Looking to purchase a duel power Gen/Inv

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quiettime

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Oct 21, 2019
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Hello new to this hole forum thing,
Looking to purchase a Champion 3400 Duel Fuel. Was interested to hear some reviews on it, fits my budget and fuel needs.
I'll be running it with a 36' 5er 2 batteries and a 1k inverter, it has a residential refrigerator and hoping this will help solve the recharging of the battery before quiet time when boondocking
Any help would be appreciated
 
Good generator with lots of positive reviews. Will charge the batteries just fine and will easily run your air conditioner on hot days. But, do you need a dual fuel model? Will use a lot more propane compared to gasoline.
 
Welcome to The RV Forum!

From what I understand, the Champion propane handling is a little flaky, requiring the propane to be externally shut off or disconnected whenever the generator is turned off or is to run on gasoline.  I looked at the Champion as an emergency power source for my sister's house (she has a large propane tank for her stove and furnace) but ruled it out due to this.  She wound up getting a Honda EU3000i and is very happy with it, even if it is gasoline only.

There are third party propane conversion kits available for the Honda and Harbor Freight Predator inverter generators, but I don't have any experience with them.
 
Thanks for the reviews
Looking not to carry gasoline due the fact the F-250 is a diesel and no other need for gasoline.
Also has anyone come across the Reese gooseneck box issue of not being able to turn 90 degrees. I changed to this gooseneck for the convenience of not having a big thing in the back of the bed but put a crack in the cap and a dent on the cab of the truck.
I think I have to change back to the Companion slider to fit the existing reverse ball receiver.
 
Also has anyone come across the Reese gooseneck box issue of not being able to turn 90 degrees. I changed to this gooseneck for the convenience of not having a big thing in the back of the bed but put a crack in the cap and a dent on the cab of the truck.
I think I have to change back to the Companion slider to fit the existing reverse ball receiver.
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You can't really blame Reese -  it's up to you to measure before changing a pin box, especially for short or standard bed trucks (less than 8 ft bed). Trailers differ in the front and the pin box position, and different pin boxes or goosenecks have different length (forward projection).  If you needed a slider to make 90 degree turns with a standard 5W pin, odds are a non-sliding goosneck isn't going to work.
 
Thanks for the reply
being new to the 5er situation  I would have thought the RV dealer/installer would have pointed it out, even though it was required by LCI to be in warranty, that it was not meant for 90 degree turns. Oh well, Live and learn, and try not to do things that will cost you money
 
  I would have thought the RV dealer/installer would have pointed it out,
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One would hope so, and a more competent & customer-oriented tech or advisor would have.  Unfortunately, that level of service isn't often found at RV dealers or shops anymore.
Did your original pin box allowed 90 degree turns without a slider hitch? Often they do not, but it depends on where the hitch is installed in the truck, the length of the pin box, and the shape of the trailer nose.
 
Well there was a big 8" sticker on the front cap stating that it was capable of a" 180 degree turn the best offered", so I just thought it was not a worry.
One of the learning curves learned in the Lazier fare RV industry.
I will be changing back to a king bin box and purchasing the Campanion Slider hitch to alleviate any further worries.
I have a question about the inverter, I have a 1k pure sine wave inverter. Should it be turned off while plugged into shore power and on only when not plugged into shore power ?
 
Well there was a big 8" sticker on the front cap stating that it was capable of a" 180 degree turn the best offered", so I just thought it was not a worry.
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I hope you are less naive about the 120 mph capability shown on your speedometer.  ;)  The ability to do something doesn't guarantee it is always safe to do so.


I have a question about the inverter, I have a 1k pure sine wave inverter. Should it be turned off while plugged into shore power and on only when not plugged into shore power ?
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Depends on how it is wired in. You must assure that the inverter and shore never, ever, attempt to power the same device at the same time, cause major sparks will fly if that happens for even an instant.  A well-designed system uses a transfer switch to make it impossible for the two sources to be active at the same time. A not-so-well designed system may rely on a human to make the right choices.
What is the brand and model of the inverter? If it is one that has a built-in auto-transfer switch, it's probably safe to leave on. If not, I'd keep it off until I learned more about how it is set up.
 
I have the Champion Dual fuel, been very happy with it. I got dual fuel so If we were to run out of gas I would have the option of propane. Easy switch over, quiet, run my trailer a/c, etc no problem. I use it 8/10 weekends a year, If I was a full timer would have gone the Honda route, just for durability, Not saying Champion wont last Just Honda does have the track record. But with all said Champion has work well for me, no regrets
 
quiettime said:
Hello new to this hole forum thing,
Looking to purchase a Champion 3400 Duel Fuel. Was interested to hear some reviews on it, fits my budget and fuel needs.
I'll be running it with a 36' 5er 2 batteries and a 1k inverter, it has a residential refrigerator and hoping this will help solve the recharging of the battery before quiet time when boondocking
Any help would be appreciated
Click to expand...
Hi, I really advise you Westinghouse gens they are quieter and there are many size and wattage and dual fuel options! I found this reviews https://bestgenset.org/best-rv-generator/ they are seemed to be for larger motor homes, but I bought smaller Westinghouse 5500, it does it job!
 
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