Posted: 6/14/2013 12:51:33 PM EDT
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Guys,
I've had a Honda EU2000i for about three or four years now and it has run beautifully. (Got me through a few serious power failures) I'd like to buy another Honda and run them in parallel. I don't know anything about that, so I wanted to ask the hive two important questions: 1) Should I get another EU2000i in order to successfully run them in parallel? 2) Can I get a different size generator and run the two in parallel? How does that whole thing work? I know Honda sells the wiring, but I didn't know if I had to go "same same" with the power outputs of the two generators. |
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I know officially Honda only supports matched pairs. I have not personally tried it with my EU2000, but I believe others have tried paralleling with a non-inverter generator, where you start that generator first and then bring the EU in and the EU syncs with it.
The "parallel" jacks on the EU are directly connected to the AC output of the EU, they do not connect to any special electronics. The parallel jacks are a safety thing with double shrouded banana plugs, but electrically they are the same as connecting the generators with a double male "suicide cord". So when the inverter in the EU comes online it is looking for existing AC on it's output to sync to, and thus it should sync to other AC sources. |
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Quoted:
I know officially Honda only supports matched pairs. I have not personally tried it with my EU2000, but I believe others have tried paralleling with a non-inverter generator, where you start that generator first and then bring the EU in and the EU syncs with it. The "parallel" jacks on the EU are directly connected to the AC output of the EU, they do not connect to any special electronics. The parallel jacks are a safety thing with double shrouded banana plugs, but electrically they are the same as connecting the generators with a double male "suicide cord". So when the inverter in the EU comes online it is looking for existing AC on it's output to sync to, and thus it should sync to other AC sources. Thanks. So, could I get away with paralleling it with another Honda that's bigger...as long as the new Honda also has an inverter? |
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I would not advise attempting to parallel an EU2000i with anything other than an EU2000i. IIRC, they also have a 'companion' version that has an RV plug.
Yamaha's and Champion also have models designed to be paralleled. I actually like the Champion design better, because of how they stack together. 
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I would not advise attempting to parallel an EU2000i with anything other than an EU2000i. IIRC, they also have a 'companion' version that has an RV plug. Yamaha's and Champion also have models designed to be paralleled. I actually like the Champion design better, because of how they stack together. http://www.championpowerequipment.com/images/product-photos/73536i/2_medium.jpg Thanks dude. I will probably do just that. |
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I would not advise attempting to parallel an EU2000i with anything other than an EU2000i. IIRC, they also have a 'companion' version that has an RV plug. Yamaha's and Champion also have models designed to be paralleled. I actually like the Champion design better, because of how they stack together. http://www.championpowerequipment.com/images/product-photos/73536i/2_medium.jpg Thanks dude. I will probably do just that. That's certainly the safe approach, but I know I read of others testing the mismatched paralleling without issues. I can't recall where, but I bet some net searching could find it. Again, the paralleling link between the Hondas is strictly the 60Hz AC, I have the Honda manuals and those parallel jacks are directly tied to the hot and neutral of the AC outlets. There is no electronic communication of any sort between the generators. The inverters look for external AC on startup and then syncronize their output with it much the way grid-tie inverters do. There is no way the Honda inverter can tell whether the 60Hz AC it sees is from another Honda of the same size of something completely different. The question of load balancing comes up from time to time, but there is no technical reason that the two generators would not share the load in a reasonable fashion. |
| This kit from this archived post may give you some insight to do what you are talking about. |
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Load balancing would be the key. Mismatched generators would not take an equal percentage of the load. The smaller one would reach its limit first and probably trip off line. That would then throw all the load on the other one. If the load is too much then it would trip too. It is too complicated to be worth trying on such a small setup.
If you are trying to run a single large load, get the proper size unit to run it. If you have several small loads, split them up so you use less fuel, longer running loads grouped together as much as possible. [ rant ] When I build my next house I plan to set up a load distribution panel, grouping like loads together, ie. lights and ceiling fans on a separate branch possibly on an inverter. Fridge and freezer on a separate branch on another inverter. Then break out the big loads like washer and dryer on a separate panel with a heavy duty hookup for the big genny. That way as my budget allows I can add solar to most of the house and only have limited dependence on the grid. (with gas appliances I can eliminate all heavy loads) [/rant] |
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Thanks guys. I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to get a second EU2000i from Wise Sales. I would urge you to strongly consider the Companion model. Having that bigger circuit available is an advantage that is worth the price, IMO. You can do the same TT30 receptacle external with a pair of regular EU2000s if you want. The companion model just builds it in. |
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Honda states.....only two gennys of the same size for parallel........can it be done with two hondas of different size? Yes......there is a guy on youtube that has a video tutorial......and shows that it does work......also wise sells as stated above a parallel kit that allows for different sizes up to 6k max.
I think your smart in just buying the other honda 2000i......and also as stated above I would get the companion model with the built in 30 amp receptical. I owned (2) honda 2000i gennys and ran almost everything in my home with them both.......everything but the big things of course. Stove, air, dryer........but all my lights, fans, fridge, wine cooler, multiple tvs.....all of it running at same time......those little hondas pushed it all. The reason why I say to get the companion is cause I powered my whole home with a gentran parallel kit that basically ran both units together and gave you a 30 amp plug to connect into.......then feed the other end into a powerbox on your home and good to go.....if you get the companion the 30 amp receptical is built in.......so no need to buy the home parallel kit :) All you would need is a L5-30 plug to L5-30 recepticle power cord......pick what lenght works best for your application Also another advantage is if time is limited or only one genny is needed grab your companion......and run only one genny This was the kit I used.......but again if you buy a companion this is not needed http://www.gen-tran.com/eshop/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=73131A |
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This was the kit I used.......but again if you buy a companion this is not needed http://www.gen-tran.com/eshop/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=73131A Did you ever open it up and look inside? What was in it? How was it wired? |
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This was the kit I used.......but again if you buy a companion this is not needed http://www.gen-tran.com/eshop/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=73131A Did you ever open it up and look inside? What was in it? How was it wired? There is nothing special wiring wise. As I noted previously, paralleling the genrators is nothing more than connecting hot to hot, neutral to neutral and ground to ground between them. The "parallel" jacks are directly connected to the AC receptacles and the only reason those jacks exist is to use double shrouded banana plugs which protect you from potentially contacting a live terminal. You can parallel the generators with nothing more than a "suicide" cord with two AC plugs on it, but of course then it's possible to unplug one end and have exposed live terminals if the other generator is running. You can buy the shrouded banana plugs from places like Digi-Key, or you can get the basic Honda parallel cable and hack it. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Thanks guys. I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to get a second EU2000i from Wise Sales. I would urge you to strongly consider the Companion model. Having that bigger circuit available is an advantage that is worth the price, IMO. That's the route I went. Glad I did. |
