Yamaha EF2000is storage

[DV0993]

Hi all,

I recently picked up a Yamaha EF2000is to (eventually) replace my Honda EU22.

Why? It was on clearance, it has an iron cylinder liner and no timing belt. Its also a touch quieter and meets my backup power needs (I argue based on my research, it may well be the best small inverter generator ever made... lol)

Question: As I still have my EU22 (for now) - Could I leave the Yamaha for many years in the box? Would this wear anything out?

I went to the trouble of breaking in and storing my EU22 before using it, but I did have one experience where the carb was a little "upset" despite using stabilised fuel and draining the carb prior to storage (and following the storage instructions in the manual)

Appreciate your thoughts.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Everything I have read says the Yamaha generators are very good. There not popular at all in the USA - likely because Honda has a much more established sales channel and sort of owns the retail market for premium stuff.

If your "saving" these for an emergency, then everything I have read says they need to run every once in a while. If you plan on pulling them out of a box in 3 years when the power is out hoping they fire right up - well you may or may not be happy.

Reminds me - time to run mine again.

 

[DV0993]

Everything I have read says the Yamaha generators are very good. There not popular at all in the USA - likely because Honda has a much more established sales channel and sort of owns the retail market for premium stuff.

If your "saving" these for an emergency, then everything I have read says they need to run every once in a while. If you plan on pulling them out of a box in 3 years when the power is out hoping they fire right up - well you may or may not be happy.

Reminds me - time to run mine again.

Yeah, I run the honda twice year but wondering if i can delay that process with the yamaha!

 

[SC Maintenance]

Yeah, I run the honda twice year but wondering if i can delay that process with the yamaha!

If you have one you know that works then I suppose its low risk. However don't you want to know it works before the warranty is up?

 

[Cujet]

The answer is easy. Use it and ensure it works correctly. Use VP-C9 fuel or Sunoco Optima, both fuels are much the same and for practical purposes never go bad. Put it back in the box with fuel in it, but the carb empty and be confident it will work many years down the road.

Great little generator! As is the Honda. You probably can parallel both of them. Although there will be warnings from many people that it can't be done, folks have been paralleling the EU and EF 2000's for some time now. Their larger cousins may also parallel.

 

[DV0993]

The answer is easy. Use it and ensure it works correctly. Use VP-C9 fuel or Sunoco Optima, both fuels are much the same and for practical purposes never go bad. Put it back in the box with fuel in it, but the carb empty and be confident it will work many years down the road.

Great little generator! As is the Honda. You probably can parallel both of them. Although there will be warnings from many people that it can't be done, folks have been paralleling the EU and EF 2000's for some time now. Their larger cousins may also parallel.

Thanks! Is it difficult to parallel these? Would you happen to know how?

 

[meep]

I imagine it will store just fine, you just won’t know if it works or not.

I had an EF3000, wonderful unit. Sold it with my camper and kept the EU2000. The 2k is small and goes anywhere. I imagine the EF2k is similarly nicely portable. Both should be long lived, premium generators.

 

[Cujet]

Thanks! Is it difficult to parallel these? Would you happen to know how?

The parallel cable is simply 2 wires and a ground that connects both generators (generally with a receptacle in the middle) (but with a 'companion generator, no wire outlet is needed as one of the units will have a 30A outlet).

Check out this guy! Start at the 7 min mark to see them working together.



The gen on the right is a 'companion' with larger outlet. So the wires between the generators need no outlet.

Here's a cable with an outlet in the middle. You can easily make your own with the 120V outlet of your choice, or purchase one cheap.

 

[dnewton3]

IMO the little Yamaha is a great unit, for the very reason you mention (timing gears and not a belt).

However, here's the rub with storing generators ...
The electrical power-head has magnets in it to generate the field when the rotor/stator pass each other when running. Under long storage conditions (no use), those magnets can actually lose their field effect; the power-head won't make power even if the engine runs. Months won't be a risk, but years most certainly is.

Years ago a friend got a "free" generator at a home he bought. I got it to run easily (little VIB BS engine), but it wouldn't make "power"; the field magnets were shot. There is a method to "bump" the field, but it's dangerous to do if you don't know what you're doing, and it's only temporary (you have to do it each time it's started).

It's far better for your unit to be run under a moderate load for maybe 20 minutes, a couple times a year. I have a generator that is about 30 years old and it still runs great and makes good power; gets started 2x a year and run under load. (actually true of all my generators; 4 of them).

 

[DV0993]

IMO the little Yamaha is a great unit, for the very reason you mention (timing gears and not a belt).

However, here's the rub with storing generators ...
The electrical power-head has magnets in it to generate the field when the rotor/stator pass each other when running. Under long storage conditions (no use), those magnets can actually lose their field effect; the power-head won't make power even if the engine runs. Months won't be a risk, but years most certainly is.

Years ago a friend got a "free" generator at a home he bought. I got it to run easily (little VIB BS engine), but it wouldn't make "power"; the field magnets were shot. There is a method to "bump" the field, but it's dangerous to do if you don't know what you're doing, and it's only temporary (you have to do it each time it's started).

It's far better for your unit to be run under a moderate load for maybe 20 minutes, a couple times a year. I have a generator that is about 30 years old and it still runs great and makes good power; gets started 2x a year and run under load. (actually true of all my generators; 4 of them).

Thanks for the advice. Suppose I'll start the run in when I next get a chance and run the honda while I'm at it, too!

 

[Ride_Red]

Hi all,

I recently picked up a Yamaha EF2000is to (eventually) replace my Honda EU22.

Why? It was on clearance, it has an iron cylinder liner and no timing belt. Its also a touch quieter and meets my backup power needs (I argue based on my research, it may well be the best small inverter generator ever made... lol)

Question: As I still have my EU22 (for now) - Could I leave the Yamaha for many years in the box? Would this wear anything out?

I went to the trouble of breaking in and storing my EU22 before using it, but I did have one experience where the carb was a little "upset" despite using stabilised fuel and draining the carb prior to storage (and following the storage instructions in the manual)

Appreciate your thoughts.

I would run the generator enough to get it through the break-in period, changing the oil as you go to get the break-in wear metals (glitter) out of the engine. Then store it. Doing this will ensure that you have a quality, working generator, running past the "infant mortality" stage. If something is going to fail on the engine or electronics, typically it will happen in the first few hours or not until many years down the road. Don't worry about the magnets. They use permanent magnets in these little inverter generators, which is quite different than the larger generator heads used on the contractor style generators. No need to worry about it losing it's magnetic field.

I recommend that before storage (or even during break-in too), you run a mix of gasoline that has fuel stabilizer and 2-cycle oil in it. I use Stabil Marine 360 (per storage dosage on the bottle) and 2-cycle oil (1oz per 5 gallons of gas). This mix will have corrosion inhibitors in it and will also coat the internal parts with a thin film of oil. Run this mix through the generator, then drain the tank and run the generator dry. Be sure to also drain the carb fuel bowl. You want to get all the fuel out of the tank, fuel lines and carb. Change the oil. Pull the spark plug and fog the cylinder. replace the spark plug. Then store the generator back in it's cardboard box. It should be ready to go when you need it.

This is how I store my Honda EU2000i. I pull it out every couple of years and it starts and runs fine. It does take extra pulls for the fuel pump to prime the gas through the empty fuel lines, but after that, it runs great.

 

[DV0993]

I would run the generator enough to get it through the break-in period, changing the oil as you go to get the break-in wear metals (glitter) out of the engine. Then store it. Doing this will ensure that you have a quality, working generator, running past the "infant mortality" stage. If something is going to fail on the engine or electronics, typically it will happen in the first few hours or not until many years down the road. Don't worry about the magnets. They use permanent magnets in these little inverter generators, which is quite different than the larger generator heads used on the contractor style generators. No need to worry about it losing it's magnetic field.

I recommend that before storage (or even during break-in too), you run a mix of gasoline that has fuel stabilizer and 2-cycle oil in it. I use Stabil Marine 360 (per storage dosage on the bottle) and 2-cycle oil (1oz per 5 gallons of gas). This mix will have corrosion inhibitors in it and will also coat the internal parts with a thin film of oil. Run this mix through the generator, then drain the tank and run the generator dry. Be sure to also drain the carb fuel bowl. You want to get all the fuel out of the tank, fuel lines and carb. Change the oil. Pull the spark plug and fog the cylinder. replace the spark plug. Then store the generator back in it's cardboard box. It should be ready to go when you need it.

This is how I store my Honda EU2000i. I pull it out every couple of years and it starts and runs fine. It does take extra pulls for the fuel pump to prime the gas through the empty fuel lines, but after that, it runs great.

Thank you! I'm one of those people that runs 2 cycle in everything; and did intend on using 2 cycle after break in

 

[meep]

IMO the little Yamaha is a great unit, for the very reason you mention (timing gears and not a belt).

However, here's the rub with storing generators ...
The electrical power-head has magnets in it to generate the field when the rotor/stator pass each other when running. Under long storage conditions (no use), those magnets can actually lose their field effect; the power-head won't make power even if the engine runs. Months won't be a risk, but years most certainly is.

Years ago a friend got a "free" generator at a home he bought. I got it to run easily (little VIB BS engine), but it wouldn't make "power"; the field magnets were shot. There is a method to "bump" the field, but it's dangerous to do if you don't know what you're doing, and it's only temporary (you have to do it each time it's started).

It's far better for your unit to be run under a moderate load for maybe 20 minutes, a couple times a year. I have a generator that is about 30 years old and it still runs great and makes good power; gets started 2x a year and run under load. (actually true of all my generators; 4 of them).

Is this true for the inverter units as well? They may be permanent magnet armatures?