I'm a bargain hunter/cheapskate!Co worker of mine is talking about getting 2 powerhouse generators and parallel them together when he needs more power. He rec I get a powerhouse 1k and 2k that way I could use only the 1k unless I needed the 13500 ac.I found a powerhouse 2000xi or something like that on eBay. Brand new in the box. I confirmed I could parallel it and a 1k together and ended up winning it for just less than 350 shipped.I got it and It fired firght up. Boy is this thing loud. It's not an old school lawnmower sounding generator, but I was very disappointed. Also found out this model will not parallel and if it did they would need to be matching generators.Sold it to a friend who wanted it for what I had in it.Went to a buddies house who has a Honda eu3000 to hear it run. Omg, that thing is quiet! As soon as I left I contacted a guy I've been watching on CL who was selling a new never been run eu2000i for $700 and made a deal for $550 yesterday.I will say this, it's quieter than the powerhouse, but not by a whole lot. I am very disappointed.I cannot afford an eu3000 and know I will need another eu2000 to run my ac.Does anybody else feel this way about the eu2000?I feel that the the eu3000 is as quiet as an air conditioning unit and would be of no concern to most neighbors at a campground, but the 2000 is drastically louder than the 3000 and the powerhouse, forget about it!Maybe I was just expecting too much?

We have a eu2000.....and it IS quiet. We saw a man running one on the tail end of his pickup bed.....it was loud. Where you set them makes a big difference. When we camp in our 26 foot 5th wheel (an old one)....DH puts it out the bedroom end. I have gone to sleep hearing a small hum.....not loud at all. We've had it running and have walked away.....I'd say about 100 feet away you can't hardly hear it.Since you bought it, why not take it in and see if there is a problem with yours.

The 2000 is marginally quieter than the 3000. EDIT: Sorry, I had that backwards LOL! I meant to write: The 3000 is marginally quieter than the 2000. It matters which way the exhaust faces because that's also the way the sound is pointed. If you plan on using 2-2000's to run your a/c you also better invest in an extended run tank set up.

That, my friend, is the story of generators in a nutshell. Cheap ones are noisy. Sometimes expensive ones are not. I was wandering thru an outdoor art show last year and one of the artists was running a 3300 watt generator that was the quietest I've ever heard. It was a brand I've never heard of and I was unable to find on Google. He said he'd paid a little over $1100 for it online somewhere. Good luck finding one. In the meantime I give you these words of wisdom: you always pay for what you get; sometimes you even get what you pay for.

I did notice that when I test fired the powermaster for my bud in a parking lot he thought it was real quiet. His only generator experience is when he borrowed a non inverter generator 10 years ago.When I tested the eu2000i this morning I had it on the side of my house which is only about 12 feet from my neighbors. Let it run with maybe 800-1000 watts through a portable heater and was not impressed. I then put it on the sidewalk in front of the house with Eco on and off and still was not impressed.My buddies 3000 had not been started since November, his battery was dead so he pulled it once and it started right up. I asked him if he pressed the bulb and he said its didnt have one, I was in shock!I have no doubt that the Honda will give me years of reliable use, but now I'm concerned having to run 2 2000's for ac will be unbearable and be better off with a cheaper 3000+Maybe I've just got very good hearing:)Also, the Honda 3000 is rated a db or 2 less than the 1000 and 2000, but it was a very noticeable difference to me. Keep in mind, I have not heard them side by side, might make a video this weekend.His 3000 was so quiet I called the guy on Craigslist as I was backing out of his driveway and had a new generator within 2 hours.Hope I'm not coming off as a whiner.

hmm guess you tried the eco switch... maybe you got a lemon?

My search for a generator | Good Sam Community

21 Replies

opnspaces
Navigator III
Apr 15, 2014
jurob wrote:

Would you agree with me, that the 3000 is obviously quieter than the 2000 on and off Eco? Or am I hearing things?

I don't think you're hearing things. I have a Honda 2000i and I've heard a few 3000i's running. I personally think the 3000i is quite a bit quieter than a 20000i. I can't say about off eco, but in general my perception is the 3000 wins hands down.

I will also say that I expected the 2000 to be quieter than it is, but I'm happy enough knowing that it is one of the quieter models on the market.
77charger
Explorer
Apr 14, 2014
The only time a 2000eu will be quiter than the 3000eu is when they are both idling and no load on the 2000.The slightest load on the 2000 it will start climbing fast.

I have the 3000 and love it yes they are heavy but worth it.I have heard two eu2000s linked together running and a/c and they were noticably louder than my 3000 running mine.

The downside on linking the 2000s is you will need to go out and refuel often or get the long run tanks.If you go that route now with the 2 gens and tank its now taking more space than a single 3000.I can get atleast 13-14 hours running my a/c on a tank of fuel.
samsontdog
Explorer
Apr 14, 2014
jurob wrote:
samsontdog wrote:
I used two Hondas EU2000 together for awhile but got a great deal on a EU3000 and I much prefer it over the EU2000. Takes up less room and I run it in the back of my P/Up with camper shell {open} I am nearly 80 and I move the 3000 if needed without help

Would you agree with me, that the 3000 is obviously quieter than the 2000 on and off Eco? Or am I hearing things?

The 3000 is a little quieter but not enough to really notice
BFL13
Explorer II
Apr 14, 2014
I have a dolly cart at home the same height as the truck bed so I can slide the Honda 3000 in and out of the truck from/to the dolly cart. While camping it stays in the truck.

Noise depends on direction of the exhaust as stated above, and also what it can bounce off like the back of the truck's cab. IAW it varies.

A 3000 running the same load should be quieter than the 2000 just from not being revved so high out of its max revs. Two-2000s running that same load should be quieter than the 3000 except there are two of them, so no idea how that would compare.

the 3000 has a lower frequency sound that is easier on the ears than a higher pitched sound. That might be what is going on. Not sure what a 2000 sounds like anymore for pitch, been a while.
jurob
Explorer
Apr 14, 2014
samsontdog wrote:
I used two Hondas EU2000 together for awhile but got a great deal on a EU3000 and I much prefer it over the EU2000. Takes up less room and I run it in the back of my P/Up with camper shell {open} I am nearly 80 and I move the 3000 if needed without help

Would you agree with me, that the 3000 is obviously quieter than the 2000 on and off Eco? Or am I hearing things?
jurob
Explorer
Apr 14, 2014
I just checked again,
Another popped up for $400 today, but I don't know the details and it's obviously used. There are good prices if you are patient and willing to ask.

I set my eu2000 budget at $600, I didn't think I would find the deal I did, but I'm not complaining.
jurob
Explorer
Apr 14, 2014
It's not stolen.
There was another listed at 650 that was a year old and only used a few times.

I actually have a CL ad that is still active and it says I'm willing to pay up to $600 for a Honda eu2000i.

Mine was bought a year and a few months ago and has sat in a suitcase the whole time with 2 quarts of Honda oil and a spare spark plug waiting for a reason to use it. He told me he accepted my offer because it has been sitting and I was taking a risk. It was on CL for just a few days and he said he got calls, but they would say they would call back and wouldn't.

I felt it was a non issue since it hasn't been run and is still under factory 3 year warranty which from what I read on Honda's site doesn't matter if your not the original purchaser.

I registered it to me last night, wonder if that's when the warranty starts? ;)
NinerBikes
Explorer
Apr 14, 2014
2oldman wrote:
jurob wrote:
t I contacted a guy I've been watching on CL who was selling a new never been run eu2000i for $700 and made a deal for $550 yesterday.
Why would anyone sell a brand new Honda 2k for $550?

It's probably stolen.

It does make one wonder... if a deal is too good to be true, it probably is. I see used EU1000i's for $500 to 550 all the time.
samsontdog
Explorer
Apr 14, 2014
I used two Hondas EU2000 together for awhile but got a great deal on a EU3000 and I much prefer it over the EU2000. Takes up less room and I run it in the back of my P/Up with camper shell {open} I am nearly 80 and I move the 3000 if needed without help
2oldman
Explorer II
Apr 14, 2014
jurob wrote:
t I contacted a guy I've been watching on CL who was selling a new never been run eu2000i for $700 and made a deal for $550 yesterday.
Why would anyone sell a brand new Honda 2k for $550?

It's probably stolen.

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