As you may have noticed I'm trying to learn from your combined wisdom before I buy a caravan and hit the road permanently over the next year or so so here's another question:
I've owned a few small generators over the years (and installed some very large ones) but my current 900W unit will not be sufficient for caravan use - mainly for an AC.
In this market there are two main players; Honda and Yamaha. Both make excellent products and I was tempted by the Honda EU20i but it's a bit on the low power side for AC use at 1600VA as is the very similar Yamaha ES2000IS.
Then I noticed the Yamaha EF2800i: 2500VA continuous and 2800VA peak (although no one states how long peak is good for but probably long enough to start a motor.)
The EF2800i costs around $2k and makes about 6dB more noise than the above two. It has the same 171cc engine as its more aesthetic brother the EF2400iS which produces 2000VA. I guess the EF2800i produces more power because its exhaust system is a little more efficient (and a little more noisy).
It has a larger fuel tank and is a little lighter than the EF2400iS due to its frame design and is around a 15+ year old design - so it's a proven design.
Whilst I'm not unduly troubled by the noise obviously I want something quiet rather than noisy. As I will, almost entirely, be camped well away from others the noise will not trouble anyone but me. However it's impossible to assess noise unless one can actually hear it and, ideally, make side-by-side comparisons so, after a long rabbit to actually get to my question - does anyone have experience of the EF2800i and would like to share?
Edit: because I confused Yamaha models - now corrected.
-- Edited by Mike Harding on Tuesday 28th of March 2017 06:59:04 PM
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"I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken"
Oliver Cromwell, 3rd August 1650 - in a letter to the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland
The EF2800i weighs in at 29kg dry. Add, say, 1kg for oil and 8.4kg for petrol and it'll end up around 38kg. As you suggest, not a trivial lift - my 100Ah AGM battery is around 28kg.
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"I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken"
Oliver Cromwell, 3rd August 1650 - in a letter to the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland
I am wondering what is wrong with the 2.5kw rated/2.7kw peak units at $500.00 on Ebay. What is the big deal on Honda & Yamaha at 3 to 4 x times the cost.
At 22-26 kg weight they suit campers much cheaper. Is more expensive much better. Love to hear from those who have such units.
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Cheers, Richard (Dick0)
"Home is where the Den is parked, Designer Orchid Special towed by Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited"
"4x250W solar panels, Epever 80A charger and 3x135Ah Voltax Prismatic LiFePO4 Batteries".
I had a Honda engine powered 1.8/1.5kva for over 30 yrs.
plugs/oil and 2 solenoids, that was it.
Gave to mate for $50 for his water pump for stock. still working.
Have a chinese. (Export) numbers ground off Honda now.
3.5 kw. $485 del.
5/6 yr old never missed a beat. 3 Cyclones now
5 days continuous last run. Yasi.
and every time out with van for Air,-cond.
As long as you check a bit, nothing wroung with "some" of the chinese units.
Honda DO export (illegally) to China. They just grind off the engine no's first.
I have one. (read up on net)
I just buy string start. electrics a little too mch to go wrong methink's.
PS Mate bought 6 for his site Chippie crews at same time. Only 2 calked so far.
They work 6 day weeks.
name==== Red cover, wth extendable handle and rear set wheels.
weighs. 37kg full. I normally pull it around.
If buying names. I'd buy the Yammie over Honda.
Only good thing they make is cars.
Honda Eu30is is a nice unit - - electric start and quiet. Works at a fast idle for most caravan applications. Heavier and bigger but if you have the carrying capacity and room (back of ute or similar , you would not be disappointed. Generally around $2000 second hand on EBay or Gumtree.Can also be converted to remote start.
We had the Honda2 as salesman said it would run our aircon. It didn't. Good gennie though, light weight and very reliable.
So we bought a Yamaha 2.4, which runs the aircon but only after we turn everything else off. It's a good gennie too. Quiet but heavier, and I have to get Lyn to help me load and unload it.
Aldi again. Sat 1st April have a inverter/generator for sale .Looks like it would do the job. A LOT cheaper and Aldi appear to have a good warranty record.
Coming from motor home owner . Think about location or fitment where geni can be installed in insulated sound proof and "safe " area from theft etc . In tug maybe ? Leaving solar to keep fridges going while away ? This cuts down big time on noise . The yamaha is a good geni . A common muffler works well although noisy . over the Honda with Vtech
-- Edited by Aus-Kiwi on Wednesday 29th of March 2017 10:57:31 AM
When I had Patrol and boat on roof of.
The loader had a swiveling arm I made up on rear L/H corner )gussetted)
Shackle and set of sheet blocks 12mm from yacht.
lofted genny and 15 hp Yammie Outboard up to swing into rear of car.
Now I have bars on Ute canopy for side awning and ???.
Same Swing out arm that has a rear bracing bar to opposite side of forward bar.
to reduce bar twist with load on.
Same blocks. lifts genny just the same.
Simple and easy fix.
2/3 ft of2/3mm wall 2x1in tube. with through pin one end. shackle t'other
and small occy to hold back when not in use.
>I am wondering what is wrong with the 2.5kw rated/2.7kw peak units >at $500.00 on Ebay. What is the big deal on Honda & Yamaha
A very fair question.
I'm currently using a 900W four stroke generator I bought from Aldi six years ago and it has worked well. It has a couple of issues; one is minor in that the air vent in the fuel tank cap blocks up but the other is somewhat more serious in that its ability to deal with a capacitive power factor much below unity is poor. Nevertheless I have certainly had my $350 worth.
The E-bay units are Chinese generic generators made to a tight price. Quality is a secondary consideration and with these sorts of products a return rate of 10% is often factored into the price. Additionally E-bay warranties can be hard and expensive to utilise and in 99.9% of cases once the 12 months (or less!) is up they won't even respond to your e-mail.
The next problem is spares: there won't be any! Some parts may be generic and others may be fabricated, if you have the skill and tools, but in the main spares will be unobtainable. Obtaining a technical manual will be impossible so if a $0.02 resistor in the electronics fails the whole unit is scrap. And that's assuming you are capable of fixing the electronics.
Having written the above... the gen. on sale at Aldi on 1st April which someone else mentioned should be better quality, has a three year warrant and will probably have available spares for a few years and I could buy five of those against the Yamaha EF2800i. But it will, I suspect, produce much more noise.
Honda and Yamaha have been making domestic generators for years, they have proven their quality and reliability in the market. I will still be able to obtain spares for the EF2800i in twenty years but, in all likelihood, I won't need any. The Honda and Yamaha *will* perform to their specification, they *will* run at full load for hour after hour on a 40C day and if it doesn't Honda/Yamaha *will* do something about that. They are a top quality product but you do pay a high premium for that but in this case where I want a gen which will probably see me into the grave and not give me any trouble whilst it waits I'm prepared to pay. For my 900W camping gen I am not. Like most things it's horses for courses.
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"I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken"
Oliver Cromwell, 3rd August 1650 - in a letter to the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland
I was thinking of the Aldi genie until I did a google search on its reliability. Seems the motor can be a bit tempremental!
I am still looking. I have the Ibis 3 aircon in my van and it seems that I need at least 2.6KVA to make sure it does not trip the overload. Supa Swift make a Gennie fpr about $850. I had a motor mower of theirs years ago and was quite impressed. Having owned a chinese car I am not adverse to buying anything of theirs that is sort of generic. All you need to find out is who have they copied, and get OEM from the original manufacturer when the cheap chinese unit fails. Cromtec is the other name that gets a good review but is only 2.4kva and a little dearer. Both are sold on Ebay. or use google
-- Edited by dirvine on Wednesday 29th of March 2017 09:43:09 PM
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David Irvine
Tugs: 2016 Discovery 4./2017 Toyota 76 GLX Auto Wagon. Van: New Age Manta Ray Deluxe
