A SHORT HONEYMOON WITH THE HONEYWELL HW2000i GENERATOR

I've been very happy with the HONDA 2000i generator that has been charging both the 12 volt and 48 volt battery banks on board BIANKA for the past three years. It is also able to push BIANKA along at around 3 knots using electric propulsion. All this and the only maintenace I've had to do is an oil change. Color me a happy customer.  Meanwhile, down in the Carribbean Bob at BOAT BITS & Shelia have had their Honda 2000i develop a more serious problem. One that probably involves the inverter module a $650 part on a $1000 generator. Which is in the "ouch" range in terms of repair. Meanwhile when they looked around they came upon a Honda knock off in the Honeywell HW 2000i generator. Which for just a little more cost than the Honda part would mean they would have a brand new generator.  So they bought it. It arrived with a broken plastic bracket that held the carburetor. Well ship(ing) does happen. [BLOG UPDATE: Bob informs me that part that arrived broken was actually the metal elbow that fixes the carb throat.] Doing the economics Bob wisely decided rather than ship the brand new generator back from the Carribbean for repair it would be cheaper to have the part shipped in and install it himself. Which is what he did. But, less than month later a new wrinkle developed as Shelia reports in this post in ALL ABOUT BOATS.   While changing the spark plug does not in my book constitute a major repair and Bob reports the Honeywell is now purring like a kitten though a little noiser than the Honda. It does raise a quality control issue in my mind regarding the Honeywell. Especially since my Honda 2000i generator has been  purring along for three years with the same spark plug. Still, I'm not one to tempt fate for too long. I think I'll be ordering a spark plug or two and a few other spare parts for the Honda just to be on the safe side.