Secondhand Honda or New Kipor

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Oscarpop

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So we have decided to pick up a mid priced genny 1000-2000w.


I have read with much interest the threads on here extolling the virtues of both the honda eu10i and the Kippor 2000.

Now the new price of the Kippor seems to be the same as the e bay selling prices for the eu10.

What would you choose?


Thanks.
 
Having had a couple of the cheap unreliable 2 stroke ones, I looked around the 4 strokes available. Ended up buying a Honda Eu20i mainly because of the European/worldwide service network - don't see Kippors out here for instance so would be difficult to find service agent or parts in a hurry.
 
Very happy with my 1KW Kipor now about 4yrs old used more on the last boat to power snaders for the varnish but now used for charging batteries occassionally. When I purchased the seller said that the kipor does not have the overlaod protection circuits of the honda and required a special oil......As for buying second hand on ebay I do not think I would bother chances are it is going to have been worked to death powering a market stool each weekend. Would only buy the honda if it was from a friend at the sailing club who could say he has used it for 20 or so hours etc.

Good luck and only my opinion and not sure if it is right!
 
I actually have both a 25-30 year old honda cage generator and a 3 year old kippor. I also had another kippor which broke.

I would personally go for the honda as they are better built. The gasket went on the first kippor leaking fuel into the oil. I tried to repair it and it pretty much needed destroying to access anything. The kippors are good good generators but are a bit disposable if anything major goes wrong.
 
Oscarpop said:
So we have decided to pick up a mid priced genny 1000-2000w.
Click to expand...

There is a considerable weight and physical size difference between a 1 and 2kW.
Work out if you need 2kW or will 1kW (continuous working load) do.
You should get some hands on feel of both.
Look at the size and location of the genny's proposed storage place and envisage what effort it will take to get it on deck for use.
If you only need 1kW but all the boxes are ticked for a 2kW, go for the 2kW as you never know when you might need the extra power and running it at half load is better than running a 1kW at full load.
 
I had the same problem a few months ago. I am sure the Honda is more repairable than the Kipor but when you look at the purchase price and the repair costs :eek:

Settled for a Hyundai 2.8Kw with battery/remote start at circa £800.

So far so good - but it is bit heavy
 
This is a good thread as I am going through the same thought processes myself. The Hondas are very expensive and I have been looking at the Clarke and the Hyundai offerings, probably the 2 KW version. The importer of the Hyundai told me they were sensitive to stale or dirty fuel and the carb should be drained each time to avoid problems. This did make them sound a bit delicate but the price is good.

Does anyone have any experience of the Clarke gennies? You can get a new 2200 version for the same money as a secondhand Honda EU10i.

Thanks,
Richard.
 
No even worth thinking about - absolutely no choice - go for the Kipor every time. Many moons ago when I was looking for a small suitcase type genny I looked at the Honda splutters and was told by the Honda dealer to look at the Kipor instead as the Hondas were over priced for what they were (are) - never had a moment's trouble from the Kipor I bought. The Honda Eu20 is only rated at 1.6kvA continuous - NOT 2kw as many people seem to think - the 3kvA Kipor I bought is "only" rated at 2.7kva continuous and all for 1/3rd the price of a lower power rated Honda.

As for service Kipor have service centers round the UK and spares are readily available though all I have ever needed is spark plugs and oil (nothing special about the oil either - readily available.

Warning - the oil level sensor has jammed twice preventing the engine starting - no big deal - check the oil level and if OK disconnect the level sensor - on both occasions the sensor was "repaired" by taking it out and giving it a little clean with isopropyl alcohol and refitting it - 5 mins work at most.

There is nothing complicated about the Kipor engines and the workshop manual is quite clear and concise - note: workshop manual not owners manual - try getting your hands on a workshop manual for a Honda! :eek:

For the money I don't think you can beat the Kipor r - so what if it does pack up after another 5 or 10 years - at the price I can buy 3 of them for the price of one Honda.
 
Generators

The old Hondas used to be pure sine wave as indicated by the constant engine speed 3000RPM with direct drive alternator. I don't know what the modern ones do. There is much advantage in generating DC and electronically converting to AC. One advantage being lower engine speed at lower power requirements.
However it is much cheaper to fabric the AC with a square wave or modified square wave rather than a pure sine wave. Sine wave AC is OK for induction motoro like fridges and fans while square wave or modified sine wave is good for heating and brush motor power tools. As for battery chargers these seem to be a bit unknown as to efficiency on square wave but obviously made for Sine wave. So I would go for sine wave AC. I don't know what the Kippor produces but find out. good luck olewill
 
William_H said:
I don't know what the Kipor produces
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Well bugger me, do you mean there is something you don't know? jeez, and there was me thinking you knew everything about everything....:D Well let me answer that one for you - the Kipors produce pure sine wave and are extremely well stabilised. - there you go - now you know everything. :rolleyes:
 
cliff said:
The Honda Eu20 is only rated at 1.6kvA continuous - NOT 2kw as many people seem to think - the 3kvA Kipor I bought is "only" rated at 2.7kva continuous and all for 1/3rd the price of a lower power rated Honda.
Click to expand...

Your obvious enthusiasm for Kipor would be more credible if you didn't exaggerate the price difference so much! The 2.8kVA Kipor IG3000 is around £765, the 1.6kVA Honda EU20i is around £1090 - hardly 3 times the price.
 
pvb said:
Your obvious enthusiasm for Kipor would be more credible if you didn't exaggerate the price difference so much! The 2.8kVA Kipor IG3000 is around £765, the 1.6kVA Honda EU20i is around £1090 - hardly 3 times the price.
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Not when I bought mine, less than £300 for the Kipor 3000ti and around £900 for a honda. Even at your prices I would still go for the Kipor. BTW the Kipor IG2000 (similar rating as to the honda EU20i) is listed at £449 - less tha ½ the price of the similar rated honda - lets compare like for like. So now 2X difference - seems Kipor prices have risen a bit in recent years....
Oops here is the IG2600 for £545 which is about ½ the price of the lower power rated honda EU20i.

For comparison here is the IG3000 which is not comparable with either the kipor IG2000 or IG2600 or the honda EU20i. Note the completely different configuration - the IG3000 is not a "suitcase" type genny.

Granted the price difference has narrowed since I bought my Kipor but there is still a 2 fold difference when comparing "like for like"

I am glad you are not envolved in procurement for my business. :D
 
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Oscarpop said:
So we have decided to pick up a mid priced genny 1000-2000w.


I have read with much interest the threads on here extolling the virtues of both the honda eu10i and the Kippor 2000.

Now the new price of the Kippor seems to be the same as the e bay selling prices for the eu10.

What would you choose?


Thanks.
Click to expand...
My choice is Honda ,main reasons are noise,no generators are silent except maybe watercooled inbuilt , it is important for to me to get the quietest possible and I still would not run it within 100 yds of anyone.Weight is another important factor,the EU10i weighs 13kgs and is still heavy . Overall size is the third factor ,this will depend obviously on storage capacity aboard . How much fuel it consumes may later become an issue .The Eu10i will suit me although I have yet to take it onboard until I can find a place for it . At 900w it will do most tasks I require and mostly 200w would be ok but if I required 2000 watts occasionally I would sooner increase battery size and go the inverter route plus larger alternator.
 
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