anyone familiar with this generator

[ChrisGa23]

from home depot its a 2000 continuous and half the cost of a honda at $579. I bet the internals are alot like Honda once you open it up. Just looking for an idling alternative with out spending $1000. Will pair it up with a home ceramic heater of some type and try to stay warm like that. The van has receiver hitch so will try to find some kind of cargo carrier.

Met with a driver yesterday who had a generator in a hard plastic container with a hole out the side for exhaust. Box sat on a metal carrier attached to a receiver and I will try to replicate that except try to find a way to chain it down where his wasnt and ad an extended run tank.. Then when not in use store it in the van.

Generac iX2000 Watt Inverter Generator - 5793 at The Home Depot

 

[shadow7663]

Chris,

You get what you pay for. 2 weeks ago I bought the Honda EU2000i. Yes it was $1000.00. I matched it with a small little 1500watt heater with adjustable thermostat ( I recomend adjustable thermostat). I run the heater, block heater on the truck and a 6amp float charger on the batteries and it will run 6 hours on a tank of gas. That was great until I had to get up at 3am and re-fuel the generater when it was 0 outside. So I made a remote tank for about 15 bucks out of a 2 gallon gas can.

Look at this way. Based on Diesel fuel cost of 3.39 a gallon and Gasoline at 3.09 a gallon idling 12 hours a day the generator will pay for itself just under 29 days of use if get the Honda. The Honda is much more quiet and the generac will be about 10db higher in sound than the Honda which is a lot louder.

 

[chefdennis]

More then a few of us here have these honeywell 2000. They are 2200 surge and 2000 continuious run.

HW2000I @ Electric Generators Direct - Your Online HW2000I Superstore!

And I use this extened run fuel tank on mine:

Honeywell - Midwest Hunt and Fish

I paid $468.00 for the gen on sale, I know Xiggi paid less then that, but I am not sure where. Yeap the honda is a great unit, but the people I know that have this unit and me have no issues and they run great....just don't knock it over in the middle of then night!!!

Oh and when I ordered mine, it was at my door in 2 days....

PS: The Generac is a good generator . i friend of mine uses one in his construction company to power small power tools , and more then 1 at a time and he saiyes he has no problems..

 

[letzrockexpress]

You can get a polar sleeping bag at Cabela's or Gander Mountain for around $120.00. It doesn't need fuel, ther are no moving parts to break, and it'll keep you plenty warm.
I don't need to run my generator at all anymore. If it gets below 10, I just get a room.

 

[layoutshooter]

You can get a polar sleeping bag at Cabela's or Gander Mountain for around $120.00. It doesn't need fuel, ther are no moving parts to break, and it'll keep you plenty warm.
I don't need to run my generator at all anymore. If it gets below 10, I just get a room.

What do you do while waiting on a load? Do you sit in the truck stop or sit bundled up in your sleeping bag? What about supplies, like water, coffee creamer, canned goods, fresh fruit etc, freezing?

 

[skyraider]

What do you do while waiting on a load? Do you sit in the truck stop or sit bundled up in your sleeping bag? What about supplies, like water, coffee creamer, canned goods, fresh fruit etc, freezing?

i use a genr n propane 4 heat. most of the time propane n my cv. 1500 watts at 15deg is not enough imho. Propane keeps it at 60 on low n 75 on high, it has draw backs, but im warm, i aloso use an electric blanket when i use the gen.

 

[layoutshooter]

i use a genr n propane 4 heat. most of the time propane n my cv. 1500 watts at 15deg is not enough imho. Propane keeps it at 60 on low n 75 on high, it has draw backs, but im warm, i aloso use an electric blanket when i use the gen.

That will work as long as you take care with fumes and oxygen.

 

[letzrockexpress]

What do you do while waiting on a load? Do you sit in the truck stop or sit bundled up in your sleeping bag? What about supplies, like water, coffee creamer, canned goods, fresh fruit etc, freezing?

I do use the TV rooms at some truck stops if I have to wait. Just about every town has a library. I go that route occasionally. As far as coffee, the water doesn't usually have time to freeze before I fire up the van between runs. I don't carry much food with me. I know a sleeping bag in place of heat is not for everybody. I have a generator, microwave, big invertor, and all that stuff..It's just a pain to deal with as far as I'm concerned. Besides, I'm with Tri State...we don't wait long for loads

 

[layoutshooter]

I do use the TV rooms at some truck stops if I have to wait. Just about every town has a library. I go that route occasionally. As far as coffee, the water doesn't usually have time to freeze before I fire up the van between runs. I don't carry much food with me. I know a sleeping bag in place of heat is not for everybody. I have a generator, microwave, big invertor, and all that stuff..It's just a pain to deal with as far as I'm concerned. Besides, I'm with Tri State...we don't wait long for loads

Sounds like you have a system that works for you. That is all that counts. We would have trouble with the library part. Few libraries have parking for trucks this size.

 

[ChrisGa23]

You can get a polar sleeping bag at Cabela's or Gander Mountain for around $120.00. It doesn't need fuel, ther are no moving parts to break, and it'll keep you plenty warm.
I don't need to run my generator at all anymore. If it gets below 10, I just get a room.

I got a sleeping bag that works good but I dont want to sit in it all day while waiting for a load lol. Also I dont wanna take the risk in using any type of fuel heater inside the van. I dont wanna wake up dead




Chefdennis thanks for the recommendation. Camping world sells the 2000 for $655 or $589 if your a club member. I might do a little comparison on the generac and the honeywell. I dont mind a little noisy generator but out of the respect for everyone else I dont want a loud one

 

[purgoose10]

I do use the TV rooms at some truck stops if I have to wait. Just about every town has a library. I go that route occasionally. As far as coffee, the water doesn't usually have time to freeze before I fire up the van between runs. I don't carry much food with me. I know a sleeping bag in place of heat is not for everybody. I have a generator, microwave, big invertor, and all that stuff..It's just a pain to deal with as far as I'm concerned. Besides, I'm with Tri State...we don't wait long for loads

I'm 63 and made up my mind that I'm going to be comfortable even it it means to much junk in the truck. I'm old and crotchety (hmmmm) and need my rest. But I do like the sound of that generator. I have been using 4-6volt deep cycle battery's and a splitter, works well until it get below zero. I just put an Ice house propane heater in my truck with an oxygen sensor.

 

[asjssl]

I use the Honda 2000i.....love it!!!!...w/ the external tank it will go 50 hrs between fill UPS...for really cold temps.I use the big buddy heater.....keeps.my van nice and toasty

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[purgoose10]

Do you know why Honda gets such good marks?

It's the noise level that brings the review numbers so high.

They are quieter. If you research Consumer reports that's all they talk about when rating.

 

[purgoose10]

I use the Honda 2000i.....love it!!!!...w/ the external tank it will go 50 hrs between fill UPS...for really cold temps.I use the big buddy heater.....keeps.my van nice and toasty

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I hope you vent your van using the big buddy. Yes they are good and warm but they use a lot of O2's. Be careful.

 

[asjssl]

Why is it everybody get worried when you tell them you heat with propane heat in a van.......if I was using it incorrectly I wouldn't be having this conversation because I would be in a pine box....also give me at least enough credit that I know how
to open the roof vent I installed myself for this reason.......

I hope you vent your van using the big buddy. Yes they are good and warm but they use a lot of O2's. Be careful.

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[idtrans]

I have the big home depot brand propane heater that uses the large BBQ grill tank and run it on medium and it heats good now if i rfun it on high WOW it moistes up the entire cube and it expels a nasty scent. medium is the setting for me. and if if gets below 10 I just idle van with the propane on. I crack a window a little and fumes are fine i am not dead yet LOL

Why is it everybody get worried when you tell them you heat with propane heat in a van.......if I was using it incorrectly I wouldn't be having this conversation because I would be in a pine box....also give me at least enough credit that I know how
to open the roof vent I installed myself for this reason.......





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[chefdennis]

Been using the Big Buddy with a 20 lb propane tank for 3 winters now....

Open both ft windows about an 1.5, open the max vent roof vent and move the heater off the floor and its all good...

The unt as a "low oxygen" sencor and does shut down long before the lack of oxygen becomes an issue...How do i know? If I leave the heater on the floor, it will run for about 10 minutes and shutdown...it burns all the oxygen off the floor...If I move it 10-12 inches or higher (I hang it from the ceiling) its all good and will burn all night..., no lack of oxygen no fumes, no moisture on the windows or bare metal....

 

[idtrans]

Dennis the one I have is bigger than that one . here is the link to the heater use I paid $120 at home depot in troy, mi DynaGlo Delux Propane Cabinet Heater — 18,000 BTU, Model# RA18LPDGD | Propane Heaters | Northern Tool + Equipment

 

[Turtle]

Why is it everybody get worried when you tell them you heat with propane heat in a van.......if I was using it incorrectly I wouldn't be having this conversation because I would be in a pine box....also give me at least enough credit that I know how to open the roof vent I installed myself for this reason.......

The reason everyone gets worried is because there have been a few van expediters who knew how to use it correctly and opened a roof vent and everything, and still ended up in a pine box. Propane heaters are very safe when everything is working right, but you can't be too careful. Propane heaters have a relatively low level of carbon monoxide as compared to other fuels, but it's still enough to kill you (if you don't crack a window or roof vent, for sure) if you park next to a gasser who idles and their CO2 gets combined with yours and you don't have a working CO2 detector. I know, or rather knew, someone that that happened to.

I'm in a diesel van so CO2 isn't an issue, but I've had my detector go off a few times because of people parked next to me.

Generator or not, best bet, most cost effective way to go for heat is an Espar heater. Use the generator for AC and other high amp draws (microwave) and for recharging batteries.