Tell Honda About the 12V Charging Feature

[robert_at_honda]

Honda R&D is looking at the next version of the EU2000i. They are interested in the 12V charging feature, and have a few questions. Please take a moment to complete this quick, 3-question survey, and you can help guide Honda to make improvements. Thanks!

12V Charging Feature Survey

-Robert@Honda
Caveat: I work for Honda, but the preceding is my opinion alone.

[BFL13]

I used the 12v off the Honda to Equalize as an experiment following a suggestion by a forum member to do that. It worked quite well. One interesting thing was how the 12v charger on the Honda got the batts to a higher voltage with Eco off than with Eco on.

Otherwise I have never used it, but that is because I have portable chargers handy.

[larry_barnhart]

I power our 15 amp manual battery charger with our Honda 1000 for charging batteries and plug into the power plug that hooks to the truck. Much better for our 4 12 volt batteries. This is just for an emergency or boondocking .

chevman

[NinerBikes]

pnichols wrote:
How about:

1) Fuel injection.

2) An altitude adjustment knob like Onans have - so jet changing is no longer necessary for camping in the mountains.

Sure, why not go diesel, with a DPF filter and SCR for Diesel exhaust fluid to keep the NOX levels down too. Diesel won't ever have alcohol additive in it. Probably 30 to 40% more efficient once warmed up too.

Also, no need for altitude adjustment with diesel.

[pnichols]

How about:

1) Fuel injection.

2) An altitude adjustment knob like Onans have - so jet changing is no longer necessary for camping in the mountains.

[NinerBikes]

Snowman9000 wrote:
I did the survey. I bet 95% of respondents will say they have never used it. Probably the smartest thing to do is to get rid of it, and add value in some other way. That said, I did ask for a 40a smart charger. 🙂 But let's be real, that would add a lot of bulk, and expense.

When you can buy new PD9245's on Ebay for $120 plus shipping... with the $25 pendant included... it can't be that expensive.

[NinerBikes]

A Honda Eu2000I Boondocker.

[gmctoyman]

I did the survey, rather have a fuel shutoff valve !

[Snowman9000]

I did the survey. I bet 95% of respondents will say they have never used it. Probably the smartest thing to do is to get rid of it, and add value in some other way. That said, I did ask for a 40a smart charger. 🙂 But let's be real, that would add a lot of bulk, and expense.

[NinerBikes]

45 to 60 amp 3 stage smart charger 14.4V bulk mode, 14.1V float mode at 90% charge, and 13.7V maintain mode at 100% charge. Comes with clamp on charger cables for battery terminals. Many RV folks would appreciate that quick charge feature.

See Progressive Dynamics 9245 9260 models or Iota smart chargers for ideas, for reverse engineering.

[robert_at_honda]

Thanks for all the great responses so far. To make sure they are all captured, please be sure to do the survey and you can add comments at the end.

-Robert@Honda
Caveat: I work for Honda, but the preceding is my opinion alone.

[ScottG]

Well since we're arm-chair engineering, I would like an hour meter or at least the option to easily install it on an optional basis. Maybe something that could plug in where the para. cables connect or ?

[aruba5er]

If they are thinking about a new model, add electric start. And remote start would even be better. I know it would add weight but mine is mounted and I don"t ever move it. Before you say buy a 3000, I thought about that but it is too high to fit in the bed of the truck where the fifth wheel would not hit it. Ahead of the fiver hitch is a 60 gal fuel tank so no room. Would need it to be no higher that present 2000i

[RoyB]

All I ever use my 2KW Honda generator BAT CHARGE cable for is to operate a 12VDC LAMP.

It is worthless to me as a BATTERY CHARGER.


It is just as easy to connect my trailer Shore Power Cable to the HONDA EU20001 2KW Generator Set using a RV30A-15A 120VAC "DOG BONE" long adapter from WALMART. The generator then will operate the trailer on-board converter/charger and properly re-charge my batteries in a short three hour generator run time using smart mode charging technology.

The unregulated 8A DC source is more or less worthless for me to use to re-charge any of my batteries... Anything less than 14.4VDC with a capacity of around 20AMP DC CURRENT per battery will take many many hours to re-charge a 12VDC Deep Cycle Battery.

This is what Progressive Dynamics says about re-charging DEEP CYCLE Batteries

"Progressive Dynamics ran this test on the amount of time it took a PD9155 (55-amp) converter/charger set to three different output voltages to recharge a 125 AH (Amp Hour) battery after it was fully discharged to 10.5-volts.

14.4-VOLTS (Boost Mode) – Returned the battery to 90% of full charge in approximately 3-hours. The battery reached full charge in approximately 11 hours.

13.6-VOLTS (Normal Mode) – Required 40-hours to return the battery to 90% of full charge and 78-hours to reach full charge.

13.2-VOLTS (Storage Mode) – Required 60-hours to return the battery to 90% of full charge and 100-hours to reach full charge."

Your 2KW Generator will not run that long on a tank of gasoline except in the 14.4VDC BOOST MODE...

A built-in SMART MODE BATTERY CHARGER circuit like the B&D VEC1093DBD 40AMP portable charger incorporates would be a great feature for the 2KW Honda Generator. This is one of the items I plug into my 2KW Honda Generator to re-charge my deep cycle batteries when not around my OFF-ROAD POPUP trailer.

I would say most campers that use their trailers off the power grid will have a minimum of two deep cycle batteries being used that would need to be re-charged each day using your Honda 2KW Generator.

Just my thoughts
Roy Ken.

[mena661]

I thought price wasn't an issue with the Honda generators?