[Jackruf]

Has anyone on the forum had any experience with the (fairly new) Champion hybrids? Specifically interested if the sine wave is fairly uniform and if the noise level is materially different from a conventional generator? I have read the specs but looking for real life experience.

I do have an EU6500i for my primary residence backup but need a second for a vacation home and don't want to spend the money for an EU700i at this point in time.

Thanks

 

[Old man here]

I have the Champion Power Equipment 100519 6250-Watt Open Frame Inverter Generator. Very clean sine wave. I'm very satisficed with the clean power it puts out.
This is the 2nd Champion I have owned. Sold the first one with my 5th wheel trailer. That generator had hundreds of hours on it, not one issue during my ownership.
I agree about the Hondas, way overpriced.
I paid less than $1000.00 for the new Champion.

 

[iowagold]

stick with the honda...
way better unit.
upgrade the home unit to the eu7000is and do the 6500 for the vac home?
place the 7000is at the place where you will use it most..
they are way better on fuel with the new fuel injection.

 

[Robh]

I have the Champion Power Equipment 100519 6250-Watt Open Frame Inverter Generator. Very clean sine wave. I'm very satisficed with the clean power it puts out.

Have you done a decibel reading on it? How loud is it compared to a regular generator at its different (inverter) levels?

 

[Old man here]

No I haven't. I will say that it is pretty quiet in eco mode with light loads.
When loaded up though, it sounds more like a regular generator, maybe a little quieter than my old 3500W Champion.
I will say that you hardly hear it from inside the house.

 

[iowagold]

build a gen shack for it, and use a gen stack for the exhaust.
nothing worse than a drone of a gen set if you have no power...

 

[Robh]

That's quite a DIY project for someone like me. I would need plans.

The only commercial one I can find is the Zombie-box and it's cost prohibitive.

 

[Jackruf]

I have the Champion Power Equipment 100519 6250-Watt Open Frame Inverter Generator. Very clean sine wave. I'm very satisficed with the clean power it puts out.
This is the 2nd Champion I have owned. Sold the first one with my 5th wheel trailer. That generator had hundreds of hours on it, not one issue during my ownership.
I agree about the Hondas, way overpriced.
I paid less than $1000.00 for the new Champion.

Thank you for sharing your experience

 

[Jackruf]

stick with the honda...
way better unit.
upgrade the home unit to the eu7000is and do the 6500 for the vac home?
place the 7000is at the place where you will use it most..
they are way better on fuel with the new fuel injection.

[/QUOTE]
Paul, I agree that the eu7000is is the gold standard. You are preaching to the choir in that regard. As indicated in my original post, I was an early adopter with the purchase of an eu6500i in 2012. It is a terrific machine. However, the Honda is approximately 4x the price of the Champion inverter. In the eight or so years I have owned my eu6500i, I have logged a total of 75 hours on the meter. About, 50 of those hours were periodic test runs. I assume you are mainly seeing these units used for commercial/mission critical applications. In those applications I get it. Top quality is paramount. But in my case, I am looking for "good", not "great". I jcan't justify purchasing a Bentley if I can make do with a Camry.

 

[Old man here]

Paul, I agree that the eu7000is is the gold standard. You are preaching to the choir in that regard. As indicated in my original post, I was an early adopter with the purchase of an eu6500i in 2012. It is a terrific machine. However, the Honda is approximately 4x the price of the Champion inverter. In the eight or so years I have owned my eu6500i, I have logged a total of 75 hours on the meter. About, 50 of those hours were periodic test runs. I assume you are mainly seeing these units used for commercial/mission critical applications. In those applications I get it. Top quality is paramount. But in my case, I am looking for "good", not "great". I jcan't justify purchasing a Bentley if I can make do with a Camry.
[/QUOTE]
I have the same opinion as you jack, no need to pay four times the price for a generator that will only used occasionally. Also the Champion has a three year warrantee, same as the Honda.
Most of the reviews online on Champion generators are very positive.
Hondas have issues as well as other mechanical equipment. If you have to repair the Champion after the warrantee, it will cost much less than a Honda for parts.

 

[tabora]

That's quite a DIY project for someone like me. I would need plans.

The only commercial one I can find is the Zombie-box and it's cost prohibitive.

This generator shed took about 1.5 hours to build, and the fan & shutters were simple to install - only used a saw, a drill & a screwdriver...

SunCast BMS2500 shed with some added features:

• PowerMate PM0126000 6000/7500W Generator - panel faces left, exhaust faces bottom of exhaust fan on right.
• U.S. Carburetion MSK3101 Tri-fuel regulator with quick connect mounted on back side of generator. The primary regulator & hose can be run out a hole in the intake side for hot weather use, or on the exhaust side for cold weather use where the exhaust air keeps the tank at a moderately warm temp.
• The generator legs sit in two rubber cups screwed into the floor joist so the generator can't move.
• 16" 1,200CFM iLiving ILG8SF16V Exhaust Fan on the right side.
• 17" 5NKN4 Dayton gravity operated inlet shutter on the left side.
• 8 Gauge pigtail on upper left side going to Hubbell HBL2710AR L14-30R receptacle.
• 60' 8 Gauge GenerLink cable stored on hose reel on left. Mounts on side of garage to the left.
• Red L14-30P to 4x 20A 120V outlets stored on back wall for non-GenerLink use.
• Thermal remote monitor mounted (out of frame) above center on rear wall, and a second one mounted outside on the propane tank.

 

[Jackruf]

Tabora, I see many people put a layer of foam insulation for sound deadening and cement board for fireproofing on those sheds. Did you consider that In your build?

 

[iowagold]

the choice of the gen set is the cost of down time...
yea i deal with commercial stuff.
but do some home owner as well!
think of the cost to replace the items damaged by bad power...
lol
how good is your insurance?
a wrong connected or bad generator you would find out for sure!
the hard way...
just take your time, over build your system and never have to look back!
but keep the gen system quiet, and secure is the best advice!

 

[tabora]

Tabora, I see many people put a layer of foam insulation for sound deadening and cement board for fireproofing on those sheds. Did you consider that In your build?

I considered it, but it has not been necessary. It's fairly quiet (more so than a couple of neighbors' units), and the temperature inside has never hit the 80F alarm point.

 

[agksimon]

stick with the honda...
way better unit.
upgrade the home unit to the eu7000is and do the 6500 for the vac home?
place the 7000is at the place where you will use it most..
they are way better on fuel with the new fuel injection.

A Honda eu7000 is over $4000 and for $6600, I can get a generac natural gas, 11k installed.

I have a Champion 100520 8750 peak, 7000 running, inverter generator and it has seen a lot of run time without any issues and only paid $1119 delivered. For home outages, it's money very wisely spent.

 

[Old man here]

A Honda eu7000 is over $4000 and for $6600, I can get a generac natural gas, 11k installed.

I have a Champion 100520 8750 peak, 7000 running, inverter generator and it has seen a lot of run time without any issues and only paid $1119 delivered. For home outages, it's money very wisely spent.

I approve this post .

 

[Robh]

This generator shed took about 1.5 hours to build, and the fan & shutters were simple to install - only used a saw, a drill & a screwdriver...

Tabora... Now that the weather is getting better, I might attempt this project. Have you measured how much of a decibel difference there is?

 

[tabora]

Tabora... Now that the weather is getting better, I might attempt this project. Have you measured how much of a decibel difference there is?

I have not measured it, but the difference is dramatic. With the shed closed up, you don't even hear the generator running in the house on the other side of the garage. Here are a couple of videos showing the difference from only about 15 feet away...

Open: Open.mp4

Closed: Closed.mp4

 

[Browse Deweb]

When I was considering a whole house generator, my neighbor gave me the info for the company who installed his new Generac unit and ATS. The guy quoted me $11k. That was a year ago. In that time, my neighbor, my in-laws and my sister in law all experienced issues with their installed whole house Generac units. When they were most needed, they didn't work. They all had annual maintenance plans costing a few hundred bucks per year.

So, I decided to buy a Honda EU7000IS at half the price. Had an electrician install the input box and interlock kit and we had no issues with a 3 day power outage last summer. The unit worked great, and was super quiet and extremely fuel efficient. I can only recommend the Honda, though I'm sure other gensets will be fine for most people. I wanted the best, and this still saved me a lot of money considering the alternative that my neighbor and in-laws went with.

Worse comes to worse, if we move and get a house with solar and battery backup, or a liquid cooled Cummins whole house unit, I can always sell the Honda for top dollar. These generators maintain their value.

You have lots of options.