Generator

[Rick B]

Related to generators, I have read that the 12 volt charge from the generators is unregulated in terms of diminishing the charge rate as the battery charges. I don't recall the source, but with my Honda 700ic generator, I connect to a 110 volt tapering rate charger when battery charging.

Rick B

[Pete Dumbleton]

Rick, you are right; the 12VDC output of generators is usually unregulated, so what it might or might not do to a battery, esp an older one, depends on the voltage it is actually putting out. I would also be reluctant to connect it to an egg's 12VDC system because it may or may not be stable enough to avoid injuring the control cards on reefers or furnaces.

Best way to charge a battery is either a good charger or a good converter.

Darwin is right on target about the extension cable used with shore power or a generator, esp when running something like a large heater (including heat strips in a/c) or an a/c. That's why the factory 30A@120VAC cable is so heavy.

Also, feel the connectors where they plug together and see if they are warm; they may need a little polishing with wire brush or steel wool to remove surface corrosion.

An interesting experiment is to take an extension cable with a load on it, like a heater, and use a voltmeter to measure the working voltage at each end of the cable; the difference in voltage is given up to heating the cable. If you look closely at the extension cables, you will see the gauge stamped into the cable sheath every so often as 16AWG, 14AWG, 12AWG, 10AWG, etc., with the SMALLER numbers being the heavier cable.

[ddayton]

Will try to make this my final word on this topic. Earlier, I stated my disappointment in the failure of a Honda EU2000is to consistently start and restart the air conditioner on my 07C17SD. Many replies were made that "Have used my Honda 2000 for 99 years and it always starts my A/C in both the Sahara desert and at the top of Pikes Peak" (or words to that effect). I called in some resources, got some test equipment and spent a little time to learn a lot.

A summary of photos and narrative of the testing along with a statement of my opinions have been made and are available at the links shown below.
Placed a copy of the narrative with the photos at:
http://tinyurl.com/2bgjq4
(2 pages - click link at bottom of page)

If you need a larger image of the narrative pages you can use these individual page links (click on the images to improve the text quality).
Page 1
http://tinyurl.com/2gg39x
Page 2
http://tinyurl.com/23zc56
Page 3
http://tinyurl.com/ytsnch
Page 4
http://tinyurl.com/2zhzup
Page 5
http://tinyurl.com/27n4ll

Don – enjoy your fall travels

[Brian B-P]

Thanks, Don! I appreciate the effort to share your findings.

In the trivia department... the comment about the Indian head on the anonymous compressor reminded of the Tecumseh engines in a couple of my yard tools, and I thought that they also made compressors (and a water pump of mine). Indeed, Tecumseh Products Company makes both, and their Tecumseh do Brasil division makes compressors in Brazil. Perhaps they could provide some information about the starting current which should be expected.

[Patrick M.]

Patrick - will be interested to hear your results ... could be I got a bum Honda???? Don

Perhaps!

I tested the air conditioner in my new 2007 Casita today, using my two year-old Honda 2000i. Temperature was 98F.

It performed perfectly. I left the Honda on Eco mode, turned the A/C on to low and it started right up. Ran it for 20 minutes, then turned the temp up so the compressor would go off, waited 5 minutes and turned it back down and the compressor started immediately. Ran for 5 minutes. Repeated this procedure one more time.

I think based on my experience, and those of other Casita owners I've read in posts, that there can be a high level of confidence that the Honda 2000i will run the Casita air conditioner in a satisfactory manner.

[Greg A]

Looks like we have two expert witness candidates. One for the defense and one for the prosecution...

[andy s]

A lower cost substitute is the Kipor. Cost about 2/3rds. They are knock offs of the Honda. Their website

There are dealers all over.

[b]Mike, Do you know much about the Kipor? Are they just a look alike of the honda or are they any good?
Thanks Andy

[Joe Romas]

[b]Mike, Do you know much about the Kipor? Are they just a look alike of the honda or are they any good?
Thanks Andy

Andy.

Kipor is a Chineese copy of the Honda. In one area, rocker arm assemblie, it's better then Honda. The improved rocker arm assemblie will even fit a Honda that that much of a clone. In England Honda took Kipor to court and won for patent infringment. I have a 1000 watt unit and it's very quiet, easy starting and is put together well. On one of the RV forums they started a forum just for Kipors. Very few report anything but total satisfaction. Not to mention the lower price

Joe

[John Perry]

Andy.

Kipor is a Chineese copy of the Honda. In one area, rocker arm assemblie, it's better then Honda. The improved rocker arm assemblie will even fit a Honda that that much of a clone. In England Honda took Kipor to court and won for patent infringment. I have a 1000 watt unit and it's very quiet, easy starting and is put together well. On one of the RV forums they started a forum just for Kipors. Very few report anything but total satisfaction. Not to mention the lower price

Joe

I was selling Chinese ATVs that have a Honda clone engine. I have sold 15 or 20 of them in the last 18 months. I have stopped selling them because of the lack of longevity. I have only one customer that has had engine problems. The rest of the parts are are wearing out or falling apart.
I have 3 that I bought for my grandkids and the bushings in the front ends are worn out after one season. One has a blown transmission and one has a bad centrifical clutch. It is not the engine , it is the rest of the parts that are going to heck.
I have friends with old Honda ATVs that have hundreds of hours and many years on them and they are still going strong.

You may pay more, but when you buy Honda get what you pay for.

John

[Bigfoot Mike]

Mike, Do you know much about the Kipor? Are they just a look alike of the honda or are they any good?
Thanks Andy

I own a Honda EU200i and use it with my Casita. I also own a Kipor 3500 I use for another purpose. It has been in for warranty twice. I was impressed with the service and NO CHARGE. The Honda is about 5 years old and I have not had any need for service.

The Kipor is once again needing help. The choke cable came off. The engine won’t start with out the choke so I manually hold the choke in while starting. After that, the it starts with the electric start very easily. I have no idea if it is a knock off or not.

So, I like the Kipor and would buy another. I think it needs a little Loc Thread to keep the choke cable from vibrating loose.

I hope that helps.

[Darwin Maring]

We have the McCullough 2000 Inverter (Model FG2000 Tc) that is a Kipor with the McCullough name on the outside. They are made in China and not a Honda clone. The output is rated at 1.6kva continuous and a starting output of 2.0kva. I paid less than $500 when I purchased it a couple years ago. (Tool King)

It starts the AC in the Scamp 5r with a high quality 10-gauge wire short extension cord. It does not run the AC in the throttle down mode (Smart Throttle). It trips the automatic overload and I have to go out and shut it down and start it back up to reset the trip.

The Smart Throttle lets the engine run just fast enough to produce enough current that runs through an inverter to operate the appliances. Because the AC takes so much current to start, it trips the overload so I must run it with the smart throttle off (Engine runs at full speed all the time) so the AC will work. (3 hours at continuous output with a 3.7 Liter tank).

This all sounds like allot of trouble but is not because the unit is rather quiet 56 db no load and 64db full load. We normally camp on the grid so for no more times that I expect to use it, it is just fine for us.

It is a hard to start the first time. Must choke and I always squirt some starting fluid and away it goes and never a problem after that.

The bottom line for me was the price. Because we will rarely use it I saw no reason to invest in the pricey Honda. If we were going to use it allot and really have to rely on it, and we could afford it, I would have purchased the Honda however I would have gotten the 3000W and that thing is really pricey. The Honda 3000 could cost as much as some used Eggs.

I now see some inexpensive generators at WallyWorld and they have been mentioned in some of these threads. I think they are worthy of a look-see.

[Marg]

A lower cost substitute is the Kipor. Cost about 2/3rds. They are knock offs of the Honda. Their website

There are dealers all over.

Mike, what do you mean when you say "they are knock offs off the Honda?"

[Bigfoot Mike]

Mike, what do you mean when you say "they are knock offs off the Honda?"

I also said, “I have no idea if it is a knock off or not.”

A knock off is a copy that sells for less and sometimes (read that as usually) is a lower quality. Often times they are made in China.

[Gina D.]

Kipor is a great alternative. And certainly a great bang for the buck. As they grow as a company, the prices have dropped on the higher wattage models. You can now get a 2k watt inverter model for 800 bones.

One place to buy from

They have gotten quite a foothold and now have service centers and dealers all over the place, so folks valid initial concerns about not being able to get service or parts a couple years back are ... no longer valid. I have 5 of them with 25 miles of me.. and I live in a rural area!

During recent routine maintenance, (They recommend fuel line replacement and cleaning periodically) my friend that helped me put it back together didn't notice the position of the starter rope was wrong when it put the side back on. It wore a hole in a vacuum line and then took out the fuel pump diaphragm. I was able to find one that day and have it sent overnite to my location. at a minimal and reasonable charge.

If it weren't for the extra weight that I can't handle, I would not hesitate to buy the 2000 watt model tomorrow.

[d_wildemann]

I've got a Kibor; its a red case but the newer alternator. I bought it off ebay but since have learned that Pep Boys in Florida sells this unit. I have heard it is very cheap at Pep Boys. My Kibor (2000 Watts) is new and not yet broken in so I can't comment on its functioning yet. I believe that breakin is 25 hours.

-Don