Honda Generators

Hi Roscoe,
I think he means the EU10i or EU20i Inverter style Honda generators.
As opposed to some of the older style Honda generators.

Geoff.

Geezus,
$2,800 worth of Honda's for 2Kva- that's an awful lot of $$$ for your setup.
However, I'm sure it works well.
Me however,- I paid $899 for a 2Kva Kipor Inverter Genny and couldn't be happier. Have checked it's output on my oscilloscope under varying loads and it beaut!
Cheers

Where did I say I paid $2,800 for the two Honda's?
I actually paid about the same for both EU10i's as a single EU20.

As you say, it works. The nub of your statement, "couldn't be happier"
Like Engel v's Waeco and all that other rot. The man asked a Honda question and oddly enough I supplied a Honda answer.

Geoff.

I have a Yamaha 2400iS, also comes with parallel cable ability. Also has higher average ouput than the Honda (Honda 1650w Yamaha 2000w). A bit quieter but also a bit bulkier (31kg).

Peter,
Thanks for the information, I've learn't something tonight.

Geoff.

Yeah, the cheap ones would have their place though. I wouldn't mind a cheap one if I had the room to just run my 3 stage for longer stays. But seeings as I don't have the space, I just rely on the 210amp hours off bat's and alternator.

Well said Jeff.

The _only_ thing I use my GMC gen for is to recharge a battery via a 3 stage charger, why would I pay $1500 to do that when I can do it for $98? And as I always stay in remote places the additional noise of the GMC over the Honda is not an issue - at least I have had no complaints from the wombats so far :)

Horses for courses….

Mike Harding

Mike, Do you reckon the GMC will harm my (Projector 600w) inverter if I run stuff off it? ie: GMC>Inverter>Laptop or kid's gameboys or would it be safer running it thru the car's socket to recharge?

Also, I was led to believe that the GMCs were no noisier than the Hondas. Maybe it depends on load.

I wouldn't run an inverter directly from any generator - no point. why not just use the 240V outlet? Additionally the GMC 12V output (and probably others gens too) is pretty rough and ready and just intended for battery charging, it may exceed the maximum input voltage of your inverter.

I think the GMC makes a _lot_ more noise than a small Honda. Even in remote bush I ensure it's 50 or 60m away from camp, I think it would drive you mad having it going all day 10m away.

Mike Harding

Mike: excuse the ignorance here mate, but doesn't the 240v run rough as well or is it, by it's very nature, safe?

A lot of people seem to knock the little Bunnings GMC's. I have the 950w one & I decided yesterday to give it a run after about 6 mths and after turning on the fuel tap( always run it dry) & giving it 3 pulls to get the fuel to the carby, off it went. Stopped it & pulled the rope about 2 inches & it flew into life again. Tried this 4 times with the same result. These generators come out of the Yamaha Factory in China, don't believe me, go into a Yamaha Outboard Dealer & look at their gen set's at 3 times the price, the same as. Beside where can you get a 2 year warranty with a back to base return for a new one! . Sure they smoke a little, might'nt be as electrical clean & quiet as the Honda's but I can buy about 5 or 6 of them for the same price as the H. What surprised me was that I ran a power saw off it one day & it coffed & f-rted but kept going. Decided to look at the saw rating & was surprised to see it was 1250w. I think they may be a bit underated in output. Cheers.

>Mike: excuse the ignorance here mate

Nothing to excuse Steve, nobody knows everything :)

>but doesn't the 240v run rough as well or is it, by it's
>very nature, safe?

My measurements of my 550W gen indicate that it holds a pretty good 240V and 50Hz (others have posted info. which supports this). However like any generator which is subject to a significant load change it takes time to recover and stabilise – the modern gens with electronically controlled systems will be better in this respect – so if, for example, I plug in (or remove) a 300W load I would expect my gen to hunt around a bit before it stabilises again and it is possible some equipment may be bothered by this, in general anything with a switch mode power supply won’t mind but motors would fluctuate slightly and lights would dim and/or brighten. The way around this, if it’s a concern (and if you have $2k of notebook computer plugged in it probably is :) is to use a 4 way power board and ensure that before you plug/unplug any heavy load you unplug any delicate expensive items. In the real world this issue rarely causes problems – but it could…. It’s also the reason why you should never start or stop any generator (including the expensive ones) with equipment plugged in.

Mike Harding

So, a four-way powerboard with surge protector (I presume) for 240v use, and the 12v for re-charging the battery.

Cheers - that'll do me.

Well... "surge protectors" are better than a sock in the face with a wet fish, but not by much :) Otherwise just ensure you disconnect expensive stuff before you connect/disconnect big loads and I would suggest Honda/Yamaha/Kipor owners do the same - but they are probably a bit (although not as much as they may think) safer than we poverty stricken GMC owners :)

Mike Harding

And I think what everyone is forgetting on here is that if you live in WA and have ever stuck a multimeter in a powerpoint in your home, you'd probally be like me and be more comfortable pluging your sensitive equipment into the GMC!

The power in WA bucks and boosts all over the place, all the time! Everything in my house still works!

Yeah I gotta say I think those Kipors are pretty damn good considering the much cheaper price. We ran a 2400w heater off my old man's 2kva and it still kept on going. Pretty impressed. They do get a little loud on full load, but considering your getting 2kva + the noise is very acceptable. Starts bloody easy too.

I will be in touch and get the info

Thanks
Brian

That's a bit of a worry. I would expect a quality product like the Honda to be happy running on a 5% or 10% load. Do Honda issue a warning about this _before_ you buy the gen? Are you sure he used the correct oil, especially during the running in period?

Mike Harding

Mike,
Yes correct was oil used.
I don't think any of them really warn of this problem, but ask any dealer who's been around for a while.... It's just as likely to affect ANY brand I believe.
For that matter ANY piston engine does not like long periods of little or no load, as eventually one ends up with glazed bores.
I've seen it on just about every type of engine over the years, from aeroplane engines (Continental) thru to Briggs and Stratton, and everything in between.
I also know of a low mileage 100 series Landcruiser diesel with that problem...... turns out it was used by the cops as a speed camera vehicle (Many hours sitting at idle to run the aircon).
Cheers

Hello Ian,
You've intrigued me now, I've got to know the answer to your question.
I've just paralleled a pair of EU10i's and connected the Fisher & Paykel Smart Drive up. If anything is going to be fussy about power it should be the Smart Drive.
Loaded the washing and set it all running, so far so good.
I'll let you know later how it goes.

Geoff.

Well at least you have pleased the wife.

But don't let her make you do the ironing.

Well Derek,
First thing,
I do the ironing anyway!
Second thing,
The EU10i's finished the washing without any drama.
Why did I use the parallel pair? To lazy to pull the washing machine out to check its rating!
Would one EU10i have done the job? Probably as one had run out of fuel somtime before halfway through the project.
What did all this prove? My pair of EU10i's will do one load of washing in my Fisher & Paykel Smart Drive washer.
Did it answer Ian's question, no idea. Ask him!

Geoff.

Yes I agree the Honda's are great.

My Eu20i is one of my best accessories.

Quiet, reliable and starts first pull.

Regards Derek.

Ian,
That looks like one question I'm not going to know the answer.
I'd have thought the Fisher & Paykel would have been particularly sensitive seeing it too contains a variation of an inverter.
Must be something quite odd inside the front loader!!

Geoff.