Running generators in parallel

[jenkinsph]

Yea, we manually synced generators in my power lab course in school. A little out of phase and you can make a huge hunk of steel jump. Lol

I have the honda 2000i, nice quiet gen. I bought the companion, now need the other half.

I very well remember bringing generators on line watching a kvar meter. Had to engage manually the 2500 amp breakers when the needle was at 12 o clock, if you missed it was dang near like an explosion. Scary as **** for me as there were 3 EMD train engines with 1.5 mega watt gensets on a drilling rig. Always had the driller stop the draw works when doing this. All the new stuff automatically connects and disconnects, but this was over thirty years ago.


I have both a 2000w and 3000 w Honda inverter generators and they are very quiet units. I have considered getting a 2000w companion generator for parallel use just because of the weight difference. For a truck camper a 2000w is sufficient for the cooler season use but summer with ac requires more power. The weight advantage is easy to understand, the 2000is generator weighs 46 lbs. while the 3000is weighs 135 lbs. I can easily load two small generators into the camper without help but the heavier generator is too heavy for an old geezer like me to load. I prefer on most campsites to set the generator(s) several feet from the camper so it is quiet with out vibration.

For larger power requirements needing 230vac I use either an Onan quiet diesel or Miller Trailblazer welder. The Onan is very quiet while the Miller is loud and a gasser.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I had a project yrs ago where we rebuilt a set of 3 EMD generators, 5 MW power plant.

 

[MossRoad]

I had a project yrs ago where we rebuilt a set of 3 EMD generators, 5 MW power plant.

A few years ago I got to tour the power plant at the University of Notre Dame. Besides their main coal and NG generators, they have two Fairbanks-Morse 1MW diesel electric generators from WWII submarine USS Haddock. They use them for peak demand and backup.

 

[Garandman]

We studied the lessons learned from Hurricane sandy and bought two Hondas, a Honda EU2000S and an EU2000S companion. We also had our house wired.

The biggest problem after Sandy was available fuel supply. Stations weren't open locally and folks didn't have enough fuel to run their conventional generators for very long. Most 5-10K generator owners did t realize they'd use up to 20 gallons per day.

We got the duo because we can run the heat circulation pump and fridge on one, to minimize fuel consumption overnight. Then we can run the two together during the day for additional wattage. We have gas heat, stove and even clothes dryer so the house should be habitable in the worst case scenario for us near the harbor in Boston: an intense full-moon Northeast storm that brings heavy snow, cold temps, high winds and high tides.

With the two EU2000's, we can run for 8-15 days without gas resupply. In addition to spare spark plugs and fuel filters we also keep plenty of motor oil. And if one goes down we could still get by.

There are probably some lower cost clones around, to my mind saving the couple hundred just wasn't worth the risk.

I guess my first question is why do you want to run in parallel? What is driving you to wanting this configuration? How much power do you need? Do you have two or more distinctly different applications like home backup and portable for camping?

I settled on the EU3000iS. It is the quietest and has longest run time of the Honda generators, it has electric start (easy for wife) and although it heavy for portable transport, it can be loaded up in your truck. Having two gens means double the maintenance.

There is an EU3000 Handi that is lighter.

 

[RNeumann]

That's one of the main advantages of propane. I have a 1000 gallons and it only runs a water heater and stove....besides the Winco/Honda gen.

 

[dragoneggs]

We studied the lessons learned from Hurricane sandy and bought two Hondas, a Honda EU2000S and an EU2000S companion. We also had our house wired.

The biggest problem after Sandy was available fuel supply. Stations weren't open locally and folks didn't have enough fuel to run their conventional generators for very long. Most 5-10K generator owners did t realize they'd use up to 20 gallons per day.

We got the duo because we can run the heat circulation pump and fridge on one, to minimize fuel consumption overnight. Then we can run the two together during the day for additional wattage. We have gas heat, stove and even clothes dryer so the house should be habitable in the worst case scenario for us near the harbor in Boston: an intense full-moon Northeast storm that brings heavy snow, cold temps, high winds and high tides.

With the two EU2000's, we can run for 8-15 days without gas resupply. In addition to spare spark plugs and fuel filters we also keep plenty of motor oil. And if one goes down we could still get by.

There are probably some lower cost clones around, to my mind saving the couple hundred just wasn't worth the risk.


There is an EU3000 Handi that is lighter.

True indeed... the 'Handi' is out now. Although lighter, it is louder and the gas tank is half the size so half the run time, and no electric start (important for my better half). Noise, run time and electric start can't be beat. I will admit, the 3000iS isn' so portable. It's a two person lift.

 

[Garandman]

We always started our EO3000iS by hand. They are amazingly quiet and have a largerfuel tank than the EU2000i.

But for $20 you can buy a replacement fuel cap and hook to an outboard fuel tank.

 

[IslandTractor]

I can see the rationale for two smaller generators for camping etc but as a emergency power source for a residence it seems cheaper and easier to just get one larger generator if you have someplace to store it. I picked up a barely used Honda EX5500 for cheap money. Very heavy and built like a tank but pretty easy to wheel around. It is water cooled and literally as quiet as an idling Honda sedan. I use it for a 220 volt source for welding too which wouldn't be possible with two smaller gens.

 

[dragoneggs]

We always started our EO3000iS by hand. They are amazingly quiet and have a largerfuel tank than the EU2000i.

But for $20 you can buy a replacement fuel cap and hook to an outboard fuel tank.

Yes I always started by hand... in fact my on board battery was probably dead long before I knew it. But with traveling I needed the better half to be able to 'flip a switch' and thus I put a battery tender on it. Now I can be in Asia during a power outage and feel confident that she can DIY easily by turning the key. This means a lot to me. I hate leaving her in an uncomfortable position. Call me a chauvinist... who I am.

 

[3930dave]

Yes I always started by hand... in fact my on board battery was probably dead long before I knew it. But with traveling I needed the better half to be able to 'flip a switch' and thus I put a battery tender on it. Now I can be in Asia during a power outage and feel confident that she can DIY easily by turning the key. This means a lot to me. I hate leaving her in an uncomfortable position. Call me a chauvinist... who I am.

It's a Nice option To Have.

If the generator and you (meaning physically) are tuned up, then pull starting is often not a big deal. Add in unfamiliar with engines, or something like throwing out your back or damaging your dominant hand in an emergency, and what's normally easy suddenly may become tougher to Pull off.....

Just bandaged up the hand last night of a good friend's 18 yo son, down at their shop.... he'd cut his right hand on glass doing reno work. Normally, that young lad could probably bench-press a generator for an hour and not get tired, but pulling a cord would have been "fun" with that hand last night.....

On my Estart gen, I usually go back and forth between manual and electric start, just to make sure......

Typing away at this, I'm thinking I should see how well I do at Pull Starting with my left arm (being a righty) next time....

Rgds, D.