Generator Question

MrWizard wrote:

ScottG wrote:

GordonThree wrote:

CampbellDaycruiser wrote:
Don't forget that Yamaha generators are better than Hondas....... And often cheaper.

Oh boy, kicking the hornets nest there :)

I'll give one nod to the Honda, their built in fuel pump makes adding an extended run tank a lot easier. Yamaha you have to mess with getting a gravity feed siphon going, and be darn sure your seals are good so the gas doesn't just drain out all over the generator once the tank fills.

I'd really like to knock the Honda. Mine ran terrible from right out of the box until I ran a bunch of Seafoam through it and parts are STUPID expensive.
But the reality is the Honda's have far more surge capacity than the Yami's. I didn't really believe this hype myself until my buddy complained about his Yamaha's performance. So we compared them side by side with the same 1500 watt resistive loads and there was no contest; the Honda kept the power flowing even in eco where the Yamaha would just drop off line and the device would go blank.
I cant tell you how many times I've looked over at the display in our TT only to see the current draw at 16~17+ amps (Honda is rated 13.6A) and the Honda just purring away.

What display is that DC charging amps
Or AC Honda load amps

The Hondas own protection won't let it do 17 amps 120v for very long
IIRC Honda 2000i will do 30 minutes at max load, maybe less
Somebody will verify that or correct me

In that case I was monitoring AC current that was going through my trailers power cord.

Yamaha parts are not cheap either. I lost a bolt on the side, so ordered another flanged bolt from a supplier with the part number and such. Was $20 including shipping. I dread after camping season how much it will cost to replace the recoil starter (rope broke, so am using the electric start) as well as a number of other items of use have done.

I will say, for an inverter generator to have run over 3000 hours with just basic upkeep (oil changes, etc.) I have a lot of respect for the Yamaha brand. However, parts are not as easy to find as Hondas.

If/when the Yamaha goes to the scrap heap, I'm probably going to go for a Champion #100263 which is a dual fuel, 3100/3400 watt generator. The Yamaha is 53-60 dB, while the Champion is 59dB. However, I'll have more headroom for starting my A/C (which sometimes fights with the Yamaha), and I can switch to propane, blow the carb completely out of gasoline, then store it. Then, when I run the genset for its monthly upkeep, I just run it from LP gas, so I don't have to worry if the fuel in the tank is dirty or not.

MrWizard wrote:
IIRC Honda 2000i will do 30 minutes at max load, maybe less. Somebody will verify that or correct me.

The EU2000i is rated by Honda to meet full surge capability of 2000 watts for up to 30 minutes but I've seen YouTube videos in which owners achieve even better performance. Yamaha used to publish a surge rating of just 20" at 2000 watts for their EF2000iS but I can no longer find a link to this info. To be fair, the newer EF2000iSv2 may improve on this spec.

ScottG wrote:

GordonThree wrote:

CampbellDaycruiser wrote:
Don't forget that Yamaha generators are better than Hondas....... And often cheaper.

Oh boy, kicking the hornets nest there :)

I'll give one nod to the Honda, their built in fuel pump makes adding an extended run tank a lot easier. Yamaha you have to mess with getting a gravity feed siphon going, and be darn sure your seals are good so the gas doesn't just drain out all over the generator once the tank fills.

I'd really like to knock the Honda. Mine ran terrible from right out of the box until I ran a bunch of Seafoam through it and parts are STUPID expensive.
But the reality is the Honda's have far more surge capacity than the Yami's. I didn't really believe this hype myself until my buddy complained about his Yamaha's performance. So we compared them side by side with the same 1500 watt resistive loads and there was no contest; the Honda kept the power flowing even in eco where the Yamaha would just drop off line and the device would go blank.
I cant tell you how many times I've looked over at the display in our TT only to see the current draw at 16~17+ amps (Honda is rated 13.6A) and the Honda just purring away.

What display is that DC charging amps
Or AC Honda load amps

The Hondas own protection won't let it do 17 amps 120v for very long
IIRC Honda 2000i will do 30 minutes at max load, maybe less
Somebody will verify that or correct me

Boon Docker wrote:

Beerlord wrote:

ScottG wrote:
Any chance you can take it back and trade it for one of the Champion inverter gens?

I won it in a raffle so it was free. Actually just thinking about selling it and buying a quieter one. Maybe Honda?

Check out the reviews of the Champion 2000 inverter generator. You will be impressed by the reviews, db rating and the price.

x2 the Champions can be had for in the area of 3 to 400 on craigslist and on sale at Lowes or Home Depo now and then for $500.

Correct me if I'm wrong but it's tough to get a Honda used for under $750.

But the Yamaha is such a pretty blue.......

Seriously, my EC2400i has a large capacitor onboard that easily handles the startup surge of our 13.5 a/c. And is seems to have a big enough tank to only need refueling twice in 24 hrs: after breakfast and before bed. We have used it to run our fiver as well as our houseboat on Lake Powell with no issues. It was bought to run essential loads in our house after an earthquake, but thankfully, we have never needed it for that purpose..........

If I had it all to do over or could my Honda for what I have into it (it's NOT for sale), I'd get the new Yamaha 2400 watt unit.
Very powerful and has the extra capacity to do what ever you need in a normal RV situation. Runs a 13.5 AC at just about idle!

I have a Champion 3100 watt inverter generator, its not that much louder than my buddies Yamaha 2000 watt generator when they are at full bore, can't tell any difference at idle.

Talk about kicking a hornets nest.

GordonThree wrote:

CampbellDaycruiser wrote:
Don't forget that Yamaha generators are better than Hondas....... And often cheaper.

Oh boy, kicking the hornets nest there :)

I'll give one nod to the Honda, their built in fuel pump makes adding an extended run tank a lot easier. Yamaha you have to mess with getting a gravity feed siphon going, and be darn sure your seals are good so the gas doesn't just drain out all over the generator once the tank fills.

I'd really like to knock the Honda. Mine ran terrible from right out of the box until I ran a bunch of Seafoam through it and parts are STUPID expensive.
But the reality is the Honda's have far more surge capacity than the Yami's. I didn't really believe this hype myself until my buddy complained about his Yamaha's performance. So we compared them side by side with the same 1500 watt resistive loads and there was no contest; the Honda kept the power flowing even in eco where the Yamaha would just drop off line and the device would go blank.
I cant tell you how many times I've looked over at the display in our TT only to see the current draw at 16~17+ amps (Honda is rated 13.6A) and the Honda just purring away.

CampbellDaycruiser wrote:
Don't forget that Yamaha generators are better than Hondas....... And often cheaper.

Oh boy, kicking the hornets nest there :)

I'll give one nod to the Honda, their built in fuel pump makes adding an extended run tank a lot easier. Yamaha you have to mess with getting a gravity feed siphon going, and be darn sure your seals are good so the gas doesn't just drain out all over the generator once the tank fills.