Two 2000 watt Honda Generators

Been using two Honda since 2005. 15k a/c works with np, but don't use Eco-throttle. Also can't use microwave while a/c is running, and my wife discovered she can't use the hair dryer when a/c is running. Be sure to add fuel stabilizer if you have periods of time when they aren't used, and keep some Sea Foam on hand to clean out the jets from time to time.

Seen a number of folks with 2 Honda's going.
Cool set-up...a little bit noisier tho.

silvercorvette wrote:
Just in case you may not be aware of it one of the gens must be a companion with a 30 amp plug.

Not so. You can parallel two regular Honda Eu2000i's. Here is an excellent youtube vid of how to make your own parallel connection with 30a RV receptacle and a 30 amp breaker built in. Clicky here

Old Biscut put me onto these people a while back. My goal is to use my two Honda's till I can make the trip to their factory. Then get the big box mounted to the truck. Will then sell the two Honda's as there is always a market for them.

clicky

I purchased only one 2KW Generator just to be able to re-charge my battery bank direct connected to the trailer shore power cable. With the on-board smart-mode converter/charger I can recharge the batteries up to their 90% charge state and run all of the 120VAC items from an inverter and 12VDC items directly off the battery that we want to run.

Being on the East side of the US I was not able to find many places that allowed me to run my generator more than a couple of hours in the morning and maybe three hours in the early evening. The National Forest places sometimes will allow generators from 8AM to 8PM but this not the norm on this side of the US yet. I could never find a place that allowed me to run a generator all night long - maybe at a NASCAR place or on private property somewhere. Knowing this I could not justify the cost of having a couple of generators just to run an air conditioner. My 2KW Honda will only run for around 7 hours on its built-in tank anyway.

Where are you going to run yours. I know out West there are places like the dispersed and non designated areas that you can run a generator just about anytime they want to. All of those seem to be West of the Mississippi River... Sure is not the case here around my camping world.

This is the reason I beefed up my trailer to run all of my 120VAC and 12VDC toys from my batteries and then only run the 2KW Honda generator as short as possible when allowed to run one. This of course does not allow me to run my Air conditioner or high wattage microwaves when off the power grid camping.

We do most of our camping off the power grid three to four days at a time and sometimes as long as two weeks. Have no problems cycling our batteries from 50% charge state to 90% charge state but after a couple of weeks we must recharge the batteries to their full 100% charge state or otherwise will start doing damage to the batteries.

Would not go anywhere without my 2KW Honda generator. It is anchored in the back of my truck bed near the tailgate corner and is covered with a locking folding hard top bed cover when not in use.


Just my thoughts
Roy Ken

You can connect the two 2KW Hondas in parallel using one of these adapters that has the 30AMP RV PLug on it..


Or you can purchase the Companion 2KW Honda generator that has the 30AMP plug on the main panel.


Both methods work the same for connecting two 2KW Honda gnerators in parallel.

just my thoughts
Roy Ken

I chose 2 honda's because I can lift them, they fit under the tounneu cover, I can use them with the extended run tank I made and "It's a Honda". No trouble in 6+ years. I bougt a After marlket kit made by Relience ( a Wisconsin Co in Racine) if you have to google it. It has a 30 amp RV plug and a 30 amp curcuit breaker built in and contains the jumper wires you need to combine the two. I would NOT buy the Companion because you have to use an adapter. If I had to go that route, I would change the outlet on the genny.

silvercorvette wrote:
Just in case you may not be aware of it one of the gens must be a companion with a 30 amp plug.

This is not necessarily true. Long before they had the Companion model, I used a pair of Eu2000s with an aftermarket kit. I still like this better than the Companion which doesn't even have a true RV 30 amp plug. My parallel kit also has a watt meter on it which I find very useful for energy management.

For some people, a pair of 2000s is the best solution. I don't understand why everybody tries to talk them into something different. For me, a single 3000 wasn't going to be enough and I didn't have storage space for it. It just so happened that a pair of 2000s fit perfectly in my front storage, provided more power than a single 3000 and were ultimately more economical under light loads. Gas capacity is the biggest issue with the 2000s, but that is easily solved with an extended run tank setup which I built myself for about half the cost of the kits you see advertised.

The biggest thing to remember about the Honda EU2000i is they are a 2000 watt max output. They are only rated for a continuous load of 1600 watts. They will run at a continuous 1800-1900 watt load, but it is the old adage of "burning the candle at both ends". You will likely experience premature failure running with that kind of load all the time. That being said, a pair of 2000s should run a 15k AC and few other odds and ends and still be under rated load.

The nice thing about getting the Honda 2000s is that you can, with a bit of effort pick them up and move them around, thereby carrying them in the pickup bed is a good option when traveling. I would think the Onan Microlite is much heavier and harder to pick up and move, at least by one person. Same with the Honda 3000, which he didn't ask about. The little 2000s weigh about 50 pounds while the 3000 weighs over 125 pounds if I remember correctly. The 2000s paralleled will run your 15,000 AC but you might have to be careful adding any more draw while you are running the AC.

I am parked in a driveway plugged into shore power with a 20 amp breaker. I shut off the A/C when I use the micro and I run the fridge and water heater on LPG. Running the water heater on LPG will help a lot in taking the burden off the gen, ditto with the fridge