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write your own review of the Honda EU2000i.
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NL7Y
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 17, 2009 21:58
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Much better!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This is an update of my earlier reviews of this product 8/03 and 8/07. I recently purchased a second EU2000i S/N 1883369 to power the HF gear and run the small accessories in my motor home. There's little to no appreciable RF emitted now from the Inverter Unit via the power cord, as Honda now incorporates an AC noise filter of some on current production units. My earlier genset from '03 lacked that addition, but I added a similar filter unit from the EU1000i available at that time to help suppress inverter noise carried down the powerline.
The ignition wire and plug assembly, despite incorporating a resistor cap and plug, still radiate ignition pulse noise either directly or via the power cord. Just grounding the generator frame only made it worse.
The fix is simple - put some some double-layer aluminum foil over the short high-tension ignition wire and plug cap under the small red spark plug inspection cover. Use enough to cover all the components and coil well, plus enough extra to compress the foil against the cooling frame when the cover is closed.
Result=no more ignition pulse noise. None. Cheap Faraday shield. The foil doesn't cause any heat issues as the cooling air flows inside the engine metal cover. The coil, plug cap, and shield are external to that. If the noise eventually returns due to the foil compressing and maybe loosing good contact with the metal cooling shroud/frame, just add enough foil to re-establish that contact when the cover is closed.
It's a very good unit despite one easily fixed issue.
73 Gary NL7Y
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W7GMC
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 9, 2009 20:41
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MUST HAVE!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Background on my generator experience. Started with an old, I mean old onan 1.8k gen. I started every time with one pull, but man was it load and heavy. Moved up to a Generac 4k contractor gen. Wow, lots of power, heavy and LOUD! I had to leave the gen in the bed of my truck and move the truck at least 20 feet from the camper to make it bearable to listen to. Then I saw a demo of the EU2000i. It was a hard purchase to spend $999 locally, but WOW! This baby purrs. I can run two campers, both occupants use CPAP, furnace and DTV with a 13in standard TV and 19" lcd. Now remember, the gen has a 1.1 gallon tank. I usually boondock camp at an altitude of 3,700 feet. This gen will run for nearly 10 hrs! The thing gets a little bit more noise when ya fire up the microwave. I've had this gen now for about 3 yrs now and no problems. I would recommend a thinner oil when in colder environment (below 30f) as it takes several pull/stall cycles until the oil freely starts moving and the gen oil sensor stops killing the gen. It will not run a AC, but paired up, should do it fine. I'm going to do a Extended run fuel tank to allow the thing to run like 70hrs without a refuel. Mayberrys sells these babies online as an ARRL Special for $879 shipped to the door.
I NEVER REGRETTED THE PURCHASE! Can't complain for a 48lb gen thats easy to move and store in the camper!
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AI6DX
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 8, 2009 22:43
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Update review!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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When I previously reviewed this generator under my old call sign (KD6WAG) back in Feb '08, I gave the Honda a "5." Well, I still give it a 5 but I recently did encounter some problems on a field outing that I never experienced in the past.
This time out, I was surprised to see that when I connected my HF gear in a remote part of the western desert area, the noise floor was almost an S9! The genny was producing so much "hash" this time that it really surprised me. I was using the exact same equipment right down to the same 50' extention cord as before. I've never had this problem in the past while using HF and my Yeasu 857d.
Only this time I figured out what the problem was. Apparently all the other times I've used this generator for my HF equipment, I literally stretched out the 50' extention cord the full length and placed the generator as far away as possible from my gear. Second, this last trip, I had my equipment inside an old restored miner's cabin from the late 1800's. The cabin roof and walls were all covered in sheet metal. This trip I also did not have the luxury to stretch out the extension cord nor could I move my porable dipole away from the metal cabin. The noise was horrible!
So, the key to this generator and HF work is to keep it far away as possible from your HF gear and if possible, keep your antennas and power source equipment away from metal objects (RV's, cabins, etc...
When I was finally able to move to a new location on another trip, I again isolated the genny 50' away from any metal and my HF station. My antenna was also in the "clear."
This time, I had no noise! Life had returned to normal and life was good again!
In reality, the noise was not the fault of the generator. It was the environment the generator had to perform in. That being metal that was coupling itself to my antenna and generator to create nasty hash.
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KF6HQC
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 1, 2008 22:32
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Not one problem, ever
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have owned my eu2Ki for four years now and I have never had a problem with it ever. It has been to four field days now with me and provided RFI quiet perfect power each time. I have noticed a birdie or two on a couple of bands like 17 meters but it has never been a problem for me as the birdies are quite narrow. I have used it on dozens of camping trips to the mountains @ 8000 feet to the beach at sea level and it has always started on the first or second easy pull. And because it uses a fuel pump rather than gravity feed, it has run for days on my 6 gallon plastic boat tank and a modified honda gas cap (purchased seperatly then modified). I'll never be without it. It even runs my 4500 BTU mini air conditioner in my Chalet trailer flawlessly. It has never failed me yet. One of the best investments I have made.
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K2GW
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 26, 2008 09:30
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170,000 QSO's !
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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As an FYI, the two week VP6DX dxpedition to Ducie Island made over 170,000 contacts using the 240 VAC big brother inverter of the EU2000i. They had no RF noise on their deserted island from them as they grounded the generators. Here's a quote from the VP6DX website:
Honda EM65is and EM30is inverter supply, gasoline generators. The operators report that the generators offer "100 percent reliability to date. The inverter system has been very tolerant of the widely varying loads presented to the generators as multiple operating positions switch between transmit (high power consumption) and receive (low power consumption), a vast improvement over previous gasoline generator designs."
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PANTIN
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Rating: 2/5
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Jan 31, 2008 13:07
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problem w eu2000i
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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We purchased two eu2000i, one works perfectly and the other had a serious gas leak the first time it was used and it would die when we turned the choke switch. We took it back to the dealership and we were told nothing was wrong with it, however we feel it was defective.
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W6LAR
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Rating: 2/5
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Aug 13, 2007 19:30
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Going back to dealer.
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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Took my new eu2000 out camping this past weekend. I ran my IC718 while powering the travel trailer with the Honda. The 718 on battery power. I was disappointed to find a noise floor of S5 - S9 while the Honda was hooked up. As a test I ran the Honda alone, no noise. I plugged in a 25 ft power cord and laid it on the ground going nowhere. Noise at S5 - S9. Seems my "new" genny is a trash transmitter. I tried numerous grounding but no change. Got home tonight and backed up my findings. Will put a scope on it tomorrow night. I will take a picture and let the dealer hash it out. I am really bummed on this one. I expected better from Honda.
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W5HLM
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Rating: 5/5
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May 27, 2007 15:28
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Highly Recommended!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have two of these little generators, and have several friends who've also purchased them. Though the initial investment is rather significant, you certainly get what you pay for with Honda! I've run them in parallel on several occasions and they perform as advertised. One of the two was loaded on a private plane after Hurricane Katrina and provided continuous power for communications and lighting for a solid week. A fellow ham used one on a missionary assignment and said he ran it non-stop for three weeks! I know I sound like an advertisement, but for power you can count on, the EU2000i is the way to go!
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KQ6EA
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Rating: 5/5
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May 17, 2007 08:54
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Small, Quiet, and Economical
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Going on my 2nd Field Day with this generator. It's small, quiet, and very economical. Ran it almost all weekend last year in Econo Mode on a little over ONE tank of gas! I had people ask me if it was running, because you couldn't hear it over the din of the Coleman and Sears generators running nearby. NO RFI that I could detect. After unpacking it and checking the oil, it started new out-of-the-box on the second pull. Started on the first pull every time after that. My son's been using it for camping since last Field Day, and has had absolutely no problems with it.
Great little generator, and I'm quite happy with it.
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K1AHL
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 2, 2007 12:09
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Superb Unit
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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We have had a Honda EM400 since the 1970's, and it has always performed flawlessly, starts on the first light pull and just purrs happily along. However 300 to 400 watts is not a 'large' amount of power these days, so, it was decided to acquire an additional unit. We looked at many but have been so satisfied with the Honda brand, workmanship and excellent reliability that it made sense to buy the EU 2000, which we did. This is a superb unit, very well engineered. The EU 2000 also starts very easily, is very quiet, and when you then switch in the eco-throttle, it too just makes a low purr! In any emergency situation availability of fuel may be critical, and the Honda is very efficient, it barely sips fuel, and even 5 or 10 gallons will last a long time. (Gas stations may be out of power, thus no easy availability.) The EU 2000 is a purchase that one can be proud of days, weeks and years after the price is forgotten...a thing of quality is a joy forever! K1AHL.
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