While at Harbor Freight today to get a hammer drill for a honey-do
project, I looked at the 4KW genny now on sale for about $500. I
already have a genny, but I can't resist shopping after the fact.
It has a Subaru Robin 9 HP OHV engine. HF claims that engine starts
easier and will run longer than a Honda. Quite a claim!
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=90300

A label on the generator said "Made in China". Oops! The Japanese
make some pretty good engines, but I strongly doubt that the Chinese
make good generators. I've not seen anything yet from China that has
good bearings. I told my son, who is also interested in a genny, to
pass on that one.

I did buy the cheapo hammerdrill. Seems to work OK. If it gets
this one job done I'll be happy.

I would not say all $500 gens are bad, I rented a pump with the Robin engine
that ran excellent. I think just about all the small engines made now are
good motors. The new ones on the block are the Honda look alikes, I see the
"Sterling" engines selling on eBay for very low prices, those I would be
concerned about. The sterling has a 13HP selling new for $199. The seller is
just a town over so I stopped by just to see one but they were closed. The
business next door said they only work in the evenings.

I have a HF credit card and get reward points towards there stuff. It makes
it much less painful to "test" a product when its not coming out of my
pocket. The cheap grinders are worth every penny, I picked up the 12 ton bar
bender that works good (it would have cost me $79)

I sold an old Greenlee bender for $200 that needed work, was missing dies
and very used, to top it off shipping it cost the seller $70. The buyer was
very happy for his great deal.

I bought the small 4" calipers and have had them for a year now and they
still work fine, I measured about 100 reamers last night and never had to
re-Zero it.

Bought one of those right angle drill/screw gun adapters and it lasted about
1 day. .

The last item I bought (with my points again) is a 10 amp hand drill I think
it was $29.00, that seems ok. The chuck its cheap for sure but it works, the
drills variable speed with a lock setting works smooth and it holds speed
very good, but I have not used it much. It does have **** loads of power and
does low RPM very good.


"Ignoramus30105" wrote in message
.. .
Do not buy it... Durability, which I do not expect much from a HF
generator, is not the only thing that separates good generators from
bad ones. Some other ones are, 1) noise -- cheap ones are impossible
to use due to noise 2) ability to handle surges, 3) reliability such
as being able to start in bad weather, etc etc. There is no way to
make a nice $500 generator.

i

On Sat, 08 Oct 2005 00:02:41 -0500, Don Foreman
wrote:
While at Harbor Freight today to get a hammer drill for a honey-do
project, I looked at the 4KW genny now on sale for about $500. I
already have a genny, but I can't resist shopping after the fact.
It has a Subaru Robin 9 HP OHV engine. HF claims that engine starts
easier and will run longer than a Honda. Quite a claim!
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=90300

A label on the generator said "Made in China". Oops! The Japanese
make some pretty good engines, but I strongly doubt that the Chinese
make good generators. I've not seen anything yet from China that has
good bearings. I told my son, who is also interested in a genny, to
pass on that one.

I did buy the cheapo hammerdrill. Seems to work OK. If it gets
this one job done I'll be happy.




--

On Sat, 8 Oct 2005 08:22:21 -0400, "Waynemak"
wrote:

I would not say all $500 gens are bad, I rented a pump with the Robin engine
that ran excellent.
(snip)

The Subaru Robin engine (Japanese) is probably OK, but I'd be leery
of the made-in-China alternator. A good alternator is made with
good magnetic steel, copper windings and good bearings, and
preferably has brushless excitation. These are all areas where
cost-cutting will result in poor performance and/or longevity.

Induction motors are a particular concern. Contractor generators,as
the vaunted Honda, typically run lighting and power tools with
series-wound universal motors. Critical loads in a residence,
fridge, freezer and furnace, are all induction motor loads, albeit
small ones. If the genny droops a lot with load the motor will have
difficulty starting and will eventually overheat -- if the genny's
breaker doesn't trip or the genny doesn't overheat first.

I have heard (from a guy that repairs gennies) that the Honda
contractor gennies have trouble with even small induction motors,
sometimes frying the electronic voltage regulator board. $300, and
you're powerless until you can get one.

Don Foreman wrote:

While at Harbor Freight today to get a hammer drill for a honey-do
project, I looked at the 4KW genny now on sale for about $500. I
already have a genny, but I can't resist shopping after the fact.
It has a Subaru Robin 9 HP OHV engine. HF claims that engine starts
easier and will run longer than a Honda. Quite a claim!
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=90300

A label on the generator said "Made in China". Oops! The Japanese
make some pretty good engines, but I strongly doubt that the Chinese
make good generators. I've not seen anything yet from China that has
good bearings. I told my son, who is also interested in a genny, to
pass on that one.

I did buy the cheapo hammerdrill. Seems to work OK. If it gets
this one job done I'll be happy.




Well I have a HF 4 KW genny and I have used it twice. Have about 7 hours
on it
so it is still fairly new. I ran two refrigerators and a freezer and a
couple of lights and TV.

I have a 50 foot # 8 extension cord so the noise isn't too bad. It is
easy to start
on the rope starter even though I have the electric start option (but
no battery).

Bill K7NOM

Don,

What generators does the guy that repairs gennies recommend?

TMT

"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message
oups.com...
Don,

What generators does the guy that repairs gennies recommend?

TMT


ONAN!

Hint: Parts stay available for many, many years. G

On 8 Oct 2005 19:09:53 -0700, "Too_Many_Tools"
wrote:

Don,

What generators does the guy that repairs gennies recommend?

TMT

He likes Winco.
http://www.wincogen.com/

His customers are primarily rural and agricultural, as opposed to
construction contractors. His primary business is rewinding large
induction motors (e.g. 75 HP) for irrigation and other agricultral
machinery.

Winco is a MN company, may be easier for small dealers to work with
than some others, but he likes them well enough to have been selling
them for many years. I doubt that he'd keep selling them if his
customers weren't satisfied.

On Sat, 8 Oct 2005 21:29:06 -0500, "RAM^3"
wrote:

"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message
roups.com...
Don,

What generators does the guy that repairs gennies recommend?

TMT


ONAN!

Hint: Parts stay available for many, many years. G


We'll see how long that lasts now.

Wayne Cook
Shamrock, TX
http://members.dslextreme.com/users/waynecook/index.htm

Onan? Have you looked at the prices for even a simple part? Onan prices are
insane, you can get a miller bobcat with a bad motor for nothing if it has
an Onan. There part prices are nuts.
"RAM^3" wrote in message
...
"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message
oups.com...
Don,

What generators does the guy that repairs gennies recommend?

TMT


ONAN!

Hint: Parts stay available for many, many years. G

On Sat, 8 Oct 2005 21:29:06 -0500, "RAM^3"
wrote:

"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message
roups.com...
Don,

What generators does the guy that repairs gennies recommend?

TMT


ONAN!

Hint: Parts stay available for many, many years. G

Onan (right here in Fridley) does make excellent gennies if price is
no object as in military, marine, RV, medical, etc. Too bad they
don't have a "bargain store" selling discounted scratch 'n dents.
With his network of contacts, Gunner might be able to find one from a
crashed RV. An RV genny might have lots of hours on it, but Onans
run for many, many hours. The Army had a bazillion of them 40 years
ago, from little 2.5 KW gas jobs up thru 300KW diesels.

On Sat, 08 Oct 2005 20:15:33 GMT, Bill Janssen
wrote:

Well I have a HF 4 KW genny and I have used it twice. Have about 7 hours
on it
so it is still fairly new. I ran two refrigerators and a freezer and a
couple of lights and TV.

I have a 50 foot # 8 extension cord so the noise isn't too bad. It is
easy to start
on the rope starter even though I have the electric start option (but
no battery).

Bill K7NOM

Good data, Bill. Sounds like it can handle the loads OK. I still
have a very low opinion of Chinese bearings, though, from experience.

If/when the bearings do go, they're probably a standard metric size
that is available from a good supplier like Nachi, etc.

Don W0LAP

On Sat, 08 Oct 2005 23:52:42 -0500, Don Foreman
wrote:

On Sat, 8 Oct 2005 21:29:06 -0500, "RAM^3"
wrote:

"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message
groups.com...
Don,

What generators does the guy that repairs gennies recommend?

TMT


ONAN!

Hint: Parts stay available for many, many years. G

Onan (right here in Fridley) does make excellent gennies if price is
no object as in military, marine, RV, medical, etc. Too bad they
don't have a "bargain store" selling discounted scratch 'n dents.
With his network of contacts, Gunner might be able to find one from a
crashed RV. An RV genny might have lots of hours on it, but Onans
run for many, many hours. The Army had a bazillion of them 40 years
ago, from little 2.5 KW gas jobs up thru 300KW diesels.

I have a 4kw Onan in the hanger queen motor home parked out back. It
did run the last time I schlepped a battery and a gas tank back there
to fire it up. Hummm its about time to do that again..along with both
the motorcycles and the van.

Gunner

Confronting Liberals with the facts of reality is very much akin to
clubbing baby seals. It gets boring after a while, but because Liberals are
so stupid it is easy work." Steven M. Barry

Don Foreman wrote:

On Sat, 08 Oct 2005 20:15:33 GMT, Bill Janssen
wrote:



Well I have a HF 4 KW genny and I have used it twice. Have about 7 hours
on it
so it is still fairly new. I ran two refrigerators and a freezer and a
couple of lights and TV.

I have a 50 foot # 8 extension cord so the noise isn't too bad. It is
easy to start
on the rope starter even though I have the electric start option (but
no battery).

Bill K7NOM



Good data, Bill. Sounds like it can handle the loads OK. I still
have a very low opinion of Chinese bearings, though, from experience.

If/when the bearings do go, they're probably a standard metric size
that is available from a good supplier like Nachi, etc.

Don W0LAP




I use the Genny for backup when power is out. It will probably rust away
before it wears out :-)

Bill K7NOM

So, is it better to own a generator that is expensive to repair but
runs a long time between repairs or a generator that is cheaper to
repair and have the cheaper parts on hand...or if cheap enough, to have
another complete cheap generator to take its place?

From a standpoint of redunancy, is it better to have one good expensive
generator or two average cheap generators?

TMT

Too_Many_Tools wrote:
So, is it better to own a generator that is expensive to repair but
runs a long time between repairs or a generator that is cheaper to
repair and have the cheaper parts on hand...or if cheap enough, to have
another complete cheap generator to take its place?

From a standpoint of redunancy, is it better to have one good expensive
generator or two average cheap generators?

TMT


Now you KNOW that if you went with two cheap ones somebody (a
brother-in-law maybe?) would sweet talk you into borrowing one of them.

He'd be off on vacation with your spare one locked up in his house, just
when you needed to use the other one for a 3 AM emergency, and found it
didn't work.

OTOH, if you'd gotten two "d"s, you would have had enough to completly
spell redundancy. (Ducking...)

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia

(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)

"Truth exists; only falsehood has to be invented."

On Sat, 08 Oct 2005 23:52:42 -0500, Don Foreman
wrote:



Onan (right here in Fridley) does make excellent gennies if price is
no object as in military, marine, RV, medical, etc. Too bad they
don't have a "bargain store" selling discounted scratch 'n dents.
With his network of contacts, Gunner might be able to find one from a
crashed RV. An RV genny might have lots of hours on it, but Onans
run for many, many hours. The Army had a bazillion of them 40 years
ago, from little 2.5 KW gas jobs up thru 300KW diesels.

The last "scratch and dent" Onan I saw was about that time. It was
intended as backup power for a flood control reservoir and had arrived
at the freight depot but could not be delivered for a couple days due
to a local equipment problem. The general contractor's superintendent
took it upon himself to pick up the unit from the depot with his
pickup truck, of course it was too long to close the tailgate, they
hadn't tied it down, and, for expediency, they hadn't removed the
rollers from under the skids. To access the generator room, they had
to back over a curb cut and along an approach slab, and of course,
being careful, the driver backed slowly, when the rear wheels got to
the curb, the truck stopped but the generator continued, turning end
over before coming to rest at the threshold of the access door.
A temporary power unit was brought in to provide backup until a new
replacement was delivered (by the freight company) four months latter.
Poor George endured "advise" such as "next time make sure the door is
open" and "hit it a bit faster next try" for the duration of the
project.
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada

What do you think about this HF 20kw genny? Says it's a Detroit diesel,
Delco head set.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=45381

Tony

"Don Foreman" wrote in message
...
While at Harbor Freight today to get a hammer drill for a honey-do
project, I looked at the 4KW genny now on sale for about $500. I
already have a genny, but I can't resist shopping after the fact.
It has a Subaru Robin 9 HP OHV engine. HF claims that engine starts
easier and will run longer than a Honda. Quite a claim!
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=90300

A label on the generator said "Made in China". Oops! The Japanese
make some pretty good engines, but I strongly doubt that the Chinese
make good generators. I've not seen anything yet from China that has
good bearings. I told my son, who is also interested in a genny, to
pass on that one.

I did buy the cheapo hammerdrill. Seems to work OK. If it gets
this one job done I'll be happy.

On Sun, 9 Oct 2005 21:40:35 -0400, "Tony"
wrote:

What do you think about this HF 20kw genny? Says it's a Detroit diesel,
Delco head set.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=45381

Tony

I think it's way more than I need and way beyond my budget.

"Waynemak" wrote in message
...
Onan? Have you looked at the prices for even a simple part? Onan prices
are insane, you can get a miller bobcat with a bad motor for nothing if it
has an Onan. There part prices are nuts.

I didn't say that Onans were CHEAP - the best never is - just that, unlike
the others, you CAN get parts for even the oldest units.

That's ONE of the reasons that I have a 7KW Onan in my Fifth-Wheel RV.

Like the Energizer Bunny, Onans keep going and going and going and ...