"gaffcat" wrote in news:1141113906.198482.238960
@i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:

I am planning on using a Honda EU2000i generator as backup to solar and
wind sources on a sailboat with outboard auxiliary. The Honda will
power a 110 volt 50 amp charger. Somewhere I read of problems with an
inverter generator used with a battery charger. Does anyone have
experience with this use?



It'll power a 14V 50A charger, which is what you meant I suppose. Leave
it in Econo mode so the engine runs at very low speed. Speed on inverter
gensets has nothing to do with their rock-solid 60Hz output frequency and
rock-solid voltage.

Your information on them running a battery charger is dead wrong. I have
both the EU1000i, the walkie-talkie of gensets, and the EU3000i, the
much-better, quieter model I suggest everyone buy, instead of the
suitcases. Both of them run a cheap Schumaker SCR charger, the
computerized Vector 40A charger (now labeled Black and Decker at Wally
World) and the old 40A manual charger out of the Amel ketch...just fine.
All these gensets were designed with "computer" in mind. They also run
audio equipment fine in outdoor venues. I know a 4-piece rock band using
an EU2000i whenever they play outdoors and there's no power for all their
amps/boards even stage lighting that's Triac-controlled. Other than the
mechanical noise of the engine, none of the amps makes a buzz you can
hear, even when the boys aren't making that grinding noise their fans
seem to crave.

Before you buy the 2000i, be sure to run it under a 1500W electric heater
load you bring to the store, alongside the EU3000i and compare them.
Yeah, I know the 3000 is much larger and heavier, but there's a reason.
The 3000i is hardly breathing at 1200 RPM until you hit about 1800W on
econo mode. Even at full load, 2800 watts, it's only turning 2200
RPM....much quieter, slower speed and LONGER LASTING than its suitcase
little brothers. My biggest regret about it is Honda screwed up the
exhaust on the 3000i. I welded a pipe nipple to the 1000i's little
exhaust outlet so I could pipe the fumes away in any installation. The
3000i's exhaust pipe breathes into the cooling air supply inside the
damned case and is very hard to get to, very unreasonable.

Other than that, pulling two 8000 Btu Korean window A/Cs all summer and
powering my stepvan electronics shop, chargers and all, the 3000i has
been rock solid since the day I bought it....