Yahama Inverter Generators

[David Oxland]

There have been lots of good things said about the Honda EU generators. Any one anything to relate about the Yamahas or any other inverter types for that matter?

David

 

[Loren]

David,



I bought one from



www.yamahagenerators.com/



I have a YG2800i. It's the same as the EF2800i except mine has a GFCI outlet instead of the regular outlet that the EF2800i comes with. Right now, the above outfit (USA Light & Electric) is having a sale on this unit that includes free air shiping. Oddly, the YG generator is cheaper than the EF generator. I was told that it's because USA L&E sells lots more of the YG models and gets a better price on them.



I bought it because I needed one of a certain physical size to fit in a certain location on the trailer. I wanted about 3000 kw output to run the RV air conditioning. At the time, this Yamaha was the only one that fit my requirements.



We used it last summer and absolutely loved it. It would empty the three gallon (approx. ) fuel tank in about eight hours of running the air conditioning in our 32 foot trailer in the Washington, DC area in June. It has a fuel saver switch that allows the engine to run at a lower RPM when full power is not required. That feature saves a bit of gas.



When stowing the generator on one trip, I broke a couple of indicator lights on the front panel. I called USA Light and Electric and ordered the parts. They were expensive, but USA L&E shipped them fast and cut me as much of a break on the price as they could. Their prices are very good, and their service is top-notch. The generator arrived fast, and the service on the parts was also excellent.



I'd never used an inverter-type generator before, but it seems to be one of the best ideas in years. They are noticibly quieter than standard generators and should use less gas. This is because the generator doesn't need to turn at a given RPM to maintain the frequency the way a standard generator does. A regular (non-inverter) generator is turning at 100% RPM all the time, even if there is no load on the electrical system. My generator will drop RPM to (I'm guessing) 50-60% of full RPM when the load permits. Unless the air conditioning is actually running, the generator can "idle down" somewhat. "Idle down" is a misnomer; it doesn't drop all the way to idle, just something less than full RPM.



Our generator isn't even one year old, so I can't say anything about longevity, but Yamaha name means quality to me, just like Honda. It looks like a well-made generator.



Loren

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

"I wanted about 3000 kw output to run the RV air conditioning. "



GOD! That's GOTTA be some HUGE RV/air conditioner to need THAT much power! Must drive the adjacent campers WILD!

 

[Loren]

Okay, Gary. You got me. I didn't proof-read that post well enough at the ridiculous time in the morning when I wrote it.



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Loren

 

[TowPro]

does the "idle down" really happen when your RV is plugged into the Generator? I have a Generac with this same "idle down" feature, but when the RV is plugged in, the 12V RV supply draws enough current that the idle never drops.

Originally posted by Loren

David,



My generator will drop RPM to (I'm guessing) 50-60% of full RPM when the load permits. Unless the air conditioning is actually running, the generator can "idle down" somewhat. "Idle down" is a misnomer; it doesn't drop all the way to idle, just something less than full RPM. .



Loren

 

[Loren]

TowPro,



Yes it idles down any time the load is low enough. That is virtually all the time except when the RV air conditioning comes on, or when the electric water heater is heating.



As I said, though, it doesn't really run all the way to idle. Full RPM is 3600, and when load permits it will drop to maybe 2500 or so. It's not dramatic, but it is noticeably more quiet, and it uses less fuel. There is a switch to turn this feature off.



Yamaha recommends turning the "Economy Control" switch off when connected to a motor, or similar item, with high start-up loads. This reduces the lag between when the air conditioning starts and when the generator actually runs up to 3600 RPM for full power operation.



Since my generator has a switch, maybe yours does too. It might be hidden in some out-of-the-way place that you have overlooked. Or if the switch is selected on, maybe the switch itself is faulty. That might explain why your generator doesn't seem to have the feature.



If it's not something simple, like a switch, I don't have any idea what else it could be.



Good luck.



Loren

 

[bdaniel]

The Generac only runs wide open at 3600 RPM or at idle. Any AC load will cause it to run wide open. Only when there is no AC load will it run at idle. There is no in between RPM.



The inverter units run only at a speed to produce the power required for the inverter to power the AC load. They do not have to run at 3600 RPM when connected to an AC load. The RPMs of the engine have nothing to do with the 60 hz AC.



Non inverter units have to run at 3600 RPM with an AC load because 60 Hz per second times 60 seconds = 3600 which is why they run at 3600 RPM.



My Honda EU3000i sounds like it runs at idle until the load gets at least over 1000 watts. The inverter units will almost never run at 3600 RPM unless they are producing the max rated AC load or the econo switch is turned off.



Bobby

 

[ewcmr2]

My Generac (impact 36g) runs at varing speeds depending on the load.



Eric