Generator Decision

[RC and Samantha]

We are tossing around the idea of getting a generator. We have narrowed it down between Honda and Yamaha, we think? Wondering if any of you could share your personal experiences with either brand? There are four models actually in the arena of choice. They are Yamaha Inverter EF3000iSE, Honda EU3000, Honda Honda EU2000 and Yamaha Inverter EF1000iS . It appears that Yahama doesn't have one exactly comparable to the Honda EU2000?

We are generator prepped but don't want to spend the dollars or add that kind of weight to the fiver. A portable unit seems like it may come in handy in other situations too.

If you have the larger ones how do you move them around? Can they power a house in a power failure? How is that done?

We are really electricity challenged when it comes to RV-ing. Heck totally challenged when it comes to generators, obviously. LOL I've read all the threads of course regarding generators here in the last couple of years and many on other forums. We value MOC opinions the most of course.

Thanks a bunch,
Patty

[DHenry]

I have 2 of the Honda EU2000I and the connector to twin them together. I have not used them on the Montana yet but have with my cab over camper. They run everything and charge up the batteries. I have numbered them 1 and 2 so I can alternate the useage easily. They are light enough to carry easily. I store them in the front compartment of the Montana. I have also made a 6 gallon gas tank for them so I do not have to worry about them running out of gas in the middle of the night when we are boondocking. I got the tank idea from another site.

[rlwhit]

Would not use small outside generators for stick house use. You need a larger one for the elcetrical load required. If you do you need a special switching panel so the power you gen won't go back out into the system. Hope that is clear.

Dick

[tollmann]

We have the Honda 3000 mounted in the bed of the TV. I added an extra main breaker to the power panel and ran a line out to the pin box. This extra breaker MUST be turned off when using shore power. The gen handles everything in the 5er except the washer. Also can't run micro while the air is on. It is real quiet and doesn't disturb others.

[Kathi]

Patty; We went ahead and got the Onan 5.5. LPG gas fuel when we ordered our Montana. We decided that if we were going to get one we were going to go all the way!!!! Since April 8th (thats when we picked up the Monty) we have put about 20 hours on it. That is just from it sitting out front. We run everything with it. At the same time we ordered the Majestic W/D. We still haven't gotten the Majestic yet. Keep calling the dealer but they keep saying that there is a back order. It will be interesting to see of the generator can run that to. Paul said it should handle everything. He is an electrician so I am sure that he knows what he is talking about. Whatever you decide just make sure that if you do blow a breaker you remember what it was that you were doing when it went. That way you will know what kind of load it can handle.

[jrgwdenner]

Patty, we bought the Yamaha 3000 SEB (the B is for boost) for our upcoming trip to Alaska. It runs very quiet, starts easily, and should handle everything in the Montana. It is heavy but has built-in wheels and rolls very easily. Glen plans to build a pallet for it, similar to the packing crate that it came in. This will keep it from rolling around in the truck bed where we'll keep it. We'll have a security cable to discouraging thieves and a cover over it. We're glad that we don't have two generators and a cable kit to deal with although the Hondas are a good setup, too.

[HamRad]

We have the Honda 2000Eui. Currently we have just one. It will run the entire rig with the exception of the AC. We never really plan to boondock where we would need the AC so we will not worry about that. We do have to be careful about what all we run at the same time..... not too different than if we're hooked to shore power. We can't run the TV, the microwave and our George Foreman grill all at the same time. We normally run the generator in "eco" mode which uses less gas and is quieter.

We have never used the unit for running the stick house but if we needed to do that sort of thing we would simply run an extension cord to whatever device we wanted to power. The Honda has a regular duplex receptacle. I do not wish to hook it to the stick house because of the cost of the extra panel and installation cost of same. As rlwhit indicated it does take a special setup. This is to prevent electrical power workers from getting hurt.

The 3000 units are really nice in terms of the extra power and they are very quiet. But they are very heavy. It would take two very strong persons to manhandle one of these units. While it may not be the best solution to your power requirements the 2 Honda 2000s are at least easily manageable by one person.... Even a physically challenged one such as myself. For most of your energy requirements you will find that one 2000 unit will suffice. You can always get a second one and the connecting cables if you find you really need it.

Of course if you have the $$$$ laying around I'd do what Kathi did.... I'd get the Onan. Wow... a 5.5K! That is a lot of generator. You could easily run your stick house with that kind of power.

Whatever you do just make sure you get the quietest one you can find..... you will love it and your neighbors will love you for it too!

Good luck, HamRad

[RC and Samantha]

Thank you to everyone who replied. Now I just have to get Dick over here to read the thread. Of course I could always interrupt his race on TV and read aloud.

This is going to sound very silly but I am leaning towards the Yamaha, simply cause it matches everything. Naturally Dick will most likely make the final decision on this one.

I think all we need now is the generator and I would love the Mor-Ryde Pin Box. Both of those things and my list of wants should be all set. One good thing about the Montana and RV-ing is you can only fit in so much stuff and you have to stop.

Kahti, you will love the Majestic units. I love ours. Your generator sounds really nice. It's just such big bucks. In two years we have not had the need for a generator yet. It will be nice to be able to boon dock though.

Judy, thank you for the information you shared. Do you keep the Generator in the truck all the time? If not how do you get it in and out? Right now Dick wouldn't have a huge problem, but since we are aging daily it's a concern.


Tom & Rose, we have used all our circuits in the camper. We had an extra installed when we got ours so we could run the Washer and Dryer at the same time. Does this mean we'd have a problem?

Doug & Sharon, great idea on numbering them. I was wondering about storing them in our front locker. Ours is split in two because of the generator prep. Do you have a picture of your Gas Tank? Was it hard to make?

Dick, thank you for sharing that information. We loose power infrequently here at home. Although we were part of that big Eastern black out a couple of years ago in the summer. Since the camper is at home, I suppose we could always stay in that during a power failure.

[richfaa]

We just have a Sears 6KW generator that we have had for several years. We do not use it very often any more but did when we camped in the PA mountains. It is sort of heavy and we get it up on the pickup with a set of ramps. It has the approved quiet muffler and really the only noise is the noise of the generator turning and you have to get that noise on any of them. We have used it here at the house when winter/summer storms shut down the power.We can keep the essentials going but usually we just move out into the camper if the power is down for awhile. Look around before you spend big $ on a generator. They are not as pretty as the Honda or Onan but do the job.

[sreigle]

Patty, I think I'd go with the Honda Honda EU2000 simply on the theory that if a Honda is good, a Honda Honda must be even better.

[jrgwdenner]

You're right, Patty, the Yamaha will match the Montana better! It's a beautiful blue. We do need to stay color coordinated, don't we? When we drive to Alaska the Yamaha will stay in the truck bed. The kryptonite cable will keep it secure, we hope. Right now we found a Rubbermaid container (also blue) that we plan to put over it to protect it from the elements. We'll run it right from the truck bed. We also considered the Honda Honda that smart aleck Steve mentioned but Glen liked the Yamaha with the Boost (SEB)

[jrgwdenner]

Tollman, how did you mount your Honda to the truck bed? Is it bolted to the bed or in any special kind of storage box?

[stiles watson]

Well, I am such a dunce. I only want funcionality and am not too concerned about color coordination. Here are my reasons for picking the twin Honda EU2000i:

1. One person can handle the single units -- important because my sweety has arthritic joint problems so the task is all mine.
2. If I only need one unit, I only crank one unit.
3. In tandum, they will run the entire rig.
4. Greater versitility, i.e., since they are not mounted, I have the flexibility to use one or both for an unforeseen purpose.

So much for a color blind dunce's thoughts.

[DHenry]

RC and Samantha, yes the gas tank was easy to make. If you send me your email address I will send you the instructions and pictures.

[rames14]

We just bought a Honda 2000 last Friday. We matched the color of truck, so we're still color coordinated. We like the lighter weight, if fits easily in the front cargo hold, will power everything but the A/C to start and expandable in the future. I have a diesel fuel can, gas fuel can, generator and two tool boxes in the front hold. Looking forward to using it boondocking in Colorado this summer.

[sreigle]

quote:Originally posted by jrgwdenner

You're right, Patty, the Yamaha will match the Montana better! It's a beautiful blue. We do need to stay color coordinated, don't we? When we drive to Alaska the Yamaha will stay in the truck bed. The kryptonite cable will keep it secure, we hope. Right now we found a Rubbermaid container (also blue) that we plan to put over it to protect it from the elements. We'll run it right from the truck bed. We also considered the Honda Honda that smart aleck Steve mentioned but Glen liked the Yamaha with the Boost (SEB)

Judy, tell Glen I hope he finds that compressor is excellent because I went out and bought one just like it! Sorry, different topic than generator but wanted to do just a quick note.

[Montana_2785]

quote:Originally posted by jrgwdenner

[...] but Glen liked the Yamaha with the Boost (SEB)

I was also interested by the Boost. Then I got to looking

For those of you who are enamored of the Yamaha Boost, consider that the Honda EU3000is has a 6.x horsepower engine and the Yamaha has a 5.x horsepower engine (a 1 horse difference).

I suspect that Yamaha added the boost gimick just to equal the Honda with its stronger engine.

I had a chance to try out the Yamaha and the Honda on my old TT with an old hard to start AC.

They both acted roughly the same but I thought (subjectively) that the Honda had a slightly easier time of it.

I went with the Honda.

BTW: The Yamaha uses the Honda inverter....Honda is the technology leader on these units.

YMMV.

Eric

[RC and Samantha]

Stiles, would never call you a dunce, it's a girl thing. Of course functionality is the most important and your reasons are exactly the ones that we are tossing around regarding the Hondas.

Doug, thank you for sharing the photograph. I'll show Dick when he gets home. That sure would make things a bit simpler.

Ron and Terri, Your reasoning is exactly what I am thinking. We can start out with only one and expand if we need to. The initial financial output would be less. My you can put a lot in your front locker, ours is a 2003 and has the Generator Prep so there isn't as much room up there as you have. Still it's good to know the generator will fit.

Steve, LOL I am sure Dick is with you on the Hondas. He used to do Moto Cross and always drove a Honda. Our Motorcycle was a Honda VTX (Boy we sure miss that bike, but one can have too many toys if you have no time to use them.)

Eric, good to know on the "boost." When Dick and I were looking at them online last night he noticed the difference in the motors. He said the Honda had a larger motor and I assume that is the horse power thing?? Honda is really good product.

Rick and Helen, we thought about one like that but noise is a big factor when you're in Federal Campgrounds and we like to camp where the sounds carries quite a bit. The muffler you have sounds interesting though. The weight, well that is one of the problems we keep struggling with as I'm no help in the lifting department.

Again thank you all for your input. It will help us with our choice.

Patty

[richfaa]

The muffler is the standard "Camping" quiet muffler that I guess is on all RV generators.Don't know for sure how much it weighs but Helen can yank it up the ramp onto the pick up and looks to be about your size.It is bigger than you need at 6KW but got it at a good price. Those Honda's are quiet.I would probably buy a Honda now because of their size

[jrgwdenner]

For those of you looking for an air compressor, Steve is refering to the Coleman model that looks like its built for an RV. It's the size of a large brief case with a built in handle and all the tips you need for $99.00 at Lowe's. It stores very easily. We'll let you know later how it works. 125 psi, by the way.