GENERATORS - 2015 edition! Silent - Powerful - Light - Small - Efficient!

[OldCorpse]

OK, I might have gotten carried away there, but it's 2015 and I figure we're living in the future, where gas power generators are small, light, efficient, and most important - SILENT. Batteries don't cut it in some circumstances, and that's when generators come in. Last time I looked into generators for film work, the overall champ - for a 2000W output - was the Honda EU2000i inverter generator with the Yamaha EF2000iS a close competitor, both for about $1K. Unfortunately, I have not kept up with the generator news and developments out there, so my knowledge of what's available out there is pretty badly outdated.

So what's the current state of affairs? I'm thinking of powering lights with something that would be quiet enough under 80% load (2000W) from 90 feet away to be able to record a quiet conversation without picking up the engine roar. What does 2015 tech offer us these days in SILENT generators?

 

[gkantziper]

I bought a Smarter Tools AP2000iQ from Costco last month for only $600. It has the same Yamaha engine and all the features of the Yamaha EF2000iS which is rated better than the Honda EU2000i. I bought it primarily for power outages, but I'm sure I'll use it for work at some point.

 

[Magic Mike]

OK, ... I have not kept up with the generator news and developments out there, so my knowledge of what's available out there is pretty badly outdated... So what's the current state of affairs?

The big advance in portable generators is that Honda has incorporated fuel injection into their new EU7000 model, which replaces the workhorse EU6500. It is also possible to parallel two EU7000s for a combined output of 100A. Honda hasn't released their paralleling control box yet, but another company whose name I now forget has released one that will provide 120A amps from either two EU7000s or EU6500s (Honda's paralleling box will provide only 100A and is only compatible with the EU7000s.) I am sure if you google "paralleling Honda EU6500s" you will find them.

Mike Morgan

 

[crinn464]

In my opinion the honda generator 3000 is the best option for the power backup. It is a Silent and powerful generator that will fulfill all your power backup needs. I have also been using it from a long time.

 

[David W. Jones]

When I work on bigger crews we generally rent a towable when needed. For my personal use kit I carry a pair of Yamaha EF2000iS twin tech paralleled. These are as big as I care to move by myself, from memory around 48 lb. Anything bigger you need to add a crew member, or a lift gate on your transport vehicle. As an example, the above mentioned EU3000 is around 140 lb. & the new EU7000 which I would love to have, comes in at around 275 pounds. Not what I would call single person friendly. The other thing some folks don't understand. When you parallel two generators you can not run in economy mode. Which means these silent rated generators start to put out a nice sound. For the smaller single person setup using 2K units, I am not aware of any newer products technology wise, aside from cheaper "clone" generators appearing on the market. I would love to see what everybody is using now.

 

[Run&Gun]

I'm not shooting narrative or other large projects like that. If I need a genny outside because I can't get AC, I'm usually just needing to power an 800w or so HMI. I have the Honda EU 2000i and if you get it 50-100 feet away, you're usually good sound wise, especially if you can get something between it and you. I also had a 2000w pure sine inverter installed in my truck and usually have a few hundred feet of power in the truck, so I can make a pretty decent run, if I had to.