Honda 2000 watt Generator questions?

[Spcharby]

Hello all,

Well - hurricane Irene came and went with minimal effect for a category 2 hurricane (or was it three in VA?) and we only lost power for 4 days. So, now having my wife at her weakest, I floated the idea of a new Honda generator to power up the fridge and freezer at home to save the food. She agreed and I secured one ASAP, before she changed her mind. So now we have a generator that can serve double duty, both at home and on the boat. I took it to the marina last weekend and discovered that it powers everything except the AC, which is a 16K BTU Sea Mach by Marv Air. I recall in the spring I called Marv Air to inquire about using a Honda Generator to power the AC and the gentleman indicated that it likely would not; however, there could be a possible fix which is to add a component to the circuit board to force a "soft start", although, he couldn't be sure that it would work all the time. I am considering having the circuit board rigged, but, thought I should check to see if anyone has attempted this.

So, has anyone been able to power a Sea Mach 16K BTU AC unit with a Honda EU2000i Companion 30a Generator? If so, how did you do it?
Also, any suggestions on where to place the generator when using it at anchor, considering the CO2 hazard? The H36 has a great swim platform, but I am concerned with back drafting - any thoughts about this?
And finally, has anyone installed the Marv Air CR330 condensate pan discharge unit? If so, are you satisfied with it?

http://www.tropicalmarineairconditioning.com/marvair-cr330discharge-marine-airconditioning.html

Appreciate and look forward to any/all replies.

Steve Charbonneau
S/V Belle
H36#207
Hampton, VA

 

[Ed Schenck]

Here is one of several threads on the subject. Used "Search" with "honda 16k" and "none, none". http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=833347&highlight=honda 16k .

I run my Honda on the anchor locker because I have shorepower there and it is convenient. Especially since I don't have a swim platform. I keep the boat closed when it is running including the dorade vents.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Here is a better link. It includes a link to installing the "hard start capacitor". I use the Mermaid condensator to keep the pan dry. Maybe that is your "Marv Air C330".
http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=837444&highlight=honda hard start

 

[redunculous]

Just to help out a little more

http://mamtstore.com/Smart-Start.html

Thats the direct link where you can purchase it (no affiliation)

Going to purchase one myself this month and install

 

[tkwhalen]

I can run the rear ac (the smaller of my two units not sure the size) on my 44 if I turn off the Eco throttle

 

[Don12364]

16,000 BThU equates to 4.7 KW. Then allow some more for AC inefficiency.
Unless you can prevent the AC from coming on at full power then you would appear to be stuck.
Does it have proportional control?

 

[Benny17441]

We sit the the Honda eu2000 on the port side locker on the swim platform as the shorepower inlet is there. To avoid black marks from the rubber feet of the generators a rubber pad is used. To prevent it from accidentaly going down into the water we tie a safety line to the stern pulpit. At anchor the boat usually swings into the wind so by sitting the generator at the stern the exaust usually blows away from the boat. We have had instances where currents overpower wind and the exaust may blow back into the boat. It is a good practice to have and we keep a CO monitor. CO2 is harmeless , it is the monoxide that can kill you. The generator coul probably run your 16K btu unit if it could get the compressor motor started. A "hard start capacitor" is just another capacitor that piggy backs with the unit's start capacitor to give the motor more starting power. They can be found on E-Bay fairly cheap. I have used the Honda with A/C units up to 13K. When operating high btu A/C units the fuel consumption of the generator goes quite high and you may only get about three hours for the near 1 gallon built in fuel tank. It would be a good idea to consider an external auxiliary tank which would provide an additional 3.5 gallons of fuel.

 

[deacm]

Back to your Hurricane Irene reason for buying the honda 2000. It was my understanding that a generator that small could NOT power one freezer let alone a frig and a freezer. The start-up needs of a freezer, I was told, was too much for that small of a generator and it would only operate it when it was running, not stating up. Have you tried it with the freezer to see if it works ok?

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Back to your Hurricane Irene reason for buying the honda 2000. It was my understanding that a generator that small could NOT power one freezer let alone a frig and a freezer. The start-up needs of a freezer, I was told, was too much for that small of a generator and it would only operate it when it was running, not stating up. Have you tried it with the freezer to see if it works ok?

My 2000 starts and runs my home refrigerator and freezer with "room" to spare. So too does it run our separate refrig and freezer onboard the boat. It will also run our water heater and start and run our 16K BTU A/C albeit separately although the I installed a hard-start capacitor on the A/C.
It's always preferable to rely on the specs for your equipment power needs. Most marine refrigs draw around 5 amps with only a slightly higher start draw. My 26 cu. ft refrg/freezer in the garage draws less. Obviously well lower than the capacity of the H 2000.

 

[Rick D]

What Benny & Don Said...

...I got rid of my 4000 watt generator for the house because my EU2000 is there when not on the boat. I have run lights, a TV, computer, frig & freezer combo and heater blower all at the same time for a day or two when I had power outages. Of course the newer appliances are all of lesser draw than the old stuff. Still, just sayin'...

 

[Spcharby]

Here is a better link. It includes a link to installing the "hard start capacitor". I use the Mermaid condensator to keep the pan dry. Maybe that is your "Marv Air C330".
http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=837444&highlight=honda hard start

Ed,

Thanks much, I ordered and received today the hard start capacitor and will install soon. I will let you know. If it doesn't work, I will have to consider the Dometic smart start unit, but $350 is steep. Not sure what I'll do....

Thanks again,

Steve

 

[Spcharby]

I was able to easily run the fridge, freezer, phone system, security system and lights with the 2000i while in ECO mode. Actually ran for 8 hours on the tank of fuel which is rated just under 1 US gallon. WOW!

Update to the boat issue: I purchased the Supco SPP6 Hard Start Capacitor ($11.59 at Amazon) and will install it next week and let you all know.

Thanks to everyone who posted - I am grateful for the information.

Steve

 

[Don Lucas]

I've never even run my AC, but wouldn't the inverter make-up the power during start-up on a Honda unit?

 

[Spcharby]

I've never even run my AC, but wouldn't the inverter make-up the power during start-up on a Honda unit?

I don't have an inverter. I'm not sure how that would work if I did?

 

[Stu Jackson]

I've never even run my AC, but wouldn't the inverter make-up the power during start-up on a Honda unit?

Don, as far as the boat "seeing" incoming A.C. power, you can't have two sources of power on at the same time. Whether it's shorepower or a generator input, the inverter can't work at the same time. It's not too good to the inverter.

 

[jsalley]

I think he's referring to the inverter in the Honda generator (that's the "i" in EU2000i).

 

[Stu Jackson]

I think he's referring to the inverter in the Honda generator (that's the "i" in EU2000i).

All of the 1000 and 2000 series Honda generator have this feature (the eUX000i = i behind the model number).

Here's how they describe it on their website:

How does the inverter work?

Honda 's inverter technology takes the raw power produced by the generator and uses a special microprocessor to condition it through a multi-step process.
First, the generator's alternator produces high voltage multiphase AC power. The AC power is then converted to DC. Finally the DC power is converted back to AC by the inverter. The inverter also smoothes and cleans the power to make it high quality. A special microprocessor controls the entire process, as well as the speed of the engine.
Honda uses only high quality inverters in our generators, which produce stable, consistent power.

**********************

So, the inverter IS the generator OUTPUT, and still can't be used with on board inverter to attempt to reduce the load on the generator to start an air conditioning unit.

 

[shipwreck66]

This is helpful as my "plan" is to run my 5000btu unit off an inverter/battery bank. Will only be good for about 5-6 hours but that should suffice for my wife's comfort on the 90-100 degree afternoons and no noisy bulky generator to carry around if this works.

 

[Stu Jackson]

This is helpful as my "plan" is to run my 5000btu unit off an inverter/battery bank. Will only be good for about 5-6 hours but that should suffice for my wife's comfort on the 90-100 degree afternoons and no noisy bulky generator to carry around if this works.

Have you done your math on this concept? 5-6 hours of even a 4 amp A.C. load is 40 amps at 12 V DC. 5-6 hours is over 200 ah. You must have one helleva big house bank.

Care to explain? Or am I missing something?

 

[kloudie1]

Ya gonna need about a 800 ampere hour battery bank to do that.. like 8 group 31 deep cycle batteries.. (maybe bigger bank since at high ampere drains, the batteries lose capacity)