I've been reading and enjoying a lot of your generator articles (and also your sound articles) and am wondering something about the paralleling of smaller generators to get extra amperage / wattage:
I recently got a Predator 5000 from Harbor Freight (June 23 2025) after having used a (very loud, loaned but gratefully borrowed) Duro-Max (?) open frame generator for a show / festival last month. (May 2025) - part of a summer long monthly series of events. That generator did well for power but was just too loud even with the walls of cases we tried to block it with.
Last year one of the promoters had 2 Honda 2000 series generators and I had no issues using them both, for the whole season, but I only bonded the frames together and never thought to / got around to use a tester for open ground. They were not paralleled, I just used one for the stage / monitors and one for the PA and some LED lighting, and didn't (seem to) have any issues.
This time around, with my new Predator I still had no issues (especially not even NOISE!)
I made a bonding plug for one of the 20A outlets, and used the other 20A to a Furman power conditioner for the stage power, and used the 30A outlet via a 3-way 20A adapter to a pair of Furmans for the PA.
After having researched many various models as well as reading your articles, I was made aware of the open ground issue and paralleling possibilities of the various smaller Inverter models I looked at. My only concern was that the 3900W (on gasoline) might not be enough. (would it handle the subs? ;) )
I have pretty - to - very efficient amplifiers (Powersoft / Crown Xti / Lab Gruppen) and have been able to run this system on Grid power using 2 x 20A circuits for years without issue. (and too many times on only 1 circuit for smaller indoor or beer garden shows). So, I wasn't seriously worried (My First Generator Jitters).
During the loudest band of the evening and during a few DJs I was able to monitor the ammeter on the generator and was peaking around 15A/16A, (specs are 32.5A capable) so it seemed like the generator was doing quite well. The only thing was that they were smaller bands and this time around there were no guitar amps - just a bass amp all night and 6 monitor mixes. It seems like I have the headroom for 2 - 4 more instrument amplifiers for our upcoming shows, and the generator was handling most of the quiet sections of the night in Eco mode (I switched that off when the DJs and louder bands started).
But, I still wonder about hooking up a second generator - the promotor liked how quiet and powerful this one is, the weight and transportability are manageable mostly by one person, and it rolls a lot easier than last years Hondas. We may have some bigger shows coming up and the possible need / opportunity for a second generator, and this is where I still wonder something about paralleling.
TLDR:
In Looking at some of the responses here and in other articles, I have been wondering if the parallel ports are DC from the generator/alternator side - in effect adding the DC current together before going into the inverter section(s)? (I haven't made any measurements and the manual didn't really get into it).
On the one hand, It sort of looks like from the Red / Black parallel port output color coding that that would be the case.
However, the parallel kit that Harbor Freight sells for this model looks like it just seems to add the AC power and bond the frame ground together. If that is the case, do the inverter sections somehow monitor and sync the AC to keep everything in phase?
And just for your pro (audio and generator) opinion, depending on how the above answers come back: Do you think it's better to run two generators unparalleled as I've done in the past vs. possible problems having them not be in sync while paralleled?
Thanks for your articles, and the time you spend keeping everyone informed and safe!
What about two Yamaha EF2000ist generators running in parallel using the Yamaha Twin Tech Parallel Terminal kit? Which generator should the bonding plug go into?
Male 5-15 Edison plugs. That is very true, however, I have blank female receptacles for the unused (unplugged) live plugs for protection. Still a code violation I'm sure. Throw me in jail and throw away the key.
No, I’m not calling the code police and I didn’t say it won’t work. 😁
However, I am obligated to point out any code violations that I see in my blogs so that each reader can make their own informed decision. As long as you understand the dangers involved you should be able to keep yourself safe.
I have found that the parallel kit is not absolutely necessary. I made a combiner box that connects all hot wires together, and all neutral and ground wires together. The other end of these wires are to a 50 amp receptacle where my RV plugs in to. This accomplishes two things: 1. It parallels 2 or three or however many gen sets, of the same make and model, you want to parallel to a limit of wire capacity. and 2. It provides the neutral ground bond.
Are you using banana plugs with the safety shield? Or are you using male 5-15 Edison plugs for the generator outlets? If those are male Edison plugs feeding your combiner box then it’s possible to create a shock hazard if the male plug is pulled out of one generator while the other generator is plugged in and running. That’s why that sort of parallel connection is a code violation. Inspectors don’t like this sort of thing, but I have NEVER seen an inspector at a campground…
Hello Mike,
I've been reading and enjoying a lot of your generator articles (and also your sound articles) and am wondering something about the paralleling of smaller generators to get extra amperage / wattage:
I recently got a Predator 5000 from Harbor Freight (June 23 2025) after having used a (very loud, loaned but gratefully borrowed) Duro-Max (?) open frame generator for a show / festival last month. (May 2025) - part of a summer long monthly series of events. That generator did well for power but was just too loud even with the walls of cases we tried to block it with.
Last year one of the promoters had 2 Honda 2000 series generators and I had no issues using them both, for the whole season, but I only bonded the frames together and never thought to / got around to use a tester for open ground. They were not paralleled, I just used one for the stage / monitors and one for the PA and some LED lighting, and didn't (seem to) have any issues.
This time around, with my new Predator I still had no issues (especially not even NOISE!)
I made a bonding plug for one of the 20A outlets, and used the other 20A to a Furman power conditioner for the stage power, and used the 30A outlet via a 3-way 20A adapter to a pair of Furmans for the PA.
After having researched many various models as well as reading your articles, I was made aware of the open ground issue and paralleling possibilities of the various smaller Inverter models I looked at. My only concern was that the 3900W (on gasoline) might not be enough. (would it handle the subs? ;) )
I have pretty - to - very efficient amplifiers (Powersoft / Crown Xti / Lab Gruppen) and have been able to run this system on Grid power using 2 x 20A circuits for years without issue. (and too many times on only 1 circuit for smaller indoor or beer garden shows). So, I wasn't seriously worried (My First Generator Jitters).
During the loudest band of the evening and during a few DJs I was able to monitor the ammeter on the generator and was peaking around 15A/16A, (specs are 32.5A capable) so it seemed like the generator was doing quite well. The only thing was that they were smaller bands and this time around there were no guitar amps - just a bass amp all night and 6 monitor mixes. It seems like I have the headroom for 2 - 4 more instrument amplifiers for our upcoming shows, and the generator was handling most of the quiet sections of the night in Eco mode (I switched that off when the DJs and louder bands started).
But, I still wonder about hooking up a second generator - the promotor liked how quiet and powerful this one is, the weight and transportability are manageable mostly by one person, and it rolls a lot easier than last years Hondas. We may have some bigger shows coming up and the possible need / opportunity for a second generator, and this is where I still wonder something about paralleling.
TLDR:
In Looking at some of the responses here and in other articles, I have been wondering if the parallel ports are DC from the generator/alternator side - in effect adding the DC current together before going into the inverter section(s)? (I haven't made any measurements and the manual didn't really get into it).
On the one hand, It sort of looks like from the Red / Black parallel port output color coding that that would be the case.
However, the parallel kit that Harbor Freight sells for this model looks like it just seems to add the AC power and bond the frame ground together. If that is the case, do the inverter sections somehow monitor and sync the AC to keep everything in phase?
And just for your pro (audio and generator) opinion, depending on how the above answers come back: Do you think it's better to run two generators unparalleled as I've done in the past vs. possible problems having them not be in sync while paralleled?
Thanks for your articles, and the time you spend keeping everyone informed and safe!
What about two Yamaha EF2000ist generators running in parallel using the Yamaha Twin Tech Parallel Terminal kit? Which generator should the bonding plug go into?
I appreciate that. Thanks for all your great information and I look forward to meeting you some day.
Male 5-15 Edison plugs. That is very true, however, I have blank female receptacles for the unused (unplugged) live plugs for protection. Still a code violation I'm sure. Throw me in jail and throw away the key.
No, I’m not calling the code police and I didn’t say it won’t work. 😁
However, I am obligated to point out any code violations that I see in my blogs so that each reader can make their own informed decision. As long as you understand the dangers involved you should be able to keep yourself safe.
I have found that the parallel kit is not absolutely necessary. I made a combiner box that connects all hot wires together, and all neutral and ground wires together. The other end of these wires are to a 50 amp receptacle where my RV plugs in to. This accomplishes two things: 1. It parallels 2 or three or however many gen sets, of the same make and model, you want to parallel to a limit of wire capacity. and 2. It provides the neutral ground bond.
Are you using banana plugs with the safety shield? Or are you using male 5-15 Edison plugs for the generator outlets? If those are male Edison plugs feeding your combiner box then it’s possible to create a shock hazard if the male plug is pulled out of one generator while the other generator is plugged in and running. That’s why that sort of parallel connection is a code violation. Inspectors don’t like this sort of thing, but I have NEVER seen an inspector at a campground…