Never used a generator before- need help??

[John]

I've never used a generator before and need a little infor on operating one with the trailer. Question: do you or can you, plug your 30A power cord(shore-power) directly into the generator? If so, I would imagine that it would charge the batteries and operate furnace, tv & receiver as if I'm hooked up to 30A service. I am correct in this thinking?
I'm looking at the Honda EU2000, any comments on this generator?
Many Thanks, John

[Inland RV Center, In]

John.
Your correct in your thinking. However, a 2000 watt generator will not run your Airconditioner. A 3000 watt generator with little else on will run an AC.
There are always exceptions, however industry standards call for a minimum 3000 watt generator. 3500 to 4000 is actually the most ideal, since you never want to run a generator at 100 percent. Eighty percent of maximum output should be the cut-off. That allows for the AC and an addition amount for other items.
Your city power provides 3600 watts, 120 VAC at 30 amperes. A 4000 watt plant at 80 percent, would be 3200 watts.

Andy
inlandrv.com
airstreamparts.com
airstreamcandy.com

[John]

Andy,

The Honda EU2000 weighs 46lbs, which is about the max of my hand strenght since my accident. The EU3000 I believe jumps up to 134lbs, which I would not be able to lift.
I'm going to be doing some dry camping in this winter and thought it would be a good idea to have a small generator to support the batteries, furnace, water pump, refrig, TV & receiver. I heard that you can run two generators in parallel to boost the wattage output. Is this correct? If I needed to run the AC down the road, would this be ok?
Thanks, John

[3Ms75Argosy]

John, yes, the Honda EU2000 does have a parallel adaptor cord (optional) that would allow you to run two together. I'm looking to get one next year myself, a couple of members have the EU2000 and seem to like it very much.
Marc

[Pick]

I have the EU2000 and love it. It will run the whole trailer without any problems. Since it is only 2KW for 30 minutes, and 1600 continuos, I would not run the AC for any length of time. The 2000 will start and run my AC on low, but NOTHING ELSE. It is pulling around 1900 watts on low. If you are going to run everything BUT the AC, one should do you fine. Several times I thought I ran mine out of gas, it's so quiet running behind the trailer.

[Pahaska]

I love my little Honda 1000. I have carried it in my truck bed for years when I am going to music festivals where I will be camped for days without hookups.

I have a metal "Roll-n Lock" bed cover on my pickup. I use a heavy security cable and padlock the generator to one of the tiedown loops so that it is secure with the bed cover partially open. To run something like the toaster at breakfast or my tiny microwave, I just leave the generator in the truck bed, partially open the cover, and fire it up.

If I want to charge the battery, I may take the generator out and padlock it through a wheel opening so that I can let it run for a while.

Since the 12v output of the generator charges the battery a lot faster than the converter does, I made up a cable with a cigarette lighter plug on one end and spade lugs on the other end. I connect the spade lugs to the 12v output of the generator and plug the lighter plug into a socket I installed on the outside of the trailer. That brings the battery up really fast. I can charge the battery and use 120v appliances at the same time.

[RoadKingMoe]

Originally posted by Pahaska
I love my little Honda 1000...Since the 12v output of the generator charges the battery a lot faster than the converter ...
I can charge the battery and use 120v appliances at the same time.

Somewhere, someone posted a PDF of the scanned pages of the Honda inverter generator manual (lost the URL now), and I noted the 12V DC output has its own winding, so you don't lose any AC using it, 8A on the 1000 and 2000.

Knowing you, John I figure you've measured the voltage on the charging output, and from your comment about being faster than the converter, I suspect it's quite a bit higher than its 13.8V... how much higher IS it?

I wonder if these could be paralleled like the AC output to charge two batteries at 8A each? Whatcha think?

[rcaldwel]

I have installed a small Onan generator (microlite 2800 watt) in a job box in the back on my quad cab dodge. It does a very good job in running my 11,000 BTU AC on my "01 Bambi as well as the microwave, dehumidifier and coffee maker. I continuously run a voltage meter and have had all the above items running at the same time and have never gone below 112 volt pull in the middle of a florida summer. The onan has performed well for me. I believe it weighs 113 pounds. I put an additional Trapp muffler on it as well as soundproofed the job box it sits in. With the sound when it is running at it's normal 3600 rpm you can have a normal voice level conversation standing right by the truck bed. I know Onan claims a very large presence(if not the largest) in the RV industry. However, I understand that the Honda EU models probable have newer technology and, if their generators are like their other products, will have an outstanding performance record. If the Onan wears out, I will problable look very seriously at a EU3000 or higher model. I am not sure what the industry calls for as a " Standard" wattage needed to run trailers. This area has alot of opinions regarding wattage. I am certainly not disputing Inlands opinion. For what its worth - all I know is that this little Onan has meet my needs for better than a 1 1/2 without a problem.

Hope this is helpful.

Bob Caldwell

[Pahaska]

RoadKingMoe

I did measure the voltage, but that was about 8 years ago and I don't remember the reading. I do remember that it was about right for battery quick charging. Not something I would leave hooked up for long periods.

I have only used it in this manner about half a dozen times over the years, usually at a long music festival where I had no hookups. It allowed me to use my lights and radio a lot more more freely.

[Rickk48]

I recently purchased an EU2000 and have used it on three weekend trips in our Bambi to the local mountains dry camping. With only a single battery, I was concerned about having the power to use the furnace with temps in the low 20's at night to high 40's days. We ran the generator from about 4:30-8 PM which gave us full power as well as bringing up the battery to full power which stayed strong until 4:30 the next day. The generator is very quiet, light weight and can be teamed with a second EU2000 to produce double the power. As far as plugging your 30AMP into the generator, all you need is an adapter as the generator accepts a household threeprong plug. Also, having run the generator a total of approximately 7 hours this past weekend, I still have about 1/4 tank left (I think the capacity is just a bit over one gallon of gasoline).

[John]

Rick,

Your one battery lasted all night using the furnace without needing the generator?

7 hrs of use and a 1/4 gal left, that's awesome!!

John

[Rickk48]

Yes the battery lasted all night and was still showing 11V at 4:30 the next afternoon when we cranked up the generator again , listened to the tape deck (old time radio plays) until about 9:30, had lights on and temp got down to 21 F, snowed and the furnace kept us warm and toasty. The generator is a definate plus for us as we really like going to the forest service campgrounds which generally do not have hookups, just dump stations. All in all, this past weekend was awesome, and the EU2000 helped it be so. By the way, I brought along a 10' length of heavy chain and a heavy padlock and chained the generator to a big tree at the back of the Bambi. Even with lights on, tape deck playing and furnace going the EU2000 ran at a fairly low RPM. Revved up when my wife used her hair dryer.

[John]

Sweet!!!!!!!!!!!

[mferro]

Onan Microlite: It seems Onan website claims it can be installed inside a trailer. Has anyone tried to install a generator inside the trailer?