Today was Generator Day. Interestingly, it is also apparently Generator Day in a large part of the southeast US.
The purpose of Generator Day is to, periodically, run the generator under load for an hour or so in order to make sure everything functions and doesn’t get stagnant or stale. Usually I fire up the EU2000, plug in an electric leaf blower, and do some yardwork.
It’s been a while since I started this thing up. (Bad survivalist!) I had actually forgotten the startup procedure. Fortunately, part of my generator prep plan includes copying the startup/shutdown instructions from the .pdf, printing them out, putting them in a sealed page protector, and attaching them to the generator. As a result, I quickly had my memory refreshed. Started on pull #9.
This is, I believe, year nine for this particular EU2000. According to the run meter I put on this thing when I bought it, I’ve run it for about a total of 30 hours. Thats some pretty low miles.
The EU2000, when I purchased it, was the big thing in portable generators. Since then, upgraded versions have come out and when I get another spare or two, I’ll get the upgraded version. But, so far, for nine years this thing has been sitting quietly in it’s Hardigg case awaiting the infrequent power outage. Been quite pleased with it so far.
Of course, no man is an island and not piece of expensive gear is without support materials. The Hardigg case that houses the generator also contains a cable lock, spare air filters, printed directions, heavy duty extension cords, spare fuel cans, PRI-G, etc, etc.
In the nine years I’ve had this thing I’ve only needed to genuinely use it twice. Both times for only a few hours. And both times I felt pretty darn smug as I sat there with cable and internet as my neighbors suddenly became involuntary Luddites.
So, if you haven’t gotten one yet….thumbs up on the Honda EU series.
I have 2 2000’s (bought in 2001) and 2 2200’s (bought in 2022). After they sit for a while I pull the cord twice, wait for 5 or 10 minutes and they generally start on the next pull.
Do you run it dry and store it with an empty tank? I don’t trust gas engines for long term storage. I keep a propane generator which I fire up once a year or so. I’ve only had to use it once, for a 26 hour outage.
I do not store it dry.Thats one of the reasons I try to run it every month.
Does it have a fuel shut-off valve? It’s best to close the valve while it’s still running to use up the gas in the carburetor bowl. Even with PRI-G or Stabil, the volatile hydrocarbons will evaporate in the carb leaving a varnish behind that WILL clog it up. Carb problems are the number one reason for gen sets to not start when needed. You should be able to buy an aftermarket valve and install it yourself.
I must have got lucky with the Generac 6500W I bought off Craigslist 6-7 years ago for $300. It was still new in the wrapper and last month it started on the first pull yet again! Which is amazing to me. I shut the fuel off and run it dry, put synthetic oil in it, use 91 octane gas with Stabil and try and run it with load once every two or three months. One time I got lazy and let it go six months, started on the first pull. Probably used up all my luck and when I do need it during an emergency it will be dead. One is none.
Yes. An EU 2000 anon here as well. I use similar procedures for staging and test cycles as the Commander, albeit without a cool hardigg case for storage or transport. (Another item to buy now) They are light enough to flip over to dump out the fuel tank and refill with fresher gas if desired or necessary. I keep a few cans of aerosol starting fluid in inventory, for extreme cold or real hard starting scenarios on any engines. Only once, needed one squirt at the air filter bottom intake holes after removing the side panel. Fired after one pull. I would suspect with the globalized manufacturing and degraded quality standards any new model units from any company will not be as robust or reliable going forward. As an import item their sourcing can dry up during embargoes and conflicts as well. Take good care of those “Gennies” out there folks. Stay Frosty.
Mine are two Honda EM500’s produced around 1985. They were purchased for a total of $250 approximately 10 years ago. These are 500 watt generators that produce 400 watts continuously. The EU 1000 is twice as fuel efficient, but at a purchase price of only $125 each, I can buy a lot of fuel given the $875.00 saved. Further still, efficency is improve by running the generator to charge batteries only. By using a 20 amp charge, all of the capacity of the EM500 is used and not a drop of gas is wasted. If using a EU1000, I would use a 40 amp charger if the battery bank was at least 440AH. Double the figures if a EU2000 is used.
One had considerable time on it, and both were used daily for around 6 hours during the winter time for 3 years. They still run good. The 12vdc portion failed, and one has a sticky pull cord that needs repair, but after being in storage and well used over 35 years, one cannot complain. These old generators are made to be serviced. It is easy to drain the fuel from the bottom of the carburetor and fill back up. Same is done for the engine oil.
I used non ethanol premium to preserve the original gasket material in the carburetor that were not designed to withstand the corrosive effects of 10% ethanol blended fuels. Non ethanol unleaded premium grade gas with a fuel stabilizer such as Pri-gas will start and run a vehicle or generator well after 3 years of storage in the tank. To extend the maintenance schedule, and further reduce the risk of gumming up the carburetor, I’ve recently switched over to AVGAS 101LL. This is 96 octane low lead aviation fuel. It is a pure gasoline similar to what was produced in the 1960’s for automobiles. It can remain good to use for up to 10 years without a fuel stabilizer added. It was purchased last year at only $5.00 per gallon. My saws run on this as well, but in very cold weather, a little ether (quick start), or propane is needed to get them to start. Avgas lacks the light gases that help engines start easier. These light gases are the first part of what evaporates from regular gasoline when in storage. Fuel stabilizers can not stop this process. I
If the fuel has gone flat and will not start an engine, slowly bubble into the fuel some propane to restore it’s ability to start an engine. This can be done using a propane torch. I do this for the Avgas used in the saws when it is very cold. Or bring the saw or generator inside and let it warm up. The best way to store any gasoline is in an air tight metal can filled to the top. Ye’old 5 gallon Jerry cans are the best. Purchase new seals for these old can on the internet.
So many factual errors in this post; typical know-it-all prep type who’s “read” but not done. It’s butane not propane. If fuel stabilizer doesn’t help sequester the lighter fractions then how does it work? True on 10% ethanol on 2-stroke engines from 15 years ago but the 200 page Honda eu2000 maintenance manual from 6 years ago has no caution about using ethanol fuel.
How do I know beyond basic physics? CURRENTLY running stabilized, 10% ethanol fuel put up 23 months ago in my 2007 Jeep at 100% concentration without issue.
Fanks!
There is so much in this post to correct, I am not inclined because of the effort that would be involved. I am a survivalist who has actually ‘lived it’ for the last decade. I also have over 30 years in the automotive business.
But for the sake of others I’ll quickly state that propane does what is mentioned and is a good substituent for ether(Quick Start). Light violital gases that cause the motor to start are primarily benzine. It evaporates quickly if not sealed in. Also oxygen degrades the fuel. This is why I recommend metal jerry cans as the best method for preservation. Even Coleman white gas stored in sealed metal cans looses it’s potency after many years of storage. The amount of BTU’s is noticeably reduced with the age of the fuel, and is measurable by timing how long it takes to boil water. White gas is naptha, a pure fuel with an octane rating of only 55, yet even if it looks good, the fuel after 10 years is not as potent. Same happens with all other gasolines.
Motors designed to handle the caustic properties of ethanol will be okay, but older motors may or may not be designed for such. Also modern fuels are loaded with additives. That is the gummy stuff that gums up fuel systems and why fuel stabilizers are needed. A fuel stabilizer will not protect the fuel from oxidization, or evaporation. White gas and Avgas do not have so many additives, therefore they do not need a stabilizer. When they evaporate, there is no residue. And I would not run ethanol in 2 cycle motors because of the risk of water becoming adsorbed by the ethanol that is hydrophilic. As this emulsion is created there is the risk that the fuel blended will the 2 cycle oil mixed with the fuel to lubricate may not lubricate as effectively.
And there are many old chainsaws that are still serviceable and might put back into service. My favorite is a 35 year old Husky, an L65. These old saws have an advantage as they can tolerate lower octane fuels, and the oilers are less incline to plug up. Mine is reliable. We can thank the EPA for the newer and greener saws that will likely not fair as well in Third World conditions. I also repair chainsaws. If the fuel is old the octane rating is well below what is required for modern saws. Becareful not to run these saws hot or hard. If pinging is heard, let it cool off and cut slower. The piston could easily be melted through.
There is more I could say about this and related topics to validate my opinion, but I’ve already given enough of my time.
I’ve done my homework and practice what I preach. I know if it works because I use it. I apologize if I might sound like a ‘know it all’. I began reading Survivalblog.com back in 2007 and become a hard cord survivalist learning and doing everyday. It is a life style, and I learned everything from others. Over the last few years I wrote nearly 150,000 words in 48 articles attempting to give back to the community that helped me so much. I may or may not go back writing for the blog again this winter. I am a firm believer that knowledge and skills are more important than stuff. However, one also needs the correct mindset if they are to considered a serious survivalist, and not simply a prepper. We might get by without knowledge and skills, but without the correct mindset, the odds of survival are low, IHMO. However, if we have the necessary mindset, we will naturally seek to acquire knowledge and skills. As I do, chew on the meat and spit out the bones…. I am at your service and happy to answer questions….
BTW, another advantage of storing Avgas is that we can blend it with other gasoline’s to bring up the octane level. The combination of non ethanol unleaded premium and Avgas 101LL is we can restore the depleted octane level of the automotive gasoline (Mogas) that has lost it’s octane rating over a one year period of time and bring it back closer to a level that our chainsaw manufacturer recommends as the minimum needed to operate the saw without damaging it. Older generators are 4 cycle engines that are designed to be low compression motors that can operate well on degraded stored gasoline, but newer model chainsaws are high performance motors that must have fuels that are at least 91 octane to avoid damage to the piston. To learn more, here is an old article posted over on Survivalblog. https://survivalblog.com/2021/12/30/gasoline-types-long-term-storage-tunnel-rabbit/
My instructions for the generator and manual transfer switch are laminated and taped to the front of my breaker box, to the left of the transfer switch.
I’ve only had one occasion where I had any significant trouble starting my generator which I normally run every two or three months. The gas always has Stabil and I keep the tank full.
The one occasion of trouble was in the middle of the night. I spent about three hours troubleshooting while wearing an LED light that clips to the bill of a baseball cap. Somehow with only around 100 hours on the generator, the magneto coil went bad while sitting. When finished troubleshooting, I took about an hour and a half nap then went to the small engine repair place as soon as they opened and bought a new coil. Installed it when I got home and was back in business.
My EU2000 has a tube from the bottom of the float bowl with a screwed stopcock to drain it with. I drain the tank as best I can and then drain the float bowl. I have had no problems starting it after a year or more in storage. It takes two or three cranks to refill the carb after gassing up again, but then starts readily. I do use premium gas without the moonshine in it, stabilized and I recycle the stored gas at least once a year.
The Honda’s are not cheap, and there are reasons for that. There are less expensive clones on the market, and they may be just as good, but one consideration to look for is “pure sine wave inverter” for the power output. El cheapo gensets can have positively horrible output power (trying to pump a square wave) and they may do for most purposes, but electronics need good, clean AC power.
I have also shared before on this forum about Avgas. I had my Cessna 172 in the shop almost two years getting a paint job and an engine overhaul. When we were getting ready for the break-in runs on the new engine, I asked my mechanic if we should drain the old gas before I put any new in the tanks. He said “No, that old Avgas is good for many years, just top it up with new and we’ll be good to go”. The stuff is insanely expensive, but if you’re trusting your life and comfort to your preps, it’s something to consider. If you want local prices on Avgas, go to “airnav(dot)com/fuel and put in your zip code.
I have four EU2000. Two are dry from the factory and still in the box. Of the two I actively use one is smart and one is not. Running them in parallel gets you 3200 running watts in a package you can carry. Used it in conjunction with a smart switch on my RV AC unit and stayed cool while boondocking. They are also ideal for fence building or most any sort of building away from your house. I have them because the power they generate is clean and there is the outside possibility that I would have to run some computers off them. That is why there are four.
Since the EU2200 is the latest you can get a bargain on an EU2000 when someone is trading up. That is also how I ended up with four. One of the dry ones incidentally.
I would be interested in more specifics on the case you are using.
Lastly, one of my projects is to make a faraday enclosure out of one of those job boxes where you lock your tools up. The dry ones are going in there.
Another of my projects is a kit to make one run on propane.
Too many projects…