Honda Generator needs to Warm up?

[AldeanFan]

I have a Honda EU2000 generator I use for camping and at the racetrack.

If I’m using a relatively high draw tool or device it seems to need to “warm up” before using it or else it will for in to overload.

For example if I plug in a coffeemaker before starting the generator, it will go directly in to overload.
If I start the generator and immediately plug in my small compressor, the generator will go in to overload.

If I start the generators and let it run for 2 minutes before plugging in and turning on tools it will run the coffee maker and the generator at the same time.

This happens in relatively warm weather like 65 to 70°.

Is this normal?
If it’s normal I don’t mind letting it warm up, just wondering if it’s normal, friends have remote electric start generators and they start them with stuff plugged in and turned on.

 

[rlitman]

Your friend's remote electric start generators are also quite a bit larger, so there's more excess capacity. The EU2000 is an older design, and has a manual choke. Newer and bigger generators may have auto-chokes that assist in warmup. Still, when choked, engine capacity is reduced.

The diesel generators at the data center I work at can support full nameplate load within 10 seconds or so, but only because they have block heaters that run 24x7.

What weight oil are you using? A 5W30 synthetic (or even 0W30) will warm up faster than the normal 10W30.

 

[dcg9381]

I have a bunch of generators in the 2k-9k range. Yes, if you are going to hit them with near capacity load, letting them warm up first is a good idea.. It's like trying to go WOT on an air cooled dirt bike after you start it cold... Probably going to fall on it's face!

 

[jack stand]

2 minutes for the little motor to get its **** together before going to work? Not a big ask.

 

[BrandonV]

If you're starting it cold you're supposed to gradually open the choke as it warms up.

I wouldn't be putting any serious load while the choke isn't fully open.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Where's the resident Honda guru ?

I believe that little generator is a carb unit. Like anything else with a carb including your race car, it needs to warm up a bit before doing it's job.

Start the Honda, get your power cord out, hook up the trailer, get the coffee maker ready and it should be ready.

Make starting the Honda the first step, not the last.

 

[AldeanFan]

Garagejournal comes through again!

I normally place the generator in front of my truck, locked to the tow hook.
By the time I walk from the generator to the back of the trailer, about 50’, the generator will be warmed up enough to make coffee.
I’ll just make sure to start the generator, then walk back to the table and start making coffee.

 

[Bucko]

Not sure if I actually read it in one of my generator manuals or was told by someone but I always start my generators with no load and let them run for about 5 minutes and add large appliances one at a time and try to keep the load balanced as much as possible with each refrigerator on a different 110 "leg". I also unplug large items one at a time and let the generator run for about 5 minutes to cool down.