I am looking at a generac GP5000 $659.00 delivered I am not looking to spend a arm and leg this looks like a good deal what do you think or do you have suggestion? thanks, Marty

http://www.wisesales.com/EU2000iA.html

this one is smaller output but very small and quiet and runs forever on a pint of gas

I have a few friends with Generacs and none of them like them. They are loud and hard to start. Unless you don't mind those things, don't cheap out when buying a generator. An interesting observation I've made from making a few slip-on exhaust systems for both cheap and expensive generators, including my Coleman 7500, I've learned that on the cheaper generators the engine noise is significantly louder than the actual exhaust noise. If you don't want to bother your neighbors during the middle of the night then buy a good one. I know that my neighbors are pissed as it is when the power goes out and I'm running my house business as usual and they are sitting in their cars with the AC or heat going. I try to keep the noise down. My Coleman with the exhaust system is pretty quiet, (for a generator).

Mike

I have a Honda EU 3000 Super quiet can stand beside it and have a normal tone conversation. Pricey but I have had it now 9 years and have done nothing but change the oil. It still has the same battery (electric start) I have friends that bought cheap and some are on their 3rd to my first.

I have a Honda EU 3000 Super quiet can stand beside it and have a normal tone conversation. Pricey but I have had it now 9 years and have done nothing but change the oil. It still has the same battery (electric start) I have friends that bought cheap and some are on their 3rd to my first.

we use that 2000 in our 16' johnboat to run survey gear. With it on the bow two people can have a normal conversation. If we put it on the bow of the PArker you can't hear it at all on the back deck.

And we use a Honda EU1000 at our tailgate parties...

There is nothing better out there...:noway:

I just went through this.Stay away from the cheap Chinese generators that you see at Home Depot, Lowes and Ebay. Replacement parts are hard to find and they are noisy. Get a name band engine(parts availibility). I was ready to buy a Briggs 3500 or the Troy-Bilt 3500 (Lowes) with a Briggs. I ending up winning this off Ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=170280295421 The guy was local and delivered it. The thing is brand new. Only run a couple of times. Still had hang tags and wrappers on it. New it was over $700!:)

Generally the Hondas, Onans, Robins, Generacs, etc. are priced way over everyone else.

You need to consider what you will be using it for, how frequently it will be used, and at what load, etc.

I have a homelite 6000 watt with a 13 horse/4 stroke pull start and use it for backup power. It has a 240V/30A household twist-lock, and 4 120V household 3-prong outlets. It runs at 3300 rpm, and is kind of loud, but I have modified it to where it is quite tolerable. The 6 gallon tank will keep it going at 1/2 load for better than 12 hours. I paid about $700 for it and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Some have a low oil shutdown mechanism, which mine does not. I think that is the only thing I would have tried to get, but given the circumstances (Hurricane Gustav knocking on my door) and time constraints, I am very happy with it.

What are you going to use it for?

I have this one and it works well and has circuit breakers.
http://www.dewalt.com/us/products/tool_detail.asp?productID=3229

Generally the Hondas, Onans, Robins, Generacs, etc. are priced way over everyone else.

You need to consider what you will be using it for, how frequently it will be used, and at what load, etc.

I have a homelite 6000 watt with a 13 horse/4 stroke pull start and use it for backup power. It has a 240V/30A household twist-lock, and 4 120V household 3-prong outlets. It runs at 3300 rpm, and is kind of loud, but I have modified it to where it is quite tolerable. The 6 gallon tank will keep it going at 1/2 load for better than 12 hours. I paid about $700 for it and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Some have a low oil shutdown mechanism, which mine does not. I think that is the only thing I would have tried to get, but given the circumstances (Hurricane Gustav knocking on my door) and time constraints, I am very happy with it.

What are you going to use it for?

Mine is a Briggs & Stratton brand, but otherwise pretty much identical to this.

Best recommendation I have is to get a manual transfer switch. I had a 6 circuit one on the last house and a 10 circuit in this one. Other than my 240V appliances (including A/C) it's pretty much life as usual when the utility is out. And very safe.

Mine is a Briggs & Stratton brand, but otherwise pretty much identical to this.

Best recommendation I have is to get a manual transfer switch. I had a 6 circuit one on the last house and a 10 circuit in this one. Other than my 240V appliances (including A/C) it's pretty much life as usual when the utility is out. And very safe.


See? Take it from us. Down here we all have them. He's right about the switch if you are going to use it to feed your house during outages. It is much more convenient than messes of cords.

I just went through this.Stay away from the cheap Chinese generators that you see at Home Depot, Lowes and Ebay. Replacement parts are hard to find and they are noisy. Get a name band engine(parts availibility). I was ready to buy a Briggs 3500 or the Troy-Bilt 3500 (Lowes) with a Briggs. I ending up winning this off Ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=170280295421 The guy was local and delivered it. The thing is brand new. Only run a couple of times. Still had hang tags and wrappers on it. New it was over $700!:)

I have basically the same generator, frame is a little different. 10hp Briggs engine, 5500 watts continuous, 7500 peak. It was a little over $600 and I had a 10% off coupon, that was about 7 yrs ago. It's been used multiple times, up to 5 days non-stop, to run the whole house. Well everything except the hot tub, central air, and electric stove. It's kind of loud but other than that no problems.

My generator is a small one; and that's something I might have done differently if I could do it again. 5 horse, B & S engine. No 220 outlet--again, something I'd have paid more attention to if it wasn't an emergency at the time. I bought it in '97.

Mine's a Generac; and it starts like a dream. One pull = running.

The gas tank is too small; though. Won't run 8 hours; which means I don't get a full night's sleep.

No louder than a lawn mower--but--that's not saying much. I always intended to weld up a sealed exhaust system so that I could run it in the basement and vent out the wall. That way the engine heat warms the house in the winter since the furnace may not work. We wouldn't be comfy--but--the pipes shouldn't freeze. Never did get around to fabricating that, though.

That way the engine heat warms the house in the winter since the furnace may not work. We wouldn't be comfy--but--the pipes shouldn't freeze. Never did get around to fabricating that, though.

Please don't do that. It is too easy for something to go wrong and release CO into your house. It seems like every hurricane I've been through (I used to live in Florida), someone did from running a generator.

Please don't do that. It is too easy for something to go wrong and release CO into your house. It seems like every hurricane I've been through (I used to live in Florida), someone did from running a generator.


Yeah, please don't do that. If anything were to happen (fire, electrical short, etc) your homeowner's policy will probably hang you out to dry.

Carbon monoxide always claims a few lives after a big storm, and it is always from generator misuse, whether the fumes waft in a drafty window, or someone tries to run it in their house.