Power generator - need recommendations

Rafter-S

I need a power generator for use on the farm. I would like one powerful enough to run a 220V cracker-box welder. Cost is of importance--I don't want to over-buy, but at the same time, I don't want to get something cheap that won't last. What suggestions and recommendations can you give me?

Richie Rich

best advice I can give is a honda.but they are bucks delux, However with the new engines I think as long as you get one that has ohv it will last a long time and they are alot quieter than the standard engines.Try looking up northern tools they are pricy but atleast you can see alot of models and the specs.

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Remember,"your woman may not find you handsome, But atleast she'll find ya handy". I love that show..............

kaboom

Don't buy a Coleman. I bought a 5KW Coleman with a Tecumseh engine back during the Y2K thing because we live way out in the country. Of course we didn't need it for Y2K but I've tried to use it several times for power outages from ice storms and such. Most times the power is back on before I can get the #$%^& POS started. It usually takes about 20 pulls on the rope to get it running and then it will always cut off after about 5 minutes. Then it will start again by another 5 or 6 pulls (or more) and run as long as you want. Pulling the rope starter on a 10 HP engine in the dark and cold isn't a lot of fun, and I get plenty of exercise doing other chores. I have called Coleman's service # several times and all I get is the runaround from a smart-### who doesn't know his ### from 2nd base. While it was under warranty I had to load the 175 lbs of junk into the pickup and take it 70 miles round trip to the closest Coleman dealer who claimed he couldn't find anythng wrong with it. Like I said, don't buy a Coleman or anything else with a Tecumseh engine unless you just want an excercise machine. End of rant.

woodsrunner

Kill two birds with one stone and buy a Lincoln welder with a engine. It will double as a generator and it runs at a much lower RPM's. The lower RPM unit will last much longer with less maintenance. There are surplus industrial equiptment places where you can get it used if money is really a concern. Another possibility is a unit that will run off your tractors PTO, saving the cost of the engine.WOODS

will270win

Backing up the Lincoln! We've had one 4 ever and it reminds me of the energizer bunny.......still going. Make sure your devices are both ac and dc before you go hooking them up though, unless something new came out that puts out ac only. Whatever, suggest you check into the Lincoln.

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It has become my purpose in life to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.. will270win@aol.com ~Secret Select Society Of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets~

smokey1

Lincoln.

biggunr

You can't go wrong with a Miller. I use one on a daily basis and it hasn't let me down yet.

barto

we recently worked a job & were using some wierd welder w/a honda engine that we had to send to the shop 6 times in 2 months. (replaced the welder twice on warranty)both times the problem was the engine.ive allways been a big fan of honda engines but everybody makes a batch of lemonade now & then.i would personally get some testimonials before buying any of them. my personal favorite is a lincoln g-9.has 120 - 240 volt ac & ac/dc welding capabilitiesthese use an onan 2-cyl. power plant. barto

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the hard stuff we do right away - the impossible takes a little longer

will270win

Now I'm going to look for a G9. You said ac and dc, right?

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It has become my purpose in life to comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.. will270win@aol.com ~Secret Select Society Of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets~

idsman75

What state do you live in? My father is a sales rep for a generator manufacturer here in the midwest and his primary customer is the farmer. idsman75@peoplepc.com

Druupy

A budy has an Onan AJ-1 2.5 kwWith a broken rod. Called about parts, at least $210 and 6 weeks for parts. Is the hulk worth anything? Didn't figure it was worth fixin.

Druupy

A budy has an Onan AJ-1 2.5 kwWith a broken rod. Called about parts, at least $210 and 6 weeks for parts (rod, piston, ring, gaskets). Is the hulk worth anything? Didn't figure it was worth fixin.

Lowrider

We have a Miller diesel-powered welder/generator at the wastewater plant and it's a fine machine. Comes on a four wheel wagon-type frame and has a generating capacity of around 8 KW.

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Lord Lowrider the LoquaciousMember:Secret Select Society of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets She was only a fisherman's daughter,But when she saw my rod she reeled.

4wheeler

we use a miller bobcat portable welder at work. it also has a 8000 watt generator. it sells for $2,600 in my area. using it on a farm ,the welder may come in handy. keep in mind when buying, that if it is used to start a electric motor starting amps will be high and can drag the generator down especially if other things are running off of generator too.

Pup

A generator for use on the farm? Do you have a tractor to hook one up to? My dad bought a 25kw Winco that doesn't pull down the old John Deere that much. One just like it went for around $600 on a farm sale not too long ago. Kind of nice during an ice storm or lengthy outages to be able to light up the whole farm

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Politicians, like diapers, should be changed often and for the same reason.

sandman2234

Pup has the right idea. Use the farm tractor to sit and idle the power to the stuff you want to run. No maintance of a generator. The main reason is fuel economy. The tractor will run for hours on a little diesel, whereas the generator won't quit eating fuel in large quanities. Running a buzz box welder off of a portable generator is not the way to go. Running a lot of stuff for extented periods from a portable welder is also not the way to go, (although I do).If you have the powerplant, (tractor), just get the generator attachment. If not, a portable welder is the next best thing. A standand generator is the last option. However...to have 2 would be the best thing. A big one to run everything, and a small one, just large enough to run the freezer and fridge is the best way to go. I bought a 3 month old, "almost unused repo" Miller Bobcat with 8k generator for $1394. But I got lucky. Two days later the guy that had owned it, came back and wanted to pay off his account and pick it up. They called me and offered me a new one in exchange for the used one. Deals like that don't happen every day. Shop, find the best deal.

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Have Gun, will travel

turbo

When you say farm, do you have any animals?Cows, Horses, sheep, pigs, them type.If you do you may be abel to build yourself a "Bio Gas Digester", these are very efficient, producing usable grade methane gas, which can, be used for heating, as fuel to run a farm generator, and produces as a by product, called "sludge" which is a high grade plant food, which can be placed directly on plant crops, and produces large healthy fruits and vegetables.You can check these out by just pluggung "bio gas digesters" into your search engine.These are becoming very popular in farm operations, and money savers in the bigger operations that have lots of animal waste, such as dairies, and feedlots; they have and can be designed for a small scale operation, and in India are used among families having one cow, or horse for cooking, in propane type stoves.Anyhow, it's an interesting concept thats been around for a few years.

Lowrider

Been around lots longer than that. I run a wastewater treatment plant and our digesters produce plenty of methane. We fire the plant boiler with it and burn off the rest with a flare stack, just like at the oil refineries.

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Lord Lowrider the LoquaciousMember:Secret Select Society of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets She was only a fisherman's daughter,But when she saw my rod she reeled.

Rafter-S

Thanks for the ideas--they have been a great help. I will most likely go with a large portable welder, like a Miller or Lincoln. But I intend to explore the unit that runs off the power takeoff of the tractor.To answer a couple of questions: yes I have a tractor (81 hp John Deere), and we run cattle on-the-gain and raise wheat.It is good to have access to all the knowledge and experience in this forum. Thanks again.

legn4

Rafter-S, Just awhile back we had a ice storm & lost power. Went to Lowes and brought a Gentac 8 hp , 5500watt / surge 8500 watt, run time 10 / 14 hrs.Had all the 110v's on in the house and 1 220 v. item at a time. Less than $500 & should work good around the farm here to.