Author	[Modern View]
George Marsh 08-01-2012 15:02:32 50.104.225.241 Report to Moderator	Been looking at portable generators. Came across the Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator at Home Depot, UT905700. It has a Yamaha engine, a 3 year waranty, low pressure oil switch, and a voltage regular. It sells for $579. I can buy 3 or 4 Homelites for the price of a Honda. So Please save your time, I'm not buying a Honda. Has anyone had a bad experience with this generator? George [Reply]   [No Email]
Hobo,NC 08-05-2012 18:56:02 166.102.93.243 Report to Moderator	Re: Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator? in reply to ldj, 08-01-2012 15:02:32   My Mom lives with me,,, they have not made a 12K are under gen that will stand up to her abuse...I can deal with a 3k if need be but she forgets and powers up every thing in the house.... Give me lights and keep my food cold and I can live with out the rest..... [Reply]  [No Email]
tomturkey 08-02-2012 21:21:39 216.81.211.253 Report to Moderator	Re: Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator? in reply to George Marsh, 08-01-2012 15:02:32   these discussons have been on this site several times. The question that has NEVER been resolved, I believe, is WHO manufactures the generator portion of the genset. Sooo can anyone answer the question, whose generator is on the other end of that Honda, Subaru, B&S or predator engine. gobble [Reply]  [No Email]
Oliver in SC 08-02-2012 04:48:46 66.153.200.173 Report to Moderator	Re: Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator? in reply to George Marsh, 08-01-2012 15:02:32   George, this is an indirect answer to your specific question. No, I don't have any experience with that generator combination. However, go ahead and try it. Find out which local shops do the warranty and service work for that Home Depot. The Manager will know. Ask one of the shops if they can get parts. If not already assembled, do so. Use straight 30 wt regular small engine oil, and add Stabil or somthing similar to fresh fuel. Run the genset for 4-5 hours continous with a medium load (heaters, lights etc,} and use a multimeter with amp & hertz capability to check the output. Then change the oil to a good synthetic 10-30 oil. The first run will give you lots of info. If you don't like it, take it back. If you keep it, run it every other month with or without a load for 30 minutes or so. Recycle the fuel at least once a year. If you find it acceptable, it will be fine. My opinion based on 30 years of small engine equipment repair. I won't comment on place of manufacture or ethanol. [Reply]  [No Email]
MarkB_MI 08-02-2012 02:44:32 66.87.0.45 Report to Moderator	Re: Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator? in reply to George Marsh, 08-01-2012 15:02:32   There are perfectly good reasons why Honda gets three times as much money for their generators as those sold in the big-box stores. You're paying for a name and the support system that stands behind that name. That said, a 6kW generator is a 6kW generator. (Well, actually it's not, to be sure your 5700 "watt" generator is optimistically a 5.7 kVA generator, more like 4 kw of real generating capacity.) As you say, for 1200 bucks you can buy two of them, which will only make the down payment on a Honda inverter unit. If you don't expect to use it much, and your wife is deaf, it should be just fine. Remember to run the carb out of gas each time you're done using it, then pull the cord until the piston is on its compression stroke. [Reply]  [No Email]
Generator 08-01-2012 22:57:21 96.53.210.246 Report to Moderator	Re: Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator? in reply to George Marsh, 08-01-2012 15:02:32   Go into the tool rental section at Home Depot and rent one to try it out... Oh wait a minute though, the rental outlet in the same store doesn't rent what they sell on the shelf in the store. If that doesn't tell you something, nothing will. [Reply]  [No Email]
David G 08-01-2012 19:42:48 205.215.206.18 Report to Moderator	Re: Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator? in reply to George Marsh, 08-01-2012 15:02:32   A cheap generator will probably last a life time if you do not use it a lot. [Reply]  [No Email]
dave2 08-01-2012 21:27:13 139.139.35.69 Report to Moderator	Re: Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator? in reply to David G, 08-01-2012 19:42:48   Quoting Removed, click Modern View to see Buy it with the thought that "when it goes bad, I'll get the one that I REALLY wanted".... It'll last you a lifetime then. Just take a little better care of it maybe cause you probably won't get parts or find someone to work on it (just guessing)... OTH, my 2500 watt is a less than 200 buck grocery store (ALDI) offer. 10+/- years and abuse is an understatement. Sets out in the weather, yadda yadda.... Starts on the 2nd or 3rd pull after setting for months.... I've pretty much given up on the 5kw with the 380 volt outlet I want :roll: [Reply]  [No Email]
John T 08-01-2012 19:23:42 216.249.82.117 Report to Moderator	Re: Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator? in reply to George Marsh, 08-01-2012 15:02:32   As a retired electrical engineer and an RV genset user for years I can tell you this....HEY BUY WHATEVER GENERATOR FLOATS YOUR BOAT AND SUITS YOUR POCKETBOOK, ITS YOUR MONEY AND YOUR CHOICE. HOWEVER dont kid yourself and think that a cheap big box store sold genset (designed and built for a lowwwwwwww sales price) is anywhere near the quality of say a more expensive Honda or a Yamaha etc CAN YOU SAY "YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR" Buy what you please is fine by me but as an electrical engineer Im sorry to tell you a cheap genset isnt the quality and durability and longevity and parts availability and service etc etc etc that a better designed better built (and therefore sure more expensive) unit But the one you want and can afford NOT what myself or anyone here thinks is my advice John T [Reply]  [No Email]
Oldmax 08-05-2012 13:45:52 24.154.145.202 Report to Moderator	Re: Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator? in reply to John T, 08-01-2012 19:23:42   I will second that John T Having used a contractor grade Coleman for a few years at farm for power. Thieves keep cutting down service drop "400'" #6 allum wire. Found a 4KW Kohler Gen Set from a 76 Winabago Motor Home. Heavy as H$ll but does job. and only runs 1800 RPM. Has 1700 hours on it but how long will a engine last at idle. [Reply]  [No Email]
RayP(MI) 08-01-2012 19:02:21 207.241.137.116 Report to Moderator	Re: Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator? in reply to George Marsh, 08-01-2012 15:02:32   I have two Coleman-Briggs, 4000 watt, 5000 watt.... Have had both on a harmonica type frequency meter - neither varies more than a couple hertz under load. Voltage is very consistant as well. Both recover very nicely from a sudden load like starting a 3/4 hp water pump. No, I haven't put them on a scope - have one, just never bothered - when I'm generating I'm too busy to play! I'd love to have a Honda, but I don't run the generators enough to justify the expense. I do have a 5.5 hp Honda on a powerwasher - excellent engine. [Reply]  [No Email]
Billy Shafer 08-01-2012 18:55:23 173.184.72.142 Report to Moderator	Re: Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator? in reply to George Marsh, 08-01-2012 15:02:32   You buy cheap. That is what you get. Try getting it worked after it fails in about ten hours. Most shops will not touch it. To hard to find parts for. Generator tech for forty years. [Reply]  [No Email]
George Marsh 08-01-2012 18:14:35 50.104.225.241 Report to Moderator	Re: Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator? in reply to George Marsh, 08-01-2012 15:02:32   Let's cut through all the smoke about generators. I just went to powermate sight and they sell the same genny with a Honda, Powermate, or Robin Subaru engine. So why would the electricity coming from a Honda powered generator be any better than a Subaru engine. Would someone direct me to a sight where I can find the facts about who makes the genny. Is there a chinese genny on a Honda? [Reply]  [No Email]
Thick smoke 08-02-2012 22:16:03 96.53.210.246 Report to Moderator	Re: Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator? in reply to George Marsh, 08-01-2012 18:14:35   The only smoke to cut through is that you're trying really hard to convince yourself that a cheaper (quality) generator will be as good as a higher quality one. It the long run it won't be. Yes, it will be a lower quality Chinese generator and finding parts or someone to repair it will be a nightmare. [Reply]  [No Email]
Kansas4010 08-01-2012 18:39:34 199.192.211.58 Report to Moderator	Re: Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator? in reply to George Marsh, 08-01-2012 18:14:35   Why are John Deeres better than everyone else? Their not, its personal preference. I have a preasure washer with a Subaru Robin engine for a few years now and it starts easy. When it sits unused over the winter I have to pull maybe a half dozen times but after that one pull. I've had good luck with the Subaru but had a mower with a Honda motor that was junk. My cousin refuses to buy anything but Hondas. They're all foreign made and won't last. It's a shot in the dark, you might get a good one, or you might not. I looked at reviews of Huskies when I was looking at preasure washers and they didn't look good, didn't look up the generators though. As far as the sound mine didn't seem to loud as it was humming away right beside me yesterday. [Reply]  [No Email]
Mike (WA) 08-01-2012 17:43:55 75.172.124.239 Report to Moderator	Re: Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator? in reply to George Marsh, 08-01-2012 15:02:32   Huh? Huh? Sorry, I can't hear you- you're cheap generator is about 80 dB, my Honda is about 49. Having a noisy generator roaring away and doing its job, priceless. Being able to sleep while it running, (or even better, not having your neighbors call with threats of violence), even more priceless. [Reply]  [No Email]
George Marsh 08-01-2012 17:52:10 50.104.225.241 Report to Moderator	Re: Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator? in reply to Mike (WA), 08-01-2012 17:43:55   I could run this without a muffler and my neighbors won't hear it. Sorry to hear your neighbors are so close to you. [Reply]  [No Email]
Mike (WA) 08-01-2012 18:06:57 75.172.124.239 Report to Moderator	Re: Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator? in reply to George Marsh, 08-01-2012 17:52:10   But YOU'D hear it. Happy dreams. [Reply]  [No Email]
George Marsh 08-01-2012 18:15:33 50.104.225.241 Report to Moderator	Re: Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator? in reply to Mike (WA), 08-01-2012 18:06:57   Not if I take my hearing aids out:) [Reply]  [No Email]
Kansas4010 08-01-2012 17:22:04 199.192.211.58 Report to Moderator	Re: Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator? in reply to George Marsh, 08-01-2012 15:02:32   I have the 3500 watt version with a Subaru engine. I really like it. My neighbor has the exact same one and likes it. I got it a couple months ago to run power tools for a place I have that doesn't have electricity. I have only used it a couple times so far but fires up with one pull and is small enough it fits right in the RTV. My neighbor used his to power his impact to take a tire off of his combine in the field when he ran over an antler. We bought them within a week of each other so I can't tell you how long they will last but so far i'm pleased. They both came from Home Depot. [Reply]  [No Email]
George Marsh 08-01-2012 17:57:32 50.104.225.241 Report to Moderator	Re: Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator? in reply to Kansas4010, 08-01-2012 17:22:04   What do you think of the Husky 5000 watt Subaru sold by Home Depot? How can you find out who makes the genny part of any generator? From what I've read, the Husky genny doesn't have a voltage regulator. How can that Be? [Reply]  [No Email]
Billy Shafer 08-01-2012 19:00:29 173.184.72.142 Report to Moderator	Re: Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator? in reply to George Marsh, 08-01-2012 17:57:32   The speed sets the voltage. Very common in the older units and portables. I have a cheapie in my shop. Three years now and I can not find out who made it. Honda engines have been copied by the Chinese for years. Engine probably made by Yamakoyo [Reply]  [No Email]
Retired Farmer 08-01-2012 16:34:13 207.200.116.12 Report to Moderator	Re: Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator? in reply to George Marsh, 08-01-2012 15:02:32   My bosses wife had a Homelite weedeater last year. Engine lasted about five hours. [Reply]  [No Email]
jt 08-01-2012 16:08:33 68.53.181.110 Report to Moderator	Re: Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator? in reply to George Marsh, 08-01-2012 15:02:32   Appears to be a Chinese built generator, engine is the only decent thing about them...They put out very dirty electricity, meaning frequency on them can vary a lot, with voltage spikes and if you are going to use it on any electronics, even a newer furnace, you will take a chance on burning them up due to the non consistant output...If you want a lower priced generator, look at a Briggs or Troybilt, both are the same thing, just differant name...and with the Homelite, if you do need parts for the generator head down the road, parts may be obsolete...keep in mind, you get what you pay for and I personally do not want a peice fo equipment that might fail when I need it the most...And is there a Yamaha engine dealer close to you? A homelite dealer may be able to warranty the generator, but maybe not the engine [Reply]  [No Email]
dave2 08-01-2012 15:22:48 139.139.35.69 Report to Moderator	Re: Homelite 5700-Watt Portable Generator? in reply to George Marsh, 08-01-2012 15:02:32   For that price, it must be cheap chinese junk....Ain't none of these folks gonna fess up to having sumpin like that in their garage :roll: Try lookin it up on amazon.com and see what the customer reviews say.... [Reply]  [No Email]