Generators

Corsara said:
I am not trying to discourage the OP from looking fora a good quality Honda and Yamaha generators, just including this for your information and as a possible option if you are on a budget:

I have this one, which I bought at 50 percent off during the winter sales. It is very noisy and definitely not a generator people will put up with during camping overnight. However, during trackdays I have it set up on a 50 feet extension cord away from the pits (although more often than never my neighboring riders run bigger and even louder generators in the pits). This generator has been running a set of bickle warmers without a hitch for 10 days this summer already, and believe me when I tell you I turn it off only during lunch to put gas. Only one thing that happened----before the season began, I tried it at home and I broke the little plastic mechanism that starts it (with the cord). Turned out I've been yanking it way too hard to start it. I called Champion, they directed me to their Burlington service center (10 mins away from home)---the guys who work there said "we should have made this from metal, not plastic"....anyway, they gave me a few such complete assemblies for spares. 3 bolts to change, and it's been working no problem since then (just don't yank it like you do to start the snow machine, haha).. Anyway, just sharing the info I have. You're best off if you find a Honda, no doubt, people say those things will outlast your riding career :)
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1/3 Off right now: http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/p...T<>prd_id=845524443328828&bmUID=1379089312473
 
A friend of mine just scored an older Yamaha inverter (I think 2000W) at a contractors auction for $200! It's in good shape and runs perfectly. Auctions like that might be worth looking into for those in need of a generator...
 
The 2000-W Champion inverter is still on sale at CT for $599 (regular $699) and, get this: right now any generator over $200 is eligible for 12 months no payments no interest.

So, I could be running tire warmers all next season and not have to pay for the genny until the last weekend of the summer, 2014.

Obviously, God wants me to buy a generator. Right. Now.
 
YellowDuck said:
The 2000-W Champion inverter is still on sale at CT for $599 (regular $699) and, get this: right now any generator over $200 is eligible for 12 months no payments no interest.

So, I could be running tire warmers all next season and not have to pay for the genny until the last weekend of the summer, 2014.

Obviously, God wants me to buy a generator. Right. Now.
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This still running from 1-st pull, 12 days already. Maybe I was just lucky, I don't know. But when they go even further more on sale in the winter, I'd take 3 of these instead of 1 Champion inverter, lol. If noise is the only thing that concerns you, I'm pretty sure that's a concern only if you camp overnight. It's a racetrack, for god's sake, not a library.
 
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YellowDuck said:
The 2000-W Champion inverter is still on sale at CT for $599 (regular $699) and, get this: right now any generator over $200 is eligible for 12 months no payments no interest.

So, I could be running tire warmers all next season and not have to pay for the genny until the last weekend of the summer, 2014.

Obviously, God wants me to buy a generator. Right. Now.
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You can buy the same one in the States for $350 new.
 
Corsara said:
t's a racetrack, for god's sake, not a library.
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Bikes going MAHHHHHH--MAHHHHRRRRRR_MAHHHHHRRRRRRRRRR! 100 yards away is very different than "CLUNK RIKITY KKKRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR" from 10 feet away.

Yes, the above is an exaggeration.
 
Mr.Azim said:
Bikes going MAHHHHHH--MAHHHHRRRRRR_MAHHHHHRRRRRRRRRR! 100 yards away is very different than "CLUNK RIKITY KKKRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR" from 10 feet away.

Yes, the above is an exaggeration.
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I have it on a 100ft extension cord (although I never put it more than 50ft away). Seeing how most of the summer my pit neighbours on both sides always had just as loud (if not louder) generators and had them not so far away (as far as in front of their towing vehicle), I'm thinking of picking up a 25ft extension cord for next year.
 
Corsara said:
This still running from 1-st pull, 12 days already. Maybe I was just lucky, I don't know. But when they go even further more on sale in the winter, I'd take 3 of these instead of 1 Champion inverter, lol. If noise is the only thing that concerns you, I'm pretty sure that's a concern only if you camp overnight. It's a racetrack, for god's sake, not a library.
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No it's noisy and annoying to constantly hear a generator running. Believe me, I'm not the only one who gets annoyed with those rattling loud *** piles.
 
dricked said:
No it's noisy and annoying to constantly hear a generator running. Believe me, I'm not the only one who gets annoyed with those rattling loud *** piles.
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Imagine being able to stand in your pit area and have a conversation with someone without having to yell. Or being able to hear announcements over the radio or PA system.

Ya.. thats a nice dream.
 
caboose56 said:
Imagine being able to stand in your pit area and have a conversation with someone without having to yell. Or being able to hear announcements over the radio or PA system.

Ya.. thats a nice dream.
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A dream would be some track supplying hydro to your pit area, of course you would have to pay for the use.
 
caboose56 said:
Imagine being able to stand in your pit area and have a conversation with someone without having to yell. Or being able to hear announcements over the radio or PA system.

Ya.. thats a nice dream.
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Lol come to Shannonville, the PA has been soo loud I have to plug my ears so they don't bleed!

But yes it is a nice dream. I hope one day everyone will use solar power for their tire warmers.
 
dricked said:
No it's noisy and annoying to constantly hear a generator running. Believe me, I'm not the only one who gets annoyed with those rattling loud *** piles.
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caboose56 said:
Imagine being able to stand in your pit area and have a conversation with someone without having to yell. Or being able to hear announcements over the radio or PA system.

Ya.. thats a nice dream.
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I can imagine this happening in other places. My experience only goes as far as doing many days at TMP and one day at GBM, at which occasion I pit on the side where the track is. In all of these trackdays, I had it 50 ft away from my pit area, and after running out of gas once and not noticing, I frequently go to the generator to check if it's still running (sometimes I'm smarter and just look at the warmers light indicator, lol). The bare fact that I can't tell if it's running or not solely based on the noise it makes, is pretty much rendering your statements as quite exaggerated (at least in the case of TMP and GBM).
 
Jayv said:
A dream would be some track supplying hydro to your pit area, of course you would have to pay for the use.
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They have that at Shannonville too, except the amperage being supplied is questionable.
 
Corsara said:
I have it on a 100ft extension cord (although I never put it more than 50ft away). Seeing how most of the summer my pit neighbours on both sides always had just as loud (if not louder) generators and had them not so far away (as far as in front of their towing vehicle), I'm thinking of picking up a 25ft extension cord for next year.
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dueling generators
 
Corsara said:
I can imagine this happening in other places. My experience only goes as far as doing many days at TMP and one day at GBM, at which occasion I pit on the side where the track is. In all of these trackdays, I had it 50 ft away from my pit area, and after running out of gas once and not noticing, I frequently go to the generator to check if it's still running (sometimes I'm smarter and just look at the warmers light indicator, lol). The bare fact that I can't tell if it's running or not solely based on the noise it makes, is pretty much rendering your statements as quite exaggerated (at least in the case of TMP and GBM).
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50 feet away from you is just 50 feet closer to someone else.
 
Corsara said:
I can imagine this happening in other places. My experience only goes as far as doing many days at TMP and one day at GBM, at which occasion I pit on the side where the track is. In all of these trackdays, I had it 50 ft away from my pit area, and after running out of gas once and not noticing, I frequently go to the generator to check if it's still running (sometimes I'm smarter and just look at the warmers light indicator, lol). The bare fact that I can't tell if it's running or not solely based on the noise it makes, is pretty much rendering your statements as quite exaggerated (at least in the case of TMP and GBM).
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Your loud trash compactor gets lost in a sea of trash compactors. That doesnt make yours any quieter.

Come to a race weekend where more people are using inverters and you'll notice that the noisy generators are a lot more obvious (and annoying).
 
Having a neighbour with a quiet generator?

Sure, and they put it behind their trailer to make it even more quiet for them. Except that is where my trailer is.

My noisy clunker? 50 feet away with a shield around it to keep the noise down.

His generator? Its busy Setting off the CO detector in my trailer.

I don't care how quiet or noisy it is. Move it away from everyone.
 
kellen said:
50 feet away from you is just 50 feet closer to someone else.
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How so? Last time I checked, the pythagorean theorem was still valid.

caboose56 said:
Your loud trash compactor gets lost in a sea of trash compactors. That doesnt make yours any quieter.

Come to a race weekend where more people are using inverters and you'll notice that the noisy generators are a lot more obvious (and annoying).
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I've been hearing how trackdays become very boring once somebody starts racing. Now I see how racing will make me less tolerant to noise too. I wonder what else will change.. ;)
 
Corsara said:
How so? Last time I checked, the pythagorean theorem was still valid.



I've been hearing how trackdays become very boring once somebody starts racing. Now I see how racing will make me less tolerant to noise too. I wonder what else will change.. ;)
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Lap times ;-)

Those of us who went through the process of buying generators usually suggest buying the Honda or Yamaha.

It seems like the Champion inverters are ok but in general a lot of us bought the cheaper generators only to have them fail, let us down mid weekend, then throw them in the garbage. After that we went and bought the Honda/Yamaha.

We would have saved some money had we just bought the Honda/Yamaha at the start. Looking back with 20/20 hindsight I don't know why anyone buys the cheap ****. The cost of ownership of a Honda or Yamaha is actually lower than anything else.
 
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