A-ipower SC2300i from Costco

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

• 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.

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!

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 can't do.

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.

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

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'.

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?

@R&V Spiker posted:

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'.

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.

@Azgal posted:

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?

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 all that's necessary. Or, if you're able to...maybe take it back for a refund. Costco is extremely lenient.

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.  

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 does run everything else including microwave, hair dryer, furnace using our 30amp cord. Could not be happier with this purchase.

Keep on camping....it's what we do!

@Dakota Cruiser posted:

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 does run everything else including microwave, hair dryer, furnace using our 30amp cord. Could not be happier with this purchase.

Keep on camping....it's what we do!

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. 

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....

@Dakota Cruiser posted:

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....

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 "Penguin" was a popular air conditioner because it was a low profile model.  But, it was a power hog at 14.425 amps draw while running.

You can be really FOOLED by Coleman's use of the word "MACH" in their models.  This particular 13.5K BTU "MACH3+" draws 13.1 amps while running.

On the other hand, the "MACH 3 PS" is also a 13.5K BTU air conditioner but as one can see in the "Power Saver" line (PS), it drew a mere 10 amps instead of the Mach 3+ shown above.  What a difference the fine details can provide.

This particular "MACH 1 PS" was a 11K BTU model and it appears in many recent model truck campers as the primary one installed.   It draws a mere 9.5 amps when running.   Easy for a 2000 watt generator to handle this.

Staying with the misleading "MACH" word, this is the Mach 8, a version that draws between 15.3 to 15.9 amps when running.

The Furrion is sometimes found in campers and trailers.   Their 15.5KBTU model draws 15.4 amps and their 13.5K BTU model draws only slightly less.