Honda EU2200i review

What the EU2200i is and who it suits

Honda describes the EU2200i (model EU2200ITAN) as a 2200 watt, 120V inverter generator with CO-MINDER, its carbon monoxide detection system. Honda says it delivers 10% more power than the older EU2000i in the same compact package. Its applications list includes a refrigerator or freezer, microwave, lights, fan, TV and computer, with the note that not all of them can run at the same time.

For an outage, that suits a household running a fridge or freezer, some lights and a computer, with the total kept under the rated figure below. It is a portable unit, not a whole-house system.

Rated watts versus maximum watts

Honda's specification reads 120V 2200W max. (18.3A), 1800W rated (15A). The owner's manual explains the split: for continuous operation do not exceed the rated power, which it gives as 1.8 kVA, while the maximum is 2.2 kVA. The Amazon listing is titled with 2200 watts, so size anything you plan to run for hours against the 1,800 watt rated figure.

The manual adds that most appliance motors need more than their rated wattage to start, that no appliance's rating should exceed the maximum, and that the total of everything connected counts either way. If the load passes 2.2 kVA, a red overload light comes on and, after about four seconds, power to the connected appliances cuts off while the engine keeps running. Honda's spec lists a 20A 125V duplex receptacle and no DC output.

Run time, noise and weight as Honda states them

Honda gives a 0.95 gallon tank and a run time per tank of 3.2 hours at rated load or 8.1 hours at one-quarter load. Noise is listed as 57 dB(A) at rated load and 48 dB(A) at one-quarter load. Honda gives a dry weight of 47.4 pounds (Amazon lists 46.5) and a size of 20.0 by 11.4 by 16.7 inches. It starts with a recoil pull.

Honda's Eco Throttle lowers engine speed when loads drop, and the manual says to switch it off if several large loads connect at once. The residential warranty is 3 years.

Fuel, storage and the gasoline-only catch

The manual calls for regular unleaded gasoline of 86 octane or higher with no more than 10% ethanol. It warns that fuel deterioration can begin in as little as 30 days, and its storage table steps from no preparation under a month, to fresh gasoline with stabilizer, to draining the tank and carburetor for a year or more. Honda's page adds a Fuel Off position that lets the engine burn off the carburetor fuel before it stops.

A generator kept for outages needs a fuel routine: rotate stored gasoline, add stabilizer, and drain the fuel system before long storage. For a second fuel option, see the propane-capable Champion 2500-watt.

Carbon monoxide: where to run it

A generator's exhaust contains carbon monoxide, which you cannot see or smell. Honda's manual says to run the unit only outside, far from windows, doors and vents, with the exhaust pointed away from occupied structures, and never inside a house, garage, basement, crawl space or any enclosed or partly enclosed space. Official advice puts a distance on it: CDC says never less than 20 feet from any window, door or vent, and Ready.gov adds attached garages. CPSC adds sheds and porches to the places never to run one, and CDC adds carports. The manual separately asks for 3 feet of clear space above and around the unit for cooling.

CO-MINDER stops the engine before the surrounding carbon monoxide level passes a set point, but the manual says it cannot prevent all danger. If it trips, move the generator. Honda also tells owners to install battery-operated or battery-backed alarms on every level of the home, and CPSC says to test them monthly. Our generator safety guide covers cords, wet weather, refueling and never plugging into a wall outlet, and our carbon monoxide alarms page compares alarms.

How it compares and who should skip it

On our generator comparison, the Honda sits beside the Champion 2,500-watt dual-fuel inverter, which Champion rates at 2,500 starting and 1,850 running watts on gasoline and which also runs on propane. Skip the Honda if you need propane, whole-house power, or the biggest running-watt figure for the money.

What is the difference between the EU2200i's rated and maximum output?

Honda lists 1,800 watts rated (15 amps) and 2,200 watts maximum (18.3 amps). The manual says to stay at or below the rated power for continuous running, and to keep an appliance's rating within the maximum, because motors draw extra power to start.

Can the EU2200i run a refrigerator?

Honda lists a refrigerator or freezer among the appliances it can power, noting that not all applications can run together. Check your fridge's label for its running and starting watts.

How long does one tank last?

Honda says 3.2 to 8.1 hours on its 0.95 gallon tank, depending on the load: 3.2 at rated load and 8.1 at one-quarter load. Let the engine cool before you refuel, and refuel outdoors.

Does CO-MINDER mean I can run it close to the house?

No. Honda's manual says CO-MINDER cannot prevent all danger from carbon monoxide. Run the generator outside: CDC says never less than 20 feet from any window, door or vent, and CPSC says never in a garage, basement, crawlspace, shed or on a porch. Keep working carbon monoxide alarms in the home as well.