Honda EU2000
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Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3983
Printed Date: 18 Aug 2025 at 5:24pm
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Topic: Honda EU2000
Posted By: bakes99
Subject: Honda EU2000
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2013 at 8:01pm
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Close to pulling the trigger on the Honda EU2000. Emailed a couple of places in the US and they all state that Honda will not allow them to ship the Generator across the border to Canada, except one. States that he has them CSA certified when bringing them across so it's not a problem. Just really want to make sure I get the US version and not the Canadian. Anywho, I'm not sure which one to go with. Leaning towards getting the companion first, as it has the 30amp receptacle. Wondering, are you able to charge the RV battery with the companion as with the non companion? On the site it says there is a Honda generator charging cord availble, I'm assuming that it will work with the companion as well. KNow that it may not be enough to get the AC up and running but may break down and purchase the other unit next year if I need it. ------------- RPOD 172 HRE & Ridgeline |
Replies:
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2013 at 9:18pm
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I have no experience with Honda generators so I apologize for not answering your question, but I went with a Yamaha EF2400iSHC, which is enough to start and run my air con. I think it's about the same price as the Honda 2000. It comes with a 12v power cord for charging batteries. I haven't use that, and I only have 40 or 50 hours on the Yamaha, but I'm very pleased with it. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: bakes99
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2013 at 9:29pm
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Good to know. Thought seriously about the Yamaha but heard stories of some folks not being able to get their a/c's to start with it. I would be thoroughly disappointed if I had purchase that one and have it not work. At least with the Honda eu2000, it will run the basics, charge my battery and, I could end up buying the second one next year if I want that option. I've read that, with the Yamaha it has a gas cut off switch and you are able to let it run out of gas. I don't really get that, can't you do the same with the Honda? I'm easily swayed by. If I knew 100% that it would run the A/C, and was as quiet, I would seriously consider the Yammy. ------------- RPOD 172 HRE & Ridgeline |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2013 at 10:00pm
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Unless things are totally different in Canada than around here I guarantee you that even the quietist gen set will have to be shut down at the "quiet time" in campgrounds. Drunken fools can keep going but not gen sets. ------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2013 at 10:58pm
The truth. ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: bakes99
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2013 at 11:15pm
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------------- RPOD 172 HRE & Ridgeline |
Posted By: bakes99
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2013 at 11:21pm
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Fair enough and thanks for the heads up. Some of the most beautiful campgrounds in BC have no hook ups and allow generators to run at certain hours throughout day. If I'm there for a solid week, that means no battery. I've heard that the Hondas are very quiet. Heard a generator at the last provincial park and it was very quiet, barely audible when walking past their site. I know many RVers have them, and all I hear is how quiet they are. Anyway just wanted a little info if anyone out there has one. Thanks ------------- RPOD 172 HRE & Ridgeline |
Posted By: Thinker
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2013 at 9:55am
I would get the HONDA not the Yamaha. Honda has a fuel pump and with a special cap you can connect an outboard motor fuel tank. Here is cap. http://www.amazon.com/EXTENDED-FUEL-HONDA-Eu2000i-GENERATOR/dp/B004BJ5YKM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379425766&sr=8-1&keywords=Honda+generator+cap - See Special Cap Here I have both the units and the Companion does not have 12V battery charge output. The 30A socket on the Companion only gives 30A when running in parallel with the main unit. But you can run the companion stand-alone with just the 20A socket. ------------- Tow Vehicle: 2013 Pathfinder 4WD R-POD Model 171 
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Posted By: bakes99
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2013 at 10:18am
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Thanks. That's what I needed to know. Believe the 12v charger is ordered separately from the actual units. Can I still use the 30amp receptical if I don't have the 2nd unit even though I won't be getting 30amps. Can I still plug the RV in to that and receive the same amt of power as the standard recept.?
------------- RPOD 172 HRE & Ridgeline |
Posted By: Thinker
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2013 at 10:40am
Yes, the 30A plug is connected and you can plug anything into it, you cannot however put more load on it than the unit can handle. These Hondas have two run modes normal (high RPM) and ECO RPM matches load automatically. The problem with starting an A/C is that it must stay in high RPM mode all the time so the compressor can cycle. When you parallel two units, then you can run both in ECO mode and save fuel. So it is cheaper to run two than one. The 12 Charger is just a simple wire with connectors. The issue on the companion is no 12v Outlet as is on the Main unit. If I were you, I would not get the companion first. ------------- Tow Vehicle: 2013 Pathfinder 4WD R-POD Model 171
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Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2013 at 10:49am
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The difference on the fuel cutoffs is the Yamaha has a manual switch which allows you to run the carb dry. The Honda has an electric cutoff which is only activated when you turn the genset off, so the carb doesn't run dry first. You can modify the unit to allow the fuel shutoff to be operated separately - but then you are getting into warranty issues if you have a problem.
If you'll be storing the genset for a while you need to run the carb dry to prevent varnish and water buildup in the carb. The ethanol in modern gasoline is notorious for both. That said, you should run any small engine at least once a month for 15 minutes to keep the seals lubed, some generator heads (the part that makes the electric) can have issues if left to sit too long, and to boil off any moisture in the crankcase. So it may make more sense no matter what the brand to just add a few ounces of gas, start it up and let it run until the tank is empty. That satisfies all of the above. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: Sleepless
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2013 at 11:07am
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Good information, Doug. Here in Florida, we go one step further. When some people started having problems with ethanol, we all started using fuel stabilizer in the fuel for all of our equipment we did not use every day. I always added it to my outboard motor fuel since my boat has a 17 gallon tank which is enough to last me for a month or more. With the stabilizer, I have had no problems with the outboard, chain saw, or any other items not used on a frequent basis. My only ethanol problem has been with my large generator used for backup during power outages. This season we have had no hurricanes, and I often forget to exercise it regularly. With a fuel stabilizer, no problems this season. I do shut off the gas and run the carburetor dry after exercising it. Bob ------------- 2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD) 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2013 at 7:49pm
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I've been using Stabil for a couple of years now, I store several 5 gallon cans year-round as an emergency supply. No issues rotating it once a year but I discovered something odd this summer. The Yamaha genset I bought this spring will start on the first pull. I rotate my gas supply in July so in June I put some of that gas in the Yamaha. Suddenly it took 8 pulls to get it going. Once running it ran fine. I didn't know why it changed until I put fresh gas in it. It went back to starting on the first pull. So in general Stabil may keep gas usable but it is not perfect. I'm considering rotating my supply every 6 months now. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Sleepless
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2013 at 8:03pm
You are right about Stabil. I belong to a few local area fishing clubs and the consensus is that Marine Stabil is somewhat better than the standard Stabil. But, as you said, it is not perfect. We have found that ethanol affects our older engines in yet another way. It will deteriorate rubber fuel lines over time. I still have my old 1750 watt Coleman PowerMate which I bought to power a small Coleman A/C unit I installed in a 1979 Toyota motor home. After changing to synthetic fuel lines, it once again ran like new, even after setting for a year or so with "Stabil" fuel. It is definitely better than not using anything. Bob ------------- 2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD) 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2013 at 8:41pm
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Try PRI-G. It's way better than stabil in my opinion..
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Posted By: bakes99
Date Posted: 17 Sep 2013 at 11:26pm
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Had a DRZ400 supermoto and was warned about using regular Stabil. Think the rationale was that it didn't really protect against the ethanol and the Marine Stabil was the way to go as it provided protection from the ethanol. Worked for me. Left the bike up for 8 months and it started up first push of the starter. Anyway back to the gennie. Looks like the Queen of the castle has put the Kaibosh on it till next season. Stated it would just end up sitting over the winter anyway. Rational, I guess. I put my foot down, and said, "yes dear, next year it is." Because I am the King, right? Bummer, thougth i was getting a new toy. ------------- RPOD 172 HRE & Ridgeline |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 18 Sep 2013 at 7:48am
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If you don't have a backup in case you lose electricity due to a snow or ice storm up there, that would be my rationale for buying now... ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: bakes99
Date Posted: 18 Sep 2013 at 10:22am
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I'm going to play that card tonight. Lol. ------------- RPOD 172 HRE & Ridgeline |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 18 Sep 2013 at 2:53pm
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Luckily I had no problem selling the idea to my wife. When we moved in to our current house neighbors had stories of being w/o power for weeks after an ice storm. Then we lost power every month for the first 6 months including in the middle of an open house we hosted for everyone on our road. Half the food we bought was never served because most needed an oven (ours is electric) and the stuff we put on the grill never got cooked because we immediately ran out of propane!
We got a whole-house genset within a few months of that, and had the grill hooked up to the same 500 gallon LPG tank at the same time. I have two more backups now, too. Both of them are a lot cheaper to operate than the big genset during long outages.
Oh, and after getting that big genset we didn't lose power again for 2 years... ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: shroomer
Date Posted: 18 Sep 2013 at 7:59pm
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For what it's worth: I have a Honda 2000w generator from 1983. Still starts on the first pull. All my friends borrow it for their power outages. Not a camper model - but reliable. If we do get one for the r-pod, my wife says it has to be a Honda. ------------- Larry and Debbie w/Rosie the mutt. Old: '13 177, '06 Silverado V6 New: '15 Whitehawk 20MRB '14 Silverado V8 |
Posted By: bakes99
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2013 at 10:16pm
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Someone in my area just listed the pair of units for 1800 in the local classifieds. Obviously the American units as they show the companion. under 10hours of usage. My only hold back is if I need warranty work done, Honda Canada wont honour them. I know it's a honda but if in the future something needs to be done, would be paying out of pocket. Is there anything I should look for when viewing? DOes it matter what gas he's used, whether ethanol free or not.. If they run good when I view, is that a pretty good indication that they are fine? Any advice? THey are probably not going to last too long. ------------- RPOD 172 HRE & Ridgeline |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 08 Oct 2013 at 9:39pm
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Run each one under high load, like an electric heater. Then try them together with two heaters. Try eco mode and normal mode. If that is all OK I would go for it.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: bakes99
Date Posted: 08 Oct 2013 at 11:50pm
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Gone, that fast. The ad was taken down this afternoon. He had them advertised as a pair of generators. Nowhere in the description or title did it say Honda. The pic clearly showed to eu2000i's paralleled together. Someone knew what they wanted and went for it right away. Oh well, you snooze you lose. Many regrets, Me ------------- RPOD 172 HRE & Ridgeline |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2013 at 5:49am
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There are other options for generators that work well and cost much less. It doesn't have to be red to work. Don't regret to much. ------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: bakes99
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2013 at 9:49am
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Ive read about some of them. But it needs to be quiet and dependable like red. Sort of leaning towards the eu3000 now. The weight and price is certainly an issue but at least ill have support for it, and it should pretty much run everything on the pod. And it's quiet.
Don't know much about the others other than what I've read online. Assuming your talking about boliy and kipor. ------------- RPOD 172 HRE & Ridgeline |
Posted By: Thinker
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2013 at 11:47am
Yep, but the red one has the fuel pump so you can connect the outboard motor fuel tank and run all day and all night. Else, get up every few hours and refuel the little tank. ------------- Tow Vehicle: 2013 Pathfinder 4WD R-POD Model 171
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Posted By: Craneman
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2013 at 3:43pm
------------- Jo and Gary, 2010-174,2011 F150 
Jo and Gary 2010 174 2011 Ford 150 |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2013 at 9:22pm
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Everyone needs to get what they want. My $300 Champion runs as long as I sleep on a tank of gas, is reasonably quiet, will run my air, nuke box and anything else in the Pod at the same time. It has not let me down yet, and I can by six of them for the price of this used set of red ones. If you are in a camp ground you can't run any of them during quiet time, and if you aren't you will never hear the gen set over the air in the pod. When I priced a pair of the red ones and cabling needed it came in around $2400. I had $2100 t0 spend on lots of other fun stuff. ------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 10 Oct 2013 at 12:20pm
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So are you buying a round of beers if all podders come to WI this weekend? I'm curious, how much gas does yours use overnight running the A/C? ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 10 Oct 2013 at 6:31pm
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Doug, for you I will buy you a beer any time.
I have never run the AC all night. The tank holds all of a 5 gallon gas can, and I have run it for 10 hours with the air running. It is heavy, and I need help lifting it into the bed of my truck. It stays there when I am using it. ------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 10 Oct 2013 at 7:39pm
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Thanks!
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: bc matell
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2013 at 5:16pm
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hi ,we are up the road from you a bit, Chemainus, we are also thinking of the honda gen.I have walked by when one was running ,very quite! It will be great for dry camping as we will not have to worry about the battery! Where do you camp? ------------- TV 2012 Toyota Tacoma 6 cyl Misha the Lab Loving life and living it! |
Posted By: bakes99
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2013 at 5:41pm
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We just got our Rpod last August. So far, Penticton, Parksville x2, Gordan Bay and Goldstream. Some with hookups, some without. Thinking that next year will be a lot of weekends in provincial parks seeing the kids are in school and daycare for most of the year. Kind of thinking about the EU3000is now due to the db level. Big weight, but nothing me an the wife can't handle. Sposed to be pretty quiet.. We are definitely open to new campgrounds if you have any ideas. We'd like to go to a different campground every trip. You have a couple close to you that are supposed to be pretty nice. ------------- RPOD 172 HRE & Ridgeline |
Posted By: bc matell
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2013 at 6:52pm
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We go to lizard lake, dry camping, San Juan,dry camping and up island to miracle beach full hook ups. We try to go different places,happy camping!! ------------- TV 2012 Toyota Tacoma 6 cyl Misha the Lab Loving life and living it! |