Honda 2000

[georgia g]

There is a lot of discussion regarding this generators capacity. Most talk about using it to recharge their batteries. Can this run my A/C. It is a small window 5000 btu unit. I am ready to buy one but want to find out what it will run. Thanks all. georgia g

[Carl O]

There is a lot of discussion regarding this generators capacity. Most talk about using it to recharge their batteries. Can this run my A/C. It is a small window 5000 btu unit. I am ready to buy one but want to find out what it will run. Thanks all. georgia g

Georgia,

You need to know the wattage of your A/C unit. I did a brief look-see on the internet and a 5000 btu unit uses ~1000 watts, so a 2000 watt Honda generator should power it. The issue with some electrical appliances isn't the operating wattage, but the required start-up wattage. Some appliances take a a lot of 'juice' to start running and then once running they use less. I don't know if an A/C unit has a big initial power draw. I "think" you'd be fine with a Honda2000, which I also happen to own, but you should hear from someone who actually uses an A/C unit with a generator. Being in the Seattle area, there isn't much need to have A/C :-)

[Yvon Chayer]

My honda 2000 watts run my 5000 btu window ac with no problem in eco throttle mode
It also run in same time my converter to recharge battery and power my Bigfoot

Yvon Chayer

[Lloyd (aka Santa) Coltman]

My honda 2000 watts run my 5000 btu window ac with no problem in eco throttle mode
It also run in same time my converter to recharge battery and power my Bigfoot

Yvon Chayer

Some even claim to run up to 13,000btu rooftop units with the 2000, Michael Sanders (in this forum) being one. I just looked at two of our home window units, the largest being a 6300btu high-efficiency unit. The running watts are 485-590. If you double the running watts to approximate starting watts, you would have 1000-1200 watts, within the capability of the EU2000i, but you wouldn't have too much left over. Like,not enough to run a microwave.

[Joe Z]

In my 16' Casita I run a brand new LG8000 BTU Window Unit with my Honda2000i with no problem (even at startup) but like a previous poster stated i cannot run the microwave at the same time..... I just shut off the a/c use the microwave and when finished restart the airconditioner........ an older 8000btu window unit might have a higher amp draw....not sure..........
A 5000 btu window unit should be no problem....... really like my honda but don't use it much if other campers are around.
Joe

[georgia g]

I want to thank everyone for your good advise. As usual when I have a question/problem someone always has the answers. I thought it was ok but just wanted to double check. Thanks again, georgia

[Lloyd (aka Santa) Coltman]

Yes, Georgia, (oops, wrong state) there is a Santa Claus.
I can see why, as a resident of SW Florida, you would be concerned about operation of your A/C.
Anyway, I elected to go to the Yamaha EF2400, because I am running an old 13,000btu A/C, and at the same time need to pull batteries up after using a 'CPAP' machine all night. The extra 400 watts should just make the difference.

[Weinel, Alan]

Lloyd - how timely... I am looking at the exact issue - Air Conditioner and CPAP.

What is the db rating of the EF2400?

And, how do you run your CPAP - off a battery for overnight? and how do you do the recharge? If you have details on your setup I would be very grateful!


Regards, Alan W.

Yes, Georgia, (oops, wrong state) there is a Santa Claus.
I can see why, as a resident of SW Florida, you would be concerned about operation of your A/C.
Anyway, I elected to go to the Yamaha EF2400, because I am running an old 13,000btu A/C, and at the same time need to pull batteries up after using a 'CPAP' machine all night. The extra 400 watts should just make the difference.

[Bigfoot Mike]

Lloyd - how timely... I am looking at the exact issue - Air Conditioner and CPAP.

What is the db rating of the EF2400?

And, how do you run your CPAP - off a battery for overnight? and how do you do the recharge? If you have details on your setup I would be very grateful!
Regards, Alan W.

Alan, I have been using a CPAP for 25 years. When I tent camped I found that a small 30Ah gel battery would run my CPAP for 2 nights (NO humidifier). I used a small solar panel hung on my tent roof to recharge when I went on long term campouts. I then found a group 27 car battery would run it for 3.5 nights.

In my Casita I used a Honda 2000 run my 11,500 BTU A/C unit. It never let me down in 6 years. When I bought my 25ft. Bigfoot I decided to buy a Yamaha 2400 because the Bigfoot A/C is 13,500 and the Yamaha is rated quieter then the Honda. To tell the truth, they are so close I couldn't tell the difference between the Honda and the Yamaha in the noise made. After a trip to Colorado and camping at 9300ft. alt. I decided to go back to a Honda 2000. The 2400 needed the carburetor jets changed for different altitudes. There are three different jets available. I could start my Yamaha, but could NOT carry a load. I sold my Yamaha to my son and he loves it. At 9300ft. my friends Honda 2000 ran easily.

I now have a Honda 2000 again and I upgraded my Batteries to 220Ah AGM batteries. I now use a humidifier with my CPAP so it draws a lot more power over night. I am testing the amount of power draw with a "Kill-a-Watt" meter. Also, I am adding a solar panel to maintain these spendy batteries.

I hope this experience helps you define your needs and solutions.

PS: My Honda 2000 ran my 11,500 A/C with our local temps at 115°F here on the Central Coast.

[Lizbeth]

Mike, what a timely post for us too. We are starting to think of a roof mount AC for the Bigfoot after reinforcing the roof this fall.

Are you saying that the Honda 2000 runs the 13,500 AC ok? I have really not done any research yet,

[Bigfoot Mike]

Mike, what a timely post for us too. We are starting to think of a roof mount AC for the Bigfoot after reinforcing the roof this fall.

Are you saying that the Honda 2000 runs the 13,500 AC ok? I have really not done any research yet,

NO, the Honda 2000 ran my 11,500BTU A/C. or my microwave, or my heater. At 9300ft. I didn't need or try the 13,500 A/C.

I was trying to run my microwave with the 2400 Yamaha, but could not. The Honda ran my microwave OK. If I had the jets and took the carburetor apart and replaced it, I'm sure it would have done fine. I didn't know that at the time nor did I have the jets.

My point is that altitude seemed to make a much bigger difference with the two generators. BTW, Honda does have and recommend a different jet for higher altitudes.

[Lizbeth]

Thanks Mike. I thought you might have tried the 2000 with your new AC. We have run our 2000 at 8400 ft several times and it performed flawlessly. We used it to run the window AC we have for the Boler and the microwave in the Bigfoot.

[Normand Choiniere]

Mine runs my 13,500 btu Carrier A/C even on eco mode!

[Lizbeth]

Thanks for the information Normand!

[Lloyd (aka Santa) Coltman]

QUOTE (Weinel, Alan [at] Sep 3 2009, 11:32 AM) Lloyd - how timely... I am looking at the exact issue - Air Conditioner and CPAP.

I use a 'Respironics Remstar+' model 122335. It has two sections that are separable. The air pump runs on 12VDC, and the humidifier on 115VAC. When camping (most of which is dry) I take only the pump section, and power it with a home-made cigar lighter power cord. These are available pre-made, for about $50, but mine cost about $10. As for recharging, I have equipped our trailer with a Xantrex XDC40 40 amp 3-stage converter/charger, instead of the crappy old 5amp single stage charger it came with (www.bestconverter.com).
As for powering an A/C with the Honda EU2000, or the Yamaha EF2400iSC, the biggest single factor seems to be the size of start capacitor in the A/C (if it even has one, mine didn't). Go to www.modmyrv.com and look at mod #82. As you can see from my comments there (Lloyd BC), I had severe problems with my A/C, even using a Yamaha EF2800i, but now with a makeshift mod done, the 2400 barely hickups. Now I'm just waiting for the proper part to arrive.
BTW, the 2400 runs my neice's A/C or Micro, no problem, but we're only at 2000', and don't usually camp above 4500'.

[Mac B]

well, I'll be 'durned' if I am going to sit in a fiberglass trailer and bake like a thanksgiving turkey...

As for AC units, installing a unit takes some serious consideration. the smallest roof unit I can find is the Coleman Polar Cub:

http://www.adventurerv.net/coleman-polar-c...1a9kq87dvvfr3q4

Besides that, I guess the solution would be a window unit like the Fridgidaire

http://www.airconditioner.com/ROOM_AIR_CONDITIONERS.asp

Wow.. maybe if I install one of these units in a window, I can rename my Burro 'The Grape of Wrath'....

[Tamid]

As mentioned in more than one response it is important to understand the start-up and running load of each appliance you expect to use and add together those you expect to run at the same time. A note of caution...if you run your generator at near maximum for lengthy periods it will have a shorter life span. Most of the high end generators are rated for around 3000 hours at normal loads with Yamaha supposedly being better because components of the engine are made of iron instead of aluminum. Better to purchase slightly more than what you need. I ended up with the Yamaha 3600 because we sometimes run the A/C, watch TV with a DVD player and run the hot water tank and fridge at the same time.