Generator

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Steamer

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Jul 15, 2008
76
Southern Vt
Thinking of getting a generator.
Any particular favorites?
Probably looking in the 3K to 5K range for output.
Cabelas has a 3500 watt one called champion on closeout for $299
Thanks
 
That looks like the one they sell at Pep Boys for $399.00. It will work but don't get me wrong, I would be concerned about the Chinese knock offs regarding quality, parts, warrantee and who would fix it when it breaks. At least a low end Briggs or Generac for a couple hundred bucks more will last for 10+ years with occasional use, and parts are available.

Bob
 
Watch the output rating on those cheap generators also,the rating that they advertise is a surge rate,the actual running wattage rate will be 500 or more watts less.The higher end generators give you an actual running wattage rate.
 
Also watch the duty cycle on them. Many are not intended to run day and night.
 
Steamer said:
Thinking of getting a generator.
Any particular favorites?
Probably looking in the 3K to 5K range for output.
Cabelas has a 3500 watt one called champion on closeout for $299
Thanks
Click to expand...
I have that model for 2 years no problems yet just change it to syenth oil when it blows up i will buy a better one but so far so good!
 
You didn't really say what you wanted the generator for.

For occasional powering of tools? Home power backup?

Beware, the inexpensive "construction grade" generators are LOUD!

We have one. Used it once during a power outage. Pretty much decided that we'd just as soon do without power. Even though we have 12" stone walls and ran it on the other side of the garage, it's still too loud to be running all the time.

We also have one of the quiet Honda (Eu2000i) generators for camping. Ah! Nice and quiet, can't hardly hear it in the camper. You can carry on a normal conservation within ten feet of it. Of course, they do cost more than the cheapies.

Ken
 
I expect that if you can wait a bit, that Home Depot and other big boxes will be having a sale on "returned generators". People will buy them for the ice storm, run them for a week and then return them. I dont agree with that concept, but Home Depot will resell them, sometimes after a "factory rep" inspects them. I dont think there is much to the inspection. One of the employees once mentioned that Home Depot backcharges the manufacturer for defective product and the manufacuturers cant complain as they will lose the account.

Neverthless it might be a good way to get a generator.
 
decide first what you want to run off of it and make sure you get enough watts to cover all that. We have a private well so I bought one capable of running 220/30 amp so that I can at least have water.

Also, electric utilities hate generators. They cause danger for their linemen when homeowners connect them improperly and pump power back out the power lines. Just somethin to think about.
 
An electrician friend that I know said to look at 7500W generators (running our house off it). Install could run $600-800 if he does it, but that's probably including a transfer switch etc, which do cost a bit. I would like one that I could run my Lincoln AC/DC tombstone off of as well. Any recomendations? Should I sell the wedler and buy a welder/generator package?
 
I own the champion power equipment 3000 watt genset and love it. CPE is an american company and has been great for parts and support. True, the generators are made somewhere across the water but so are most. Several companies, including Onan/cummins, sell the champion genset with their name stuck on it. Pretty funny to see the same exact genset sold that way. They are great.

The RV folks love them the most since they are extremely quiet and dependable. Plus you can pick them up and set them in your pickup easily. The 3000 watt geneset has enough balls to run the typical RV air conditioning unit so folks in the RV world have been using them for awhile. Very clean sine wave on the power output.

Also, the genset puts out 220 volts which is critical for those of us using them as home backup generators. I plug my champion into the house through my tranfer panel and choose which devices to disable so that I don't overload the genset. Things like electric water heaters and hot tubs will overload it. Fuel consumption is low and the things are super quiet.

If I only needed 110 volt power and I had 600 extra dollars then I would buy the honda eu2000i, they're great. You can buy three of the champions fo rthe cost of one honda. I got mine at schucks for like 249 a couple of years back. Seriously if 3000 watts is enough power then get the Champion. The honda 3000 is super expensive.

You can even buy a propane conversion kit for it.
 
Adios Pantalones said:
Any recomendations? Should I sell the wedler and buy a welder/generator package?
Click to expand...

I **heard** that the welder/generator types tend to be noisy/spikey and may put electronics gear at risk.

Ken
 
Highbeam said:
I own the champion power equipment 3000 watt genset and love it. CPE is an american company and has been great for parts and support. True, the generators are made somewhere across the water but so are most. Several companies, including Onan/cummins, sell the champion genset with their name stuck on it. Pretty funny to see the same exact genset sold that way. They are great.

The RV folks love them the most since they are extremely quiet and dependable. Plus you can pick them up and set them in your pickup easily. The 3000 watt geneset has enough balls to run the typical RV air conditioning unit so folks in the RV world have been using them for awhile. Very clean sine wave on the power output.

Also, the genset puts out 220 volts which is critical for those of us using them as home backup generators. I plug my champion into the house through my tranfer panel and choose which devices to disable so that I don't overload the genset. Things like electric water heaters and hot tubs will overload it. Fuel consumption is low and the things are super quiet.

If I only needed 110 volt power and I had 600 extra dollars then I would buy the honda eu2000i, they're great. You can buy three of the champions fo rthe cost of one honda. I got mine at schucks for like 249 a couple of years back. Seriously if 3000 watts is enough power then get the Champion. The honda 3000 is super expensive.

You can even buy a propane conversion kit for it.
Click to expand...
Thats all good to hear havent had to use mine much but always gets the job done I have less than 10 hrs. in two years on mine.
 
If you want one that will serve double duty for camping, look at quiet generators. Hondas used to be the only choice, however, there are now a broader range, including Yamaha, Subaru and Kipor. I have two generators, a smaller, quiet Honda and a larger, noisier Porter Cable on a wheel set. I know people who have a large Kipor with electronic start and they are very happy with it. Remember, the highest wattage rating is probably not equivalent to the normal running load so make sure the normal load is adequate for your needs. You also need to "exercise" your generator monthly once you begin operating it.
 
Steamer said:
Thinking of getting a generator.
Any particular favorites?
Probably looking in the 3K to 5K range for output.
Cabelas has a 3500 watt one called champion on closeout for $299
Thanks
Click to expand...

You didn't mention what you want to use it for. None of the cheaper portable AC generators make the same type of power as comes from the grid. For most things, you'll never notice the difference. But for some things, especially battery chargers, the portables either work awful, or don't work at all. The exception is the inverter DC generators like Honda and Yamaha sell -but they're pricey - not cheap. They work better because they make DC, not AC, and then send that DC current through a full-wave inverter to make a clean 120 VAC output.

On the subject of cheap generators - I bought two new 3250 watt generators from Aldis for $199 each. I didn't need them but could not resist the deal. Some of these Chinese knock-offs are very good quality - some are not - it's a crap shoot. I'll add that with several namebrand US built generators - parts support is just as bad as Chinese stuff.

I ran one of the Aldis gens for three days straight, non-stop (lent it to a neighbor). I am very impressed with it. Has a 6.5 horse, overhead valve engine and is very quiet.
 
as others have said, it all depends what you are aiming for

want reliable quiet back-up that will run things that need clean power (any complex electronic device), is relatively lightweight for its power capability, and you want something that will last and work well and have parts available 20 years later? get a honda inverter type

want cheap but sorta decent if you don't run it a lot get a coleman

want something that is a solid back-up that will come on automatically, and again, be good and have parts for 20 years? get a kohler

like to work on machinery and willing to really blueprint something - go to central maine diesel and look at their "Lister type" ones - especially the 1800 rpm ones- if you get a good one and check it over and iron out any little oddities before you run it a lot, it will run for a long time, on little fuel, and survive a anything short of a bomblast
 
jdemaris said:
Steamer said:
Thinking of getting a generator.
Any particular favorites?
Probably looking in the 3K to 5K range for output.
Cabelas has a 3500 watt one called champion on closeout for $299
Thanks
Click to expand...

You didn't mention what you want to use it for. None of the cheaper portable AC generators make the same type of power as comes from the grid. For most things, you'll never notice the difference. But for some things, especially battery chargers, the portables either work awful, or don't work at all. The exception is the inverter DC generators like Honda and Yamaha sell -but they're pricey - not cheap. They work better because they make DC, not AC, and then send that DC current through a full-wave inverter to make a clean 120 VAC output.

On the subject of cheap generators - I bought two new 3250 watt generators from Aldis for $199 each. I didn't need them but could not resist the deal. Some of these Chinese knock-offs are very good quality - some are not - it's a crap shoot. I'll add that with several namebrand US built generators - parts support is just as bad as Chinese stuff.

I ran one of the Aldis gens for three days straight, non-stop (lent it to a neighbor). I am very impressed with it. Has a 6.5 horse, overhead valve engine and is very quiet.
Click to expand...

I would be willing to bet that the "Aldis" is just the same chinese genset that the Champion is. They're all the same 6.5 HP OHV, with the car looking muffler.

To get a Honda equivalent to the Champion, that is 3000 watt and 220 volt, you'll need the 3000 watt Honda and that is not light or cheap. The big 3000 is super huge compared to the very nice 2000 watt model that Honda makes. The eu2000i from honda is light like a lunchbox and extremely quiet. Really a revolutionary genset but not enough to replace a 3000 watt 220 volt genset.
 
I agree that it depends what you'll need it for. You don't want to spend a fortune for occasional light duty use.

I've run a 5000watt honda for the past 5 years and I can say that for heavy use and in extreme weather conditions it has performed flawlessly. Starts with a soft pull at below 0 temps no problem.

I used it to build my home and continue to use it for heavy construction use. I run my table saw, jointer, all hand-held tools and compressor off it. You can use it on a job site powering multiple tools which many of the cheaper generators won't do or may burn out your tools powering them. I also use it to charge the battery bank in my off grid system running it on average about 5 hours at a pop on full every two weeks between nov. and feb. We're multitasking during these charging events doing wash and dry loads or running projects in the wood shop.

It wasn't cheap but reliability and performance never is. My biggest problem is that after you pay the big honda price tag they continue to nail you if you need any parts. No after-market and honda parts are steep. Luckily, I haven't had to buy any parts for the generator but my snowblower has needed some replacements and it hurts.
 
For those of us with tractors........can you even by a three point hitch mounted, PTO driven gen-set as cheap as those Champions?
Was thinking about adding one "just in case". I know from other posts a lot of people think it's crazy to use a tractor to power such things as generators and wood splitters but I think they're design to run so I use it where every I can. Cuts down on the power plants I need to maintain.
 
Green Mtn Boy said:
For those of us with tractors........can you even by a three point hitch mounted, PTO driven gen-set as cheap as those Champions?
Was thinking about adding one "just in case". I know from other posts a lot of people think it's crazy to use a tractor to power such things as generators and wood splitters but I think they're design to run so I use it where every I can. Cuts down on the power plants I need to maintain.
Click to expand...

PTO generator is nice to have around; I've got two. You just have to been mindful of the RPMs or the voltage and cycles can go wacky. A few years back, I was on the computer when the entire house and farm was powered by a PTO gen. For some reason, my teenage son was fooling around outside and revved the tractor way up above PTO speed. All the lights in the house got reallly bright - but other than that - all still worked OK including TV and computers.

I see you're in northern Vermont. I used to live up there - 30 plus years ago - in the little town of Albany, near Barton, and maybe 20 miles south of Canada and big Megog lake. I kind of miss the Northeast Kingdom, but I assume it's changed a bit since I lived there.
 
The PTO generators cost about 3 times the cost of the champion by the time you get a shaft on them. Apples and oranges though since the PTO generators are usually much higher output. So on a cost per watt basis they are cheaper. My 30 HP tractor could run a 15Kw generator but it would be screaming along at PTO speed to do it and not gurgling along at 1200 as I would like.

You can buy a prince PTO hydraulic pump for about 500$ that would make one heck of a log splitter.
 
jdemaris said:
Green Mtn Boy said:
For those of us with tractors........can you even by a three point hitch mounted, PTO driven gen-set as cheap as those Champions?
Was thinking about adding one "just in case". I know from other posts a lot of people think it's crazy to use a tractor to power such things as generators and wood splitters but I think they're design to run so I use it where every I can. Cuts down on the power plants I need to maintain.
Click to expand...

PTO generator is nice to have around; I've got two. You just have to been mindful of the RPMs or the voltage and cycles can go wacky. A few years back, I was on the computer when the entire house and farm was powered by a PTO gen. For some reason, my teenage son was fooling around outside and revved the tractor way up above PTO speed. All the lights in the house got reallly bright - but other than that - all still worked OK including TV and computers.

I see you're in northern Vermont. I used to live up there - 30 plus years ago - in the little town of Albany, near Barton, and maybe 20 miles south of Canada and big Megog lake. I kind of miss the Northeast Kingdom, but I assume it's changed a bit since I lived there.
Click to expand...

I live about 20 minutes south west of Albany. I'm not sure that area has changed to awfully much. Still pretty rural. The area I line in (Morrisville - Stowe) has seen a lot of growth since I was a boy. Still a fair amount of open land though.....just the price went crazy in the last 5-8 years. Things may change with the current economics but I'm guessing it won't drop too much.
 
I inherited from my father a Wheel Horse / Generac unit - 5500 watts out (6250 surge IIRC) B&S;engine (one of the newer designs) in a roll cage w/ a detachable fuel tank on top, and big wheels to move it around with... 30A 220v twistlock and 4x 110v standard output sockets...

I've used it a couple of times under light loads, and just loaned it to a friend in NH who was still out after we got our power back, and it's been pretty good - started right up every time and ran good, didn't use huge amounts of gas, and wasn't intolerably noisy (but it was definitely loud) - not a bad unit, though I don't know how long it will last, however for a backup generator it's probably quite adequate.

I put Stabil in the fuel tank, and figure on replacing the gas every 6-9 months - I also shut off the gas after disconnecting the load and let the carb run dry so it doesn't sit with gas in the carb. I feel that if you do this, there is no real need for periodic "exercising" - though it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to test it if the weatherman says there is a hurricane or other major nasty weather coming...

Also as a side note, you can get LP / Natural gas conversion kits for just about ANY generator, all it takes is money....

Gooserider
 
Adios Pantalones said:
An electrician friend that I know said to look at 7500W generators (running our house off it). Install could run $600-800 if he does it, but that's probably including a transfer switch etc, which do cost a bit. I would like one that I could run my Lincoln AC/DC tombstone off of as well. Any recomendations? Should I sell the wedler and buy a welder/generator package?
Click to expand...
I went through the same dilemma and decided on a "portable" welder generator. Mine is made by thermalarc and has a Honda engine and is very quiet, especially compared to my tecumseh powered 5500/6750 watt generator. On my generator I tried to make it quieter by putting a car muffler on it but it is still much louder than the honda powered welder generator. One down side to the welder generator is the generator side is limited in power, I only get 4,000 watts from it and it is heavy ~250#'s. I do get 170 amps which is fine for most of my welding and it is easy to push around the yard because it is mounted on wheels, getting it into the truck is a different story.
 
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