The Best Features:
- 1600 watt rated AC output, 2000 watt maximum AC output, 13.3/16.7 amps @ 120V
- Super-quiet muffler with USFS-approved spark arrestor - 51.5 dBA at 1/4 load
- Smart Throttle varies engine speed based on load - improves fuel economy and reduces noise
- Inverter system with Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) control
- CARB Compliant
EF2000is review - high quality and very quiet By trisailor
This is a very high quality unit, nicely designed. I chose it over the Honda Eu2000i because it has a fuel gage and is a hair lighter (2 pounds), and liked the styling better. Specs are so close it's a tie... the Yamaha unit specs a bit quieter in "eco" throttle but the Honda specs a bit quieter at full power. Prior to this purchase I had bought a Honeywell inverter generator (a much less expensive Chinese-made knock-off) from Costco which I returned, because I was unimpressed with the Honeywell unit's quality and noise level. While the price difference is major, you get what you pay for in this case. Anyone looking at the cheaper knock-offs should really consider that a 5db increase in noise level is a major difference, the way humans perceive it.
The most impressive thing about this unit is how quiet it is. Even at full engine speed you can stand about 6 feet away and have a normal conversation without raising your voice, or talk on a cell phone without undue distraction. It features an "eco" setting which tapers down the engine throttle and noise when full load isn't required. At half-throttle or less, from about 6 feet away it is about half as loud and amazingly quiet. I used it to run a 50-amp 12v battery charger and at full charge level the charger only required the generator to operate at about half-speed, and when the charger tapered down the charge level to under 30-amps the generator became so quiet I literally forgot about it. It is MUCH quieter than my boat's inboard diesel engine, and more efficient than running the main engine just to top off the batteries. I also used it to power a heavy duty 120v grinder and it had no problems supplying the needed power, even on electric motor start-up.
I got this mainly for charging our boat's batteries at anchor but I also wanted the ability to run power tools. The lighter 1000-watt inverter generators could easily handle the charging application but not the more power-hungry tools. Having the extra power also means the eco-throttle will likely kick in earlier and the unit will operate quieter. The number-1 purchase criteria was "quiet" because I don't want to be distracted by incessant noise or be a bad neighbor in anchorages. The Honeywell was not quiet enough in my opinion.
If generators are abused it will lead to regulations banning them, so an appeal to other boaters and to campers: Please don't settle for "cheap". Get a better quality inverter-generator unit that's quieter so you minimize noise pollution in get-away places. (Leave your "contractors generator" at home!!!) Also, please be considerate of neighbors and limit running it to times/places you aren't as likely to disturb others... and don't leave your boat or campsite while it runs and runs. We all like our electric conveniences, but if you really need 120v power more or less constantly you should either stay home or get a dock/parking space where you can plug into "the grid". It's rude to disturb others who are trying to get away to find some peace and quiet.
Negative: The unit ships without engine oil, so you need to buy a quart of standard 4-stroke engine oil and fill it. You will also need a funnel, and a pan to catch excess oil. There is no dipstick; you need to fill to the level of the bottom of the filler hole until any more runs out. It uses less than 3/4 quart. I think they should have included the required amount of oil, and a plastic filler container with a spout, marked to show the proper amount of oil to use.
Update 2/22/2012: In general still very happy with the unit, but checking oil level is inconvenient (you need to open the case with several screws) and changing the oil is a messy operation involving rags and clean-up because there is no neat way to capture the waste oil or overflow directly into a container. I think the next generation of this product should improve on that design issue and provide a dip stick or oil level indicator that's either externally accessible or located behind a quick-access panel.
Update 8/29/11:
Having owned this for almost 2 years now I would add the following:
1) I have found that it has enough power to run the charger AND the hot water heater's 120v heating element at the same time. It is near-max (running full speed) but doesn't light the overload light when doing that and the charger is in bulk phase. Nice when you're in an anchorage for a few days and haven't run the engine. Why run a 57hp diesel just to heat water and charge the house bank?
2) If I shut off the fuel and let the carburetor run dry before putting it away, it does not smell of gas with the fuel vent and fuel valve both closed. The maker advocates storing in a well ventilated area or garage, but odor from fumes is not a problem.
3) It's also useful at home during power outages. I have a larger much louder 5500w contractors generator that plugs into a 12-circuit transfer switch wired by an electrician, but as a courtesy to neighbors I shut that off overnight. I can use this Yamaha unit with an extension cord to keep just the refrigerator running overnight and it stays in 'eco mode' so it practically purrs. Also the fuel burn rate is extremely low so it uses a fraction of what the larger generator would use.
Have had zero problems with this unit so far.Super quiet and CARB compliant By Scott Kopper
This generator is super quiet and the engine runs really smoothly. It instantly changes it's operating speed just as fast as I can move the speed switch on a 1850 watt hair dryer I used to test it. It doesn't include oil and the angle of the oil fill hole is nearly horizontal, making it a little difficult to fill even with a funnel, but they did put a nice little drip tray right below the opening so it doesn't go everywhere. The gas gauge is really nice. Made in Japan. Their competitor (Honda) has some nice videos on their website demonstrating the sound level of actual generators running and the equivalent size Honda generator is very close in noise level to this one. Yamaha should do the same but until then, check out the Honda website.
Yamaha says this is CARB compliant on their website so I'm not sure why Amazon says it isn't. The label on the generator says it is a 3 on the 10 point California emission scale. Yamaha simply isn't making a big deal of it like some others do I suppose. This is a new model as of summer 2009. The starter cord is really easy to pull - unlike any other engine I've ever started by hand.Go Blue! By Matthew Harper
This little gem arrived to me in perfect condition. Kudos to Amazon for their quick delivery time. The genny itself is bigger than the pictures let on, but for 2000watts, this isn't bad at all. THESE UNITS DO NOT COME WITH OIL IN THEM. Go buy some 4 stroke 10w30 oil at home depot or lowes. Follow the instructions to put the oil in, fill it gas, and turn it on. The pull cord is very easy. Just practice a couple of times. You will love this generator, I promise. I will use it for my travel trailer for camping/fishing during the colder months.
Edit: I've had two EFYamaha 2000is generators since the beginning of Sept, 2010 and have mainly used them for camping. The first workout for both of these units was tailgating. I also have a cord that connects the 2 of them to make 4000 watts, more than enough to power your camper A/C (13,000-15,000btu) and everything else in the RV. However, it was colder on this outing and I didn't need to use both hooked together yet. I did bring both of them though and I'm glad I did- here's why:
The guy next to me brought his 6000watt Champion generator, which is construction grade, and told me he was sorry, but would be running it in the mornings. We were about 15 feet away from him. I said no problem, it couldn't be that loud. He then turned it on for me so I could see. WOW! That thing was LOUD. I told him I brought a spare Yamaha inverter and he was welcome to use mine because I told him it would be much quieter. He came over and heard mine running and couldn't believe it. The next morning we were both sleeping soundly, both of us running these awesome Yamaha units.
Here are some tips for those considering this generator:
1) Get some fuel stabilizer. This is not needed, but is nice because it stabilizes stagnant fuel that sits around during the winter months- or just longer periods where the generator is not in use. I use Stabil, and its sold here on Amazon. Put some in your gas can(s).
2) If a generator has been sitting around awhile, you need to run it periodically ( I will run mine about once a month for at least 10 minutes) to 'exercise' the unit. This will ensure that when you REALLY need it, it will start no problem.
3) Tie these units down when in transport. They tip over easy and if they do, when you start them up you will be greeted with a mess of white smoke (oil burn) until it burns off. Buy some ratchet tie downs. Bungee cords won't cut it.
4) Realize the limitations of a 2000 watt generator. I don't know how this got started, but someone somewhere said his 2000 watt genny was powering everything they needed without being specific. Then folks just assumed that they would get the same results. You HAVE to do a power audit for YOUR specific needs. What will you be powering? What is the main purpose of the unit? If you have an RV with a 15k A/C, one 2000watt will NOT power it on. Remember, air conditioners, microwaves, etc take pull a lot of AMPS to cycle on. Once they are on, the AMPS are reduced during the rest of the run time. The trick is, what will power these appliances THROUGH the higher amperage cycle? Thats why I bought 2 of them.
5) Buy a cable lock! Generators tend to grow legs and walk away when they are not locked down. This is more true when you camp with them or tailgate. A lock is not totally foolproof, but will deter the 'honest' thief enough to make it not worth it.
Yep, they are pricey. I paid about 2K for both of them. Inverters are always going to cost more money for several critical reasons.
A) They are labor-intensively constructed. That is, they are built to insulate and are very tightly arranged in their cases. The insulation provides a lot of the lower decibels you will be hearing. Good things just take time to make, and part of the cost is wrapped up in that.
B) Portability: This goes back to the tightly constructed package they come in. The 2000is model weighs about 45 pounds minus the gas. Try going to a Home Depot and lifting a construction grade generator. Not fun. The Best-Selling Yamaha EF2000iS 2,000 Watt 79cc OHV 4-Stroke Gas Powered Portable Inverter Generator (CARB Compliant) then to sell out very fast, if this is a must have product, be sure to order now to avoid disappointment.
