Experience with Honda 2K gen and 6k btu air conditioner

[jstrane]

Hull #1759

We have a:

9,800 BTU Reverse Cycle Air Conditioning Unit, Shore Power 2
and a:
5,600 BTU Reverse Cycle Air Conditioning Unit, Shore Power 1

either (not both) work perfectly with the Honda 2kW companion.

The Honda fits without modification in the port locker.

[chuck53]

Hull #1759

We have a:

9,800 BTU Reverse Cycle Air Conditioning Unit, Shore Power 2
and a:
5,600 BTU Reverse Cycle Air Conditioning Unit, Shore Power 1

either (not both) work perfectly with the Honda 2kW companion.

The Honda fits without modification in the port locker.

If you haven't already tried it this way....start the 9800 first and after a minute, kick in the 5600.

[Mick Laver]

Stu - Elliot has a Mk II. The 2000 stores quite nicely in the port locker.

[Ekutney]

Has anyone tried storing a Honda 2000 in the aft locker under the rear seat?  I have a shelf that is lower on the stbd side and it looks like it will fit, just concerned about how easy it will be to get it in & back out.  I also talked with somebody that uses an external fuel tank, (5 gal).  They said it will run for over 48 hrs on the external tank.

[RV61]

On our 86 MKI we store Honda 2000 in aft storage right under the helm on a platform. There was a smaller platform there and I just added a few inches to accommodate the  feet on the generator. Added two bungee tie downs. It has traveled over 1500 mile in some rough water never moved. A friend added a perch made of plastic board and some cable and put off port stern and never has to move it to run. He has an 86 as well and cruised for two years from Lake Erie to Bahamas and back without issue. I store gas can on jug board mounted to stanchions.       

[Ekutney]

RV61, exactly what do you mean by stern perch on port side?  External of locker?   Do you run the generator while in the aft locker on your boat?  Do either you or your friend fuel it directly from the external gas can?  Thanks for any more details you can provide.  I find the on board AC to be a very nice creature comfort here in the Annapolis area where the summer heat can be brutal.  It would be very nice to run it while on the hook.  On board AC while not at the dock would be a useful capability.

[gwp]

Regarding what size ac the honda 200 will push...came across this craigslist ad which I found interesting:
condition: new
I bought and installed a NEW Marine Air Systems 12K BTU AC to replace my boats 10K BTU unit. Unfortunately my Honda 2000i gen will not start it do to the higher amp draw. So I'm interested in trading it for a smaller New 8 or 9K BTU AC unit. This unit cost over $1,600. Or if you have a New 8 to 9K BTU AC unit to sell at a reasonable price let me know that too. Thks
I sure find it bizarre that there are so many conflicting accounts of what the little honda will support. Some say 16k....others refute that (Chuck53's post earlier in this thread) Unfortunately I have not yet installed ac but I keep wanting to go a little bigger than 9k btu, maybe 12k but fear that a hard start capacitor (if necessary? ) might be a bigger deal than I think or, even then, might place more demand on the honda than comfortable. Also, the Webasto units seem to be popular and with good reviews, and seem to measure smaller which is attractive as I plan to install in hanging locker aft of nav station. Comments appreciated

[Stu Jackson]

.......but fear that a hard start capacitor (if necessary? ) might be a bigger deal than I think or, even then, might place more demand on the honda than comfortable.

I always thought it was called a SOFT start.

[RV61]

Ed,
The perch is external and made of marine plastic white board. He built what I will call fiddles on both sides of the perch. The bottom fiddles fit over the transom and cockpit combing to lock from swinging forward and back and then cables attached to outer edge of perch  run at about 45 degrees up to horizontal stern rail. Perch sits out over the transom.  He also has perch attached to a vertical stern rail so no swinging left and right. He uses rubber tie downs to keep generator from moving on perch and secures generator directly to stern rail with line thru handle. The 2000 travels and runs in same place all the time. He also made a short chord to go from generator to shower power plug. Hope that helps.

[Ekutney]

Rick,

Thanks much for painting a detailed picture of the setup.  Makes sense but more importantly sounds like a proven solution that is been tested.  I really enjoy the AC and having it while away from the dock is well worth the effort.

[chuck53]

Regarding what size ac the honda 200 will push...came across this craigslist ad which I found interesting:
condition: new
I bought and installed a NEW Marine Air Systems 12K BTU AC to replace my boats 10K BTU unit. Unfortunately my Honda 2000i gen will not start it do to the higher amp draw. So I'm interested in trading it for a smaller New 8 or 9K BTU AC unit. This unit cost over $1,600. Or if you have a New 8 to 9K BTU AC unit to sell at a reasonable price let me know that too. Thks
I sure find it bizarre that there are so many conflicting accounts of what the little honda will support. Some say 16k....others refute that (Chuck53's post earlier in this thread) Unfortunately I have not yet installed ac but I keep wanting to go a little bigger than 9k btu, maybe 12k but fear that a hard start capacitor (if necessary? ) might be a bigger deal than I think or, even then, might place more demand on the honda than comfortable. Also, the Webasto units seem to be popular and with good reviews, and seem to measure smaller which is attractive as I plan to install in hanging locker aft of nav station. Comments appreciated

It's not so much how many BTU's you can run, but the efficiency of the unit and the amps needed to run it.  A very efficient 16k unit may need fewer amps than an inefficient 12k unit.  It wasn't that many years ago where your typical AC unit had a SEER number of 8-10.  Now, 14-16 is very typical.

[lazybone]

Regarding what size ac the honda 200 will push...came across this craigslist ad which I found interesting:
condition: new
I bought and installed a NEW Marine Air Systems 12K BTU AC to replace my boats 10K BTU unit. Unfortunately my Honda 2000i gen will not start it do to the higher amp draw. So I'm interested in trading it for a smaller New 8 or 9K BTU AC unit. This unit cost over $1,600. Or if you have a New 8 to 9K BTU AC unit to sell at a reasonable price let me know that too. Thks
I sure find it bizarre that there are so many conflicting accounts of what the little honda will support. Some say 16k....others refute that (Chuck53's post earlier in this thread) Unfortunately I have not yet installed ac but I keep wanting to go a little bigger than 9k btu, maybe 12k but fear that a hard start capacitor (if necessary? ) might be a bigger deal than I think or, even then, might place more demand on the honda than comfortable. Also, the Webasto units seem to be popular and with good reviews, and seem to measure smaller which is attractive as I plan to install in hanging locker aft of nav station. Comments appreciated

Just fired up my new 2000i for the first time and just wanted to report that it seems to run my 12,000 btu AC unit just fine. 
Allowed the fan to start first.  My AC unit has a rotary type compressor and is 17 yrs old.  Hope that helps.

[Ken Juul]

The starting load is the issue.  Wire  the pump to a switch, turn it on, turn the fan on, before turning the compressor on.  At the dock, battery charger not working hard or off, my 2000i will run my 12k unit or my neighbor's 16k AC.  My AC is 2005 vintage, neighbor's isn't new either.