Vaughn wrote:

After reading lhiggin's description of how to parallel these Hondas,
I wonder if we could easily plug one into a wall socket with a
variac to control the backwards grid meter speed :-)

You first!

I don't own one, but it seems safe enough, with a variac hooked up as
an autotransformer and 2 light bulbs in series. If it syncs, the bulbs
should be dark. Viewed in a fixed font:

--------------sC----B---B-------
| | C wall
| Honda | C socket
| | C
--------------------------------

Moving the variac slider s downwards should make the bulbs light again.
Then short out one bulb, then the other, put a Kill-a-Watt meter into
the Honda socket, and run the exhaust into the 1/2" gas pipe of a $200
upside-down water heater, after removing the thermostat innards.

Nick