honda eu2000i

[LaunchnRetrieve]

Looking at table on CW website it suggests that the 2000 can run everything except the AC.
Does that mean it can run everything all at once or just come combination of all those things?
To jump to the 3000 is an extra 1000$.
What can the 2000 handle at home during black outs?

[mkirsch]

Chinolbz wrote:
Much more difficult to walk off with a 3000 or larger generator. Many thieves use your genset to power up their sawzall with a metal cutting blade. Chino

I've heard of them using bolt cutters to cut chains, cables, or even the handle on the generator, but I haven't heard that one.

Seems to me that thieves by and large wish to avoid detection/confrontation, and gnawing away at the generator with a loud sawzall or angle grinder would certainly attract some unwanted attention. Just because you're not visible doesn't mean you're not sleeping inside the camper, or just out of sight in the bushes, or about to reenter the campsite at any moment. If your generator is secured at all that will stop the vast majority of thieves.

There are certainly determined thieves that would have no issues taking you on if confronted, but they are in the minority. In those cases it may be better from a personal safety standpoint to let them take the generator rather than get hurt or killed over it.

[SoundGuy]

LaunchnRetrieve wrote:
Now I'm torn between 2 2000's, or 1 1000, or a 3000. Yes, I am most likely going to use hook up to power AC. I feel better about leaving the gen in the truck, but only if I get a cover to keep it out of sight, otherwise I would expect it to disappear within minutes of parking.

ktmrfs wrote:
personally we went with a pair of 2000's over the 3,00
1) cost is virtually the same
2) I can lift a 2000
3) only need one most of the time
4) slightly more total power

3,000 advantage is slightly quieter and electric start.

for me, the 1000 wasn't in the picture since it won't run my converter, it needs around 1200VA, 1000 costs almost as much as a 2000, but is enough lighter to make a difference when carrying it

What works for you is really dependent on what your needs and priorities are.

To the OP - that's the key ... what works for you, not someone else. 😉

I've owned two EU2000i gensets and each time chose a 2K over a 1K because the 2K will not only recharge the trailer battery but also run any appliance in the trailer other than A/C, including any microwave oven we've ever owned. The only downside is weight and I do find that each year that 50 lb generator seems to get heavier and heavier! :E This year I added a 1K true sine wave inverter to the trailer, primarily to run fans, but found it also easily powers a 650 watt toaster, 550 watt coffee maker, or even my wife's hair dryer on it's low heat setting. We've also discovered we can get along just fine without the microwave oven when dry camping and have dispensed with the idea of running any genset all day long just to power A/C so my 2K now seems to have been relegated to just recharging the battery. I'm therefore now considering swapping out my EU2000i for a lighter weight EU1000i and using the difference in value to replace my aging G27 battery with a pair of G31s that would bolster my new inverter's capabilities and for the limited amount of dry camping we do would minimize our need to recharge at all while camping.

Personally, if I could justify the cost I'd own an EU3000iS, park it in the back of the truck for the season and since we most often camp on electric sites consider it my shore power back up anytime we may lose power, which does seem to happen at least a couple of times each season, for whatever reason. Noise figures on paper don't tell the entire story - actually listen to an EU3000iS running and it's hard to not be impressed at just how "quiet" it really is, much more so than a pair of EU2000i gensets. It may be obvious but the bottom line is it all comes down to how you personally think you will actually use a genset. 😉

EU1000i - lightweight, ~ 30 lbs, used by many primarily for battery recharging but certainly not as versatile as a 2K

EU2000i - reasonably lightweight, ~ 50 lbs, yet more versatile as it will also power most appliances you may have in your trailer, other than A/C - paired with another, a favourite choice for those who feel they need to also power A/C. However, I wouldn't be the first to find that 50 lbs getting "heavier and heavier" as each season goes by and unlike some have no interest in storing / maintaining two of them.

EU3000iS - class leading, quietest, all purpose genset that can serve as a reliable alternate to shore power, it's main drawback being weight, about 150 lbs, so I sure wouldn't want to be moving one around during the camping season.

[Chinolbz]

Much more difficult to walk off with a 3000 or larger generator. Many thieves use your genset to power up their sawzall with a metal cutting blade. Chino

[ktmrfs]

LaunchnRetrieve wrote:
Some great ideas. Now I'm torn between 2 2000's, or 1 1000, or a 3000.
Yes, I am most likely going to use hook up to power AC. I feel better about leaving the gen in the truck, but only if I get a cover to keep it out of sight, otherwise I would expect it to disappear within minutes of parking.

personally we went with a pair of 2000's over the 3,00
1) cost is virtually the same
2) I can lift a 2000
3) only need one most of the time
4) slightly more total power

3,000 advantage is slightly quieter and electric start.

for me, the 1000 wasn't in the picture since it won't run my converter, it needs around 1200VA, 1000 costs almost as much as a 2000, but is enough lighter to make a difference when carrying it

What works for you is really dependent on what your needs and priorities are.

BTW since I added 240 watts of solar, the generators seldom get used. about the only time I need them is for the AC. I can run my microwave on the battery bank and inverter. Solar will keep me charged up longer than I can go w/o water & dump. I used the generator for powering tools in the backyard more than with the trailer this year.

[LaunchnRetrieve]

Some great ideas. Now I'm torn between 2 2000's, or 1 1000, or a 3000.
Yes, I am most likely going to use hook up to power AC. I feel better about leaving the gen in the truck, but only if I get a cover to keep it out of sight, otherwise I would expect it to disappear within minutes of parking.

[ktmrfs]

Donnoh wrote:

ktmrfs wrote:
And the honda 2000 is NOT rated for 2000Watt output, but 2000VA. For resistive loads like a toaster, lights, absorption fridge 120V element etc. VA and WATTS are for all practical purposes the same.

Yes, the advertising says 2000W, easy for marketing to say, but not always the case, especially for RV use.

For loads like microwaves, converters etc. they are NOT the same. The VA draw can be as much as 30% or more higher than the Watts consumed. What that means is that the 1200Watt microwave may draw 1600-1800 VA pushing the limit on the honda if a few other things are turned on as well. (like the 300W from the fridge on electric).

Just something to keep in mind if the generator goes into overload and you think your well within the output spec's of the generator.

I'd like for you to explain your logic on this. VA is volts*amps which is watts. Yes, a microwave may have a rating of 1000 watts output and with losses require 13-1400 watts input, but what does that have to do with anything?

volts x amps= Watts is a special case condition for determining power and only applies to a pure resistive load connected to a DC source or a pure resistive load connected to a sine wave AC source (power to your house or from inverter generator) where the voltage and amps are expressed in a RMS value.

Determining power draw for all load cases is a 1 semester course in Jr. or Sr level college power engineering. And it involves lots of calculus and vector math. (giving volts and amps a amplitude and phase)

That 1000W microwave that consumes 1400Watts of power may actually consume around 1800VA. so instead of drawing 1400/120= 11.6A it will actually draw 1800/120=15A.

Power companies HATE loads like this, they need to supply you with 15A but only can charge you for drawing 11.6A.

And your/my little honda hates it as well since it has to deliver 15A, right near it's rated current, instead of 11.6A.

and then you scratch your head when the generator overloads with the 1400 watts from the microwave and 300 watts from the fridge element, and you say, well that 1700 watts, should run ok, but it trips right away. Well your actually drawing 1800+300=2100VA above what the honda 2000 can deliver at peak output.

Unfortunetely, few mfg state what the VA draw is on devices, so it is often hard to figure out actual load.

but the handy Kilo-watt meter will give you the VA and Watts for a given load. handy device to have.

[time2roll]

Donnoh wrote:
I'd like for you to explain your logic on this. VA is volts*amps which is watts. Yes, a microwave may have a rating of 1000 watts output and with losses require 13-1400 watts input, but what does that have to do with anything?

Xantrex white paper on Power Factor.

Basically many loads are reactive and do not use the full sine wave.

[Donnoh]

ktmrfs wrote:
And the honda 2000 is NOT rated for 2000Watt output, but 2000VA. For resistive loads like a toaster, lights, absorption fridge 120V element etc. VA and WATTS are for all practical purposes the same.

Yes, the advertising says 2000W, easy for marketing to say, but not always the case, especially for RV use.

For loads like microwaves, converters etc. they are NOT the same. The VA draw can be as much as 30% or more higher than the Watts consumed. What that means is that the 1200Watt microwave may draw 1600-1800 VA pushing the limit on the honda if a few other things are turned on as well. (like the 300W from the fridge on electric).

Just something to keep in mind if the generator goes into overload and you think your well within the output spec's of the generator.

I'd like for you to explain your logic on this. VA is volts*amps which is watts. Yes, a microwave may have a rating of 1000 watts output and with losses require 13-1400 watts input, but what does that have to do with anything?

[ktmrfs]

And the honda 2000 is NOT rated for 2000Watt output, but 2000VA. For resistive loads like a toaster, lights, absorption fridge 120V element etc. VA and WATTS are for all practical purposes the same.

Yes, the advertising says 2000W, easy for marketing to say, but not always the case, especially for RV use.

For loads like microwaves, converters etc. they are NOT the same. The VA draw can be as much as 30% or more higher than the Watts consumed. What that means is that the 1200Watt microwave may draw 1600-1800 VA pushing the limit on the honda if a few other things are turned on as well. (like the 300W from the fridge on electric).

Just something to keep in mind if the generator goes into overload and you think your well within the output spec's of the generator.

[TomG2]

RJsfishin wrote:
Most the campers I know use their 2000 for no more than I use my 1000 for.
And my 1000 is smaller and lighter, I love it.

X3

[dclark1946]

RJsfishin wrote:
Most the campers I know use their 2000 for no more than I use my 1000 for.
And my 1000 is smaller and lighter, I love it.

X2

Dick

[RJsfishin]

Most the campers I know use their 2000 for no more than I use my 1000 for.
And my 1000 is smaller and lighter, I love it.

[djousma]

SoundGuy wrote:


(snip)

As for house back up, about the only thing I care about is being able to power the house furnace in the winter during a sustained power blackout so rather than interface to the house breaker box with a transfer switch I added a couple of standard 15 amp connectors to the 120 vac line feeding the furnace, which in turn allows me to disconnect from the house entirely and plug directly into the EU2000i parked in the backyard.

(snip)

I was going to go the route you did, but stumbled across this:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Reliance-Controls-Furnace-Transfer-Switch-TF151/202216476

Installed it at the furnace, and made for a nice clean install.

[Atlee]

sometimes that isn't possible. Remember, everyone doesn't use their RV's everyone else.

There are times when I have to run my AC all day long, and once I had to run it 36 straight hours. I tailgate at football games. It's one of the biggest uses I have of my travel trailer. Ever been to Atlanta Labor Day weekend? It's usually hot and humid and an AC is necessary, and there are no electrical hookups where the RV's have to park. Therefore, generators are very necessary.

smkettner wrote:
Are you really going to run the air all day or night? I recommend hookups.

For everything else: Solar, Battery, Inverter.