New Honda generator ?

Those little carburetors can get quite picky. I suggest you use Stabil in the gas and run it to warm-up about once a month...They're good little units but can be hard to start if not run frequently.....

I rigged up a marine tank as my extended run tank. I have a nice long chain lock I use and lock it to the rear bumper of my camper when in use. Of course, I point the exhaust away from the camper!

I have found that mine needs to be close to level to run in cold weather, so I have a little wooden platform I set it on. I have another piece of wood I can use (tucked between the top of the bumper and the bottom of the trailer) to shelter it from rain or snow.

I use ethanol free gas now that I paid to have the carb cleaned. That's the only maintenance I have done except changing the oil and replacing the spark plug in the 7 years I have owned mine.

When I pack it up for the season (I only use mine in the winter), I run all of the gas out, drain the remaining gas from the carb (there is a screw for doing this), and then put a little Sea Foam in it, start it and let it go until it cuts off.

enblethen wrote:
You bought the companion.
Do you have the other Honda 200 to go with it?
The companion is only good for about 1750 watts.
The standard small twist-lock adapter puts a little twist on mine that causes it to vibrate out. Suggest getting the dog bone style 12 inch adapter.
Start genset, allow it to stabilize before putting load on it. Same with shutting down. Turn off load then let genset idle for a few minutes before shutting off.
Make sure you secure your genset. I use a 20 foot stainless steel dog tether with pad lock to secure to a non-movable object.

X2

(If a dog tether doesn't look substantial enough, use a HEAVY chain and a HEAVY padlock. You'd be surprised how many generators get legs in the middle of the night.)

You bought the companion.
Do you have the other Honda 200 to go with it?
The companion is only good for about 1750 watts.
The standard small twist-lock adapter puts a little twist on mine that causes it to vibrate out. Suggest getting the dog bone style 12 inch adapter.
Start genset, allow it to stabilize before putting load on it. Same with shutting down. Turn off load then let genset idle for a few minutes before shutting off.
Make sure you secure your genset. I use a 20 foot stainless steel dog tether with pad lock to secure to a non-movable object.

I always let mine idle a minute or two before placing a load on them. And don't forget to turn the vent cap to 'On' or it'll soon start surging for air!

One of the best things I did was add a Hour Meter/Tachometer Kit. That way there is no guessing when it's time to do service maintenance.

Use whatever octane is recommended in the manual. If regular gas is recommended, there is no benefit in using high octane. I use only non-ethanol in mine.

It should be pretty much turn the gas and ignition on and pull the cord to start. Honda makes a fantastic small engine. With regular maintenance and care they will run virtually forever. On a precautionary note, make sure the generator is well vented when running and when not, locked away safe where it can't be stolen.

Good choice, it is a great unit. The biggest issue is fuel. Use high octane (lowest ethanol), I know it is expensive but a gallon will last a long time, and a quality fuel treatment. Don't run in an enclosed area and don't expect to run the a/c. It also won't run the nuke and the coffee maker at the same time.