Track Tac

Generator Recommendations

H

hjsmith00843

New member
What generator is recommended for a trailer with 2 ac units, lights, small compressor, tire roller, and other small electronics?

I am sure the one I have now is not enough. It is a smaller 4000 unit.
 
Yamaha 3000i, so you and your neighbors at the track do not go deaf. The industrial site generators are never that loud, until you start them.
 
Honda. Buy it once, and never buy another one again. Buy the Cheap-O Clone Gen, and you won't be happy. How do I know? Experience.

Few years ago, I bought a 3500w Wen Power Gen from Pep Boys. Quiet, starts right away, 6.5hp Clone. It struggled with a small air compressor, 2 Halogen lights, and 2 fluorescent lights. So, I bought a Homelight 6500w with a Yamaha engine. It was better, ran the above fine, but it will drive you nuts if you have to be by it for more than 10 minutes. Want to buy either, will make you a package deal on both. A buddy has a 6500 watt Honda on wheels. It was running at the track and I went to look at it before I realized it was running, I was shocked at how quiet it was. BUT, the Honda's will run the advertised watts, the Cheap-O gens will run about 50% its a good estimate.

Dave E.
 
DGE53 said:
Honda. Buy it once, and never buy another one again. Buy the Cheap-O Clone Gen, and you won't be happy. How do I know? Experience.

Few years ago, I bought a 3500w Wen Power Gen from Pep Boys. Quiet, starts right away, 6.5hp Clone. It struggled with a small air compressor, 2 Halogen lights, and 2 fluorescent lights. So, I bought a Homelight 6500w with a Yamaha engine. It was better, ran the above fine, but it will drive you nuts if you have to be by it for more than 10 minutes. Want to buy either, will make you a package deal on both. A buddy has a 6500 watt Honda on wheels. It was running at the track and I went to look at it before I realized it was running, I was shocked at how quiet it was. BUT, the Honda's will run the advertised watts, the Cheap-O gens will run about 50% its a good estimate.

Dave E.
Click to expand...

Any 3500w generator would have struggled to run the load you tried to run... even a Honda
 
Forget brands and prices.. You make that decission..

As per wattage..

The advertised watts is usually its SURGE Peak.. But all have a running wattage thats also listed and thats what you really need to look at..
Your volumn of efficenices is BIG... I would say you need a MINIMUM of 7500 running wattage ,, if any less you are going to run it too death / short life..

Naturally a better known brand as in Honda,,Yamaha and Gerenrac would be best bets.. IF you buy the Predators from Harbour be sure to BUY the most warrenty they offer..
 
at work they bought 4 "chepo clone" generators none of them leaked oil until we put oil in them, every one leaked out the side cover.
 
Two halogen floods is probably 1000 watts! Replace them with 50w LED floods, more light at 1/10 the power consumption. And they're only $30 each at Amazon.
 
I had a Sears and Roebuck 2800 watt with a Briggs engine. Lots of noise.
If I had to do it again I would be looking at a much quieter engine like an Ohnan (s). They make a real nice 4000 watt you see in a lot of travel trailers. It runs at a much lower RPM and is a lot quieter. A lot more expensive too, the main reason I bought the Sears.

From the desk of Al Nunley
Comments compliments criticisms and questions always welcome.
If the data does not support the theory, get a new theory. (Al Nunley)
 
I ended up buying a used/new 8000/12000 Generac XP8000E off of craigslist. Guy was asking $600 I talked him down to $500. Felt guilty. He needed $ badly and he paid $2200 a few years ago and only used it for 4 hours according to the meter. I think this was the best purchase I have ever made for kart racing.
 
DGE53 said:
Honda. Buy it once, and never buy another one again. Buy the Cheap-O Clone Gen, and you won't be happy. How do I know? Experience.

Few years ago, I bought a 3500w Wen Power Gen from Pep Boys. Quiet, starts right away, 6.5hp Clone. It struggled with a small air compressor, 2 Halogen lights, and 2 fluorescent lights. So, I bought a Homelight 6500w with a Yamaha engine. It was better, ran the above fine, but it will drive you nuts if you have to be by it for more than 10 minutes. Want to buy either, will make you a package deal on both. A buddy has a 6500 watt Honda on wheels. It was running at the track and I went to look at it before I realized it was running, I was shocked at how quiet it was. BUT, the Honda's will run the advertised watts, the Cheap-O gens will run about 50% its a good estimate.

Dave E.
Click to expand...

I had to chuckle at this one. I have the exact same Wen and run an air compressor and up to 3 lights, but none of the lights are halogen, though the lighting is more than adequate in and outside the trailer and I've seated sprint car tires on the bead with the air compressor. That difference in lighting (my lighting probably draws all of 42-45 watts) is probably why I've never had a shortage of generator power incident with the 3500 watt Wen. But you do have to choose your components with an eye toward the most bang for the least watts, because the draw of things other than obvious culprits like an air compressor can catch one by surprise and put the generator in overload.

Mike
 
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