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12-13-2012, 08:14 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: NW WA
Posts: 111
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Anything wrong with this cheap generator?
http://www.harborfreight.com/engines-ge ... 66619.html
Is this thing junk? It gets good reviews, is cheap and is small. Hoping it doesn't cause any problems. Anyone with experience?
Looking to power a single light and cycling furnace, while maintaining/charging 4D house battery via shore power plug on side of van, to minimize drain on batt. over 2-3 days camping in the cold. Would probably run it 5 hours in the evening. Also, would this power my block warmer on it's own with no other draws. Thanks, I really have no clue on wattage requirements...
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12-13-2012, 08:35 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: TN
Posts: 10,244
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Anything wrong with this cheap generator?
My thoughts are that it's going to be louder than you think, but more importantly most say the cheaper gensets just rattle apart over time. Then there are no replacement parts to be found for them.
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12-13-2012, 09:31 PM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,293
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Re: Anything wrong with this cheap generator?
One problem with buying mail order. Once you put gas in it you can't send it back even it's broke. Be sure there's a Harbor Freight store within driving distance.
Also, you get what you pay for.
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12-13-2012, 09:35 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rancho Nuevo (Cabo/Todos Santos) B.C.S. and San Diego, CA
Posts: 1,952
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Re: Anything wrong with this cheap generator?
It is two stroke - mix oil and gas and get SMOKE!
__________________
Four time Baja 1000 winner, four time Baja 500 winner. Solo'ed the Baja 1000 to LaPaz/Cabo twice.
4-Wheeling since 1972, Desert Racing since 1989.
AgileOffRoad.com
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12-13-2012, 09:49 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Oregon Ciry Oregon
Posts: 2,854
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Anything wrong with this cheap generator?
This may be a real bear to start in the cold. Heat of compression and all that. I know that my law mower and chain saw are both hard to start in the winter. In the summer they pop right off.
__________________
Larrie
Read detailed trip reports, see photos and videos on my travel blog, luinil.com.
Current van: 2002 Ford E350 extended body camper with Colorado Camper Van pop top and Agile Offroad 4WD conversion.
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12-13-2012, 10:25 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Washougal, Wa
Posts: 1,047
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Re: Anything wrong with this cheap generator?
What are you trying to power? Will this thing kick out enough juice for your needs. It's rated at 800w and I bet that's a generous number. At that price it has to have the lowest quality parts around.
Is anything you plan to run a critical need item? If you do have a critical need item to power you should have a backup plan ready to go when this low grade generator fails.
__________________
John
Gnarvan 1992 E350 Clubwagon
Advanced 4WD Systems Conversion
Sotar Legend 12.5' X 22" Cataraft
2003 BMW R1150GS-Adventure
2013 BMW R1200GS-Adventure
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12-14-2012, 10:04 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,220
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Re: Anything wrong with this cheap generator?
NOISE
Probably could be solved with 300-400 feet of 10 ga. extension cords.
We had an older couple (very poor hearing??) with a cheap generator in a pick-up camper running one in the evening. We had to yell at each other to be heard. The park ranger came over and had them turn it off.
Our Honda 2000i is one of the quietest models out there and yet at 50% plus load it will impact a quiet campground.
Even if you are the only people in the area it will start to drive you crazy over time. In winter? Less foliage to block the sound and it will be worse.
__________________
Len & Joanne
The Green TARDIS
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12-14-2012, 10:34 AM
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#8
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Northern California
Posts: 76
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Re: Anything wrong with this cheap generator?
What I can't hear you
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12-14-2012, 11:12 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Brentwood, CA
Posts: 1,051
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Re: Anything wrong with this cheap generator?
above has been my experience with inexpensive generators as well...
rating not as advertised, noisier than ever imagined (making us not very popular to our neighbors, and that is at a racetrack, mind you!), and not lasting very long.
I recently bought a (used) 2000w Yamaha that is whisper-quiet, for $300, from a guy who wanted/needs a larger gen set. I couldn't be happier with it!
__________________
1995 E350 7.3 Diesel, 4x4 high roof camper, UJOR 4" lift
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12-14-2012, 11:26 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: boise idaho
Posts: 2,625
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Re: Anything wrong with this cheap generator?
was having a conversation about generators over thanksgiving with brother in law. he suggested a brand called kipor if i couldnt afford a honda. his boss has been using one for the last 3-4 years and is really happy with it. he said side by said its identicle to the honda whisper (the guy owns both and both are the 2k models), and has been flawless so far. sounds like it was $650 bucks cheaper than the honda.
take it for what its worth. reviews on amazon for the brand are off and on. people either love or hate them. like stated above. you get what you pay for and honda has a pretty untainted reputation.
i buy tools from harbor freight, but i wouldnt buy anything from them that I was going to have to reley on. most thier stuff is made as cheap as possible.
__________________
"understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of your car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of your car, horsepower is how hard your car hits the wall, and torque is how far your car moves the wall."
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