Key Questions to Ask When Ordering Super Silent Generator| ClearAir Series

I am getting ready for my first outdoor show (I sell organic children's clothing) and I want to purchase a portable generator so I can use lights at my booth and also not have to worry about my dyeing which I use to accept credit cards. Even though I am new to this, I don't want to buy a so so portable generator that doesn't charge for long and is loud. I'd rather try buying a generator that can last for years. That being said, I've noticed that some shows have specific generator requirements. What portable generator do people love or recommend? I've seen the Black and Decker 400 mentioned but it's discontinued and more recently the Honda & I have read about, thoughts on any of these or something new altogether? Anything I should consider before purchasing?
Thanks for all suggestions.
Where will you put it? Please be considerate of the vendors around you. I had a 3 day show. Our neighbor put her generator outside our tent. We firmly told her to move it. So she put it outside her other neighbors tent.

We have a little battery powered charger about the size of a small shoebox with a carrying handle that charges our and can run lights for a few hours. Zero noise and no fumes.

If you want I'll post the product name and info when my husband gets up. Yvonne, yes I would love the specific info once your husband gets up. I am new but know enough that I would never put any of my stuff in another persons area. :-) I would most likely keep it towards to back behind my table.

Lin, Now that you mention it, i have heard something about a marine battery. I feel like I don't even know where to begin with deciding on which battery/iverter is decent and meanwhile keeping in mind I don't want to surge any of the electronics plugged in. I had settled on the Black and Decker 400 until I went to Home Depot last week and learned they only carry a 500 and 900 series now. If you do get a generator be very considerate of you neighbors. The noise and fumes from a generator can be very bad. We were stuck next to a food vendor at a show several years ago and it was horrible. We have never gone back to that show. They keep asking g us to return and have assured us that we would not be near the food vendors but no thanks. It was a horrible experience.

I'm reviving this thread because I have my first show coming up in May and they allow 'Quiet Generators'. I also asked them about the Marine Battery option and they said that was fine. The show goes until 10pm, so I need something that will light my tent well. I want people to really be able to see my items.
I feel a little overwhelmed at all of the different things that I've heard, so if anyone has used either a 'quiet generator' or a battery set up could you please let me know what you used or if you know of one that doesn't work could you let me know that as well so I avoid it?

Thanks ahead of time! A deep cycle battery (marine battery) s a better investment than a car battery (and the cost is about the same). A car battery is meant to deliver a large amount of power for a short time (to start a car) A deep cycle battery is meant to deliver a lower amount of power for a long time (8-9 hours). A deep cycle battery can handle being running ALMOST flat, but a car battery will get ruined if you run it down too much.

If you can get a car battery CHEAP, then go with it. For us, the $12 difference, we'd rather have the deep cycle.

Power inverter is rated in terms of the number of watts, the more watts the more expensive they are. We have one that is 300 watts (got on sale for $20).

We use LED bulbs so this is actually is slightly more power than we needed, because our bulbs are 5 watts each, even though we will use more than a dozen lights. We got these bulbs off Ebay for cheap, bulbs that we could fit into our halogen lights (the halogen bulbs were 35-50 watt).

So maybe set out a table/tent in your backyard at night, and arrange your
lights to your satisfaction. Then add up the wattage on the lights, and you will have an idea what you need. LED and fluorescent are lower wattage and if you can't afford to switch over and buy a large amount of lights right away, just keep an eye out for them at good prices.

For outdoor shows that run multiple days, we brought a little trolley/handjack so we could wheel away the battery every night to charge it up. I forgot to mention that people will also need a battery charger, the same type you use for charging your car battery. So if you don't already have one, keep an eye out for a sale. Since I live in a cold climate, a charger is a necessity here.

Bev, the battery is heavy (ours weighs about 55 lbs.) but safe to transport in your vehicle, and you can leave it on the cement during a show. That's why we have a little folding rolling trolley that can take that weight, and we roll it back and forth every day.

What you are probably referring to is the idea of "don't leave your car battery on the cement over winter" because car batteries would get so cold that they would run down so much that they couldn't be charged up. The Deep Cycle battery is more durable.
My partner says that Sears and Walmart carry good quality deep cycle batteries, of course you can shop around.