[Crepard]

Hi all,

I just purchased a brand new Honda Gen EU2000i companion with the 30A outlet. The Gen works fine and the shore power works fine also. When I plug my shore power cord to the generator, nothing happens. I am not getting power past the circuit breaker (no power on CB light). The CB is a Blue Sea 30A.


Test conducted:

Gen; I plugged a small heater on the 30A outlet, no issues at any settings.

CB; I changed the old CB with a more modern Blue Sea, same same.

System diagram:

Shore power receptacle to CB. Then split in two, one wire bundle goes to the true charge 20, and the other bundle goes to 3 AC outlets on the boat.

Any idea of the problem?

 

[negrini]

Its very probable your shorepower cable has a different (non standard) wiring arrangement. Ask a technician to drll down the wiring, as AC poses real life risk, and looks like you're not proficient electrician.

 

[soulfinger]

So, the 30 amp connector on the Honda works even when you don't have two generators hooked together? That's good to know, because I was considering doing what you're trying to do, and figured it would work, but knowing my luck, I'd spend a grand on a generator and it wouldn't.

I agree though; check on how it's all wired. Let us know how it works out.

 

[windward54]

Did you overload the Honda Generator? I have to set my inverter/charger to 20 amps to keep the demand on the boat from overloading the generator.

 

[Vasco]

Did you overload the Honda Generator? I have to set my inverter/charger to 20 amps to keep the demand on the boat from overloading the generator.

That's peculiar my inverter/charger is 100amps and the Honda will charge at about 90 amps. EU2000i. Maybe you've got your hot water heater on!

 

[windward54]

That's peculiar my inverter/charger is 100amps and the Honda will charge at about 90 amps. EU2000i. Maybe you've got your hot water heater on!

The system I have is a Xantrex Freedom 3000 which will crank out 140 amps DC when charging, using about 28 amps AC. I have to set the powershare feature, which allows the unit to sense the demand on the system and not overload the incoming AC current even at the dock, as I only have 30 amps coming into the boat when docked. The Honda EU2000 is rated for only 16.67 amps AC out. Large chargers will overload the Honda Generator. Fortunately, the Xantrex can be set at a low input rate and keeps the demand on the Honda Generator from causing it to overload. I've found that the 20 amp input setting works for me.

The new Honda generators have a 30 amp hook-up, but does not give out 30 AC amps. The only way to get 30 amps and use my charger to the full capacity would be to buy a second generator and an interconnect kit. One generator makes enough noise for me!

 

[Vasco]

. I've found that the 20 amp input setting works for me.

This is completely unacceptable if you're a cruiser. Even with a small, say 400 amp house bank, if you run it down 50% it will take well over 10 hours to bring the bank up. When cruising if I use my Honda an hour or two does the trick.

 

[windward54]

This is completely unacceptable if you're a cruiser. Even with a small, say 400 amp house bank, if you run it down 50% it will take well over 10 hours to bring the bank up. When cruising if I use my Honda an hour or two does the trick.

Rick, you are confusing AC and DC. When limiting my input to 20 amps AC to the charging system, I can run my charger at roughly 2/3's capacity and get about 90 amps DC out of the charger when using one Honda EU2000 generator. My house bank is about 500-550 DC amp, so if I use half my amp hours, it would take about 3 hours to charge it back using my internal charging system and one Honda generator. If I plug in at the dock, I'm looking at about two hours to fully charge my housebank.

 

[Vasco]

Did you overload the Honda Generator? I have to set my inverter/charger to 20 amps to keep the demand on the boat from overloading the generator.

Sorry, I thought from this statement you had set the charger to 20 amps i.e. charging at a maximum rate of 20 amps. There is no need really to limit the AC as the Honda will only work as hard as it can.

 

[windward54]

Actually I do need to limit the demand on the generator. The problem is the charging systems on most boats will demand the maximum from the AC source. With my system, for example, the charger will demand 28 amps AC from the source if it thinks it is available. This is fine at the dock, but when running my Honda generator, I only get 16.67 amps AC out of the generator. If I leave the setting on 30 amps AC available, the charger will try to get 28 amps and the Honda generator will try to provide 28 amps, overloading the generator's output capacity. The generator's overload protection shuts off the AC output. The generator's motor keeps running, but with no AC output until you reset the breaker. I learned this one the hard way!

Hence the original question. If the engine on the Honda generator is running, but nothing is coming out, usually the Honda generator is in the overload state, and has to be reset. The only way to prevent an overload is to limit the demand on the generator.

 

[Vasco]

Never had this problem with my Honda. As I said the charger is 100a. Freedom2000. Didn't know I could limit ac input. Is this done with the Link?

 

[windward54]

I didn't have the issue with my old Freedom 25 either. It started when I upgraded to a Freedom 30. The demand from the Freedom 25 was low enough that I was ok, and didn't exceed the Honda's output. But if you get a charger that goes over 100 amps DC, you will run into this issue. I have it, as do a couple of friends of mine, all using higher output charger systems.

Not sure which control panel you are using. Mine is the Basic Remote Panel, the one with a series of LED light displays and is not one of the Link Monitors. Check your control panel booklet for Power Share settings. The settings on mine are 5, 15, 20, 30 and 50 amp settings, if I remember correctly. The Power Share settings are on the right side of this control panel. I set mine on 20 when using the Honda, and never go into overload. I just have to remember to reset it to 30 when back at the dock. It is one of the nice features of the Freedom chargers. If for example, I turn on the hot water heater at the dock, the Freedom unit senses the 13 amp AC load and drops the charger output to keep from overloading the AC system of the dock.

 

[GaryHLucas]

Windward,
I would think you have it right. The EU2000 is an inverter output generator and would probably have electronic overload protection that simply shuts off the output under overload. So you'd have to limit the load or it would never work.

Gary H. Lucas

 

[windward54]

Rick, if you have the Link 1000 this is how you set the Power Share function.

To change Power Share values:

1. Press and hold SET until SEL appears.

2. Press the CHARGE/PWR SHARE button. The present value appears.

3. Press and hold SET until the display begins scrolling through other values.

4. Release SET when the value you want appears.

Note: The CHARGE button LED must be on before you can
change Power Share values.​

 

[Flybyknight]

Wooh!
Take a polarity tester and check your power cord.
I paid big bucks for a marine power cable and the black and white wires were bonded internally reversed!!! The black lug connected the white wire??

Dick

 

[wmiii]

I glad I found this thread.
I just bought a Honda EU2000iA to replace a Kipor that I've had for several years.
My week old Honda does not preform as well as my old Kipor did.
The Kipor would run my Freedon 20 and when the charger went to the accept mode, I could turn on the water heater and life was good.
The Honda will not even pull the charger. I'll try reducing the 'Powershare' and see if that helps.
May also take it to a shop and see if it's putting out correctly.

Wm Mayberry
OPTIMYSTIQUE
IP 37-30

Mooring ball #22
Ft Myers Beach, FL

 

[boltnbrew]

Did you ever solve the problem? I have the same issue with a freedom 25 not sensing the Honda when plugged into the 30A shore power receptacle. I use the same cord and receptacle for shore power dockside without an issue. I have adjusted the PowerShare down to 20A using my Link1000, but still not working. I have another theory, but want to ask before I mess around: a year ago, my 30A shorepower rceptacle/GFCI was replaced by a technician. Is it possible the hot and neutral were reversed? If they were, would my Freedom 25 still work correctly? And if they were, could that be a reason the AC panel and Freedom 25 do not "see" the Honda? Im grasping at straws.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Yes, Power Share works with both the remote panel with dip switches and the Link 1000 or 2000.

The ONE thing not mentioned here is testing the output at the generator and the ends of the wires. H, N, G

Shouldn't be too hard to find out where the problem is with an AC DVM.

Even if you took the generator into a shop, they'd only be able to test a part of what could be the issue, unless you can bring your boat with you!

 

[mitiempo]

It is easy to test. Hot and neutral = 120 volts. Hot and ground = 120 volts. Neutral and ground should not show voltage if wired correctly.

 

[hutch5151]

Honda 200

I agree with Windward. I have the Heart interface 2000 and also had to set the input amperage to 20 amps to prevent the Honda from tripping the overload CB. Other than that, Honda 2000 works fine and will also run the Mermaid 16,500 btu air conditioner if need be, without the additon of hot start capacitor.