Posted: 2/27/2011 2:31:47 PM EDT
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I've been looking for a generator for a little while now. The local big box home improvement store has a Generac 6500/8000 watt generator on sale for 699. for the next couple weeks. It is plenty big for what I want to run with it. My question is are the Generac generators a good quality generator or should I look at something else? What are your experiences with Generac? Good, bad or look for something else.
Thanks for any info! |
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Quoted:
its a fine genny, but it drinks fuel. do you really need all that power? think about that. Good point. I want one big enough to power an electric hot water heater. After that, the water heater would be powered down and the genset would run the refrigerator, freezers, a few lights, maybe the TV and satellite....and the furnace blower fan during the winter months. I will admit, powering the water heater during a power outage is a huge selling point for my wife. 
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Quoted:
its a fine genny, but it drinks fuel. do you really need all that power? think about that. mine isn't that bad. 4.5 gallon tank easily runs 6-8 hours running my house. mostly lights and fans along with the computers tv's and entertainment center fridge and freezer. more load, more fuel. even running 3 1500wt oil radiator heaters andy everything else this winter it never bogged down once. Of course those heaters don't cycle at the same time. |
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I can only comment on the Rv type Generacs, the propane powered ones, to be exact.
I had one, and so have a few friends. They were all ureliable, wouldn't start in the cold, would start one day and not the next, would burn more propane than a 3600 watt generator should. We had the local repair guy pulling his hair out. I have an Arctic Fox Cabover Camper, a large one. it had the Generac, but after three trips where it crapped out i yanked it out and modified the generator space..wouldn't you know it my little EU2000 fts right in there. Just my experience, FWIW. |
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I got my generac used, and it wasn't running. The generator head was also bad, but I got a spare with it, along with some other non running gensets. After a tune up and a carb rebuild, it runs perfectly. I swapped the gen head, and haven't had any problems with it. B&S engines are simple and easy to work on. I avoid equipment that doesn't have B&S engines for that reason. |
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If you're going to get a generator, calculate your fuel burn and determine how you're going to safely store your fuel, assuming you expect on running the generator at a time when obtaining more fuel is nontrivial.
Also, check with the local fire marshal and your insurance company about fuel storage; there's no point in having a generator after your house burned down in a fuel fire caused by that very same generator's supply. |
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The direct and simple answer to your original question:
Yes, the GENERAC is a cheap generator. For a few hundred bucks, you get a throwaway unit. If you do not require a durable, high quality machine capable of running many thousands of hours, it may well be worth 699 dollars. Don't expect it to last long, and you should be happy. |
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Quoted:
i have had a 7500 for several years with a B&S engine. been used several times for days at a time. it's never once had an issue and still starts on the first pull. only thing i have done is change oil and plugs. Mine too.. I like it. ( 7500 EXL ) A rough estimate on 4 stroke gasoline generators - 50% load fuel consumption: A 3500 watt gen burns about .35 GPH A 5000 watt gen burns about .5 GPH A 7500 watt gen burns about .75 GPH eta: When your buddy say's my Honda Eu2000 gets better than that, remember it's rated at 1500 watts, with 2K surge...
Also a rough estimate on portable A/C and window unit power consumption.: A 5000 btu a/c needs about 5 amps ( 600 watts running )..... 8000 btu about 8 amps ... 12,000 btu needs about 12 amps or 1440 watts ( running ). eta: A lot of people like to double the running watts that are needed for A/C compressor load @ startup. |
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I have had Genearc since 1999 (Y2K) and been no trouble,new oil once a year along with a sparkplug with the only regret not buying an electric start..after heart surgery that pull cord is a bitch but the plug change each year is a two pull start.Do points every three seasons but not necessary.Got it set code approved hardwired with a rocker switch to the service panel to isolate it from the power grid and runs about 13 hours on a tank of gas.
I run my water pump,hot water baseboard pumps,boiler electronics,few lights and fridge and couple computers and is GTG for power outages.Gas supply I rotate out with lawn tractor and yard machines and use stabil in stored fuel drums with rotary pumps in a vented building about a hundred or more yards away from the house |
| They've been steadily replacing our mil-surp gennys at all of our emergency service outstations with them for the last year or so. So far so good of course these are the large stand by units that run off NG. The wife and I are looking at building a new home this spring and I plan on including one in the build. |
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i'v had a 5500 generac for 3 years now. used mostly for camping, but it got used alot last year getting my new home site up and running before power was run in.
i'v never REALLY tried to figger its fuel burn rate, but i did marvel one day that I ran a 12000btu AC unit for 7 hours plus power tools and vacums and it only burned between 2.5-3 gallons of gas. starts every single time on one half-assed pull. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
its a fine genny, but it drinks fuel. do you really need all that power? think about that. mine isn't that bad. 4.5 gallon tank easily runs 6-8 hours running my house. mostly lights and fans along with the computers tv's and entertainment center fridge and freezer. more load, more fuel. even running 3 1500wt oil radiator heaters andy everything else this winter it never bogged down once. Of course those heaters don't cycle at the same time. glad to hear its not as bad as other larger genny's. i had a coleman 5500/7000 about 10 yrs ago and it drank up the fuel. back then, who cared, gas was cheap. i was using that experience as a benchmark. now i have a champion 3500/4000 and it just sips in comparison, yes its less power, but i am using it on the same items i did with the coleman. i never needed all that power. i use it for a fridge, deep freezer, dehumidifier, furnace fan if needed, window A/C if needed and lights, TV and PC...... but not all at once. i can run 3 of the larger items and lights at once. pretty good for the size of the genny and it makes it comfortable too. |