generator

[dmart]

What type of Generator does everybody use?

[JimWilson29]

What type of Generator does everybody use?

That's like asking what type of bike does everyone ride. You'll find every brand and size in the pits; from Honda's and Yamaha's to Coleman and Harbor Freight. You'll want a 2000 watt generator to sufficiently power your warmers (they usually draw a little less than that). Now the cost of the generator is usually directly related to how loud it is. I am going to stop there because Jon should be piping in soon about loud generators.

[spideyrdr]

If you can, find out what your warmers draw for sure. A Kill-A-Watt meter is great for this. I found my warmers pull a surprisingly low 800-900 watts and picked up a 1200w max two-smoke generator for $100. I acknowledge this leaves me with no extra juice for other things and it will be a little louder than a Honda, but for $100 it will get me by until I can either afford a nicer / quieter / watt-ier (is that a word?) down the road. And if / when I get a better one, that little generator will be great for other uses too.

If budget is truly the deciding factor, find out what you actually need and size appropriately. If money is no object, then get the quietest generator that puts out a many watts as you and your pit-mates could possibly need!

[Jon]

I always like to be a good neighbor and provide a park like setting, free of noise, trash, bad language and crime. But then once I've usually by I've established this, someone comes along with their trash talking, girl stalking, doesn't pick up after their dog walking friends and plugs in their $300 dollar Harbor Freight generator that they picked up from a friend who couldn't live with after the muffler fell off and after they tried to fix but lost all the bolts.
Seriously try and Ebay a Honda EU or Yamaha that you can take camping and love thy neighbor.

[rybo]

I have a Yamaha that I really like. I got it from another racer who used it for several years and I'm now on my 3rd season of using it for racing. Additionally I used it most of the last two summers to run power tools at construction sites. The thing is unstoppable and worth every penny I paid for it.

Like everything else, you get what you pay for. Buy a quality piece the first time, take good care of it and it will take care of you.

I've learned this lesson way way too many times to ever consider myself smart, but here it is in writing. I've never regretted buying the good tool the first time. I have (more than once) regretted buying the cheap one.

Scott

[bluedevil]

Champion 3600w from Checker...

Quiet, lots of power, and less than $400

6 years, never needed more than gas and oil

[Throttleroller277]

I've learned this lesson way way too many times to ever consider myself smart, but here it is in writing. I've never regretted buying the good tool the first time. I have (more than once) regretted buying the cheap one.

Scott

[oldtimer]

Kipor was our last genny, it's a Honda knock-off quiet and strong. Good prices on Kipor and a great generator, we found ours on craigslist.

I'm with Jon, be a good neighbor, parklike setting, run a quiet generator and pick up your trash.

[dmart]

Thanks for everyones thoughts... Will look for a decent yamaha or Honda

[davy4575]

I found a coleman (honda engine) 1800w quiet camper. powers my warmers and compressor easily and have ran a second set on it with no probs. on craigslist paid 180.oo for it, like new. its compact and reasonably quiet.

You have search through alot of Cletis the slack-jawed yokel models that some dumb-ass inbred whos missing more teeth than my old sawblade fabricated in his back yard high on crack and beer to find a good one on there though.