Honda EU 2200i vs Champion 2500

[Rockhead]

Willy, we have the 2500 watt duel fuel champion generator. I think you’re gonna love it . Our always start on first pull and handles the trailer. Does very well even with AC running. Very quiet running.good luck with yours. We picked it up off Amazon when they had a massive sale on them

[John in Santa Cruz]

Good luck finding any sort of parts for a champion generator a few years after it was made. You can get just about every part for every Honda ever made from most any small motors workshop.

[Rockhead]

Plenty of parts available on Amazon and EBay to start with

[7Gentex]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

Good luck finding any sort of parts for a champion generator a few years after it was made. You can get just about every part for every Honda ever made from most any small motors workshop.

Not a Champion fan I see...............

I have an old Honda eu2000i (w/Hutch Mountain propane kit), and a recent Champion 2500 factory dual fuel.

Also have a Champion 3500 (46540 non inverter) that is about 10 years old with a Motor Snorkel propane conversion. Believe it converts propane to noise..........really loud!

And a Champion 100520 open frame inverter 8750/7000 120v/240v also with a Motor Snorkel propane conversion. Still a bit loud...but used as a home standby that runs a 18k btu mini-split and 3 fridges / freezers with watts to spare - plumbed with QCs to a #420 tank. (about 100 gallons)

One is none, four is better? My neighbors loved me during the big Texas freeze / power outage. I loaned 2 gens and A Mr. Buddy heater out.

The Honda eu2000i seeps oil from the cast crankcase - know issue.
The Champions..........just a few small parts and normal consumables.

I can get parts for all with about the same ease.................

Champion customer service is U.S. based and has been "Johnny on the spot" when needed............your luck may vary.

In my experience, especially for the price point, they can't be beat.

[hugh]

Originally Posted by 7Gentex

Not a Champion fan I see...............

I have an old Honda eu2000i (w/Hutch Mountain propane kit), and a recent Champion 2500 factory dual fuel.

Also have a Champion 3500 (46540 non inverter) that is about 10 years old with a Motor Snorkel propane conversion. Believe it converts propane to noise..........really loud!

And a Champion 100520 open frame inverter 8750/7000 120v/240v also with a Motor Snorkel propane conversion. Still a bit loud...but used as a home standby that runs a 18k btu mini-split and 3 fridges / freezers with watts to spare - plumbed with QCs to a #420 tank. (about 100 gallons)

One is none, four is better? My neighbors loved me during the big Texas freeze / power outage. I loaned 2 gens and A Mr. Buddy heater out.

The Honda eu2000i seeps oil from the cast crankcase - know issue.
The Champions..........just a few small parts and normal consumables.

I can get parts for all with about the same ease.................

Champion customer service is U.S. based and has been "Johnny on the spot" when needed............your luck may vary.

In my experience, especially for the price point, they can't be beat.

Yeah, agreed. I've owned champion generators for years, and never have had a problem getting parts.


Also, given they are 1/3 the cost of the Honda, it wouldn't be the end of the world if I had to buy a new one.

[WillyB]

Originally Posted by Rockhead

Willy, we have the 2500 watt duel fuel champion generator. I think you’re gonna love it . Our always start on first pull and handles the trailer. Does very well even with AC running. Very quiet running.good luck with yours. We picked it up off Amazon when they had a massive sale on them

We bought the 2400 watt version. I'm not sure about the differences other than a little bit more wattage, 80cc (2400) vs 79cc (2500) engine and the 2500 watt version being 11 lbs lighter.

Not sure where they found 11 lbs to reduce in that small of package. The 2400 Watt seems to be in the same weight group of most small inverter gens.

[WillyB]

We received the Champion 2400w dual fuel generator yesterday. The unit came with a bottle of oil, a funnel, a spark plug tool and a propane hose/regulator.

We added the oil, gave it once over lookyloo, took it outside and connected our 20lb propane cylinder. We did a 4 slow pull on choke and then switched it to the propane setting.

First pull and no start. Second pull and bingo!

It is going to be in the mid-80's this weekend at Campsite #1 and we'll give our Coleman Mach 10 NDQ with Soft start a test.

[brroberts]

Willy my guess is it will run fine at your elevation as long as your other appliances are on gas, and that as you get to high elevation it will not.

[SageRpod]

Now that we are 800 miles closer to the Arctic Circle than we were a couple of months ago and we may not be able to depend totally on solar for year round camping, I may be looking at generators as well. Having owned two Champion 2000 watt cube generators which we linked together, I'm thinking I may opt for a Honda this time around. I know the EU2200 is the darling of the forum but I may go with the 3200i since it is fuel injected and not too much heaver than the 2200.

[brroberts]

I too am curious about the 3200, and if I didn’t already have the 2200 plus another 12K II’d probably get one. If you do, please share your experience.

[oldwave]

While the new Honda 3200i is expensive it’s probably the best choice for high altitude applications given the fuel injection. It’s also very light for the power and I expect would run the air conditioner easily.
I don’t do enough off grid to buy one.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by SageRpod

Now that we are 800 miles closer to the Arctic Circle than we were a couple of months ago and we may not be able to depend totally on solar for year round camping, I may be looking at generators as well. Having owned two Champion 2000 watt cube generators which we linked together, I'm thinking I may opt for a Honda this time around. I know the EU2200 is the darling of the forum but I may go with the 3200i since it is fuel injected and not too much heaver than the 2200.

60 lbs is quite a bit heavier than 47 lbs...

[Centex]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

60 lbs is quite a bit heavier than 47 lbs...

Note that's dry weight; with the tanks full the respective weights are ~53.4 and ~66.7

Those pounds start to add-up if one's transport / use habits require much in the way of lifting (at least for this olde phart).

No question that the 3200i packs a lot of punch in that package though.

[SageRpod]

Originally Posted by Centex

Note that's dry weight; with the tanks full the respective weights are ~53.4 and ~66.7

Those pounds start to add-up if one's transport / use habits require much in the way of lifting (at least for this olde phart).

No question that the 3200i packs a lot of punch in that package though.

Yes, the pounds add up. I was thinking about building a containment frame and keeping it in the back of the truck. When towing, we are usually with the rig. When un-hitched, we have the tonneau cover closed so that would hopefully deter theft and I would only have to load and unload once. FWIW, I would make a rolling table where the generator would sit and would be at about the same height of the tailgate more or less. Then it is an easy shuffle from cart to truck and back out when done.

[WillyB]

Originally Posted by brroberts

Willy my guess is it will run fine at your elevation as long as your other appliances are on gas, and that as you get to high elevation it will not.

I don't think AC will be needed at higher elevations. Mostly this little generator is a backup for battery charging on those shady locations and cloudy days. We have 300 watts of solar (200 on roof & 100 portable). Plus, for some summer time camping at remote "humid" areas like Campsite #2.

I look at this little generator like 4 wheel drive on my truck. I'll probably never need until I need it.

[Iowa Dave]

I don’t have any Champion generators or other equipment. My brother has has a champion generator he’s had for years. The last time it was needed it ran for several days and then conked out. He suspected a bad capacitor, got out the manual, analyzed the problem, went to Grainger supply and got the right one out of stock and was running again within an hour. Can’t kick on that.

I have several Honda engines on tillers, a pressure washer, and the 2200i generator. We haven’t used the generator camping much but it ran about 16 hours a day for 11 days after the 2020 derecho. It’s nice to have the peace of mind for sure.
Iowa Dave

[DanandDaphne]

Originally Posted by brroberts

Willy my guess is it will run fine at your elevation as long as your other appliances are on gas, and that as you get to high elevation it will not.

We have a 2500 Champion duel fuel and it runs our Dometic AC without soft start just fine on propane at 8,600' That's where we live and have tested it out and run it for several hours. We haven't ever needed to use it while camping and you don't usually need AC at high elevations because it's not that hot.

[hugh]

Originally Posted by DanandDaphne

We have a 2500 Champion duel fuel and it runs our Dometic AC without soft start just fine on propane at 8,600' That's where we live and have tested it out and run it for several hours. We haven't ever needed to use it while camping and you don't usually need AC at high elevations because it's not that hot.

Out of curiosity, did you switch out the carburetor jets to the high altitude variant, or were you just running on the normal "sea level" jets?

[WillyB]

Here at our exceptionally high elevation of 640 feet I did a quick 4-hour test yesterday running the AC with our new Champion 2400 Watt Dual Fuel on propane.

This was a highly scientific test!

Roughly speaking, the propane bottle seemed about 1/4 full at the start and it was in the mid-80s so the AC cycled about 1/3 of the running time. I was surprised that the rpm's didn't seem too high under load and how quiet the unit ran during these times.

At the end of this test the propane bottle was a bit lighter but not by much at all. The specs say that this generator will run 34 hours on propane on ECO mode. I'm sure this means at no load. But based on this short test I would imagine a 20 hour run time running the AC would be possible.

The takeaway of this test? The new generator ran the AC at 640 feet above sea level and it did not break.