Need advice; Chicago Electric Generator at Harbor Frieght

[randy]

Checking in from work.

Wife just called, neighbor just told her about 3500w generators at Harbor Frieght for $299. Brand is Chicago Electric generators

Probably this:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/D ... mber=96898

Never heard of them, leary of "panic buy", wanted to do some research prior to buying something like this. Hate to buy this and have to buy another one in a couple of years. I'd almost prefer to wait until the rush during this power outage is over.

So comments? Recommendations. Fast response (before I leave work 1800 ET) appreciated

ETA: I think wife is wanting to jump on this to get me to shut up about needing a generator every time we lose power

[Erik]

Dont know much myself, but I figured I could look around the net a bit.
Her's a guide/review at ebay

The Homier unit, Powerwise, Chicago Electric, Cummings, WildFire, and DuroPower generators are all built in China. These are good units for the money spent, they are a lower cost alternative for someone who perhaps wants a generator for occasional use when power is not available. The engines are a Honda clone (6.5 hp or 196cc) and their massive muffler meets the NPS noise standard of 67dB at 7 meters.

[rightisright]

Might be fine for very occasional use. That's a big "might".

In the 20 years I've been in construction, I have seen and gone through a bunch of generators. As with most else, you get what you pay for.

Honda (GX series), Yamaha, Robin-Subaru are all good engines. I've had decent luck with the B&S Vanguard series, also. After the engine, you have to worry about the generator head. I've burnt a few of those out, but the well constructed ones will last through a few engine overhauls.

After the hysteria passes, you may want to check Craigslist or eBay for a better quality, slightly used genset.

[308Mike]

Ones that power RVs (mine is an Onan) also tend to get some hard use. The one in our RV has a few hundred hours on it and it just keeps on ticking.

With a price that low, you're not going to get a clean (true) sine wave, so you might want to be careful what sensitive electronics and/or motors you put on it.

From this Canadian contractor's site:

Note that modern inverters can make it possible to use variable speed DC generators which charge batteries directly and use half as much fuel as a constant-speed AC generator. They can produce very high quality AC power, which is crucial for sensitive electronic controls, provided that the inverter is manufactured by an established company and produces sine wave or modified sine wave outputs. To protect sensitive equipment, such as computers, from power surges generator owners should run these loads with a pure sine wave inverter instead of directly through the generator. If you are counting on your generator or inverter to power critical house systems during a power failure, test beforehand to make sure that the quantity and quality of power produced will handle the appliances you need to run.

Here's some Consumer Reports info on generators:

GENERATORS: BETTER, BEEFIER CHOICES

Wheeled, portable generators are the biggest sellers. But you might need plenty of fuel on hand, since filling stations often shut down during blackouts and most home-sized models use 12 to 18 gallons of gasoline per day. You'll also need to preserve that fuel with stabilizer and store it in a well-vented shed or other area, away from the house and any ignition source.

One portable, the Northstar 8000TFG, can use a liquid-propane tank with several days' supply or a natural-gas line. But at $2,000, it's pricey for its wattage.

Stationary, outside-mounted generators are a growing alternative, since they run on propane or natural gas and supply more power. Kohler's $3,700 12RESL delivered more than 10,000 watts and costs less than many in its class.

Our wattage calculator, which provides an average wattage rating for most common electricity-using household appliances and devices, will help you tally your needs.

They also recommend:

UP AND RUNNING For comfort, count on running a fridge (600 watts), a portable heater (1,300 watts) or window a/c (1,000 watts), and lights (60-200 watts) simultaneously.

For that matter, eBay also has a buying guide.

One of the tips I just saw said to make sure your generator is able to run non-stop for at least 10 hours so it'll run through the night without you having to get up and refuel it.

[Rich Jordan]

There's a Harbor Freight near us that has had generators with the Robin/Subaru engines. I'm sorry, I don't recall prices but I think they were bigger units.

[Joe ex PNG]

During my New Guinea days, there were a lot of cheap 2 stroke Chinese made generators around- most of which were in the back rooms of hardware stores as the pot metal innards had broke. I personally am partial to Honda engined equiptment- as I've seen massivly abused and neglected Honda engined equiptment just keep on working. Just my $.02

[308Mike]

When I was looking to get a room air conditioner for my wife (she has a hard time with heat due to her medical condition), I was looking to put it on a small Honda 2000 watt generator (gas was MUCH cheaper) which put out a pure sine wave so we could use it for many other things too, including any electronics. Otherwise, there's no way I would pay $1000 for a 2000 watt generator.

Well-regulated, pure sine wave power generation is not cheap. It's the same quality delivered to your house by the big electric companies. Modified sine wave is MUCH cheaper - which is why you can get a 5500 watt generator for $450 from Home Depot.

[Aglifter]

From business use -- get Honda or Kubota generators -- stay the %&%^* away from the Chinese garbage, ESP if they're diesels.