Honda EU2000 or Harbor Freight Predator?

[Baba Buoy]

I own two cheap Chinese generators. They worked fine (but noisy) until they didn't. They had very light use but stored for long periods of time. The metal carburetors gummed up and were corroded beyond repair. After every use, I had run them until they were out of gas. I think residual gas in the filter and fuel lines would later trickle gas into the carb after they were run dry. This residual gas evaporated leaving gummy residue that corroded the metal carburetors. I bought new carbs online for under $100. I suggest you leave open the carb bowl drain screw prior to long storage.

[jbinbi]

Originally Posted by Baba Buoy

I own two cheap Chinese generators. They worked fine (but noisy) until they didn't. They had very light use but stored for long periods of time. The metal carburetors gummed up and were corroded beyond repair. After every use, I had run them until they were out of gas. I think residual gas in the filter and fuel lines would later trickle gas into the carb after they were run dry. This residual gas evaporated leaving gummy residue that corroded the metal carburetors. I bought new carbs online for under $100. I suggest you leave open the carb bowl drain screw prior to long storage.

Regardless of Honda or knockoff, unless you are using all the gas in the tank say within a month I would suggest:

1. Always add some stabilizer to the gas. I would add this unless you are going to use the whole tank within a week.
2. Do as Baba bouy (is Howard Stern coming after you for copyright infringement says and drain the carb. I drain the whole tank, then run engine until it is out of gas and stops.
3. By non ethanol gas. HD sells it, but very expensive there. You can also get it at local airports. Supposedly pilots of little planes don't want ethanol in their engines. Having your engine cutout in a flying plane probably isn't a good thing....

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by jbinbi

Regardless of Honda or knockoff, unless you are using all the gas in the tank say within a month I would suggest:

1. Always add some stabilizer to the gas. I would add this unless you are going to use the whole tank within a week.
2. Do as Baba bouy (is Howard Stern coming after you for copyright infringement says and drain the carb. I drain the whole tank, then run engine until it is out of gas and stops.
3. By non ethanol gas. HD sells it, but very expensive there. You can also get it at local airports. Supposedly pilots of little planes don't want ethanol in their engines. Having your engine cutout in a flying plane probably isn't a good thing....

I think you are speaking of what was called white gas. Some gas stations here have a pump catering to boats with outboards on trailers. I'm not sure if is just corn oil free or still has lead in it?

[Rotan]

I am curious where on the boat you put a portable generator to avoid exhaust fumes?

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Rotan

I am curious where on the boat you put a portable generator to avoid exhaust fumes?

That is the great thing about a portable generator, at anchor we had it in the cockpit with the exhaust going over the stern. If we on a pontoon then we have used the foredeck before now if the wind was blowing from the stern or side.

The Honda rubber feet tended to mark the none slip deck so used a rubber car mat which helped dampen the sound below.

They can be anti social, but so some UK harbours have specific time like 8 - 12 when you can run a generator.

However, selling it and going for solar was one of the better things we did.

Pete

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Rotan.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I think the day of the Honda2000 being the clear product winner is over. It’s still living on the past, but a web search will show love to of others with great reviews at much less $$$$

A big part of the claims is historical. 20yr ago, Honda and Yamaha was the only game in town for inverter generators.

Now there are plenty of alternatives but since they haven't been on the market for 20yrs, you won't hear stories about their 20yr old generators.

We have a Yamaha 2400 and it's served us well since 2007 but similar to the Hondas, we can't justify they massive cost increase when the time comes to replace it. There are plenty of good alternatives that are reasonably priced.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Baba Buoy

I own two cheap Chinese generators. They worked fine (but noisy) until they didn't. They had very light use but stored for long periods of time. The metal carburetors gummed up and were corroded beyond repair. After every use, I had run them until they were out of gas. I think residual gas in the filter and fuel lines would later trickle gas into the carb after they were run dry. This residual gas evaporated leaving gummy residue that corroded the metal carburetors. I bought new carbs online for under $100. I suggest you leave open the carb bowl drain screw prior to long storage.

I had the same problem with a Honda generator and again the same problem with a small outboard.

I don't think this is specific to these devices but specific to the utter crap fuel we are forced to buy these days.

I no longer carry a portable generator but I solved the analogous problem with the outboard by switching to engineered alkylate fuel -- sold as chain saw fuel in Nordic DIY shops. "Aspen" is the most common brand of this i in the U.S.

I think you can run normal petrol/gasoline through these devices when you're using them every day then run a tank of alkylate fuel through them before storage.

I don't bother with that as I don't use my outboard that much these days.

I can say, however, that this solves the problem completely. The engineered fuel is completely stable and doesn't gum up or corrode anything. Can be left indefinitely in the carburetor bowl.

The old practice of turning off the fuel and then running the carb out of gas doesn't seem to work with the latest horror mix gasoline we get. Enough of the fuel is still left despite this procedure, to gum up the carb

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Pete7

That is the great thing about a portable generator, at anchor we had it in the cockpit with the exhaust going over the stern. If we on a pontoon then we have used the foredeck before now if the wind was blowing from the stern or side.

The Honda rubber feet tended to mark the none slip deck so used a rubber car mat which helped dampen the sound below.

They can be anti social, but so some UK harbours have specific time like 8 - 12 when you can run a generator.

However, selling it and going for solar was one of the better things we did.

Pete

We used to run ours on the swim platform. But be careful in case the wind is blowing from astern! The exhaust from these is fairly dangerous.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I had the same problem [carbs gumming up] with a Honda generator and again the same problem with a small outboard.

I don't think this is specific to these devices but specific to the utter crap fuel we are forced to buy these days.

... I solved the analogous problem with the outboard by switching to engineered alkylate fuel -- sold as chain saw fuel in Nordic DIY shops. "Aspen" is the most common brand of this i in the U.S.

For our outboard (2-stroke), our lawnmower (4-stroke) and a small 900w Chinese inverter-generator (4-stroke), I use nothing but Shell's highest-octane gas which here has no ethanol added. I add fuel stabilizer and/or Seafoam, as the mood strikes.

I bought the generator on a whim about 8 or 9 years ago, when it came up in a clearout of returns and remanufactured items (for like $150 ). I keep it as a standby unit at home, run it 3 or 4 times a year, run the carb dry before putting it away... and so far it's still a good runner.

I am totally a believer in using the best ethanol-free gas you can in engines that are only used intermittently, and might sit unused for long periods.

[Adelie]

QUOTE=Rotan;3508131]I am curious where on the boat you put a portable generator to avoid exhaust fumes?[/QUOTE]

Welcome.

I would suggest updating your profile with your general location and your boat make & model or “Looking” in the "Boat" category. This info shows up under your UserName in every post in the web view. Many questions are boat and/or location dependent and having these tidbits under your UserName saves answering those questions repeatedly. If you need help setting up your profile then click on this link: https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post3308797

I would happily help more if the link above is not enough.

Regarding generator location, would set it on a cockpit seat with exhaust pointed overboard and down wind. Obviously this is not for use in heavy weather.

[Adelie]

Regarding ethanol in fuel. There is only one practical method for a consumer to remove the ethanol: pour water into it.


Then shake the container and remove the water after 15min or more.
You want to add water at about 1:5 ratio, 1gal water for every 5gal fuel.
Helps to put food coloring in the water.
Use a container that is see thru and has a spigot at the bottom to drain off the water/ethanol mixture that results.
Ethanol is hydrophilic and would rather dissolve in water than gas/petrol. The mixture is still heavier than the fuel and will settle out.
1gal water added to gas with 10% ethanol should result in 1.5gal of water/ethanol mixture.
Since the ethanol provides a 2pt boost in octane either use a higher grade of fuel to start or add an octane booster. Make sure the octane booster is not ethanol, some are.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Adelie

Regarding ethanol in fuel. There is only one practical method for a consumer to remove the ethanol: pour water into it.


Then shake the container and remove the water after 15min or more.
You want to add water at about 1:5 ratio, 1gal water for every 5gal fuel.
Helps to put food coloring in the water.
Use a container that is see thru and has a spigot at the bottom to drain off the water/ethanol mixture that results.
Ethanol is hydrophilic and would rather dissolve in water than gas/petrol. The mixture is still heavier than the fuel and will settle out.
1gal water added to gas with 10% ethanol should result in 1.5gal of water/ethanol mixture.
Since the ethanol provides a 2pt boost in octane either use a higher grade of fuel to start or add an octane booster. Make sure the octane booster is not ethanol, some are.

Interesting!

[Dogscout]

1000 hours in 6 months. 40 hours a week. You need a power plant not a generator.

[Bowdrie]

Originally Posted by Adelie

Regarding ethanol in fuel. There is only one practical method for a consumer to remove the ethanol: pour water into it.

Brilliant, kind of the inverse of a trick used to increase the proof count of alcoholic beverages.
Take your favorite notion and put some chopped up dry ice in it.
The dry ice will freeze all the water, and you pour-off the almost pure alcohol.