Did I buy the wrong generator-

Jaxie985

i just bought a Honda EU2200i generator they called Companion. It has two AC sockets and a special DC one for directly charging an automotive battery. 

1) The section in the manual on the DC one states to be careful using it because it has no built in mechanism to keep from overcharging a battery. So that seems to have limited usefulness, no? One would need to hover over it with a meter or is there a controller available? Do I need one?

2) I assumed I could just use my regular 30A cord plugged into my Tab 320 Boondock and at the other end use the adapter that I use to plug into house power to plug into the generator instead when it’s running. Won’t that also top off my battery?

DougH

(2) Yes.  That gen provides enough juice to run the air conditioning, charge the battery, and run the fridge, but many report it's not possible to also run the Alde for hot water heater on electric at the same time. 

dhauf

Many of the inverter type generators have an unregulated 12V output.  I wouldn't worry about it.  I also have a Yamaha EF1000 with the same thing and never had an issue.  Depending on how discharged your battery is you can run it for a couple of hours and you should be good.  I would just keep a voltmeter handy to check it once and a while.

ChrisandAlexis

@Jaxie985, I hope you didn't buy the wrong one because we have the same model. We haven't used it for an actual camping trip but did test it out in the storage yard to make sure everything worked i.e the T@B air conditioning. There are 2 AC plug-ins on the generator. The 30 amp (right side) requires an adapter for us to be able to use our regular 30 amp cord that we use to hook up for shore power. I prefer using the 30 amp plug-in because the cord hangs downward. We have a dogbone adapter also for plugging into house power and that can be used on the 20 amp AC connector (left side). I did not like using that method due to the the orientation of how the dogbone plugged into the connector. It seemed like the weight of the dogbone made it easy for the plug to come out of the 20 amp socket.

Jaxie985

@ChrisandAlexis You have the one I thought I should have bought, with a 30 amp socket and a 20 amp one. I have the one with 2 20 amp sockets, no 30 amp socket. But I’m pretty sure I’m Ok using the 30A cable I usually use for shore power and using the 20 a plug at the generator socket.
I added oil and fuel and it started on the 8th or 9th pull. I have yet to test it on the different Tab appliances. I’m not likely to use a lot at once but I’m interested in running the fridge (which doesn’t like to run on propane), the water heater when needed, the Alde heat if needed. I use my. Phone and iPad for music and news, not the Jensen. Never have turned on the TV.  I’m on the road semi-permanently and at the moment don’t need to use the generator or solar but I’m very glad I have them.

patrickwilson

No.

Ratkity

I have the Companion. Love it. I bought it mainly because I didn't have to use an adaptor to put my 30A plug into the 20A socket. Please remember, you still get 20A service from it. It was a lifesaver for me last winter during camping on some private land. Please look up "loopback plug" to understand an accessory you may need if you use the surge protector. I will have to say that the Honda generators are said to have steady, no-surge output.

May I suggest not draining the gas out of it and adding "SeaFoam" for marine gasoline engines for over-wintering or for periods of non-use. Full gas tank prevents condensation and the SeaFoam product is magic (it's like Stabil if you are familiar with it). Mine always starts on 2nd pull. The first pull being the obligatory choke-pull, then the full start. 

Jdcouple

I literally just bought the pair of them. I was thinking I'd use the companion for camping because of the 30amp plug. I did test it on the camper the other day and it ran the whole thing AC, fridge lights and all. Hope I didn't make a mistake....

Ratkity

I'd rather have the dual 2000's than the 3500. I can lift (barely) the 2000i's. I also don't have to take both if I don't want to.

dvgibson

The Companion is intended to be the booster to the other if you need double the power. Hence the name. But it appears that you can still use at as a standalone. But you loose the 12 v battery charging, if you should ever need it. I have the not companion one, used it recently on a four day off services and it worked perfectly. Did not try to AC and heat water at the same time however. That would be a bit much. 

ChanW

Perhaps their 12v-Out is unregulated, but if you simply charge your battery by plugging the shore power into the generator, you won't overcharge the battery. 

PamandJohnUpNorth2

@dvgibson I am wondering if you could clarify the generator use with the A/C? Was it possible to run the A/C on the T@B400 with just one Honda eu220? Is there an easy start on the A/C? If a Honda eu2200 can run the A/C on a T@B400 by itself I might have to go buy one (next spring)!

Jaxie985

@chanw Yes, I’m boondocking now and when I got here last night the battery reading in the trailer was 11.9–I assume because I’d had the fridge on DC while driving (though I hadn’t seen that happen before). I didn’t need it last night as the fridge is now running on propane and I used a solar Luci light to read. This AM, as it’s raining and solar isn’t an option, I used the regular 30A shore power cord with a simple adapter to plug into one of the AC sockets and ran it for about an hour. It’s the first time I’ve used it as I was able to use solar the day before for most of the afternoon. I love how quiet it is and it started after 6 or so pulls and a little choke. It charged the battery just the way shore power does. 

tabiphile

Ratkity said:

May I suggest not draining the gas out of it and adding "SeaFoam" for marine gasoline engines for over-wintering or for periods of non-use. Full gas tank prevents condensation and the SeaFoam product is magic (it's like Stabil if you are familiar with it). Mine always starts on 2nd pull. The first pull being the obligatory choke-pull, then the full start. 

SeaFoam is designed as a carburetor and fuel system cleaner. It offers some fuel stabilization benefits. Stabil is a fuel stabilizer that prevents fuel condensation and the problems caused by moisture in fuel. It also does a small amount of  engine cleaning.

If you have an old engine that is running poorly you could use SeaFoam (or better yet, Techron) to clean the intakes and carb. If you have a newer engine that is running well and want to protect it from the affect of moisture in the gas, use Stabil...

I never use SeaFoam but I do use Stabil.....I started a chainsaw this summer that had not run in 4 years, two pulls..old gas. I use Stabil in my generator.

telecamper

i use startron as it also takes care of the ethanol problem which i think is worse than  water 

Spectre9

If you don’t intend to run you generator dry by shutting off fuel or running empty then using ethanol free gas is best advice.

Harder to find but worth it to avoid problems if you ever store without emptying system.

ColinsTab400

I think you're only going to get 30A if you are running two of them together.   The companion compliments the the EU2200I  (

• Built in 30A outlet for easy parallel capability with another EU2200i
• 
  

falcon1970

@Jaxie985 
The section in the manual on the DC one states to be careful using it because it has no built in mechanism to keep from overcharging a battery
I believe this statement is referring to charging a car battery, or some other battery, by connecting the generator directly to the battery from the 12vdc outlet.  By using your shore power cord and running the generator through the TAB's converter you will be using the battery charging circuitry in the TAB.  Just don't run cables from the generator directly to the battery.