Tagged With "service"

I watched the video also and encourage you to keep trying and use a pry tool to assist if necessary. I have the older model and after the screws (no knob on mine) are out I have to pull aggressively like the person in the video to release the plastic tabs that snap the cover into place.

Thank you!

I just bought this unit based on good reviews from a fellow camper and it looks like it is good quality out of the box but I had a problem at step 1: remove the side service panel to add oil. There is a knob on the panel with directional arrows. I turned the know from tight to looser and finally removed it all together. The side panel it is holding in place is still firmly in place regardless of whether the knob is on loosely or off entirely. If anyone owns this invertergenerator please tell...

Thanks for the info and thanks for spending some time on this. I couldn't find anything either except a video that shows the guy pulling the panel down with his hands. No way I could do that as it is way too tight. I thought about using a screw driver but I wanted to wait until I had feedback from others.

According to the web, older models required the use of a flat bladed screwdriver to gently pry along the top. The manual for your generator does not mention this however nor can I find any mention after 20 minutes of searching the web. -TC

If you can't get it off...Costco has a great return policy. I had a ss BBQ and all the pop rivets rusted and it started to fall apart. Took it back and asked when I got it. I said a couple of years ago...they looked and looked...manager joined in the computer search. Found it. Sir you got this 4 years ago...no problem...BTW they have a new model out and the defects have been resolved. Had this BBQ probably 5 or 6 years now. Great return policy!👍

Flatblade i have the same genny and it has served me well (and fits in the dedicated spot in our 1685)

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately I will return this to Costco as soon as I return from my trip. The generator starts up easily and runs smoothly until it gets a load, any load, including one that is only 400 W at which point the breaker trips. The generator still runs but it doesn't supply any power. I borrowed a gen to make sure it wasn't something in the camper tripping the breaker and it is not. I bought the gen to charge batteries when needed but also to run a 900 W microwave which it...

Make sure the hot water heater and refrigerator are set to LP or Gas only. Auto on the fridge itself draws about 600 watts and the hot water heater about 1200. The microwave is 1300 watts…Battery charging and DC can be as high 900 Watts.

There is a reason Honda’s are the best. Even with the 2000 they had a 100cc motor. The 79cc motors most generators in that power range is not enough. The Honda can put out its rated power without stress and last a long time doing it. Quality costs money.

My e2000i for the first time failed to run the ac (I pulled all other breakers) at 8900 ft while in Greer, Az. And, you probably asking why would you run the ac that high…. I was Just curious. I do not have a soft start.

thanks so much for the reply, now I know why everyone loves their EU2200i Hondas! I do a lot of camping at 8000' do you think it could hand 1200 W at that altitude?

We had a 2k gen made by Smarter Tools which, like yours, utilized the Yamaha 79cc motor and it proved to be vastly underpowered, especially at altitude. Wound up having to get a second one and paralleling them together which was a PITA having to care for two gens instead of one. When Honda released the EU2200i with it's powerful 121cc motor, I jumped on it and sold the two Yamaha knock offs. Haven't had any issue running anything ever since, even above 6,000'.

Simple answer...yep! Longer answer is...if most of your camping is above 5,000', Honda highly recommends getting a carburetor jet made for altitude. Otherwise the gen will run on the rich side (air/fuel mixture). The only problem with re-jetting the carburetor is that if run at low altitude with a high altitude jet, it will run lean which can cause problems. Before giving up on the Costco gen, see if it can be re-jetted for high altitude. It's unlikely but that little boost in power might be...

Thanks but we are dry camping running both frig and hot water heater on gas. Our microwave is small, 900 W

If you are going to buy a Honda gen, you might want to consider their newest portable. It isn’t much larger or heavier but much more powerful Honda EU3200i.

Just for a visual to show how different models of air conditioners made by the same company draw different amperages, here are some comparisons I've run across and documented. In the pics below you can see how the "PS" or Power Saver models really beat the rest at amperage draw if you have a small generator. DuoTherm "13.5K BTU Brisk Air" models were common in older Lances. They drew high amperage, which is why 2000 watt generators just couldn't run them. 15.1 amps while running. The...

Thanks for the info on the Coleman Power Saver, I will have to look into that model will consider when the original needs replaced. Dakota Cruiser....

We discovered the same thing with the AC in our 1993 and our 1996 TCs. Those vintage air conditioners were power hogs and we couldn't get ours to start either. Once we replaced the roof unit with a Coleman Power Saver model, our little genny started it without even adding a Soft Start.

Update on using the Costco Yamaha 2300 generator. I purchased this generator in March of 2021, and so far it has given me trouble free power while camping, and at home. In that time frame we have traveled with our 1997 Lance camper over 14000 miles from Colorado to Quebec Canada twice, Montana, Wyoming, North and South Dakotas. Lots of dry camping and power outages at home, and that little Yamaha has never failed to provide power for us. It does not run the air conditioner in our Lance, but...

This yamaha has a 79cc engine. It may claim 2300 watts but that is not achievable from 79cc. The old Honda 2000 had a 100cc engine and the newer Honda 2200 has a 121cc engine. There is a reason the Honda costs more and in hard use outperforms its specs. From my perspective, which may be different from yours, if the genny won't run the AC I don't see the point in carrying it.

You did not mention which AC unit you have. But I do note that you have a TC and the AC is most likely on the small side. My local lance dealer is also Yamaha generator dealer and he cannot get 13.5's or 15k's to run on any Yamaha 79cc machine he sells.

The new Honda EU 3200 has been tempting me. It does have fuel injection. Currently I have two Honda's; a 2200 and 2000. The 2000 is in the serial number range which will pair with the 2200 (early 2000's will not). While I sometimes bring the 2200 when camping my main use of them is to pair them and power the house in a power outage. For that reason I have both of them set up with Hutch Mountain tri-fuel conversions. They can run on gasoline, natural gas and propane. It takes less than a...

The 79cc Yamaha generator that I have is a 1800 watt output, and with the addition of a soft start, it runs the AC just fine, thank you Costco.

I have a Generac GP3000i, which I've owned for about three years that cost at the time about a grand and wouldn't buy it again (it hasn't been a total failure when needed). If it sets with gas in it for too long it wont run. If its at altitude above 5k feet, nope! Whatever you are thinking about getting, try hard to get one with fuel injection. I understand Honda has a kit for changing the jet on the carb, but who wants to do that?

Yes the AC that came with my Lance is a 11k, at the time Lance only offered a 11k or 13.5k as options, so adding a soft start to the 11k it runs fine. The AC has 3 settings, lo, med and hi, have never used anything but the lo setting.

I'm stuck with my GP3000i. I live at 3k altitude, so if needed it should work. I say should work because as you mention I too run the thing until it stops, but that doesn't really mean it's dry, at least not for me. Take care!

Is there a chance that it has an accessible screw on the bottom of the bowl that will let you drain the remaining fuel? The Honda has one. One other thing to do is to store it with gasoline in it and not run it dry. I do that with my riding mower and pressure washer. I just run a heavy concentration of SeaFoam in the gas tanks (about 2 oz per gallon) and make sure it has run long enough with the SeaFoam that the carb is left with SeaFoam treated gas. Both start up immediately come spring...

Gasoline apparently degrades to a varnish-like substance that eventually will clog carburetor if left in the carb, tank or fuel lines for an extended time. I’ve found that using Stabil fuel stabilizer extends the life of the stored fuel. Even when stabilized gas can still attack seals and fuel lines if left for long periods. With a generator (or any small gas engine), when done using the device, disconnect the load and turn off the fuel valve until the engine runs the fuel line and carb dry.