Generator question

[Starguy]

I am planning on purchasing the Honda EU2200i generator for my 1808 Minnie Winnie. It should meet the surge power for the microwave but not the AC, and keep the battery charged. I have no prior expeience with generators, but from the reviews Honda generators are highly rated, and in the future it would give me the option of hooking up 2 generators in parallel to produce 30amps. Does this sound like a good plan? I presume that the RV uses a battery tender when plugged in to shore power or a generator. Is there anything that I should be concerned about. I have no prior experience with generators and my working knowledge of AC and DC power is very basic.

[old_engineer]

Honda or the equivalent Yamaha are what I am considering. When the generator is running and providing power to the trailer the converter would charge the battery just like when you are on shore power. The nice thing about these smaller generators is they can also charge the battery directly. The ability to parallel two for 30A keeps the units smaller and easier to handle as well.

[Mike Owens]

I have the Honda EU2200i for my Albin boat and it works great and is very reliable. You might get something else cheaper but the Honda is quiet and reliable.

[BobC]

Go with the Honda 2200i, you'll never regret it. I've had a 2000i for several years and it's fully capable of running my microwave so the 2200i will be more than capable. And your idea of getting a second one if you find you need more power for A/C, or what ever, is the way to go. More power than a 3000i for the same or less money and much easier to lift.

There are cheaper options out there but Hondas are reliable and quiet, which, IMHO is well worth the money.

[creativepart]

The Honda IS the way to go. Back when I had a Travel Trailer and lived in the cooler North we bought one Honda 2000i. It was great. When we moved to Texas and needed air conditioning we bought another and paired them to run the A/C. Very reliable and works very well.

I owned them for more than 10 years and never put anything in them but gas and engine oil once every year.

After buying a MotorHome with a built in genset I sold the two Honda’s for $1000 cash. So they cost me about $60 a year to own.

You can’t go wrong with them.

And yes, your travel trailer has a built in charger/converter. It charges your house batteries and powers all of your 12v systems.

[LarryW]

Consider a soft start unit for the A/C which should eliminate the need for two 2000 watt generators.

[RzRzRzR]

Originally Posted by LarryW

Consider a soft start unit for the A/C which should eliminate the need for two 2000 watt generators.

This is the first I heard of this. Is it some sort of retrofit kit? Link??

[BobC]

They're new to me as well, not cheap at about $300 but cheaper than a second generator. Here's an informative video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soP0uZFd0nQ

Note that, according to these FAQs, one EasyStart is required for each A/C unit.

https://www.microair.net/pages/general-easystart-faqs

[WolfgangS]

I just bought an EU2200i and it works great with my older EU2000i. I can run everything on my Winnie Drop except the AC or the AC and a few other items. I find the Honda EU series generators very reliable.

[LarryW]

Wolfgrang, yes you can run the AC with the generator. Investigate a "soft start" unit for the AC.

[blues46]

It depends on how big your AC unit is as to whether it will work with a hard start cap. The EU200i ran the 7800 btu AC on my last boat, I helped a friend install the cap on an 11,000, and it was not strong enough to keep it running.

As far as the Honda, it is bulletproof and they hold their value. They cost about $1000, and are worth every penny. (same with Yamaha). Just don't buy a knockoff just because of price. They are noisy and break easily!