Honda Generators
How much power do I need?
It can be hard to know what size generator you may need, let us help guide you. Check the charts below for a guideline on which generator may suit you needs.
Everyone’s situation is unique; if you have further questions we are always here to help so feel free to contact us.
Lets check out wattage:
Starting vs. Running Wattage
Some appliances require extra power to start up, while others maintain the same power requirements constantly.
To calculate your power needs correctly, you need to know which kind of load you are dealing with. (A load is defined as the device that you are powering.) There are two kinds of loads:
Resistive loads
Resistive loads are pretty simple: they require the same amount of power to both start and run the equipment. Many resistive loads are involved in heating or making heat of some kind. Examples of resistive loads include:
Light bulbs
Coffee maker
Toaster
Reactive Loads
Reactive loads contain an electric motor, which requires additional power to start, but significantly less power to run once it gets going. Typically starting power is 3 times the amount of power to run the application. Examples of reactive loads include:
Refrigerators / freezers
Furnace fans
Well pumps
Air conditioners
Bench grinders
Air compressors
Power tools
Some household appliances, like a furnace or refrigerator, have internal fans that come on intermittently. Extra wattage/power is needed to start the fan each time. Refrigerators also have a defrost cycle that requires power in addition to the compressor and fans.
Reactive loads may also require additional power when the electric motor begins to work. For example, when a saw begins cutting wood, its power requirement will increase. This is not applicable for most household appliances.
Home Applications:
Recreation Applications:
Contractor Applications:
Farm Equipment Applications:
Noise level
The noise level of your generator is a major factor in determining the right model.
Many areas have noise ordinances that may impact generator usage, particularly at night.
Noisy generators are unsuitable for many applications, including camping, powering outdoor events, and RVing.
Most generators are labeled with a decibel rating. For every increase in 10 decibels, the noise level is 10 times more powerful. A generator that runs at 70 decibels is ten times as loud as a generator that runs at 60 decibels.
Honda generators are renowned for quiet operation.
Quality construction and materials help to keep noise levels low.
Our helpful decibel chart compares the noise level of Honda generators to common everyday sounds:
For the ultimate in quiet performance, Honda Super Quiet EU series generators truly live up to their name. Thanks to a totally enclosed body and inverter technology, they operate as noise levels between 49 and 60 decibels - which is no louder than normal speech.
Honda also offers a number of other options that, while not as quiet as the EU generators, may serve your application at a lower cost.
Look for a generator that is both fuel efficient and has a long run time. Honda generators offer several features that meet this need.
Honda Inverter generators feature our exclusive Eco Throttle, which automatically adjusts the engine speed to match the power needed. This allows for maximum fuel efficiency.
Because our EU generators are so fuel efficient, they boast incredibly long run times- as much as 20 hours on a single tank of gas!
Our EB, EM, and EG generators have large fuel tanks, so you can run your generator for long periods of time without refilling.
Most Honda EB and EM generators feature Auto Throttle. Auto Throttle automatically raises the RPM of the generator from idle when the load is applied, and returns the RPM to idle when the load is removed. It helps to increase fuel efficiency, reduce the noise level, and decrease wear and tear on the generator's components.