Backup Generator - Yamaha EF2000Is - Thoughts?

What do you guys think of the Yamaha EF2000iS as a backup generator for my Leisure Line Pioneer stove? It is 2000 Watts and apparently a very quiet generator and a very clean power source. Great reviews on Amazon.

Do you think I could use this to power 1. my coal stove, 2. my sump pump, and 3. my refrigerator (all of them simultaneously)? I think if I could power those 3 things during a power outage I'd be set.

Thanks!
-Steve

I think Smitty has the 3000 watt version of this. nice little genny..

Those three things run intermittently, but I would think 2K would run them all at once. I wouldn't recommend cooking on an electric range or welding anything with it.

The Yamaha and Hondas are nice, not much noise from them. My Generac will wake the dead.

I have the EF6300iSDE. Kick ass unit. Yamaha is as good as it gets. THE best. I'd rate Honda a close second, but you can't go wrong with either one.

Mine sips gas - it's amazing! Only has a 4.5 gallon tank. I ran it for 5 hours during the last outage, & the gas gauge didn't even move! It's crazy! Carbureted too. Sometimes it sits for close to a year before I remember to test run it ... and it always starts right up after the fuel gets to the bowl. After each use I pull the panel & drain the carb., so that helps keep it reliable. Has all the treehugger BS on it which probably keeps the fuel fresh in the tank longer. One benefit of that I guess ...

Has a efficiency setting that sets the engine RPM according to the load. It's not real good with big loads - like when a big electric motor kicks on - but it works. I just let it run full tilt until everything in the house has settled, then turn that eco setting on. Crazy how little fuel it uses on that setting. Makes the well pump & oil burner struggle for a second or 2 until it ramps up the RPM's.

Also this is the quietest gen set I have ever heard in my life. When this thing is running full tilt in my greenhouse, you can't even hear it 100' away. Has a car-sized muffler in there - seriously!

The only thing I don't like about it is the safety stuff - namely the GFCI outlets, which trip at the slightest fault. That's good for most, but not when I try to backfeed my barn. I tried everything, but the damn thing trips every time. I painstakingly separated all the neutrals & grounds in the box, & still no luck. I was able to cheat it by eliminating all the grounds in the plugs I wanted to run. But that was a pain in the ass.

I expect to have this thing for years. I own several Yamaha motorcycles, & they all run forever.

For all 3 of those things you want to use see how many AMPs they use running. Then take each and multiply it by 3 (EX: 15 AMPS running x 3 = 45 AMP draw on start up).....if any of those items on start up is over say 20 AMPS I am not sure your Generator wont trip.....I would imagine those 3 items wont all turn or start up at once so really take the largest draw item and figure the amp draw and look at the max AMP/run amp output of your generator

I have a 5500 Watt Troy Built Generator and when my 30 Gallon Craftsman air Compressor (15 amps) turns on the generator trips because it close to the 45.8 AMP max......

lundys wrote:What do you guys think of the Yamaha EF2000iS as a backup generator for my Leisure Line Pioneer stove? It is 2000 Watts and apparently a very quiet generator and a very clean power source. Great reviews on Amazon.

Do you think I could use this to power 1. my coal stove, 2. my sump pump, and 3. my refrigerator (all of them simultaneously)? I think if I could power those 3 things during a power outage I'd be set.

Thanks!
-Steve

Do not attemp to run all three of these loads at once. You will toast the inverter in the generator. One must be very careful of what you hook up to to these small generators. 1600 watts max of resistive load. If you hook up an inductive load such as a motor, you must know the max amp draw at start up. My guess is a refrigerator, while rated at 1500 watts max, would toast the inverter with it's start up current.

A typical motor needs almost double the starting current as running current. If a sump pump motor needs 1200 watts to run, figure 2400 watts on starting current. Inverter type generators don't like peak loads. The Yamaha has a peak of 2000 watts, run of 1600 watts. Now if you have a small 1/4 hp sump pump, it might work ok alone on it.

You always need a generator larger than the sum of the connected loads to account of startup of the largest connected load.

Thanks for the help.

I am thinking I may want to shell out a little more just to be sure it's big enough. I am looking at the Yamaha EF3000iSEB just to be sure it can handle these loads simultaneously. This one is is 3000 Watt generator, with "boost" technology that can withstand up to 3500 Watts for up to 10 seconds.

Motors are not fond of inverter generators. Pure sine wave are better. Motors tend to hum with modified sine wave generators. In my shop I hooked up a simple electric cooling fan to a UPS that outputs a modifed sine wave and the fan complained simply by it's noise.

I would go over board and get a 7500+ running watt generator...There is a difference between running Watt and Surge watts...many generators list surge watts...not running...

Search for a Generator power calculator on the internet. Many major manufacturer's have them. While they are generic, they can give you a good idean how to size a generator for a whole house.

Take a look at the generators sold by Central Maine Generator. They have many sizes, brands and fuel types. Especially interesting are the tri-fuel (gas,propane,natural gas) Yamaha ones. Looks like they modify a factory unit for the tri-fuel. Unless you have a great need to lug your generator around and the reduced weight would be a great plus, don't buy an inverter style. A common alternator generator is what you want for most home power backup generators. They are also cheaper than inverter styles. Think long and hard about the fuel type. Will you have good fuel on hand when you really need it? There is no one right answer. Try and choose the fuel type that you normally use for some other purpose, e.g. diesel if you have an oil burner, propane if you have a propane furnace, etc. There is a wattage calculator on Central Maine Generator's web site.

Edit forgot the link: http://www.generatorsales.com/

Thanks Yanche.

I took a look at the Central Maine site and used their calculator - a little less than 3000 Watts average looks like it would make sense for me. The tri-fuel is a cool idea, but I don't have or use anything but gasoline so that should work fine.

What I liked about the inverter style Yamahas is that it was quiet, fuel efficient, portable, and a reliable/quality brand. What are some examples of some good Yamaha alternator style generators? Thanks!

Edit: also, why do you recommend avoiding inverter styles (especially from a "quality" brand like Yamaha)? Just want to understand the pros/cons.

Inverter vs. Alternator style generator

Inverter - lighter weight
Inverter - quieter at low loads
Inverter - sips fuel at low loads
Inverter - more expensive
Inverter - uses electronics to make AC sine wave. Quality of wave shape varies brand to brand.

Alternator - less expensive
Alternator - runs at constant RPM, 3600, 1800 or 1200 depending on number of alternator poles. More poles less RPM, higher cost.
Alternator - tolerates overloads on startup better

My choice, assuming I'm not lugging it around:

Alternator style
Outside the home custom built sound enclosure.
Change the muffler to a quiet automotive style.
Outside fuel storage
Back feed wiring to entire house with mechanical interlocks that prevent generator feed if main service entrance disconnect is on.

So I could save about $1,800 if I switched from the Yamaha EF3000iSEB and went with a Champion 3,500 Watt generator. It has good reviews both on Cabela's site and also on Amazon.

It will be a little louder, but should do the trick, right? Your recommended setup (enclosure, tie-in to house) sounds great but likely isn't necessary for my needs. I just need something I can get out and fire up if the power goes out... I'd want to get it running to keep our heat on, keep water out of our basement, and keep our food from spoiling.

Thoughts on the Champion?

lundys wrote:I'd want to get it running to keep our heat on, keep water out of our basement, and keep our food from spoiling.

House lights and TV would be nice to.
My 8000w Honda is the alternator type. It rolls around like a wheel barrel. I leave it in the barn until needed. I feed it through buried wiring from the barn into the main circuit panel in the house, switched with a 30 amp CB, turned on with a InterLok switch controller. Total cost for all of this? Less than $2000.
It runs EVERYTHING in the house, as long as I keep some devices CBs off. Example: all lights CBs are on, all of the time. Well pump CB is on all the time. I turn on the Hot water heater CB only at night once everyone has gone to bed. In the morning, it gets turned off again. Range CB gets turned on when my wife wants to cook. Cloths Washer CB can remain on, it doesn't require much amperage. Count your Amps again if you goto use your cloths dryer. Etc.....