honda ex350 generator

Hi Cruiser

I paid $45 for this one and it is in very good condition. The previous owner has bought a winnebago and is selling all their caravaning and camping gear. I think it is a bargain at that price considering he paid $830 for it according to receipt about 9 -11 years ago. From what i have been able to find on the net it seems this model finished 1999 and from the serial number I think this would be one of the later sales. You can download a manual for it at the Honda website. It starts first pull every time hot or cold and runs very smoothly and pretty quietly. I have so far run 2 x 4ft fluoros (72watt), trailblazer fridge, drill, and grinder (separately that is). It will not start my small bar fridge or run my battery charger. I don't know if it should or not. I have read on 4 seperate sites that fridges prefer pure sine waves and the honda is not. I wonder if the battery charger also requires pure sine wave electricity?? What size and brand smartcharger were you thinking of using?

regards Kc

Hi Owen

I believe it puts out 300 watts @240 volt. On 12 volt it is rated at 6 amp but I could only measure 4 amp with multimeter when connected to a battery being recharged.... but then again the battery was close to full charge.

regards Kc

Hi Bruce

what type of battery charger did you use. I found when I hook up mine the charger can only put about 1.5 amps into the battery but when the same charger is connected to 240 volts that increases to 4 or 5 amps. Any idea why this would be so? Also it will not start my bar fridge which uses 50 watts continuous and about 180 watts at startup according to my power meter. I wonder if this is because fridges prefer pure sine electricity which the generator does not provide or am I not getting an accurate startup wattage reading from my meter.

thanks Kc

I used a 240v 6 amp charger and usually just ran the genny at half pace (150w)..tight bugger I am ...and it charged the 105ah battery....seemed to run everything else o.k. as well ...hope you have not bought a dud...cheers

Thanks Bruce I have an old Arlec charger in the shed... will dig it out and see how it goes.

Kc

Hi, I notice some one talking sine waves etc for fridges . we have been using ours every year ( 14) a couple of weeks or more at a time and it has not hurt the Engels. mine is 14 years old and mates is 29 years old.
Also when ( if ) we have a power black out at home I run a light and the sml Tv of it , you cant even hear it running under the back verandah, and it wont worry the next doors either.
I did read of a chap who's battery died out bush and he tied the Honda on the bullbar and ran it to the crook battery and it got him to where he could get a new one.
Cheers Des.

Hi Des
Thanks for the tips.

The pure sine wave was in reference to a small 240 volt bar fridge. Have you ever tried running one from your generator?

thanks Kc

Hi KC , no I have not tried it on my 70ltr bar fridge but when I fire it up June long weekend I will put it on and try it,
I have found it is a lot better to cool the engel down on the power before we go, then it holds it easily.
I reckon it would probabley run the bar fridge if it was already cold.
Cheers Des.

Hi Des

I would be interested to hear how you go. I was talking to the brotherinlaw today who is into electronics and he thinks my electronic power meter (ex Jaycar $39.95) may not be showing the true peak power drawn by the fridge at startup. Does your Kmart battery charger connected to the 240 output put more charge into the battery than the generator DC output which is supposed to put out 6 Amp?

regards Kc