I have dealt with this issue since 2004 because I camp off grid a lot in the high sierras and cascades and a variety of other locales.? I bought the Honda 12-volt charge cable for my EU2000i Honda generator years ago.? ?It was deemed worthless due to NOT outputting the proclaimed amperage.? ?So, I would recommend NEVER buying it based on my experience.
I have been using a 35-amp battery charger (for going on 20 years) that is connected to one of the two outlets on the generator to rapidly and efficiently charge the battery via a direct large hot wire to it (in spurts while running 120-volt items).? During the minutes that the microwave, hair dryer, etc. are operated, I simultaneously turn on the charger.? Both the charger and the generator are mounted on the rear bumper.? I have an analog voltmeter and ammeter mounted inside the trailer.? I can monitor the charge entering the (interior) lead-acid battery.? These let me know when the charge rate is dropping (in addition to reading the output on the 35-amp charger--the battery charger has a readout on the charge at the time).? Usually when I am thru with a microwave, etc. I watch for the output to drop to 8 amps and then shut off the generator.? I use less than a gallon of gasoline a week.? It would be nice to switch to propane but at a high altitude there would be additional loss of power and propane.
The big upgrade to cut battery drain was when I trashed the factory installed 10-watt refrigerator vent cooling fan and installed two computer fans so with a DPDT switch I can run them on either 6 or 12 volts.? In mild weather I can cut battery drain by 94% over the noisy factory fan.
The big issue is siphoning ALL the gas out of the generator at the end of the week and running it until it is dry.? Today's gas is a disaster and cannot be left stored in the engine.? Fresh gas is important (unless you can get alcohol-free gas).? I also add a treatment compound to the fuel called Sea Foam.? Also, I found it to be critical to always turn the lever on the generator gas cap to the closed position when turning off the generator (paint white and red on the two positions) so that the fuel doesn't cool and suck in moist air which adversely affects generator operation.
Eventually the tiny idle jet for the Honda generator will clog up.? the Carb can be removed carefully (I wrote an article) and rodded out with a tiny wire from a wooden handled wire brush (very strong and fine).? This is a very easy and simple 10-minute job needed every few years depending on how much the generator is used.? The generator will surge up and down when idling if only the main jet is available.
?
?
The?
Brian Hovander