New Honda 3000 Generator Lighter, More Economical

When campfire conversation makes its way to the subject of generators, it seems there's almost a universal lauding of those little red Honda generators. Indeed, they are quiet, dependable, and when you size them right for your needs, powerful. Now Honda says they have a new 3,000 watt generator that improves on weight and fuel economy.

The new genny on the block is Honda's EU3000i Handi, coming out this summer. 3000i sounds a lot like the current 3,000 watt Honda machine, the EU3000is. There is a bit of a difference: Primarily it's a matter of moving the thing in and out of the bed of your pickup truck or basement storage area. The current model scales in at 134 pounds dry, while the new kid comes in like a fly-weight at 78 pounds.

Where, one asks, did all the fat go? Well, for some, there's the fly-in-the-ointment of the fly-weight "Handi." If it isn't handy for you to have to yank a cord to start your generator, the Handi may not be the generator of choice--the new machine is a recoil start machine, while the older 3000is bears electric start. But if you can live with pull ropes, the Handy is a bit less of a fuel glutton: 7.7 hours on a little over a gallon and a half of gas versus 7.2 hours on nearly thee and a half gallons for the older model--both running at 1/4 of the rated 3,000 watt capacity.

In electrical output, both have dual 20 amp standard 3-prong outlets, plus one 30-amp twist lock receptacle. The older model does have a better DC rated output of 12 amps at 12 volts, while the newer Handy is only rated at 8 amps in the DC output. The Handi is a bit louder, noising up the neighborhood at 65 dB, while the more senior machine produces only 58 dB. But in light of the fact that human conversation hits 60dB, its doubtful that the difference will make or break a sale.

From the looks of things, the big difference between these two characters is fuel economy, weight, and electric startability. With the option of buying an after-market "remote start" system, the older Honda 3000 is pretty attractive. But weight is a biggy. For this writer, the thought of trying to stuff 40% more weight up on the pickup bed from a ground level starting point says I'd rather be back hustling cans on garbage day.

The suggested retail of the new critter is right at $2,200, but how that will work out in terms of a "street price" remains to be seen. Honda offers a standard three year warranty, both for residential and commercial use.

photo courtesy Honda Power Equipment

Get the Stink Out with "What Odor?"

We're typically suspicious of any product that capitalizes on the "As Seen on TV" tag. And so with some trepidation we checked out a jug of a new deodorizing product called "What Odor?" But as any RVer can testify, it seems like if a funny smell can go anywhere, it will surely make its way into your RV.

One nasty spot is the plastic waste basket. Be it in the kitchen, the bathroom, or anywhere else, these guys have memory for smell that rivals the recall capacity of a pachyderm. We'd tried the usual kitchen spray products to no avail, but when the new "What Odor" arrived, we gave it a shot. And that's all it took. One shot.

OK, how about something really tough? The "What Odor" folks suggest it works on the worst of smells--skunk--but we weren't willing to go out and try tracking down Peppi LePue or any of his kin for a field test. What to do? A few weeks went by and the phone call came in: RVing friends of ours had been away from the rig for a few days, the refrigerator in their fifth wheel had "conked" and they were left with the smell of decomposing food enough to run them out of their home.

They'd tried everything in the "standard remedy" file, from baking soda to coffee grounds, charcoal briquettes, and other odd nostrums. Nothing seemed to be cutting it. We handed over our bottle of "What Odor" and asked for a checkback. Unlike the waste basket, one shot didn't do it. However, after three whacks at it, one shot per day, the report his wafted into us that, "It's about 80% better. Where can we get more?"

If "What Odor" can do something like this, on as bad a smell as decomp, there must be something to it. the company says the product doesn't "mask" the odor, but rather, eliminates it. We can't argue the point, it seems to do what it says. You can't run out and by this at the corner RV store, however. Check out the web site at whatodor.com. What will you pay? The big specialroonee is a two-fer deal. Buy one 16 ounce spray bottle and the outfit will toss in another 16 ouncer. You know what's next: But wait there's more! They'll also toss in two free 6 ounce travel bottles! With shipping and handling fees, you're out about $30.