generators

[tgrfan2]

I am looking for a good quiet gasoline powered generator to power my camper during tailgating. I have pretty much narrowed it down to an Onan Microlite 4KW or a Honda EX4500SK1. However, the Honda EU3000is is very atractive because of the weight. None of the rental places here have these models to rent for a weekend to really try them out. I am not sure the 3KW would start the AC. Has anyone run the Honda inverters in parallel? A 3KW and a 2KW in parallel would still cost less than the Onan.

Can anyone give me any advice on these units?

 

[klenger]

I don't think that Honda recommends paralleling generators of different size. I just got a Honda EU2000 and used it for the last week. It worked great.

 

[Turbo Thom]

Remember, you get what you pay for. I had a Onan 5500 Marquis installed with the remote starter and it is fantistic. Ran it the whole weekend at the race . It is realy quite. But at $4000 installed it ain't cheap.



. . Preston. .

 

[The Sequel]

Ken is right. You can only parallel two like units. For example, 2 EU2000s, 2 EU 1000s or 2 EU3000s. I've also got the EU 2000 and really like it. Depending on how often I need the A/C, I may get another EU2000 some day to run it, but for now I'll do without.

 

[tgrfan2]

I am glad to know you can't mix the sizes. I think I will get a 3KW and hope it will carry the AC occasionally. The Fantastic Fan does a great job most of the time. The wife has a flame thrower hair dryer that I have to account for and still be able to watch TV!

Thanks for the input.

 

[burndog]

I had two Honda eu1000's and hooked together they would run my Coleman 13,500 A/C just fine. So a eu2000 should be the same.

I now have the 3000 watt one and it will run my 15,000 btu A/C WITHOUT coming off idle ! Girlfriends hairdryer is a 1500 watt and it all runs just fine.

You won't believe how quiet the Honda generators are. Take your pick,they are all good.

burndog

 

[The Sequel]

Originally posted by JCarrington

I think I will get a 3KW and hope it will carry the AC occasionally.

From everything I've read on IRV2.com you should not have any problems running your A/C with the EU3000. Although your wife might need to turn off the flame thrower while the compressor cycles.

 

[Bart]

Don't even think of trying to parrellel those two generators, like or unlike units. You'd need a phase parrelel device. Remember the AC sine wave? You have about 5 degrees out of 360 degrees that will let you parrellel without messing up your generators. Also remember those 360 degrees happen 60 times a second. I've parrelleled commerial generators and with that phase parrellel device and a way to control the speed of the engine. Can you speed up or slow down those generator engines? I don't think so. Sorry

 

[klenger]

Bart:



You are correct for conventional generators, but the Hondas are designed to be parelleled.



Look at the lower right portion of this page for informaiton.



The Honda EU series generators are DC generators that have a built-in inverter to generate AC. Honda does some magic when they are connected in parallel to make it work.

 

[Tom G]

Honda or Yamaha Generator

Decisions, Decisions.



Looked at both the Honda EU3000 and a Yamaha EF2800i (new model). Both have cast iron cylinder liners, both are inverters (variable engine speeds), both are about the same amount of power and both about the same noise levels - so which one?



The Yamaha is $400. 00 cheaper and weighs half as much as the Honda. The Honda noise level is rated at 57-64 db while the Yamaha is rated at 57-65 db. I'm leaning towards the lighter weight because I have to load the generator in the back of the Mighty Ram pickup to run the A/C on our 5th wheel when we go dry camping. They tell me that the Yamaha will start my Duo-Therm Dometic 13,500 BTU A/C (13. 5 amps running load) from idle speed and have power to spare for lights and inverter battery charging.



For prices check out: www.southwestfastener.com The Honda EU3000is is $1524 and the Yamaha EF2800i is $1128. 00. Good prices on both I think? If you find the Yamaha cheaper please let me know.



Tom G.

 

[klenger]

Southwest fasteners is in a pi$$ing contest with Honda and is involved in a law suite with them, so they are claiming that the Hondas are on backorder because of quality control problems. They advertise cheap prices on the Hondas, but when you attempt to order one, they try to sell you one of the other brands.



I have no knowledge that the other brands are bad, it's just that southwest fasteners is using the Honda name to sell other brands. Bad business in my book.

 

[Motorhead]

Just a thought... Does the Onan run at 1800rpm like its bigger brothers? I don't think you can go wrong with a Honda. Parts for the Honda would seem alot more available than the Yamaha. I use a 3500 watt old Generac on the back of my trailer. It starts the A/C fine and only cost me $150. 00! I don't think that it is in the 60db range though. My $. 02 Chris

 

[BCFAST]

Why fool around with that expensive gasoline stuff? $1500 for something that isnt big enough to run what you want??? I had a Kubota 3-cyl diesel that was 7kw. Quiet, economical and no maintenance. I ran a full size fridge, big a/c, tv, lights, etc without even thinking about it! And it isnt much more $ than what you/re looking at!

 

[PRout]

I have the Honda EU3000



It has no problem running the 13,500 btu A/C.



The problem is if you want to run the microwave at the same time. Both together are a little too much. It will do it, but its really overloaded. Wont do it at high altitude because of the loss in HP.



Have used the you know what out of the thing, and its a great unit. Also about as quiet as youre gonna get.



Have run across a couple people now that have 2 of the EU2000 units tied together. This way it only takes 1 person to lift them into the truck (I think they weigh about 48lbs vs 135 for mine). They only need 1 for the usual stuff, and if they want a/c they fire up the second one. Kind of a cool way to go (pardon the pun). Also dont need to buy both at once.



Dont know if the 2000 is the inverter type, butthe 3000 has very clean power output for running electronics. I know it runs network equipment fine when your in a jam.

 

[Goddard]

??????

i am triing to understand why buy (2) generators when you could buy (1) and get the job done? the price differance can not be that great and you will not have to worry about enough power! that would be 2 engines to start perform maintenance on and wouldn't two smaller be even more weight than a bigger one??? just for info--both of my air units run off of one side of my generator... . found this out by mistake. i have two 30 amp brakers and they will both run with the one turned off. your 3000 watt gen should handle any air unit plus some xtra for lights and such. be careful off the dreaded hair dryer and curling iron!:-{} . hope this helps.

 

[SnoKing]

www.hondashop.com EU3000I $1548 puts it on your door step in a couple days shipping included, no tax outside calif. Great service, I bought my EU1000I from them. SNOKING

 

[Cummins Corvette]

Re: Honda or Yamaha Generator

Originally posted by Tom G

?



The Yamaha is $400. 00 cheaper and weighs half as much as the Honda. The Honda noise level is rated at 57-64 db while the Yamaha is rated at 57-65 db. I'm leaning towards the lighter weight because I have to load the generator in the back of the Mighty Ram pickup to run the A/C on our 5th wheel when we go dry camping. They tell me that the Yamaha will start my Duo-Therm Dometic 13,500 BTU A/C (13. 5 amps running load) from idle speed and have power to spare for lights and inverter battery charging.





Tom G.

You're wrong here. I have a Honda EU300, it is rated at 49-57 db. That is why I got it, I hate gen noise when camping. It is THE quietest portable generator I know of. I have a Dometic brisk air 13,500 btu ac, and the honda starts it just fine, even with a 50' 14 ga extension cord and the eco throttle on. I am very happy with the honda. I just read the description of the Yamaha. Don't get me wrong; I'm a huge Yamaha fan, (ie yz 426, love it) but that 2800 whatever doesn't hold a candle to the honda. It is over twice as noisy, doesn't have a 12v output, is not enclosed (thus the noise), and makes 300 less continuous watts. Not a fair comparison in my book.



Oh, and a friend of mine has a eu3000 and a eu1000, and runs them in parrallel all the time and hasn't had any problems yet.

 

[The Sequel]

Originally posted by Shortshift



Dont know if the 2000 is the inverter type, butthe 3000 has very clean power output for running electronics. I know it runs network equipment fine when your in a jam.

All of the EU series Honda's work off the same inverter technology and have very clean output that is safe for computer equipment.

 

[MABurns]

Two EU2000s are surge rated at 3600 watts. Combined they cost only a little more than one EU3000 (only surge rated to 2800 watts).



Yes there is a little more maint cost on two, but two that are not working as hard as one might not be that much more.



I think the best part of dual EU2000s is that if you only need to take one of them, it is alot smaller. Two take up less space than one EU3000.



And as far as not being able to run together, NOT TRUE.

 

[Tom G]

Wrong Again

In some PM's, fellow TDR members write:



You're wrong here. I have a Honda EU3000, it is rated at 49-57 db. That is why I got it, I hate gen noise when camping.





Tom G. wrote [and corrected below]



'The Honda noise level is rated at [corrected value is] 49-58 db (A) 1/4 load at 7m while the Yamaha is rated at 57-65 db... '



Sorry for the mis-information.



Tom G.