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Honda 2000i or Predator Generators?


Phil Saran

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19 hours ago, Ray,IN said:

That was the same situation when Honda began selling gensets, lack of service shops. I use a Boliy, inverter genset, every part is "plug n play" and most Honda shops have replacement parts.

Are you saying that Boliy parts are interchangeable with Honda parts?

Foretravel 40ft tag 500hp Cummins ISM  1455 watts on the roof, 600 a/h's lithium in the basement.

 

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On 4/30/2018 at 8:11 AM, mesa said:

Costco has Yamaha A-IPower 1600W Running / 2000W Peak Yamaha Powered Gas Inverter Generator for $499. I have a honda but for that price might of went Yamaha

would go for this.  Have a 1000W generator now (Sportsman by Buffalo Tools) that I have not used, but it can not do parallel.  You need to be certain of what you need.  This Yamaha powered one will definitely be the way to go for parts and service.  Two means that one will always run in an urgent need, and two will power any AC system for overnight sleeping in a boondock situation. 

And see if you buy via Costco and use the Costco Citi visa card you can get a four year warranty on this baby.  Two original years, plus two more years via Citi Costco visa; plus 120 days theft protection too. Good deal.

Edited by offroad
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On 6/22/2018 at 6:13 PM, jcussen said:

Are you saying that Boliy parts are interchangeable with Honda parts?

That's the story, however I haven't had to replace anything but the carb on mine, it cost $38. That was entirely my fault, I  forgot to drain the carb one winter we spent in TX. The crappy gas corroded the carb. Yes, Boily has a specific carb drain screw accessible through a casing vent. BTW my Boliy is a 2008 model and performs like new.

 

2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA ." And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.  John F. Kennedy 20 Jan 1961

 

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This inverter/generator debate reminds me of my friends arguing over automobile purchases. Is the Ford or the Chevy best? Then along come folks who say that only the Lincoln or Cadalic should be considered. You need to realize that if you spend $500 for your generator you can't realistically expect to have a product to match that which others pay $1000+ to buy. The Honda & Yamaha generators have a long history and track record to back them and most of the others do not. But if you seldom use a generator and if it isn't critical to own, it may be that the cost of the top line just doesn't make good sense. 

Edited by Kirk Wood

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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Kirk makes a good point. I have my coaches diesel genset, 960 watts solar and four 8d's and 3 Inverters. If genset fails and there is no sun, I also carry a 800 watt generator with a 40 amp battery charger, If that fails, time to head for the house. So little generator is not that critical, and not worth putting a lot of money into it.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0IcEw7Mk6k

But if I had to rely on only one generator for power, and I did a lot of boondocking, I would go for honda or yamaha.

 

Edited by jcussen

Foretravel 40ft tag 500hp Cummins ISM  1455 watts on the roof, 600 a/h's lithium in the basement.

 

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I'm old enough to remember when any product from Japan was considered junk, it took nearly 30 years for their imported products to gain a reputation for quality and reliability.  I'm quite pleased with the performance of my Boliy EU3600.

 

2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA ." And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.  John F. Kennedy 20 Jan 1961

 

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22 hours ago, The Quiet Assassin said:

High tensile chain and a matching padlock as a minimum.

IMHO, a near worthless and unnecessary expense unless you are going to use a a deterrent bar or similar. Remember the "only as strong as the weakest link" saying. It takes less than 10 seconds to cut through the plastic handle with a hacksaw. 😉

If you feel it necessary, a light cable and reasonable padlock should be sufficient to deter thefts of opportunity.

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8 hours ago, ALLOY said:

Remember reading somewhere that Honda use a pure sine wave inverter.

eu2000-load.jpg

The EU2000i running an 8 amp inductive load (a boat blower.) The peaks of the sine wave are a bit lower, but overall it's not much different from running with no load.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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  • 7 months later...

I am new to Escapees and not familiar with blog rules.   Could anyone help me how to find advice on what size Generator to purchase?  Enough to run an air conditioner that is 13500 BTU   We bought a 25 foot Passport, just retired and plan on full-timing  Thanks

 

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For that size you will need a minimum of 3,000 watts starting power, and more if you have multiple things running.  Note that your converter/charger is one of the loads you have to count on, and it's normally on all the time.  For a full timer you will want to be able to run the AC along with other things.  The microwave is another big power user (1500-ish watts input for a 1000 watt rated oven).

I just got a new generator today, and really like it.  I bought one larger than the minimum so we wouldn't have to worry about it.  And I wanted dual fuel because propane is just so much cleaner and less smelly.  I just posted about it here:  

 

 

 

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6 hours ago, Donna said:

I am new to Escapees and not familiar with blog rules.

Welcome to the Escapee forums. At the top of the page there is a tab marked "guidelines" and by clicking on it you can check out the rules. Usually, it is best to start a new thread when you have a question and just choose the subject area that you feel is best. Most subscribers read nearly all forums so you really don't need to be exact and in general, the RV specific forums are read by the fewest, most selective members. We are pretty forgiving so do not be overly concerned about things.

An air conditioner of 13,500 BTU will typically require about 22a or 2750 watts to start and once running they typically draw about 10a and 1250 watts. A generator rated for 3000(20a) watts usually only has the ability to supply that for a short period of time. Typically that size can supply 2800 watts for an extended period, or about 23a. That means that a generator of 3000 watts will only start an air conditioner of 13,500 BTUs if there is nothing else being supplied by it. To be sure that your generator will supply the air conditioner, I would want at least 4000 watts output. 

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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There are many genset  brands to choose from; I bought a Boliy inverter series in 2008. The only trouble with it was my fault, I failed to drain the carb before we went South for the winter. Todays low quality gas can go bad in as little as 30 days. The end result was me buying a new carb ($37) and DIY.

If you take time to read the specs you discover it beats Honda, Yamaha, and others of comparable size in many categories.

When we were home I ran a test of the Boliy PRO3600SI, it started and ran the 15,000BTU air conditioner in econo-mode. I switched off econo-mode and started the 13,500BTU unit too. The genset quickly recognized the additional load and recovered without a stutter, then settled down to a constant RPM powering both air conditioners.

Of course I'd never do that under camping conditions, it was simply a test of the units capability. BTW, that same Boliy is still running fine today.

Edited by Ray,IN

 

2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA ." And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.  John F. Kennedy 20 Jan 1961

 

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I run a Honda 2200i in a 30 amp RV with 13.5 A/C.  We boondocked quite a bit last year, never had a problem with power.  Ran A/C in the afternoons when it got hot out, never pop'd a breaker.  We have a micro/w but don't use it much, just turn off the A/C while using it.  At right, when the temps lowered a little, we open the bedroom windows, run a fan and 2 CPAPs and never a problem on eco mode, it runs a little under 9 hours one tank of gas.  I have ran it off eco mode in 90-degree temps and the A/C never stopped but it did take a tank of fuel about every 4ish hours.  During the day with the A/C running I will also run a TV/DVD player, couple lights if we need, no problems.  I thought about getting the 2200i companion to run both connected but so far, have not found a reason to spend $1,400 or so.  Bought the first one on sale for around $950 plus taxes.

2002 Fifth Avenue RV (RIP) 2015 Ram 3500 Mega-cab DRW(38k miles), 6.7L Cummins Diesel, A668RFE, 3.73, 14,000 GVWR, 5,630 Payload, 27,300 GCWR, 18,460 Max Trailer Weight Rating(For Sale) , living in the frigid north, ND.

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On 5/28/2018 at 9:06 PM, steelpony5555 said:

Not sure why folks get all hung up on Hondas other then it must be a status symbol.

I have a Honda EU1000i I purchased in 1999 when it was the first inverter generator on the market.  When I'm boondocking I run it for a couple of hours in the evening while I watch TV and it keeps my batteries charged.   It won't run my microwave or A/C but it will power my George Foreman grill.

20 years later it still runs fine and starts on the first gentle pull unless it's been sitting for more than a couple of weeks.  Then it may take two pulls.

Edited by Lou Schneider
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1 hour ago, Lou Schneider said:

I have a Honda EU1000i I purchased in 1999 when it was the first inverter generator on the market. 

The fact that it was first and has long been a leader for reliability and quality most likely has a lot to do with their popularity. I have a Honda 2000i which I bought used after it was about 5 years old. I have owned it now for 3 more years. It starts easy and will carry most loads. We have a home base in a rural area where loss of electric power in storms does happen and that is the primary reason we keep one as we rarely use the RV without full hookups. In this case, it is an issue of confidence. 

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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I installed an Easy Start  https://www.microair.net/collections/easystart-soft-starters on my AC and have no problem running it on one Honda 2000i

But when boondocking for a longer period of time, I run two Honda 2000i. They run quieter and I dont have to think about "Watt Management".....I run them off a remote 5gal gas can and they run for a couple days.

I also think that running two units puts less stress on them, even with the soft start.

Here is a review on my web site

http://rvbprecision.com/rv-projects/micro-air-easy-start-rv-ac.html

www.rvbprecision.com

 

RoyB

South of Boston

2021 Dodge 2500 - 6.4L

Forest River 19RR Toy Hauler

Roofnest Falcon Rooftop Tent

www.rvbprecision.com

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Running a pair has distinct advantages.  I decided that the disadvantages were too many for my needs and expectations, but it's worth looking at.

Good:
Can carry just a single during winter (no AC).
Have a backup if one fails.
Weighs less in combination than one larger one.

Bad:
Double the maintenance and chance of failure.
Slightly louder (measured it myself).
No electric/remote start.
A little more setup and parts (not a huge thing).
More expensive.

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Roy, I went to your website and think that the easy start is a really smart upgrade to any trailer. It costs less than a second generator, as pointed out it is quieter, and it will prolong the life of the A/C and the generator. More, your solar installation and testing makes for must reads for any RVrs who are just starting to wonder how to do all that at best cost/benefit. I highly recommend your website for all here. Great documentation and pics for running the AC on one inverter generator instead of two or a much larger unit. Thanks.

Next paragraph is off topic, so skip it.

Holy Moly Roy! I went to your website and saw we have a lot of our serious hobbies in common. I agree that a new truck has less advantages than doing a custom build of my 2004.5 Ram with the Cummins Quiet diesel, made only for the 2004.5-2007 Cummins/Dodge 5.9. I sure wish that I had that AC easy start when we were RVing fulltime. I just put all new lift and injection pump, as well as all new injectors, in my 2004.5, 5.9 Ram diesel. I also spent a career teaching, shooting, and repairing weapons from the handguns to the "Ma Deuce and Barret sniper rifle/rockets/grenade launchers on my AF bases as needed. I also ran competitive events in that other life. Built motorcycles including a set of two 1975 Norton 850 Commandos, one with Interstate tank and Vetter fairing and bags, the other that year's red white and blue "Captain America" paint job. A Triumph 500 Daytona, Gold and Silver Wings, the Kaw 500 2 stroke, Motoguzzis, a Honda 305 "Dream"  lot of custom VWs and one Porsche 911 Targa found with weeds growing through the floorboards, rust, and miraculously a perfect engine needing only the air box, vacuum lines, and new timing chain tensioners. It was a '73 with the first iteration of the K-Jetronic injection system. It had 5 Porsche Cookie cutter alloys in excellent shape needing only a good polish and new low profile tires. It was ground up restored: new interior, paint, roof, and torsion bar panels and bars. Being military I had to sell them as I went because of moves and limited military pay.

Back to the topic - If you are running a generator or thinking about one with your AC, go to Roy's (rbertalotto) link above.

 

RV/Derek
http://www.rvroadie.com Email on the bottom of my website page.
Retired AF 1971-1998


When you see a worthy man, endeavor to emulate him. When you see an unworthy man, look inside yourself. - Confucius

 

“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” ... Voltaire

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5 hours ago, RV_ said:

a Honda 305 "Dream" 

 

Continuing off topic... that was my first motorcycle when I was 13.  Had a wind-screen and saddle bags.  Rode that thing for 4 years, miss it, had a ton of fun on it as a kid!

Edited by NDBirdman

2002 Fifth Avenue RV (RIP) 2015 Ram 3500 Mega-cab DRW(38k miles), 6.7L Cummins Diesel, A668RFE, 3.73, 14,000 GVWR, 5,630 Payload, 27,300 GCWR, 18,460 Max Trailer Weight Rating(For Sale) , living in the frigid north, ND.

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