# Got a second EU7000, more work to be done.



## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

Hey, so I pulled the trigger on a second EU7000. Both units fit nicely in the enclosure I built last year. I have 6 gauge cable running from my inlet box. But need to update other parts of the system. I want to feel out some options and get some opinions.

1. Inlet box.… Got to install a 50amp inlet box. There are basically two flavors. One is a plug on the front, has a waterproof flip cover, and metal construction. The second is a down facing plug. I personally like the down facing design because I keep my cable plugged in permanently and I find it to better suited for water intrusion. The down facing variant is more money, it’s in low supply At the moment, and Ive only seen it in plastic.



Amazon.com











Amazon.com: Reliance Controls PBN50 Non-Metallic Power Inlet Box, Amps 50 : Patio, Lawn & Garden


Amazon.com: Reliance Controls PBN50 Non-Metallic Power Inlet Box, Amps 50 : Patio, Lawn & Garden



www.amazon.com





The question... Anyone know of a Metal 50amp down facing inlet box?


2. Parallel ”kit”… Honda’s parallel kit is a comprehensive device but I’m exploring other options. Honda’s kit Has a slick parallel port connector, it’s a one piece, 3 pin connector eliminating the chance of mixing up connectors between machines. It has 2 analog wattage meters, a double pole 50amp circuit breaker and a 50 amp twistlock receptacle (cs6364). Its also designed to mount right on top of one of the generators. It’s also $330.

I’m not entirely thrilled with the Honda kit. It’s a bulky bolted on metal box that pretty much needs to be mounted to one of the generators. One cable is very short and the other long, plus I think I might prefer a More common 14-50 receptacle. So I’m exploring other options.

1. Make my own 4 conductor Parallel cables tying the generators together, And replacing the l14-30 on one generator with a cs6364 or 14-50r.

2. Build my own parallel “kit”. 4 conductor cables tied to a receptacle box. With greater mounting flexibility. I can add meters, a breaker, and can have both a cs6364 and 14-50r.

3. Of course I can always Pony up for a Honda kit, make an adaptor cord that goes from cs6364 to 14-50 just incase, and stop making more work for myself. 

4. Open to suggestions.

At the moment I have some 4mm female to female banana plug adaptors and 2 sets of eu2000/2200 parallel cables A decent temporary solution.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

a couple of ways to get there on the plug issue.
a bit of jb weld water white putty and form over the qty 3) 4mm plugs... L1, L2, N,
hint use a plastic zip bag to help on this...
pm if you have questions or need links for parts..
run the qty 2 8/4 soow cable to the outlet junction box
that can be wall mounted...
at that point then run the 2 meters one for L1 the other for L2 as a joined output...
the individual power can be watched on the onboard meters on the gens.

we use 6/4 wire to the house interlock panel and use a 60 amp duplex breaker.
this is for a 240v para 2 gens on the eu7000is gens.

if you only need 120 vac on the system then you can run the gens in the 120 vac mode.
and there is less chance of an unbalanced load.
that is most important when you are dealing with these smaller gens to have a balanced load.


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## FlyFisher (Jun 30, 2018)

drmerdp said:


> The question... Anyone know of a Metal 50amp down facing inlet box?


Square box, aluminum. 


https://www.lowes.com/pd/Generac-50-Amp-Power-Inlet-Box-125-250V-raintight-aluminum-NEMA-CS6365/5005343715


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

out of stock fly
they say rain tite.... but it is cheap made....
air gaps on the sheet metal...
and no flip cover for the inlet.

one of the mfg had a cast aluminum setup that was like the plastic units now out there.
not sure if it was carlon....


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## Browse Deweb (Jan 16, 2021)

Beautiful setup there. Do you have a way to measure temperature inside the enclosure? Will you be converting the second Honda to natural gas? I would choose option 3...buy the Honda kit and get a down facing input box that will handle 50A plug. You can sometimes find out of stock items on ebay.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

FlyFisher said:


> Square box, aluminum.
> http://[URL]https://www.lowes.com/p...50V-raintight-aluminum-NEMA-CS6365/5005343715[/URL]


I cannot find this in stock anywhere, it was readily available last year but has since been discontinued. GE had a slick metal “in use” inlet box too but also discontinued it. 

GE 50 Amp Twist Lock Power Inlet-T050N - The Home Depot


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## Browse Deweb (Jan 16, 2021)

I was reading your other thread on the enclosure build. How did your EasyStart work out on the 3.5 ton HVAC? What was the inrush reduction? Do you have a TXV in the system? Did your single Honda start the unit? The inrush on my 4-ton is in the mid-50s with the EasyStart...not sure I even want to try that on my EU7000is. Running current is only 14A.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

Browse Deweb said:


> Beautiful setup there. Do you have a way to measure temperature inside the enclosure? Will you be converting the second Honda to natural gas? I would choose option 3...buy the Honda kit and get a down facing input box that will handle 50A plug. You can sometimes find out of stock items on ebay.


Thank you, I have a wireless thermometer in the enclosure for keeping an eye on temps. I also have a hand held 4 sensor temp gauge laying on the generator on the right. I have it monitoring intake air temp in the front of the unit, inverter temp and exhaust vent air temp. I haven’t decided what to measure with the forth thermocouple yet.

Im on propane, 500gal buried tank. I don’t think I’m going to covert this one. At least not anytime soon. 

Good suggestion with looking on eBay. I actually just found a metal down facing 50amp inlet box by Connecticut electric. 70bucks looks a lot like the Generac style inlet.

I also just came across one from Midwest electric, carbon copy of the GE one I reference just a minute ago, lol. They must have made it for GE. This one is an inuse box that nicely protects the plug and is lockable…





MIDWEST U050N 50A 120/240V PWR INLT | Gordon Electric Supply, Inc.


MIDWEST U050N 50A 120/240V POWER INLET




www.gordonelectricsupply.com


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

Browse Deweb said:


> I was reading your other thread on the enclosure build. How did your EasyStart work out on the 3.5 ton HVAC? What was the inrush reduction? Do you have a TXV in the system? Did your single Honda start the unit? The inrush on my 4-ton is in the mid-50s with the EasyStart...not sure I even want to try that on my EU7000is. Running current is only 14A.


The easy start reduced my inrush substantially. No TXV, it has piston style metering valves. Rated LRA is 120 but my aging compressor measured 130amps, it dropped to ~60amps with the easy start. A 5-2-1 only brought it down to just under 120amps. My single eu7000 could not start the compressor. I took a bunch of videos with meters measuring voltage on both legs. The result was an under voltage that caused the micro air to fault out. I was in touch with an engineer from micro air who was fantastic. We tried a couple things but ultimately the compressor is past it’s prime and a single 7000 couldn’t start it. But, if I paralleled my eu2000 with the eu7000 the AC started and ran no problem. My best result was with the eu2000 hooked into L1 on the eu7000.


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## Browse Deweb (Jan 16, 2021)

drmerdp said:


> The easy start reduced my inrush substantially. No TXV, it has piston style metering valves. Rated LRA is 120 but my aging compressor measured 130amps, it dropped to ~60amps with the easy start. A 5-2-1 only brought it down to just under 120amps. My single eu7000 could not start the compressor. I took a bunch of videos with meters measuring voltage on both legs. The result was an under voltage that caused the micro air to fault out. I was in touch with an engineer from micro air who was fantastic. We tried a couple things but ultimately the compressor is past it’s prime and a single 7000 couldn’t start it. But, if I paralleled my eu2000 with the eu7000 the AC started and ran no problem. My best result was with the eu2000 hooked into L1 on the eu7000.


Good to know...my 4-ton is probably out then unless I get a second generator to parallel with the Honda. Don't think I will do that any time soon though. If we have a long outage when it's hot, we'll move into the basement for the duration and use the mini-split to keep cool.


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

I noticed that some parallel kits have a set of extra outlets with two sets of cables that plug in to the inverters. Other kits is all wires and simply connect the inverters to each other with no additional outlets. I'm considering paralleling my Wen and Champion inverters but I don't know how each style of parallel kit works and what they do. The just-wires kit is a lot cheaper than the kits that have the two additional outlets. Can I use those and what do they do? Do they allow each generator to output double the wattage? Both of my inverters have 3,500 watts running.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

LaSwamp said:


> I noticed that some parallel kits have a set of extra outlets with two sets of cables that plug in to the inverters. Other kits is all wires and simply connect the inverters to each other with no additional outlets. I'm considering paralleling my Wen and Champion inverters but I don't know how each style of parallel kit works and what they do. The just-wires kit is a lot cheaper than the kits that have the two additional outlets. Can I use those and what do they do? Do they allow each generator to output double the wattage? Both of my inverters have 3,500 watts running.


Cables kits that have outlets do the same function as the basic cables with the benefit of an outlet that isn’t present on the generator panel.

Parallel ports are not protected by a breaker so any kit with a outlet box should have a breaker associated with the outlet. Unless the the outlet is rated for more amps then the pair of generators are capable of producing, in which case the inverters overload protection will trigger. 

If I simply connect both of my eu7000s with a parallel cable, I’m limited to the amperage of the available outlets. The “biggest” outlet on the eu7000 is a l14-30 protected by a 30 amp breaker. I can by all means replace one of the l14-30s with a 50amp receptacle and 50 amp breaker and negate the need for an external box with 50amp outlet.

@iowagold have you ever replaced a l14-30 with a 50amp On an eu7000.


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

drmerdp said:


> Cables kits that have outlets do the same function as the basic cables with the benefit of an outlet that isn’t present on the generator panel.
> 
> Parallel ports are not protected by a breaker so any kit with a outlet box should have a breaker associated with the outlet. Unless the the outlet is rated for more amps then the pair of generators are capable of producing, in which case the inverters overload protection will trigger.
> 
> ...


When two inverters are connected via a parallel cable, do they load share the entire wattage of both inverters combined? 

I had planned to run both of my inverters separately during an outage, but I wonder if it would be beneficial to parallel them. That way, the entire 7k watts is available across the board to everything connected to both generators, am I right? I don't really know much about paralleling inverters, especially about how it works and how it's beneficial.


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## Browse Deweb (Jan 16, 2021)

LaSwamp said:


> When two inverters are connected via a parallel cable, do they load share the entire wattage of both inverters combined?
> 
> I had planned to run both of my inverters separately during an outage, but I wonder if it would be beneficial to parallel them. That way, the entire 7k watts is available across the board to everything connected to both generators, am I right? I don't really know much about paralleling inverters, especially about how it works and how it's beneficial.


This video shows a smaller Honda paralleled with a larger Honda. It looks like the larger Honda will take what the smaller one can offer and make up the rest on that leg.





Paralleling, using a proper parallel kit (unlike in the video above), is probably better than running two separate feeds since this will allow the generators the ability to handle load spikes better...if nothing else.


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## aba4430 (Jan 6, 2017)

drmerdp said:


> I cannot find this in stock anywhere, it was readily available last year but has since been discontinued. GE had a slick metal “in use” inlet box too but also discontinued it.
> 
> GE 50 Amp Twist Lock Power Inlet-T050N - The Home Depot


I just bought the GE T050N box from Home Depot. It is still available, but goes out of stock frequently. The Midwest box appears to be very similar to the GE box, but priced higher.

Edit: Or get this GE 30 amp box that is in stock at @$30 less and swap the inlet receptacle. The dimensions etc. are identical for the 20, 30 and 50 amp GE boxes.
GE T030N


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## Browse Deweb (Jan 16, 2021)

Honda should offer an EU7000is companion unit (like they do on the EU2200i) where the companion unit has a 50A outlet for parallel operation with another EU7000is.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

LaSwamp said:


> When two inverters are connected via a parallel cable, do they load share the entire wattage of both inverters combined?
> 
> I had planned to run both of my inverters separately during an outage, but I wonder if it would be beneficial to parallel them. That way, the entire 7k watts is available across the board to everything connected to both generators, am I right? I don't really know much about paralleling inverters, especially about how it works and how it's beneficial.


The neat thing about paralleling inverter gens is that they find balance. Identical generators will equally carry a load. Mismatched generators also find balance between their rated loads. Some fair better then others. For instance my eu2000 and eu1000 play nice together for the most part. Running together carrying a 1500watt load the eu1000 takes about 500watts and the eu2000 takes about 1000watts.

My eu2200 and eu1000 do not split the load as well. The little eu1000 works too hard and takes around 700watts to the eu2000s 800watts. My eu2000 and 2200 split it down the middle.


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

drmerdp said:


> The neat thing about paralleling inverter gens is that they find balance. Identical generators will equally carry a load. Mismatched generators also find balance between their rated loads. Some fair better then others. For instance my eu2000 and eu1000 play nice together for the most part. Running together carrying a 1500watt load the eu1000 takes about 500watts and the eu2000 takes about 1000watts.
> 
> My eu2200 and eu1000 do not split the load as well. The little eu1000 works too hard and takes around 700watts to the eu2000s 800watts. My eu2000 and 2200 split it down the middle.


Both my Wen and my Champion are 3500w, running. The Wen has 4000 surge, the Champion 4250 surge. I'm thinking they should match well when connected.

Is there any brand of parallel kit I should be looking at? I saw that Honda makes a kit. Most of the kits I've seen have the additional outlets built in. I don't need those, however.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

aba4430 said:


> I just bought the GE T050N box from Home Depot. It is still available, but goes out of stock frequently. The Midwest box appears to be very similar to the GE box, but priced higher.
> 
> Edit: Or get this GE 30 amp box that is in stock at @$30 less and swap the inlet receptacle. The dimensions etc. are identical for the 20, 30 and 50 amp GE boxes.
> GE T030N


That’s great idea. A cs6375 flanged inlet is about $30, all together it still ends up quite a bit cheaper then the Midwest box.









Marinco Power Products CS6375 Marinco Power Products: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific


Marinco Power Products CS6375 Marinco Power Products: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific



www.amazon.com







Browse Deweb said:


> Honda should offer an EU7000is companion unit (like they do on the EU2200i) where the companion unit has a 50A outlet for parallel operation with another EU7000is.


That would have been handy. The new 7000s have so much going on in the control panel these days. I’d love to omit the CO detection unit and use the space For another outlet.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

LaSwamp said:


> Both my Wen and my Champion are 3500w, running. The Wen has 4000 surge, the Champion 4250 surge. I'm thinking they should match well when connected.
> 
> Is there any brand of parallel kit I should be looking at? I saw that Honda makes a kit. Most of the kits I've seen have the additional outlets built in. I don't need those, however.


Honda’s insulated banana plug ports are round, looks like the Wen is too, but the champions are square. You might have to get creative connecting them.


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

drmerdp said:


> Honda’s insulated banana plug ports are round, looks like the Wen is too, but the champions are square. You might have to get creative connecting them.


The Champions are square? You gotta be kidding me. So I need a kit with square and round connectors?


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

Do you know how to solder??? 

I ordered a powerhouse 7500 inverter parallel cable. The insulators are square but I’m going to solder on my own round ends. You can do the same to one end of the cable. It has an extra wire for 240v operation that you can disregard.






Powerhorse Parallel Cable Kit Connects 7500 Watt to 7500 Watt Inverter Generators | Northern Tool


This Powerhorse® Parallel Cable Kit allows you to connect two Powerhorse 7500 Watt inverter generators together for up to a maximum 13,000...




www.northerntool.com


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

drmerdp said:


> Cables kits that have outlets do the same function as the basic cables with the benefit of an outlet that isn’t present on the generator panel.
> 
> Parallel ports are not protected by a breaker so any kit with a outlet box should have a breaker associated with the outlet. Unless the the outlet is rated for more amps then the pair of generators are capable of producing, in which case the inverters overload protection will trigger.
> 
> ...


yup
we have that 50 amp mod listed.
pm for the link.


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

I actually have a soldering iron, but I've never tried to solder anything before. I've done in-line wire splices before, though. I have an extension cord that got damaged by a weed eater. I cut away the insulation and reconnected the wires using a 400v-rated crimp splice. I reinsulated the wiring. It seems to work fine now. I would presume I could do something like that if I absolutely had to. I wonder if the round connectors would still fit in the Champion square parallel connectors and still be secure. Or if I could just buy the Champion connectors without having to buy the entire cable set or the set with the breaker box. That would be if the round connectors cannot be inserted at all into the Champion inputs. I thought the inverter parallel connectors followed a standard and were not proprietary. 

Iowa, do you parallel your inverters with just cables, or do you use one with the box with the breakers and extra outlets? Or do you use something entirely custom?


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

LaSwamp said:


> I actually have a soldering iron, but I've never tried to solder anything before. I've done in-line wire splices before, though. I have an extension cord that got damaged by a weed eater. I cut away the insulation and reconnected the wires using a 400v-rated crimp splice. I reinsulated the wiring. It seems to work fine now. I would presume I could do something like that if I absolutely had to. I wonder if the round connectors would still fit in the Champion square parallel connectors and still be secure. Or if I could just buy the Champion connectors without having to buy the entire cable set or the set with the breaker box. That would be if the round connectors cannot be inserted at all into the Champion inputs. I thought the inverter parallel connectors followed a standard and were not proprietary.
> 
> Iowa, do you parallel your inverters with just cables, or do you use one with the box with the breakers and extra outlets? Or do you use something entirely custom?


all custom here.
pm me LA.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

Little update. I ran a load test today. With eco mode on, the pair of 7000s runs the house full tilt and the Central AC without Issue. Also, the Enclosure worked well. Ambient temps were only about 80 degree but it appears I have adequate ventilation. Enclosure air temps were a modest 7 degrees over ambient. I must admit I was worried that the CO detection Would trip, but it wasn’t an issue.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

cool glad the co was not an issue with the box system
how do you have you exhaust venting out of the backs of the gens?


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

There is no engine exhaust ducting. It shoots straight out the machine off of shielding and vented through the exhaust fan. Behind the generators are 1/2 ceramic fiberboard plus the galvanized heat shielding with air space from the shed wall. 

I may add some strategic baffling to adjust air flow, primarily to keep the engine exhaust from circulating under the machines and potentially being sucked Into the generators. I experimented Exhaust extensions and they greatly increased noise levels. Though I didn’t try high temperature silicone hose.


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## Browse Deweb (Jan 16, 2021)

Are both units running on natural gas or just one?


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

Browse Deweb said:


> Are both units running on natural gas or just one?


Propane, just the one.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

i would do the exhaust silicone hose and run up closer to the fan or through to outside.
that would help get the exhaust gasses out of the box and maybe be cooler inside as well.


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## Bulldogger (Feb 19, 2021)

drmerdp said:


> I cannot find this in stock anywhere, it was readily available last year but has since been discontinued. GE had a slick metal “in use” inlet box too but also discontinued it.
> 
> GE 50 Amp Twist Lock Power Inlet-T050N - The Home Depot


 I have the GE box. You just have to have them notify you when in stock. In my case that was a week later.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

I did


Bulldogger said:


> I have the GE box. You just have to have them notify you when in stock. In my case that was a week later.


Yes, thanks, I did enter my email to notify me when it’s back in stock. Question for you… I know the box is metal, but is your twistlock receptacle metallic or plastic? I’ve seen pictures depicting both.


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## zzl630 (Jul 20, 2021)

drmerdp said:


> The easy start reduced my inrush substantially. No TXV, it has piston style metering valves. Rated LRA is 120 but my aging compressor measured 130amps, it dropped to ~60amps with the easy start. A 5-2-1 only brought it down to just under 120amps. My single eu7000 could not start the compressor. I took a bunch of videos with meters measuring voltage on both legs. The result was an under voltage that caused the micro air to fault out. I was in touch with an engineer from micro air who was fantastic. We tried a couple things but ultimately the compressor is past it’s prime and a single 7000 couldn’t start it. But, if I paralleled my eu2000 with the eu7000 the AC started and ran no problem. My best result was with the eu2000 hooked into L1 on the eu7000.


I bought two micro air soft starters for my 5 ton and 3 ton AC unit. Still playing with my motorhead generator(13KW on natural gas), don't think I tune it up right yet but was able to start the 3 ton but not 5 ton AC. the 5 ton AC fan motor will start but once the compressor kicks in, it seems the soft starter will kick out. is there a certain voltage drop that will trigger the soft starter to fault out?


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

there are two sizes on the soft start do you have the larger size on the bigger ac unit?


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## zzl630 (Jul 20, 2021)

iowagold said:


> there are two sizes on the soft start do you have the larger size on the bigger ac unit?


Yes sir. 364 for the 3 ton and 368 for the 5 ton


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

and you did the 6 starts for the learn while on grid power?


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## zzl630 (Jul 20, 2021)

yes 5-6 times per manual shipped. I will check with APP when I go back see what's the in rush current. It was 120+ per name plate.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

use a good well known meter to see the inrush after the easy start.
add in another 30% and that should work for the real world number to start the ac unit.


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## zzl630 (Jul 20, 2021)

Sorry for hijacking the thread.
If I have a 50A generator transfer inlet, does it restrict if I can power up the 5 ton AC?


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

zzl630 said:


> Sorry for hijacking the thread.
> If I have a 50A generator transfer inlet, does it restrict if I can power up the 5 ton AC?


what make and model on the generator?
and what is the start current after the easy start?


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## zzl630 (Jul 20, 2021)

The Motorhead® Plus – 13000/23000 Watt Dual Fuel Portable Generator with Honda Engine – SMART GENERATORS


The Motorhead® Plus – 13000/23000 Watt Dual Fuel Portable Generator

I will use my clamp meter take a measurement when I get back


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## aba4430 (Jan 6, 2017)

drmerdp said:


> I did
> 
> Yes, thanks, I did enter my email to notify me when it’s back in stock. Question for you… I know the box is metal, but is your twistlock receptacle metallic or plastic? I’ve seen pictures depicting both.


The GE box has a Leviton metal flanged receptacle. I believe it is this one. Pictures from my actual unit (not installed as yet) are also attached.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

zzl630 said:


> The Motorhead® Plus – 13000/23000 Watt Dual Fuel Portable Generator with Honda Engine – SMART GENERATORS
> 
> 
> The Motorhead® Plus – 13000/23000 Watt Dual Fuel Portable Generator
> ...


if the gen set is the power they list you need larger connections on the gen and the cords etc!
they are showing 50 amps real time power....
i would seek out a good shop with a load bank and test the real world power on the gen set!
i would run a 100 amp inlet and make sure the gen set has all of the matching connections as well.

yea a 50 amp inlet is too small if the gen is producing at rated power.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

aba4430 said:


> The GE box has a Leviton metal flanged receptacle. I believe it is this one. Pictures from my actual unit (not installed as yet) are also attached.
> View attachment 9746
> 
> View attachment 9747


good pix!
that is what we like to see!
lots of gaps on that box for bugs and moisture..
is it rated for damp or wet?
make sure to use dielectric grease!


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## aba4430 (Jan 6, 2017)

Its not too bad once the cover is closed. It is outdoor rated. Here is the brochure on the box. The design is bullet proof and has not really changed in years. Dielectric grease is a super idea.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

aba4430 said:


> The GE box has a Leviton metal flanged receptacle. I believe it is this one. Pictures from my actual unit (not installed as yet) are also attached.
> View attachment 9746
> 
> 
> View attachment 9747


Solid highjack, lol. I like the metal flange, I’ll be waiting for the depot get them back in stock.

You have a nice generator, I like the mobility kit and framework. I’m truly surprised that the unit cannot start your 5 ton unit with a soft start installed. Double check your part numbers. You should have a ASY-368-X48-BLUE on the 3 ton unit and a ASY-368-X72-BLUE on the 5 ton.


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## pipe (Jun 27, 2021)

iowagold said:


> i would do the exhaust silicone hose and run up closer to the fan or through to outside.


What size diameter silicone hose is recommended, assuming also this comes in varying lengths


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## pipe (Jun 27, 2021)

iowagold said:


> i would do the exhaust silicone hose and run up closer to the fan or through to outside.


What size diameter silicone hose is recommended, assuming also this comes in varying lengths


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

This place sells 1” and 1.5” but it’s availible in larger diameters In lots of places. . If the run is short 1” sounds appropriate. For long runs 1” seems small unless its a small CC engine. 









Bolt-On Exhaust Extension Kits for Generators


Bolt-on exhaust extension kits are available for various generators. Run your generator safely inside of your unoccupied garage or building.




genexhaust.com


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

yea a 2 inch id exhaust is nice for most gens..

you can shoot the cooling fan exhaust up and through the middle wall in the triple wall wood stove pipe..
that would help keep the vent stack cool as well.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

Small update, I order the Honda parallel kit for the eu7000s. I’ve been juggling the idea of swapping one of the l14-30r for a cs6369 receptacle and using the 10gauge parallel cable I built but ultimately id be looking at about $120 in 50 amp breaker, the twist lock receptacle, plus the hassle Of modifying the unit. What put me over the top with the decision is the built in wattage meters located conveniently at the parallel box enclosure.

I have a 50 amp generator cord coming as well as a cs6375 inlet flange to add to my current inlet box. The GE 50amp inlet box I’d like to use is still back ordered, so I’ll just update the current inlet for the time being.

Also, I finally accumulated Some hours on the machine and changed the oil. I keep my break in procedure simple. 7 hours at 75% load. I also installed a magnetic drain plug and magnetic dipstick.

The oil had a typical metal sheen to it.


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## Browse Deweb (Jan 16, 2021)

Good amount of break in gunk you got out of there! Be cool if you converted the 2nd one to gas as well! That would be my setup if I ever got another Honda.

Nice job!


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

run that oil through a coffee filter...
see what the trash is..
yea could be the assy lube..
that moly stuff is chunky like that...
and a good break in run up gets most of that to drop down to the lower drain.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

Browse Deweb said:


> Good amount of break in gunk you got out of there! Be cool if you converted the 2nd one to gas as well! That would be my setup if I ever got another Honda.
> 
> Nice job!


I do want to, but I first want to perfect the propane setup on the first one. Id like to make propane my primary fuel for this unit but I’d need to ensure that the machine will effectively remote start on gaseous fuel. On gasoline it starts in under a second of cranking. For propane I’d need to have the fuel source always primed and a Normally closed solenoid valve at the demand regulator and possibly a priming solenoid during cranking.
We shall see.



iowagold said:


> run that oil through a coffee filter...
> see what the trash is..
> yea could be the assy lube..
> that moly stuff is chunky like that...
> and a good break in run up gets most of that to drop down to the lower drain.


I already dumped the used oil in a mixed transport container to dump it. I might screen the next one for fun. The next change will be at 20 hours.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

yup on the prime valve!
lol
on the too late to filter check the oil...
I always save any oil with glitter or chunks in it for future testing if i am in a hurry to get it back in service.

yea first run it could be almost anything left in the crankcase from mfg plants or assy...
lots of places for trash to hide...
and the oil will float it out!

any thing stuck to the mag dipstick and mag drain plug?
i always use a white paper towel when cleaning those mags and snap pix.
it is normal to have fine dark carbon trash on the oil magnets when running on gasoline.
that should clear up after second oil change run on LP or NG.


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## pipe (Jun 27, 2021)

This is the no-tools oil drain on all our Honda generators, including the 7000 series









Amazon.com: EZ (EZ-109) Silver 12mm-1.5 Thread Size Oil Drain Valve : Automotive


Buy EZ (EZ-109) Silver 12mm-1.5 Thread Size Oil Drain Valve: Oil Drain Plugs - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases



www.amazon.com





Small extension to use a silicone or rubber tube (there is also a 90-degree variant)









Amazon.com: EZ Oil Drain Valve (H-001) Straigt Hose End - 3/8" Straight : Automotive


Buy EZ Oil Drain Valve (H-001) Straigt Hose End - 3/8" Straight: Oil Drain Plugs - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases



www.amazon.com





These can be used in creative ways









Applied Magnets Neodymium Rare Earth Magnet 1.26 x 1/8" Disc Magnet 10pc Set With Red Dot on North Pole: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific


Applied Magnets Neodymium Rare Earth Magnet 1.26 x 1/8" Disc Magnet 10pc Set With Red Dot on North Pole: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific



www.amazon.com


----------



## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

pipe said:


> This is the no-tools oil drain on all our Honda generators, including the 7000 series
> 
> 
> 
> ...


i prefer a magnetic drain plug to catch the trash.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

Finally back in stock. 








GE 50 Amp Twist Lock Power Inlet T050N - The Home Depot


The GE 50 Amp Power Inlet (L14-50 Twist Lock) features a single enclosure that protects against weather and normal field use. The galvanized steel construction and electro-deposition paint finish prevent



www.homedepot.com


----------



## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

yea a few parts are trickling in...
most were ordered 6-9 months ago...


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

I have a cousin who lives in north Houston and is in the market for a 7000is. He told me he can't find any vendors who have them in stock. They are backordered everywhere. Anyone know where they might be in stock?


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

It all depends on the state. After Texas had the big outage Honda’s have been in high demand and short supply. I think that the production flow has another big bump in the fall.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

*go to the honda site and do the find retailer for a list.*
*click here for the honda find a dealer page*


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## JJ Ranch (Apr 23, 2021)

I found an EU7000is on Camping World of all places but this was about March or April so now my older EU7000is has a partner. So keep checking the Interwebs.


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## pipe (Jun 27, 2021)

Bought & Sold several used ones from all over the place via Craigslist


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## Ground Fault (Jun 9, 2020)

Recommend that your cousin call his dealer of choice and ask to get on their waiting list. That's what I had to do. Was on the EU2200 list about a month and a half. Was on the EU7000 list about three weeks. One day the call will come and he will have his EU7000, purchased from his dealer of choice, the last being almost as important as the first. Recommend Cureton and Son in Nederland, not far from Houston. He MUST tell them to hold it for him as he has a drive to get there. Also recommend he offer to put up a deposit over the phone so that they have to hold it for him.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

or pre pay for it at a good trusted honda power dealer.


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

I did see them for sale on Amazon, I think. However, they were about $600 over MSRP and they wanted over $700 for shipping. I think that qualifies as price gouging. 

I'll pass along to him that he needs to get on the list if he wants one. He needs a more powerful generator but he really wants the Honda. I told him he can always pick up another inverter at some point if he wants to add more power to his setup.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

northern tool had some deals.
and they had free shipping


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

That cousin I told you guys about, he still wants to get the Honda. We've been going back and forth about how much power from it he will be able to use. He really wants to be able to run his central a/c with it, along with other household items. He has a soft start for the compressor, but the a/c unit still uses about 4,300 watts running. Add a fridge and he's going to be pulling at least 4,800 watts before anything else is turned on. Is this realistic for a Honda? The conventional wisdom is that a generator is designed to run at about 50% total output. It sounds like he believes he can wring out close to the total output of the generator without issues. For what he wants to do, he really needs a whole house generator. But he wants to run it all on a Honda 7000is. I told him that for short periods of time he can likely get away with it. Long term, he's going to want another inverter, at least, to use in parallel to offload some of the wattage pull. For those with that Honda, what say you?


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## Browse Deweb (Jan 16, 2021)

He'd be better off with a parallel EU7000is setup like drmerdp has. This is an over $10k investment though, which would move him close to the cost of a standby whole house unit. If the main AC starts up while another large appliance is running, it may fail to start even with the soft starter. Also running a single Honda at close to it's rates power may be fine for short periods of time, but it probably isn't the best for the unit's longevity.

He might be able to get by with an EU7000is and EU2200i in parallel, but I'm not sure I'd want to run mine that way since the available power would be unbalanced on the two legs.


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

Browse Deweb said:


> He'd be better off with a parallel EU7000is setup like drmerdp has. This is an over $10k investment though, which would move him close to the cost of a standby whole house unit. If the main AC starts up while another large appliance is running, it may fail to start even with the soft starter. Also running a single Honda at close to it's rates power may be fine for short periods of time, but it probably isn't the best for the unit's longevity.
> 
> He might be able to get by with an EU7000is and EU2200i in parallel, but I'm not sure I'd want to run mine that way since the available power would be unbalanced on the two legs.


This would be his first generator so he's still trying to figure out what the various wattage ratings mean. I've told him that even though the Honda is rated for 5,500 watts running, the unit is not really designed to provide every one of those watts for an extended period of time. He still seems to believe that pulling 78% of the available power will still leave him with 22% that he can use. He really wants to try to run the house on the Honda. I understand that, but if it were possible, no one would have need for whole house units. Everyone would pick up a 6 kw portable and a transfer switch and save a ton of money. Just the a/c and a fridge would place him at nearly 90% of the wattage output of the Honda. I guess he could get away with that for a short time, but I would not want to run any generator, even a Honda, with that kind of load. I've told him that if he really wants to run his central a/c on generator power (something he is really fixated on), he needs either two Honda inverters or a much bigger generator than the 7000. Running a 7000 at 90% output is going to drink fuel and put a lot of stress on the hardware. I would not do that with a $4,600 inverter, myself.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

The eu7000 is designed to run at its rated load continuously, 5500watts. Though I wouldn’t want to hang there indefinitely. If the soft start keeps the inrush low and he’s prepared to handle the load management, an EU7000 may not be entirely out of the question. But it’s a big ask to run central AC on a single eu7000.

What size central AC unit does he have? Does he know what his inrush amps are?


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## Browse Deweb (Jan 16, 2021)

He could get two of these and parallel them for less than the price of a single Honda:





I can't recommend the brand though since I have never used one. These would drink fuel and they're a bit louder than the Honda, but it could work and would be a cheaper solution. Still have a gen if the other breaks.

I modified my Honda to run on natural gas and I decided that we'd just leave the main HVAC unit off when the grid goes down. We have an efficient 15k BTU mini-split in the basement that only draws about 1kw, and we can go down there to sleep or cool off if need be.


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

drmerdp said:


> The eu7000 is designed to run at its rated load continuously, 5500watts. Though I wouldn’t want to hang there indefinitely. If the soft start keeps the inrush low and he’s prepared to handle the load management, an EU7000 may not be entirely out of the question. But it’s a big ask to run central AC on a single eu7000.
> 
> What size central AC unit does he have? Does he know what his inrush amps are?


He's got a 4 ton unit. I'm not sure what the inrush is rated at. Technically, he could pull it off with the 7000. But yeah, he'd have to run it like a scalded dog. He would have very little overhead running it near the limits of the unit. My inverters won't run in Eco Mode when outputting over 75% of the total capacity. I don't know about the Honda. I suspect that at 90%, Eco Mode is not going to be an option for him, either. I've always been told to buy more generator than you need so you have the overhead if you need it. Granted, he could always buy a Honda 3000is and parallel it for extra wattage. I think he needs a good 12 kw generator like the Westinghouse WGEN12000DF for what he wants to do. I think that would be a much better fit for his needs, but he wants the Honda. The problem is that the 7000 seems to be the biggest consumer inverter Honda makes at the moment. Too bad they don't have a 10 kw option. It would probably sell like hot cakes.


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## ebj (Apr 5, 2021)

Why buy a generator rated for 5500w and not use it near its max load? I've got a B&S 5500w that I bought after Hurricane Ike in 2008. It's run for days, nonstop, near max output and even powers our standby 240v window ac. Last time was during the freeze in Feb and it ran for over 3 days. The circuit breaker shut it off once when we plugged in just one more electric blanket.
I bought a used Honda ES6500 last spring. It's quieter than the B&S and running amps are 50 at 120v or 6000w. I ran it last week after Hurricane Nicholas for about 6 hours. Started on gasoline and switched to NG after the rain stopped. Ran strong at 48 amps powering my 5 ton ac, refer, and other essentials. 5 ton ac has a micro air easy start. Not enough output to power my old garage freezer. Just turned the refer or AC off when I needed to run the freezer.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

LaSwamp said:


> He's got a 4 ton unit. I'm not sure what the inrush is rated at. Technically, he could pull it off with the 7000. But yeah, he'd have to run it like a scalded dog. He would have very little overhead running it near the limits of the unit. My inverters won't run in Eco Mode when outputting over 75% of the total capacity. I don't know about the Honda. I suspect that at 90%, Eco Mode is not going to be an option for him, either. I've always been told to buy more generator than you need so you have the overhead if you need it. Granted, he could always buy a Honda 3000is and parallel it for extra wattage. I think he needs a good 12 kw generator like the Westinghouse WGEN12000DF for what he wants to do. I think that would be a much better fit for his needs, but he wants the Honda. The problem is that the 7000 seems to be the biggest consumer inverter Honda makes at the moment. Too bad they don't have a 10 kw option. It would probably sell like hot cakes.


A single eu7000 might not be enough… I could run my 3.5ton AC with the eu7000 paralleled with my eu2000. He may want to consider a larger conventional rotary generator or as Browse Deweb mentioned a pair of predator 9500 inverters. Though the preds are significantly louder then the eu7000s with who knows what kind of reliability. My first choice for a non eu7000 240v inverter gen is the powerhorse 7500. A pair of those are $2000 more then a single eu7000.


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

drmerdp said:


> A single eu7000 might not be enough… I could run my 3.5ton AC with the eu7000 paralleled with my eu2000. He may want to consider a larger conventional rotary generator or as Browse Deweb mentioned a pair of predator 9500 inverters. Though the preds are significantly louder then the eu7000s with who knows what kind of reliability. My first choice for a non eu7000 240v inverter gen is the powerhorse 7500. A pair of those are $2000 more then a single eu7000.


He's definitely got a lot of options. For the money, he could get a lot more inverter. But, he's stuck on the Honda, though. The Hondas are certainly nice, but they are very expensive for what you get.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

It’s a superior unit to all others but… expensive. How many homeowners will put thousands of hours on their generator to truly test their reliability and longevity, not many. I’m a tool and equipment fanatic, the decision to buy the first eu7000 was an easy one. For the second one the powerhorse 7500 is larger in all dimensions then the eu7000 and wouldn’t fit in my enclosure. The predator 9500 would fit like a glove but ultimately I’d rather have the most reliable combination of identical generators.


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

I suspect he will go ahead and get the Honda when one becomes available. They are out of stock everywhere except where there's price gouging and $750 shipping. He will probably have issues trying to run the house on it and realize he needs more power. He can always parallel another inverter to the Honda to offload some of the demand. Power outages are rare in his area so most of the discussion is academic. I've been in my home for almost 20 years. Ida was only the third time that I've lost power for longer than a day or two. It's peace of mind to be ready, even though it's rare to actually use the preps to a significant degree.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

i would look in to a better hvac unit...
take a real close look at the mini split inverter units...
they have versions that can do 3 and 4 rooms off one outdoor unit...
and they do not take much power to run them.
and i have seen an A frame inside unit that would fit most furnace duct work....
so as long as the furnace unit fan is low power consumption you are set!

that is where i would start on the project...

and yes to a single eu7000is gen....
you should be able to run the eu7000is at 3k to 4k watts as an easy load in warm temps.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

ebj said:


> Why buy a generator rated for 5500w and not use it near its max load? I've got a B&S 5500w that I bought after Hurricane Ike in 2008. It's run for days, nonstop, near max output and even powers our standby 240v window ac. Last time was during the freeze in Feb and it ran for over 3 days. The circuit breaker shut it off once when we plugged in just one more electric blanket.
> I bought a used Honda ES6500 last spring. It's quieter than the B&S and running amps are 50 at 120v or 6000w. I ran it last week after Hurricane Nicholas for about 6 hours. Started on gasoline and switched to NG after the rain stopped. Ran strong at 48 amps powering my 5 ton ac, refer, and other essentials. 5 ton ac has a micro air easy start. Not enough output to power my old garage freezer. Just turned the refer or AC off when I needed to run the freezer.


hey @*ebj
well you need to think about the operational temperatures of where you are running the gen set.
the engine as well as the alternator windings need to be cool...

then you have the electronics in an inverter generator... the inverter needs to be cool at all times as it heats up fast under more than 60% load.
so as long as you keep the ambient operational temps cool at below 60 deg f you can run higher loads..

but as the hurricane and summer storm areas are at 90 deg f and higher....
heat soak is a real big issue.... you can get hot spots in the alt windings....
or heat runaway on an inverter gen....

plan your system and your run power close.
i see you have meters on your system. that is part of a good plan.
a digital meters set with multi line read out would to have been my choice as you can see HZ as well as voltage along with the watts or amps used.
most gens like yours you want to make sure the HZ is as close to 60hz as you can get during a run.

and even remote temperature sensors with alert temps are a great idea for all of our systems.
that way we can be on top of any heat issues if we are not right close with the gen set.
they have blue tooth temp sensors these days just for this to work with a smart phone.
or use a basic 2-4 probe wireless unit that way you can look at a couple of temps on the gen set as well as inside an enclosure and outside temps.*


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## ebj (Apr 5, 2021)

iowagold said:


> hey @*ebj
> well you need to think about the operational temperatures of where you are running the gen set.
> the engine as well as the alternator windings need to be cool...
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info on how inverters are so temperature sensitive. They sell them on how quiet they are running, but never mention how the soundproofing and tight quarters affects the heat buildup and output efficiency. Open frame gen's are a little louder but have better cooling. 
I've already added an oil pressure gauge to my gen an will look into a coolant temp gauge as per your advice. Hurricane season temps run in the 90's here south of Houston, so keeping the gen running at a safe temp is a concern. Gen cool means me and the family are cool.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

ebj said:


> Thanks for the info on how inverters are so temperature sensitive. They sell them on how quiet they are running, but never mention how the soundproofing and tight quarters affects the heat buildup and output efficiency. Open frame gen's are a little louder but have better cooling.
> I've already added an oil pressure gauge to my gen an will look into a coolant temp gauge as per your advice. Hurricane season temps run in the 90's here south of Houston, so keeping the gen running at a safe temp is a concern. Gen cool means me and the family are cool.


It’s a great idea to have gauges for the critical numbers. If you want to take it a step further, you can add temp and or pressure switch to kill the engine in the event of over heating or low oil pressure.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

Side note, I order the eu7000 parallel kit 3 weeks ago… still Backordered, The ETA is another week or two. Once it comes in, I’ll install all my 50amp parts.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

Well I’ve got pretty much all my parts together to upgrade to a 50amp system, the parallel kit, and some propane items to add to my trifuel eu7000.

All I need now is the time to get installing.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

cool!


----------



## CleanSweep (Sep 25, 2021)

How many amps, watts, volts, etc will two Honda EU7000s produce?
Will two run my whole house including hot water heater, well pump, AC/Heat?
I bought my EU7000 because it had 220, dumb me, I thought it would run everything . . . no it does not.
I'm thinking of getting a second one but want to make sure it will run everything.

I can get another one from our John Deere dealer but I need to move fast before they are gone.
Been trying to get together on phone with iowagold, until then, any more information is appreciated.


----------



## Dutchy491 (Sep 18, 2019)

Is your water heater electric? If so, how many watts? I’ve turned mine off during an extended outage and we had hot water for 3days, allowing us quick 2 minute showers. The main objective for you is to figure out what you NEED to run and how MANY WATTS that is before you spend money on another unit. That was your first mistake. No need to do that again…


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

yup just got off the phone with sweep.
looks like a second 7000i in his future. even just as a spare gen set.
he has lp on the remote property.
so an LP hot water heater with a recirculate pump in in the new plan.
he has well pump... i will be working with him on the power demands on that..
i will be working on a meter system for his back up plan so he can see the grid and back up power as live.

and yes a recirculate pump for hot water with a small 120 vac hot water heater works as well.
there is always a way to get things done!
grin!


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## CleanSweep (Sep 25, 2021)

iowagold said:


> yup just got off the phone with sweep.
> looks like a second 7000i in his future. even just as a spare gen set.
> he has lp on the remote property.
> so an LP hot water heater with a recirculate pump in in the new plan.
> ...


Talked to my pal, retired Propane guy, he said get the water heater, we'll put it in. He does all our propane stuff here, even did it on the side when he was working pre-retirement. 
I forgot to ask him about the recirculate pump for hot water with a small 120 vac hot water heater.

Can anyone post a link to one of these? I never heard of them before talking with iowa yesterday. Or even post a link to a good LP water heater at Lowe's or Home Depot?


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## CleanSweep (Sep 25, 2021)

YIKES!!! 

You were right iowa, I was looking at wrong cable! 

Honda Parallel Kit For EU7000IS Inverter Generators | Honda 08E93-Z37-001AH

Hey, should I be posting in another thread? I think I'm hijacking here??? Please advise.


----------



## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

CleanSweep said:


> How many amps, watts, volts, etc will two Honda EU7000s produce?
> Will two run my whole house including hot water heater, well pump, AC/Heat?
> I bought my EU7000 because it had 220, dumb me, I thought it would run everything . . . no it does not.
> I'm thinking of getting a second one but want to make sure it will run everything.
> ...


2 eu7000s in parallel are massively capable. With confidence mine in eco mode will Start my AC while heavily loaded. I recommend a soft start unit for your AC. 

Swapping water heaters to propane is a solid move, much less electric demand on the generator for a low cost appliance. Plus the water heater doesn’t need any electricity to operate (atmospheric vent) do not get a power vent unit if you can help it.

What would be the purpose of a 120v water heater and recirc pump?


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## CleanSweep (Sep 25, 2021)

drmerdp said:


> 2 eu7000s in parallel are massively capable. With confidence mine in eco mode will Start my AC while heavily loaded. I recommend a soft start unit for your AC.
> 
> Swapping water heaters to propane is a solid move, much less electric demand on the generator for a low cost appliance. Plus the water heater doesn’t need any electricity to operate (atmospheric vent) do not get a power vent unit if you can help it.
> 
> What would be the purpose of a 120v water heater and recirc pump?


Don't know, never heard of one before yesterday.
I just want to be able to power my well pump, ac, etc 
I think the eu7000i does not have enough amps, so two would be better?
I know nothing about this stuff, always just hung extension cords through windows to fridge and stuff.


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## pipe (Jun 27, 2021)

A simple 3 way switch will toggle 4500watts water heater to 1125watts. Works just fine with any make/model electric water heater and only slows down the time it takes to heat to max setpoint.









Leviton 3033-2W 30 Amp, 120/277 Volt, Toggle 3-Way AC Quiet Switch, Extra Heavy Duty Spec Grade, Self Grounding, Back and Side Wired, White - Wall Light Switches - Amazon.com


Leviton 3033-2W 30 Amp, 120/277 Volt, Toggle 3-Way AC Quiet Switch, Extra Heavy Duty Spec Grade, Self Grounding, Back and Side Wired, White - Wall Light Switches - Amazon.com



www.amazon.com





As to pumps, we run not only 8 hp Pentair pump but also SWCG, Acid Injection pump, well pump---multiple heatpumps, multiple refrigerators and freezers using less than 3kW power on a honda eu7000isnan


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

pm if you need links to those items


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

pipe said:


> A simple 3 way switch will toggle 4500watts water heater to 1125watts. Works just fine with any make/model electric water heater and only slows down the time it takes to heat to max setpoint.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


hey pipe do you have a diagram on that mod?


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

CleanSweep said:


> Don't know, never heard of one before yesterday.
> I just want to be able to power my well pump, ac, etc
> I think the eu7000i does not have enough amps, so two would be better?
> I know nothing about this stuff, always just hung extension cords through windows to fridge and stuff.


 Depending on the wells pump you might be able to add a soft start to that as well. Pretty much any 3 wire PSC motor can be fitted with one.

Post pics of the service tags on the AC and Well pump. We don’t know how big either of the motors are without more info. Without that info it’s tough to advise you properly.


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## pipe (Jun 27, 2021)

The wire directions are included with the switch. Best part is that you do not have to change any existing breakers, just insert this somewhere between panel and WH. Very simple to install. Used also a small home depot wall cutout box, made a hole into stucco wall in garage and placed the switch into the enclosure/box with a cover plate. Less than 10 minutes.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

so are you just switching between two water heaters or on the elements of the main hot water heater?


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## CleanSweep (Sep 25, 2021)

I'm going to start new thread on my plan . . . so as to not confuse things here.


----------



## macdenewf (Sep 3, 2021)

drmerdp said:


> Hey, so I pulled the trigger on a second EU7000. Both units fit nicely in the enclosure I built last year. I have 6 gauge cable running from my inlet box. But need to update other parts of the system. I want to feel out some options and get some opinions.
> 
> 1. Inlet box.… Got to install a 50amp inlet box. There are basically two flavors. One is a plug on the front, has a waterproof flip cover, and metal construction. The second is a down facing plug. I personally like the down facing design because I keep my cable plugged in permanently and I find it to better suited for water intrusion. The down facing variant is more money, it’s in low supply At the moment, and Ive only seen it in plastic.
> 
> ...


Cant speak to the parallel options but i have used that reliance generator inlet box ( the vertical one with the plug underneath) and compared to the metal ones with the Hz plug - i like the reliance better. There is a lot of room in the reliance box to make the connections to the plug and when anchored securely to the wall..its very sturdy...which was surprising as its made form plastic where as all of the Hz ones i've seen are metal. You are right in the cost however...i recall paying over a hundred where as many of the other options are around 50 now.
Personally speaking - worth the money...i am a reliance fan.


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## pipe (Jun 27, 2021)

iowagold said:


> so are you just switching between two water heaters or on the elements of the main hot water heater?


No to both. Voltage is switched from 240 to 120. Watts automatically change from 4500 to 1125.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

pipe said:


> No to both. Voltage is switched from 240 to 120. Watts automatically change from 4500 to 1125.


ahh so you are just running a 240 vac element on 120 vac?


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

iowagold said:


> ahh so you are just running a 240 vac element on 120 vac?


That’s what I was figuring as I was scratching my head about it. Resistive load so as long as a neutral is present to complete the circuit I guess there is no reason it shouldn’t heat up. Im still uncertain of the actual wiring.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

Here we go, neat idea, this is perfect for my father in laws house. He’s ditching his oil water heater for an electric, and now his pair of eu2000s can run his water heater and furnace.








How to Toggle Electric Water Heater Between 120V and 240V?


How to wire electric water heater for both 120V and 240V. Toggle Water Heater between 120V and 240V using DPDT and 3-Way Switches. 120 & 240V Heater Wiring




www.electricaltechnology.org


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

I finally had some time this weekend to upgrade my inlet to 50amp components. I ran 6/3 NM-B when I was building the new enclosure and adding a sub panel to my main panel. So that last things to tick off the list was the inlet box, 50amp breaker and I added a proper Cutler hammer hold down bracket as well.

I have alot more tidying of the cords to do. I’m not exactly sure how I want to improve the routing of things but it’s a process. I added a second RV style cable pass through to accommodate the number of cords I having and the bump in diameter of the power cord. And speaking of cords, the southwire 50ft 6/3-8/1 SEOOW cord with Hubble ends is definitely a massive value. The only caveat SEOOW is notably less flexible then SOOW. But… Its poly/rubber jacket is way more durable then standard SOOW. 

Im either going to cut the cord at a more appropriate length for the enclosure or maybe get a cord reel that can accommodate 6/4 but they look PRICY. 

Side note, I ran out of time but I have the Honda parallel kit to install, for now I have a short adapter whip to go from the CS twist lock to the l14-30 for the moment.


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## Browse Deweb (Jan 16, 2021)

I wonder if the 30A breaker on the generator will open if you try to start the HVAC unit configured as is?


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

Browse Deweb said:


> I wonder if the 30A breaker on the generator will open if you try to start the HVAC unit configured as is?


Nope, I ran my AC and electric dryer (plus fridges and lights) with that temporary parallel cable and 30 amp everything with no issue. I was hovering around ~25amps.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

hey dr an idea on the honda kit
do some sort of mounting to the quiet box enclosure and not mount to the gen as honda designed.
for a fast way to disconnect for service.
all you have to do is reach the honda para connectors on the gen set.
how long are the tails now on the late model para kits?
they were talking about making the tails longer.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

iowagold said:


> hey dr an idea on the honda kit
> do some sort of mounting to the quiet box enclosure and not mount to the gen as honda designed.
> for a fast way to disconnect for service.
> all you have to do is reach the honda para connectors on the gen set.
> ...


Yes Indeed. It’s a potential option as I continue to develop the enclosure. For now the focus is to get things operational and see where functional improvements can be made.

One of the leads is short. Just enough to reach the generator that the unit is mounted to. It can certainly be extended in the future.

The next move is to continue to improve gen A’s propane operation. I’m looking forward to digging back in and installing the lockout and primer solenoids. I’ll update that on my other thread When I get around to it. 

I have one unused wire in the 18/8 cord that leads to my remote control In the house. Any idea if a basic inductive tachometer will work ok with the lead extended 35 feet? I Might have to test for that one.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

or do a camera in the shed on the control panel or have remote temp sensors etc on one area and then have the wifi camera show the whole thing.
that could be done to the BIG tv in the house. or ipad.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

iowagold said:


> or do a camera in the shed on the control panel or have remote temp sensors etc on one area and then have the wifi camera show the whole thing.
> that could be done to the BIG tv in the house. or ipad.


YES, I’ve been thinking about a WiFi cam to monitor things. Not necessarily a permanent fixture but for some testing.

I have a 4 sensor (thermocouple) temperature meter for probing key spots on gen A and the enclosure. I plan to do a summer test next year. Both generators running at rated load on a 90degree day.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

Also, I measured the leads off the parallel kit They are 14” and 68” to from the box to the plug.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

do the new eu7000i honda para kit gen side connection ends come apart or are they potted?


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

iowagold said:


> do the new eu7000i honda para kit gen side connection ends come apart or are they potted?


Potted.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

darn.
well you could extend on the box side and solder the connections on the splice


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

Yeah, Solder and shrink wrap plus the mesh wire sheathing.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

Parallel kit installed. I’ll eventually get around to tidying up the cabling.

Once I free up my garage I’m going to get going on the propane lockout and priming solenoids.


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## Ground Fault (Jun 9, 2020)

Simply beautiful DR. If a person will give themselves enough time to seriously research the decision to purchase a standby generator they will come to realize that your solution offers more utility. And being Honda based, no need for the ongoing expense of a maintenance contract. There is a market segment that necessarily requires the greater capacity offered by standbys, but for the vast majority of the market your set-up is the pinnacle of what is possible.

When you get a chance, please consider downloading a free sound meter app into your phone, crank them up and shut the doors: I'd like to know just how quiet your setup is at various distances. It would be interesting to see Db of one unit as compared to the Db of both running. I bet it is not twice the Db.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

Ground Fault said:


> Simply beautiful DR. If a person will give themselves enough time to seriously research the decision to purchase a standby generator they will come to realize that your solution offers more utility. And being Honda based, no need for the ongoing expense of a maintenance contract. There is a market segment that necessarily requires the greater capacity offered by standbys, but for the vast majority of the market your set-up is the pinnacle of what is possible.
> 
> When you get a chance, please consider downloading a free sound meter app into your phone, crank them up and shut the doors: I'd like to know just how quiet your setup is at various distances. It would be interesting to see Db of one unit as compared to the Db of both running. I bet it is not twice the Db.


Thanks, I appreciate it.

Next time I have a chance I’ll take some sound measurements doors opened and closed at a different distances.


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## Browse Deweb (Jan 16, 2021)

Very, very nice! Checks all the boxes. The only thing missing is a second tri-fuel kit, but they're not cheap and a single EU7000is is probably going to meet most of your needs.

Maybe Santa will bring you one.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

cool!
there is room for the 3/8 quick disconnect for the tri fuel to be placed on the front panel.
not sure how that would affect the new honda para plugs...
it should miss them just fine.
i place the battery charger on top of the battery behind the battery door. and cord out the door notch.


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## jeb (Feb 16, 2021)

drmerdp said:


> Thanks, I appreciate it.
> 
> Next time I have a chance I’ll take some sound measurements doors opened and closed at a different distances.


Can you do me a favor and describe and maybe a picture of what you did for the exhaust with your 7000's? I'm thinking of a similar setup, but I didn't see any pictures of how you got the exhaust plumbed out. Thanks!

-J


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

jeb said:


> Can you do me a favor and describe and maybe a picture of what you did for the exhaust with your 7000's? I'm thinking of a similar setup, but I didn't see any pictures of how you got the exhaust plumbed out. Thanks!
> 
> -J


No exhaust extensions or plumbing. Simply the ceramic refractory board from the pictures. I’ll take a more detailed photo for you when I have a chance. I tried a short extension to direct the flow but it ended up adding a lot more noise. Its hard to explain but it was significantly louder.

The the upward flow of air exiting from the back of the unit creates a nice flow of air pulling the exhaust gases up and away to the exhaust fan. The plastic back panel of the unit so far has never exceeded a reasonable temp.

I plan to do a Solid load test with both generators at a typical load next summer on a 90 degree day. Id like to see if I need to explore cooling enhancements. If needed I’d probably start with routing the exhaust through high heat silicone hose plumbed to the exhaust fan instead of dispersing into the enclosure.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

Browse Deweb said:


> Very, very nice! Checks all the boxes. The only thing missing is a second tri-fuel kit, but they're not cheap and a single EU7000is is probably going to meet most of your needs.
> 
> Maybe Santa will being you one.


Thanks, yeah the single 7000 handles most of my needs, though I’m not opposed to converting the other eu7000. somewhere down the road.

lol, I need wifey Claus to step her game up.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

kinda surprised the new c/o detector does not throw a fit dr.
lol on the santa!
make sure she gets the us carbs order in asap!


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## asavage (9 mo ago)

pipe said:


> This is the no-tools oil drain on all our Honda generators, including the 7000 series
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I love the EZ-Drain valves, but I unfortunately found out the hard way that the EZ-109 will NOT fit the GX390 on an EU6500iS/EU7000iS.

1) The OD of the valve body will not clear the plastic sound baffle that's bolted to the side of the block.

1a) The EZ-Drain A109 M12x1.5 extension that is designed for this sort of situation is even LARGER OD. I even turned it down on a lathe, and it still won't fit.

2) The sealing surface of the EZ-109 -- the part where the gasket goes -- is too large to fit the counterbore on the block, so if the valve's body didn't interfere with the plastic sound baffle, you'd have to stack up gaskets to get it to seal.

Instead, I bought a certain extension that is M12x1.5 male to fit the block and is small enough to clear the sound baffle, and has an appropriately small diameter gasket surface, and is 1/4" NPTF on the other end, then used a EZ-115 -- which is 1/4 NPTM -- to fit that adapter.

Due to the length of that combination, there's no room to use the nifty 90° hose adapter I'd bought from EZ-Drain, but my un-egged beer is more than satisfactory.

Details and lots of trial-n-error pics are here.










(Oh, and the EZ-109 won't fit the GX390 on my pressure washer either, darn! I forget why, but I was hoping to use it somewhere.)

Our family has three EU6500iS gennys (at three different locations), and I've installed this on only one of them, so far. Now that we're out of the winter storms, I'll have to scoot over to the others and swap these in on those.

(I had to try a couple of different M12x1.5<->1/4 NPTF adapters to find one that worked. Details at that link.)


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## asavage (9 mo ago)

pipe said:


> Bought & Sold several used ones from all over the place via Craigslist


I bought an EU7000iS with high hours on CL last November for a good price, then picked up a low-miles EU6500iS the following week, so I thought I'd have no trouble reselling the 7000, but I tried for MONTHS and all I got was, "are you crazy? How many hours are on that? I'll give you [half the asking price] cash to take if off your hands." 

I got real tired of dealing with these people. I ended up pushing it out the door on eBay and paying their 13% fee. I came out good, made a few bucks, but dealing with CL flakes (as a seller) is not fun. As a buyer, whole different experience.

(Many eBay buyers wanted me to ship it, even though I had it listed "Local pickup only". Over and over. No, I'm not building a crate, draining the oil & gas, and hauling to a freight firm. No, not even for $500 more. I'm moving, I don't have time for this. It's priced appropriately, come get it. Eventually, someone in Montana bought it and I agreed to hold it for a couple of weeks (paid for) so he's coming to pick it up next week. Sheesh.)


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## Dutchy491 (Sep 18, 2019)

What’s high hours?


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## asavage (9 mo ago)

Food trucks have many times more hours, but the CL buyers all though this was crazy high. Runs like new, no smoke, no cosmetic issues, and fresh oil & fuel filter (the fuel filter ain't exactly easy to replace, either).

The only thing I notice about this 7000 vs my 6500s is that if started with Eco ON, it will start and die five seconds later. It'll then restart and keep running, but it's always two crank cycles. But, you're not supposed to start these with Eco ON, you're supposed to have Eco OFF and warm up for two minutes before switching to Eco ON.

Even so, my 6500s will start with Eco ON and stay running through warm-up. This 7000 won't. [shrug]

---

I love the way these fit in the back of my RAV4. It's a bit of a struggle for me to get it up the HF tri-fold ramps by myself, but I can just do it.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

I’ve been out of the loop for a while but wanted to chime in with a small update.

Since I’ve built the new enclosure and bought the 2 eu7000s my power outages have become incredibly infrequent. A whopping 1, lol. It’s kind of funny how that works sometimes.

Anyway, I had an outage Saturday morning for 3 hours right as the family and I were getting up. I went down to the boiler room, fired up both generators and switched power over at the panel. I had the central air, 2 burners on my electric range, a coffee maker and toaster all going simultaneously. Using the handy Honda Bluetooth app for the newest eu7000 I kept an eye on the power consumption. The app is monitoring the one generator but in parallel operation both generators share the load equally. Power consumption peaked at 6000watts (12000watts actual) for moments at a time as the burners cycled.

This is aggressive use, and I wont be so demanding moving forward. But it was a golden opportunity to see how it would do. Once breakfast was on the table the generator settled into a nice pur and the only big load was the central air. I have a wireless thermometer located at the air inlet of the Generator furthest from the intake louvre and temps were 83.

Id call this a success.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

yea the honda eu7000is series is the way to go.
quiet for sure.
watch the loads as it is hard on the inverter to run close to rated if the room temps are above 50 deg f for the air intake.
it can get heat soak on the compact inverter...
the older 6500 units had this issue..
but on the redesign of the 7000is the problem went away.
they went to a better flow fan system inside.

have you thought to try a triple system?

scale up and down to your power to your power demand.
and as long as the connections are made before starting any of the gens it will sync up ok.
or add in a battery inverter setup to buffer the power demand.


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