Which portable generator is best and why?

[bammylovechops]

Hi,

I'm after purchasing a portable petrol generator around 2KW, interested in thoughts as to which is the best and why.
It would be used for mainly topping up batteries and reheating of water whilst on anchor, very very occasionally may be used to power a power washer whilst beached.
Also would be interested if somebody is after getting rid of one!

Mark

 

[Dave_Seager]

Please choose a quiet one! Honda generally seem to be the best in this respect and are very well built but pricey.

 

[Reverend Ludd]

Please choose a quiet one! Honda generally seem to be the best in this respect and are very well built but pricey.

Agreed, surprisingly some of the older models are quieter I found. Can't remember what mine is but I will be down the marina Sat and I'll tell you if someone else hasn't come by.

EX650 funny how as I clicked "post" I remembered.

 

[Boo2]

I'm after purchasing a portable petrol generator around 2KW, interested in thoughts as to which is the best and why.
It would be used for mainly topping up batteries and reheating of water whilst on anchor, very very occasionally may be used to power a power washer whilst beached.

I had a Wolf Power 1k2W open-frame generator and whilst it worked fine it was so noisy that I sold it pretty much immediately. I've heard the suitcase types are a lot quieter and would try one of those if I buy another, the Honda ones have a goiod rep but I've never used one.

Boo2

 

[gjgm]

Hi,

I'm after purchasing a portable petrol generator around 2KW, interested in thoughts as to which is the best and why.
It would be used for mainly topping up batteries and reheating of water whilst on anchor, very very occasionally may be used to power a power washer whilst beached.
Also would be interested if somebody is after getting rid of one!

Mark

Couple of specialists on the web if you look. Honda seems the favourite, but that might be urban myth. Yamaha actaully looks as if it might be quieter in fact, but by a tiny amount, and you dont see them for sale much. Sabaru seem on the rise , but quite expensive.Hyundai probably decent bit of kit, but higher decibel figures.
Others seem likely to be too noisey for boating.
Honda wins by availability,noise and so, by default, I think, assuming you can afford £800 for a second hand one, or £1200 for a new one.

 

[Richard10002]

Honda!

 

[BruceDanforth]

I have an 800W ebay 2 stroke generator which was £45 new. It makes a great noise and impressive clouds of smoke.

 

[rivonia]

We have a Honda 2kw and it runs VERY quite. The people next boat can't hear it-honest.

Peter

 

[Poignard]

We have a Honda 2kw and it runs VERY quite. The people next boat can't hear it-honest.

Peter

Eh - what's that you say?

 

[Ripster]

Honda is the best - no question IMO. We have a Kipor 2600 - copy of a Honda, sine wave, suitcase design and twin outlet with 12v too. Not as quiet as the Honda - nearly so, but at 1/3 the price its worth a look.

Few points - get one that has stable output - sine wave. Watch the weight, ours is 28kg and thats heavy to hump about the boat. Intelligent throttle - responds to the current loading and helps save fuel allegedly. Its big enough to provide the current you need. A very small one say 800 is fine for batt charging, some lights, but would struggle with a kettle or heater. Our 2600 allows us to function like we are connected to SP except we only use a 1KW heater or 1.2KW kettle and never at the same time! Stick to 4stroke reliability. Run it up every couple months to avoid fuel drying up and blocking the carb. Service once a year with usual amount of use.

 

[ctva]

I got the Honda 1.0 which is superb. Only thing it can't power is the pressure washer but we only do that when we have shore power. The 2kva would do you nicely and Honda stuff like Apple stuff just works.

 

[Flossdog]

I have a Honda EU1 suitcase genny. It is great. It powers my pressure washer which is rated at 1.4kw and also runs my fan heater at 1kw when my Eberspacher refuses to work which is most of the time! It is very quiet and well worth the money. One point not yet mentioned is that you can piggy back 2 Honda EU1s to give you 2kw. You need a special cable, not cheap but you get 2kw and avoid the weight of a single EU2 unit.

 

[outtametree]

We run severel petrol generators in the 2-3kw range. 2 Kipor & 3 hondas. The quietest under load is the oldest Honda, but it's the least economical. The 4 later gen's are sine wave "inverter" type, so increase revs under load so becoming noisier. If you're running a few light lights & for instance flick the kettle on, you will feel the torque twitch through the boat & the noise level will triple!
If you give one a try, be sure you have a decent load to give it before you commit to spending, it could be a surprise.
That said, I'd go with th Kipor. Not a great deal louder than the Honda, but 1/3 the price.
HTH

 

[LadyInBed]

Honda is the best - no question IMO. We have a Kipor 2600 - copy of a Honda, sine wave, suitcase design and twin outlet with 12v too. Not as quiet as the Honda - nearly so, but at 1/3 the price its worth a look.

I agree.
I have a Planet 2 (no longer available) it was also a lot cheaper.
Continuous Output Power 2kW and Sound Level @ 7m = 65dB

 

[Conachair]

Honda.
Not just because it's quiet but that is a major factor.

Mainly because it has had obscene levels of extended abuse and by rights it should never work again. let alone the first or 2nd pull.

 

[Mistroma]

I bought a Yamaha EF600 over 20 years ago and it still runs perfectly. Output was too small for my new boat so I had to buy something else. I did a lot of checking and found lots of problems reported for Kipor so decided to avoid them.

I eventually went for a Honda EU20i and it has proved quiet (barely audible below decks at light load), reliable (over past 3 years) and economical (averages 0.37 ltr/hr). Initial cost is high but they hold their value.

It is mainly used for battery charging (~600W) so the EU10i would be adequate for that. However the larger unit lets my wife can use her hair drier, toaster and microwave from time to time. It can also cope with heating water as the element is 1200W but I wouldn't do that very often.

Note that manufacturers figures make you tend to over estimate the output you can use.

e.g. I thought Yamaha EF600 would just about cope with my 600W charger. However, I think the manual gives 400W as limit for continuous use. Then you have to allow for "Power Factors" which can reduce output further for certain items.

The Honda EU10i fares quite well as it has 1000W Max. and 900W continuous whereas the EU20i figurs are 2000W and 1600W. So the larger set only gives an extra 700W continuous power.

Although I'm happy with the Honda unit I'm pretty certain that it is well over-priced. Of course Honda wouldn't indulge in any illegal price fixing. However, I found it strange that discounts were small and difficult to get.

Finally: A word of warning about Honda's on eBay.
I bought a second hand unit and returned it because all serial nos. had been removed. So check asap if you buy one (I can tell you the tactics I used to ensure a refund).
I was pretty certain that there was price fixing on new ones being sold. (Too many clues to repeat here).

 

[rotrax]

Another Kipor vote. We have the 2600- under £500 from a local supplier who was checked out for spares stock before we laid our money down. Before this we had a Kawasaki 800. 30 plus years old, first pull starting but REALLY noisy! We have an American boat with mostly 120v electrics. I installed a big stepdown transformer meant for Winnebago's. We plug the genny into shorepower lead as normal, fire it up and away we go.

 

[AIDY]

Kipor it produces a better sine wave.....

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

Unknown make, 950 watt, 2 stroke, £39.99, 5 years ago. It will power all microwaves, despite of wattage, flat screen TV s and everything else. Not too noisy but plenty of smoke; only used at remote places or emergencies.

I am considering a Kipor 2kw

 

[Seadog17]

Unknown make, 950 watt, 2 stroke, £39.99, 5 years ago. It will power all microwaves, despite of wattage, flat screen TV s and everything else. Not too noisy but plenty of smoke; only used at remote places or emergencies.

I am considering a Kipor 2kw

Who sells the "Kipor"?.

I'm considering a generator and have been looking at the "Clarke" models from Machine Mart. Appreciate the Honda models are tops but at double the price I'm wondering if they really deserve the mark-up.