Generators and batteries and BIL

[Grizwald2]

Alright let me just get to the point. I don't like running the Onan 5.5 for three or 4 hours a day to charge my batteries. I also have the stereo on 16 hours a day with ext speakers moved out by the fire. I like outside lights and for the women to watch their TV. My BIL has one of them loud home depot generators that he runs 3 or 4 hours a day. I also like new toys...Soooo I bought a Honda Eu2000. Now my question is,

Would it be better to unplug my and my BIL's converters and run them from the Honda to keep our batteries charged and run my outside lights?

This would require both of us to run the house generator only when the women need the microwave (were talking winter here no need for the big AC).

Or if I plugged my house into the Honda I can run everything (not the AC) including the Microwave (I already tried it and it works) and never need the Onan except for its maintenance run every now and then. Then use a Sams Club Smart 2/10/25 charger from the Honda to my BIL's Batteries? He will only have to run the loud Gen when his wife needs to microwave.

Or do you think I could plug both houses to the Honda and as long as we train the women not to use the Microwave at the same time we should be good.

On another note I fell in love with the honda on the first pull of the cord.

One last thing 56 I know your going to mention solar and you are right.....In the future for me, besides you can always use portable power for many other things.

What do you all think?

Griz

[Grizwald2]

Alright let me just get to the point. I don't like running the Onan 5.5 for three or 4 hours a day to charge my batteries. I also have the stereo on 16 hours a day with ext speakers moved out by the fire. I like outside lights and for the women to watch their TV. My BIL has one of them loud home depot generators that he runs 3 or 4 hours a day. I also like new toys...Soooo I bought a Honda Eu2000. Now my question is,

Would it be better to unplug my and my BIL's converters and run them from the Honda to keep our batteries charged and run my outside lights?

This would require both of us to run the house generator only when the women need the microwave (were talking winter here no need for the big AC).

Or if I plugged my house into the Honda I can run everything (not the AC) including the Microwave (I already tried it and it works) and never need the Onan except for its maintenance run every now and then. Then use a Sams Club Smart 2/10/25 charger from the Honda to my BIL's Batteries? He will only have to run the loud Gen when his wife needs to microwave.

Or do you think I could plug both houses to the Honda and as long as we train the women not to use the Microwave at the same time we should be good.

On another note I fell in love with the honda on the first pull of the cord.

One last thing 56 I know your going to mention solar and you are right.....In the future for me, besides you can always use portable power for many other things.

What do you all think?

Griz

[56Nomad]

Hi Griz,

You're such a great guy picking up the electric bill for your BIL

If you worry about the gals trying to run the micro when you're not powered up.... open the upper cabinet door and unplug it Just tell them that it's broken

That Eu2000 is a wonderful little machine and you should be able to charge both rigs PLUS run the lights. If you power two rigs, I would switch the refrigerators from the auto mode to the gas mode as two refrigerators might pull too much juice for the Honda.

It was really nice meeting you and your family at Spot X

[Grizwald2]

Thanks 56 Good idea on the fridge. I totally forgot that changes back and forth ever time you start the Onan. I think it would be healthier for the fridge to just run it off the gas anyway except when shore powered. I'm pretty impressed with the Honda so far. Im in the middle of restoring an old Honda E1500 that sat in my dad's garage in AZ for probable 20 years before he passed 3 years ago. I brought it home and have been meaning to clean it up but then this Iraq stuff started and well...3 years later its 33 years old now. The carb was all varnished up and the fuel lines were hard as a rock. The Air Cleaner crumbled in my hand but overall the thing was in good shape (Dessert Air) I got it running and its works perfect but the carb was leaking so off on the internet I searched and was lucky to find a rebuild kit, new plug and air filter. Also replaced the drive belts. Even found an online operator manual (old...).

Moral of this story is the old Honda was built in 1973 is rated at 1500 watts and weighs 120 pounds. The EU2000i is 46 pounds and ratted at 2000 watts. We have come along way haven't we? I am amazed at how quiet the old one is too!

Don

[Grizwald2]

Just an update to the Honda EU2000i. We all went to Dumont for the thanksgiving weekend and got to use the little gen allot. I love it. Run for hours and kept my bil and my bats fully charged while running anything we wanted. Dang thing is quit as a mouse. I had to position it so I could see the little green light to make sure it was running. The down side is after further review it will not power the Microwave but it will power the coffee maker and the toaster. So every time the women needed to nuke something (which is allot when you are the one that has to unplug that dang 50 amp cord and then re-connect it when their done) out I went to plug and re plug the generators.

So my question to the electrical wizards is do they make a transfer switch That I can activate from inside the trailer so I can have both generators plugged in and select which one I feed the trailer from?

Griz

[Jeff_in_The_Dalles]

You might try shutting off the converter/charger either by unplugging it or at the breaker box...

Depending upon the size of the microwave, that might make the difference.

[Grizwald2]

Wow sometimes you get so wrapped up into an Idea you overlook the obvious. Thanks for the tip Jeff. It almost runs it. I but your right, I think when the wife wants to use the micro just flipping of the converter breaker for a moment would do it. Thanks Jeff. I feel like Homer Simpson, Doh!

[Hoverbug]

For those of us with portable gensets here is info I find helpful. Happy Trails!! Dave

[Hoverbug]

Wow! Don't know what button I pushed to make the pic so large. But, hey big is good right. For us visually impaired anyway.

[Vette Racer]

HB, Big is always good!

[Grizwald2]

HB thanks for the chart. I took it to work and printed it out on the giant printer. I'm going to tape it to the side of the WW and get me one of them their pointer sticks....Make the family sit with their hands folded and.....Class is in session

Griz

[Hoverbug]

Thats good Griz. Reminds me of my instructor days. "I'll be your instructor for the next five zero minutes" Goto photos to see the normal size

[WWFan]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Grizwald2:
HB thanks for the chart. I took it to work and printed it out on the giant printer. I'm going to tape it to the side of the WW and get me one of them their pointer sticks....Make the family sit with their hands folded and.....Class is in session

Griz </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Like that! How'd they do?! What were their test scores?!

[Grizwald2]

Test scores.......They don't care about charts, their women, they want blow dryers, microwaves and curling irons, toasters, waffle makers, crock pots and T.V. Just kidding, we men and our stereos, lights and battery chargers, spotlights, whip lights and power tools do just as much if not more for the old power drain.

I just received my Iota 55 amp charger. They say you can hook them up in parallel on their web site. I think I'm going to call and ask. If you can rather than let the 30 amp collect dust in the garage I think I'm going to wire the 50 amp to the transfer switch to shore power or Honda Gen. Then when the Onan is on the 30 amp will also kick in for a combined output of 85 Amps. I also have to ask them if I can use a phone jack splitter so that the IQ4 will operate both Iota chargers.

Thoughts anyone?