CPE Inverter Generator

[Errtt]

1600/2000 watts @ Costco for $489 (i think)/ 53dB

Anyone have one yet & opinion?

Not a bad little unit, parallel capable, stack capable

Thinking of getting 1 or 2 but thought I'd ask here 1st

 

[user52165]

Do you mean this?

http://www.amazon.com/Champion-Portable-...d=1MTJZELI34V3B

Good vibes on the net. Big red and big blue should be concerned.

Do you have a Costco SKU? Not on their website. YMMV on availability in the stores - some do, some don't.

 

[Errtt]

Originally Posted By: user52165
Do you mean this?

http://www.amazon.com/Champion-Portable-...d=1MTJZELI34V3B

Good vibes on the net. Big red and big blue should be concerned.

Do you have a Costco SKU? Not on their website. YMMV on availability in the stores - some do, some don't.

Yeah it does look just like that - just the main housing is honda red and the outer handle/frame edge poles are black. And branded "CPE"
Sorry - I just looked at it in Costco today and did not get a SKU.
For 489, it sure is tempting. starting at 53dB is nice to. picking it up easy, wife tested.
Saw 8 of them boxed at my local Costco. Thinking about it.

 

[henni]

FWIW - I've purchased several Honda EM/EU 6500/7000 Inverter Generators for just a little over 1000 cash and they had just 1 or 2 hours on the LCD panel, starter motor and battery and cranked right up in testing. They last for years and are easy to sell on Craigslist.

 

[cronk]

Champion seems to be making very good products at a massive savings over a honda product. My 4000w CPE generator has been great the 4 or so years I have owned it.
All the RV/Camper sites have positive reviews of the CPE Inverter units, and these are people that use them all the time.
For that price you could by 2 for the price of a Honda, and still have money left over.

 

[user52165]

Originally Posted By: cronk
Champion seems to be making very good products at a massive savings over a honda product. My 4000w CPE generator has been great the 4 or so years I have owned it.
All the RV/Camper sites have positive reviews of the CPE Inverter units, and these are people that use them all the time.
For that price you could by 2 for the price of a Honda, and still have money left over.


Yup, very true. Too bad they don't make an inverter over 2000 watts.

 

[meep]

looks like a good piece as long as the inverter can stand up to abusive loads. i wonder who makes the engine? I'd frown if it was a chonda... but a briggs or robyn subaru and it'd be a no brainer....

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: meep
looks like a good piece as long as the inverter can stand up to abusive loads. i wonder who makes the engine? I'd frown if it was a chonda....


The whole thing is chonda.

That's what amazes me. If they can make one for $499 that will last the average person for years, you could only imagine the profit Honda makes selling one for $1000.

Joel

 

[JR]

i have seen these at menards hardware also and northern hydraulic also carries many cpe's to.

 

[JR]

i have been looking at the 3-3500watt invertor at menards. i am not sure yet though. i have a 5.5tecumseh, 5hp gc160 honda, and a few briggs sitting around so i may make a low rpm altinator/battery/invertor genset with whats around the barn. because i plan on running on propane, i have prebought for 1.80/gallon of lp. so it is alot cheaper then unleaded so it will compensate for the loss of btu of lpg

 

[Errtt]

Well I bought one today @ Costco for 489.99
The number (FYI) is 559402 (on receipt).
The fella in line in front of me was buying one too.

Later - check out the manual, get it ran up for some break-in time, then change oil (might go Rotella), rotate a few smaller 1-gallon gas jugs, test run every month or so with Stabil dosed gas under load), and hope I never need it.

 

[meep]

you'll find they are quite usefull. I only NEEDED mine on 3-4 occassions per year. But I found it handy, useful, and more convenient to use much more often. the 50lb weight of the eu2000 meant it was quicker and easier than 100' of extension cords....

 

[Errtt]

Rotella 15w40, a little gas, a couple hours run time today and it ran without a hiccup. Not a bad little generator for the money.
Plan on monthly runs and hope it hold up if/when needed.

 

[Errtt]

ok - I have ran various loads, oil change @ 4 hours (manufacturer recommends 5 for 1st oil change)- this little gen does what I needed.
Besides keeping the fridge, a fan and some light (of course fridge cycle's) - I unplugged the fridge and then brewed coffee this morning. Kept it in "economy" all the time.

I would thought the 53dB rating it would be more quiet, but it's not bad being it's outdoors and I'm indoors.

Negative - would be nice to check/change oil without removing the panel to gain access, but for the price, I'm not going to complain.

 

[user52165]

Originally Posted By: Errtt
ok - I have ran various loads, oil change @ 4 hours (manufacturer recommends 5 for 1st oil change)- this little gen does what I needed.
Besides keeping the fridge, a fan and some light (of course fridge cycle's) - I unplugged the fridge and then brewed coffee this morning. Kept it in "economy" all the time.

I would thought the 53dB rating it would be more quiet, but it's not bad being it's outdoors and I'm indoors.

Negative - would be nice to check/change oil without removing the panel to gain access, but for the price, I'm not going to complain.


Unless a db range is given, makers always state db spec at lowest rpm or load.

Has anyone done a side by side sound test of the CPE and a Honda or Yamaha of same size?

 

[Errtt]

I don't have my manual with me (left it at work) but I think it stated the 53dB @ 7-meters. Then of course they would rate at idle so the figure looks better than if rated higher dB loaded & full rpm.
No matter - I am a happy camper so far.

Using the 15w40 instead of the recommended 10-30, I would have though maybe in econ mode it might of lagged on sudden load call worse than it did when it was 30s outside this morning. And if I recall, I think their 10-30 recommendation was for temps up to 104. It gets hotter than that here in the summer.

Still need to get some Stabil. I used the mower gas which has a dose of MMO

 

[JR]

i have a little tip i use marine stabil since it works with ethonal and is foralated to combat ethonal related problems. i also beleave that stabil has a new formal out now that is compliant with ethonal use.