Gents,My EU2000 has served me well for the last 13 years.It's a little long in the tooth (a lot of runtime).Last time I was out with it, I found a bunch of Oil under the frame when I brought it back inside for the winter season.Next week I'm heading out to So Cal From Colorado - and it's going to be in the 90's for a few days and I'm starting to think of AC...Have any of you purchased the new EU3200 - and will it power a 15k AC unit? I know it'll run the 13.5 unit - it's 2600 watts continuous but I wasn't sure if that's enough to run a 15k AC unit.As always thanks for the thoughts in advance!Josh

2600 watts is over 20 amps at 120v, so it SHOULD be fine. Note that I have no actual experience of this.

Start up surge could be a problem requiring a soft start addition to the A/C.

Yes it will. How many hours on the 2k?Do you know how to read the built in your meter?

It should be fine, Hondas have a pretty good surge capacity unlike the cheaper gens. Are you still using the 2000? You could parallel that with the 3200 if there are any issues.

I have a supco soft start on the AC unit already - which is how, I can get the 2000 to get the AC going; However, if i'm altitude or it's really hot, after 20 minutes it overloads the 2000's surge capacity. Hence i'm looking at a bigger unit. Grit - my unit doesn't have a meter. it's old - 13+ years and while I have changed the oil religiously, kept the carb clean (drain it after each season) and changed the spark plug - cleaned the air cleaner - and put stabil in the gas (before it goes in the 2000), it's got an oil leak somewhere on the bottom - and it needs some love.I've thought of Twinning to another 2000/2200, but if my current unit dies while it's twinning I'm no better off then I am today (I'll be left with one 2200 and one sick 2000 which will need love!).So I'm looking at a 3200.I'm also looking at a firman from costco as well. it's heavier, louder, and it's not a honda. I know. you get what you pay for. Time will tell. THanks for the advice!Josh

Honda EU3200 - 15k BTU AC Unit? | Good Sam Community

jodeb720
Explorer
Apr 14, 2023
@Wnjj - this has well over 500 hours of use. For the last 13 years I’ve been mostly boondocking for 5 weeks a year - call it 1500 hours conservatively. If I was in the desert it ran all day long, in national parks 3 hours a day to recharge my batteries.

@Otrfun, correct it only helps with current inrush unlike the Microair.
I don’t use my AC that much and in the past it’s always been used when I have full hookups - snd only on rare occasions on the generator.

@3 tons, when I’ve used the ac with my generator I’ve always turn ECO off, started the AC, and once I’ve set the temp on the thermostat to 65 switched eco on. That way the Honda would end where it needs to be at consistently. Of course if I was at altitude or it was above 90, it could (and did) overload after 20 mins.
3_tons
Explorer III
Apr 14, 2023
I would plan on sizing a generator that’s able to run the air conditioner while in the ‘eco’ mode.

3 tons
Grit_dog
Navigator
Apr 14, 2023
What wnjj quoted from The Internet (however that worked, strange format) was what I was referring to.
OP, your genny should have this feature as well, 1 blink for every hundred hours.
Those little Hondas should go upwards of 2000 hours if well cared for.
Granted most of the ones I’ve had either get destroyed or are powering a tweakers tent or RV now. But the ones that escape theft or destruction even though rarely maintained I’ve seen over 10 blinks on some.
Point was maybe yours has a lot of life left and just needs a repair. And pairing up another 2k is less $ and more power and more easily portable/versatile than one 3k genny.
otrfun
Explorer II
Apr 14, 2023
jodeb720 wrote:
I have a supco soft start on the AC unit already - which is how, I can get the 2000 to get the AC going; However, if i'm altitude or it's really hot, after 20 minutes it overloads the 2000's surge capacity.

Hence i'm looking at a bigger unit . . .
Is this *Supco* Soft Start you're referring to an aluminum-cased electrolyitc capacitor? If it is, they're only capable of reducing inrush current a few amps---very ineffective. A Micro Air Easy Start, a plastic box with circuitry inside, can reduce inrush current (LRA) as much as 25-40 amps. This is a massive, huge difference in capability.

Soft starts aside, to give you a clearer picture of your power needs, I'd suggest looking up the continuous current rating for your a/c unit. Or, better yet, use an AC clamp-on ammeter to verify the continuous current while it's operating.

A BTU rating only gives a very general idea of an a/c unit's power needs. Some of the more efficient 15k BTU a/c units can draw less continuous current than some 13.5k BTU a/c's. If the continuous current rating/reading is less than 13a, and a MAES is used/installed, most 2000w inverter generators (in good running condition) should power it. If it's less than 15a, the newer 2200w Honda generator should power it.
wnjj
Explorer II
Apr 14, 2023
The Internet wrote:

As part of a running change to the popular EU-series models, the green Output
LED functions as an hourmeter. When the unit is first started, the Output LED
can flash based on the total number of hours of operation logged (and stored) by
a circuit in the inverter.

Running time Green Output LED blinking status
Less than 100 hours 0 blinks after start
100 to 200 hours 1 blink after start
200 to 300 hours 2 blinks after start
300 to 400 hours 3 blinks after start
400 to 500 hours 4 blinks after start
Over 500 hours 5 blinks after start

Here are the serial number breaks where the feature was implemented:
EU2000i AC (50-state) EAAJ-2018516
EU2000i AC1 (50-state Companion)EAAJ-2069970
EU2000i AC2 (50-state Camo) TBA
EU2000i AN (49-state) EAAJ?2017305
EU2000i AN1 (49-state Companion)EAAJ-2022368
EU2000i AN2 (49-state Camo) EAAJ-2062989
jodeb720
Explorer
Apr 14, 2023
I have a supco soft start on the AC unit already - which is how, I can get the 2000 to get the AC going; However, if i'm altitude or it's really hot, after 20 minutes it overloads the 2000's surge capacity.

Hence i'm looking at a bigger unit.

Grit - my unit doesn't have a meter. it's old - 13+ years and while I have changed the oil religiously, kept the carb clean (drain it after each season) and changed the spark plug - cleaned the air cleaner - and put stabil in the gas (before it goes in the 2000), it's got an oil leak somewhere on the bottom - and it needs some love.

I've thought of Twinning to another 2000/2200, but if my current unit dies while it's twinning I'm no better off then I am today (I'll be left with one 2200 and one sick 2000 which will need love!).

So I'm looking at a 3200.

I'm also looking at a firman from costco as well. it's heavier, louder, and it's not a honda. I know. you get what you pay for. Time will tell.

THanks for the advice!

Josh
2oldman
Explorer II
Apr 13, 2023
It should be fine, Hondas have a pretty good surge capacity unlike the cheaper gens. Are you still using the 2000? You could parallel that with the 3200 if there are any issues.
Grit_dog
Navigator
Apr 13, 2023
Yes it will.
How many hours on the 2k?
Do you know how to read the built in your meter?
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Apr 13, 2023
Start up surge could be a problem requiring a soft start addition to the A/C.
Bobbo
Explorer II
Apr 13, 2023
2600 watts is over 20 amps at 120v, so it SHOULD be fine. Note that I have no actual experience of this.

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