Yamaha v Honda generators Costco $499.00

[Boxite]

NO ONE likes the "junk" to which a previous poster referred (implying his unfamiliarity with THIS product makes it "junk".... something yet to be determined. The performance claims vs price make it attractive and I'm glad to see the competition.

Yamaha makes good engines and the engine is the most likely item to exhibit wear on a generator. Having a Yamaha engine is a good thing, IMO.

The electronics in Yamaha gens are not made by Yamaha anyway, as confirmed by the labels on the PC boards. Nikko (whoever that is) made the boards in the Yamahas my neighbor has. I'm curious how easily-obtainable service/parts are on ANY of these little gens are. My Honda was not serviceable BY HONDA only two years after it's manufacture... as it was declared "obsolete". (I managed to repair it myself by using look-alike chineese parts...no kidding! At least when the Chinese copy things.... they copy them accurately!)

The advertised sound-levels of gens are difficult to compare since some mfr's use a standard 23' distance... at idle.... and some use a 23' distance at full output.... and none of them test within the same background noise environments ....I.E., in a metal warehouse vs outside in a parking lot vs in a forested glen...etc etc.
Run it yourself and see if it meets your expectations and if not, return it. I think it may be a good buy.

[SilverHouseDreams]

I'm currently looking at options of a gen set for our future AS, and to use for emergency power at home during any prolonged outages. I had been looking at the Wen 2000, another interesting option is the Champion "RV ready" 75537i 3100 watt which has remote start.

This "Yamaha powered" generator looks really nice, if you were ever going to run 2 in parallel not having to buy/transport (forget) the external parallel kit is really great. That reduces the cost for 2 of them by at least $200.

I do like the idea of 2 smaller generators that can be run in parallel, as you can reduce the noise/fuel consumption when you don't need both, or even leave one behind entirely (e.g. during heating months if you want to use the furnace and not heat pump).

Like AS, people get too emotionally attached to their Honda or Yamaha generators so the fact that you are suggesting clones that are likely closer to the name brands than not for far less $$ gets people riled up

[Al and Missy]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

A difference of 6 db. is four times the sound energy.

Is the Honda worth twice as much? When you go to sell it, yes.

While 6 dB does, in fact, represent a 4x increase in sound pressure level, the human ear has an approximately logarithmic sensitivity curve such that it takes an increase of 10dB to be perceived by a human as twice as loud.

http://artsites.ucsc.edu/ems/music/t.../teces_03.html

So a generator that has a 6dB greater noise level will be perceived as substantially louder, but not 2x.

Al

[KK4YZ]

Originally Posted by Al and Missy

While 6 dB does, in fact, represent a 4x increase in sound pressure level, the human ear has an approximately logarithmic sensitivity curve such that it takes an increase of 10dB to be perceived by a human as twice as loud.

http://artsites.ucsc.edu/ems/music/t.../teces_03.html

So a generator that has a 6dB greater noise level will be perceived as substantially louder, but not 2x.

Al

Absolutely correct. In fact that was the basis for the origination of the dB, or deci bel, or one tenth of a bel, which was named after Alexander Graham Bell. The concept has since proven useful in measurements beyond the sound spectrum like in RF (radio frequency) measurements.

[pcskier]

Originally Posted by Boxite

NO ONE likes the "junk" to which a previous poster referred (implying his unfamiliarity with THIS product makes it "junk".... something yet to be determined.

$499 tells me it's junk. If you could build one of quality for that price and still make money, Yamaha and Honda would be in a price battle sliding down toward that price point. They aren't.

Just my opinion. I've learned enough times in my life from trying "off" brand items it just isn't worth the savings in the end.

[KK4YZ]

Originally Posted by pcskier

$499 tells me it's junk. If you could build one of quality for that price and still make money, Yamaha and Honda would be in a price battle sliding down toward that price point. They aren't.

Just my opinion. I've learned enough times in my life from trying "off" brand items it just isn't worth the savings in the end.

When there are dozens or hundreds of consumer reviews with overwhelming positive ratings, that tells you something. The highest price may or may not be the best value.
What costs more, a high end Toyota or a high end Mercedes? Which one is more reliable?

There I did it; I set off another firestorm

[rmkrum]

Me, I'd go with the Toyota.

[DKB_SATX]

I'd guess that with similar good maintenance to each unit, the differences would show up at hundreds of hours of operation. Most of us are never going to get there... while we like to boondock, for example, we try to do it only when the weather is pleasant. For the past several years we've been camping in a vintage trailer with LED bulbs in all the light fixtures and a fridge and water heater that didn't need any 12v, etc... I've probably only put 15 or 20 hrs/year on my big Yamaha 3k in that time.

[pcskier]

Originally Posted by KK4YZ

What costs more, a high end Toyota or a high end Mercedes? Which one is more reliable?

There I did it; I set off another firestorm

Well, I do love my 2000 Tundra but it definitely ain't no Mercedes

Not a good comparison in any case. Toyota and Mercedes, while in different classes and price points, are both reliable, well known, proven, name brands.

Comparing a genuine Toyota to a Toyota knock-off at half the price, but with a Toyota engine in it, would be a fair comparison to the Yamaha gen vs. the "iPower" knockoff.

[fltlevel510]

Making comments about a choice between tow vehicles, coffee makers and inverters always stirs the pot. But could not resist passing along my "PERSONAL EXPERIENCE" with the Smarter Tools 2000 watt inverter. I do know this is not the one currently sold at Costco but several years ago Costco was selling the Smarter Tools 2000 Watt for $499. It is powered by the Yamaha engine and operates at 51db, came with 12v battery charging kit, usb port, fuel shut off valve and small funnel to change oil. I can report I have put several hundred hours on this unit as a back up on the Airstream and also powering various tools on construction sites. Works great and has been very durable. The Smarter Tools inverters are still available online for around $500 dollars. Like all mechanical devices proper care is one of the keys to longevity. Use ethanol free gas and change the oil on schedule.

[KK4YZ]

Originally Posted by fltlevel510

Making comments about a choice between tow vehicles, coffee makers and inverters always stirs the pot. But could not resist passing along my "PERSONAL EXPERIENCE" with the Smarter Tools 2000 watt inverter. I do know this is not the one currently sold at Costco but several years ago Costco was selling the Smarter Tools 2000 Watt for $499. It is powered by the Yamaha engine and operates at 51db, came with 12v battery charging kit, usb port, fuel shut off valve and small funnel to change oil. I can report I have put several hundred hours on this unit as a back up on the Airstream and also powering various tools on construction sites. Works great and has been very durable. The Smarter Tools inverters are still available online for around $500 dollars. Like all mechanical devices proper care is one of the keys to longevity. Use ethanol free gas and change the oil on schedule.

yep. I bought a Powerhorse logsplitter years ago from Northern Tool. I take reasonable care of it and it always works. I'll never wear it out as it gets used a few days/ year. And why would I spend 2x the price for a different logo?

[KK4YZ]

Originally Posted by pcskier

Well, I do love my 2000 Tundra but it definitely ain't no Mercedes


Comparing a genuine Toyota to a Toyota knock-off at half the price, but with a Toyota engine in it, would be a fair comparison to the Yamaha gen vs. the "iPower" knockoff.

Actually this comparison would be valid only if Toyota and the 1/2 priced knock-off OEM'd the body, chassis, electronics and rest of the drivetrain from the same supplier. Of course that's not 100% the case in automotive, but is very likely true in consumer appliances, like generators. I'll let you know how my Wens hold up. Not much to lose.

[Boxite]

Originally Posted by KK4YZ

yep. I bought a Powerhorse logsplitter years ago from Northern Tool. I take reasonable care of it and it always works. I'll never wear it out as it gets used a few days/ year. And why would I spend 2x the price for a different logo?

EXACTLY! I only shop for cheap tools at cheap places for the kinds of tools I know I'll rarely use but don't wish to borrow or rent. I've got several generators, battery chargers, etc and a HF "Predator" logsplitter at 1/4 the price of the "Husky" ones from TSC (which are ALSO chineese-made)... but the Predator has features like log-racks that avoid constantly bending-over to pick up the split-logs which the Husky's don't have.
The genuine Coleman (US made) pressure washer I bought ten years ago died because it's Japanese-made carburetor corroded from modern autogas. The cheap, chineese-copy replacement carburetor I bought for $16 at Amazon fixed it.
Some so-called "name brands" are not any better than their low-priced copies. (Has it occurred to anyone yet that we used to laugh at "made in Japan"... and denigrated the Chinese for "copying" other designs?... now here we have fellow campers promoting HONDA generators as if they're somehow better than their identical, Chinese-logo copies?)

At least Costco pays decent wages and provides decent benefits to American employees.

[Julie-Bob]

I purchased two Honda 2000 in 2006 use them ever season for about 60 to 75 nights on the road with our 25' Classic, at the end of the season I store them per the manual, each year taking them out of storage they start on the fourth or five pull. I run the AC when needed in AZ that's a lot. No problems with the Honda.

[NoResults]

Like flitelevel510 I also purchased a Smarter Tools generator from Costco several years ago. I installed a tri fuel kit to it and run it only on propane off the low pressure port on the front of my trailer.

Been a great unit.

[rbs]

Seems like we are always close to the person that saved a few bucks. I don't even like hearing my Honda run, but the times I can't hear it because of my neighbors unit's noise is, let's say irritating

[billrector]

Originally Posted by sheriff1

Honda 59db
A-Ipower Yamaha 65 db

I see a lot of posts that compare other generators to Honda generators with regard to noise levels.

There is no standard for the distance the noise should be measured from the generator. Honda measures at 9 feet and most other generators measure at 27 feet....3X as far away.

To me, sound is one of the most important characteristics of an acceptable generator. I don't want to be in my trailer listening to the generator running. I vote for a true Honda or Yamaha inverter generator.