YAMAHA EF1000is Generator Maintenance

I have the Yamaha EF1000is here in Australia. They are one of a few generators that Yamaha still produce in their Kakegawa Factory in Shizuoka, in Japan. It is absolutely the 5 star diamond standard in small inverter gasoline generators. Honda's are all Made in Thailand now and have suffered from declining quality. Although I am not in Alaska, our winters can still hit -5 to -10 Celcius. I always keep mine ready to go because most of our needs when we get power outages are generally during Winter. I use 98 octane fuel and keep it filled to the very top up to the cap and wind the cap lock in to seal the tank. I run it up to temp every 3 months even if not required and change the oil once a year with Yamaha OEM oil. And I also turn off the fuel supply valve after every cycle. Mine starts on 3rd pull and I start it with the ECO setting on. These are getting very expensive now at nearly AU$2,000.00 a piece! Cheers.

I also might add that it's not a good idea buying the "Harbour Freight" cheap generators as none here even pass Australian safety standards! You generally get what you pay for. A couple years ago I purchased a Honda generator from a deceased estate. It was Made in Japan in 1965 (when I was 6 years of age) and is in perfect cosmetic and running order. It is an E300 (300 watts) and I doubt the original owner used it for more than a few dozen hours judging by it's condition. LOL I paid AU$50.00 for it and it still runs like a dream. I restore and repair Husqvarna chainsaws for enjoyment in my retirement and my friends all get a kick out of the little metal Honda generator!