5000w generator & inverters

John McLeod

Freshman
Sep 9, 2015
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Hi gentlemen
Im looking at generators and was told to look at a rackmount 5000w invertor as then you can use any generator..
Eu7000 honda is the model to look at for clean power ive been told but still learning from you gentlemen with experience
 
Re: 5000w generator & inverters

Hi gentlemen
Im looking at generators and was told to look at a rackmount 5000w invertor as then you can use any generator..
Eu7000 honda is the model to look at for clean power ive been told but still learning from you gentlemen with experience
Trying to interpret what you are saying here, but your postulation is that if you buy a 5000w inverter unit, then you can use a POS generator, rather than getting an inverter-based generator like the Honda EU series?

If so, that's BS/Bollucks/whatever regional phrase you use for an emphatic no.

Firstly, in many situations, the problem with lower-grade generators is that they sound like a freight train. No external device will fix that. For me, this is a game over, terminal problem. Secondly, though an inverter may in some cases smooth out power issues from a poorly-regulated and/or undersized generator, the inverter itself may cause more harm than good.

Most inverters that I'm familiar with require a DC supply (hence the "inverter" function), and most upconvert a lower voltage like 12 or 24v DC for use from a vehicle electrical system or battery. I'm guessing that what you're referring to is a double-conversion UPS which contains a rectifier (AC->DC), a battery, and an inverter (DC->AC). High quality units may indeed make adequate-quality power, but a 6KVA double-conversion UPS is going to weigh a heck of a lot and be another giant box you need to deal with. Worse than that are the fact that many UPS devices do not actually produce a low-harmonic sine wave (many have so-called "stepped-sine" output), meaning the power coming out of the UPS may be worse than what's coming out of your generator.

Save yourself a giant headache and get the Honda EU7000 and try to run as much of your equipment at 240v as possible, which makes the generator's life a lot easier. Your clients will actually let you run the generator without making you put it 500' away from the event due to noise, it won't blow up your gear, and due to some particular aspects about how Honda does things with their inverter technology, you will likely be able to run more gear on the EU7000 than other generators claiming a similar size.
 
Re: 5000w generator & inverters

Thanks TJ
I will stick with a eu7000 and maybe a used eu3000..
Great information
Your intuitive detective work on my starting subject paragraph was perfect..
 
Re: 5000w generator & inverters

What's the application? Assuming it's been properly sized, maintained, and set up, the trailer-mount diesels don't generally suffer from poor power quality. And most of the modern ones are plenty quiet (especially the ones with the entertainment industry hush kits).
 
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Re: 5000w generator & inverters

Im hoping to get my PDU's setup to plug directly into a eu7000 to run
2 or 3 lab gruppen fp6400
.on a second generator
3400..2600... .2400Q(monitor)
I will have to see what else
Maybe 2 7000 is needed
 
Re: 5000w generator & inverters

Im hoping to get my PDU's setup to plug directly into a eu7000 to run
2 or 3 lab gruppen fp6400
.on a second generator
3400..2600... .2400Q(monitor)
I will have to see what else
Maybe 2 7000 is needed

Best practice dictates using a single properly sized unit rather than kludging together two separate units. You'll have fewer problems and will be safer.
 
Re: 5000w generator & inverters

Im hoping to get my PDU's setup to plug directly into a eu7000 to run
2 or 3 lab gruppen fp6400
.on a second generator
3400..2600... .2400Q(monitor)
I will have to see what else
Maybe 2 7000 is needed

Better make sure your grounding and bonding is good if you take that approach, as you could have the potential (hah!) for significant voltage or current flowing in the ground wires in that scenario. And if you're lucky, it stays in the ground wire and doesn't stray into people or equipment.

As Dick mentioned, best practice is to have a single properly-sized generator feeding appropriate power distribution equipment. Me, I'd set up the distro to take in a 50A split-phase supply and feed it via "California" twistlock, which is common on the smaller diesel generators. Then
I'd rent in a small diesel generator as needed. MQ and others make 7 and 10kW diesels that are reasonably quiet and can be rented for not that much money.
 
Re: 5000w generator & inverters

Im hoping to get my PDU's setup to plug directly into a eu7000 to run
2 or 3 lab gruppen fp6400
.on a second generator
3400..2600... .2400Q(monitor)
I will have to see what else
Maybe 2 7000 is needed
Dick and Rob have good advice. If you can't fit on one generator, it's better to go up a size than to split the load up. We're drifting from your original question, though - what is your actual need? If you need big power only occasionally, renting is definitely better than owning, and in that case, a trailer-mounted generator like Rob suggested is your best bet.

In my case, I work hard to fit on an EU6500/EU7000, as trailer-mounted generators are more likely to be subjected to permitting and inspection where the Honda EUs fall under that level of scrutiny. What is your actual load? Can you do something to reduce your power draw? Remember that lowering your output 3dB cuts your power draw in half.
 
Re: 5000w generator & inverters

Well I believe I can get the pa on one eu7000 if I set the amps at 35db on the back
(2 FP6400. ..1 fp3400. .1 fp2600. .1 fp2400Q)
And
Stage and lights/acc on another
 
Re: 5000w generator & inverters

Well I believe I can get the pa on one eu7000 if I set the amps at 35db on the back
(2 FP6400. ..1 fp3400. .1 fp2600. .1 fp2400Q)
And
Stage and lights/acc on another
There are two problems with what you propose:

- Splitting the main system on one generator and the stage/foh/other on the other generator will mean that all of the current between the generators will flow on the shields of your signal cabling, and any faults will be very bad. With two generators they need to be bonded together so this doesn't happen.

- Turning your amp gain down doesn't limit your volume, as you can just turn your board up 3dB and compensate. You'll have to think of some other method to limit your draw, or better yet, get a bigger generator.
 
Re: 5000w generator & inverters

... a rackmount 5000w invertor as then you can use any generator.

Such things do exist, some European guitarists and Hammondists who take their kit to the USA or play festivals with generator power use the Kikusui power converters to convert... "uncertain" power to clean power, but googling, a 4KW unit will set you back $16K, so I'd suggest buying a better generator in the first place. You'll save a shedload of money. And the Honda EUs are really excellent value.
 
Re: 5000w generator & inverters

I now understand about the stage generator but..
What about using the 220 30amp of a wacker neuson 5600 contractors generator(has a honda motor) to my motion lab PDU for just the lights.
8....blizzard ice 60...20amp
4...mac 250...20 amp
8..led wash...15-20 amp
This will run all my lights only
 
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Re: 5000w generator & inverters

What exactly do you mean by tie the grounds together rob

You need to ensure that the ground references for each generator are at the same electrical potential. This is to ensure that you don't have current flowing in the grounds (which presents a safety hazard). One generally accomplishes this with an appropriately-sized bonding jumper.