DIYbanter - View Single Post

(PeteCresswell)

Per :
Forgot to add, you can't parallel those generators. There is
no way to keep them synchronized. I think what you really mean
is to use one for some loads, the other for other loads. As
long as your doing that via extension cords, that's cool.
But if you really mean to parallel them and use them to feed
the main panel, that's out.

The gennie that I have now, a Honda EU2000, is designed to be paralleled
with another like it. It's quite a popular option among campers
because it offers the ultimate in fuel economy but allows for higher use
when that use is needed. One of those things, pushing 800-1,200 watts
goes 6-7 hours on a gallon of gas for me.

800-1,200 is what our house cruises on. The high figure for when the
furnace and an old refrigerator are running.

From what I have read so far, two EU2000's pushing the same load, will
go maybe 5 hours on a gallon instead of 6.... but I'm still searching
for actual use data.

The attractions of running them on nat gas would be:

- Not getting up at 0200 to fill tanks - although that's probably
a red herring given the availability of six-gallon external
tanks.

- Not having to store gasoline against a power failure

- Not having to worry about hunting down more gas if/when
the reserve supply runs out.

- Not paying highway tax on the fuel.

The EU2000 served us well during the recent 5-day outage. Our little
gasoline hoard in the garden shed took us through it with
plenty to spare while our neighbor with one of those loud Home Depot
monsters found himself driving an hour and waiting in line to get enough
gas to feed it.

For cooking, we used 16-ounce propane cylinders driving a miniature
grill and a screw-on stove burner.
--
Pete Cresswell