It seems like the Honda EU2200i portable inverter generator is going to replace the already legendary Honda EU2000i from 2018 and onward. Is the EU2200i an improvement over the EU2000i or not?

Honda EU2200i: Summary

The Honda EU2200i offers a few small but welcome changes when compared to the older EU2000i inverter generator (reviewed here).

First of all, let us consider the engine. The EU2200i has a 121cc, 4-cycle, single cylinder Honda GXR120 engine which is CARB-compliant. It provides 10% more power than the engine in the EU2000i, which provided 1600 running wattage and 2000 surge wattage. The EU2200i can generate 2200 starting watts while its rated power output for continuous operation is 1800 watts.

Furthermore, the engine switch and fuel valve have been altered so that the ignition system is still active when you switch to the FUEL OFF position. The fuel valve is closed, but the engine keeps running until all the gas in the fuel line is drained. This helps to prevent residual fuel from gumming up the carburetor when the generator is stored for long periods of time.

The oil filler neck has also been redesigned to incorporate an oil drain gutter. This makes draining the oil pan easier and less of a mess. The oil filler hole also seems to be larger which might make adding engine oil a little easier to do.

The oil system will alert you if the oil in the crankcase drops too low. The oil alert indicator will turn on and the engine will stop running. Turn the engine switch to the OFF position and check the oil level if this happens.

In summary, we think that the Honda EU2200i includes a few small but significant changes, such as the ability to run the fuel line dry before storage. The extra 200 watts provide additional headroom when powering a microwave, refrigerator or coffee pot.

Honda EU2200i Has An Inverter System

The inverter delivers an electrical current that is consistent and clean with a stable sine wave signal which will not damage sensitive electronic equipment. Generators that do not have an inverter system produces electricity with a less stable wave pattern which might cause damage to sensitive equipment due to small power fluctuations. Equipment that do not have microprocessors, such as ordinary refrigerators and kitchen appliances, will run without interruption on AC power from an ordinary generator. Therefore, the inverter system provides “clean power” for televisions and computers.

Can it charge an automotive battery?

This inverter generator has a DC receptacle which can be used for charging 12-volt automotive type batteries. However, a battery charging cable is not included in the box with the generator. Therefore, you have to buy a DC charging cable, which is sold separately (view price on Amazon).

Does it have an electric starter?

If you were hoping for an electric starter or a remote starter, then you will be disappointed. A 2200-watt portable generator is simply too small to have an internal battery. Therefore, you are stuck with pulling on a recoil starter rope. Nevertheless, the Honda engine starts up easily when using the recoil starter. Give it a few pulls to prime the engine with gas, and then it starts quickly once primed with fuel.

Does it produce 120 or 240 volts?

It has a rated voltage of 120V and a rated frequency of 60Hz. Its current output is 15A.

You should get one of the 4000-watt or larger Honda EM Deluxe series or EG economy series generators if you want a 240-volt output. These generators have a 120/240-volt selector switch so that you can select either 120-volt or 240-volt operation.

Is parallel operation possible?

The Honda EU2200i generator can be paired with the same size inverter generator to produce double the power. Two EU2200i generators that are paired with a parallel cable kit (sold separately) can produce up to 4400 starting watts and 3600 running watts.

Furthermore, you may buy the EU2200i Companion model and link that with your standard model. The Companion model has a 30-amp outlet for RV applications. However, do not attempt a parallel connection between a 2200-watt inverter generator and a larger or smaller Honda generator of either 1000 or 3000 watts.

You might also be able to do a parallel cable connection between the EU2200i and your older EU2000i if the frame serial number falls within a particular range (EAAJ-2017305 and later). The 2000-watt Honda Companion model should have a frame serial number of EACT-1000001 and later. This is to prevent possible problems with low voltage output that might damage appliances. The maximum and rated power output of a parallel connection between the 2200-watt and 2000-watt EU inverter generators is slightly lower at 4200 watts and 3400 watts.

Is it too small to run the AC on the RV?

Yes, it is too small. The only way to produce enough wattage to start an air conditioner is to connect an EU2200i and its Companion model together with the parallel cable. This setup can produce 4400 surge watts which should be enough to start a 13500 BTU RV air conditioner.

Is it super quiet during operation?

The EU2200i is supposed to be one of the quietest 2000-watt inverter generators on the market. Its noise level is said to be only 57 dBA when operating at its rated load of 1800 watts. It is even quieter when running at lower loads: only 48 dBA at quarter load. This low noise level makes it a good choice for public events, tailgate parties and camping.

How much gas does it use?

The Honda EU2200i has a 0.95 US gallon fuel tank capacity (3.6 liters). Its Eco Throttle system helps to conserve fuel by automatically reducing engine speed when no power is being drawn by appliances. The system increases engine speed to match the power load when appliances are turned on again. You can turn the Eco Throttle system either on or off with a switch. You may turn on the Eco Throttle once the engine is warmed up to reduce fuel consumption. The EU22000i might run for about 3 hours at its rated load and about 8 hours on a 25% load with the Eco Throttle engaged.

Any modifications for high altitude operation?

A small modification is only necessary if you always use the generator at an altitude of more than 5000 feet. Take the inverter generator to an authorized Honda servicing dealer, and they will do the necessary modifications to the carburetor for high altitude operation. Nonetheless, the engine will still lose about 3.5% of its horsepower for each 1000-foot altitude increase. Please remember that you should not use the modified generator at an altitude below 5000 feet because the engine might overheat. You can always ask the dealer to modify the carburetor again for normal operating conditions below 5000 feet.

What is included in the box?

It seems like the generator ships with an owner’s manual and nothing else. The engine ships without oil, which is good because the oil might leak during shipment. It obviously ships without any fuel in its tank. Therefore, you need to buy both oil and fuel.

Add the oil to the engine before adding the fuel. The engine has a maximum oil capacity of 14 oz (0.44 liter). You can buy SAE 10W-30 oil which has an API category SJ or later. However, check the owner’s manual for more engine oil recommendations that suit other ambient temperature ranges.

The engine runs on regular unleaded gasoline with a pump octane rating of 86 or higher. If you use fuel that contains ethanol, then the ethanol content should be no more than 10%. The fuel tank capacity is 0.95 US gallons.

Honda EU2200i: Conclusion

There are a few things which make the EU2200i better than its predecessor. It has an extra 200 watts to spend on starting and running appliances. The oil filler hole is slightly bigger, and it has a rubber oil drain gutter for easier oil changes. Ventilation vents have also been improved to keep the inverter cooler for longer.

Most of all, the engine switch now has a fuel shutoff valve position for using up the residual fuel in the carburetor and float valve to prevent starting issues due to stale fuel. This is probably the most important improvement over the previous EU2000i model.

The only feature that is still missing from this excellent inverter generator is a fuel gauge. For example, the Yamaha EF2000iS has a fuel gauge which shows whether the fuel tank is empty or not.

In conclusion, the Honda EU2200i portable inverter generator now has a few improved features that were long overdue.

It seems like there is a newer model available. It is the Honda EU2200ITAG1, and it has the following new features: CO-MINDER advanced carbon monoxide detection system, Bluetooth capability and Honda My Generator smartphone app (check price on Amazon).