At last, a chance to look at something a little more manly than a wedding cupcake.
Today, I am going to take a look at inverter generators and what they offer over their standard generator cousins.
The inverter generator is becoming more and more popular over its conventional counterpart.
Why Are Inverter Generators Better Than Others
The main advantage that inverter generators have over conventional generators is that the latter have to run at full speed when they are on whether or not the output they produce is being used.
On the other hand, the inverter generator is clever enough to reduce its running speed to match the output required. This means it will run much quieter and much more efficiently than any conventional generator.
Inverter generator manufacturers have realised that noise reduction is one of the top priorities for the majority of their customers. So they have taken extra steps to accomplish this by the use of advanced sound reduction enclosures and good mufflers.
The power supplied by inverter generators is usually a lot cleaner than that supplied by other types of generators. It is this that makes them especially suitable to power items with microchips in them such as laptops or computers.
Inverter Generator Features
- Look for an electric start either with a push button or a key.
- If you need it for camping or when caravanning noise reduction is a necessity so go for some of the almost silent generators on the market.
- If you need to charge a 12 V battery from your generator then you must have a 12 V DC output.
- Weight may be a factor for you and there are plenty of lightweight generators on the market.
- Ensure the running time from one load of fuel is enough for you. With inverter generators the amount of time that it can run without refuelling is dependent on the load placed on the generator. However some can provide over 12 hours of use with one tank full of fuel.
- Do you want to use diesel, gas or petrol as your fuel type.
So some of the above features will mean a little more to you let’s look at the model from Yamaha, the EF2000iS inverter generator.
The Yamaha EF2000iS Inverter Generator
This is a portable generator from Yamaha that comes in at under $1000.
It is capable of producing a maximum of 2000 Watts of AC output while sustainable output is rated at 1600 Watts.
Running time on one tank full of fuel is up to 10 1/2 hours.
The most impressive thing about this unit is how quiet it is.
It cleans the output so is more than capable of running delicate machinery such as laptops. You could even charge your phone or an iPod with this unit.
If there is an overload demand made on the generator it features a breaker which will protect it from damage.
Like most inverter generators it can vary the engine speed to match the demands made on it. This ensures that it is always running efficiently.
It’s able to recharge batteries as it does have a 12 vote DC output. Owners of RVs and boats will find it invaluable.
Weighing in at a meagre 44 pounds the Yamaha unit really is ultra portable.
All the controls are centrally located on an easy to get to panel which insures that the unit is fairly simple to use.
The Yamaha EF2000iS is a gas powered inverter generator.
It doesn’t come with an electric starter but it does have an automatic decompression facility which aids the starting process by reducing compression.
All reports on the web say that this is a very easy unit to start with only a slight pull required.
The only other fault we could find with this particular unit is that people found that filling the oil before first use was an issue, as you didn’t know how much you had put in, as there was no indicator. Some have recommended that this may be overcome by using a measuring jug when filling it up. However, it does have a highly visible fuel gauge. This unit takes standard four stroke engine oil.
If you know you are going to be using this unit continuously for a number of days then there are fuel extenders available which take the running time for the unit to 3 or four days.
If you are going to be storing this unit for some time without use then you may run the unit until dry as it incorporates a fuel shut-off file.
If you don’t want to run it until dry then there is a drain to take out any of the remaining fuel.
As when choosing any generator, you must first calculate the amount of power that you are going to need, when all the electrical items that you could need on at once are taken into account.
If they come in at less than 1600 Watts then the Yamaha EF2000iS could well be the unit for you.
I hope this review of inverter generators has helped with your decision-making.