Generator??

[avant 1735]

I am considering purchasing a generator. I want something that is at least 6000 running watts. What brand do you recommend? There are all types out there. It will not be in any sort of continuous use, but it will be run a few times in the year when I don't have electricity available. Thanks for your thoughts

 

[Billy Shafer]

Stay away from Generac. Champion is a good brand. What ever you get. Buy a name brand not the big box units that you can't get parts for.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I have two champions, only 3500w RV models. They have been good to me. No problems after 5 years. I use them for remote power more than I do back up power. They run on fumes and are relativity quiet.

I change oil once a year, use full synthetic. Drain the gas tank each year just before winter and fill with fresh gas and staybill.

Some say they are Honda clones, Is that true???

 

[Dusty MI]

If it is only going to be used for back-up, then I would have it run on LP. Liquid Propane is the only fuel that does not go bad and gum up the carburetor.
Or if you have any kind of tractor that you could power it with PTO or belt.
Too many times when a generator sits unused it will not start, or not run right when needed.
If it will be used a couple times a year, you should not have a problem with a portable generator with it's own engine.

Dusty

 

[Bret4207]

I'm a big fan of Honda or the Honda clones. But the best bet is getting a PTO genset of at least 15Kw. You'll always have enough power and it'll always start, assuming you have reliable tractors.

 

[Billy Shafer]

I have heard the same thing about the Honda clone. But in today's world it seems like everyone has a clone out.To me they do kinda look like Honda's. I had two in the shop last month for the yearly service.Also had a Honda. They do look related. I know they are good units and have a good support network. Shops like mine are not afraid to work on them. Don't have to worry about ordering parts and waiting six months to get them.

 

[dhermesc]

Agreed. I have an 8000KW I'd love to sell so I could buy a PTO generator.

 

[55 50 Ron]

Why do you not recommend Generac? I have a 7500 watt Generac electric start. Engine needed a valve pushrod replaced, but generator itself has been good. Good place for new engine parts is Oscar Wilson Company in St Louis area.

Ron

 

[Ted in NE-OH]

Honda is quality and quieter running but pricey.

 

[buickanddeere]

Have you added watts or amps ? What are the electrical loads? Is there a proper transfer switch system? Operating a 8000W generator with 33 amps per line is not desirable. Continuous loading of over 80% on a consumer grade generator is not recommended.
The Champion brand is probably the best Honda clone.

COMING 2017-12,000W/15,000W GENERATOR, 717CC
Model #100111
COMING 2017-12,000W/15,000W Generator, 717cc

STARTING WATTS
15000 Watts
RUNNING WATTS
12000 Watts



9200W/11500W ELECTRIC START PORTABLE GENERATOR, 459CC
Model #100110
9200W/11500W Electric Start Portable Generator, 459cc
STARTING WATTS
11500 Watts
RUNNING WATTS
9200 Watts



9000W/11250W CABELA'S OUTDOORSMAN SERIES, POWERED BY CHAMPION
Model #100163
9000W/11250W Cabela's Outdoorsman Series, Powered by Champion
STARTING WATTS
11250 Watts
RUNNING WATTS
9000 Watts



9000W/11250W ELECTRIC START PORTABLE GENERATOR, 459CC
Model #100203
9000W/11250W Electric Start Portable Generator, 459cc
STARTING WATTS
11250 Watts
RUNNING WATTS
9000 Watts



8000W/10000W DUAL FUEL GENERATOR, 459CC
Model #100297
8000W/10000W Dual Fuel Generator, 459cc
STARTING WATTS (GASOLINE)
10000 Watts
RUNNING WATTS (GASOLINE)
8000 Watts
STARTING WATTS (PROPANE)
9025 Watts
RUNNING WATTS (PROPANE)
7250 Watts

http://www.championpowerequipment.com/products/generators/?wattage=8000;12000

 

[Mogster]

Look for an older Onan, stay away from the Chinese stuff. Go to https://www.smokstak.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=1
These guys will set you up.

 

[SmokeEater2]

(quoted from post at 07:37:34 12/01/16) Why do you not recommend Generac? I have a 7500 watt Generac electric start. Engine needed a valve pushrod replaced, but generator itself has been good. Good place for new engine parts is Oscar Wilson Company in St Louis area.

Ron

I think Generac is getting a bad name because of the Chinese made Generac's they sell in Lowes, Home Depot etc.

The XG and XP series are still built in Wisconsin and there is a lot of difference in quality over the Chinese models. I've had this one for awhile now and have never had a single problem with it.
http://www.generac.com/all-products/generators/portable-generators/xg-series/xg6500.

 

[Billy Shafer]

Ron
I have been fighting Generac problems for forty years. They are cheaply made,parts cost a bundle. Try getting warranty work done on them.A man contacted me last month. New home standby unit. Bought in July this year. In September the gen section burned out. Generac has told him to contact the dealer that he bought it from.Dealer tells him it is warranty problem that has to be approved by Generac. Generac says it is a dealer problem. So now he has a seven thousand dollar pile of junk. No one wants to repair. I could write a book about Genajunk.

 

[gab]

I got one personally endorsed by Billy Shafer. This is a by product of Y2K. My mother inlaw was terrified of that. She had this one wired into her house, bought one for my brother in law and gave me her credit card to get one. I wasn't in to the Y2K thing and gave it back hoping that I wasn't wrong. After she died I wound up with it any way and have used it for about 2 days the first time, used it twice winter before last for 3 or 4 hrs. both times and for a while another time. Drain the gas yearly and replace. (tomorrows' job). Started today on 3 pulls of the rope and works good.

 

[gab]

.

 

[Billy Shafer]

Must be a misprint or I was drunk. I never recommend Generac.

 

[gab]

Good eye.

 

[John B.]

If you get one make sure it has electric start. You can always jump it from a tractor or vehicle if the battery gets sluggish.You won't want to be pulling on the rope when it's cold and it probably wouldn't start. A starter will spin it faster and more likely to start in the cold.
I converted mine over to LP in January and so glad I did. No more worry about gas going bad, though it can still be run on gas if I want to. I bought the conversion kit from uscarburetion. They had a sale just last weekend to the first 100 orders at 48% off. They had the same sale earlier this year and that's when I purchased mine.
LP Kits

 

[marloweg]

i have 2 harbor fright gens one 3500 one 8750 our fire dept has 3 8750. my 8750 is on a bowfishing boat that gets the H run out of it. for 500$ for the 8750 it is a hel- of a good gen they are Honda knock offs. for the Fire Dept we run true fuel in the as we do in all small engines [saw and portable pumps, jaws pump]

 

[Gene Davis (Ga.)]

One of the older 1800 RPM cast iron 2 cylinder flat Onan generator running on LP or natural gas would be much quieter and more dependable and would be electric start. There are some diesel sets also. These generators can produce their rated output continuously, unlike the modern day disposable units. Ask Billy Shafer about their reliability.

 

[Billy Shafer]

At this time. I have a 1942 1000watt Onan generator. Man uses it around the farm for power tools and lights. Came in because the AC brushes need replacing. Put it on the load bank pulled 1700 for three hours no problems. First brush change in 74 years.

 

[D beatty]

I have had a Briggs & Stratton 8,000 run 10,000 surge generator for about three years and have used it 4 or 5 times.

 

[Billy Shafer]

Generac has always had a bad reputation. Lack of customer support,denial of warranty on new units,parts prices that were clearly out of line.Photo
copies of service manuals you could barely read. At one time you didn't know what engine you would find. On say a 30KW unit. You might find a V8 Ford
or a 6 cylinder GM engine you just never knew. Then there was the famous fan drive through the radiator. They cut a hole in a radiator. Sealed it then ran a fan shaft through the hole. Worked fine until the coupling broke let the shaft take out the radiator. Which they would gladly sell you for only 950.00 dollars.

 

[buickanddeere]

Is there not a business relationship between Briggs & Statton and Generac ?

 

[Billy Shafer]

If I remember correctly. Generac sold their small products division to Briggs. Then bought it back.

 

[buickanddeere]

In 1998, Generac sold its portable products division to the Beacon group, a private equity firm, who later sold it to Briggs & Stratton Corporation.[7] Upon expiration of a non-compete agreement related to the sale in 2007, Generac re-entered the portable generator market in 2008.[7]

In late 2006, Generac was purchased by CCMP Capital of New York.[7] In 2009 CCMP took a write-off, described as a non-cash goodwill and trade name impairment charge, of $583.5 million against their purchase of Generac.[10] Aaron Jagdfeld was appointed president and chief executive officer in September, 2008 and is the current CEO.[7]

Generac goes public[edit]
On February 11, 2010, Generac Holdings Inc. (NYSE: GNRC), parent company of Generac Power Systems, Inc., began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GNRC.[7] The initial public offering provided $224 million in net proceeds, which were used to pay down debt.[7]

AND



In 2000,[6] the company acquired its consumer generator business from the Beacon Group and formed Briggs & Stratton Power Products. The Beacon Group had previously purchased the Consumer Products Division of Generac Corporation (now Generac Power Systems) in 1998. In 2005, the company added Simplicity Manufacturing Inc, and Snapper, Inc, to the Briggs & Stratton Power Products line. Murray, Inc, one of its largest customers, collapsed owing the company $40 million, and to minimize the loss Briggs & Stratton purchased the name, marketing rights and product designs of that company. In 2008, Briggs & Stratton announced it would be acquiring the Victa Lawn Care business from GUD Holdings Limited Australia for A$23 million.

 

[Tommy78]

(quoted from post at 21:31:22 11/30/16) I am considering purchasing a generator. I want something that is at least 6000 running watts. What brand do you recommend? There are all types out there. It will not be in any sort of continuous use, but it will be run a few times in the year when I don't have electricity available. Thanks for your thoughts

What are your thoughts about a generator now? I am down here in Crawfordville and have a Champion dual fuel , two years old. No problems at all .I run on propane and marine gas , non ethanol. I have been thru many canes with generators . Just run for several hours in morn and several hours in eve . Hooking into house system has never been necessary for me as all I try to run is reffer and freezer . My pump will hold pressure for enuf to get thru the day . Shower at nite when generator is running . Another advantage to not hooking in to house is if I like my neighbors I can run their refrig for a couple hours . It is not necessary to run more than 5 or 6 hours a day .

This post was edited by Tommy78 on 08/21/2021 at 05:16 am.

 

[Dusty MI]

You can setup a transfer switch that you can plug your generator into. The part that you plug your generator into is outdoors.

 

[buickanddeere]

Use the MA24. None of this jack@$$ back feeding through a welder,
Dryer or stove receptacle with a double male suicide cord .
http://www.generlink.com/generlink.html

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

(quoted from post at 02:06:16 12/01/16) Stay away from Generac. Champion is a good brand. What ever you get. Buy a name brand not the big box units that you can't get parts for.

Don't buy from the big box stores, but buy a Champion, which is only sold in big box stores?

 

[james 6]

(quoted from post at 21:31:22 11/30/16) I am considering purchasing a generator. I want something that is at least 6000 running watts. What brand do you recommend? There are all types out there. It will not be in any sort of continuous use, but it will be run a few times in the year when I don't have electricity available. Thanks for your thoughts

Hi, it was hard to choose, but we think the Champion Power Equipment 76533 is the overall best dual-fuel generator on the market. It offers a huge amount of power and a pair of 30-amp outlets for powering any tools or RVs, plus its loaded with ease of use features like an electric start. There are plenty of other dual-fuel generators worth your consideration, though.

 

[buickanddeere]

Going back to the original 2016 post . A 6000W continuous load needs at least a 10,000W generator . Again, a proper transfer switch is mandatory.

 

[buickanddeere]

 

[brooktre]

I have a Honda EU7000is. It is rated at 5500w with 7000w max. I run my 240v well pump, 240v hybrid water heater, oil fired boiler-hot water circulator pumps, refrigerators (2), lights, TV, internet. I use a Reliance 10 circuit manual transfer switch. The 10 circuit gives me two 240v and six 120v circuits. Plenty for my house during a power outage.

This works very well for me. I power everything shown without issues. I'm careful with my hot water use to limit the power draw of the water heater because it has the biggest current draw. If I do that the water heater will run mostly in the hybrid mode (115v) limiting electric use.

My only real choice for generator fuel was gasoline because I don't use natural gas or propane. If you have those for fuel choices you have different options. The Honda generators are expensive, but are well made, burn less gas than most and are quiet.

As others have said, if you use gasoline you have to be diligent to make sure they will start and run when you need them. I charge my battery once a month and run the generator once every 3 months for 15 minutes. Once a year I will siphon old gas out and use it in mowers (unless the gas is already fresh from use). Doing this seems to work well as I've never had an issue during a power outage (which we have several times or more every year).