Who are these "many" to whom you refer? Do "they" offer any reasoning? I ask because I would have said that it is generally known that running on natural gas is easier on an engine than running on gasoline due to "softer" combustion and essentially no carbon deposits, combined with lower maximum power output. One could reasonably argue that lower maximum power output is a negative, but that is a whole other conversation. As for buying factory tri-fuel, the only problem I see with that is that AFAIK, there is nothing on the market that runs as quiet as the EU7000is. Period. And only one brand/model that is even close, and that brand is straight up Chinese. Will it hold up over time? And when it does break, can one get repair parts? Are there any credible servicing dealers? And I don't mean a big box and/or hardware stores - I mean a dealer that is well equipped with the parts and expertise. Don't get me wrong - I feel like Honda is lagging behind with all fuels other than gasoline. If I was the king of Honda, I'd be embarrassed to be shown up by lesser knownn Chinese manufacturers. And I think it likely that a more US-centric manufacturer like Champion is likely to bring some new options to market, since they already have models all around the segment. They have quiet-ish dual-fuel inverter generators and they have a less quiet tri-fuel model too, so it wouldn't take much for them to seize the market. One other thought - if a Chinese machine is cheap enough, does it matter if it is inferior in some ways to Honda? If two can be had for the price of a single Honda EU-7000is tri-fuel conversion, is it reasonable to just buy a spare? Of course, that comes with the challenge of storing two machines instead of one. My EU7000is has an executive parking spot in my garage, but I'm not sure I could carve out such honored places for two (even bigger) generators. Seems like a PITA. And just speaking to my own particular case, would that Chinese machine run on my existing natural gas connection? Because if it wouldn't, the rest becomes academic, because that would be expensive to solve. Maybe Honda's competitors are reluctant to wake the sleeping beast, because they know that if Honda actually DID decide to build a tri-fuel machine, that they would do so magnificently, thus owning THAT market segment in the same way that their gasoline-only models currently dominate their respective segments.

@@MstrMark I have seen quite a few comments made warning that running this kind of conversion kit on a fuel injected unit would lead to damage, versus being used on a carbureted model(comments regarding fuel pump/fuel injector issues). Just had to ask to make sure you haven’t suffered any issues.

@@BryanW0765 No sir, no issues. Although there were many issues with the other kit(s) that I tried. AFAIK., this kit turns off the gasoline components unless set to the gasoline mode, so it would be hard for any harm to come to them. Although, it will be a really bad day when I run it on gasoline, so hopefully, it will never matter to me. If you have links to any negative comments, I'd like to see them. Not that I need to defend USC, but I just think it's wrong. There is so very much bogus information and (outright lies) on on the internet these days. Perhaps ask someone (in addition to me) who is a mechanic and also has first hand experience with this particular kit.

@@MstrMark thank you. The comments I ran across were in various forum posts, and nothing directed at USC. They were just general comments stating that it was a bad idea in a fuel injected machine. From what I’m hearing from you it sounds like the setup is good to go. I appreciate your input. Enjoy your day.

@@BryanW0765 I see. Well, not that anyone knows me, but I would just urge you to consider the source. There are plenty of problems with the USC kit, but it also just happens to be the best option that I have personally experienced. But there is plenty of room for improvement, so If anyone cares to send me a better one, I will certainly review it. For that matter, if GenMax would like to send me their tri-fuel machine. I will give it a fair comparison as well.

Thanks. I can see where it might be a good option for someone who is lucky enough to have easy access. For me, the closest seller is an hour and a half round trip. I've made that trip multiple times to buy fuel for my lawn equipment and my seldom-driven truck. BTW, it is the most expensive fuel they sell. I have to admit that it seems less acceptable to me with each new trip. In my case, ethanol-free gasoline is actually harder to come by (and more expensive) than propane. For reference, in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, propane was sold out at all of the places that were still open (because they were able to do business without grid power) That one place that sells ethanol-free fuel was sold out. It's just not good to be trying to buy fuel during a big event. Interestingly, because she was already a customer, my sister was able to get a propane delivery for her generator even while gasoline was still hard to come by, so it might be worthwhile to establish relationships with sellers like that before a disaster actually strikes.

Well, Genmax presents an interesting twist. I almost bought one myself, but found myself doubting the heritage of such a Chinese company. As you observed, Honda has a great reputation, which results in amazing resale value, and I believe that reputation was hard-earned by building best-in-class generators. By comparison, I know nothing about Gen-max, except that from all outward indications, they have a very Chinese attitude. Still, it can't be ignored that Honda has failed to answer the strong need for machines that run on propane and natural gas. Perhaps a very Japanese attitude...a bit like Toyota blowing off EVs.(?) I don't know. If I was the king of the world, Honda would build tri-fuel generators, and they would be such great machines that there would be no reason to settle for a machine made in China, and all that implies. If a Honda generator were to ever break, parts and service would be easy to get. When Genmax breaks, their website shows nothing but an email address! I have a life-sized mental image of trying to ship a 253 pound generator to some undisclosed location. FWIW, we recently weather3e Hurricane Beryl. Millions of people in the Houston area lost power. In the wake of the storm, the weather was dangerously hot and humid. The EU-7000is served me faithfully for multiple days. I was able to offer some A/C and home-cooked meals for my family members. It was about as good as it could have been, given the circumstances. Just yesterday, we lost power for about five hours, and once again my Honda was up to the challenge. If Genmax wants to send me a unit for evaluation, I would be pleased to get some real world experience with it.

@@MstrMark Really sorry to hear about your situation. I can't imagine how it is at the moment with Helene roaring through....please stay safe. I almost bought a home in Florida some years ago to escape the Canadian winters but I am so glad now that I didn't I have 8 generators at the moment.... four of them are Champions plus the Honda. Of the others, one is a Maxkeepingrod 3500 watt Chinese unit (which seems very good), and 2 are cheap Powermate 1000 units I picked up for less than $50dollars each and repaired (seems people don't know about the low oil shutoff... HEY...RTFM.:))) I do know Champions units are well supported and parts are readily available and they are a safe bet to buy. At the moment, they are selling a new model 8500 tri fuel inverter unit, fully enclosed, for a very good price, but it is not yet available here in Canada. It likely won't be as quiet as my Honda EU6500 but I think I can live with that. I really think I would buy one of these over the Genmax for the exact reasons you state. Unknown versus quality units and excellent parts and service available through Champion. Also, I can't imagine shipping a 250 lbs unit across the border for service what with all the customs bs that would be necessary. As you know, I've been through all the machinations of considering converting this Honda unit to natural gas. It doesn't seem that it is a totally workable solution with any of the current conversion kits due to needing to adjust the gas flow depending upon electrical demand on the unit. The best one I can find seems to be made by PMG Technologies but after US/Canadian currency conversion and shipping, it will cost me close to $1000 Canadian...not good value for the money. Best to wait until I can purchase a unit designed specifically for natural gas with service and parts availability guaranteed (especially since they seem to come in around $2000 to $2500) BTW, I now do have the Generlink 30 amp model installed and it works well with the Honda floating neutral generator. Once I eventually get a tri fuel generator, I will hook it up to the 3/8th inch supply line and see what happens. If it doesn't work, I will spring for the money to convert the piping.

This whole video is about the one that worked best for me. Even now, my generator has been running on natural gas for the last 18 hours, since most of the entire Houston metropolitan area lost power as a result of Hurricane Beryl.

@@MstrMark looking for the brand name n model to narrow down my search

@@anonymous.369 I am not aware of any brand name or model other than what you see in the title of this video. I am not willing to link it here because I believe that the kit has many shortcomings. If US Carburetion wants to talk to me about it, I am certainly willing, but I'm not going to link it anywhere until I get some long-awaited answers. You could search for "US Carburetion Motor Snorkel tri-fuel conversion kit", but in case you didn't watch my videos about this, I have to reiterate that it requires some engineering to make it work. You're going to have to be willing to watch my videos, at the very least. If that seems like too much trouble, you're not going to get very far with this kit. 'Still the best one I've tried, and in fact, I have now been running on generator power since early Monday morning, so it is serving me and my family well, but that's doesn't mean it's "easy".

@MstrMark thank you for the detail reply. Appreciate your response. Thx.

Yes, I do. And I think I'm as satisfied as I am ever likely to be with any conversion kit. If I had it all to do over again, today, I would have to consider brands other than Honda. At the high price that I paid for my generator, I feel like it should have included tri-fuel operation right out of the box, but Honda seems content to keep charging three times as much as brands that come with multi-fuel operation built right in.

If I may ask, were you trying to get support for a kit that you already own, or were you hoping for pre-sales information? I never was able to get the kind of support that I was hoping for, but with that said, they have the only conversion kit (that I've found) that actually makes the machine run even close to the way that it does on gasoline, so unless/until we find something better, this remains the only viable option for EU7000is conversions. Obviously, a much better option would be for Honda to just do it themselves, since it would be very easy for them to do, and I have no doubt that they could do it very well. But say what you will about Honda, it seems obvious that they don't care that customers want/need tri-fuel operation. Meanwhile, Champion HAS been paying attention, so they now offer a dual fuel 8500 watt quiet inverter generator that sells for less than half the price of the EU7000is, not to mention the expense, hassle, and clunky appearance associated with converting the EU7000is. It's still not natural gas, but when it comes to storage, propane is a WAY better fuel than gasoline! If there was any money in making videos like this one, I'm sure I would buy one to review and enjoy. (and watch out Champion, because here comes GENMAX with their new tri-fuel 10,500 watt machine. I'd really like to review that one as well. And if Honda doesn't start paying attention...well, their competition is already passing them by.

Thanks. If I decide to invest more time, I suppose I could always add some more layers...even if I don't have the skill to play them all at the same time. Heck, even Richard Write doesn't play all of the parts by by himself. But "Joe Blow"? That's almost as bad as my "not a real piano or vocal cover" title.

Thanks Pam. Did you just now see this for the first time?

I can understand why you might say that, because I originally had similar thoughts, but over time, I have been able to rule that out. Fortunately, it is not necessary to speculate about fuel supply adequacy, because that is one factor that can be relatively easily be determined empirically. I have measured the supply pressure while in operation, so I can confirm that it never falls below the ideal range. 3/4" hose may make sense for someone, but speaking for myself, it's just too expensive, and also too heavy/bulky to work with and store. If I ran it all the way to my meter, the hose would have to be over 100 feet long, and for a significant portion of that run, it would be replacing 1-1/2 black pipe with 3/4" hose. Even the smallest pipe in the run is 1/2" schedule 40, which has an actual ID of almost 5/8", so considering the entire run, I believe that 3/4" would actually be a down-grade. Anyway, I'm just not willing to drag out 100-plus feet of hose in a storm and/or the dark/cold of night, so if that was the only way that I could make this generator work, I think I'd have to do something completely different. But again, considering the fact that the generator can produce its full gasoline-rated output on natural gas, I'm not sure what more one could hope for. By all rights, it should do no better than 80 percent, so it is exceeding my expectations. It might not be obvious from the video, but I believe the weak point in the NG supply to be the "Snorkel" injector itself. It does a nice job of keeping the injection plate thin, but that thinness is by virtue of a very small tube, so that is the most obvious point of weakness. I feel like I may have mentioned this elsewhere in these comments, but my goal was to get a little more power than my trusty old Honda EU3000is could provide. The best it could do on natural gas was just over 2400 watts, tweaked and tuned to the nth degree. By direct comparison, this machine provide twice that amount of power very easily and calmly. And it can provide considerably more than that, if one pays just a bit more attention. It may not be intuitive while watching the video, but I'm really putting the screws to the thing! I'm overloading the 30-amp circuit during most of the video - the most that circuit should ever see is 3600 watts, and it should be no more than 80 percent of that (2880 watts) on a sustained basis. The EU7000is is a beast! It is only because of its civilized nature and my own master-of-understatement narration that one might get the impression that it's not kicking some serious ass in this video.

It was on...which, after all, is the main reason that anyone would spend so much for the Honda brand. Which, works beautifully when not fueled by the Genconnex conversion kit.

I don't have a well pump, but I'm sure it would depend upon the inrush load during startup, because I can't imagine a big enough residential well pump to give it any trouble once it was actually running. On natural gas, my EU7000is can start a "Haier ESAQ406T Serenity Series 6,000 BTU 115V Window Air Conditioner" without any problem. And keep in mind that being a split-phase unit, the generator has only one inverter to work with. It will also start the ancient 240 Volt 2-ton window A/C in my garage, although that's very close to its limit. That unit had trouble starting even when it was brand new, so it now has a hard start kit on it, but I think it's fair to say that its still hard to start. 1/2 HP drill press is no challenge. 1/2 HP garage door opener also presents no major challenge. The secret to running a whole house with a small generator is to get rid of (or manage) the loads that present large transients and/or high inrush during startup. For example, the EU7000is can run my 24,000 BTU mini-split without any problem at all because it has essentially no inrush requirements, but to run my 24,000 BTU central unit (with conventional compressor) requires that I first turn off every other load in the house and also disable Eco throttle. It's not practical, so I just don't do it. I also have a 22,000 BTU LG "Dual Inverter" window unit that is real easy on the generator, so I can selectively cool certain areas without significantly impacting the generator. At the end of the day, the EU7000is is good for around 4400 watts continuous while running on natural gas, so one has to pick and choose. I can use a few burners on my induction cooktop, but not while using my (2000 watt) microwave oven. Heck, I can bake a pizza, but not while running two A/C units at the same time. As long as I stay within my power budget, it can run everything in my house, although the central A/C is not practical. And the fewer the transient and high start-current loads, the easier that is to do. For example, I have an 1800 watt heat gun that maintains the set temperature by cycling the heating element off and on around twice per second. It's a terrible load for a generator, so I bought a cheap "emergency" heat gun that doesn't cycle at all. It's not as fast, and not nearly as well temperature-regulated, but it doesn't give the generator fits. All the UPSes in my house used to beep when my refrigerator would start (four times per hour), so when it came time to replace the fridge, I chose a refrigerator with inverter technology. Now, the generator is essentially unaffected. I think that if I had a 30,000 watt generator, I could probably carry on pretty much as I would on grid power, but that's a whole other level of expense, both initial and ongoing. And I say 30k because that's about where 1800 RPM water-cooked generators start, and all 3600 RPM air-cooled standby generators are way louder than the EU7000is. In my own experience, the never-ending noise of a generator really does wear on me during an extended outage...to the point that I actually turned it off a few times, in spite of the dark and the heat. I think it would take that big of a jump to get something that would please me more than what I already have. Actually, I wouldn't mind having both, but that's yet another whole level. And then why not solar with battery backup? At that point, the only need for a generator would be in cases where the sun doesn't shine for a long time, just to recharge the batteries. That would be way better, in my mind. But circling back around to your original concern, if you find that your well pump is too hard to start, you might look into the practically of using something like the Micro-Air Easystart, but it would depend upon whether there is a way to to get access to the start windings. Probably not an option for a submersible pump. There are easy-to-start pumps that are designed for off-grid use, but unless you have some other reason to replace your pump, you probably don't want to start all over.

Where did you see that happening? The only time I saw that happen is while I was technically overloading the generator. At over 5500 watts, it would have been beyond its rated maximum continuous output, even if it was running on gasoline. But it was running on natural gas, which theoretically yields only 80 percent of that rating, which would be only 4400 watts, so the fact that it was managing to deliver over 5500 watts seems pretty amazing to me.

Yes it can - "tri-fuel" includes gasoline, natural gas, and propane.

That's great news (I paid $477 for my kit) !

Peice of crap.

Is it worth is? I guess that depends upon one's sensibilities and priorities. Certainly the EU7000is is expensive, and certainly there are less expensive generators out there. If one is a Honda fan, then that alone may be enough to justify it. It could be argued too that there is no quieter generator in the same power class. It may also be the most fuel-efficient, in spite of some claims to the contrary. Something else to consider is that there is no quiet inverter generator with native tri-fuel capability, so if one wants maximum preparedness, a conversion is currently the only option. Champion has some interesting dual-fuel inverter models, but last time I checked, none of them could supply 240 Volts. Also, think about how long you want to be able run it without going on a hunt for more gasoline or propane. In my experience, propane is virtually unobtainable in the wake of a disaster, so how much propane are you willing to store? It has an indefinite shelf life, but I have read that propane should never to stored in an attached garage. Other sources indicate that it should never be stored in any enclosed space. Do you want propane stored outside your home. I didn't. The only way I'd be willing to do that would be in a buried tank, and the cost for that is not insignificant. Gasoline is an even worse standby fuel in almost every way. It has a very limited shelf life, and it blows up pretty easily (and spectacularly), so you certainly don't want to store any significant quantity in an enclosed space, and yet it's not really practical to store it outside either. It is safer to limit storage to a few 5-gallon cans, but even then one would need to keep it fresh by rotating it through a vehicle every month or so. I did just that for many years, but it was a big hassle. I have a friend who spent a very cold and dark night (with treacherous driving conditions) trying to find gasoline when that winter storm plunged much of the entire state of Texas into darkness. The appeal of natural gas is obvious. It is clean, it is safe, it doesn't have to be stored, and in my lifetime, it has never failed anywhere that I have lived. Those simple truths led me to the decision to do my own conversion. And as it happened, the majority of all tri-fuel conversion kits available at that time were for Honda generators. And again, the EU7000is is the quietest generator in its power class. I live in a residential neighborhood, so noise was an important consideration for me. And anyone who has ever weathered an outage that lasted days and weeks can tell you that at some point, one is ready to live without power just to escape the never-ending noise of a loud generator. My first generator was a 3500 watt Craftsman, which I was forced to return because it just couldn't deliver anything close to its rating. The second was army MARS surplus. It was an incredibly robust 3000 watt generator that easily out-performed the Craftsman that it replaced. It never failed me, but MAN was it ever heavy and loud! My third was a Yamaha 3000 watt inverter generator, but it too was weak compared to the MARS machine, and while much lighter and quieter, it had a noise signature that I found irritating, so I eventually traded up to a Honda EU3000is. The Honda was (and still is) a fine machine, always over-delivering. It was quiet, completely reliable, and it made a lot more power than it's rating suggested. I liked it a lot. After the warranty expired, I did I tri-fuel conversion on it. It never ran as well as it did on gasoline, but the convenience of natural gas was enough to convince me to keep it for decades. In the early days of the pandemic, I bought the EU7000is, hoping to preserve the best qualities of the trusty EU3000is while also getting some additional power. It did that. On gasoline, it runs more like a car than a portable generator. The specs say that it's quiet, but dB's don't really tell the whole story, because the character of the noise is also important. It actually sounds a lot like a small car running just above idle. I remember remarking out loud, "Man, this thing is a machine!"!. Hopefully you understand that reference. It pleases me to own it. I then did the Genconnex conversion, which was a great disappointment. After fighting with that for months, I eventually bought the US Carburetion kit, which you see here. Still not quite up to the fine example set by native gasoline operation, but pretty close. And again, very convenient. And of course, even on NG, it still makes a lot more power than the EU3000is ever could, so I'm pretty happy with it. And to give the story a happy ending, I sold the EU3000is to my sister, who knew just how well it had served me (at times when she was in the dark at her house), so it's still in the family. If the EU7000is lasts as long, it could out-last me. So that was my journey/decision process. Other people will take different paths, leading to different decisions. I have a good friend who recently chose the cheapest (and noisiest) dual-fuel Champion open-frame inverter generator that he could find. He doesn't care about the noise personally, and he certainly doesn't care if it's too noisy for his neighbors. He did go with propane as his fuel choice, but then almost immediately lamented the storage concerns.😬

Hey Peter, can you show me which nut you're having trouble with?

Mr Mark, Thanks for your reply. I tried to reply but email was returned, after research I found the bolt to be a security hex and I got it removed. So far my generator looks like yours. Thanks again.

@@petereckland690 I'm glad you figured it out, but I'd still like to see that nut<grin>

Can you show where you mounted your switch?

You're not wrong Seymour...that was the point of making the video...to warn others considering this kit.

@@EtherHabitant (copied and pasted from another post): All the bad jokes about Canadians enjoying a balmy 30 degree day in their flip-flops sandals while applying suntan oil aside, my heart really goes out to you Mark! We all work hard for our money. No one likes to be cheated out of even a nickel. Genconnex and the rest of the "conversion kit vultures" out there should be hit with a class action lawsuit requiring them to refund all monies back to unsuspecting consumers. I hope you get you money back. I hope you can reverse the "conversion kit" installation and get your machine back to normal operation. Cheers and best of luck to you Sir!

1) I could probably do that. I just need to get out from under many less enjoyable things. 2) I'm not sure how much that would help. I just used the bracket that came with the kit, but I have no affiliation with US Carburetion, so I don't even know if the kit has been changed/improved since I bought mine. I so show some pretty good photos of the modification here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-2NziDBzqI-Y.html Granted, there are no measurements, but the relationships are clear enough, and the exact positioning is not all that critical. If I were you, I would start by trying to find a muffler clamp similar to the one I used. There are a lot of similar styles, but they are just different enough that it would be best to have the actual clamp before drilling holes in the bracket for it. 3) I'm not opposed, but what would be a fair price? It was kind of a labor of love thing for me, because I'm not a fabricator by trade. Could I charge enough to make it worth my while?

Hi Daniel, I settled on the US Carburetion kit because, to my knowledge, it is the only kit that includes the "black box" control module. I have another video that shows the module: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jczarRxAunI.html I believe that this module is the single most important factor in making the EU7000is run properly on natural gas (or propane). I proved this to myself by adding the module to my previous Genconnex kit (which ran just awful without the module). With no other changes, it made the generator run infinitely better, with no other changes to the Genconnex kit. There are multiple schools of thought on what makes a conversion work well. The Genconnex idea was to keep the gas supply line as short as possible, and they achieved that by replacing the original fuel tank with a new shell that positioned the regulator inside the covers, resulting in less than a foot of hose. But in my experience, that was not the "secret sauce". It ran terrible. It backfired and sometimes even died with a light load, and lacked power under heavy load. It made the generator all but useless for my purposes. Here is an example: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-A_LYYceiDfo.html FWIW, in my experience, moving the regulator out side of the covers, with something like three times the hose length made no difference, except that it looks less "clean, but it gave me tri-fuel operation.

@@MstrMark Excellent reply MrMark! Thank you..

You're welcome - making this video and discussing it with everyone who commented has been a high point for me these last few years!

Hey Tom, yeah, it would be a decent mic if it wasn't far all the handling noise. You might want to take a look at microphones that use the Primo EM272 capsule. The one I've tried is called "Clippy XLR" from FEL Communications. The capsule is larger, but it is a wonderfully quiet and sensitive mic for just a bit more than the Maono shown here.

It is certainly true that one needs a bigger orifice for natural gas than for propane. Most kits for the EU3000is have a load-block adjustment screw as opposed to a fixed orifice (I've personally tried three different ones that all had screws). One of the things that the Hutch Mountain kit has going against it is that the injection hose (as shown in the product photo) is quite long, but if it works for you, then I'm not one to argue with success! In any case, if you read deep into all of these comments, you will see that I went through a phase where I tried up-sizing the orifice that came with the GenConnex kit. I bought a bunch of brass plugs and then used a set of numbered drill bits to gradually increase the size. The short story is that it didn't work because on the EU7000is, the GCU (computer) actively monitors the mixture, and if it doesn't like it, it shuts the machine down with an error code. So while that game may work with simpler machines, it doesn't work with the UE7000is. The only thing that worked for me was the "black box" control module that comes with the US Carburetion kit. I made another video showing how that worked out. There are links in the description section above if you're interested.

Sarah! I haven't heard from you in a long time. I'm really glad you're still around and also grateful that you took the time to watch my little video. 'Just showing Jamin my attempt at the technique he attempted to impart to me. I had originally intended to make the video "Unlisted", but now I'm glad I made it public. I hope you're doing okay. I'd still like to see you play something, if you ever feel like sharing.

Just an add on to my previous comment. It only takes one major power outage to change one's opinion on backup power. I now look upon all this backup equipment like I do when I buy insurance. You pay for something that you hope you will never have to use. At least with the Generlink plus natural gas conversion steps you DO get something besides "insurance". After watching my neighbours struggle with lack of power, and running 100 foot extension cords to keep their sump pumps and freezer working, I now have new respect for backup power. And frankly, I don't give a damn how much it costs me to get set up much better, I'm going ahead with it...including natural gas conversion. My son and one of my employees are currently using my two Champion 2000 watt generators to assist untold people in preventing their food from spoiling. It looks like another week before this disaster will be over with everyone back on utility power. This real disaster will not be easy for forget, even though my home was powered by the big Honda for some 60 hours total.

I have to admit that I don't know about the "IE6500" model, but the rest of what you're saying seems familiar to me. I think that most everyone who has ever converted a larger generator to natural gas has wondered in (fill in the black size) is big enough. I used to wonder that same thing with my EU3000is conversion. I can tell you this: I have 1/2" black pipe feeding my hook-up. Considering all of the turns, I think it calculates out to about 60 feet equivalent. There is around 50 feet of larger pipe before it reduces down to 1/2", but I feel like that is probably insignificant, as long as there is no other gas consumption in the house. I used 1 3/8 valve, quick-connect, and flex hose with the EU3000is - literally a gas grill hose. It always doubted that it was enough, so when I got the EU7000is, I bought a 1/2" full-port valve, along with 1/2" quick-connectors and hose. That's what was in use during the video. By experimentation, I have determined that turning on the gas clothes dryer the is connected just on the other side of the wall has no effect on the capacity of the generator. The dryer specs say that it needs 18,000 BTUs, so that suggests that my 1/2" line has at least 18,000 BTUs more capacity than actually it needs. Or at least some amount more than it needs. Here's another story - during the most massive power failure in Texas history, it was also one of the coldest nights in Texas history. During that outage, I ran my generator. I used it to power my gas furnace that is connected to the larger piping before the 1/2" reduction. The furnace is rated at 65,000 BTUs input, so it's the biggest gas user in the house, and yet it had no apparent effect on the generator. Granted, I wasn't maxing out the generator during that time, but my take-away is that the gas supply is more than enough for the generator. Keeping in mind that 1/2" schedule 40 black pipe has an actual ID of around 0.622 inch. The full-port valve measures exactly 1/2-inch. The quick connectors are essentially impossible to measure in a meaningful way, but they are visually larger than 3/8" connectors. I also can't get at the actual hose ID without cutting it in half, but it too is visually larger than 3/8" hose. These real-world observations would seem to be in conflict with the charts and guides that one can find online, which suggest that larger (or much shorter pipe) is needed for a generator this size. And yet, it it is quite obvious that the pipe is delivering more than enough gas. Maybe they were using the nominal pipe size as the actual size...(?) So if you're asking me, I would say that 60 feet of pipe like mine is just fine, and I also think there is some room to go beyond 60 feet at that same size. This assumes that one is working with the same gas pressure that I am. Get yourself a gauge and you won't have to guess. I feel that anything smaller might be too small, although I have no real-world experience to support that feeling. But based upon that feeling, I would want a hose bigger than 3/8". I don't know how they do things in Canada, but around here, 1/2" is the smallest piping that is commonly used inside of houses. Even with 1/2" PE gas pipe, the actual ID is still larger than 1/2". So hopefully you don't need to change any piping inside your house. Unless it's a really long run. I've seen people use really long flex hoses to their gas meter rather than re-plumbing their house. Although a 12-foot house is a lot easier to store and work with than a 100-foot hose.

@@MstrMark Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my question. Please know that I do truly appreciate it, especially as there is so little information available for use in making any kind of decision like this. I read your answer very many times to get the full understanding of what you were saying. My gas supply in the home is the normal black steel gas pipe 1/2 inch or larger to feed the gas furnace and gas water heater. About 10 feet away from the furnace, there is a connection with a shutoff to the barbeque outside, and from that turn off switch, they have reduced the piping down to 3/8 copper tubing. This runs all the way out through the wall and connects to the barbeque quick connect. Now when I connect to the outside gas quick connect, I am going to use 1/2 inch flexible hose all the way to the generator about 15 feet away from the outside quick connect. What this will mean is there is only a short run of copper tubing which is 3/8 inch, and which I can replace if the current gas supply turns out to be insufficient to power the generator. But I'll try it first and see how it all works on the current piping... I also checked the tubing currently in use with the gas barbeque and it does appear to be the smaller 3/8 tubing. But a barbeque is NOT a generator which I imagine will draw far more gas supply ! FYI, the EU6500 only differs from the EU7000 in the fact that the 7000 has fuel injection rather than carburetion. Plus the nameplate would indicate a surge ability up to 7000 watts while my EU6500 has a surge maximum of 6500 watts. However, both versions of the generator put out the same amount of continuous running power....5500 watts. So when they came out with fuel injection, I kind of think their marketing guys had a hand in renaming the new model as much as anything they actually did vis a vis output levels. Honda is well known for underrating their generator products. Frankly, it's easier and cheaper to convert the EU6500 as it's only carburetion I have to worry about with nothing needed in the way of an "add on module" needed with the 7000 because of the fuel injection. US Carburetion has the kit for my generator for $187 US and I can pretty easily do the mods needed (I have a full machine shop in my basement). My electrician this morning applied for my Ottawa Hydro permit ($315), and once I have paid for that, he says he can install the Generlink within 10 days. Once that is all working, I will test out the gas dryer, electic washing machine and my AC to see what will actually run on the generator on gasoline and what won't. From there I can make a decision to proceed or not... If I do go natural gas, I have to remember that the generator will lose 20% of its output capacity running on natural gas, so at that point , I will make decisions on how much further I can go...ie:continue to pay the $2 an hour to run the generator (plus all the very real hassles of getting gas when the stations are all down)...or...buy the kit and install it, test it to see if the current gas supply is sufficient, and if it isn't then call a gas fitter to upgrade that short limiting loop of 3/8th piping (which would be the limiting factor since everything else is 1/2 other than that) In any event, thank you again for your thoughts and comments.

@@TOURMANBOB 3/8" copper...that's kind of unexpected. Around here, the code no longer allows copper for natural gas. And AFAIK, it never did allow copper buried within the construction. I think I would be inclined to replace it on that basis alone. The EU7000is needs somewhere in the neighborhood of 24,000 BTUs. That's just a little more than the average clothes dryer, which seems to be around 22,000 BTUs. There are some big gas grills that use over 300,000, but of course it depends on the grill. I know the EU6500...but you wrote "EI6500" <grin>. I would say that carburetor vs injected is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the EU6500 is less sophisticated, so one can fiddle with the mixture any way one wants and it will keep on running. But the EU7000is knows when the fuel mixture is off and it will shut itself down if it doesn't like it, which is bad news for a bad conversion kits. On the other hand, the EU7000is has variable ignition timing, which is way batter for natural gas, assuming that the conversion kit is good enough to tell the computer to crank up the advance. Most don't but the US Carburetion kit apparently does, which is kind of the whole point of this particular video. This kit succeeds where the others failed. You certainly will lose surge power, although you may not lose the rated continuous running power, because as you say, Honda is rather conservative in their ratings. What is likely, however, is that you will not find any setting of the load block valve that results in the machine running perfectly at both light and heavy loads. I lived with that reality with my EU3000is conversion for many years. It "works", but it certainly isn't ideal. If I adjust for good results at 800 watts, which is kind of what my house uses without air conditioning, then it won't run at all at 2400 watts. If I adjust for 2400 watts, then it's super-rich at 800 watts,,,, stumbling and backfiring and generally being obnoxious. I think you'll see something similar with any engine that has fixed timing. I'll be very interested to know how it works out for you. For me, it was all about having enough fuel for an extended outage. I would consider 48 hours to be a bare minimum, and I'd like to have much more. When the power is down in a small area, it's not as much of a problem...just go to a gas station down the road. But when most of the entire state goes down, as we recently experienced here, that's a whole other thing. So that means that one needs to already have what one needs before the event occurs. And with gasoline, that would require a lot of storage. Around here, it is a violation of some rule to store more than 25 gallons of gasoline in the same building, so with the EU7000is that breaks down to a maximum run time of about 3.5 days at 1/4 load. But most of our outages happen on the hottest days, which means that one wants to run some A/C, and the machine burns closer to a gallon per hour under heavy load. That's just not enough time in my mind. And trying to get (5) 5-gallon cans refilled every day is not something I want to face during a disaster. Not to mention the fact that gasoline likes to blow up. And even with fuel stabilizer, it likes to go bad pretty fast. So that adds the additional hassle of trying to figure out how to safely rotate the fuel supply somehow so that it doesn't go bad. Some people do enough driving to where it would be possible to keep the fuel fresh, but just don't burn enough fuel to make that idea practical. For me, propane and natural gas are the only viable alternatives. Propane can be safely stored in great quantities, and it essentially never goes bad. Natural gas is not so easy to store, but it's "on tap", so to speak. There were some supply failures during the recent big blackout, but not here. I have never personally seen natural gas fail. I could always switch propane if it came right down to it..bartering power for propane cylinders off of all the grills on the block.

@@TOURMANBOB Oh, so you're still doing it - that's awesome! Yeah nothing like a good disaster to alter one's perspective. That's how it is with any kind of "prepping" - silly waste of time and money until it's desperately needed. Following the Texas blackout, I was ready to buy a legitimate water-cooled standby generator. But fortunately(?) they were impossible to buy in the wake of that event. I did go ahead and install a new breaker panel with a manual whole-house interlock, though. I still don't have it finished...8/3 copper wire is so absurdly expensive right now...kind of takes the fun out of it.

I'm sorry, but I can't make sense of what you're trying to ask.

Hi Charles, To be honest, I believe it's about as good as its going to get, so I haven't made any changes since the video I've used the generator several times during actual outages and it worked well for me. Maybe it's because I came from an EU3000is (also running on natural gas), but this eu7000is seems very powerful and trouble-free by comparison. It can do everything the eu3000is could could do (while totally maxed out) at idle speeds. And it can do twice as much without even breaking a sweat. It would be cool to be able to be able to squeeze a few more watts out of it, but I think someone would have to reverse-engineer the engine computer in order to make that happen. There are just certain ranges near the maximum potential of the machine where the engine lacks the torque it needs to run at speeds as low as Eco Throttle tries to run it. I wish they would do that, but it may just be beyond what small conversion kit companies can hack together. Heck, USC can't even make it fit right mechanically, so it's a near miracle that they managed to make it run as well as they did. They certainly did beat every other conversion kit company by a mile in that respect. And practically speaking, if I ever dd experience any surging while in actual use, defeating Eco Throttle would be a viable work-around. But so far, it just hasn't been a problem. On the bigger hose idea, at this point I have gone so far as to connect the generator directly to my gas meter, thus eliminating 60 feet or so of 1/2" pipe. FWIW, I couldn't tell that it made any difference at all, so I'm sticking to my theory that the problem is with the Eco Throttle RPM parameters not being compatible with the engine's power curve while running on natural gas. But hey, if you find that a bigger hose helps in your case, I hope you'll let me know. Make a video of it running flawlessly and I'll be on a quest for a new hose. But I just don't think so. I started out with a 3/8" hose, which I then upgraded to 1/2", thinking that it might help. I don't think it helped. The obvious solution would be for Honda to get with the program and make their flagship models tri-fuel capable. Failing that, perhaps someone like USC can figure out how to spoof the GCU into thinking it has more load than it actually does...it just needs to ramp up the engine speed aggressively enough to prevent bogging. Similar to how it does when the two inverters are not bonded together, and the load on one inverter is twice what it would be if the two were bonded together. It is that signal that makes it run at a high enough RPM to prevent bogging. As of today, what you see in this video stands as the best-performing natural gas conversion that I have personally seen on any generator. One might say that's a shame, particularly considering Honda's high entry cost, but the best is still the best. If anyone has video of any conversion running better, I would very much like to see it! And then (naturally) I would want to know how they did it...

@@MstrMark Thanks for your help! Yes, I will try the larger hose and see if that makes any difference since the parts are already on the way. I'll also compare using natural gas with a 3/4 inch hose as well. I'll let you know what I find out. Thanks again. Charles

@@homeinspectionportland I do love real-world testing!

Just a quick update -- I connected 3/4 inch hose and 3/4 inch fittings on the low pressure side of the propane regulator and it worked perfectly. I didn't experience any surging at all. I also tried the 3/4 inch hose connected to the home's natural gas supply and it worked flawlessly as well. I think my 3/8 inch hose from the propane regulator was seriously restricting flow and causing the generator to surge up and down. Having the bigger hose definitely solved my surging issue and it works awesome now with both natural gas and propane. Thanks for posting and for helping me figure out this surging issue!

P.S. I had to get a much larger regulator with a 3/4 inch output, but it wasn't very expensive at my local propane supply store.

Thank you Quinten.

Genconnex sent me a refund instead of sending me their new kit. Why do you suppose they made that choice? Given the fact that my two videos showing it running badly have now received nearly 36,000 views, if they really did fix their kit, one might think that they would want me to make a video of the new kit, showing it running perfectly. They would then have been on their way to 36,000 views of their kit working great, along with my personal endorsement. But that's not the way it went down, so lacking evidence to the contrary, I can only assume that the new kit still lacks the essential functionality of altering the GCU programming, and if that's true, then it's hard to imagine that it's actually “fixed“. And I say that because after I received the US Carburetion kit, the very first thing that I did was to connect the USC black box module with the Genconnex kit still installed. That alone made the Genconnex kit run 90 percent better than before. That is why I believe the GCU programming to be the single most important factor. Other than that, all such conversion kits use the same Garretson-style demand regulator, so there is little else to distinguish one from another, other than the mechanical integration - in other words, how well it fits the specific machine and how easy it is to install. Genconnex wins in terms of maintaining a factory look, but fails in terms of actual functionality. The Genconnex kit is not particularly easy to install and their injection adapter is thick enough that it causes the rubber seals on the intake box to fail, so while it looks factory on the outside, it’s a mess on the inside. It also defeats the use of gasoline, which is a real shame, given the fact that the generator runs so very well on gasoline. By comparison, the US Carburation kit is mechanically quite generic, which is to say that it doesn’t even fit the machine as provided. It also hangs the regulator outboard, so it’s not nearly as clean-looking as the Genconnex kit. But by doing it that way, one gets tri-fuel operation, so it may be a fair trade-off. And their “Motor Snorkel” injection plate is very thin, allowing nearly stock alignment of the air box. And then there is that black box engine module thing - that’s the thing that causes it to actually work. It still needs some refinement, but it’s way better. In case you haven’t seen it, I have a video showing that kit in operation here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-2NziDBzqI-Y.html

FWIW, I show it running at 5500 watts starting around here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-2NziDBzqI-Y.html Backing out the load screw any father has no positive effect on maximum load, but it does hurt the performance with lighter loads. I feel like the "Snorkel" injector becomes the limiting factor at maximum load, but that's at the heart of this particular kit, so there's not much I can do about it. Maybe if I had more line pressure it would act different, but it's already within the recommended range. It will do 7000 watts for short intervals on gasoline, but I don' think there's any way to get much more than 5500 watts out of it on natural gas. In my mind, a more worthwhile improvement would be a mod to prevent the engine rpm from dropping below its torque curve while running eco throttle on natural gas. I think maybe US Carburetion could do it with their black box module, but haven't had much luck getting them to talk to me about it. Anyone have any inside connections? It would be fun to be involved in perfecting this kit.

Spanish in not my language, but after I gave up on the Genconnex kit and installed the US Carbonation kit instead, it ran well on propane, natural gas, and gasoline: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-2NziDBzqI-Y.html

@@MstrMark me alegro por ti ,buena solución

I have, although I didn't make a video...but that might be fun and informative. FWIW, the EU700is handles transient and inductive loads better than other generators with similar ratings, but motors are still the greatest challenge. That is why it works better to run several small window A/C units than one big one. Also the reason that when I replaced my refrigerator, I chose one with DC inverter technology, because that essentially eliminates the inrush issue. I also have a 22,000 BTU window unit that uses inverter technology, and the EU7000is handles it very easily, barely even changing tone as the compressor gently ramps up to speed. On the other hand the ancient 24,000 BTU conventional window unit in my garage takes all she's got. Same with my natural gas central heater - it has an ECM blower motor that is essentially unnoticeable when it starts. If one needs to start conventional motors with any generator in this wattage class, one will need to be careful and selective. For example, I have a 6000 BTU window until that starts fine, but it pulls 2400 watts inrush, so it is noticeable when it starts, and that is a model that is known to start more easily than most. I have a 5000 BTU unit that is worse. But I've had some years to sort out my emergency readiness, so I no longer have any conventional motors that have to be started while on generator power. I can start my 5 HP air compressor if I really need to, but I have to turn everything else off. Still, if I just HAD to run the air compressor, it would be possible. All of the other motors are now either DC inverter technology or small enough that they don't present a major challenge to the generator. I think an air compressor is probably the most difficult load that most people would have. Even an air conditioner (with the same size compressor motor) is easier to start than an air compressor.

Did you see my other videos on this? Motor Snorkel 3: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jczarRxAunI.html (US Carburetion Kit Run Testing)

Thank you!

For future reference, I would appreciate it if everyone would post their questions and comments in English. Google Translation: "How much power does it give, how many hours it lasted what is process" Even having translated this, i still don't fully understand the question, but I'll take a stab at it. It "gives" a maximum of around 5500 watts while running on natural gas. But the point of this video is that the Genconnex kit doesn't handle lighter loads very well, so please check out the follow-up videos that I have posted above. "hours it lasted" - indefinitely on natural gas, with the only limitation being the required oil change interval. "what is process" - process of what? Again, the reason for this video is show that it runs badly with the Genconnex kit. If you want to see the conversion process (with a kit that works better), check out my other videos on this subject.

I'm happy for you. I would very much like to know how it is possible that yours never had a problem while mine ALWAYS had a problem! As did several others that have commented here. Most of us are here because ours didn't work. If I may ask, where are you located? I have wondered if elevation could have been a factor. I think its a shame that Genconnex was not willing to work with me toward a solution.

You're welcome. I respect your thought process. I think NG is hard to beat, but the kit certainly isn't for everyone. If I had a way to safely and economically store a hundred gallons of gasoline, I'm sure that might very well be my fuel of choice. But what I'm NOT willing to do is to go foraging for gasoline in the middle of a disaster like the power outage that recently afflicted Texas.

@@MstrMark Yes, the situation you describe is far more dire than any I could face. The power infrastructure here is solid and the whole act of backup power here in the city of Ottawa is really just a bit of an excessive move on my part. The last major power outage here was back in 1998 when a drastic ice storm destroyed power lines all over the area. Even then, we were out of power for only three hours. So if I faced what you face, I would likely do the same thing....

@@robertcampbell2389 I hear ya. The trouble is that ice storms in south Texas are unprecedented...until we had one. Then EVERYONE was caught flat-footed, with most of the state without power for days. It was crazy. I was one of the lucky ones...only out for a few hours, but I have many friends who suffered for days and even weeks. Road conditions were all but impossible. Authorities actually closed major highways. One couldn't drive is search of gasoline, and most gas stations had no power to pump gas anyway. It was, as they say, the perfect storm. I wound up loaning my EU3000is to a friend who was out of power for days after the storm. It's also tri-fuel, so he was able to rob propane tanks from friends and family in exchange for charging privileges and hot coffee...preferable to sitting in the dark on a cold and very dark night. When the whole city (or even state) is down, it gets REALLY dark. Yeah, any kind of "prepping" is really hard to justify in the absence of SHTF. Hurricane shutters are a expensive nuisance when there's no 150 MPH wind. Generators cost a lot and take up space when the grid is up and running. And nobody worries about living in the 100-year floodplain until we have a 1000-year flood. And it certainly does seem to me that things that "never happened" in the past are now happening all the time. Out local news is full of stories about people with bewildered faces talking about how they've lived in X location for 50 years and never saw anything like X before. I myself had never seen a multi-day power outage until Hurricane Ike. But we were out for three days. Friends and family were out for weeks. I had never faced a mandatory evacuation until Hurricane Harvey, but then I did. It was epic, many homes inundated, families made into refugees, but my own home was spared. And likewise, I had never seen any storm take out power in the entire state until this year, but then I did. It's enough to make one want to do more prepping, eh?

@@liffy8333 Right with you. I just can't practically store enough gasoline to make it though a multi-day event. As you say, Propane would be hard to come by during an actual event, but has the advantage of indefinite storage duration, so if one plans ahead, it can be a good option. One could bury a tank big enough to last a month or more. Diesel stores better than gasoline, and is also less volatile, but even diesel can't be stored as long as propane. And has the disadvantage of not being something that one can rotate through vehicles...unless one has diesel vehicles. Natural gas seems like the obvious choice to me. It could potentially fail, as actually happened in Texas during the epic winter storm, but even then, the gas supply at my house never failed. I guess that if one wanted to be doubly sure, one would have propane as a backup. But as I was discussing with @Robert Campbell, prepping always seems silly until the event actually occurs. Still, with a tri-fuel conversion, one has options...like trolling for grill propane...I myself have two tanks - one on my grill and one spare. My son next door has another two. And there's always siphoning gasoline....hopefully one could find one of the three fuels.

I have a lot to learn, but can you show me one that you did better?

As you say, the manual does warn against operation without the maintenance cover in place, but the door itself is louvered, so it's as much hole as it is solid - the amount of extra leakage around my hose would be completely insignificant. It actually makes no sense that they would say that, since the door itself has a knock-out in that location, which is intended for remote start wiring, so I don't know why they say that. But FWIW, I've spent a lot of time with the generator and as far as I can tell, it runs exactly the same with no door at all. Also worth mentioning that there is no surging when running on gasoline, regardless of whether the door is open or closed. And to be fair, even none of the above were true, the instructions that came with the conversion kit told me to use the knock-out in the battery door, and since this is as much a review of the kit as it is of the generator itself, the kit instructions are as important factor. But honestly, if you saw the door in person, I think you would agree that the extra hole can't possibly make any difference. The entire generator design requires air to be drawn in through the battery door and the rest of the front panel, so it would be way worse to block it off than to open it up. I have a feeling that might be a mistake in the manual. The side maintenance covers actually are sealed, so it actually might make a difference if they were open. Maybe that note was intended for the side covers. Although even that doesn't make complete sense, because the only way to rope start the generator is by opening the right side maintenance cover. FWIW, I think it's more about airflow for cooling the inverter than it is about how well the engine runs.

@@MstrMark I have the 6500is model, same as the 7000 in virtually all respects. Take the door out and it surges exactly as in your video. Put the door back in and no surge. Honda doesn't make mistakes like that in their manuals. Third party companies do.

@@meinempanadas If you say that's what happens with your battery cover, then I believe you, but that's not the case with mine. And again, mine doesn't surge at all when running on gasoline, even with all the doors and covers open. The idea that Honda doesn't make mistakes is a relative concept...as a professional mechanic, I've seen a lot of things that Honda did that seemed like mistakes to me. I think they make a good generator, which is why I was willing to pay so very much for the EU-7000is, but it's not perfect. Also fair to say that the conversion kit is far from perfect, but it now runs on natural gas, which is one of the things that makes Honda's design less than perfect, IMHO. I think it's a fair trade-off.

@@MstrMark Mark, your generator began surging at 4:37 in the video the moment you switched it from 240v to 120v. I can hear it quite clearly. Honda doesn't make NG or LPG generators because of liability issues. From one pro mechanic (Marine Corps-trained) to another.

@@meinempanadas I agree with everything you just said, but don't see a solution in there, other than to only run it on gasoline, which never surges, and generally runs like a dream. But gasoline is a very impractical fuel for a seldom-used machine. It's difficult to store safely, has a lousy shelf life, and it's hard to replenish in the middle of a state-wide blackout, like the one that happened here in Texas last February. Given the choice, I'll live with natural gas. The surging only happens within a very particular range of loads, and only in the 120 volts (only) mode, and only with Eco-throttle engaged, so it is easily manageable. I'd be curious to know your thoughts on why Honda is more concerned about liability issues than an arguably lesser company like Champion...as you probably know, they have multiple models that are dual fuel right out of the box. Also, I know you think it's because of the battery door, but I don't think that's actually true. I think it's because the engine doesn't make as much power on fuels other than gasoline, and Honda's throttle management (GCU programming) incorrectly assumes that the engine has more power at a given RPM than it actually has. I think it's a case of the engine falling off the power curve. If the engine computer would ramp up the RPM more aggressively, it wouldn't surge, as demonstrated by running it in 240 volt mode with the exact same load. It seems that Honda uses the load on either of the two inverters as criteria for increasing the engine speed. It's not based on total power - it's based upon load per inverter. When switched to 120 volts only, the two inverters are bridged, so each inverter sees only half of the load. Honda apparently takes that as a signal to throttle the engine down, which then, unfortunately, allows the engine to fall off of its torque curve. At that point, the engine slows down enough that the generator can no longer meet that demands of the inverters, which then results in a reduction of output voltage. At that point, with a purely resistivity load (like I was testing with) the wattage falls off, which then allows the engine to recover RPM again...and then the same sequence of events happens over and over again. I think that's why it surges. It may be that Honda increases the engine speed in order to ensure adequate cooling airflow over the inverters more than to maintain engine power output. That airflow is directly influenced by engine speed. There is no electric fan - it's purely mechanical, driven by the engine...completely dependent upon engine RPM.. This correlates with my experience with an EU3000is that I've had for many years. During Hurricane Ike, I was using that generator to run a portable A/C unit. It didn't have any trouble running the unit, so it was in Eco-throttle mode and seemed fine until it unexpectedly shut itself down. After a few shutdowns I started to understand that the inverter was overheating. It was very hot outside and my EU3000is is not nearly as sophisticated as my EU7000is, so it certainly wasn't smart enough to figure out that it needed to ramp up engine speed in order to keep the inverter cooler. It would just chug along until it overheated and shut down. Over and over again. And that was while running on gasoline, so we can't blame any factors beyond Honda's design intentions. They just failed to anticipate the need to speed up the engine in order to keep the inverter cool enough. Now, many years later, it seems that the EU7000is has a similar issue, if somewhat backwards. Perhaps it's not fair to blame Honda for failing to anticipate the need to increase the engine RPM more aggressively, because after all, they didn't intend for the machine to be running on alternate fuels. But then on the other hand, I suspect that essentially that same thing would happen while running on gasoline at high altitude, so one might reasonably argue that they should have given it more thought. Or one might also rightly argue that the maker of the conversion kit needs to find a way to reverse engineer Honda's GCU so that it will tell the engine to increase RPM more aggressively. Or if I'm right about the inverter load being the criteria for engine RPM, then perhaps some way to spoof the GCU into thinking that the inverter load is higher than it really is. But something tells me that US Carburetion is not likely to do that, since they don't even care if the kit fits right from a purely mechanical perspective. "Hey, it's a kit" - they're kind of famous for that attitude. If Honda generators were anything like turbocharged "tuner cars", then multiple spark-heads would have already cracked the engine computer and it would be just as easy to chip-tune a Honda generator as it is to chip-tune a Honda Civic Type R. But alas, that kind of enthusiasm for generators doesn't seem to exist. If Honda stays on their present course, I believe that they will lose a lot of market share to the likes of Champion. I suspect that they already have, because I personally know of half a dozen people who chose Champion over Honda in the last year alone, because (a) they run on propane right out of the box and (b) they cost so much less that one could buy several for the price of a single Honda, not to mention the extra expense and hassle of converting a Honda to run on a more practical fuel, nor the fact that all of the conversion kits that currently exist have significant "issues". Champion is paying attention to what people want from an emergency generator, while Honda is not. I want to love Honda, but Champion seems to be leading the market right now. I can buy (4) 4650 watt Champion dual fuel inverter generators and two parallel cable kits for less than I paid for my EU7000is which would give me over twice the power and/or quadruple redundancy, and still come out over $1500 ahead considering the conversion kit. And to say nothing of the massive expenditure of my time and trouble. It's crazy really. I don't know why anyone buys Honda generators, unless it's for the bragging rights.

Thanks for the comments. For what it's worth, I tested my natural gas supply pressure, both static and under load. There is a video link to that test somewhere within these comments, although RU-vid certainly does make it difficult to follow the conversation. But suffice to say that the measured pressures were exactly as they should be. On the topic of propane, the kit does work a little better than it does on natural gas, but not much. On the kit design, Genconnex advertised the kit as requiring no adjustments, and indeed, they provided fixed orifices, so one can't adjust it even if one wants to. Since they advertised and sold a kit that can't be adjusted, I'm not sure it's useful to say that adjustment is needed - if it's "needed", then they need to make it possible to do so. I realize that there are an untold number of people posting stuff on RU-vid, and it's certainly true that there are a great many RU-vid videos made by people who either don't know the truth or are unwilling to tell it, so I can understand why you might doubt my credibility, but for what it's worth, when I had tried everything that I (and everything suggested in these comments) could think of, I decided to try a different kit. The results are shown here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-2NziDBzqI-Y.html Executive summary: With no other changes to the machine or the gas supply, the US Carburetion kit succeeds where the Genconnex kit fails. The difference really is quite remarkable. Check it out.

@@MstrMark Wasnt doubting ya, just figured id make sure ya checked everything, as ive had to rebuild regulators, change orifices', n so on, much prefer the chinese carb kits that come with a regulator(variable) myself, if i had to guess, Genconnex is just repurposing a kit for a smaller genset(honda prolly), but due to this, the carb spacer with the NG outlet, might actually be too small, or be in a bad position, crap scam product, shouldnt be sold if thats the case, as those universal carb ones, ya can tune in any respect for just about any kinda engine, rn im making it work on briggs, when its made for honda's GX990's(4kw-5kw)

@@nekotherion7317 It sounds like you have some experience...that's usually worth more than speculation! In this case, the regulator is Garretson KN, which is a "universal" regulator. Genconnex may have adjusted it for the GX390(?), but they're pretty tight-lipped towards me about the whole thing, so that remains an unknown. But FWIW, when I received the US Carburetion kit, the first thing I tried was to hook up the black box that comes with that kit, using the regulator supplied by Genconnex just as it was, and that alone made the generator run WAY better, so while fuel mixture may contribute to poor light load performance, that black box solves most of the issues by itself. I suspect that that the box somehow allows the GCU to adjust the ignition timing in a way that is more appropriate for natural gas, but USC has been unwilling to disclose that information, so one can only guess. If the generator had a compatible OBD port, I could observe it with my diagnostic software, but after scouring through the Honda service manual, I get the impression than even official Honda shops lack such a tool. You mentioned "chinese carb kits that come with a regulator(variable)" - I'd be interested to see that - do you have a link you can share?

Exactly.

The trouble is that the kit, as supplied, doesn't actually fit the machine, so anyone who installed it would have to re-imagine some things...or it wouldn't be all that "professional". I would offer my services, but you'd have a way to get it to me.

@@MstrMark how many clips are on the fuel injector cover? 2 or 4? You mention these are hard to remove. Do you have a video of you installing that snorkel kit?

@@BS-rn8gq If you mean the so-called "silencer cover", there are four clips. I linked two videos above. They are not detailed how-to videos, but I do show some of the challenges and offer some of my own solutions.

@@MstrMark Please pardon my lack of terminology, but I meant the plastic cover that needs to be removed to install the motor snorkel

@@BS-rn8gq I'm referring to the clips on the cover that are shown at this time index: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-2NziDBzqI-Y.html

To their credit, I asked for a refund and they gave me one. I've never seen it running any better than in does in my video. To this day, my videos and yours are the only ones that turn up in a RU-vid search for "EU7000is Genconnex". I did offer to test their new version for them, but they declined, so I'm not sure if that speaks to the fact that it doesn't actually work, or just that they don't like me. Not that I think they like me, but I'm guessing it's mostly the former, because If they have something that actually works, they'd have to be nuts not to want me to show that to all the people who saw my videos showing their previous kit running so badly...over 10,000 views at the time of this writing. If I was them, I would send me a pre-converted generator in exchange for a new video highlighting their new kit and also linking to it from the original video, along with an explanation that the problem had since been solved. Which I would be happy to do, by the way - it was never my goal to cause them trouble - I just wanted my generator to run right, and I was hoping that I might get some help from my viewers. As it turned out, I did - from you! It wasn't the solution I had originally imagined, but the thing works now, so hallelujah (and I thank you).

@@MstrMark Well, I suppose it all comes down to customer satisfaction. If someone comes up with what they believe is an ingenious or good product, but their customers aren't happy...then what have they actually achieved? I'm also glad that there is another alternative and that it works. Lugging and storing gasoline or running a gen at full speed all the time due to conversion kit product limitations is not an ideal situation.

@@browsedeweb8834 I do agree...but It still seems strange to me that they wouldn't want some good publicity for a change.

That's what I hear, but pretty expensive just for the sake of testing. If they were to send me one, I would certainly make a video showing it in action!

I have used them its crazy how well they work

@@chadwickparker9705 That would make a fun comparison video!

All of the conversion kits I've seen use a Garretson-style KN regulator.

Well, to be clear, I didn't design the kit - I just installed it. I am guessing that the reason that it's possible to run the generator on natural gas while there is still gasoline in the tank is because the fuel pump and injector have been disabled, but I have not personally verified that to be true. If you're thinking about buying this same kit for yourself, I hope you'll ask that question and let us all know what you learn.

@@MstrMark This is another concern that I have just been made aware of on the Honda EU6500. I have checked everywhere including the expanded drawings and I don't see any kind of fuel pump being used on this generator - just gravity feed. Please anyone advise me if I am wrong because running it on natural gas with no gasoline in it, any kind of fuel pump would burn up in short order. If i can't find this out, I'll visit the local Honda generator dealer and ask him the question...thanks to any and all that respond. Ottawa Hydro came out today to inspect the Customer Layout and have billed me $388.91 for the work they will be doing. My ole daddy used to have a saying " if you're going to get screwed, bend over and enjoy it". Somehow that doesn't make me feel any better....

@@TOURMANBOB The EU7000is has an electric fuel pump, but I don't know about the EU6500, but I suspect that it is gravity feed. The US Carburetion kit disables the fuel pump on mine. If it helps, my fuel pump in inside the gas tank.

@@MstrMark I'm going to double check with the local Honda dealer to make sure about this point. If no fuel pump on the EU6500 as I very much suspect, then my order is going in straightaway to US Carburetion for the Type C kit. Mods won't be difficult, only routing the hose to the externally mounted regulator will be a bit of a challenge. Then I will simply hook it up using 1/2 natural gas hose and see if it will run properly at heavy loads. If not, then change out the short length of 3/8 piping put in for the barbeque to 1/2 inch and all should be well (fingers crossed....)

@@TOURMANBOB Good luck!

Hi - I used a tool known as a "chassis punch", aka "knockout punch". The brand I used is Greenlee and that is probably the premier brand. These can be expensive, but you don't need the hydraulic version for a job like this, so that will reduce the cost considerably. If you decide to buy one, just be aware that they are often sold by "trade size", as opposed to actual size. For example, in the electrician trade, a 3/4" conduit fitting does not actually measure 3/4". Punches for other trades are sold by actual hole size, so just be aware. Basically, one starts by drilling a smaller hole, like 3/8", then inserts the punch through that hole and tightens it down with a wrench until it punches through. It is way easier to get accurate positioning than trying to do it with a big twist drill bit or step bit, and It makes a nice clean hole. I didn't have any trouble drilling a 3/8" hole, but I did have the battery and instrument panel removed when I did it. I posted a video here that may give you some insight: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jczarRxAunI.html By the way, removing the control panel may seem intimidating, but it only took me a few minutes. I used bungee cords to support the panel while I was working, in order to prevent strain on the wiring. I didn't remove any of the factory wiring, except for the one plug that facilitates the installation of the new module.

@@MstrMark Thanks for the quick reply. I am familiar with Greenlee products and I will have a look at what they have to offer. I may yet follow your lead on the routing of the vapor line but Im also considering punching a hole in the floor of the unit as there is ample room. The hose would have to route underneath and out the front for a bit longer run but It seems an easy option. For now, waiting on some parts next week. Best wishes to you and yours and again thanks for the posting.

@@dahveedl3133 I would be interested to know what you come up with.

@@MstrMark In thinking about how I am going to route the gas hose out of the EU6500 generator, I am going to look into simply running it through the oil drain hole in the bottom pan of the generator, then under the genny up to the front mounted regulator. This would mean I have to remove the hose only when I need to change the oil, but this doesn't seem much like a bad inconvenience versus drilling permanent holes in the body of genny. We'll see......

@@TOURMANBOB Up to you of course, but FWIW, I have found my gas hose to be almost impossible to remove from the regulator fitting without damaging the hose.

I did change the plug and the gap, but haven't tried iridium. I was under the impression that the main value of irridium is longer life...(?) I hope you'll let me know if you can tell any difference.

@@MstrMark Very good. I just received my Micro-Air EasyStart 368 soft starter today and will be installing that on my 4-ton condenser sometime this week, replacing a hard start kit that's on the unit now. LRA is 129 amps and the lights were dimming when it kicked on. Once it's installed, I think I'm going to try to start the AC with the Honda running on gasoline (for maximum output) to see if it will work, but I don't intend on using the main AC in the event of an outage. I bought the soft starter to hopefully prolong the life of the condenser as it's getting long in the tooth (~15 years old). I'll keep the 5-2-1- hard start kit around and reinstall it when we sell the house, taking the soft starter with us.

​@@browsedeweb8834 That's a lot of amps. Your idea about trying on gasoline makes sense to me because I can tell you from personal experience that while my EU7000is can start the old 2-ton window A/C unit in my garage while running on gasoline, it can't start it on natural gas. I think the EER on that unit is only 8.0 and it has no hard start or soft start kit...it's actually a lot harder to both start and run than my central unit. Sometimes it even trips the 20-amp breaker. It's so bad that I thought the start cap must have degraded, but it checks out fine. It's just a 28-year-old thing that wasn't very efficient even when it was brand new. Heck, I paid less for it than an EasyStart, and it still works, so I guess I shouldn't complain. Naturally I'll be very interested to learn how the Micro-Air gadget works for you.