Honda vs. Westinghouse
For many boondocking truck campers, an inverter generator is a necessity.
Today’s current generators are quitter, lighter and fuel efficient over a traditional generator. They produce clean harmonic power distortion needed to protect sensitive electronic equipment such as computers, tablet readers, cell phones and appliances. Reviewing various manufacturer’s units, the biggest compared item between generators is the price. Other specifications and options should also be taken into consideration.
Honda Westinghouse
EU2200i iGen2500
3 Years Warranty 3 Years*
$1049 Price $557
Engine
121cc 98cc
Overhead Cam Overhead Valve
3.6 Horsepower 3.4 Horsepower
1800 Watts 2200 Watts
20” Length 19.8”
11.4” Width 11.4”
16.7” Height 17.9”
46.5 lbs. Weight 48 lbs.
.95 gallon Tank Size 1 Gallon
8 Hours Run Time 10 Hours
Under ¼ Load
48dB Noise Level 52dB
Honda generators are made by Honda.
Westinghouse is a re-branded version of a generic Chinese generator sold to other companies under different brand names such as Champions, Generic.
Honda has a fuel shutoff switch that cut off fuel to the carburetor which allows the engine to continue to run burning the fuel left in the carburetor before shutting down. The feature lessens the buildup of deposits in the carburetor. When the generator is put away for storage at the end of the season, this feature prevents any fuel in the carburetor from becoming stale and gummy up.
An OEM kit is available to allow the generator to also run on propane.
Westinghouse has a front LED display that shows the remaining run time, the power output in kilowatts, the remaining fuel, the output voltage and two USB charging ports (one rated at 1.0 amps and the other at 2.1amps at 5 volts).
Both generators have the options to be able to connect to another generator to increase the output of the generator.
Also an Eco-mode to increase fuel efficiency. The Eco-mode will decrease the generator’s RPM when the demand for electric power is low and will increase RPM when there is a higher demand for electrical power.
Each generator has a 20-amp circuit breaker on the front panel that will trip when the demand is over the 20 amp threshold. This is to protect the electronics in your TC as well as protect the generator’s electronics.
Both generators have a low oil shut down feature installed to prevent damage to the engine when the oil level is below manufacturer’s recommended level.
Available from Amazon
Oil funnel with magnetic dipstick
*Westinghouse’s warranty has placed a maximum of 1000 hours that can be place on the generator. There is no such limit for the Honda’s warranty.