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Recommended Generator..?
telohf
Member Posts: 912 ✭✭
Does anyone have any experience with a good generator? I live on the Oregon Coast where 70+mph winds are not uncommon. The power goes out at least 1 time every year. I am looking to have it hard wired into the house to run the essential things like freezer/oven ect. Who makes the best(most reliable)generator that don't cost a fortune? thanks for your time.
Comments
Many people will say you are just paying for the name when you buy a Honda. Well they are 100% right. The reason they have the name is because of what they are. Take apart a Honda and another machine and compare what is inside and you will KNOW why there is a difference.
Well there is Honda, then Honda, then of course Honda. This is assuming you are talking about portable style generators and not a 10k plus fixed unit.
Many people will say you are just paying for the name when you buy a Honda. Well they are 100% right. The reason they have the name is because of what they are. Take apart a Honda and another machine and compare what is inside and you will KNOW why there is a difference.
never owened a generator but i have owner and or used honda equipment before and they are good.
Generator heads.
Winco makes some of the best. Avoid cheap generators with the Chinese ST heads (Northern tool brand, Harbor Freight and other off of the wall brands etc).
Engines.
If you like Honda. Go with Honda. Same with a Briggs or Kawasaki.
Take a Winco head and a Honda engine. You have a good generator.
Take a Chinese ST head and a Honda engine. You have junk.
Considered by folks in the generator business to be junk with a worthless warranty.
You get what you pay for.
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You should re-think running your oven with it. A microwave is fine, but the demands of a standard oven make you buy about five times the generator you would normally need. Same goes for running electric heat of any kind.
Doug
Change the oil every 12 hours of run time. My Honda burns maybe 5 gallons every 12 hours. Keep a good supply of oil on hand, 'cuz when the power is out for more than 3 days, 30w and 10-30 gets scarce. I fill up my boat tanks when we know a hurricane is coming. Also have several 5 gallon cans around the house.
If you have the dollars, get the Inverter model generator. They are super quiet. You can use it at picnics / party's with out the noise of a regular generator growling in the background. Check'em out.
Get a disconnect installed so you will not be sending electricty over the power lines which could kill an electrical worker. If you have a well then you will need a bigger generator, I have a 6500 watt & it works but really strains it & could cause damage to the pump if used too much.
I have lots of experience with them, lived thru hurricanes & icestorms & on the job use. Bigger is better, but heavier.
we have blown up 4 of the common 5k-7500 8, 10 hp briggs type,
even the upper in briggs.
next time it will be an onan or honda or something with a kohler engine
you get what you pay for
we have blown up 4 of the common 5k-7500 8, 10 hp briggs type,
even the upper in briggs.
next time it will be an onan or honda or something with a kohler engine
I ran a Briggs on 2 different ones for years almost everyday & had no problems. My 6500 watt now had trouble after a week it was rebuilt by the factory & no problems since. You do get what you pay for, I wouldn't have bought this one if it wasn't for the fact it was the last one in town during an icestorm that left everyone without power for 2 weeks. Depends on how much your going to run it, if just a couple of times a year then why spend a fortune. $1000 will buy a pretty good one.
quote:Originally posted by CHEVELLE427
you get what you pay for
we have blown up 4 of the common 5k-7500 8, 10 hp briggs type,
even the upper in briggs.
next time it will be an onan or honda or something with a kohler engine
I ran a Briggs on 2 different ones for years almost everyday & had no problems. My 6500 watt now had trouble after a week it was rebuilt by the factory & no problems since. You do get what you pay for, I wouldn't have bought this one if it wasn't for the fact it was the last one in town during an icestorm that left everyone without power for 2 weeks. Depends on how much your going to run it, if just a couple of times a year then why spend a fortune. $1000 will buy a pretty good one.
My first 2 were during opal and Erin hurricanes($500 ea) here the last 2 were for the last round of storms. All were run monthly oil changed wither they needed it or not. all craped out on me, the last one was a 7500watt 10 or 12 HP ($1800). All Briggs. money spent on them I could have had a Honda.[:(!]
quote:Originally posted by bountyhunter101
quote:Originally posted by CHEVELLE427
you get what you pay for
we have blown up 4 of the common 5k-7500 8, 10 hp briggs type,
even the upper in briggs.
next time it will be an onan or honda or something with a kohler engine
I ran a Briggs on 2 different ones for years almost everyday & had no problems. My 6500 watt now had trouble after a week it was rebuilt by the factory & no problems since. You do get what you pay for, I wouldn't have bought this one if it wasn't for the fact it was the last one in town during an icestorm that left everyone without power for 2 weeks. Depends on how much your going to run it, if just a couple of times a year then why spend a fortune. $1000 will buy a pretty good one.
My first 2 were during opal and Erin hurricanes($500 ea) here the last 2 were for the last round of storms. All were run monthly oil changed wither they needed it or not. all craped out on me, the last one was a 7500watt 10 or 12 HP ($1800). All Briggs. money spent on them I could have had a Honda.[:(!]
I hear ya. I like a Honda because they are quiet, I just don't like buying forgien products. I had 2 Homelites a 2500 watt & a 5500 watt. I wore the 2500 out after about 3 years of using it all the time & the 5500 should still be Ok, but I left it sit out too long & need to overhaul it. Now I have some forgien made thing but at the time was all I could get. Just used it all dat Friday after storms here knocked the power out.
I would pass on an Onan. Yes they are one of the best made. But the problem is they are owned by Cummins Overland (Cummins engine people). The only place that you can get them serviced or parts is at a Cummings dealer. And it cost out the nose. I have a small 1000k unit that Coleman use to offer in small campers back in the early 70's. It has a 4hp Kubota that needed the carb rebuilt. $365.00 just for a rebuild kit from the dealer. A little machine work, some welding and a carb from a Lawnboy fixed it for less than $20.00. Runs like new machine. The only problem is with its age. Being from the early 70's it is not a sine wave type generator and is not really safe to run a lot of new products with. I like it for the built in 10 amp 12v battery charger.
I do not often recommend a certain brand of generator. But will a fuel powered welder. Take a Lincoln Ranger 8 or 10. You have a dual purpose machine. 220 volt, 8 or 10K generator with an Idle down capability to save fuel and a welder all in one. The surprise to most people is they cost about the same and a lot of times are cheaper than just a good 8 to 10K generator alone. Another thing I like about them is, They are easy to plumb to external tanks like a 55 gallon drum or a large boat fuel tank. A lot of the people whom are looking for a generator will not even think of nor consider a fuel powered welder until they see one in action.
Give you something to think about. The local welding supplier sells Lincoln Ranger 8 welders with a Kohler engine for around $3800.00. Look at one then go price a Honda 8k generator.
Check one out..
Lincoln Ranger 10
2. Look for a new looking and also running generator.
3. Drive by two times to see if anyone is watching and no chain attached.
4. On the third drive by stop and with the help of a friend toss the generator in the back of your ol pickup truck.
5. Now you are the proud owner of a fine generator.
6. Remember to chain and padlock your new generator whenever you use it to prevent theft!
Liked how they worked too. When you fired them up it killed the shore connection so you were not feeding the system with power. You really had to be looking to see when the power shifted.
The guys who bought these trailers really beat them and the generators kept on running.
Don't settle for those wimpy 8500 watt generators that run on gasoline! This is a man's generator!
http://www.cumminsonan.com/residential/
When I worked for PG&E, we had a couple of portable gas turbine generators. Now you'll need a local gas main to hook it up, but once it is, you'll enjoy 3-5MW of power. Enough to power a small town. It also might be a little hard to sleep but eventually, it'll just be "white noise".
Don't settle for those wimpy 8500 watt generators that run on gasoline! This is a man's generator!
This Work
100KW We had one large while I was in the Marines But We could never use that much power. So we traded them to the Air Force.