My mom wants a generator for backup power and I'm trying to steer her in the right direction.

First, the load will consist of 1 chest freezer, 1 up right freezer, 1 refrigerator, a few lights and a fan or 2.  Food could be consolidated into the chest freezer if necessary.

Eventually, she will want a transfer switch installed, but for now, if she needed to run power from the generator it would be with extension cords.

If it will work, I would like to recommend a couple Honda EU2000/2200's.  

My logic is 2 is 1, 1 is none.  Also, she wants to buy an RV or travel trailer in the next couple years and will need an easily portable generator to use with it anyway.

Does the 2 Honda's sound like a good solution given her situation?

If so, which 2 model numbers should she get?

If I understand Honda's system correctly, one needs to be a companion model right?  What about hooking them up to a transfer switch, would one or both need a 30A receptacle?

Is it worth stepping up to the 2200 over the 2000?

The 2200 is the only available model in current production.  The 2000 was discontinued when the 2200 was released.

To run a few fridges and freezes, plus fan and lights, you really only need one Honda EU2200i.  You don't need to run all those things at the same time, load-sharing reducing generator size and fuel consumption.

No, if you get 2 2200s, one does not need to be the companion model.  There are kits to combine 2 regular 2200s, but the companion model makes it easier by having a built-in 30 amp 120V plug.  It is possible to make your own paralleling cable, just Google it.

The Eu2200 is a great solution.  Quiet, lightweight reliable and sips fuel.  I suggest she starts out with one EU2200 model and do some test runs hooking up the needed loads and see how it handles them.  My chest freezer only draws 80 watts when running.  A single EU2200 could power 10 of those things no problem.  Later if she needs more power or buys an RV with a big A/C unit, then add the 2nd EU2200 or Companion model when needed.

Get a Predator generator and add a Reliance Controls transfer switch…

Honda makes some pretty nice generators.   I have both an EU2000i and an EU2200i.   I am happy with both of them.  I went with Honda over the competitors because reliability was extremely important to me and the reliability of the competitors hadn't been proven.  I also liked the fact that you could easily convert the Honda's to propane or natural gas.   I have the Hutch Mountain Propane conversion kits installed on both of my Honda's.   I like the ability of running for days on end from an installed, residential propane tank.   But then the recent situation in Texas showed that you needed to be ready for just about anything so I spent some time putting together the components for extending the runtime on gasoline as well.   A lot of people use an extended fuel tank intended for boating but that doesn't work well for me.   I put a solution together that works off a standard NATO fuel can.  It is easier for me to store and I can refuel while the generator is running by swapping the fuel can.  



The Honda can do this, without depending on a siphon because the Honda has an actual fuel pump.   Most of the competitors have to use a siphon to draw fuel from an extended tank.   Edited to add:   Technically the Honda will use a siphon to suck the fuel from the secondary tank but you don't have to start the siphon yourself.   The Honda will do it for you if the connection between the two tanks is sealed.  With generators like the Champion or Predator lines you have to start the siphon and keep the secondary tank elevated to allow the generator to draw from a secondary fuel tank.  

So the Honda (to me) is a nice platform to start with because of the options to customize your solution down the road.   It isn't cheap but how often have you heard "buy once, cry once" and I think that applies to the Honda.  

So the loads that you specified can be handled by the 2200i.   That isn't an issue.   Your mom can handle the weight and starting a pull start generator?   What is the chances that she will want/need a standby generator to handle startup for her?   What is the chances that she will want/need to add an air conditioner into the mix?   A small (say 5K BTU) air conditioner can be handled by the 2200i but your margin is smaller when you add that in.  

With the information provided it sounds like you are on the right track.

I’ve gone with the 2 eu2200i solution.  I went with one normal and one companion model to get the 30 amp plug (L5-30R).
I also have a larger (very loud) generator that has an L14-30R plug.

Instead of transfer switch I went with a panel interlock and a 30 amp power inlet box (has a L14-30P connector).

So using an L5-30P to L14-30R adapter I can then use a cord with L14-30P and L14-30R ends to connect the eu2200i companion to the power inlet box or use the cord directly to the larger (loud) generator to the power inlet box.

Then using the breaker panel and interlock I can choose what breakers I want to power from the generator when grid power is turned off.

The eu2200i generators (even paralleled) will not be able to supply 240 V appliances, but will supply 120 V to both legs on the panel for all the 120 V loads.

For small window unit ACs there are models sold that have a lower in-rush current that can more easily be started by smaller generators (still need to have the continuous power capacity).  Alternatively there are hard start and soft start kits for various ACs that are sold that will reduce the require in-ruch.

I also have extended run fuel tanks for the eu2200i generators so that the time between fills is extended and the tanks can be refilled without turning off the generators.

The eu2200i generators have 0.95 gallons tanks and can run for anywhere from 3 hours to more than 9 hours using ECO Throttle depending on the load.

I like the idea of having the 2 generators that can be used individually or in parallel depending on the power demands.  I also like that they are small enough for myself and others to more easily handle.  I am working through the security aspects of them at the moment but I think that won’t be too hard to finalize.

I myself have been looking at a few and this is the one I will be getting.
Champion Model 76553 Dual Fuel  4750/3800 on Gas, 4275/3420 on Propane
68dbs in noise level.

https://www.championpowerequipment.com/product/76533-3800-watt-dual-fuel-generator/


I like the Propane idea because I can buy two 40pound Propane tanks and get them filled.
The propane wont be as powerful as the gas but It can store much longer.

The two generator solution has some redundancy built in for sure and Honda makes great generators. That said, I’d probably look at Champion. You could do two Champion generators for a lot less. You could even go with one Champion inverter in the 3500 watt range. They even make them in factory dual fuel propane/gasoline for even more reliability.

Can anyone provide any information on the number of hours people are getting on the Champion or Predator series generators?      The last time that I went through the thread on the Harbor Freight Tailgater generator I got the impression that they weren’t handling longer term use very well.   And the HF Tailgater probably isn’t a good reference for any generator produced these days but I haven’t seen anything else to compare it to.   And OP, I hope that I am not hijacking your thread.   It seems like this is relevant to your question.