Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Jonathan Johnson]

I did a lot of reading on this subject recently and it is a mixed bag on opinions regarding paralleling 2 different generators. Manufacturers insist it should not be done BUT apparently folks have done it successfully.

Say goodbye to the manufacturer's warranty when something goes wrong.

If they get wind that you've EVER paralleled their generator with another in a configuration not in the manufacturer's instructions, I would not at all be surprised if they immediately void any warranties.

[Debbie Dunkley]

Say goodbye to the manufacturer's warranty when something goes wrong.

If they get wind that you've EVER paralleled their generator with another in a configuration not in the manufacturer's instructions, I would not at all be surprised if they immediately void any warranties.

s

I agree and wouldn't attempt it myself. I suppose if the warranty period has expired and someone wants to risk it - that's down to them.

[kel mcguire]

s

I agree and wouldn't attempt it myself. I suppose if the warranty period has expired and someone wants to risk it - that's down to them.

agreed. The only videos I've found are with Hondas, like EU1000 with 2000.  That seems less scary.

[David Buckley]

I did a lot of reading on this subject recently and it is a mixed bag on opinions regarding paralleling 2 different generators. Manufacturers insist it should not be done BUT apparently folks have done it successfully.

You can, with the appropriate care, knowledge  and experience, parallel random compatible generators, but it's not without risk, and most small generators don't have the appropriate degree of control to enable successful paralleling, which, once paralleled (which is fun in it's own right) is getting the generators to load-share correctly, particularly when they are of differing sizes, see droop.

But for almost everyone, the answer is "no".

[Stephen Swaffer]

You can, with the appropriate care, knowledge  and experience.....

Jump out of a perfectly good airplane and float to earth unharmed.  Doesn't mean I'm going to do it-not even so that I can say that I did.

Paralleling 2 genny's gaining no additional power in many cases would seem to gain you the same thing as jumping out of a good airplane-the right to say "I did it".

If it makes you smile go for it-my vote (maybe my age showing?) is play it safe-I'm happy to let the other guy brag about doing it .

[Mike Sokol]

Paralleling 2 genny's gaining no additional power in many cases would seem to gain you the same thing as jumping out of a good airplane-the right to say "I did it".\

Realistically the only situation where paralleling makes sense is when you have a single load that needs more current than a single genny can provide. For an RV owner that load is typically the rooftop air conditioner. While a single 2K Honda won't be able to start the compressor on the HVAC, a pair of gennys in parallel can do it easily. And it's a lot easier to move around a pair of 2K genny's compared to even a single 3K Honda.

[David Buckley]

If it makes you smile go for it-my vote (maybe my age showing?) is play it safe-I'm happy to let the other guy brag about doing it .

I did say:  But for almost everyone, the answer is "no".  Even for me, despite knowing exactly how to do it, the answer in a R&R context would be "no"; perhaps that is my age showing too

I don't know where the "Paralleling 2 genny's [sic] gaining no additional power" bit came from, I certainly didn't mention it, but there is a very common use case where people do exactly that, though it isn't my preferred approach to that use case.

[TJ (Tom) Cornish]

what? paralleling two inverter generators or running two side by side, powering diffract portions of the gig? Or ?

Paralleling means tying all 3 wires together - hots, neutrals, and grounds.  This gives you (if it works) one larger circuit which is useful for a single larger load, but has a lot of complexity and some down sides - especially for generators that don't match and aren't designed for this.  Unless you have a single load - i.e. a large motor - there is no upside for you in this scenario.

Bonding grounds together and not bonding neutrals or hots is what you want to do - put half your load on one generator, half on the other.  In this case, each generator's load is independent and there is no risk of the generators fighting each other, but the system grounds are connected, meaning you will have much less chance of detrimental current flowing through your audio equipment.

[kel mcguire]

Bonding grounds together and not bonding neutrals or hots is what you want to do - put half your load on one generator, half on the other.  In this case, each generator's load is independent and there is no risk of the generators fighting each other, but the system grounds are connected, meaning you will have much less chance of detrimental current flowing through your audio equipment.

that's exactly what's going to happen. In one way I like the separate generators idea better. He'll have 4 Edison outlets, 1600 watts for mains and FOH and another 1600 for monitors and back line. And, his gig is four hours so no hot fueling! I loan mine out and one day get the return favor..

[Frank DeWitt]

 I just came from a show where at least 4 different people were using generators in parallel. 

[ProSoundWeb Community]