At work we've got a Porter Cable 5500W unit that we paid $750 for brand new.. it doesn't have an idle-down feature, but because of that it's got a 9kw surge rating. It has been far and away more reliable than the $2500 Honda EB5000 that it replaced and also uses less fuel. I'd reccomend it to anyone.
Recommend a home generator
- Thread starter BMW318tiCS
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CR tested generators in Oct-2006. In order of rating within category below
In the small category (2800-3600W):
Honda model EU3000is claimed 2800W tested 3000W
Yamaha model EF3000iSE (EF3000iSEB) claimed 2800W tested 2800W
Craftsman 30250 claimed 3600 tested 2500
Troy-Bilt model 30248 claimed 3550 tested 2600W
Coleman model PM0523202.17 claimed 3000 tested 2500
In the midsize category (4500-6600W):
Briggs & Stratton claimed 6200 tested 4600
Northstar model 8000TFG claimed 6600 tested 5000
Troy-Bilt model 30245 claimed 5550 tested 3200
Craftsman model 30298 & 30521 claimed 5600 tested 3300
Coleman model PM0545005, PM0435000, PM0525302, PM0525302.18, PM0545003, PM0545004, PM0545006 claimed 5000 tested 3700
Honda model EG5000 claimed 4500 tested 4400
In the small category (2800-3600W):
Honda model EU3000is claimed 2800W tested 3000W
Yamaha model EF3000iSE (EF3000iSEB) claimed 2800W tested 2800W
Craftsman 30250 claimed 3600 tested 2500
Troy-Bilt model 30248 claimed 3550 tested 2600W
Coleman model PM0523202.17 claimed 3000 tested 2500
In the midsize category (4500-6600W):
Briggs & Stratton claimed 6200 tested 4600
Northstar model 8000TFG claimed 6600 tested 5000
Troy-Bilt model 30245 claimed 5550 tested 3200
Craftsman model 30298 & 30521 claimed 5600 tested 3300
Coleman model PM0545005, PM0435000, PM0525302, PM0525302.18, PM0545003, PM0545004, PM0545006 claimed 5000 tested 3700
Honda model EG5000 claimed 4500 tested 4400
This one looks pretty good: http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.asp...tHome&pos=7
http://www.onan.com/onan/portablegenerators/generatorHome.jsp
It's from a well known and respected company. Note the 13hp (76 db) vs 10hp for most generators of this rating. Even derated 15%, it has more hp than the cheapies start with. It should have no problem meeting rated output at 5000 feet. My Subaru/Robin 3200iS, 2800W continuous with a 7hp engine has no problem with 2800W at 5500 feet. The inverter series on the Onan site are Subaru/Robin generators
Quiet costs. A 3kW inverter generator is $1800-$1900. For that you get clean, electronic safe power, and a quiet 58db.
Remember that you are buying a generator, not just an engine. The Harbor Freight model with the Robin engine is no bargain. It's one of the best engines out there mated to a junk alternator. I'd be willing to bet a large sum that all those reconditioned units are ones where the alternator gave up during he warrantee period.
Many of the cheapo generators put out a nasty waveform that I would not want to plug a computer or any other electronic device into. Check with the manufacturer to see if their generators put out something close to a true sine wave.
Ed
http://www.onan.com/onan/portablegenerators/generatorHome.jsp
It's from a well known and respected company. Note the 13hp (76 db) vs 10hp for most generators of this rating. Even derated 15%, it has more hp than the cheapies start with. It should have no problem meeting rated output at 5000 feet. My Subaru/Robin 3200iS, 2800W continuous with a 7hp engine has no problem with 2800W at 5500 feet. The inverter series on the Onan site are Subaru/Robin generators
Quiet costs. A 3kW inverter generator is $1800-$1900. For that you get clean, electronic safe power, and a quiet 58db.
Remember that you are buying a generator, not just an engine. The Harbor Freight model with the Robin engine is no bargain. It's one of the best engines out there mated to a junk alternator. I'd be willing to bet a large sum that all those reconditioned units are ones where the alternator gave up during he warrantee period.
Many of the cheapo generators put out a nasty waveform that I would not want to plug a computer or any other electronic device into. Check with the manufacturer to see if their generators put out something close to a true sine wave.
Ed
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
Ed, I agree you get what you pay for, but most of your gen ends come from over seas sources, plus computer power supplies condition the incoming power.
Joel
Are you calling me stupid
I bought the ebay one: Cheapie Generator
The Costco one is noisy. Indeed quiet costs. I'll let you guys know how it performs.
The Costco one is noisy. Indeed quiet costs. I'll let you guys know how it performs.
I ordered it yesterday. Got a Fedex notice it's in the Fedex Central Cali shipping center. Cool another IC engine for Amsoil oil. I wonder what vis it calls for??
Jan 11 it'll be here - I had a weird sweaty dream last night. Except it was cold. Very cold and no power. My family was waiting and my finders were numb and the generator was in a box in the garage...in pieces....I mean complete pieces, pistons, valves, shafts, and I had to go to China to get the windings done and ................. I woke up. I had disassembled the diswasher naked in my sleep.
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
Pablo, that's a decent outfit to deal with. Quick responses to phone/email inquiries, etc. Ours was delivered to the door in about 2 weeks [Buffalo NY]. It was packed well, not a scratch. Bolted the wheel kit and handles on, added oil and gas and it fired right up with the battery start. You will need a very tiny funnel to add oil. The oil fill if small and angled such that you need to tip it backwards. Also got my mom & dad a transfer switch panel and 30A twist lock cord from eBay. An uncle who's an electrican by trade, wired them up with a weather tight plug-in by their service entrance and they are good to go. Just under $800 for all.
Joel
Joel
very pleasant - JTK - what kind/vis oil was specified?
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
IIRC, the tag on the filler cap said 10w-30. It came with an unlabled bottle of oil and a basic took kit. Even the electric start battery was mounted and connected. No literature came with our unit. Only a single instruction sheet for the wheel/handle mounting procedure. Everything was encased, bound and taped in enough styrofoam to drop it off a building. It's got a nice big serviceable strainer basket in the fuel filler neck as well. The muffler/spark arrestor is about the size of what you'd see on a small car. The muffler is huge.
Joel
Joel
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
Now that I think about it... It may not have come with a bottle of oil!? Better off that way. I recall grabbing a bottle of pennzoil 10w-30 off of dad's shelf and using a tiny coleman lantern funnel to fill. The lack of included literature was a bummer, but it is self explanatory.
Joel
Joel
I ordered the Champion 2800 watt coninuous from costco.ca today for $430. That includes shipping and I live in the boonies so is a good deal for me.
We have had a couple of outages - the last being 24 hours. We got a little cold. Storm coming tonight with a snowfall warning.
I don't care how loud it is as long as it will run an electric heater and keep the freezer going for a couple days a year.
You can't beat Costco's warranty if it is a dud.
We have had a couple of outages - the last being 24 hours. We got a little cold. Storm coming tonight with a snowfall warning.
I don't care how loud it is as long as it will run an electric heater and keep the freezer going for a couple days a year.
You can't beat Costco's warranty if it is a dud.
JHZR2
Staff member
ACD are the only three letters that youll ever need for small ICs!
OK, springnr, you started this.
This Fairbanks Morse light plant is even better: http://www.hitnmiss.com/photos/engines/182.jpg
It's $1200, and looks to be DC. Add a proper transformer and an inverter and there you go.
Ed
This Fairbanks Morse light plant is even better: http://www.hitnmiss.com/photos/engines/182.jpg
It's $1200, and looks to be DC. Add a proper transformer and an inverter and there you go.
Ed
The darn thing didn't arrive yesterday. Fed(up)-ex!
Ok, so what's the break-in plan for this new toy?
Kill the power for 8 days and run the khrap out of it with Chinese factory oil. Not.
Break-in for an hour or so with Havoline, then HDD or ACD....until next power outage season....er winter.
Break-in for an hour or so with Havoline, then HDD or ACD....until next power outage season....er winter.
Can someone tell be about automatic voltage regulation (AVR)? Why some models have it and some don't, and what it's good for.
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