Honda vs Yamaha

[JnJnKatiebug]

I am looking for a new generator and have narrowed it down between two. I was originally going for a Honda 3000is which can be bought online for around $2k delivered to my house. But I also like the Yamaha EF3000iSEB. It has the 500w boost option. It is about a $100 more. I was thinking the boost might come in handy if the A/C started up when you were running other things.

Can anyone tell me their personal experience with the Pro's and Con's between the Honda and the Yamaha, more specifically the model with the 500w boost?

Thanks for your help.

[hedge]

In the 2000 series I prefer the Honda because the engine is larger 100cc vs 80cc on the Yamaha.

[fj12ryder]

SoundGuy wrote:
Honda's EU2000i also has a PLASTIC CAM which many might think as "questionable" ... but those owners who have thousands of hours on their own EU2000i gensets probably wouldn't agree this is an issue. 😉

Well, with thousands of hours it sounds like it isn't. 🙂

[JnJnKatiebug]

OP here, I prefer the Honda. I just noticed the Yamaha had the 500w boost and was curious if anyone had use one of these. I will probably stay with the Honda and probably go with two of the 2000 units. My TT has the upgraded larger A/C and I want to make sure I have enough power to run it. I may want to go to a race and need the noise to drown out the partying going on outside if I decide I want to sleep. When we go to the National Forest I can use one just to charge batteries.

[SoundGuy]

wa8yxm wrote:
There are differences internal as well,, I do not know if this has changed but back in 2006 Honda used sleeve bearings where Yahama used longer lasting roller bearings as I recall.

fj12ryder wrote:
Roller bearings aren't necessarily superior to sleeve bearings.

Your lawn mower uses roller bearings. Which lasts longer?

Honda's EU2000i also has a PLASTIC CAM which many might think as "questionable" ... but those owners who have thousands of hours on their own EU2000i gensets probably wouldn't agree this is an issue. 😉

[fj12ryder]

wa8yxm wrote:
...
Page 2, There are differences internal as well,, I do not know if this has changed but back in 2006 Honda used sleeve bearings where Yahama used longer lasting roller bearings as I recall.. Might have been ball, but I think roller. Differences in the materials used as well, Yahama in THEORY should last longer.
...

Roller bearings aren't necessarily superior to sleeve bearings. Harley Davidson used roller bearings for years, and Honda Gold Wings used sleeve bearings. Which is more reliable? Those diesel engines with multi-hundred thousand miles use sleeve bearings. Your lawn mower uses roller bearings. Which lasts longer?

[Ajones42]

My brother and I bought Yamaha 2000's at the same time for use on an off grid property. Both of them had severe oil leaks at approximately the same number of hours under warranty. Both of us took them in for authorized warranty repair and both of us waited almost 6 months for the repairs to be done.

BOTH units STILL have a substantial oil leak after "repair.". Both of us wrote letters to Yamaha Motorsports USA and neither of us received a reply........... and both of us now have Honda 2000s and are quite happy. No more BLUE for us -ever.

I made a vow that anytime anyone mentioned a Yamaha generator I would put in my $.02 and relate of our abominable experience. EPIC FAIL for Yamaha.

YMMV

[SoundGuy]

tragusa3 wrote:
I have the Yamaha EF2400. Mine is about 5 years old and never a problem. I love it, but...If I had to do it over, I'd just go small, give up on the A/C and gain the convenience of lightweight.

Again for the umpteenth time :R - ditch the larger, heavier genset, equip the A/C unit with a soft starter kit such as the Micro-Air Easy Start Soft Starter Kit, and instead use a smaller, lighter genset such as the Honda EU2000i or Yamaha EF2000iS to run it.

As for the Progressive Industries / Yamaha disclaimer it addresses just the original EF2000iS and no other model, including the newest version of this particular genset, the EF2000iSv2. Powering a trailer protected with a Progressive EMS requires that an inverter genset's floating neutral output be G-N bonded and as was the case with my own EU2000i this works just fine. However, if I were instead intending to use an EF2000iSv2 I'd first call Progressive and ask whether that warranty disclaimer still applies to this new model. If so, or if there's any doubt as to which Yamaha model this may or may not apply, then the solution would be to make sure the EMS is completely out of the circuit anytime a Yamaha genset is being used as source power, reserving the EMS solely for those times the trailer is connected to shore power.

[tragusa3]

I have the Yamaha EF2400. Mine is about 5 years old and never a problem. I love it, but...If I had to do it over, I'd just go small, give up on the A/C and gain the convenience of lightweight.

[MeandMyLabs]

The following is copied from the Progressive Industries website.
*************************************************************
Yamaha Generator
Please be advised the Yamaha Generator Model EF2000iS does not generate enough start-up current which causes the unit to overload. The generator then puts out non-true Sine Wave power. Progressive Industries units are designed to operate only on True Sine Wave power.

For this reason, The Progressive Industries Warranty is hereby void if an EMS Unit is used in conjunction with a Yamaha Generator Model EF2000iS. Any damage sustained to the EMS unit are the sole responsibility of the customer.
******************************************************************
I am not partial to any brand and do own a Yamaha 2400is but I thought this to be interesting.

[RDJeff]

Don't know about the 3000 watt units, but I can attest that my Honda 2000 has over 9000 hours on it, and will carry more load than a friends near new Yamaha 2000.

I lived off - grid, and kept track of my runtime, changing oil every 100 hours with synthetic oil. One spark plug and one starter rope are all that was ever done to it in all that time!

[Bionic_Man]

Speaking of the 2000's, I will concur with others about the fuel pump being a nice feature of the Honda.

Personally, I would get two 2000's and run them parallel. Probably about the same cost, and much easier to move by yourself.

[The_real_wild1]

Well granted mine is a 2000 I went with Yamaha. I found out that is doesn't use a fuel pump like the honda. Used with the stock fuel tank it isn't a big deal but you add an aux tank it is a big PITA vs the honda. Now Im not sure if this matters to you or if it is the same with the 3000 watt gen sets but it may be something to look into. I would like to run another fuel tank with mine but may do something else. I also go a way better deal on the yamaha with the discounts they had over the honda. Close to half the price.

[wa8yxm]

agesilaus wrote:
One's blue and the other is red.

And that is actually a benefit of the Yahama.. You see, crooks see the red one and salivate.

Page 2, There are differences internal as well,, I do not know if this has changed but back in 2006 Honda used sleeve bearings where Yahama used longer lasting roller bearings as I recall.. Might have been ball, but I think roller. Differences in the materials used as well, Yahama in THEORY should last longer.

Honda.. on the other hand.. Has a genuine fuel pump, so you can hook on an extended run tank and suck gasoline out of it..

Now that I've just recommended both.. have fun.

[cmarq]

I have the 3000i and the EU2000i both have been great. The 2000 is 15 years old and gets a lot of use as we dry camp 95% of the time. Other than oil changes which I do on a regular schedule it has needed one spark plug. I wish I had bought two 2000's and the parallel kit. The 3000 is way too heavy to load if you don't have help.

[agesilaus]

One's blue and the other is red.