Thoughts on This Champion Generator?

lundys · Post by **lundys** » Tue. Aug. 30, 2011 9:00 am

I came to this conclusion in a different post, and thought it would be worth confirming in the Leisure Line forums directly. Does anyone see any issues with me using this Champion 3500W generator with my Leisure Line Pioneer stove?

Thanks!

009to090 · Post by **009to090** » Tue. Aug. 30, 2011 11:11 am

It doesn't provide 240volts, just 120vac. WOW Thats cheap...

fishhunter · Post by **fishhunter** » Tue. Aug. 30, 2011 11:28 am

i have had this same generator for a few years now and it powered my alaska stove and several other things without any problems.

Matthaus · Post by **Matthaus** » Tue. Aug. 30, 2011 6:43 pm

I took a look at the manufacturers website and if it is this model
**Broken Link(s) Removed**
It is a true AC output unit with a DC voltage output through a converter, so should be no issue for use with our Coal-Trol. One nice thing is that they have complete parts breakdowns and manuals on-line, so looks like decent customer service. I might pick one these up for the trailer!

gerry_g · Post by **gerry_g** » Sat. Sep. 03, 2011 10:12 am

DVC500 at last wrote:It doesn't provide 240volts, just 120vac. WOW Thats cheap...

If one looks at the details it actually is optimized for RV use and has a RV 30A outlet. RV's only use 120V. For it's wattage, splitting current in half (for 240/120V) wouldn't operate many RVs!

That said, due to Irene power outages, I lent mine (exact model) this past week to a neighbor who used it for over 3 days full time to run refrigerator and a few appliances and lights. (I have a a larger generator and transfer switch for the house)

It does a great job. It is a brush-slip ring alternator design so it shouldn't be used in a sand pit or stored in a very damp environment. Give it a 30 min run every 3 months to prevent the slip rings from building up crud and the carburetor clean.

gerry

nortcan · Post by **nortcan** » Sat. Sep. 03, 2011 11:50 am

Hi, curiously, the same unit is on sale here in Canadian Tire stores( they sell lot of things...a sort of harware store). It is advertised at 50% off so reg. price 599.99$. sale price 297.97$. When I went at the store on Friday ,just before diner, they were all sold in 4 minutes at the store opening. They filled me a coupon for a delayed order at the sale price. I checked at all other C.T. stores around and they were all sold.

Happy to learn it's a good low needs emergency unit. At the sale price I didn't cared very much but if it's a good medium unit it's even better. We don't loose power very often here but when Irene came lots of neighbor villages were out of power for a few days.
Thanks for the infos,
nortcan
oups sorry I look back at the ad and it's a 4000/3000W, 6.5Hp unit not a 4000/3500W. so?????????????

gerry_g · Post by **gerry_g** » Sat. Sep. 03, 2011 12:23 pm

nortcan wrote:Happy to learn it's a good low needs emergency unit. At the sale price I didn't cared very much but if it's a good medium unit it's even better. We don't loose power very often here but when Irene came lots of neighbor villages were out of power for a few days.
Thanks for the infos,
nortcan
oups sorry I look back at the ad and it's a 4000/3000W, 6.5Hp unit not a 4000/3500W. so?????????????

They must be selling the 40026
**Broken Link(s) Removed**not the 40010
**Broken Link(s) Removed**What is strange is they both have the same engine and both have a 25A main circuit breaker for the RV outlets! (I looked at the manuals)

Both have a 20A breaker feeding the standard 120V outlets, so to get max power, you need an RV to standard adapter.

I have no idea why two units with the same engine, current protection and outlets are rated differently!

gerry

nortcan · Post by **nortcan** » Sat. Sep. 03, 2011 12:43 pm

Gerry,
the model here is a 4000/3000W and the 40026 is a 3500/3000W. I will try to send a photo of the one in sale here. The outlet panel and the number of outlets are not the same, but I don't have the model No. I think Canadian Tire stores have that model No. only made for them????

Tamecrow · Post by **Tamecrow** » Sat. Sep. 03, 2011 5:57 pm

This is the one currently on sale at Canadian Tire. http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/6/Tools/Sho ... ?locale=en I have this same generator to power a garage. Bought it at the same sale price last year. Canadian Tire puts this unit on sale for half price at least 3 time a year. Great generator. Super easy on fuel. Much better than the advertised fuel consumption. Starts on the first or second pull every time. If you can live without a 240 volt outlet, this is an excellent generator.

nortcan · Post by **nortcan** » Sat. Sep. 03, 2011 8:20 pm

Tamecrow wrote:This is the one currently on sale at Canadian Tire. http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/6/Tools/Sho ... ?locale=en I have this same generator to power a garage. Bought it at the same sale price last year. Canadian Tire puts this unit on sale for half price at least 3 time a year. Great generator. Super easy on fuel. Much better than the advertised fuel consumption. Starts on the first or second pull every time. If you can live without a 240 volt outlet, this is an excellent generator.

It's exactly it. I don't remember having seen it on sale before on the weekly ads. You know, lot of times we see only what we want to, but I'm happy I saw it this time. Don't need 240V, just want a small back up. Thanks Tamecrow and all others for the good infos.

gerry_g · Post by **gerry_g** » Sat. Sep. 03, 2011 10:17 pm

Tamecrow wrote:This is the one currently on sale at Canadian Tire. http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/6/Tools/Sho ... ?locale=en I have this same generator to power a garage. Bought it at the same sale price last year. Canadian Tire puts this unit on sale for half price at least 3 time a year. Great generator. Super easy on fuel. Much better than the advertised fuel consumption. Starts on the first or second pull every time. If you can live without a 240 volt outlet, this is an excellent generator.

Facilitating, the links I gave before say "Available exclusively in the USA."

The link above is missing the RV outlet but has the 30A twist lock plus a 2nd double 120 outlet.

It seems much like the US model
**Broken Link(s) Removed**Which has the same engine, same 25A breaker and outlet configuration.

Looking at the parts list, the actual generator has different internal parts!

Hard to figure out why the different ratings exist. Maybe it is a country standards issue.

But the all seem to have very similar construction, thus I'd expect similar results.

gerry

SMITTY · Post by **SMITTY** » Sun. Sep. 04, 2011 9:31 am

My china generator didn't have a 240 plug either. I put one in. Most gens still have 2 legs of 120 to power the different outlets, so you hook those to the 14L-30 plug .... but being that it's 3500W I wouldn't expect too much from it. My china one was 6500W. Worked great as long as the 2 legs had a balanced draw.

gerry_g · Post by **gerry_g** » Sun. Sep. 04, 2011 9:49 am

SMITTY wrote:My china generator didn't have a 240 plug either. I put one in. Most gens still have 2 legs of 120 to power the different outlets, so you hook those to the 14L-30 plug .... but being that it's 3500W I wouldn't expect too much from it. My china one was 6500W. Worked great as long as the 2 legs had a balanced draw.

The problem for many in rewiring the two legs is on the generator family we are discussing, each winding can only handle 13A or so. The circuit breakers won't protect the windings if modified for 240V.

There near identical similar generators with a 120/240 switch and a 240V outlet. They have ~13A breakers on each leg plus a heaver breaker such that when in 120V mode (combined windings), the 20A outlets are safety protected on the load side with another breaker.

The two winding configuration is specifically so they can use the same generator component on 120V or 120/240 products.

Hacking without adding low current breakers as in the switched 120/240V models is begging for fried windings.

gerry

nortcan · Post by **nortcan** » Sun. Sep. 04, 2011 1:14 pm

Questions for you: what do you mean by a RV outlet, is it a 240V one?
:what twist lock outlets are for? Better hooking?
Thanks

Tamecrow · Post by **Tamecrow** » Tue. Sep. 06, 2011 6:54 am

nortcan wrote:Questions for you: what do you mean by a RV outlet, is it a 240V one?
:what twist lock outlets are for? Better hooking?
Thanks

No, it's not 240 volt. The twist lock outlet is to power an RV. You would run the cable from the twist lock connector to the electrical hook up on the RV. This way you can draw anything the generator can produce through one cable.