Getting 2 Yamaha 2000's today

[Glowrdr]

Well, I bit the bullet and picked up 2 Yammy's for a trailer that hasn't even left my driveway yet. Now, to come up with a reasonable extended run solution - they seem hit or miss (except for the $250 one with the fuel pump that I would need 2 of....) But that's a different issue - unless someone has a tried and true suggestion.

Which brings me here. To deal with security, noise, and weather protection - I have a plan. Need someone to tell me if its a good plan or not though.

I've got a Ram 2500, so it sits pretty high from the get go. No more reaching over the truck box to grab stuff out of the bed for this guy. I'm thinking, take both generators, put them in the bed, up against the cab. Find the biggest, baddest security cable I can find, and attach both to the tie down points in the truck bed. Then roll my tonneau cover closed (leaving it unhooked at the end and rolled back a couple inches?), shut the tailgate and lock the truck (power locking tailgate controlled by truck locks in these).

My 2 concerns - Will having the generators in the back of my truck like that cause any weird harmonic vibrations that will make things even louder? I'm expecting it to be quieter since its a soft tonneau, might absorb some sound, the rest is deflected upwards.

Secondly, any issues with overheating/not getting enough oxygen back there? Can't imagine there would be, but again - just checking.

Finally taking it out on its maiden voyage next weekend - looking forward to it. Not to mention, excited to see the thousands I've put into it so far being put to use finally!

As always, thanks in advance!

[Glowrdr]

Great idea! Hey, for securing them - you think cable/chain is the best? I had an idea earlier about using a large U lock (D lock?) and putting one on each side. Are they any beefier then a cable would be? Or is it all just plastic "fluff"? Not sure if have enough movement as well I guess. Not sure if that would be a good thing or a bad thing.

[SoundGuy]

RoyB wrote:
I run my 2KW Honda all the time scooted back under the hard plastic fold panel with the tail gate dropped. Perfect for when it is raining.. Never had a heat problem doing this.

Before building a Genset Quiet Box for my own Honda EU2000i I ran too ran it in the back of my Chevy Avalanche with the tailgate open and the cargo compartment lids in place to protect it from any rain BUT I did find it ran noticeably cooler with a fan plugged into the genset which would provide plenty of cooling air for the genset no matter how hot it was outside.

[Glowrdr]

Only problem with that, is I only have about 3 inches clearance into my garage (if that). Would definitely be safe though. I can't even reach up and touch the roof @ 6 feet tall. Might be a worthwhile idea to explore though. I could maybe look at the idea of putting some kind of "platform" under the soft tonneau, and doing the same idea on top of the truck bed instead. It's not 7+ feet high, but it would be centered enough to make it unreachable still.

[GordonThree]

skipro3, that's an interesting idea... rather than the RV roof, I'd go for the truck's roof. Put a cargo basket up there, and one of those big rubbermade tubs, with its "lid" fixed to the cargo rack. Add a cargo strap to hold the tub on while you're traveling

Only hard part would be refueling, with the gens locked down some 7ft+ off the ground.

Get the Honda 3000 and add remote electric start and the remote fuel re-route on it. Only needs to come down for oil changes 🙂

[Ski_Pro_3]

I've always wondered why not put the genny on the roof? Easy to find a way to secure it and for protection, find one of those plastic bins that would fit and bungee it down while traveling. I think you would be safe up there and quiet for the community as it's going to radiate sound up and away. Maybe the thing would telegraph noise inside the RV, I don't know. But that's an assumption, not a fact, that it would be loud enough to make this thought unproductive.

[Bionic_Man]

I have two Yammy 2000's myself. If i were to buy again, I would go with Honda just because of the extended run fuel option.

And I will defer to those with more experience, but my gut feeling is you would be better off not running the generators in the bed with a closed cover.

[GordonThree]

I gave up on extended run for my twins. They're gravity feed, so any tank will need to be higher than the generator, and you'll need to get a siphon going in the fuel line.


Like the picture above, I tried using one tank for two generator. This should work for Honda, they have a fuel pump. Yamaha each gen needs a tank or the siphon breaks and one or the other gen will not receive fuel.

They run for hours and hours even at full load. Skip the hassle or switch to Honda.

[ford-willy]

Extended Run Fuel Tank

[RoyB]

I run my 2KW Honda all the time scooted back under the hard plastic fold panel with the tail gate dropped. Perfect for when it is raining.. Never had a heat problem doing this. I probably could close the tail gate and then open the front folding panel and have a piece of wood under it to get it raised a tad and do ok too heat wise...

I did find out however if I point this Honda generator towards a neighbor trailer it will set off his gas alarm haha... I have to watch that...

Roy Ken

[RoyB]

I have my Honda 2KW in the bed of my truck sitting secured in the tailgate corner. When I need to use it I just pull it our onto the dropped tail gate...

Mine is secured to the inside tie handles. I also have the folding HARD plastic folding panels bed cover made by FOLD-A COVER.

Been doing this since 2008 and so far no problems with security. I am totaling relying on OUT-OF-SITE-OUT-OF-MIND...


Roy;s image

My trailer is a pull trailer with trailer hitch but if I had a fifth wheel I would be looking at something like this for my truck bed. This too can be covered with the FOLD-A-COVER truck bed cover when not towing the trailer... All is locked up out of sight when not towing. The folding panels will stack up behind the truck rear window area when you are towing...


google image

This is a better view of the FOLD-A-COVER

Google image

Roy Ken

[GordonThree]

I would not run them with a tonneau cover closed over them. Consult the instruction manual, they advise how much open space is required around the generator for safe operation. There's an air intake on one side and exhaust and air vent on the other side. When you look inside for an oil change, you can see everything is crammed real tight, and then heavily insulated to keep noise down. Open-air ventilation is key to a long life for these great generators.

Running them in the bed will surely make it louder, the bed will pick up the vibrations and rebroadcast them. If you're driving on the highway, you won't hear it, but if you're parked at a campground, especially a forest service or boondocking in the woods, you'll hear it real good.

I have a large toolbox behind my cab, and my twin Yamaha sit just behind the tailgate, with an expensive chain and cheap lock to the small bed tie down that's in the corner.

If I'm stopping somewhere for a quick overnight, I can open the tailgate a little, resting it on my tongue jack, and aim the generator exhaust toward the center of the truck bed. I've only ever run one at a time in the bed.

If I'm stopped somewhere for a few days, I can pull them out sit them behind the truck, with exhaust pointed toward the truck, away from the trailer. The tailgate gives a little shade and the chain's long enough I don't have to unlock anything.

Have fun on the maiden voyage!

[Glowrdr]

Also - before we go down "that road" - I do realize that a cable will only slow them down. I just figure if I can get something heavy enough, it will stop a 1-snip and gone situation. Plus, with the tonneau cover closed and the truck being so tall - It's going to take a good minute or 2 for someone to roll up my cover, jump up into the bed of my truck, and start cutting both cables (I will lock them separately). Should be enough of a deterrent for the grab and go types.