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Onan 5500 and Honda 2000...can I run then at the same time?

bluerock5
Explorer
Explorer
My Weekend Warrior has an Onan 5500 generator that I only run when I use the microwave or A/C....and the rest of the time I run the economical Honda 2000. When I switch between the two...I unplug the the Onan and plug in the Honda and vise versa. Can I Use a "Y" and leave the Onan and the Honda 2000 both plugged in and start the Onan only when I need the extra power? Thanks for any input.....
2008 Ford F 450 King Ranch with the 6.4 DIESEL
2004 Ford Excursion with the 6.0 DIESEL Light mods
2001 Ford Excursion with the 7.3 DIESEL Heavily modded
2008 Weekend Warrior FSW 3200 Billet Edition
2008 Honda CRF 450
21 REPLIES 21

micpib1
Explorer
Explorer
I plug my Honda in when I am just running lights, TV or simply charging the batteries; I unplug the Honda when running the onboard generator for the high wattage appliances, pretty simple. JH

DryCamper11
Explorer
Explorer
hershey wrote:
My MH and I'd bet its similar to others will default to shorepower. So If the Onan is running and I plug into shorepower or my 2000 watt honda, it automatically switches to the shorepower/honda. Once the Honda is turned off, it automatically goes back to the Onan.

And his will do the same if he has a transfer switch, but he definitely does not want a "Y" and from his post, it looks like he uses plug/unplug to switch, not a transfer switch.

As a matter of interest, an old technique to synchronize generators is to connect the two together (that's what a "Y" would do), but to put two 120 volt light bulbs in series in the hot wire. When the two generators are 180 degrees out of sync, the bulbs will each see 120 volts and be bright. When the waveforms are in sync, the bulbs will see 0 voltage and be dim.

The bulbs flash at beat frequency equal to the difference in the output frequencies. The faster the bulbs flash, the more out of sync they are. (I've done this and it's weird plugging your gen into the wall when the wall socket has power). If he could perfectly hold them synchronized, he could do what he wants to do, but there's no way to do that, and with them hooked into a "Y" connector he'd get a massive short circuit when they are out of sync.
In the Boonies!

hershey
Explorer
Explorer
My MH and I'd bet its similar to others will default to shorepower. So If the Onan is running and I plug into shorepower or my 2000 watt honda, it automatically switches to the shorepower/honda. Once the Honda is turned off, it automatically goes back to the Onan.
hershey - albuquerque, nm
Someday Finally Got Here
My wife does all the driving - I just get to hold the steering wheel.
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K_Charles
Explorer
Explorer
No. Yes with a transfer switch.

2oldman
Explorer II
Explorer II
no. They don't parallel well.
"If I'm wearing long pants, I'm too far north" - 2oldman

time2roll
Nomad
Nomad

DryCamper11
Explorer
Explorer
No. You can buy an automatic transfer switch and it will switch to the priority gen. Running two different brands at the same time won't work, and will burn one up if it's connected to the other one that's running.
In the Boonies!