Last week was hot at home.
The temperature wasn&#;t bad for us desert dwellers. Then a large wildfire starting burning in Idyllwild. Although the fire was on the other side of the San Jacinto Mountains, it was less than 15 miles from our house as the crow flies. No danger of fire at home, but the air quality was poor.
So we decided to leave. Given the local mountains were out of the question and the Southern Sierra further and crowded, we headed to Lake Mead.
This trip was a good test for our new Honda &#;EU&#; generators.
I know, I know. I&#;ve been pretty critical of generators in the past. However, over the past 15 years I&#;ve kept up with the technology and made the purchase decision based on a LOT of research and thought.
No, we aren&#;t giving up on our solar system. We can handle hot days, but when the nights don&#;t drop below 90F it is getting more difficult for we two 60-something year olds. The evaporative cooler just doesn&#;t cut the mustard if the humidity is high as I wrote a couple years ago.
So I decided to explore a generator option so we can continue to camp in deserts year round, even if it is around 120F.
Here are the results of my research.
Four things were of importance:
For us, the only need a generator can fulfill is running our roof-top air conditioner in really hot weather. However, if we run the A/C and any other electrical consumers the inverter would normally handle, the generator will have to power those other consumers too because our automatic transfer switch sends power to all the 120 volt circuits in camper; thus we can only use one power source at a time. You can read about how were wired our camper in these two posts: Milan Solar System and How to Choose an Inverter.
Another consideration is to understand that it takes much more power to start an electrical device like an air conditioner than it takes to run it once it has started. What is helpful, or sometimes confusing, is generators are normally rated by the starting watts. A Honda EUi generator can supply 2,000 watts of starting power for a short period of time and then it will provide 1,600 watts of continuous power running at full throttle. The table below is an approximation of what is required to run a typical RV air conditioning unit.
We have a 13,500 btu (British thermal units) air conditioner, so I was looking for a generator capable of 3,000 watts minimum.
The table isn&#;t the absolute authority. Some people have been able to run 13.5K units with a 2,000 watt Honda EUi. Usually this requires installing a hard start capacitor in the air conditioning unit and operating it at altitudes under 1,000 feet elevation. Of course not all 13.5K units will start with a 2,000 watt unit. Additionally, if it does start, the generator will be operating at close to its overload threshold and could possibly damage both the A/C unit and the generator.
We ended up with two generators that are connected together with a Parallel cable kit. A Honda EUi (2,200 watts) and a EUi Companion (2,000 watts) with a total starting wattage of 4,200 watts and running watts of 3,400. This give us plenty of margin to run other things if needed. Also, running our A/C uses less than half of the maximum available meaning lower fuel consumption and lower noise levels.
Honda has a wattage calculator
https://powerequipment.honda.com/generators/wattage-calculator
that is helpful for people trying to calculate their power needs.
There are many manufacturers of portable generators. Most RV owners want a &#;quiet&#; unit, and Honda and Yamaha are the cream of the crop when it comes to durability and reliability &#; and their offerings are often twice as much as the low cost competitors.
Honda built the first portable generator in , created the first generator with an inverter, and released the first microprocessor controlled sine-wave inverter generator in , and released the legendary EUi in .
In addition to Honda&#;s industry leading generators, I chose Honda because of the large dealer network available should our generators need warranty service, and my past experience with Honda products has been stellar.
All the &#;off-brands&#; I checked do not have their own service network and rely on independent companies to service their units. One of the largest low cost competitors has two &#;service outlets&#; in my area. When I checked with both, they were actually solar panel installation companies and do not service generators at all, contrary to the manufacturer&#;s website. Who needs that kind of problem?
I also spoke with several retailers who sell Honda and other brand generators. All told me they never have problems with the Honda units, however the other brands are a different story and their policy is that once the customer leaves with an off-brand they won&#;t even look at a defective unit unless the customer pays for the service! Once an off brand leaves the store the retailer is done unless the customer buys an additional warranty from the retailer. Incredible. Caveat emptor!!
Our Honda generators have a 3 year warranty.
I read many, many customer reviews on several brands of generators &#; you know &#; the 1-5 Star reviews. Now, keep in mind that some 5-star reviewers get some sort of compensation or perks and some 1 & 2 star reviewers can&#;t read the instructions or didn&#;t read all the specifications and expected more than they should have. Given this, there are many happy owners of &#;off-brand&#; generators. Unfortunately there are too many 1 & 2 star reviewers and this should be a red flag for potential purchasers. I took the advice of one who wrote, &#;Save yourself some headache. Buy a Honda product instead.&#;
Most of the &#;quiet&#; portable generators in the 2,000-2,500 watt range weigh under 50lbs. But the 3,000 watt units weigh considerably more. Honda is no exception.
The combined cost of our two generators was exactly the same as we would have had to pay for a 3,000 watt Honda EUiS (except we had to pay around $30 for a parallel kit to connect our generators). The EUiS is bulky and heavy at 131 lbs, too much for me to be lifting and moving around.
The EUi and EUi Companion are compact and light, plus they provide much more power output when connected with the parallel cables.
We need to discuss decibels (dB), which can be kind of complicated and scientific, so I&#;ll be somewhat unscientific. Actually the specifications to be discussed in this post are dB(A), but we&#;ll just use dB as decibels for discussion, so we can all be non-scientific. Below is a decibel table that provides the sound levels of several activities. Normal conversation at 3 feet distance is 60-70 decibels.
Decibels are calculated using logarithms of base 10. What this means for our conversation is: 60db is 10 times louder than 50dB. 70db is 100 times as loud as 50dB. Let&#;s take a look at the Honda generators and their noise levels. Most generator manufacturer&#;s measure the noise level 7 meters (23 feet) from the generator with the exhaust pipe pointing away from the microphone. This somewhat standardized measurement really means that the noise is actually louder than the table above but not excessively so.
Yeah, right, Nick. But you have two generators so if you add them up the decibels are over 100 dB!!
Nope. Let&#;s assume that both generators are creating 55 dB of noise. Two generators are twice as loud as one, but it&#;s a logarithm scale, so twice as loud is only 3 dB more. So the two combined will be creating a total of 58 dB (trust me on this&#; you don&#;t want me posting a bunch of formulas). If you go back and look at the Loudness Comparison Chart of Activities above, you will see at the bottom a note that an increase of 3 dB is barely perceptible to the human ear.
By now you will have probably noticed I have a EUi and a EUi Companion generator. This year Honda quit making the EU series replacing it with the EU series. So why did I buy one of each? Price. The EUi was on sale but not the EUi Companion. I&#;ll explain the &#;Companion&#; units a little later. I got a EUi Companion for $100 less. Yes, I&#;m a frugal consumer &#;
Like most of the &#;quiet&#; portable generators on the market, the Honda EU series are &#;inverter&#; generators. Unlike conventional generators that run at only one speed and produce poor quality alternating current (AC is the same current you have in your house). Inverter generators produce AC voltage, convert it to DC voltage, then an inverter in the generator converts it back into pure sine wave AC voltage &#; the same high quality electricity that is delivered to your house enabling you to use sensitive electronic equipment like computers. Also, these inverter generators are able to change the speed according to electrical loads, which improves gas consumption and lowers noise levels.
This is another reason why I chose a Honda, because the microprocessors they use are top notch and less likely to fail like the &#;off-brands.&#; Let&#;s face it; most of the portable inverter generators are pretty much copies of what Honda has done.
Very similar to the original EUi, the EUi is a new model replacing the EUi that has been in production for 19 years. Functionally for the consumer, the EUi is almost identical to the EUi. Unless you are a tech-geek there is little exterior difference, except one: the fuel shut-off switch.
The EUi Engine Switch has two positions: On and Off. The switch is turned to the &#;On&#; position, the recoil rope is pulled and the generator starts. To turn the generator off, simply turn the switch to &#;Off.&#;
The EUi Engine Switch has three positions: On, Fuel Off, and Off. The switch is turned to the &#;On&#; position, the recoil rope is pulled and the generator starts. To turn the generator off, one simply turns the switch to &#;Off.&#; The &#;Fuel Off Switch&#; allows the generator to continue running until most of the fuel in the carburetor is consumed. Honda probably added this feature to compete with Yamaha&#;s portable generators that have this feature. The only time you would want to run the generator out of fuel is when the unit is being prepared for storage &#; but &#; you still need to manually drain the carburetor by opening the carburetor drain screw, then drain the fuel pump and gas tank. So the Fuel Off switch is mostly a marketing feature.
The control panels on the EUi series and the EUi are identical.
When the ECO THROTTLE switch is set to &#;On&#; the generator will change speeds dependent upon the electrical load. This improves fuel economy and lowers the noise level. When two generators are connected with the parallel kit, both switches should be ON or OFF at the same time. If loads are near the rated capacity, the switches should be turned to OFF. When running our air conditioner we set both switches to the ON position after the generator has been running for a few minutes. Works perfectly.
There are three INDICATOR LIGHTS on the panel:
There are two AC RECEPTACLES and the total electrical load cannot exceed 2,200 watts start up or watts continuous run. The maximum rated AC current is 15 amps.
To connect another generator, the optional Honda Parallel kit is required. Two plugs are inserted into the PARALLEL OPERATION OUTLETS IN each generator, plus a ground wire between both. The parallel kit also comes with a twist-lock 30 amp connector for the Companion unit.
There is also a 12 volt DC, 8.3 amp BATTERY CHARGING ONLY receptacle, which requires an optional cable.
The left side is the same as the EUi and the EUi. The Companion generators have two receptacles. During parallel operation with another generator an RV 30 amp plug can be connected to the receptacle using a twist lock adapter.
On our trip our campground only had 4 other campers. Since there are 150 campsites, we parked far from anyone else, and even though generator operation isn&#;t allowed between 10pm and 6am, we were able to run them since no one in the campground could hear them running. Success!!
Ordinarily I wouldn&#;t review a product after such a short period of time. I am familiar with engines (there is an engine inside the generator) and electronics, so the only other factor to consider would be durability and reliability. The Honda EU generators are legendary so that is a non-issue.
When the generators were first fueled it took a few pulls of the starter cord to fill the fuel pump and carburetor with gas. After that the generators started on the first pull every time.
Both fuel tanks hold .95 gallons of fuel.
At night I topped off the tanks just before we went to bed and turned off all circuit breakers in the camper except the air conditioner (didn&#;t want the battery charger or anything else to run and use excess fuel). Seven hours later the generators will still running, but were almost out of fuel. The inside of the camper was 76F and we were somewhat cold! Because the camper is fairly well insulated and the air conditioner cycles on and off, fuel consumption was outstanding. I will be buying an aftermarket extended run fuel tank (Honda doesn&#;t sell one).
We slept soundly and could barely hear the generators run &#; I&#;m hard of hearing, so we will use Joyce&#;s observations. I had put them right next to the bedroom to see how loud they were going to be. In the future we will move them away from the camper to mitigate all noise.
It has been years since I bought a gas can and was quite surprised with this &#;no-spill&#; spout. It works exactly as advertised. What a great invention.
Goto Voltgent to know more.
The biggest problem with these Honda generators is they are highly sought after by thieves.
There is little one can do to stop a determined thief, so deterrent is the only option &#; to slow down would be thieves so they move on to easier pickings. I bought two ½&#; braided steel cables and a couple top-of-the-line padlocks to secure them to the trailer when we are in camp. When we leave, we take them with us or lock them in the SUV if we are out hiking.
The handles of the generators are plastic and if cables are run through the handle, it is easy for the crooks to saw through the plastic&#;
&#;, so I bought a couple of these theft deterrent handle brackets.
If you need a generator, I highly recommend these Honda units. We won&#;t be taking them on most trips as our solar system has worked well for the past 5 years. However in the middle of summer and we are camping in the desert, we will take our generators and enjoy a nice cool interior at night!
There isn&#;t much discounting on these generators and Amazon is among the lowest resellers. But one thing I have learned in life is you get what you pay for. Often buying the cheapest item ends up costing more money because you end up buying what you should have bought the first time after that cheap items fails or doesn&#;t do what you want it to do.
This website may be compensated for linking to other sites for sales of products. As an Amazon Associate I earn a small fee from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to the purchaser.
(Update 12/14/): If you live in California you can&#;t buy these popular gasoline powered generators. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has banned gas powered generators starting in . The legislature didn&#;t banned them, the Governor apposite board did. Honda has quit selling them here. As I understand the rule (rules aren&#;t laws, but have the effect of laws), if someone already owns a generator they can continue to use it. Time will tell.
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ALPHARETTA, Ga. &#; Honda Power Equipment sets a new standard in portable power with the introduction of an all-new EUi inverter generator. Part of Honda Power Equipment's Super Quiet Series of generators, the new EUi lineup is the perfect portable generator for work, home or play. Replacing Honda's top-selling EUi model, the EUi delivers the same legendary, reliable Honda portable power, but more of it.
"The all-new Honda EUi inverter generator delivers 10 percent more power than the outgoing model, letting customers power more of what they need, but with virtually no change in weight or cost," said Michael Rudolph, vice president &#; Honda Power Equipment. "With a larger engine, easy start-up process and easier maintenance, we think the all-new Honda EUi is the most versatile and reliable portable generator in the marketplace."
Homeowners, outdoor enthusiasts and on-the-job users of portable power have made Honda Power Equipment's outgoing EUi model a best-seller in the segment, and the top-selling generator model for Honda. The quiet, reliable power of the outgoing EUi family is a customer favorite for tailgating, camping, hunting, jobsites and home backup power.
Building on that reputation, the all-new EUi lineup raises the bar when it comes to quiet, dependable, durable and easy-to-use generators. The new generator is part of Honda's Super Quiet Series of inverter generators and with four models from which to choose&#;the EUi, the EUi Camo, the EUi Companion and the EBi for industrial use&#;there is an EUi model to fit almost every customer's needs.
The all-new generator lineup offers tremendous value to users, delivering 10 percent more power (200 watts) than the outgoing EUi &#; powering more devices and more powerful applications&#;all at the same price of the outgoing model. The Honda EUi generator lineup incorporates the tried and true inverter technology that Honda developed, as well as thoughtful modifications in the design of the new generator. Honda's all-new EUi provides even better performance, combined with improved ease of use and maintenance, for powering work, home or play.
Design
Honda Super Quiet Series generators are inverter-equipped models that feature a totally enclosed body and significant acoustic engineering, resulting in noticeably quieter performance. They are designed for the ultimate in quality, portability and convenience. All of the Honda Super Quiet Series generators are ultra-low noise.
Honda designed the all-new EUi with new features that deliver customers ease of use, simplified maintenance and durable, dependable operation&#;important benefits that users want and appreciate. Key functional enhancements on the all-new Honda EUi generator include:
Technology
Engine
The Honda EUi generator is powered by the Honda GXR120 Commercial Series engine. The 121cc engine delivers exceptionally quiet, smooth, fuel-efficient performance.
The Honda GXR120 four-stroke engine was originally developed to power 110-lb. to 175-lb. rammers &#; heavy duty construction equipment used to compact soil or other granular material&#;at multiple elevations with ease. The GXR120 engine provides superb durability and reliability. Using an overhead camshaft (OHC) orientation similar to the Honda GX100 in the outgoing EUi, Honda designers incorporated a maintenance-free, low-noise timing belt to create a small, light and quiet engine.
The OHC was designed and engineered specifically for increased efficiency, with optimal power transfer for better fuel efficiency. Its precision-engineered components result in lower vibration, and the ball bearing-supported crankshaft delivers smooth operation and long engine life.
The GXR120 engine includes a special cast-iron cylinder sleeve and a high carbon-steel, dual-ball bearing crankshaft that provide improved engine strength and lasting durability. A very compact muffler, combined with the OHC engine layout, reduces operation noise by one decibel (dB) compared with the current Honda GX100 engine that powers the outgoing EUi generator. A simple but innovative lubrication system with a dual-breather chamber optimizes engine lubricating performance. In addition, an automatic decompression system allows for easy engine starting, while an Oil Alert® feature prevents the engine from operating if the oil level is too low.
Inverter Technology
Honda inverter technology means stable, clean power in a smaller, lighter package. Computers and power-sensitive equipment require "clean power". Clean power is electrical current that is consistent and has a stable signal, or sine wave.
Honda engineers have integrated parts from the engine and generator set, such as the combination flywheel/alternator, resulting in a more compact, lighter product that is purpose-built to produce reliable power. Honda's inverter technology takes the raw power produced by the generator and uses a Honda-designed microprocessor to condition it through a multi-step process.
The generator's alternator produces high voltage multi-phase AC power. The AC power is then converted to DC. Finally, the DC power is converted back to AC by the inverter. The inverter also smooths and cleans the power to make it high quality. A special microprocessor controls the entire process, as well as the speed of the engine as demand changes.
Not all inverters are created equally; Honda uses only high-quality inverters in its generators, which produce stable, consistent power. The result? Power clean enough to run sensitive electronic equipment.
Inverter technology also has allowed Honda to substantially reduce weight and noise on a number of its models. The all-new EUi, weighs in at a dry weight of 46.5 lbs.
Why Inverter Technology?
Honda Generators pioneered the use of inverters in portable, convenient packaging 20 years ago. The precision of Honda's inverter technology ensures its power is closer to "line power" more than any other non-inverter generator design.
EUi
The new EUi generator provides:
"The 200-watt power increase offered by the new Honda EUi generator gives users the opportunity to step up to more uses and bigger applications over the EUi model, without an increase in generator weight, size or cost," said David Bush, senior marketing strategist &#; Honda Generators. "For example, an extra 200 watts could mean the addition of a slow cooker, or a box fan or a computer, to what's already being powered&#;all adding up to greater value."
EUi Camo
In addition to the features found on the EUi, the Honda EUi Camo generator features Realtree APG wrap, replacing the traditional Honda Red on the generator. This wrap makes the EUi the perfect solution for outdoorspeople, especially hunters.
EUi Companion
The all-new Honda EUi Companion model can parallel to either another EUi, or the existing Honda EUi K1/T1 models. The EUi Companion model deletes the 12V DC outlet, and instead of the 20A 125V Duplex Outlet, is equipped with a 30A 125V locking plug and 20A 125V single outlet.
EBi
The all-new Honda EBi was designed for the industrial user and meets LA-ETL and OSHA requirements. Based on the new EUi generator, the EBi deletes the 20A 125V Duplex outlet, DC charging and Parallel outlets for a 20A 125V GFCI Duplex outlet GFCI neutral bond.
Marketing
Honda revolutionized the portable generator segment with its inverter technology that delivers clean, stable power that is safe to use with sensitive electronics. The introduction of the EUi model in created an entire new segment for what portable power can do at work, home or play. Since then, the EUi has become the best-selling generator model for Honda.
Customers purchase -watt generators for three primary reasons: to power their work, as backup power for their homes, or for power at play. In the minds of consumers, portable generators are a way to guarantee security or provide freedom.
With 10 percent more power than the outgoing generator model, the all-new Honda EUi lineup can power more of what customers need. The additional 200 watts of power enables a customer to power a coffee pot and a hot plate when camping; a larger saw or industrial fan at the job site; or an additional 42-in television or more lights at a tailgate party.
Price and Availability
The Honda EUi Super Quiet Series inverter generators deliver customers more power and greater value in a lightweight, quiet-running, portable package. With a starting U.S. manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $1,149.95, this all-new model delivers improved performance for work, home and play applications. The Honda EUi generator carries a three-year residential and three-year commercial warranty. The all-new Honda EUi will be available at Honda Power Equipment dealers nationwide in early spring, .
# # #
Operating a Generator
Take it outside! As the only safe place to operate a portable generator, taking it outside is absolutely mandatory to keep your family safe from carbon monoxide. But there's even more you can do. By educating yourself about all carbon monoxide risks, you'll be better prepared to protect your family from this colorless, odorless threat. The Portable Generator Manufacturers' Association (PGMA) provides a fact sheet and website dedicated to safe portable generator operation, the information can be found at http://www.takeyourgeneratoroutside.com/.
About Honda Power Equipment
Honda Power Equipment, a division of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., markets a complete range of outdoor power equipment, including generators, lawn mowers, pumps, snow blowers, tillers, string trimmers, outboard marine engines and small, general-purpose engines for residential, commercial and rental applications.
Follow Honda Power Equipment news and video on:
hondanews.com
honda.com
powerequipment.honda.com
engines.honda.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/honda
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