New Honda EU2200i

wing_zealot wrote:
Indeed, you surely would not want to have to give in to that gnawing feeling and mounting evidence that the "pretend look alike" just might be a better value than that overpriced honda.

Having owned 2 Honda EU2000i gensets and knowing how well it does work, how it's surge capability is SO much better than the competition, how much in demand the EU2000i is that makes selling a used one SO easy - no, not a chance, the Honda is IMO worth the price it demands. :B

Indeed, you surely would not want to have to give in to that gnawing feeling and mounting evidence that the "pretend look alike" just might be a better value than that overpriced honda.

wing_zealot wrote:
If I'm going to invest an extra $300 to run an AC, I'm going to put it in the generator. The extra watts are much more useful to me For a wide variety of uses.

SoundGuy wrote:
To each his / her own but $300 on top of the cost of an EU2000i or EU2200i sure isn't going to buy an EU3000iS or EU3000i Handi, it's still far less costly to just add an Easy Start to the A/C.

wing_zealot wrote:
You're wrong about how much more I can get for my $300, but you're right- it won't be a honda. Overpriced.

"Wrong"? :h Now that's funny. :W American Honda's suggested retail for an EU2000i is $1150, for an EU3000iS $2330, for an EU3000i Handi $2600 ... maybe new math says that's only a $300 difference but to those of us who live in the real world the difference is FAR more than the cost of a Micro-Air Easy Start that will allow a single EU2000i or the new EU2200i to easily start a 13,500 BTU A/C. With a full rated output of 1800 watts (15 amps @ 120 vac) the new EU2200i is also much more likely to continue powering that A/C once past it's 1/2 hr surge rating of 2200 watts.

This discussion is about the Honda 2K series of inverter gensets ... whether a Honda genset is "overpriced" is strictly your opinion but in the real world the old adage that "you get what you pay for" generally proves to be true - it just may take some time for that to become evident. ;) If your preference is to spend your $$$ on a pretend look-a-like that's entirely your choice but those who acknowledge the popularity of the Honda EU series see greater value in buying just one Honda 2K genset and adding a Micro-Air Easy Start Soft Starter Kit to their A/C. For those who approach this intelligently it's not about total watts but about how you best utilize those watts available to you. ;)

SoundGuy wrote:

wing_zealot wrote:
If I'm going to invest an extra $300 to run an AC, I'm going to put it in the generator. The extra watts are much more useful to me For a wide variety of uses.

To each his / her own but $300 on top of the cost of an EU2000i or EU2200i sure isn't going to buy an EU3000iS or EU3000i Handi, it's still far less costly to just add an Easy Start to the A/C.

You're wrong about how much more I can get for my $300, but you're right- it won't be a honda. Overpriced.

SoundGuy wrote:

ktmrfs wrote:
I'm seriously tempted to sell my 2000 companion and buy a 2200 companion.

Here's hoping you do! ... would be particularly interesting to hear about the results since you're already running a Micro-Air on your A/C. :)

well, it would take till next summer to find out the results. Don't run the AC in oregon in the winter, that's for sure.

ktmrfs wrote:
I'm seriously tempted to sell my 2000 companion and buy a 2200 companion.

Here's hoping you do! ... would be particularly interesting to hear about the results since you're already running a Micro-Air on your A/C. :)

pnichols wrote:
Also, just thinking outloud .... I wonder if an EU2000i with the Easy Start kit powering an RV air conditioner will use less gas, overall, than a bigger generator will without the kit?

The bigger generator still has to expend gas energy to overcome the A/C compressor's startup load with each cycle, whereas a smaller generator with the kit has to overcome a much smaller momentary startup energy demand with each A/C run cycle.

Air conditioner run time per gallon will be optimum when using no larger generator than necessary to power it. The Easy Start kit is not smoke and mirrors, it just plain makes use of good engineering to provide a more efficient way to get the job done.

Many of you may be like me - the worst part of using a portable RV generator is having to refuel it any more often than absolutely necessary.

I should probably even install the kit on our RV's air conditioner to reduce gas consumption of our built-in 4KW Onan generator while it's powering the A/C. :C

I love the micro air easy start, one of the best things we did to the trailer and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Now given that, it doesn't solve the fact that a 13.5K regualar efficiency (around 13A) AC unit is pushing the limits of a honda 2000 even when running.

I will warn folks of one issue relying on the micro air easy start. It WILL easily and quickly start my coleman Mach III at 4500 ft and likely much higher without any struggle at all. Thought great, home free, started right up kept running, voltage down to about 115V, ready to relax as the trailer cooled down.

I had everything else turned off, nothing else drawing any load inthe trailer. good dodged a bullet, don't need to pull out the companion.

Celebrated to quickly. Running the AC may push you up against the honda's overcurrent limit. My one experience at 4500ft, low humidity 95F showed no issues starting, but the honda would trip the overload after about 10-15 minutes running. Now the density altitude was over 6000Ft.

BTW, I had run the AC for hours on end with the micro air at around 3000 ft no problems, similar temps.

darn, parallel time. During the 5 days we were using it I tried running the AC on one honda multiple times. same results, 10-15 minutes and tripped on overload. Did this with both my honda's to see if there was any difference and if one was better than the other. Nope, both about the same results.

Now the micro air AND the new honda 2200 likely would go from "almost adequate" to "barely adequate" for this condition.

And it likely will depend on the AC unit. The coleman is one of the higher current draw units.

I'm seriously tempted to sell my 2000 companion and buy a 2200 companion.

Personally I have no desire for either of the honda 3000's. One, both are heavier than I want to cart around. Two, the lighter 3000 is to noisy. and finally two honda 2000's or 2200s in parallel are the same weight as either 3000 and give more peak and continous output.

Also, just thinking outloud .... I wonder if an EU2000i with the Easy Start kit powering an RV air conditioner will use less gas, overall, than a bigger generator will without the kit?

The bigger generator still has to expend gas energy to overcome the A/C compressor's startup load with each cycle, whereas a smaller generator with the kit has to overcome a much smaller momentary startup energy demand with each A/C run cycle.

Air conditioner run time per gallon will be optimum when using no larger generator than necessary to power it. The Easy Start kit is not smoke and mirrors, it just plain makes use of good engineering to provide a more efficient way to get the job done.

Many of you may be like me - the worst part of using a portable RV generator is having to refuel it any more often than absolutely necessary.

I should probably even install the kit on our RV's air conditioner to reduce gas consumption of our built-in 4KW Onan generator while it's powering the A/C. :C

dodge guy wrote:
I don’t get it! Why would you buy a 2200 when you can get a 3000 that will run the AC amm gn other things. I have a generic 2200 that will power my trailer minus the AC.

SoundGuy wrote:
Likewise - why in the world would anyone buy a much heavier 3000 watt genset just so they can run A/C when simply adding a Micro-Air Easy Start Soft Starter Kit to the A/C unit will easily allow a much lighter, less costly 2K or 2.2K genset to successfully start that A/C? :R

wing_zealot wrote:
If I'm going to invest an extra $300 to run an AC, I'm going to put it in the generator. The extra watts are much more useful to me For a wide variety of uses.

To each his / her own but $300 on top of the cost of an EU2000i or EU2200i sure isn't going to buy an EU3000iS or EU3000i Handi, it's still far less costly to just add an Easy Start to the A/C. :R

SoundGuy wrote:

dodge guy wrote:
I don’t get it! Why would you buy a 2200 when you can get a 3000 that will run the AC amm gn other things. I have a generic 2200 that will power my trailer minus the AC.

Likewise - why in the world would anyone buy a much heavier 3000 watt genset just so they can run A/C when simply adding a Micro-Air Easy Start Soft Starter Kit to the A/C unit will easily allow a much lighter, less costly 2K or 2.2K genset to successfully start that A/C? :R

If I'm going to invest an extra $300 to run an AC, I'm going to put it in the generator. The extra watts are much more useful to me For a wide variety of uses.