Honda 1000i or 2000i?

[Kellycanoe]

I've read with interest the posts about choosing a generator and have settled on buying a Honda but still don't know how much power I need. I just want to recharge the batteries once a day while boondocking in my 2015 22FB Sport. I'm in the Northeast so won't need air conditioning -- more likely to use the furnace! The refrigerator will be on propane, lights are LEDs, and the furnace will be keeping the chills at bay overnight. That and the water pump are the main power draws. I'd like to do a quick battery recharge once a day. I like the lower weight of the Honda 1000i, but will it take much longer to do the job than the 2000i? Thanks!

[GammaDog]

You can look up the amperage rating of your converter to know how much it can draw. That would tell you whether the 1000 Honda will feed it all it will draw.

I'll make an educated guess and say that the 1000 will charge your batteries as quickly as the 2000 based on the assumption that your converter will draw less than the max capacity of the 1000 watt Honda.

However, there are plenty of common appliances (think hair dryers, some cooking appliances including microwaves) that you may want to use some day that would overtax a 1000 and require the larger generator. If you might want that capability you may find it better to step up to a 2000 from the start.

[r carl]

Get the 2000, not much difference in price yet double the power.

[nsbcpa]

Get the 2000.....there are a number of appliances that the 1000 won't handle.

[Wayne&Sam]

I have both. But I travel with the 1000. It charges the batteries and will run a hair dyer on low setting. That's all I've ever had the need for. I'd probably carry the 2000 but the 1000 fits in the rear storage compartment on my 25' and the 2000 doesn't.

[Bill M.]

I bought and carry a 2000. I would get a 1000 if I were doing it again. The one thing that the 2000 will do that the 1000 will not do is run the microwave. Batteries will charge at about same rate.

[Lhunter59]

I have a 2000i too but there is a cute little 500W Powerhouse that would charge batteries just fine.

[idroba]

I have had the 1000 Honda for a number of years. I also have a Honda 3000. And I have worked on a friends Honda 2000.

The Honda 1000 is a great little generator, but you have to understand it's limits when connected to your 19'.

The refrigerator automatically goes to 120 volt when it is available. That takes about 250 to 300 watts when the refrigerator calls for cooling, which is often and long cycle duration. So, the actual 900 watt output of the Honda is reduced by the refrigerator, unless it is manually shut off or switched to propane. So, you must do that when charging your batteries with the little Honda.

The water heater must also be on propane.

The converter/charger can sometimes become an issue in it's power draw on the Honda 1000. This is rather hard to explain but it has to do with a technical issue called power factor. I hate to say "trust me" on this, but it is hard to explain without bogging down in electrical jargon. It would seem that the power draw of the converter/charger is far less than the output of the Honda, but due to the power factor issue of converters, there can be issues of overload.

I had a Progressive Dynamics 60 amp converter/charger which would cause my Honda 1000 to trip out under overload, nothing else connected to it. That is when I learned about the power factor issue. When I got my 2014 FC 20, and changed the converter/charger to a PD 4645 (45 amp) the Honda 1000 works fine, but not on the 60 amp version, 9100 series.

I never tested my Honda 1000 on the original Paralax 55 amp converter/charger so I cannot tell you if it will work right or not. I change all single stage converter/chargers out to three stage ones.

I love my little Honda. At 29# and with a very small footprint, it fits in the back of my Grand Cherokee just fine. The Honda 2000 is larger in comparison, and heavier too. But, the 1000 may or may not power the converter/charger in your 19'. I just wanted to give you a heads up on that. I know it will power a PD 45 amp converter/charger, but can trip out on a PD 60 amp one I had.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by Lhunter59

I have a 2000i too but there is a cute little 500W Powerhouse that would charge batteries just fine.

Not really, depending on what converter you have. Mine will put out 55 amps for about a half an hour, when batteries are at 50%, then start tapering off.

That requires 600 - 700 watts of input to start off the charging process. That would trip the 500W generator as it would be in overload.

[Bill M.]

Run the fridge and the WH on gas. Put in led lights. Run the 1000 a couple of hours every 2 days. Iife is easy and good that way. And your back will feel better. We do not use a hair dryer when not hooked up.
The choice might depend on what you tow with. I use a 2500 pickup and can run the 2000 in the bed and have plenty I cargo wt capacity.
My 2000 seals fuel fairly well. I carry the gen full and usually do not carry extra gas. I have bought a gas can on the road when we decided to stay with no electricity for a week or so.
I have not used a 1000. But have camped with people who did and they did not mention problems. But maybe you could find someone to let you test it on your rig. My old converter does draw a large surge when it powers up.

The people I have seen using. 500 or 600 way generators charged by hooking a 12 volt output from the generator directly to the batteries. He had a cable wired to the battery for that and it sure charged slow. I think maybe 10 amps max.

[AldeanFan]

I started with a 600w Honda when I had my Trillium.
I wouldn't connect to the charger, I would connect the 12v charge cable directly from the generator to the battery, so all the power went to the battery and none was lost in the converter. I also used it to run lights and a fan when needed.

The 600 worked well for charging batteries but it when we bought the Airstream I wanted to be able to run the AC. We live in Canada so AC is not always a necessity but it sure was when we went to South Carolina!
The 600 weighed almost as much as a 2000 and you have to carry gas either way. Additionally, the 600 wouldn't be much use at home in in the event of a long term power outage, but with my 2000's can run the furnace, sump pump, fridge and freezer.

I sold the 600 and bought a pair of EU2000's. Now I have more power than I am able to use. we'er planning a trip to Florida in the fall and I'll be bringing one of my 2000's just in case. If we get stuck in the snow, or I need to use power tools, or we have to boondock at a walmart in a snow storm we'll have heat and lights!

My advice is to get a Honda 2000, then you'll always have the option to expand to a companion. It's not that much more money or weight. Of course if I had an unlimited budget and available storage I'd have a honda generator in every size

[mrdfred]

A 1000 watt generator will only put out 843 watts after a couple minutes. Bad enough it wouldn't run the 950 watt microwave but the inability to run the 910 watt coffee pot was worse.

[JCWDCW]

The Power Factor is a way of defining the losses in the transformer due to a shift in the AC voltage peak vs the AC amps peak in the 60 cycle sine wave. Suffice to say that a device like a converter is a big transformer and generally the power factor will be 85%. That means you automatically need to deliver 15+ % more to the converter, so if the generators power was matched to the power draw of the converter (compared to specifications), the generator could be overloaded by about 15% when the converter wanted full power.
JCW

[Streamracer]

I was at Costco the other day and they have a Generac ix2000 for sale for $499.99. I looks and is similar to the Honda. In the March issue of NRA's American Rifleman magazine there is an article about the iq200 Generac. Haven't checked the difference yet but would guess one is the companion.

[interstateflyer]

I just purchased the 2000. I'd considered the 1000 but thought the 2000 would come in handy in the event of a power outage at home.

[Nmengineer]

Welcome to the forum! The Honda generators are all great and wonderfully quiet generators. I have a 400 watt Honda for strictly battery charging. It is the size of a large lunchbox and does very well. I also have the 2000 watt Honda and use it for both batteries and 120 volt power. I have the 12 volt leads for both generators and when battery charging is what you want they will get you just that. If you connect the 120 volt cable you get any load in your trailer that is sniffing for power😉 I really like the 12 volt leads because I can also use them on my truck.
Mike

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by Nmengineer

Welcome to the forum! The Honda generators are all great and wonderfully quiet generators. I have a 400 watt Honda for strictly battery charging. It is the size of a large lunchbox and does very well. I also have the 2000 watt Honda and use it for both batteries and 120 volt power. I have the 12 volt leads for both generators and when battery charging is what you want they will get you just that. If you connect the 120 volt cable you get any load in your trailer that is sniffing for power😉 I really like the 12 volt leads because I can also use them on my truck.
Mike

Yeah, but the current output is soooo low it takes forever to fully charge the two house batteries. I never use the 12V leads.....always the AS converter and 120V from Gennie. Takes maybe 1.5 hours with a 2000W Honda.

[Mrjkq]

Why not purchase the 2000i especially when looking at the price difference, it's not that much.

[Wingeezer]

I would not hesitate to opt for the 2000 unless you are really keen on minimizing weight and know that teh 1000 will work for you.

Much more versatile for little extra $.

Brian.

[firman]

The Honda generators are the most quiet and reliable small generators I know of. ( I know you can get other brands for less money. But I have camped in situations where fellow campers were ready to run the owner of a cheap generator out of town because they can be very noisy)

We have chosen the Honda 2000. Very simply, I like to dry camp. My wife likes to dry camp, sort of! The Honda 2000 fires up my wife's hair dry just fine ( turn every other electrical user off) , and it handles the TV just fine. SO, very simply -- HAPPY WIFE = HAPPY LIFE. An easy decision.

( As an added benefit, my truck camper has an air conditioning unit which will function just fine on the Honda 2000.)

Further, if one wants to run the Airstream A/C while dry camping one just needs 2 Honda 2000's connected in parallel.