Subaru Powered Generators
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Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone
The two generators I'm considering are a Coleman Powermate 5000 watt such as this:
http://www.homedepot.com/buy/powermate-5...0435005.01.html
The other is an older, but very clean Generac 5500XL with an 11 HP OHVI engine, full pressure lube, spin-on oil filter etc, made back when Generac was all U.S.A. made and built like tanks.
The Coleman is in my area, a little less money and appears smaller, more portable, probably quieter and better on fuel as well. The Generac is a long drive for me and much larger but would probably run for years. Don't want to go too crazy about this because my neighborhood never lost power until Sandy.
Nevertheless, that was something I don't care to go through again. One of the worse sounds in the world is listening to the neighbors generator humming along while you're sitting there freezing.
I have this gen which I purchased from HD. 6 years ago.
The two generators I'm considering are a Coleman Powermate 5000 watt such as this:
http://www.homedepot.com/buy/powermate-5...0435005.01.html
The other is an older, but very clean Generac 5500XL with an 11 HP OHVI engine, full pressure lube, spin-on oil filter etc, made back when Generac was all U.S.A. made and built like tanks.
The Coleman is in my area, a little less money and appears smaller, more portable, probably quieter and better on fuel as well. The Generac is a long drive for me and much larger but would probably run for years. Don't want to go too crazy about this because my neighborhood never lost power until Sandy.
Nevertheless, that was something I don't care to go through again. One of the worse sounds in the world is listening to the neighbors generator humming along while you're sitting there freezing.
I have this gen which I purchased from HD. 6 years ago.
I have owned honda, subaru, tecumseh, an older briggs, and a couple of chondas.
I like the newer briggs stuff better than the older. But I'd take the subaru any day unless it was the commercial briggs offering it was up against.
I was tinkering with a DIY belt-driven DC-to-AC genset idea a few years back and bought a smaller subaru engine. It was similar to a honda except it had more metal in it--- was my general experience with it. It was very well made. The ign even had a timing "curve" (it had a 2-step timing profile based on if it was above or below a specific rpm). Given a choice between the two.... it'd be hard... but I might favor the subaru.
My current genset is a yamaha. I have no idea what the engine actually looks like since it's all fenced in and has less than 20 hours on it. But it is in the pack with them.... 1-2 pulls to start after 4-6weeks of sitting. Smooth, quiet, low burn rate, minimal oil consumption.
I do not like chonda's unless they have some common-sense design screening. One chonda I owned had a specific starting procedure to make sure the kickback wouldn't rip your arm out. It was awful to live with, though it ran extremely well. But that was enough for me. It scared me to start it. Luckily it was free... and it became free to someone else as well.
The generac may very well be a chonda but with some design oversight.
In your case I believe either engine will outlast the generator head.
I like the newer briggs stuff better than the older. But I'd take the subaru any day unless it was the commercial briggs offering it was up against.
I was tinkering with a DIY belt-driven DC-to-AC genset idea a few years back and bought a smaller subaru engine. It was similar to a honda except it had more metal in it--- was my general experience with it. It was very well made. The ign even had a timing "curve" (it had a 2-step timing profile based on if it was above or below a specific rpm). Given a choice between the two.... it'd be hard... but I might favor the subaru.
My current genset is a yamaha. I have no idea what the engine actually looks like since it's all fenced in and has less than 20 hours on it. But it is in the pack with them.... 1-2 pulls to start after 4-6weeks of sitting. Smooth, quiet, low burn rate, minimal oil consumption.
I do not like chonda's unless they have some common-sense design screening. One chonda I owned had a specific starting procedure to make sure the kickback wouldn't rip your arm out. It was awful to live with, though it ran extremely well. But that was enough for me. It scared me to start it. Luckily it was free... and it became free to someone else as well.
The generac may very well be a chonda but with some design oversight.
In your case I believe either engine will outlast the generator head.
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Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone
The two generators I'm considering are a Coleman Powermate 5000 watt such as this:
http://www.homedepot.com/buy/powermate-5...0435005.01.html
The other is an older, but very clean Generac 5500XL with an 11 HP OHVI engine, full pressure lube, spin-on oil filter etc, made back when Generac was all U.S.A. made and built like tanks.
The Coleman is in my area, a little less money and appears smaller, more portable, probably quieter and better on fuel as well. The Generac is a long drive for me and much larger but would probably run for years. Don't want to go too crazy about this because my neighborhood never lost power until Sandy.
Nevertheless, that was something I don't care to go through again. One of the worse sounds in the world is listening to the neighbors generator humming along while you're sitting there freezing.
Hey Rock-I'm in NJ as well--if you don't chose the Generac, can you let me know where it is? Sandy bent me over the table as well
The two generators I'm considering are a Coleman Powermate 5000 watt such as this:
http://www.homedepot.com/buy/powermate-5...0435005.01.html
The other is an older, but very clean Generac 5500XL with an 11 HP OHVI engine, full pressure lube, spin-on oil filter etc, made back when Generac was all U.S.A. made and built like tanks.
The Coleman is in my area, a little less money and appears smaller, more portable, probably quieter and better on fuel as well. The Generac is a long drive for me and much larger but would probably run for years. Don't want to go too crazy about this because my neighborhood never lost power until Sandy.
Nevertheless, that was something I don't care to go through again. One of the worse sounds in the world is listening to the neighbors generator humming along while you're sitting there freezing.
Hey Rock-I'm in NJ as well--if you don't chose the Generac, can you let me know where it is? Sandy bent me over the table as well
I'm considering the purchase of a Powermate 5000/6250 watt model PC or PM 0105007. They are the same as for as I can tell except that one can be shipped to Canada. I need to know the height measurement. The official specs posted on every site say it is 22.8" (22 13/16") high. I need to know if that is with or without the wheels and feet. The manufacturer says that the posted dimensions are shipping dimensions reflecting the exterior size of the box. I will be using the generator for my travel trailer and will transport it in the bed of my pickup. My pickup bed has a cover that I do not want to remove thus the height limitation. I could buy a smaller gen but would prefer one this size so it can serve as a backup at home also.
Thanks for any information you can provide.
Thanks for any information you can provide.
Subaru
I have a Coleman Powermate 6250 Peek Watts / 5000 Running Watts with a 10 HP Tecumseh HM-100 engine. It was one of the last ones made before Tecumseh stopped making those engines.
Like many others, I found out that these 3600 RPM engines make enough noise to wake the dead. I added a small car muffler and while you can not tell any difference in the noise level if you are outside in the back yard it is running in, if you go in the house there is a huge difference. With the car muffler it is almost not even noticeable in most of the house. You can still make out that something is running if you are in the kitchen in the back of the house. But the noise level is not disturbing.
I had some carburetor problems and pulled the carb and cleaned it in the one gallon Gunk carb cleaner set up. I also pulled the idle air screw and blasted some Gunk spray carb cleaner through the small idle air hole on the floor of the air passageway just behind the choke plate, into the idle air screw hole, and into the passageways on top of the fuel bowl area. I also replaced the bowl gasket.
Now days draining the fuel bowl (removing it, empty it, wipe out any dirt, and spray it with WD-40), Sta-Bil fuel treatment and some WD-40 sprayed down the idle air hole after each run keeps the carburetor reliable. The ethanol in todays fuel attracts moisture from the air, and then the combination of water and ethanol turns into vinegar (a mild acid) and that causes corrosion. And corrosion in small passageways like the idle air holes, causes blockage of those passageways. Then the carb can't provide the proper fuel / air mixture, and the engine will not run properly. I have never seen any metal with a coating of WD-40 on it rust. And while I have not read anywhere of using WD-40 on these passageways of carburetors, it just makes sense that the WD-40 is a good idea.
I also have a Generac ix2000 inverter unit. Apparently from what I have learned by reading reviews, the pump on the fuel cap can somehow have the O ring gasket come off of the pump plunger and then the pump will not supply the required pressurizing of the fuel tank that primes the fuel system. So if it does not start (especially if using the pump feels like something is wrong) you can easily unscrew the housing of the pump and fix the O ring by placing it back on the plunger.
The Generac also gets the carb bowl removed, cleaned, and sprayed with WD-40 after each use, and of course the idle air hole gets some WD-40 after each run (before it is stored away until next use).
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I have talked to some of the tecks that fix these generators, and one told me that on units with a bearing on the end, like the Coleman units, that after several years the grease on the end far from the engine, gets dried out. And then the bearing over heats and either warps the plastic if it is a plastic end, or just has the bearing fail. So after several years of age, it is a good idea to clean and re-grease that bearing. The teck I spoke to said to use Kendal red wheel bearing grease. I could not find Kendal, but read that Mystic red grease is very good stuff, and it is available at any large Wal-Mart in the auto oil section.
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Another teck told me that people fry these generators by over loading them. Many people have no clue about how to add up watts, or about how many watts it takes to start some motors. And microwaves are a HUGE load for a few cycles every time they turn on.
That same teck told me of one person who repeatably fried the output of a large portable generator, by over loading it.
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One of the things I am very careful about is not over-loading either of my gen-sets.
Like many others, I found out that these 3600 RPM engines make enough noise to wake the dead. I added a small car muffler and while you can not tell any difference in the noise level if you are outside in the back yard it is running in, if you go in the house there is a huge difference. With the car muffler it is almost not even noticeable in most of the house. You can still make out that something is running if you are in the kitchen in the back of the house. But the noise level is not disturbing.
I had some carburetor problems and pulled the carb and cleaned it in the one gallon Gunk carb cleaner set up. I also pulled the idle air screw and blasted some Gunk spray carb cleaner through the small idle air hole on the floor of the air passageway just behind the choke plate, into the idle air screw hole, and into the passageways on top of the fuel bowl area. I also replaced the bowl gasket.
Now days draining the fuel bowl (removing it, empty it, wipe out any dirt, and spray it with WD-40), Sta-Bil fuel treatment and some WD-40 sprayed down the idle air hole after each run keeps the carburetor reliable. The ethanol in todays fuel attracts moisture from the air, and then the combination of water and ethanol turns into vinegar (a mild acid) and that causes corrosion. And corrosion in small passageways like the idle air holes, causes blockage of those passageways. Then the carb can't provide the proper fuel / air mixture, and the engine will not run properly. I have never seen any metal with a coating of WD-40 on it rust. And while I have not read anywhere of using WD-40 on these passageways of carburetors, it just makes sense that the WD-40 is a good idea.
I also have a Generac ix2000 inverter unit. Apparently from what I have learned by reading reviews, the pump on the fuel cap can somehow have the O ring gasket come off of the pump plunger and then the pump will not supply the required pressurizing of the fuel tank that primes the fuel system. So if it does not start (especially if using the pump feels like something is wrong) you can easily unscrew the housing of the pump and fix the O ring by placing it back on the plunger.
The Generac also gets the carb bowl removed, cleaned, and sprayed with WD-40 after each use, and of course the idle air hole gets some WD-40 after each run (before it is stored away until next use).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have talked to some of the tecks that fix these generators, and one told me that on units with a bearing on the end, like the Coleman units, that after several years the grease on the end far from the engine, gets dried out. And then the bearing over heats and either warps the plastic if it is a plastic end, or just has the bearing fail. So after several years of age, it is a good idea to clean and re-grease that bearing. The teck I spoke to said to use Kendal red wheel bearing grease. I could not find Kendal, but read that Mystic red grease is very good stuff, and it is available at any large Wal-Mart in the auto oil section.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another teck told me that people fry these generators by over loading them. Many people have no clue about how to add up watts, or about how many watts it takes to start some motors. And microwaves are a HUGE load for a few cycles every time they turn on.
That same teck told me of one person who repeatably fried the output of a large portable generator, by over loading it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One of the things I am very careful about is not over-loading either of my gen-sets.
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One of the things I noticed about the Generac inverter model, is that it pulls air in from below the unit. Therefore do not place it in grass. Place it on a board like a piece of plywood. I made a piece of plywood with additional pieces of plywood with holes for the feet to stay in, so it will not walk off of the plywood due to vibration. These second levels of plywood are added (with wood glue and screws) so that air flow into the bottom of the gen-set is not blocked. The set-up has several coats of varnish on it to keep it in good shape. On the bottom I added coarse cloth like the kind used under some carpets. That is also varnished so the varnish holds it to the wood. The texture of this helps to prevent the unit from moving on snow, or grass.
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Originally Posted By: chefwong
It's not just the engine.....for a genset.
The alternator, the circuit board....
Yup.
I live by Murphy's law. I have a Coleman 5kw/Subaru with the old style square alternator. No AV regulation, just a rectifier board with a capacitor. Picked up 4 sets of spare brushes ($19), New rectifier board ($22), and in the deal of the century, 2 complete endbells with rectifier boards for $24 shipped for the pair.
Better the devil you know than the one you don't. Those old Colemans have their weaknesses, but they are known and easy to fix should the need arise. No feedback on the newer style alternators. If something goes wrong with a brushless alternator I don't want to have to break out a soldering iron or pull off a rotor for basic repairs if something goes wrong.
It's not just the engine.....for a genset.
The alternator, the circuit board....
Yup.
I live by Murphy's law. I have a Coleman 5kw/Subaru with the old style square alternator. No AV regulation, just a rectifier board with a capacitor. Picked up 4 sets of spare brushes ($19), New rectifier board ($22), and in the deal of the century, 2 complete endbells with rectifier boards for $24 shipped for the pair.
Better the devil you know than the one you don't. Those old Colemans have their weaknesses, but they are known and easy to fix should the need arise. No feedback on the newer style alternators. If something goes wrong with a brushless alternator I don't want to have to break out a soldering iron or pull off a rotor for basic repairs if something goes wrong.
Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone
The two generators I'm considering are a Coleman Powermate 5000 watt such as this:
http://www.homedepot.com/buy/powermate-5...0435005.01.html
The other is an older, but very clean Generac 5500XL with an 11 HP OHVI engine, full pressure lube, spin-on oil filter etc, made back when Generac was all U.S.A. made and built like tanks.
The Coleman is in my area, a little less money and appears smaller, more portable, probably quieter and better on fuel as well. The Generac is a long drive for me and much larger but would probably run for years. Don't want to go too crazy about this because my neighborhood never lost power until Sandy.
Nevertheless, that was something I don't care to go through again. One of the worse sounds in the world is listening to the neighbors generator humming along while you're sitting there freezing.
If it has a Tecumseh or a B&S engine there ain't nothing quiet about it.
The two generators I'm considering are a Coleman Powermate 5000 watt such as this:
http://www.homedepot.com/buy/powermate-5...0435005.01.html
The other is an older, but very clean Generac 5500XL with an 11 HP OHVI engine, full pressure lube, spin-on oil filter etc, made back when Generac was all U.S.A. made and built like tanks.
The Coleman is in my area, a little less money and appears smaller, more portable, probably quieter and better on fuel as well. The Generac is a long drive for me and much larger but would probably run for years. Don't want to go too crazy about this because my neighborhood never lost power until Sandy.
Nevertheless, that was something I don't care to go through again. One of the worse sounds in the world is listening to the neighbors generator humming along while you're sitting there freezing.
If it has a Tecumseh or a B&S engine there ain't nothing quiet about it.
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