Inverter Generator Update?

[HighCover]

My Yamaha Efi 2400 is 10 years old and I can't seem to get it to idle anymore, even after attempting to service it. So, time for a new QUIET generator.

Looking for recommendations for a quiet generator that will start am 11.5kBTU AC unit? I know Honda is very good, but are there any other options nowadays that are a bit more affordable?

Thank you for your thoughts.

- Dan

[iagary]

It was just a joke, but the champion power equipment web site shows the US model to be 2000/1700 and the Canadian model to be 2000/1600. Wish I knew how to post a picture.

[BFL13]

Boon Docker wrote:

iagary wrote:
Also, the Champion 2000 is only rated at1600 watts in Canada. We don't want to be under powered should we decide to cross the border this summer during our Minnesota vacation!

According to Champion manufacturing both the US model and Canadian model have the same rating 2000/1700.

We use metric watts up here. 1.0625 US watts = 1 Can watt.

[Boon_Docker]

iagary wrote:
Also, the Champion 2000 is only rated at1600 watts in Canada. We don't want to be under powered should we decide to cross the border this summer during our Minnesota vacation!

According to Champion manufacturing both the US model and Canadian model have the same rating 2000/1700.

[wa8yxm]

Let's see 14 amps times 120 volts is 1680 volt-amps (not watts) so a 1700 watt generator should be able to handle it,,, but it's very very very tight.

A pair of 2,000's would, each, be lighter and easier to wrangle and when parallelled,, would do the job toot-sweet.

[iagary]

Also, the Champion 2000 is only rated at1600 watts in Canada. We don't want to be under powered should we decide to cross the border this summer during our Minnesota vacation!

[iagary]

The champ 2000 is only 2000 starting watts. 1700 running watts. I don't think it is up to AC duty, even with the soft start.

[SoundGuy]

iagary wrote:
BFL13, I basically do the same thing. I keep it in the back drivers side corner of my pickup bed. I only have a 5.5' bed, but when needed, the 3000 has a reserved spot. I have a 2000W champion also for times when I think all I will really need is battery charging. There are times when one person will want to stay at the camper when another goes to do something. it would be nice to be able to unload the gen so the camper person would have power. My solution is a 300w inverter that will at least keep the entertainment stuff and a fan going in the absence of the generator.

If the raison d'etre for having a heavy 3000 watt genset is for the sole purpose of running A/C sell the darned thing, equip your A/C with one of the aforementioned soft starter kits, and only then ever have to take along your much lighter 2K Champ. :W

[iagary]

BFL13, I basically do the same thing. I keep it in the back drivers side corner of my pickup bed. I only have a 5.5' bed, but when needed, the 3000 has a reserved spot. I have a 2000W champion also for times when I think all I will really need is battery charging. There are times when one person will want to stay at the camper when another goes to do something. it would be nice to be able to unload the gen so the camper person would have power. My solution is a 300w inverter that will at least keep the entertainment stuff and a fan going in the absence of the generator.

[SoundGuy]

RSD559 wrote:
If you make the mistake with a Honda, you basically have a $2300 anchor.

SoundGuy wrote:
EASY solution - just equip the A/C unit with a soft starter kit such as the Micro-Air Easy Start Soft Starter Kit and you'd be able to start a 13,500 BTU A/C with a 2K genset such as an EU2000i. Reports here on rv.net from those who've tried it confirm nothing larger necessary. 😉

troubledwaters wrote:
Good advice, after you have spent twice as much money on the Honda then go spend some more money on the AC so the Honda will do what you bought it to do.

Point is, with these soft starters kits now readily available there's no need for any genset larger than 2K for successfully starting a 13,500 BTU A/C. The problem is that not many seem to be aware of this soft starter solution so the end result is the constant repetition of outdated advice that in order to successfully start an A/C one must use a 3K or larger genset ... which is simply no longer true. :R

I've owned 2 EU2000i gensets, eventually sold both due to lack of use and although either would start my A/C units each equipped with a hard start Supco SPP6 neither would do it at temps I'd most likely wanting to be using A/C, ~ 85F and higher. :M Had I been aware of these soft starter kits I'd have definitely kept my last EU2000i, knowing that would have solved my A/C starting issues under all conditions. For those who may own a larger, heavier 3K genset the solution is simple - sell it and use the proceeds to buy a 2K such as a much lighter EU2000i plus a soft starter kit for the A/C. :B

[troubledwaters]

SoundGuy wrote:

RSD559 wrote:
I owned a Honda 3000 several years ago. Back when it was $1450 new. It was delivered and I hooked it up to our trailer and fired up the 13,600 A/C. The generator couldn't handle the surge at start-up. By the way the wife was looking at me, I knew I was sleeping in the back yard for a long time. Fortunately, a hard start kit saved the day. After I installed it, the Honda would start the A/C. Moral of the story is: Don't assume that because the Honda is the most expensive, that it will do the job. I've seen posts from lots of folks who experienced the same thing. If you buy a Champion from CostCo for $700 and it doesn't work for you, you can take it back, or you have a $700 anchor. If you make the mistake with a Honda, you basically have a $2300 anchor.

EASY solution - just equip the A/C unit with a soft starter kit such as the Micro-Air Easy Start Soft Starter Kit and you'd be able to start a 13,500 BTU A/C with a 2K genset such as an EU2000i. Reports here on rv.net from those who've tried it confirm nothing larger necessary. 😉

Good advice, after you have spent twice as much money on the Honda then go spend some more money on the AC so the Honda will do what you bought it to do.

[SoundGuy]

RSD559 wrote:
I owned a Honda 3000 several years ago. Back when it was $1450 new. It was delivered and I hooked it up to our trailer and fired up the 13,600 A/C. The generator couldn't handle the surge at start-up. By the way the wife was looking at me, I knew I was sleeping in the back yard for a long time. Fortunately, a hard start kit saved the day. After I installed it, the Honda would start the A/C. Moral of the story is: Don't assume that because the Honda is the most expensive, that it will do the job. I've seen posts from lots of folks who experienced the same thing. If you buy a Champion from CostCo for $700 and it doesn't work for you, you can take it back, or you have a $700 anchor. If you make the mistake with a Honda, you basically have a $2300 anchor.

EASY solution - just equip the A/C unit with a soft starter kit such as the Micro-Air Easy Start Soft Starter Kit and you'd be able to start a 13,500 BTU A/C with a 2K genset such as an EU2000i. Reports here on rv.net from those who've tried it confirm nothing larger necessary. 😉

[RSD559]

Sorry, my two cents. I owned a Honda 3000 several years ago. Back when it was $1450 new. It was delivered and I hooked it up to our trailer and fired up the 13,600 A/C. The generator couldn't handle the surge at start-up. By the way the wife was looking at me, I knew I was sleeping in the back yard for a long time. Fortunately, a hard start kit saved the day. After I installed it, the Honda would start the A/C. Moral of the story is: Don't assume that because the Honda is the most expensive, that it will do the job. I've seen posts from lots of folks who experienced the same thing. If you buy a Champion from CostCo for $700 and it doesn't work for you, you can take it back, or you have a $700 anchor. If you make the mistake with a Honda, you basically have a $2300 anchor.

[HighCover]

SoundGuy wrote:

wa8yxm wrote:
If you don't want that Honda any more ... I'll take it Just let me know where to pick it up.

Well you'll be surprised when you open the box and find that "Honda" is actually a Yamaha EF2400iS. :W Good deal though, lots of YouTube videos on how to get these gensets running properly. :B

Not that easy to fix. I watched all those videos and did the repairs, even replaced the idle mixer/jet with genuine Yamaha parts. No bueno. They I hired a local small engine guy to go over it. He made it better but not for long. Hopefully the Yamaha guy can get it running again.

[HighCover]

Thank you all for the great replies, and a really useful discussion. Apparently, one cannot go wrong with the EU Hondas.

Regarding my Yamaha EF2400iS, I found a local Yamaha MotorSports shop that said they work on the inverter-gens, so I took it over there Saturday. Told him all the symptoms, and he just nodded and said it's a pretty easy service fix in the carburetor and fuel path. Sounded good anyway, and hopefully he can breath some new life in the 10 year old EF2400iS.

If not, I'm definitely going to get a Honda...

Cheers!

- Dan

[BFL13]

iagary wrote:
pnichols, I agree completely. We have the Honda 3000. Our friends have two 2000's. OUr 3000 is quieter than ONE of his 2000's. When he gets both
going, running his AC, it is no comparison. I think it is the best inverter generator made today. I just wish I had a strong teenager to lift it in and out of my pickup!! it is heavy!!

I keep ours in the truck bed (long box) between the tool box behind the cab and the 5er hitch. At home to get the truck back, I remove the 5er hitch, slide the Honda 3000 out onto a dolly same height as the truck bed, and roll it away. Take out the tool box. To go camping, I just put it all back in the truck: tool box, then gen, then hitch.