happens all the time, from box store purchases.

I have a friend who fixes small engines for a living and he swears that KIPOR is a quality product.
Not quite as good as Honda or Yamaha, but damn close.

He also says that he has to fix the float on practically all of them before they can be sold at his place of employment(Authorized KIPOR dealer in RENO).

I just got the Honda eu2000 shipped to me from the internet, tax-free and free frieght, for $869.
It started on the first pull.

This was only $ 50 more than the KIPOR of the same size, after taxes.

you get what you pay for................

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 6:29 am

EspressoDude wrote: The Honda EU machines are actually DC generators with an AC inverter that does a very good job of creating a good sine wave and voltage regulation because of the solid state circuitry. Because they are actually DC generators, they are relatively easy to parallel and synchronize the sine waves of the two generators electronically.

Actually, no they aren't DC generators. They produce high-frequency AC which is then converted to DC which feeds the internal inverter to make clean 60 Hz AC. They don't parallel-connect at the DC stage. The AC outputs are connected directly together when paralleled.

alt12 · Post by **alt12** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 9:22 am

Well, in th end I kinda took your-all's advice here. So I bought a Honda but it wasn't a fancy EU model. It was an older EM-1800x that had barely been used. I don't find it much louder than my EU 1000 and looks solid like a tank....I just couldn't justify spending 800-1200$ on a EU2000 when I could spend $240 on an older Honda. Doesn't have the inverter technology but will take my chances...Worst case scenario, we can run the sensitive electronics (pa speakers) off the EU1000 and everything else on the 1800x....Thanks for the advice...it was that or a brand new "Duropower" made in China...

Capn I hope you're not too dissapointed...By the way, do you guys work for Honda or something?

Marscrumbs · Post by **Marscrumbs** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 10:40 am

capjbadger wrote:
Marscrumbs wrote:I own a yamahi 900. It's Blue colored vs. the Red Honda 1000 and about the same price and supposedly a few decible lower at idle. It's been plenty enough for my survival camplights decorations, battery recharges including the auto.

However since then I found a nice Honda knockoff that runs on either gas, LPG or propane. Dealer is also a user selling them as a sideline to their event centered gokart business.

http://familygokarts.com/main.php?htmlPage=xr2500l
What's people's take on these? They look good to me, but I'm not up on generators. I can get a Honda EU 2000i for $800, or one of these for $500 less.

Hard for me to not look hard at 500 bucks... :)

Badger

These are NOT comparable to the quiet hitech Honda or Yamaha models tht put out sine clean 1-2Kwatts. They're more like the cheaper Honda units or Coleman of comparable size (2.5Kw and above) uses on construction sites that are in a similar price range. Advantage is the propane fuel use is built in for much less than a conversion kit for honda generator. Also I'm building a sound box for this generator.

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 10:45 pm

I've used Honda EM-series generators, and even brought my EM2500 to the playa... once. They're loud. The neighbors were pissed. I ended up selling it.
I think you made a mistake not getting a quiet one. Your neighbors really think so!

Marscrumbs · Post by **Marscrumbs** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 9:03 am

Captain Goddammit wrote:I've used Honda EM-series generators, and even brought my EM2500 to the playa... once. They're loud. The neighbors were pissed. I ended up selling it.
I think you made a mistake not getting a quiet one. Your neighbors really think so!

Haven't sold my Yamaha 900 and actuall find I hardly use it. It's a backup to my solar panels and wind turbine charged 12 DC batterties. The new generator will be married to my propane powered truck with is plenty loud in itself. This would become a Mutant vehicle someday, but not this year. evolution!.

Working on a boron fusion energy project, but thats for "ten years" in the future.

alt12 · Post by **alt12** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 6:27 pm

Captain Goddammit wrote:I've used Honda EM-series generators, and even brought my EM2500 to the playa... once. They're loud. The neighbors were pissed. I ended up selling it.
I think you made a mistake not getting a quiet one. Your neighbors really think so!

well we're a relatively large camp with a big footprint near the 2:00 sound camps so I think it'll be ok....and we'll run the Honda EU1000 at night... I mean for christ's sake it is burning man...if you're camping near opulent temple you kinda bargained for some noise in my opinion...its not like were next to AEZ or anything... worst case scenario will switch to the quiet one and only run the EM for our parties...and when those are on the generator is the least of the noise...my main concern was really reliablity....

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 7:42 pm

alt12 wrote: well we're a relatively large camp with a big footprint near the 2:00 sound camps

OH! Well never mind then... you're right, no one's gonna hear it there!

Hawk · Post by **Hawk** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 3:54 pm

capjbadger wrote: What's people's take on these? They look good to me, but I'm not up on generators. I can get a Honda EU 2000i for $800, or one of these for $500 less.

Hard for me to not look hard at 500 bucks... :)

Badger

For me it would come back to the noise level. The HondaEU2000i runs at 53dB at rated load, the cheaper one runs at 68dB. The dB scale is logarithmic so that means the cheap one is going to be about 5 times lauder than the Honda.

I have a Honda EU200i, might get another one.

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