Honda 6010 Genset

[GlenCoombe]

We have POWER!! Not a moment too soon I got the call early Friday afternoon that Airstream One was ready to pick up at DonMar RV. It took three weeks of in and out to get the job done. This was due to an outside welder who had to fabricate the new base plate and surround for the installation, as well as a family illness in the family of the lead technician at DonMar.
So we get to compare this to the Generac 40G that was with us for about 7,000 hours. What do we find so far..... of course more work is to be done.
1. the Honda is louder!? The Generac was in it's own box and the only protrusion was the tail pipe, even the muffler was internal to the box.
2. we need vibration dampening between the mount bolts and the frame....buzzzzzzzzzzzz.
3. Airstream One now has a dedicated circuit for the A/C and a new 20 amp GFCI on the drivers side for the wall-top computer et. al.
I'm on my way out to do some looking around at it this a.m. as yesterday was a work day and I'm just coming to..... Daylight Screwup Time is upon us and we can now all work longer into the day on our AS projects....hoorah!!

[Poprivet]

Glen, I have been following this post with great interest. My original generator is still working fine but I suspect that day is coming!! I look forward to seeing your installation at Springstream!!

[GlenCoombe]

Got busy this morning and found one source of vibration. Had a loose muffler hanger bolt. Made an insulated filler panel for the upper front of the generator opening that was not closed in.
Now I'm less than happy with this long....and ongoing problem install. Looked at the circuit breakers on the generator and notice the 20 amp one was off. This is supposed to be the dedicated A/C circuit.
Checked out the a/c and find that it's tied to the regular 30 amp..... so somebody didn't get it right.... I am afraid a very pointed phone call is going to be made early tomorrow morning.

[Poprivet]

It would be very interesting to see what Honda's rection would be to a complaint. I would ask Honda to have a represenative present when you bring your classic in to complain about the installation of the generator to the dealer

[guy99]

Originally Posted by GlenCoombe

Got busy this morning and found one source of vibration. Had a loose muffler hanger bolt. Made an insulated filler panel for the upper front of the generator opening that was not closed in.
Now I'm less than happy with this long....and ongoing problem install. Looked at the circuit breakers on the generator and notice the 20 amp one was off. This is supposed to be the dedicated A/C circuit.
Checked out the a/c and find that it's tied to the regular 30 amp..... so somebody didn't get it right.... I am afraid a very pointed phone call is going to be made early tomorrow morning.

Glenn,
That's the generator I have. It was in the MH when I bought it. On my first long trip (California to Washington D.C.), it began to make a dreadful racket. Turned out to be a broken muffler bracket. I took it off in North Dakota and had it welded. It's been fine since.

Mine was also wired wrong (20 amp circuit for the house and 30 amp for the rear AC) when I noticed this (after the 20 amp circuit kept tripping when the front AC was running) I was able to open the junction box where the dedicated plug for the rear ac was wired and switch the hot wires so that the 30 amp circuit supports the house and front ac and the 20 amp supports the rear AC.

I had no other problems with mine, but I agree with you, it doesn't seem that quiet to me.

[GlenCoombe]

David, the problem is that the AS dealer is not a Honda dealer. I bought the generator as an open box return. Saved a bunch of cash and now am spending it on installation.
Guy, the Generac with it's all in one enclosure seems like a much better idea now. I perhaps would have been happier buying the bigger Genrac 55 or 65 but Honda has the reputation for relieability and the water cooler idea made sence so me too.
Time will tell on the noise issue. Where is your genset located? Do you have a side mount or bottom mount muffler? I'm thinking that once I'm done insulating the box and such the exposed muffler is the next source of noise to be dealt with.
Oh, and the remote switch was only hooked up for on/off. No hour meter, no run light. The only difference between the existing Genreac remote and Honda's is that the start stop wires are reversed.... how hard is this?

[Poprivet]

Ouch! I know you have the skills to resolve the installation problems but it sure is frustrating to pay for professtional installation and end up with something less.

Tell me I'm crazy: I'm looking into using the Honda EU-3000is incorporating remote start but a manual breaker inside the Moho to connect. I already have the "or" switch for the microwave or A/C.

[lewster]

I just worked on a fellow's 5th wheel that had a Kipor 3KW portable generator mounted in one of the basement bays on a slide tray. Looked a LOT like the Honda. He pulled it out when he wanted to operate it.

I was VERY IMPRESSED with the quality and low noise of this generator. It is made in China and he said that they do not have replacement parts for it. When I questioned that, He said that he used HONDA replacements, and that it was built to accept ALL of the parts from the Honda 3000!!! Don't you just love the Chinese!!!!!

Anyway, He had over 500 hours on it and said that he hasn't had any problems with it. They are much cheaper than Hondas!!!

Just a thought!!!

[guy99]

Glenn,
Mine is in a compartment under the bed on the curb (passenger) side. I have the rear mount exhaust. The hour meter and run light on my remote work. I can even use the old remote start on the dash to start it. It wasn't that way when I got it but when we did the bedroom remodel I had to relocate the remote so I had it moved to the control panel which had a generator start switch. So the fellow who was doing this hooked up the existing wires so that the dash remote works. It's handy to be able to start the generator as I am driving. If I think a trip might get hot I leave the front AC in the on position and them start the generator when we need cooling.

The specs on the EV6010 say 67 db, do you know what the Geneac is?

David, how will you power your rear AC?

[Poprivet]

David, how will you power your rear AC?[/QUOTE]

Only got one A/C as I'm a 250 Classic. Lucky me.

[GlenCoombe]

68.9 @ 7 meters for the 40G the 3600 watt model I replaced.
63.9 @ 7 meters for the 65G the 6500 watt model but it's 19" tall and I was afraid it might be too low in my underbelly mount.

Guy, do you think hitting the genset with the a/c load is a wise idea without warmup? All the conventional wisdom says to warm up the generator before loading it up. Also important to relax the genset by taking off the load before shutdown. I know the Generac didn't like to shutdown with a load on and would pop kinda loud when I forgot to unload it before shutting it off.


The beat goes on....

[guy99]

Originally Posted by GlenCoombe

68.9 @ 7 meters for the 40G the 3600 watt model I replaced.
63.9 @ 7 meters for the 65G the 6500 watt model but it's 19" tall and I was afraid it might be too low in my underbelly mount.

Guy, do you think hitting the genset with the a/c load is a wise idea without warmup? All the conventional wisdom says to warm up the generator before loading it up. Also important to relax the genset by taking off the load before shutdown. I know the Generac didn't like to shutdown with a load on and would pop kinda loud when I forgot to unload it before shutting it off.


The beat goes on....

I suppose it depends on what you mean by warm up. My transfer switch doesn't pass current from the generator for a couple of minutes after you start the generator. As for shut down, I haven't noticed any difference in the behavoir of the generator when shutting it down with an AC running or not. Don't think the manual as anything to say on the topic. It does say to turn off loads before starting, but doesn't say anything more about when you can add loads. All it says about stopping is hit the kill switch.

[GlenCoombe]

Guy, if as you say it takes a few minute for the transfer switch to kick in at least you've got that much of a warm up time. A/C units are the biggest loads we can put on a genset and this is never more true than at startup.
IIRC the Generac owners manual was where I saw this. Made sense to me. Kind of like starting the MOHO and hitting the gas in drive without warming up... many do it without consequence but many more allow a short warmup time.
The Generac served me well for 7,000 +/- hours and is still running. Why I've made this move is now my overriding question, but in the long run it will all smooth out.

[guy99]

Here's how I look at it. There are five phases of operation involved in the start-up cycle:

1. Cranking the generator with the starter, generator my be firing but hasn't 'spun-up"
2. Generator is running on it own but may not have lubricated everything yet
3. Lubricant has flowed (and splashed) everywhere it needs to go but the generator may still be choked or running rich or whatever.
4. Fuel mixture is pretty much normal but coolant and some parts may not be fully up to operating temperature.
5. Normal 'warmed up' operation.

Clearly you don't want a load on the generator during phases 1-2. Phase 3, I'm not sure about but don't really see how this would hurt the generator but I suppose output could be low.

I don't see anything wrong with loading during phase 4 but maybe I'm not thinking of something?

Clearly phase 5 is where you want to run most of the time.

I think I usually apply a load at phase 4. but I suppose it could sometimes be in phase 3.

Your thoughts?

I have 1000 hours on my EV6010 and other than the cracked bracket and the mis-wiring I've had no problems. Well, it is hard to find air cleaners. If you find a good online source let me know. NAPA has the oil filter.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by guy99

Well, it is hard to find air cleaners. If you find a good online source let me know.

Plano Power Equipment Online Store - Honda EV6010 Generator Common Parts

[guy99]

Originally Posted by overlander63

Plano Power Equipment Online Store - Honda EV6010 Generator Common Parts

Thanks!

[GlenCoombe]

Guy, I think that you've got it right. My comments are based upon what I read in the Generac manual not the Honda book. From your delayed transfer switch I think the startup is o.k. but I'm still not certain that shuting down under load is what I will do.
My experience with the 40 Generac was that it behaved poorly when shut down under load. So following their instructions I always let the unit relax without the A/C on as I got my gear together to leave the coach, then hit the kill switch. I also liked to shut down the computers and LCD panel from the switches so they come on when I want them to rather than when the genset come up or I plugged in. Sort of the same as throwing the breaker on the campsite 30 amp before plugging in.... just in case.

[GlenCoombe]

O.K. so here's the end of the Honda 6010 install for DonMar RV. It seems to me that all they hear when I speak is "blah, blah blah, blah blah." After getting it back and only being wired from the 30 amp breaker I call and ask why? The answer is, "Why do you need 50 amp service?"
I don't NEED 50 amp service but the unit was designed to serve the A/C with it's own 20 amp breaker and I feel this allows the rest of the coach to be served by the 30 amp side. I run a bunch of stuff all the time!
I had them add a new 20 amp GFCI on the road side for my computer strip and now I'm wondering if I can accomplish what I set out to do.
I'm not even close to being an electrician. They're trying to tell me that they will have to redo the distribution panel to accomodate my new install.... well Dah??!!
Of course I was not thrilled by the level of completion that the welder gave me on the closing in of the unit so I'm working to enclose the box and still leave some breathing room for it from the front per the Honda install diagrams. Those diagrams had been given to the dealer but who knows if they gave them to the welder.
The bottom line is that I don't have any more time to let these folks keep me off the road, I've got to make a living!
So for now....stick a fork in me I'm done.

[klattu]

Good onfo...
I may try to get my Onan 6500 back in shape.
Sounds like the Honda is not much quiter and would be going down on watts by 500 (6010 vs 6500)
The water cooling sounds like the best thing it has going for it.