I'm betting there is a wealth of collective knowledge within this community on portable gennies, looking for intel on any and all. It's for home/shop use not to be transported into the back country, I go there for solitude.

How much power do you need? I have a 1,400w Predator and a 5,000w Predator and so far they are as nice or nicer than Honda's I have had in the past.

I snowmobiled up to the cabin that we normally only visit on floats in the summer, and the 5000w started right up with the push button in -10F after sitting for 6 months. 600 hrs on it so far, very impressed.

Thanks, I'll have a look at them. I'd likely go with 5000 watts or greater for my purposes.

I have numerous Hondas from 1K up to 10K. Very happy with all of them. Note that not all produce inverted power. For home/ shop use you will probably get better results with one that outputs inverted power. Honda makes a very nice 7K (EU7000iS) inverter generator. I have one as emergency backup for a home/ shop setup. It sips gas, and it's relatively quiet. A newer feature on them is an estimated run time, kind of like your fuel totalizer in your plane that tells you how many hours til empty. However, generators in general don't like to be run long-term on a light load, so if 7K exceeds your calculated needs significantly you might want to look at the equivalent 3K model, or a used 6K or 6.5K model. Finally, these are portable in the sense that they have wheels and a fold-out handlebar, but at close to 300 lbs fueled, it's not like you're going to want to transport it a lot. If the premium is on portability, you might want to look at their EU2200i and EU2200i Companion models. individually they each supply 2K, but when run in parallel with an available cable, they perform like a 4K. The Companion model adds a 30A receptacle. The downside is that these units only output 120V, whereas the bigger wheeled/ chassis units output 120V and 240V selectable.

I see a line of Champion generator but not Companion ?

Mapleflt wrote:I see a line of Champion generator but not Companion ?

Sorry for the confusion- those are also Honda models: Honda EU2200i and Honda EU2200i Companion. The Companion version is designed to run alone or in parallel with the basic Honda EU2200i.

They may not be up to the demands of your house/ shop, but the upside is the versatility of having two 2Ks, or linking them to have the functionality of a 4K when desired. And they are easily picked up and carried around. Probably more of a back-up solution for a home/shop, than a regular supply source, especially due to the lack of 240V output.

denalipilot wrote:

Mapleflt wrote:I see a line of Champion generator but not Companion ?

Sorry for the confusion- those are also Honda models: Honda EU2200iS and Honda EU2200iS Companion. i.e., the Companion version is designed to run in parallel with the basic Honda EU2200iS.

They may not be up to the demands of your house/ shop, but the upside is the versatility of having two 2Ks, or linking them to have the functionality of a 4K when desired. And they are easily picked up and carried around. Probably more of a back-up solution for a home/shop, than a regular supply source, especially due to the lack of 240V output.

Now I get it, thanks

I've had a Honda EU3000iS for 14 years...it's been great. Clean inverter power and 23A @ 220V. Has an "eco" mode where it will just idle low until a load and then it automatically throttles up. It's a husky gal though, hard to lift up onto a tailgate solo, but then I'm a weak ass desk jockey.

Whatever you do... Just buy one that is quiet! The days of the obnoxiously loud generator can be put behind us. I have a Yamaha 1000 generator that just whispers along. It won't power much but works when I need some juice somewhere.

Thanks for all the input, I purchased an inverter style, dual fuel Champion gennie that Should be up to the task as required. Rest assured at almost 300 lbs it will never see a back country camp site, it’s for home and shop use only.

Predator 3500 watt gets it done cheaply. Honda 3000 is best but not cheap. Keep the fuel clean. Gummed up carbs no fun…

skyward II wrote:Predator 3500 watt gets it done cheaply. Honda 3000 is best but not cheap. Keep the fuel clean. Gummed up carbs no fun…

I've been told by others that can be an issue, would it be advisable to use a specific blend of Dino Juice, ethanol free etc. A couple of people have suggested TruFuel for the smaller, more finicky engines.

Mapleflt wrote:I've been told by others that can be an issue, would it be advisable to use a specific blend of Dino Juice, ethanol free etc. A couple of people have suggested TruFuel for the smaller, more finicky engines.

I have the 2100 Honda. My method is to start it once each month and run it for a few minutes with a load to push fresh fuel through the carburetor. It never fails to start on the second pull. The Honda has an app for the phone which will remind me that it's time to run it a bit.

If you aren't going to use it often there are ways to prepare it for storage and avoid this monthly starting. The google can shed some light on this.

I use ethanol free fuel and will put a bit of "Stay-bil" fuel stabilizer in it occasionally. I keep a couple of fuel jugs filled for generator use and every couple of months I pour that fuel into my truck and get fresh fuel for my jugs. For what it's worth, I got my fuel jugs when passing through Canada so they have functional spouts, not the complicated gizmos found on US jugs.

Do not use camp fuel such as Coleman stove fuel... that stuff is low octane and the generator will not run on it.

300 pounds? My 5,000 Predator only weighs like 120 and I flew it in.

Ross4289 wrote:300 pounds? My 5,000 Predator only weighs like 120 and I flew it in.

Busted, I'll admit to some embellishment on the weight but it will never defile the sanctity and serenity of the back country.