Master thread for disasters and generators.

LEDBE
Re: Any experience with Yamaha/Honda Generators?

Hi Cue,

My pops just purchased a Honda to go camping with. I don't remember which model but I was blown away with the size of it. It's small. It's also the quietest generator I have ever heard...or didn't hear. If I ever purchase one, it'll be a honda.
 
Re: Any experience with Yamaha/Honda Generators?

I've not used the honda directly. I've read many positive reports about the technology in other forums. The 'economy mode' really does work.

Daniel
 
Re: Any experience with Yamaha/Honda Generators?

I've owned several of the Honda EU series inverter equipped generators, and have been 100% thrilled with them. I've heard that the Yamaha units are just as good, and I don't think you could go wrong with either. The Yamahas are apparently more capable for transient "surge" loads as they use their onboard battery in conjunction with the inverter to provide extra "oomph" for a couple of seconds. This feature is handy for "starting" things like A/C compressors and the like.

Keep in mind that there is no 240V available with these inverter generators, as they only make one "leg" of 120V. This is not a big deal, but you would not be able to make full use of a transfer switch if this is the route you were planning on going.

If I were planning on getting an inverter genset, I would most definitely be looking at the Kipor KGE3500ti which is new to the American market. The Kipor gennys are a made in China clone of the Honda/Yamaha and seem to be very well made and *considerably* cheaper than the others. If you Google "Kipor" you will find lots of info from the RV crowd about these units. Early indications are that the Kipor units are going to give the big guys a run for their money. You can actually pick up the 1000W Kipor unit (Honda EU1000 clone) at Harbor Freight for $399! compared to around $625 (online) or $700 (brick and mortar store) for the Honda unit.

Peter
 
Re: Any experience with Yamaha/Honda Generators?

I have an EU3000 and an EU1000. I bought them before the EU2000 was available. The EU3000 is a bit heavy to be considered truly portable but it is so quiet and fuel efficent that I use it for my home backup.

I lived in my camper for 1 and a half years while going through an ordeal with my house being built. The generators were the only electricity I had. I would run the EU1000 each day in the winter and the EU3000 on the hot days where I needed AC. I guess that I have put over 2000 hrs on the EU1000 and it still runs fine. It now uses just a touch of oil but not enough to worry about.

Overall I'm very pleased.

Chris
 
Re: Any experience with Yamaha/Honda Generators?

I have a Coleman 5k and a couple of Honda 2k's. Both generators work fine. I have had the Coleman for about 8-9 years. It wasn't started for about 3-4 years and when I finally did need it last year I discovered I had left fuel in it. After draining the fuel and changing the oil it started on the first or second pull. Cost per KW is about .25 that of the Honda's. It's about 10 times louder than the Honda's and fuel efficiency is about 25% worse per KW than the Honda's. The Coleman is very hard to move when full of fuel (5 gal) and not much easier to move when empty. If you're a camper or plan to use the gen. often then it's an east decision, get (2) of the Honda or Yamaha 2000's. If it's strictly an emer. gen then it's a tough call due to the incredible cost factor difference. I recommend the Coleman and the Honda, they both work well. One last thing, I noticed the Honda 3000 has a run time of 7.2hrs at max load and 20 hours at ¼ load using 3.4 gallons of fuel. My experience has been that you use at least 75% max load in an emer. situation and you wish you had more KW available. I just looked at the specs and noticed the Honda 3k's are pretty heavy, didn't look at the Yamaha, nearly the same weight as a Coleman. My only complaints with the Honda's 2000's is the semi-ridiculous cost and the short run time (6 hrs) because the fuel tank is only 1.1 gallon. (You can make a 5 gallon fuel tank but I haven't done it yet) My only complaints with the Coleman is the noise and it's a more thirsty.

How about this for a recommendation…If you live within 3 miles of the coast get the Honda or Yamaha if further inland buy the Coleman or other brand with the B&S motor. Or, split the difference and get a Non-Honda generator with a Honda motor for about half the price of the Honda.
 
Re: Any experience with Yamaha/Honda Generators?

* deleted *

Posted twice for some reason. Correct post is below.
 
Re: Any experience with Yamaha/Honda Generators?

I'm running a Yamaha 1000 for smaller jobs and 11hp Honda that puts out 5500 watts w/8500 spike.

larger Honda will run refrig, freezer, PC, lights, misc with no sweat. gas consumption is aprox. 10hours for 5gal fuel running prior list.

little Yamaha sips fuel, don't remember consumption but is pretty good. pretty good power spike for size.
 
Re: Any experience with Yamaha/Honda Generators?

[ QUOTE ]
LitFuse said:
....

If I were planning on getting an inverter genset, I would most definitely be looking at the Kipor KGE3500ti which is new to the American market. The Kipor gennys are a made in China clone of the Honda/Yamaha and seem to be very well made and *considerably* cheaper than the others. If you Google "Kipor" you will find lots of info from the RV crowd about these units. Early indications are that the Kipor units are going to give the big guys a run for their money. You can actually pick up the 1000W Kipor unit (Honda EU1000 clone) at Harbor Freight for $399! compared to around $625 (online) or $700 (brick and mortar store) for the Honda unit.

Peter

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
DieselDave said:
....

How about this for a recommendation…If you live within 3 miles of the coast get the Honda or Yamaha if further inland buy the Coleman or other brand with the B&S motor. Or, split the difference and get a Non-Honda generator with a Honda motor for about half the price of the Honda.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thank you both (and to everyone else) for the information and advice.

Wow, that Kipor is priced very nicely. About half of what the Honda and the Yami are going for. It has just shot itself to the top of my evaluation list for purchase. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Thanks for supplying the feedback and information. I need to make a decision here soon.

The more I seem to think about it, the more I wonder how much I will use this generator for anything other than an emergency.... The ones I mentioned are 150 lbs (DRY) and won't be the easiest as far as portability. I seemed to be concerned about how loud these things are but I guess in the emergency time the noise will probably be a none issue if I can have a room with lights, have my fridge, microwave, coffee maker stay working and also maybe a portable AC, radio, and TV. Every other part of my house will get the use of flashlights/headlights etc. I don't plan to do whole house setup, I just want a safe/comfi zone of the house and the kitchen.


Curtis
 
Re: Any experience with Yamaha/Honda Generators?

I looked at the pictures of the other models by this "new" mfg. I hope the mfg chokes and goes out of business. Come on guys... compete at least half way legally and ethically. The generators are an exacy copy of a honda, even the air cooling slots in the side of the case. I would not own one if it was given to me.

Pathetic
 
Re: Any experience with Yamaha/Honda Generators?

I have a small (2400) watt coleman generator.

Yes it is loud but in the great CFP tradidtion I use it ONLY to charge a deep cycle battery (10 Amp Charger)and run the Refridg/freezer.

After Floyd flooded the eastern part of NC I used it for 3-4 days. Ran it for 1 hour at a time 3-4 times a day. I used the deep cycle battery to run a 300 watt inverter and ran a TV/VCR combo and Compact Florescent bulb in a lamp.

At the end of the period I had only used 3 gal of gas.

wwglen
 
Re: Any experience with Yamaha/Honda Generators?

I noticed the Yamaha (with inverter) said it puts out a true sine wave, and that it's regulated. This should mean less electrical noise and friendlier to the electronic equipment that you connect. It also has an electric start.

I find that much of Harbor Freight's merchandise works well enough, as long as you carefully check it's features and limitations before you try to use it. I don't think I'd use anything sold by HF as emergency gear.


Daniel
 
Re: Any experience with Yamaha/Honda Generators?

The Honda, Yamaha, and Kipor all output a true sine wave. On one of the RV boards there was a thread about a genset dealer that bought three of the Kipors in order to see what made them "tick". They put them through thier paces and then tore them down to have a look at the guts. They reported that about 85% of the parts were *identical* to the Honda unit, and could be swapped directly.

It would seem that they are indeed a "clone" of the popular Honda units.

Peter
 
Re: Any experience with Yamaha/Honda Generators?

i own a honda eu2000i and am very happy with it. light, powerful, easy to start, econo-mode makes a gallon last hours&hours and it's well designed.

i considered the 3000i but figured with a 100% incease in price for only 50% more power, it might be better to just buy an extra 2000i and hook them up together, should i ever decide i need that much power. besides, the 3000i is much bigger, heavier and really needs to be moved by two people.
 
Re: Any experience with Yamaha/Honda Generators?

Any idea what the diff is between the Kipor KGE1000ti and KGE1300tc? They seem to have the exact same specs.
 
Re: Any experience with Yamaha/Honda Generators?

I think the difference is in the inverter used. The "ti" (yellow case) models output a true sine wave. I think the "tc" or "camping" (red case) models use a modified sine wave inverter.

The documentation is lacking, which is par for the course with emerging Chinese products. Too often it seems that the product is high quality, but the "Engrish" factor is enough to give second thoughts.

Peter
 
Re: Any experience with Yamaha/Honda Generators?

I have had a Honda EU2000i for several years. I use it for power outages (keeps my office running on clean power for a long time with very little fuel), and sometimes to run power tools when I'm out of range of an outlet. In that last respect, the EU2000 starts a 3/4 HP Emglo compressor every time under load. So it's got guts too - for a small generator. It is very easy to change the oil and plug, too. There is no way it can be used for a whole-house solution because it's too small. But I would not feel SAFE storing enough gasoline to run a big whole house generator for more than a very few hours. Should I get enough dough together, I would do a buried propane tank and stationary propane generator - but we're talking BUCKS.

W.
 
Re: Any experience with Yamaha/Honda Generators?

I wonder why HF won't sell that Kipur unit in California. Emissions? Could it be that the Honda runs cleaner? Hmm.
 
Re: Any experience with Yamaha/Honda Generators?

[ QUOTE ]
Should I get enough dough together, I would do a buried propane tank and stationary propane generator - but we're talking BUCKS

[/ QUOTE ]

Yup, mega bucks. I have a neighbor who had such a system installed a couple of years back. After the last hurricane was predicted to hit here and didn't and left the entire town stuck in the largest traffic jam in history just a few miles out of town. They would have been safer in their homes if it had actually hit. Being fed u p with that he decided that bugging in was the right thing to do. Put in a 45kw propane generator to run everything in the house including the AC for up to 2 weeks. Cost over $30k!

Wish I had an extra years salary to setup something like that! He's too far away to run an extension cord for my fridge too /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
Re: Any experience with Yamaha/Honda Generators?

They're both great brands from a mechanical perspective. One thing I'll mention is that Yamaha small equipment dealers have a reputation of being pricks. The local dealer works very hard to keep up the image. Parts aren't cheap, either, although I don't know Honda prices.
 
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