Guardian Generator -vs.-2 honda eu2000 good deal or not? - Page 2

bbbrt76 · 12-09-2008, 01:26 AM

I have been reading some of the posts about the honda eu2000 and as I understand it generating DC and then inverting the DC to make for a stable AC output, so capt'n when you opened yours up did you happen to measure the voltage of the DC that they are using, I am thinking that connecting in the house batteries, in a pack built to the necessary voltage, you could use these generators as the inverter for your bus, leaving the engine portion of the generator off and powering up the inverter portion of the generator(s) off the batteries and when the batteries get low fire up the engine portion of the generator, allowing power to flow through the inverter and also back to the house batteries?, probably need diode protection to prevent the batteries from feeding the wrong direction in the generator but seems feasible to me, having never seen one of these gennies opened before

bbbrt76 · 12-09-2008, 11:20 AM

well, after making that last post I dug around on honda's website and found a wiring schematic for the eu series generators and the schematic clearly shows AC current as the only inputs to the inverter unit, which is probably potted and inaccessible to tap into, so it doesn't look like there is any location that you could tap in with DC power

Joe Monstermaker · 12-09-2008, 08:31 PM

Yeah, I believe you're correct, that won't work. I don't even think it's 12 volts while it's DC. It actually generates high frequency AC, then converts to DC, then into 60Hz 120VAC.

Ray_WA · 12-31-2008, 03:42 PM

I got my EU2000i today! I can't believe how quiet it is! I played with it for a bit and then brought it indoors to store. I am impressed at how you can't smell any fuel fumes once you close the gas cap vent. I waited for my girlfriend to come home to see if she noticed any fumes. She has a much more sensitive nose than I and she didn't notice any, so I'm happy. As it gets used and ages will it continue to be "fume free"??
I then hauled it back outside and told her what to do and she was amazed when it started for her! It really does start easy. I almost can't wait for the power to go out.

-Ray

phillbus914 · 12-31-2008, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Monstermaker

The first thing I have to say about them is don't buy the ripoff "parallel operation cables! If you open up a Honda and check into it, the parallel operation ports do nothing but connect directly to the generator's 120V outlets. You can accomplish the same thing by simply plugging two Hondas together with a cord with a male plug at each end.
You need to have them connected before you start the engines, but that's true with the Honda parallel cables as well.

Hey I got a question. Since 110V is AC could you use this same connection to power a circuit at your house, if the power went out? You would have to flip the breaker (or remove the fuse) on the circuit to prevent it from backpowering all the circuit's in the house... or neighborhood for that matter...

Would this work?

I'm mainly concerned, that if the power went out at my house I'd want to be able to power the furnace (natural gas) and maybe the fridge.

Ray_WA · 12-31-2008, 09:55 PM

Yes, that would work, but it would be very easy to get it wrong.

Assuming the wiring in the house were correct, and assuming the wiring on your plugs were correct, it would be mostly safe.

Cross the cable so you're feeding hot to the neutral side of your house circuit and things will still work... but you'd be feeding current back into the system because the breaker only cuts off the "hot" side of the circuit.

I think most electricians would say DONT DO IT!!!!

-Ray

lapeer20m · 01-01-2009, 08:42 AM

a brilliant idea popped into my brain while i was laying in bed last nite.

wouldn't it be cool to find a honda eu that had a bad engine (ya right!) and somehow spin the unit with a belt off from your bus' engine. Then you could vary the rpm while driving and still make 120 vac pure sin wave.

is there a manufacturer that offers such a contraption?

Joe Monstermaker · 01-03-2009, 01:40 AM

Methinks you're probably better off just using a big alternator, or even multiple alternators (like I did on my Land Yacht) and inverters to make lots of electricity from the motor. If I could cram extra alternators onto a transverse-mounted Olds Quad-4, I can't imagine a guy who'd even attempt making a hot tub lift through a bus roof couldn't get a few alternators onto a bus engine!

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