Buying A Generator

Billy Shafer · Jun 26, 2011

If you are going to buy a generator. Do some checking first. I have people come into my shop all the time. With some off the wall genset that they bought for a real cheap price. At some auto parts store or big box store. Low hours and now burned out or engine is bad. For most I have to turn them away. Because I don't have the time to spend days looking for parts. Most of them have no dealers and no parts support. I have three at this time. Low hours one has only around two hours on it. Been looking six months now for parts.

Called one of the big box store sellers. I was told we just sell them. We don't have parts for them. Don't know anyone that does. So do some checking before you buy. Get a name brand might cost more. But it will be better than the 300.00. One sitting in your barn with five hours on it burned up and no one to fix it.

Justin SE IOWA · Jun 26, 2011

I am in the market to buy a generator. I am wanting a 8k watt one. What brands do you recommend? I cant afford the most expensive ones but I dont want a junk one like you are ranting about!! What brands do you say to stay away from? Thanks for your help.

Billy Shafer · Jun 26, 2011

Not a rant Justin. Just plain truth. Stay away from Generac. Cheap to buy,but you will pay for it in the price of parts and trying to find anyone that will work on them.

Honda,Onan,Kohler,Power Tech all make good units. If you look around you can find good used ones cheap. Champion is the only big box unit. That I have heard anything good about. Good support system.

Hawk Power by Lister is another good unit. Yamaha,Kawaski not sure if Kubota still makes gensets. But buy from a name brand that has dealers that you can take it to when you have problems.

There are Onan and Kohler units out there. That are over forty years old. You can still get parts for. I have the three in my shop. Less than a year old can't find parts for. All big box units.

Oldmax · Jun 26, 2011

I just traded for a 4 KW Kohler from a Motorhome needed some work but is a 1800 RPM one. There are 7 KW out there if you can find one. Ether Kohler, Onan, or some good brand name. Some of the older Colemans were good also Honda, Yamaha.

Bob - MI · Jun 26, 2011

Great advice.

I look at generators like an insurance policy. Your hope is to never need it but if you do you need a good one. I have a Generac that I bought after the scare of Y-2K. 6500 surge watts brand new in the box for $400.00

I have used it only a couple of times but when you need it you can't beat it. I keep fuel on hand and start it once in a while. I swap the fuel out after a few months and run that in my tractor.

I agree to shop good names with parts availability. Good deals can be had on our local Craig's list. Maybe yours too.

NawlensGator · Jun 26, 2011

I've had a Honda EM 5000SX for 6 yrs and it cranks first pull every time. Very clean power (for computer use). Very efficient, and pricey.

Stu · Jun 26, 2011

Here is another thing to consider when generator shoping. A couple of years ago we had a large ice storm in southern IN. Our power was out for 11 days. I bought an engine driven welder. It is a Hobart with 10000 watt generator. I was able to supply power to the entire house. There are also many times that the portable welder has came in handy around the farm and at work. Welders will cost more than just a generator, but are built tough. Remember, the frustraton of poor performance lingers long after the lowest price is forgotten. Stu.

LEON(MI) · Jun 26, 2011

what is your opinion about a briggs&stratton 15 kw whole house generator?

Anonymous-0 · Jun 26, 2011

There are lots of guys that travel around selling the Yellow generators out of pickup trucks. One tried his sales pitch on me a while back. The price was SO LOW, there is no way that the generators could be any good.

Pretty sure this is the same bunch that used to sell the junky band saw, drill press, hyd press, etc. Bad News...

Gun guru · Jun 26, 2011

What do you think of the Coleman 10HP with Suburu engine? So far a good unit, I have had it 3+ years and I got it from the Home Depot.
It was $600 + tax.

In your opinion who makes the best portable Generator and the best home standby generator?

I posted this 2 weeks or so ago.

Anonymous-0 · Jun 26, 2011

Don't know about the Generator but Subaru/Robin are arguably the best small engines on the market. Most popular engine in Japan, ahead of Honda. They only make commercial engines. That's why you don't see them sold everywhere. Wisconsin used to be the N. American distributor of Robin engines(Wisconsin Robin) until Robin started marketing them themselfs. Wisconsin were HD engines in their own right. They also make top of the line generators, conventional and inverter in many sizes. A lot of the JD generators are made by Robin but for some reason they put Honda engines on them. I think the JD inverters might still have the Subaru Robin engine in them.

Dusty MI · Jun 26, 2011

I have a 4000 watt belt driven generator that I run off my garden tractor. I don't have another engine to maintain and I don't worry about it starting when I need it because I use the tractor often. And if necessary I can run it with something else.

Dusty

OliverGuy · Jun 26, 2011

You're right. I didn't want to, but I spent good money to buy a bigger honda to run my office when the power goes out. I know that if I take care of it, I can depend on it. I have another gen at work that I thought would be a little more than a throw away for my guys to use. Made by troy-bilt and many other names, black cheap briggs with a red frame. 6500W or so and elec start. Can't believe it, but it's still chugging. -10 degrees or whatever, still works. Wonder if parts can be bought for it?

Brian Jasper co. Ia · Jun 27, 2011

Don't waste your $$ on a big box store unknown made in China brand. They're a throwaway unit. Honda, Briggs & Stratton, Kohler, Onan, or even Coleman. One place to try to get a good quality unit is a construction equipment rental company. Many of them have the "Everything is for sale" policy. Might be able to get a used one much bigger than you could afford to spend new.

Brian Jasper co. Ia · Jun 27, 2011

I'm not saying Robin/Subaru aren't a good engine, but you can't get parts easily for them. Service after the sale you know. B&S and Kohler have a dealer on most every corner it seems...

Billy Shafer · Jun 27, 2011

I think Honda has the best portable at this time. For home standby. I would go with Kohler or Onan. Well you got me on the Coleman unit. I thought they went under. But it has a good engine on it. Plus the Colemans I have worked on were good units.

Billy Shafer · Jun 27, 2011

I wasn't impressed with them.Just seemed like a cheap set up. The last one I worked on.

Oldmax · Jun 27, 2011

I don't mean it disagree with you but there are 70 year old Onans & kohlers out there that are in use as back-up GENs for homes. You get what you pay for. A friend of mine bought a Generac Back-up 16,000 watt for his home. last week the power was off for two days it used 1 Qt of oil in 48 hours. He isn't a happy camper. He used a 4000 onan for years. another complant he has is the noise. it is a 3600 RPM gen the Onan was a 1800 RPM out of a Motorhome. Paid almost $5000 with installion.

Anonymous-0 · Jun 28, 2011

They're getting to have more small engine shops carrying them and more OEM's using them as well. They are one of, if not the first, small engines to have fuel injection. They also went to overhead cams to reduce emmisions. Something Honda's probably going to have to do eventually too. B&S and Kohler maybe need a dealer on every corner? LoL

Roy Suomi · Jun 28, 2011

I bought a Homelite several years ago, 5000 watt with wind-up rope start [not recoil]..Starts on first or second pull ,always....Best $ 100.00 investment I've ever made..Longest it's run at one time is 3 days last winter..Kept the furnace , sump pump, fridge and a few lights going..Suspect it to be late 60's or early 70's vintage..

Billy Shafer · Jun 28, 2011

Oldmax. I agree with you there are some very old Onan and Kohler units still out there. Probably still be working when the grand kids get old.

Buying A Generator

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