Honda vs Yamaha Generators

[2airishuman]

Originally Posted by BillTex

...Given these conditions,

-charge batteries
-run a coffee maker
-and a heater, but not at the same time....

which would be better choice?...

Originally Posted by BillTex

thanx wil, after reading this it makes me think that a 1000 is about useless... you may as well go with the Yammi 2400....

ok bill....

given YOUR original conditions ONLY...

and the 2 gensets considered...

the red eu1000i is the best choice.

-they are more widely available
-can be purchased used MORE easily at a discount
-are VERY easy to sell at nearly the original "used" price...
-and there are WAY more service centers for the reds.

still neither 1000 will run many coffee pots or heaters that are in the common 1200-1500 watt range for power consumption...

i've got an electric coffee maker that is 650-800 watts but they aren't common and usually r just 4 cup size.

so buying a used 1k red is an easy introduction, 2 learn IF and how much u wanna be a gen-setter,

and IF the decision is, gen-setting is not 4 u, they are very easy to pass on.

but don't waste money of lpgas conversion UNTIL knowing IF u really are a gen-setter.

it is very easy to NOT charge the batteries while using the small gensets...

JUST PLUG THE APPLICANCE into the genset DIRECTLY, bypassing the trailer systems completely.

now given YOU also suggested running the a/s was NOT needed, but still considering your other parameters...

the best option for u is still a red eu2000i...

-it will power most space heaters and coffee pots, just not simultaneously
-it will power blow dryers and vacuum cleaners and many power tools.
-it will run the water heater on electric (1000 will not)
-it weighs less and takes less space than a blue 2400...
-and there are STILL more service centers and vendors...
-and a LARGER pool of people using them (look for used or sell it) in the marketplace...
-it is VERY easy to parallel IF/WHEN ya wanna run a/c...
-the red 2k is quieter than the blue 2400, according 2 the specs.
-and while a 2400 is the smallest SINGLE unit that 'might' run the SMALLER a/s (11k btu)
-ya still gotta remember to switch fridge to gas and NOT use electric water heat...
-dometic RECOMMENDS 3500 watts as the MINIMUM genset for the 13/15,000 btu a/c...
-so if doing much a/c OR with the larger a/c or in the hopes of NOT killing the ac...

i'd still opt for 2x2000, so that every other appliance doesn't have to be OFF, to just 'barely, maybe' get the ac up2speed...

and 2x2000 reds is QUIETER underload than 1x2400 blue or the other LARGER blue genset...

as always YMMV and these views those of d'poster, and do not represent the site or its sponsors and ...

this opinion is void where prohibited...

cheers
2air'

[TROPHYJIM2]

I agree with Air on the above points. I love running my 2000'sx2 .......or x1 if I am not on AC or other heavy use. It is just flexable as can be!

Jim

[GetOutDoors]

I just lightly scanned this thread and have a question (pardon me if I missed it somewhere): does anyone know the expected lifespan of the different makes/models/fuel-type in terms of hours?

[RivetED]

I do not recommend this but, my Honda 2000 has run our 11K A/C on 2 different occasions (once for a week-end, once for an afternoon). Had to run it with the ECO 'off' (full-power) and keep an eye on gas, (it ran out just in time for breakfast!)....BUT when in a pinch the little red came through.

P.S. This is not my recommendation, I just got stuck and had to improvise, the 2 in parallel is the way to go, plenty of reserve power...

[Airboss]

I run my little 4 cup coffee pot off my 1000 alot.. Not problems at all..Works just fine but not sure about the bigger 12 cup units...

[azflycaster]

My EU1000i has no problem with my coffee pot...

[Jim Clark]

This thread has taught me a lot about generators but most of all it has taught me Airstreamers like to drink coffee in the air conditioning,

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, well my new Yamaha 2400 arrived Friday. I carefully unpacked it and read all the information that came with it. My wife likes the color; Goes with the stripes on our Airstream. Today I added oil and gas, turned on the ignition switch, turned on the fuel valve switch, pulled the rope starter, and it amazingly started on the very first pull. The generator is a bit larger than it looks in pictures; [I haven't actually seen one in person before] And it wasn't as hard to pick up as I thought it would have been; Better stance and grip with the two handles. Two things that I read that I haven't heard on this site are: (1.) You need to keep it three feet away from walls or objects so it doesn't overheat. [I have seen these running in truck beds, up against a corner] (2.) You cannot use the 12 volt and 110/120 volt system at the same time. The real tests may be months from now. Also the "Factory Service Center" is in Cypress, Ca. about five miles from my home so it doesn't matter that the local Yamaha dealers are not generator dealers.

[Wayne&Sam]

Originally Posted by Jim Clark

This thread has taught me a lot about generators but most of all it has taught me Airstreamers like to drink coffee in the air conditioning,

So if you can break that habit, you don't need a generator at all!

[BillTex]

Thanx 2air, yes our A/C is 13.5 so I guess that becomes a non-issue. Again, we have probably used our A/C a total of 3 times…just don’t need it here in New England. Future trips will be out West though…

And Richard, we also carry and use a percolator when off the grid…but I guess we are kind of coffee snobs…it just don’t taste the same as drip

Wayne & Sam-you must be kidding! Give up my java? I’ll die with a coffee in one hand, a beer in the other, and a gun in the other….wait a minute that 3 hands...oh never mind...

Bill

[rodsterinfl]

It is amazing. I was searching on the Internet about generators and a link led me right back to the forum! I found this older thread but I wanted to add some info. I have been shopping for a generator since February (9 months) and finally pulled out the card and got one yesterday. Primarily I shopped Honda and Yamaha. There are some differences besides sound and color that should be mentioned. First, Yamahas are direct drive versus the Honda belt drive. Also, the boost technology on the 2400isHC and the 3000SB is handy for starting motors like AC units. One person in the thread a few years back asked the question about rated life expectancy. The Yamaha ratings are higher by EPA testing. I purchased a 2400isHC tri-fuel model and I hope it all works out. I like the idea of propane for a once-in-a-while used engine fuel that leaves no residue to ruin a carb.

I will let others know of my experience. I do know that the 2400isHC was load tested and was able to maintain power to a 30amp circuit for around 10 seconds. That is above spec but it says a lot about this one unit. I found an artlcle that tested Yamahas against Hondas and here was some great info on sound and fuel usage per hour during their testing:

Sound tested at 20 feet distance (have two dB ratings for quiet mode/normal mode if available on unit)
Fuel usage tested at normal settings on all generators with same proportion load applied

Honda EU1000 52/57dB 9.3 hrs/gal

Honda EU2000 52/58 dB 7.3 hrs/gal

Yamaha EF1000is 54/57 dB 10 hrs/gal

Yamaha EF2400is 54 dB 7.4 hrs/gal

As you can see, the Yamaha and Honda are very similar in sound and fuel usage. The Yamaha 2400is provides more power on tap but with 0.1 more fuel usage. I looked up Yammy dealers that service generators and came up with about eight places in my city. Again, this is only an update to my findings.

[redeagle313]

Question for future reference: we sold our trailer three years ago, but kept our Yamaha 2400 generator for emergency use around home and for our next Airstream. The Yamaha was able to run the 13500 btu AC on our former trailer, an '05 28' International. Will it be able to run a 15000 btu AC on a current or late model 25-28' Airstream?

Just looking ahead to future Airstreaming ;-)

[olddog299]

In the "For What It's Worth" column, I lost my elder 2008 EU2000i in February at the height of the then cold snap. It had about 2500 hours on it with less than stellar maintenance. Put the rod up through the piston, scraped the cylinder walls and all sorts of metallurgical nastiness ensued. And So It Goes.

A friend and his brother in West Texas both run the Yamaha 2400's. First one developed an oil leak from the casing at 1600 hours. The second one started leaking from the case at the same spot at 1840 hours. Both are experienced genny owners and real regular in their care for their machinery.

Now, my second EU2000i (2010) has about 1500 hours on it and it will NOT operate in parallel with a new companion unit for longer than 15 minutes without overheating and cutting out ... a real problem as SWMBO desires A/C in her bed chamber whenever it gets to be more than mid-70's out of doors. As noted by many before, that is unusual behavior in New England, but you have to make allowances as she was born and raised in Louisiana. (It's a mindset issue, I think...)

So, my experience of Honda EU2000i's is a useful life in the vicinity of 2000+ hours (rough average of the two). It isn't like they owe me anything. The new Companion is even quieter than my old ones. I just hope they've cured the starter rope wear issue. Given a combined cost of $2200 (bought at end of season and/or Louisiana Hurricane Preparedness Sales) the fixed cost has been about $0.25/KWH plus fuel & lube costs. Fuel costs have varied a great deal in the past nine years. At no time has it been less expensive to generate our own power than to buy grid power, except the fixed costs of bringing power to just this one site in Maine would exceed $10,000.00 for poles and installation.

As always, Your Mileage May Vary...

[rodsterinfl]

I say Yamaha for the very reason Wil describes. What he described is exactly what happens to timing belt-equipped non-free revving engines when the belt breaks. The engine goes out of time, the valves hit the pistons causing them to deform then they scrape the cylinder walls and start tearing up the engine. Not ALL Hondas have the timing belt but the 2000's do.

Yamaha 2400 has a metal timing gear (no belt) that is all one piece with the cam.

There are more differences but this one is a major difference. There are those that would argue that those belts don't break that often but the potential remains resulting in engine failure. My dad, having a Japanese pickup truck engine with timing belt fail years ago, will never buy a vehicle with a timing belt- just for that reason. He got a Toyota Camry in 1997 (he was misled by sales on that one. When he found out otherwise, sold it in less than a year). An oil leak is quite different than a torn up engine. Additional information is that the Yamaha government engine life ratings are significantly longer

[robert@honda]

Originally Posted by rodsterinfl

Additional information is that the Yamaha government engine life ratings are significantly longer

The hour-rating on the Yamaha and Honda are EPA-required specs for the expected life of the emissions system, not the engine itself. Neither Honda or Yamaha have any kind of "engine life" specification or warranty.

[redeagle313]

Yes, I like my Yamaha 2400, but will it run a 15k btu AC on a newer AS? (2014 to 2017), or will I need to upgrade when we purchase or next 25-28 foot AS?