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Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / Powering Cabin with a pair of Honda EU2000i's
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MJW
Member
# Posted: 3 May 2013 13:30
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Got a question on how I can balance use between the 2.

I bought the Honda 2000 and the Companion unit. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I will be able to run everything in the cabin on one unit with the exception of A/C and the washer. The washer actually runs fine until it hits the spin cycle and then it demands more power.

My concern is that the one Honda (the one with the 30 amp plug) will be the one running on it's own 95% of the time with the other unit only running a couple of hours a week except for the extremely hot days requiring A/C.

Is there anything I can do to break up the wear on the one unit?

For example, if I hook up the parallel cords (with the house wire plugged into the companion unit) and have both units running, can the companion unit then be turned off and the other unit actually run the house?

Sorry if this doesn't make any sense but it just seems like there should be a way to let the 2 units share the wear and tear and that would be better for them.

toyota_mdt_tech
Member
# Posted: 3 May 2013 17:11
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Run the one only, then add 2nd only as needed. But toggle the primary units around to spread wear on both? Or run one only, excpet during back up and then when it wears out, you only replace one unit, use other during down time? Not sure how the parallel kit would work if you jsut turned one unit off? I suspect it will work just fine, even if its still plugged in.

MJW
Member
# Posted: 3 May 2013 20:59
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Quoting: toyota_mdt_tech
toggle the primary units around to spread wear on both


I would love to do this but the companion is the only one that has the 30 amp plug and if you remember, I have a wire run directly from my panel box to the unit.

Is there a way to plug that cord into the regular EU200i?

toyota_mdt_tech
Member
# Posted: 3 May 2013 23:30
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Which cord, the RV plug? Or the parallel kit?

MJW
Member
# Posted: 5 May 2013 08:32
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OK, here is my set up:

I have the house panel box wired to run the house through one 30 amp plug on the Honda Companion unit...see picture 1.

I have the second Honda (the one with the 2 regular 110 plug-ins) that I hook up in parallel when we need extra power (AC, etc.)...see picture 2.

What I am looking for is a way to use the second one to power the entire house as the one in picture 1 does.

As it is now, the Honda with the 2 110 plug ins gets used very little at all. The one with the 30 amp plug gets used ALOT. What happens if the Honda with the 30 amp plug goes down?

Just trying to be ready for the what ifs.
Honda Companion Unit Wired to Run House Through Panel Box
Honda Companion Unit Wired to Run House Through Panel Box
Honda Unit with No 30 Amp Plug In
Honda Unit with No 30 Amp Plug In
My Set Up
My Set Up


toyota_mdt_tech
Member
# Posted: 5 May 2013 16:42
Reply 


Gotcha. Easiest solution around. Go to an RV place,t hey sell the adapters to convert your 30A to fit in your std household plug. So when running a single generator where amperage wont exceed the 15 amps, you can run it on either, but if you parallel the gennies together, then remove it and plug it into the parallel kit plug.

Here it is:

http://www.amazon.com/Conntek-Male-Female-Connector-Adapter/dp/B001TO4WCS/ref=sr_1_4? ie=UTF8&qid=1367786430&sr=8-4&keywords=RV+cord+adaptor

Picture:
Duplex to RV plug adapter.
Duplex to RV plug adapter.


MJW
Member
# Posted: 5 May 2013 18:08
Reply 


Awesome!

This is actually the one I need.

http://www.amazon.com/Conntek-Locking-Adapter-Female-Connector/dp/B002YB108Y

Some expensive little boogers...

toyota_mdt_tech
Member
# Posted: 5 May 2013 22:58
Reply 


Quoting: MJW
Awesome!

This is actually the one I need.



Ok, for soem reason, I was thinking that companion plug was one of those 30A RV plugs and not the 30A 120VAC twistlock.

But either way, problem solved.

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