Newbie Generator Question - Yamaha vs Honda

[NMWildcat]

Yamaha 2000 does not have a fuel pump. Honda 2000 does. So you can run a nurse tank on the Honda easily for extended run times. My Honda's are almost 12 years old and are used a lot every year. Still going strong. Sure, you can buy a knock off for half price, but you get what you pay for. There is a reason every other generator is compared to a Honda.

[Pearville 37]

I can replace my Harbor Freight Predator at least 3 times for the cost of a Honda.

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by Pearville 37

I can replace my Harbor Freight Predator at least 3 times for the cost of a Honda.

Have fun!

[T11ravis]

Originally Posted by Pearville 37

I can replace my Harbor Freight Predator at least 3 times for the cost of a Honda.

Who has time for that?!

[carlsbad]

Originally Posted by Pearville 37

I can replace my Harbor Freight Predator at least 3 times for the cost of a Honda.

I buy Harbor Freight for anything that’s not mission critical. They have their place. The last thing I want is to have a generator die and ruin a trip.

[Dan50]

Originally Posted by DDC

I have read that Yamaha does not have a pure sine wave and it affects the surge protector (EMC).

The Yamaha inverter gennys have a pure sign wave cleaner than you get at home. At least my Yamaha ES2400is does.

[Howard Janin]

Hi!
We have the same travel trailer that you do! We have used the above generator while boon-docking for a couple of months. No problems. Purchased at Harbor Freight for $650, about half the price of the Honda. It has electric start, does not need rejetting (even at 9200 ft in Colorado) and is quiet. We have run it in the back of our little pickup about 10ft from the back of the trailer and could not hear it while it was running!

While we are still breaking it in, I can highly recommend it. It has usually run for about 7 hours on 1 gallon of gas!

[HangDiver]

Originally Posted by Howard Janin

It has electric start, does not need rejetting (even at 9200 ft in Colorado) and is quiet.

A carburated generator that doesn't need jetting at high altitude? Thats amazing! Lol

[Skyliner]

The Boliy 3600 is a clone of the Yamama. It is perhaps, a 2500 watt generator and not the 3000 watt as claimed based on personal experience. It is very light and quiet.

My new favorite is a 3400/3100 watt Champion with remote start. Very reliable.

[Howard Janin]

I thought so Also. But It's true! I also like that this generator comes equipped with an hour meter, which is something you would have to add to the Honda. I'm not sure about the Yamaha. The videos listed on Youtube were completely accurate!

Just to be safe, I added an additional 2 years warrantee at Harbor Freight. I Still ended up paying half of the price of a Honda! And it comes with a wheel kit at no charge.

[spock123]

I have two Honda’s 2,000i generators that are eight years old, I have a parallel kit that I brought off eBay that has a thirty amp plug. I use premium gas that has no ethanol so never a problem with starting.

[Nomad Mike]

in smaller units they seem be equal. But there are some features that the Yamaha has in 3000iSEB that Honda doesn't in a comparable system. I wanted the system to run on propane and I couldn't get a Honda factory shop to do it. Yamaha shops will. Also the Yamaha is an electric start, and has a remote start kit, which the Yamaha shop installed. Runs ac and all trailer systems great and at a pretty moderate rpm.

I only run it about 10 hours a months but it runs super quiet, minimal exhaust. I have it semi permanently mounted in the bed of my truck and built a little cabinet around it to store propane tank a couple spare solar cells and accessories.

[Jakieboy]

DW and I have owned several small Honda Generator/Inverters during the past 30+ years. They are reliable, dependable, quiet, and cost effective. We recently attended the National Air Races in Reno, NV, where there were several dozen Honda 3000i generators running at various vendor locations. They were so quiet that you could not hear them unless you were within 4-5 feet and listened very closely. That will be my next major purchase, once I get my new set of tires paid for.

[Comanchecreek]

It's a matter of how much you want to spend. Yamaha is about 300 cheaper than the Honda. Both have about the same features. The Honda is a little quieter, but the Yamaha noise level is certainly acceptable. Both are excellent units. Actually if you are on a budget look at the Predator inverter generator from Harbor Freight. Almost half the money and they are very close in quality. My son-in-law has one so have seen and heard it. Nice little generator for the bucks. They can also be paired.

[Comanchecreek]

Originally Posted by Comanchecreek

It's a matter of how much you want to spend. Yamaha is about 300 cheaper than the Honda. Both have about the same features. The Honda is a little quieter, but the Yamaha noise level is certainly acceptable. Both are excellent units. Actually if you are on a budget look at the Predator inverter generator from Harbor Freight. Almost half the money and they are very close in quality. My son-in-law has one so have seen and heard it. Nice little generator for the bucks. They can also be paired.

Let me make one more comment about the Predators, I am referring to the small inverter only. I have had people with the bigger ones camp next to me and they are BAD NOISY. Don't kid yourself that it's OK to run those POS's in the campgrounds. You ARE disturbing the neighbors.

[Beauty and Beast]

We own two Yamaha 2000's which can be hooked together for 30 amps. Never had a problem with them. They start easily and are quiet. I had to make a grounding plug to make mine work with my EMS. Plenty of threads on that one. Just wanted you to know to make one in case you take the plunge. Only a few bucks in parts. Good luck with your decision.

[bshort]

Costco sold a 2000W (parallel capable) generator for awhile (Smarter Tools) and then it disappeared? Wonder why?

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by bshort

Costco sold a 2000W (parallel capable) generator for awhile (Smarter Tools) and then it disappeared? Wonder why?

Costco only carries them seasonally, like a lot of things.
Smarter Tools inverter generators have a Yamaha engine and can be paralled, though Costco never carried the parallel kit.
It is very well reviewed on many RV forums.

[Skyliner]

Originally Posted by HangDiver

A carburated generator that doesn't need jetting at high altitude? Thats amazing! Lol

EVERY Carburettor equipped generator needs rejetting but a jet kit is not available for the Predator generator. The predator generator has sufficient capacity that it can pull most loads at altitude though it runs rich. Keep running it rich at altitude, and the mesh spark arrestor will get clogged and your oil will need more frequent changes.

Common chinese manufactured generators are pretty reliable nowadays. I had over 2000 hours over 7 years on my Boliy. It was a good generator but just didn't have the advertised capacity.

I like my Champion so far. On my last camping trip my 35k BTU suburban heater couldn't keep up with the cold temps and we ran a 1500 watt oil radiator heater and a 1200 watt ceramic heater all night to keep things comfy. My only complaint against the Champion is that it was very hard to pull start using 15w40 oil in below freezing temps. That is not the recommended oil but an oil that I often use in generators especially in summer months.

I'm not knocking Honda or Yamama generators; they are great! However, there are more cost effective options out there that will work as well for the average RV user. No different then owning a car. I own a Hyundai Elantra and Santa FE AWD 2.0T purchased new for less then the cost of a Toyota SUV. If the Toyota lasts 300k miles and my two Hyndai's only make it to 200k miles each, I still feel I'll come out ahead.

Save your $$$ and get a Champion generator. They even sell smaller Champions you can parallel if you prefer a lighter generator.

[Tom48]

Originally Posted by Havasu Bill

I have the Honda 2000s with one being the companion. They are 45# without fuel and I can get them in and out of the truck easily. The 3000 is almost 100#. If I'm going to the mountains and don't need the AC I just take one or leave one in the truck.

I also use this system so I don't have to fuel as often. It works great!



https://www.ebay.com/itm/HONDA-EU200...item2a53684578



The Honda 2000 has a fuel pump in them and the 3000 doesn't so this fuel system won't work with the 3000.



To me, smaller and more versatile is better. Especially getting them in and out of the truck.



Lots of great options and many are cheaper. I just wanted the simpler choice even though it was a bit more $.



Good luck!



Bill

Lighter is good, only to a point. In August two Honda 2000s walked out of camp in the darkness. I can envision one guy with one in each hand. I'm not sure one guy could stealth out with a 3000 under his arm. BTW Giant Master Lock cables were cut like butter. Our four RVs were no more than 25 ft apart and no one heard a sound. Heavy might be better.