Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

I'm in the market for a backup generator- I have been searching for unit that is reliable and portable. The Honda units are outstanding but I am lost as to power output. This concern is on many generators not just Honda. Honda clams there EU 2000 peaks at 2000 and will run 1600 watts continuous, and offer a parallel kit to run them together for 3200 watts which = 26.66 amps and at max load give me 4000 watts 30 amps. Although low on the power I can live with that. My big Question is the larger units over 4000 watts. Anything over 4000 watts will give me more than 30 amps. That being why do All of the Honda units as well as other manufactures only offer 20 and 30 amp breakers and plugs from the generator? The Honda EU 6500 will peak at 54 amps- greater power but if I cant feed my house with it than I should go with a smaller unit. How do they justify all that power and off a small 30 amp breaker. I know some plugs are labeled 120/240 volt , and at 240 volts I get 29.5 amps peak at 6500 watts. But then what happens if I only need 120 volts but above 4000 watts ? Will the breaker keep tripping? I have a concern about safty

No. The generator puts voltage into the panel. The amount of current draw is determined by what is drawing from it, up to the max it can put out or the breaker trips, whichever comes first. I would not be comfortable using two combined generators instead of one larger one. You need to keep them in phase or risk burning up any 220 items you might have.

bus708, I ran across this while looking at something else on youtube. I think this guy has a nice simple setup that does everything you would probably need. Similar to mine except I have a manual transfer switch before the main panel that sends power to the panel from either the genny or the street.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbtRxcb-cmA