Small Powerhouse 500w generator

[Aurelia]

Has anyone used one of these small 500 watt units? I know they sell them from various vendors and I have seen then come just under 300 bucks. We had a 1000w honda which worked well but still took up a block of space on the boat. This unit is 21 lbs and significantly more compact and costs much less while still being 4 stroke and relatively quiet.

Seems like it could be a reasonable backup paired with a small 12v charger and carried easily on small boats. Especially if you planned to use it very minimally but still wanted a genset.

http://www.powerhouse-products.com/powerhouse_product/500wi/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giTGgw5yaq4

Greg

[Sea Wolf]

Greg-

Looks interesting!

However, I have a couple of concerns:

If I remember correctly, the Honda 1000i weighs about 29 pounds, but is of course, rated at twice the output.
How important is 9 lbs or the space differential?
Will the 500 w output handle all your loads now or in the future?

The Owner's Manual for this generator has a photo of the manufacturer's I.D. plate, and it appears to be of Chinese origin.
Are parts available? What kind of warrantee is in effect and is factory repair service available? (Importer is in Oregon).
The Achilles Heel of Chinese products seems always to be parts availability and service (and also technical assistance).

What resale value will it ultimately have if you decide to go back to the Honda, a Yamaha, or ???

$300 vs $1000 (list) is a huge difference, but I bought my 1000i for $500 used, and haven't looked back, and can probably sell it for that today.

It's very attractive at $300.
I just get cold feet on some of these products that seem to be use and throw away, since repair is not an option.
It might be like buying a Chinese (or equivalent) scooter.
What do you do when it quits and you need help/parts/service?

Good Luck!

Joe.

[Aurelia]

Looking a bit more into that model it looks to be capable of running a 15amp 12v charger which is more than many folks can get from their outboards and I seem to have 4 service centers within 50 miles of my house in WA. I also found some reviews on a couple of large vendor sites that were generally promising. (I would rather hear it from a brat)

I read the threads about generators and it seems some people that own/carry them on C-dorys use them very seldom. I am sure many folks would be happy to halve the amount of dollars and nearly the space occupied by chosing a smaller unit when the main justification is 12v charging just in case. The little U1 backup battery I have heard of folks carrying is heavier than this unit.

There are commonly thoughts of should we bring the generator on this trip..will we need it... should we have it... and nearly all of that back and forth regards the space the unit occupies on the boat.

A smaller unit can fit more places and maybe it will fit somewhere so out of the way that a boater can always carry it and never have to weigh tripping over it vs. the charging it could provide. We go to great lengths to save space on the boats so it seems a smaller generator could be logical for some as well.



Greg

[ssobol]

This little generator looks interesting. You can get the 2000w Powerhouse generator from Camping World for $501 right now. Costco sells the SmarterTools 2000w generator for about $650.

For $300 the unit is getting close to disposable. If it should require any repair that you can't do yourself its going to cost around $100 minimum just to have someone even look at it.

[thataway]

Why is it that every year there seems to be a "new" generator at Camping World or these other sites? Because the service and parts supply is bad.
Looking over the reviews over all seem good, but not a lot of units in use at this time comparison to Honda/Yamaha. The other caution is that the power factor in many battery chargers is high, and if you have deeply discharged batteries that this generator may not have enough "oomph" The suggestion is to have a Kil-A-watt inline to measure the consumption of your battery charger at full power, off mains power before you try the generator.

I asked our local RV dealer who has gone thru 5 different brands in the last few years--and is now happy with Yamaha. (Too many Honda dealers around town).

I have owned a Honda 500 Watt Generator for over 35 years (4.5 amp AC, and 8 amp DC) and it still runs well. Honda also made a 25 amp 12 Volt DC generator on the same chassis. I am kicking my self for not getting one of those!

I carry the 1000 watt Honda most of the time--it is not a burden with the other "stuff" we carry. I don't see where a slightly smaller and slightly lighter would be any different in China--see how these units hold up over the long run.

[Aurelia]

Found a DC unit and that is really another way to think about charging.

http://www.americanpowerinc.com/6012G%20DC%20Charger.htm

My interest in the little 500w unit is really just the physical size. Even on our 25 we went back and forth over where to store it and I know this is a big factor for others.

[bridma]

If I am reading your post correctly Greg, this small genny is back up to charge your batteries should they be dead and you are unable to start your engine/s.
My 40 Yamahas come with a back up 'pull cord' in the event of battery failure. Do all of you have this emergency back up for your outboards? Or did Mr Yamaha pick me as the 'lucky one'?

Martin.

[Aurelia]

Not sure folks carry it for that as much as charging house batteries for extended stays or intensive use in locations lacking a shore power option.

The pull cord option existed for motors up to and maybe over 90hp with carburated fueling but is not a really good physical option for most and is non-existent on larger models and loosing relavance in the age of fuel injection and large outboards. Most fuel injected engines require a significant amount of power to operate the injectors regardless of what spins the starter.

This little powerhouse is just a smaller and cheaper option that most folks may not be aware of as an option. It's compact size could tuck into many more places on a small boat. Its 40% smaller than a Honda 1000.

Honda
17.7" x 9.4" x 15.0"
2397 cu in

Powerhouse
12.6"H x 8.2"W x 14.1"D
1456 cu in

[bridma]

This little genny does seem interesting. How does the noise level equate with other models, Honda in particular?

Martin.

[Aurelia]

Compared to eu1000

Powerhouse
55dB @ Zero Load / 64 dB @ Full Load

Honda
53dB @ 1/4 load 59 dB @ full load

Normal conversation at 3' is 60-65dB

So it's louder but not by a huge margin. For comparison, the cheap little 900w generator sold by Harbor Freight puts out 91 db which just barely enters the hearing loss range. Too loud.....

[bridma]

[starcrafttom]

I think this is a good example and case for a kicker. My honda 15 has a 12v 148 alt. It takes up no more room and serves a dual purpose as a means of transport as well as a charger. My Nissan 9.8 had a 12v 80watt alt. Both motors were electric as well as pull start. If your worry is charging dead battery's enough to start the main then the kicker is your ticket and far quieter then a gen set.

i have also started my honda 90 with the pull cord a few times just to set if I can. Works just fine.

If you are looking to run a coffee maker, flat screen, computer, ice maker (pat), and gods know what else the I would suggest staying home. At a curtain point , at least for me, its just not boating or camping any longer.

[starcrafttom]

Oh and why not use your main as well. My honda 225 is rated for 60 amps and 756 watts for battery charging. My 90 was 35 amp no listing for watts. why do you need a gen set at all???

[Will-C]

We have a Honda EU 2000 which I think puts out around 16 amps. It has an optional dc power cord for charging batteries which we keep on board. We have built a bracket for it to sit on in the motor well. If we are not going in the ocean we leave it chained down there while cruising. If we do go in the ocean I put it in the cockpit under it's own canvas cover It connects to our boat via our regular shore power cord. Pic's in Will-C's album. We use it to run the air conditioning while at anchor among other things. Anytime we intend to anchor out we take it with us. For us it's a known, serviceable product and for 1000 dollars I think it's money well spent. I feel it adds to another level in safety. We make room for it. We have used around the house during power outages and by switching back and forth we have had lights, heat, kept refrigerators going to prevent food from going bad. I put in a dump cart behind a tractor so I can use power tools on our property where extension cords are not feasible. I understand the motive behind wanting smaller, lighter, cheaper products. But when you really need the piece to work; I would put my trust in Yamaha or Honda. My experience with going cheap has not usually worked out the best for me. Good Luck.
D.D.

[thataway]

The DC gas powered battery charger is a "contractor" style--which will be noisier. But it puts out a respectable 60 amps.

The size difference is mainly in the height (5")--foot print is only a 1.2" inches in width and 0.9" in depth.

Our 1000 Honda will also run our air conditioner and the low to medium range of our induction stove, as well as all battery chargers. We have used the 5000 BTU $100 Air conditioner on both the 25 and 22. On the 25, with insulation foil on the windows in the Sacramento Delta we brought the cabin temp down form an ambient of 105 deg to a comfortable 78 degrees. This is just an example that AC is not only necessary in Florida.

I would guess that less than 50% of the 22's have the high output alternators which are on the newer injection engines--all of the 90's and down from Honda prior to 2007 are 16 amps only. I believe that the earlier Yamaha, Suzuki etc also only had 20 amps--I see that the 2008 115 HP, is only 20 amps. The newer motors are in the 40 amp range, which is an advantage, but are more power hungry.