Anyone not using Honda portable generator?

[Letterkenny]

For those that do use a portable generator (vs having one permanently installed), who uses something other than Honda and what are your thoughts? Seems like there are several you can get for half the cost. Seems the trade off is noise and reliability (the later an important one) but for those that are more weekenders would like to hear thoughts.

[Allan S]

My two cents; if you don't use a Honda, just buy a cheap throwaway from Harbor Freight, or Princess Auto, generator. I bought a Generac

A friend has a new Honda for me and as he sails from Florida, I sail up from Guatemala and we are meeting up in Mexico.

I am using a small Guatemalan/Chinese generator to fill the void

[BMD21]

All I have is opinions and 15 years of Honda experience.


That said, it's probably redundant to say I'm a Honda fan. Using the same Honda 1000i generator for 15+ years. Replaced the carburetor when it surged. That's all, oh, the spark plug. I've used it the way you described: for 2-5 day cruises and when we go on our summer cruises for a couple of months. Change oil regularly; which means after every cruise/use. Also used it when SDG&E shuts off our power, so it has run for a couple of days at a time.


Now my brother doesn't have power to his ranch and has to use solar panels and generators. He buys Harbor Freight units and replaces them regularly. Every 1-2 years. And doesn't take care of them, throws them away when they die.


So there you are, both ends of the spectrum, your choice. If you don't care if it craps out during a cruise, because you can replace it when you get home, that's one way of thinking about it. If you want something that will always start and run, get a Honda. Thinking about it, the Honda is cheaper in the long run.



I have the 1000i which is fine for charging batteries, but if you want to run more, I'd get a 2000i. And the i is important, don't get a non-inverter unit.


Boris

[Mike OReilly]

I use a Yamaha 1000 watt portable gas gen. I bought it over the equivalent Honda because, at the time (about 15 years ago), it was rated slightly quieter. Certainly not cheaper though .

I have no idea what the current state of these generators are, and quite frankly, I doubt mine is really much quieter than the Honda.

[Off Trail]

We use the Harbor Freight Predator 2000, but we've only had it a year. No problems yet -- only needed oil changes -- but it only gets used in the wintertime as we are pretty much a solar boat. So the jury's still out.

Dan

[Letterkenny]

There’s some generac, ryobi, champion, etc models out there or even packages for 2 2.3kw ryobi’s for $1k. Still leaning towards the Honda companion but just curious to see everyone’s experience.

[Reefmagnet]

Don't disregard the quiet exhaust of the Honda (or Yamaha). You can usually tell from a distance when someone is using an el-cheapo genset at the anchorage based on noise alone.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Reefmagnet

Don't disregard the quiet exhaust of the Honda (or Yamaha). You can usually tell from a distance when someone is using an el-cheapo genset at the anchorage based on noise alone.

This is a good point. My ears tell me that Honda and Yamahas are significantly quieter than those cheaper options.

[s/v Jedi]

Buy the cheapie and get the angry look every anchorage you visit: that’ll be fun!

[Franziska]

Alternatively you can get a second 1000i and run them together when you need more power.

Honda sells a link cable for this.

It's is a bit less fuel efficient, but you gain redundancy and you can only run one if you need less power which is more fuel efficient than running two or one bigger unit.

Originally Posted by BMD21

All I have is opinions and 15 years of Honda experience.


That said, it's probably redundant to say I'm a Honda fan. Using the same Honda 1000i generator for 15+ years. Replaced the carburetor when it surged. That's all, oh, the spark plug. I've used it the way you described: for 2-5 day cruises and when we go on our summer cruises for a couple of months. Change oil regularly; which means after every cruise/use. Also used it when SDG&E shuts off our power, so it has run for a couple of days at a time.


Now my brother doesn't have power to his ranch and has to use solar panels and generators. He buys Harbor Freight units and replaces them regularly. Every 1-2 years. And doesn't take care of them, throws them away when they die.


So there you are, both ends of the spectrum, your choice. If you don't care if it craps out during a cruise, because you can replace it when you get home, that's one way of thinking about it. If you want something that will always start and run, get a Honda. Thinking about it, the Honda is cheaper in the long run.



I have the 1000i which is fine for charging batteries, but if you want to run more, I'd get a 2000i. And the i is important, don't get a non-inverter unit.


Boris

[sailingabe41ds]

Honda...reliable and quiet. I avoid supporting copy cats .

Abe

[Lunchmoney]

Originally Posted by sailingabe41ds

Honda...reliable and quiet. I avoid supporting copy cats .

Abe

+1 for Honda

[the bookie]

I bought a 2000watt inverter type mini generator at cabelas 10 years ago. used it for the sailboat a few times before we got a diesel gen set. It is not quiet but I've never changed the oil on it and or burned the fuel off at the end of the season. the damn thing won't die. We had a bad storm and lost power for a couple days here in CT. My wife dragged it out of the shed and it cranked right up. tough little bugger. everyone who rafts up on the powerboat fleet in block island saltpond anchorage seem to have a honda up on the bow cranking away in the mornings. I think most of them are like potatoe chips. Made at one plant who puts different sticker names on them.

[Letterkenny]

So per the specs, it seems that some of the equivalent sized Wens and Ryobi’s are the same decibel wise so curious why those are being knocked?

[Chotu]

Out of 9 different generators I’ve owned, including two different Honda eu2000’s, I’ve found the most reliable is this one.

https://m.northerntool.com/shop/tool...0762_200680762

Uses a Honda engine and a very well built, 100% copper wound genera head. These things are absolutely bomb proof!! Go to the gas station and put 87 octane ethanol gas in them, not a single issue. Leave them for 6 months with said ethanol gas in them. They still start first pull.

It’s like they have a magic carb. And power??? Wow! They can handle surge loads a lot of 5kw generators can’t handle. Without a soft start, they can run an RV air conditioner.

I have a pair of these (with soft starts) running 30,000 BTUs of air conditioning on the boat and they don’t really work too hard to do it.

Cannot recommend these enough

I got into these after having bad luck with eu2000 generators. The carb was finicky on one. The other threw a rod. Both Eu2000s were trying to run the same Coleman Mach RV air conditioner that this type has now been running reliably for thousands of hours.

An old man near me had a crazy reliable generator and I checked. It was this one. So I got one too and have never looked back. The only reason I got new ones was I lost my old one in a high crime area.