cheaper imported camping generators

[Steve B]

Hi guys,

I know this sort of thread was done a bit last year, but I wanted to get some further advice.

I am looking into getting a generator for basic camping. My aim is to run it during the day to charge a deep cycle battery/ies...which will run my waeco cf 50, some lights, maybe a kettle at night etc. I know the old saying "you get what you pay for".....but I really will only be using it maybe twice a year for short trips.

Has anyone bought a cheaper one, and wishes to share their experience, brand, price and where they got it. Or if anyone has any links to some of these units.

I am looking for something as quiet as possible (obviously)
-around 2kva size
- 4 stroke prefereably
-price $0- $1000.

I know Hondas and Yammies are the best....but out of my price range, unless someone has a goody second hand they want to part with

Thanks in advance for any advice

cheers Steve

[GBC]

If silence isn't golden, Trade Tools do a 2500 watt 4 stroke which I can vouch for - mine's got probably around 1000hrs (guess) on it. It's been dropped from utes and repaired a few times, but refuses to give up the ghost.
Other than that I saw bunnings had a chinese knock off of an inverter genny recently - might be worth a look.

[shano]

mate go down to tent world they have a 2 kva kipper for around that money! very quiet and a copy of the honda in everyway! i own a 1kva honda and love it! but to day was in at tent world
they also have the engel 2kva for $1399 i think the kipor is also that but they have a 2.6kva for about $1590, anyway give them a ring they could be cheaper than that ! memory effected by MR jimmy beam.

but the chinese ones are noisy! i had a 2.6kva and man was it noisy, also had te gmc ones they are ok but still noisy! and unreliable! thats wy i now have a honda!

[Steve B]

thanks guys,

Shane, would your 1kva honda run a waeco CF 50 and a few lights etc? OK? or would it charge a 130Amp hr deep cycle OK??

cheers Steve

[griz066]

I have a 850 w GMC does all I need Have a look on eBay http://search.ebay.com.au/inverter-g...fclZ3QQfromZR2

[minn-kota]

Do yourself a favour & try to get a 2kva honda on e-bay - the cheapos are exactly that & noisy as - the hondas will power a full caravan including a/c large fridge & lighting

[Jaffo]

I have a 2kva Kipor and it is a top unit. You can shop around and get 2 for the price of 1 Honda. I have had no problems with mine in the 4 years I have had it. Clocked up over 500 hours with it, great on fuel and same bd rating as a Honda. I use it for Beach Bush Work & Home in black outs. But at the end of the day a Honda is a Honda only if you have the spare coin, if not a Kipor is as good as they get IMO.

[shano]

thanks guys,

Shane, would your 1kva honda run a waeco CF 50 and a few lights etc? OK? or would it charge a 130Amp hr deep cycle OK??

cheers Steve

hi steve yes mate it would run it easy as!i run mine at night time only and i run a waeco cf80 ,a 150watt spot light , a twin tube 4ft fluro and also the battery charger that charges my 120ah deep cycle battery! i charge my battery off a battery charger not off the machine! safer that way!

[Steve B]

hi steve yes mate it would run it easy as!i run mine at night time only and i run a waeco cf80 ,a 150watt spot light , a twin tube 4ft fluro and also the battery charger that charges my 120ah deep cycle battery! i charge my battery off a battery charger not off the machine! safer that way!

Thanks Shano, I am tossing between 1 and 2 kva purely due to the lack of work it will do.!!

I really planned to do something similar to you and run the genny to charge a 130ah deep cycle during the day/early evening...then run the CF50 and a few lights etc during the night off the battery...I would use a 3.5amp battery charger to do it....might be a bit slow though???

On a side note, I have been watching the cheapies on E bay!! heres one I looked at....and neeeeearly bought at $260!!!
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/NEW-1000W-1-0...QQcmdZViewItem

The noise rating for this 1kva says 92db....I think that may be a typo error, as the equviant 2kva model (same 4stroke motor, housing etc) has a rating of 56db!!...which sounds closer to the mark!!

Cheers Steve

Jaffo, thanks for the advice mate.....yes, I am seriously looking at the Kipor....I have seen a few in action and have been impressed...not as much as the Hondas....but equivilant respect vs $$

[darylive]

Steve,

I have hondas for work and they are brilliant. I have an el cheapo GMC myself, it does the job but in reality have rarely used it. If I think of it I will bring it to Borumba so you can have a play. They are not as quite as the brand name ones but in reality if you are in a noise sensitive place you can't use a genny any way.

[darylive]

Steve that E-Bay one looks great

and it has a 90 day warrenty . They clearly have plenty of faith in their product?

The warrenty would be half gone by the time you got it .

The GMC ain't flash but they just give you a new one if it dies in twelve months.

[griz066]

I just found an Engel for under $1000 I am gunna get one myself

http://www.discountcamping.com.au/in...pageid=gennies

[Dan5]

Mate i have one of the el-cheapo 2.2kva generator's off of E-bay........a mate acciedently bid on two different machine's and won both...........so he offered me one and i bought it.........it's a knock off of the Honda 20i.......it look's very similar.

So far it's only done roughly 20hrs........but so far so good........it is quiet and easy to start............longevity?.........well who know's i have pulled all the outer housing off and had a look around it and it seem's ok.......nothing look's dodgy anyway.It was around the $600 mark from memory and that's delivered all the way to Darwin.

Obviously the Honda is a better unit..........but it's also 4 time's the expense so for me and what i want to do with it i'm happy enough with the one i have now..........maybe a few years down the track if i could justify a better one and spending the extra $$$ i'll upgrade but untill then the chinese jobby will do.

Dan.

[FNQCairns]

Careful with GMC they are now or just were in receivership, Our warranty has already been declined on one of their products as a result.

I have an ebay 2kv inverter 4 stroke, it's LOUD, works Ok though, originally took 3 packages of replacement fuel pumps until one worked + another problem, if i was not handy this one would not be working.

Mine is yellow, was cheap at the time 3 years ago $700 ish to my door, looks somewhat like a kippor type but I am unsure, still since sorting it out it has been reliable but has done little work really, did i mention it's LOUD?

cheers fnq

[finga]

Do any of these come with an ELCB or RCD or safety switch and earth bonding terminal (which is just a stud on the frame with the earth symbol on it)??