The Power To Be
I mentioned in an earlier post that our new home on wheels did not contain an on-board generator, as is common in most full-time rigs. After some research (gotta love research!), I discovered an interesting theme in generator world. Some RV’ers choose to carry two smaller 2000 watt generators as a means to keep their batteries charged when not connected to shore power. The generators are connected with a tie cable to create a single 30 amp connection.
The most common brands used are the Honda EU2000i and the Yamaha EF2000is. These two generators are very similar and either one would accomplish the same result, charging the battery bank in our home. They both provide clean, efficient power in a compact package, with low decibel levels. It was not difficult to find both good and bad reviews for both of them. The two features that differentiated the Yamaha generator for me were this:
- It may sound simplistic, but the Yamaha EF2000is has a fuel gauge and the Honda EU2000i does not. Yes, they only hold one gallon of gas, but I felt it was still nice to know how much fuel remained in the tank.
- The most damaging thing to any small engine is what the ethanol contained in fuel does to the carburetor. Unless you are able to always purchase and use non-ethanol fuel, you must find a way to protect your carburetor. The Yamaha EF2000is generator has a switch that allows you to cut off the flow of fuel to the engine before shutting it off. This simple switch allows the engine to burn all of the fuel out of the carburetor before shutting the engine down.
Ok, like I said, these two items are not major differences, but when you are talking about two very reliable, similarly priced generators, it was enough to differentiate the Yamaha.
Now, where to make the purchase. Betsy and I always turn to Amazon to compare pricing to local purchase options when we are ready to buy something. A quick Amazon search revealed the Yamaha could be purchased for $950 each. This seemed like a better price than the local retail purchase options. However, after reading a couple of Amazon reviews, I learned that when purchasing the generator on Amazon the warranty on the unit was not applicable. It seems Yamaha makes it a requirement that the generator be purchased at an authorized Yamaha retailer in order for the warranty to apply.
A quick Google search of local Yamaha dealers revealed Martin Moto in Boyertown, PA, less than 30 minutes from our home. After speaking to them on the phone, I learned they had two Yamaha EF2000is generators in stock at a sale price of. . . wait for it . . . $899 each! SCORE!! Yes, cheaper than on Amazon. I asked them to hold them for me, and about an hour later, I was the owner of another piece of our full timing future. Martin Moto was awesome to deal with. They prepped both generators with oil and fuel, and started them both. They also did all of the paperwork for the warranty. If you are in the market for any size Yamaha generator, or for that case, any brand of motorcycle, I highly recommend Martin Moto in Boyertown, PA.
