Power calculations

[LionsNzebras]

So, I have been digging into power use with the help of a few burners.

Is this as simple as adding up all my watts per hour then having an electrical source that has an ability to deal with said wattage?

One would think that you dont want your honda 2000 ramped up all the time.
As it stands now, just thinking of some simple lights, say 100 watts in LEDs? but I have not done much digging into what my load would be, just how much I can get out of an EU2000i which quite honestly might be the wrong way to calculate it.

Lights+fan+blah+blah+blah = watts?

[ygmir]

So, I have been digging into power use with the help of a few burners.

Is this as simple as adding up all my watts per hour then having an electrical source that has an ability to deal with said wattage?

One would think that you dont want your honda 2000 ramped up all the time.
As it stands now, just thinking of some simple lights, say 100 watts in LEDs? but I have not done much digging into what my load would be, just how much I can get out of an EU2000i which quite honestly might be the wrong way to calculate it.

Lights+fan+blah+blah+blah = watts?

Merry Yule!!

there are a myriad of threads, already dealing with,and answering your questions on this subject. I might suggest a few searches,either using the site search feature, or, "google" the your question, and add "eplaya" at the end. It will also take you to the threads and answers for which you search.

[Elderberry]

viewtopic.php?f=278&t=62106&p=887048&#p887048

[LionsNzebras]

viewtopic.php?f=278&t=62106&p=887048&#p887048

Saw this, BRC is what 4000 above sea level?
Were 2200 so thats a big difference, this is a great link.

[GreyCoyote]

Here is a good one too in addition to Elderberrys excellent thread: viewtopic.php?f=278&t=69165&hilit=Eu2000#p1012820

[Elderberry]

Here is a good one too in addition to Elderberrys excellent thread: viewtopic.php?f=278&t=69165&hilit=Eu2000#p1012820

How did I overlook that? I just booked marked it.

[Captain Goddammit]

If you already know your power source is going to be an EU2000, then I think you're doing it right - figure out how much you can get out of it first, then you know how much stuff you can run.
Actual testing is always best. I suggest two things. First, buy a "Kill-O-Watt" meter; they're about $30. Plug it into an outlet then plug your stuff into it, it'll give you a digital readout of exactly how much power you're using. Otherwise you're guessing.

Next suggestion, get a 250-watt work light, about $10.
Trial-run your generator at home with all your stuff plugged in, plus the lamp, as a "handicap". If it handles that, it'll probably handle your stuff on the playa minus the extra lamp.

[LionsNzebras]

Already have a kill-o-watt somewhere, have had one for 15+ years, its an amazing device to measure how much power your actually draining when something is off just due to natural resistance. Add up all your devices and whamo wasted cash.

I dont actually own a generator, but If I was going to purchase, the EU200I does look about right for average needs, and they are not that expensive. Without knowing how much power I will use at this point its kind of moot I guess.

Need to add up all my devices, just not sure what said devices are yet

[Captain Goddammit]

OK, well everyone and their brother will tell you that would be an excellent choice of machinery.
For testing at home without one, I'd say if you keep the load to around 1200 watts, the EU2000 - rated at 1600 watts continuous duty - will have an easy time handling it on the playa.

It's more money of course, but... even for moderate loads that one EU2000 can handle, I usually run two - just because two sets idling sound nicer than one throttled up.

[LionsNzebras]

Why not bump to the next size up? the 3000?
Some guys run them in parallel and that reduces load blah blah something, but Im not quite there yet in my new education

[Token]

Because the 3000 is big and heavy. An aging mortal can still pick up a eu2000 and bring it down from the truck.

Lots of us started with a 1000/2000 then added more units when our power needs grew over time.

Running in parallel was not a goal but a nice benefit. Gives you flexibility.

Btw, altitude, dust and heat related power loss is significant on the playa. Be conservative and really only shoot for 1/2 load for all your concurrent devices.

I use a rule of thumb of running 1000w continuous as a max per EU2000.

[GreyCoyote]

The EU3000 is a very nice machine. Not a darned thing wrong with it. But it is very heavy clocking in at nearly 150 lbs. you have to WANT to use it to deal with that much weight. Its not a spur-of-the-moment creature at all. Even with the wheel kit, its a heavy beast and needs two people to get safely out of a truck bed.

In contrast I use the EU2000 (46 lbs) as a cordless extension cord all the time at Beams and my own house. Its actually easier for me to toss the genny in the back of the truck than it is to screw around with "real" extension cords. And of course, when you live in the country, the nearest outlet may be a mile away, so mine gets a workout every couple of weekends. That alone makes it an easy choice for me.

With a pair of EU2000s you get 4000 watts under 100 lbs.
With a single EU3000 you get 3000 watts at 150 lbs.

Either are *excellent* machines. The ultimate decision IMHO is completely personal. Both can be parallelled with a twin.

I would look hard at your NON-playa uses before making a decision. It may make sense to get the bigger/smaller machine for home backup during snow/hurricane, etc, and adapt your playa power needs accordingly.

[Captain Goddammit]

Yep, I use a pair of 2000s for all the reasons GC said plus more, as if same cost but less weight and more power weren't enough!
Having two generators gives you redundancy; if one fails you still have power. You gain flexibility, you can use them in separate locations.
I don't know how the fuel economy of a pair of 2000s stacks up to a single 3000, but it's good enough that I sorta don't care. And with a pair of 2000s, you can run on just one when your power needs are low. That's what I do; at night I run just one, during the day when the A/C is on I run both.

The 3000 does have it's redeeming qualities. A single big box is a little tidier, and the electric start is nice, not because starting an EU2000 is difficult at all but because you can have remote start with an EU3000. But if someone wanted to trade me their EU3000 for my pair of EU2000s, I wouldn't do it.

Like he said, people usually end up with a pair of 2000s because they buy one, then later add another. That's what I did.

I'll make a strong recommendation NOT to buy an EU1000. I have had them, both single and in a pair. I still have one in pieces in my garage. They aren't that much cheaper or lighter than an EU2000, and they just don't make enough power. There are so many things a 2000 will run that a 1000 won't.
I guess I ought to get mine together and running, as a spare. I have found through actual trial that you can connect different size Honda EUs together. They do not have to be matching.

[GreyCoyote]

Ditto on the "dont get the EU1000" as Capt says. Too small. Gutless. Only good for charging battery banks and running lighting really. Only $200 cheaper than its double-output cousin the EU2000.

One thing I want to look at: parallelling unequal sized gensets seems to have a minor limitation. I found a reference that says you are limited to pulling twice the watts of the smaller genset. That may be a myth, but the source was one I trust, so maybe I need to try a 2k and a 3k paralled on the load bank and see what happens.

[tatonka]

kid in neighbor hood offered me a EU2000 for 150.00 stolen of course, I turned it down . He's in jail now , none of my doing , but I had a bad feeling so I didnt get it.

[GreyCoyote]

kid in neighbor hood offered me a EU2000 for 150.00 stolen of course, I turned it down . He's in jail now , none of my doing , but I had a bad feeling so I didnt get it.

That certainly gives you some big karma points, but the evil MBA in me just did a doubletake!

[tatonka]

kid in neighbor hood offered me a EU2000 for 150.00 stolen of course, I turned it down . He's in jail now , none of my doing , but I had a bad feeling so I didnt get it.

That certainly gives you some big karma points, but the evil MBA in me just did a doubletake!

always found it worked out best going with my gut instinct But I kick myself sometimes ")

[LionsNzebras]

I keep an eye out on our local list for stuff like that, the too good to be true items are usually right.

I looked locally and found one for 950, they are 1200 new here.

Thank you for the good information guys, 150 pounds is a lot to lug for us coming so far like you guys GC.
Perhaps the future will hold something different......

In the mean time, Zebra and I have been chatting more about what we want out of this burn, me not being a big camper, its going to be an interesting ride. Freezer burn will be my first test.

[Captain Goddammit]

There are a few places to order an EU2000 for a good deal. One of the most well-known, reputable ones (Is it OK to recommend a commercial vendor in this context?) is Mayberrys.com. $999, free shipping.
Definitely do not give someone $950 for a used one! I bought one of mine used but in mint shape for about $700.

[GreyCoyote]

There are a few places to order an EU2000 for a good deal. One of the most well-known, reputable ones (Is it OK to recommend a commercial vendor in this context?) is Mayberrys.com. $999, free shipping.
Definitely do not give someone $950 for a used one! I bought one of mine used but in mint shape for about $700.

Adding to this: amateur radio operators with an ARRL membership ($36/yr) get an additional discount from Mayberrys. You need to call the order in and give them your membership ID, but this simple process gives you another $100 off.

[Captain Goddammit]

Well this is interesting. I just parallel-connected my old rusty Honda EU1000 with one of my EU2000s. I plugged in a work light and a heater, total draw about 1450 watts. I plugged the meter into the EU2000, and it showed that it was drawing about 1225 watts from it. When I plugged the meter into the EU1000, it showed a draw of about 225 watts.
The bigger one carried the vast majority of the load.
I've been going through the carburetor on the small one. It's running well now, but it isn't idling... when the eco-throttle is engaged, it's still at maybe 3/4 power. If anything I'd guess that would make it produce more wattage..

That's the latest from Goddammit Labs.

[LionsNzebras]

There are a few places to order an EU2000 for a good deal. One of the most well-known, reputable ones (Is it OK to recommend a commercial vendor in this context?) is Mayberrys.com. $999, free shipping.
Definitely do not give someone $950 for a used one! I bought one of mine used but in mint shape for about $700.

I took a look at the site that was suggested, at 999 USD with the conversion blah blah to CDN dollars, I can get a brand new one for 1150 here locally to me, I could pick it up and have it in my hands and not worry about shipping.
So its the same thing.....Unless we can get them at 750-800 USD, its not even worth the pain.

[maladroit]

I have a refurbished Champion ~2000 watt inverter generator that has survived two years on playa (about 25 days) with no issues. It is as quiet as the EU2000i in the same camp, and cost me $400 shipped.

[Captain Goddammit]

You know, I just keep hearing good reports about the Champions... and they're about HALF the price! They have a wireless-remote electric start 3100 watt quiet inverter unit for less than the cost of a Honda EU2000. I'm seeing yellow in my future...

[maladroit]

I've posted about my experience in several of the generator threads, so make sure those good reports are coming from other people too! In general I seem to have better than average luck with mechanical and electrical things.