Posted: 5/7/2007 8:20:52 PM EDT
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Just purchased my first generator and have to say I'm quite impressed. Starts very easily, and is really quiet. You can easily have a conversation in normal tones of voice standing right over it. If I had to guess, it's about 33% as loud as my lawnmower. I wanted something that was easily powerful to run my entire camper (mobile BOL), and could be used for BI or BO. Obviously it's not enough to run the whole house, but can handle the basics - just requires some prioritization. The generator has a built in inverter so the power is supposed to be clean enough to run things like computers straight from it, but I would probably use a surge protector anyway. I went ahead and bought 20 gallons of fuel to set aside just for the genny and added Stabil. According to the manufacturer it can run 8 - 12 hours (depending on load 1/2 - full) on one tank of gas, The tank hold 3 gallons, so I should have about a 3-3.5 day supply running non-stop. I plan to set some more fuel aside, but it's not a bad start. The one thing I should have done for the pic - on the other side of the cans the month and year of the furl is labeld with a Sharpie, so I can ensure proper rotation. Any tips from any more experienced generator owners? 
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Sweetness - IMO, the EF2800i is just about as close to perfection in a SHTF generator as you can get - Just big enough to run the critical loads, yet small enough to make a gallon of gas go a LONG way... The only suggestion I have is to invest in a decent fuel siphon for your vehicle(s). On any given day, you've probably got at least 15 gallons of fresh gas in that Frontier (Pathfinder?) that could serve as an additional fuel source for the generator - but only if you've got a reliable (previously tested) way of siphoning it out. Oh, and don't overlook the essential generator accessories: Plenty of extension cords and multi-outlet adaptors, several quarts of motor oil, a spare spark plug, and a security cable and padlock for securing it outdoors. |
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The best thing I did for my generator was have an electrician wire up an outlet on the outside of my house. Now, when needed, I plug in the genny and the house has power. Congrats on the Yamaha. They are a great company who's products are at the top of the line. My wife and I are in the process of purchasing a camp and I've chosen the Honda EU2000I to run it. The new inverter generators are really something especially in the noise department. Good luck and congrats again. |
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I talked to an electrician that can wire an outlet next to the breaker box for something like this. Actually he said he would run 2 - one for each "set of breakers" - I guess there is a "left" and "right" side but he said he would label them red and blue and then put a plug for each. He also stressed that the main infeed to the house had to be off when doing this. BTW, the truck is a Nissan Armada - a great ride, big enough to carry the whole family (wife and 4 kids - a whole "squad") and still have plenty of power to pull the camper. Thanks for the kind words - we have plent of extension cords and line splitters. The spark plug and extra oil are somethig I will pick up this weekend - good call. |
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Couple of suggestions: 1. - Make sure all members of your family know how to start and run it. I printed instructions and labeled the choke and switches on mine. 2. - Be sure to get on a regular schedule of testing it (i.e. - run it for 10 minutes every 6 months.) 3. - Test to see if you can actually siphon from your vehicle. Most new cars have anti-siphon screens in their fill tubes and cannot be siphoned. |
Make sure you don't just run the engine, put a load on it and run the generator portion as well. And I test mine every 6 weeks. |
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I personally do not TRUST those thin plastic gas cans... I would suggest rotating in some military MFC gas cans, or some made of steel. A Genny needs a lot of gas on hand as when you need it you may not be able to get more gas in the near future, until [insert whatever event here] blows over. And when you have lots of gas STORED AWAY, there is always the risk of keeping the gas stored safely, thus why I do not trust those thin skin plastic cans. I keep 6 MFC's in a backyard shed full... No worries with those cans. Rmpl |
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I have several different kinds of cans - GI metal and commerical plastic. I never had a problem with the red plastic cans. I have one that is easily 20 years old (although I would not take that can on a dirt road). You need to leave the cap open a little to vent the pressure or it will bulge to the point of bursting when it gets hot. I live in a dry climate and have not had a problem with water condensation from air cycling in and out during hot / cold cycles. I don't see a problem with using the red cans to store fuel for his genny. |
MFC cans don't need to be vented because they are tough enough to contain any built up pressure. If you leave the caps open slightly to vent, your gas will go bad MUCH quicker than if the cans are sealed due to the important elements in the gas evaporating. Those cans will work but once you have used MFCs you'll never go back. |
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I do like the idea of getting some MFC's, but for the time being the red ones will have to work. I plan to build / buy a storage container in my backyard (the neighborhood won't allow "sheds", but I have a good size fence and can build a low profile container to store flammables and stuff). I prefer to store most of my preps / equipment in the garage which is very large and well organized, but I have several propane tanks and 25 gallons of gas and I don't want that stored near the house. The MFCs are about half way down my priority list and unless I see a great deal on them they may have to wait a bit. |