I need a Generator...looking for advice????

[FrontenacPike]

I'm in the market for a generator. I would like to get one for under $600.

I will be using it in my permanent shack. I will be running 3-18ft strings of led lights, 3 light bulbs, TV, DVD player, radio, and a couple crock pots. How many watts will I need and have a little extra to spare? Also does anybody have any suggestions on brand and how much?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Cecil]

You will pay a little more but the Honda's are hands down the cats meow in my opinion.

[FrontenacPike]

I know, I wish I could afford one..

[FasterThanYou23]

I agree

[SomethingFishy*]

You can find Honda Eu2000i's on sale for between $800-$900. Check out the ice fishing show this weekend as there are usually people there wiith good deals.

I know it hurts but spend the extra $$$ upfront for a lifetime of satisfaction. The fuel saved using the Honda will pay for itself over time. I can run mine up to 15 hours on 1 gallon of gas.

[muc33]

As much as I wish I could tell you something different. These are some smart dudes! Bite the bullet, better to feel the pain turn to joy than to have the joy fade to pain.

[eyemaster]

I agree, I have a coleman and it uses more gas and is LOUD, I upset most of the guys that I fish with....I only use it up north in the woods now. Spend the $'s for a good one!!

[elkrivermn]

I would get a Cummins Power Generation (Onan) state of the art gen sets Did I mention Cummins is a USA company? I mean hey do you fisherpeople buy japanese fish houses and haul it out to the lake in a japanese truck drill the hole in the ice with a japanese auger? or babey even go to the japanese bait shop and hook a japanese fathead on your hook, well hows about we support the USA and keep the money over here and besides you get what you pay for.

[cold one sd]

If you plan an using two rockpots at the same time as some of the other appliances you will probably need a larger generator than a 2,000. You may want to add the wattage of what you plan to use at the same time to get the size right.

[SomethingFishy*]

Kipor also makes a good generator very similar to a Honda Eu2000i called a Kipor Sinemaster IG2000 . Yamaha has one as well.

Do a google search for "Kipor North America" they sell them at some rv dealers that I have seen.

The Yamahas are also available thru Cabelas.

[7outof10]

I would get a Cummins Power Generation (Onan) state of the art gen sets Did I mention Cummins is a USA company? I mean hey do you fisherpeople buy japanese fish houses and haul it out to the lake in a japanese truck drill the hole in the ice with a japanese auger? or babey even go to the japanese bait shop and hook a japanese fathead on your hook, well hows about we support the USA and keep the money over here and besides you get what you pay for.

i am all for u.s.a stuff and all of that but no one eve n comes close to making one as good as the Honda i wont sacrifice fishing just to stick with u.s stuff so what im getting at here is the Honda is hands down better then any thing out there.....and just a side note most of the ice fishing stuff is made right here in the state of MN

[crappiekid]

i have a coleman powermate and yes kinda loud and gas guzzler!

I only use it to charge all my batteries while fishing. My buddy runs his honda 2000 EU all weekend. I would watch Craigs list or Northern Tool!

Good luck

[hoggs222]

I know that Hunter Winfield's on Mille Lacs used around a 1000 watt Makita generator to power their biggest wheelhouse which was powering the heater, lights, lcd tv, ps2, etc. Everything! I know their cheaper than the Honda's too and it seemed just about as quiet.

[Paul Waldowski]

You guys are really missing the boat unless you have looked at the Subaru line of generators. Slightly cheaper than a Yammy, more dependable, (wouldn't have believed it unless I'd seen it), same gas consumption, and they are just as quiet if not quieter.

[Caleb S]

Kipor is a chinese rip off of the Honda generators. The Chinese do not care much about copyright laws. That being said, they have the same technology as a Honda but the quality is not quite as good. Is the quality of a Honda which can cost twice as much as the Kipor worth the extra money? I don't know. However; I think you would be hard pressed to find someone who will speak bad of a Honda.

My next genie will be a Yamaha that can run off of LP as well as normal gas. It would be pretty sweet to hook the genie to a 20lb tank and not have to fill it up all weekend.

[FrontenacPike]

I'd like to check out the ice show this weekend but I'll be working fri, sat and sunday. Has anyone ever heard anything good or bad about these?

"All Power" 2000 watts sold at Northern Tool and Equipment. 68dB, 2 gallons 8 hours at 1/2 load. $329

Cabelas is abvertising a "Champion" 3,500 watt. This one is also 68dB, 4 gallons 12 hours at 1/2 load.

I took a look at the Kipor and they seem to be priced the same as Honda's.

[FrontenacPike]

You guys are really missing the boat unless you have looked at the Subaru line of generators. Slightly cheaper than a Yammy, more dependable, (wouldn't have believed it unless I'd seen it), same gas consumption, and they are just as quiet if not quieter.

Paul are you referring to Subaru Robin Generators?

[Paul Waldowski]

Yep!! We are switching over to them and won't be going back to anything else. We started using them last year and they are the bomb!

[bearslayer]

I have a Honda 3000eu and love it. Start it friday night and run until sunday afternoon, only refill once. Run straight through with furnace, refer. lights, t.v., floodlight at night, crockpot during day, and stove at times, all running. Put it 15ft outside of trailer and can't hear it run. You get what you pay for. Buy a cheap one now and you'll wish you had spent the $ on a better one when you're buying the next one. I don't plan on ever buying another one.

[Caleb S]

Most of the "off brand" generators that have sprung up in the past few years are all made in China. If you are planning on running electronic equipment that is sensitive to power level fluctuations, you really need to worry more about getting one that runs on sine wave inverter technology.

[FrontenacPike]

woah.... sine wave inverter technology????

[Caleb S]

woah.... sine wave inverter technology????

When you are looking around just be sure they utilize an inverter. When looking at a generator it will clearly be advertised as using an inverter if it has one. If it doesn't mention an inverter you can pretty much assume it doesn't have one.

[BpAki987]

I would get a Cummins Power Generation (Onan) state of the art gen sets Did I mention Cummins is a USA company? I mean hey do you fisherpeople buy japanese fish houses and haul it out to the lake in a japanese truck drill the hole in the ice with a japanese auger? or babey even go to the japanese bait shop and hook a japanese fathead on your hook, well hows about we support the USA and keep the money over here and besides you get what you pay for.

I love how small minded people sound when they say stuff like this. I'm was born in japan, Have family in japan,and have also live here in minnesota for 19years. Most anything that has electronics in it(Chevy,Ford,Chrysler) the parts come from asia. CHEAPER for us. A toyota Tundra Truck is 95% american made Chevy cant even come close.Anyways back to the subject.Sorry to rant.

We have a Briggs and Stratton 4000 watt generator and a Honda eu2000. The briggs was $600,Honda was $900. Honda hands down is a way better generator. Way less gas,weight,and noise. Maintenance is little to none also. The briggs and stratton actually blew up last year out on mille lacs after 12hours and we had to spend $250 on parts to rebuild the motor.

[Sandmannd]

I bought a 1000w generator at Menards the day after Thanksgiving for $100. Can't remember the name of it, but figure for that price if it lasts me a couple of years, I got a deal.

[EMJB]

I will never go on a fishing trip without my Honda! I have a 24ft Ice Castle and use it year round, ice all winter and camping all summer! We have never had any trouble with it and use it often! The longest we have let it run was 7 days on URL, it was cold (-25) very windy, and everything we had quit working other than our Honda!(100# lp tank froze, regulator quit working, recoil on auger broke, apple pie shots made with everclear froze and the list goes on) We will never own a generator that is not a Honda again!