My choice for an affordable generator......

[mwilson]

As some of you know I burned one leg out on my portable generator during the last big snowstorm, water in the door of the fridge went out and I just could not go on that way... ... ...



So I started to research whole house portable generators and being on the cheap side I didn't really want to drop several thousand dollars on a gen set.



Some suggested a permanant LP gas powered one, but I don't know how much longer we will be here at the lake as the taxes are just asinine and will certainly get worse. So I hated to do that and have to leave it behind.



I wanted a pressurized lube system in order to extend oil changes from the 8-10 hour limit of the old one.

I wanted electric start as the wife is having a hard time with pull starts as she gets a mite older and no, I still start it when I am home before anyone starts in..... :-laf



So after a bunch of research I settled on this little guy and so far I am very impressed. Electric Start, Hourmeter, non-pressurized oil system BUT with a 41 oz base is rated for 50 hours between oil changes. Mechanical fuel gauge as well.



See what you think, for under a grand with 18 month no interest on the old Lowe's card I'm satisfied.

 

[mwilson]

The hour meter and load meter are built into this nifty removable panel with a 25' cord.



Simply detach the panel and take it inside the shop so it will stay dry and you can monitor functions from the comfort and safety of one's own Man Cave.

 

[mwilson]

The 20% loads are a result of lights and refrigeration.



Over 50% loads are a result of the furnace and well pump running together with the existing house load (shower simulation) , very important capability.

 

[rMetzger]

Very cool. Oo.

 

[BIGNASTY]

Mike did I miss what brand of motor that it has?

 

[mwilson]

Mike did I miss what brand of motor that it has?

Nope, forgot to mention it. It is a Briggs and I have had great luck with those.



It lays over quite a bit, I think that it is a special model for generator use to allow for a bigger fuel tank on top. No horsepower mentioned but I'm thinking 10hp at least, if not 12hp.

The second photo in my first post shows the valve cover with "ohv" on it to the right underneath the "10,500" on the framework.



Fuel consumption is supposed to be about 6 gallons per 8 hours of run time.



Mike.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

The Troy-built stuff is highly regarded - yours look like it can handle your needs just fine! How is it for noise, both load and no load? Is it a 3600, or 1800 RPM setup?

 

[mwilson]

The Troy-built stuff is highly regarded - yours look like it can handle your needs just fine! How is it for noise, both load and no load? Is it a 3600, or 1800 RPM setup?

3600 I'm sure. It is as loud as the 8hp one that I just replaced.



But with it hammering away outside of the insulated garage you really don't hear it in the house very much.



Mike.

 

[mwilson]

The Troy-built stuff is highly regarded - yours look like it can handle your needs just fine! How is it for noise, both load and no load? Is it a 3600, or 1800 RPM setup?

It also had very good consumer reviews, the cheapo wheels themselves and the somewhat awkward handle set-up were the only downers mentioned.



Most folks replaced the wheels with Tractor Supply or Harbor Freight specials when they crapped out and happily moved on.



I felt that it had to be half decent or Troy Built would not have put the name on it.



Mike.

 

[TJJEEPER]

Troy Built went bankrupt a few years back. Some of the line had some quality issues, mostly when Murray was the parent company but it looks like they are no longer, Briggs and Stratton is and I think that's a good thing. Very interesting.
Turns out the story has a few twists and turns... Got this from the web

The reason it is often difficult to find parts for Troy-Bilt and Bolens equipment manufactured prior to 2000 is that following the bankruptcy of Garden Way Inc. of Troy, N. Y - owner of the Troy-Bilt and Bolens brands - several of the lines were broken up, purchased by different companies and in some cases completely abandoned. It is a complicated string of events. In 1988, Bolens was purchased by GardenWay; then in 1993, GardenWay purchased Troy-Bilt. The company manufactured very durable, sturdy equipment but eventually filed for bankruptcy, was broken up and the parts were sold off. MTD Products Inc (Modern Tool and Die Company) acquired Garden Way in 2001. According to their company history page, "The MTD family of brands includes Cub Cadet, Cub Cadet Commercial, Cub Cadet Yanmar, Troy-Bilt, White Outdoor, Yard-Man, Yard Machines, Bolens, Arnold, GardenWay, MTD Pro and MTD Gold. " The MTD purchase included the Troy-Bilt and Bolens brands but did not include the debris lines (chipping, shredding, vacuuming and/or debris related equipment). These assets were purchased by Murray Inc. in January of 2002. Finally, Briggs and Stratton Power Products purchased Murray which subsequently included the Garden Way Inc. debris equipment. So, if you own a Troy-Bilt chipper from the mid 1990's, what few replacement parts you can find will be through Briggs and Stratton and will generally have MA following the original part number. For example, 1902808 becomes 1902808MA.

 

[Bill Stockard]

I took a different approach. After years of using a Generac 4000XL portable generator which was returned to Home Depot after the Y2K scare which I purchased shortly after for $500. I got tired of stringing extension cords through doors and windows and I decided to go with a whole house standby generator. Unlike Mike, we don't plan to move again and having an all-electric home and living on the end of a rural cooperative power line through the east Texas pine forest with power outages lasting as long as 56 hours, we now have a 20kw Kohler automatic standby generator. It easily starts and runs our 4-ton electric heat pump with the electric water heater running along with the basic household load. The auxilaiary electric heat strips are locked out when on generator power.







I didn't consider Generac, even though they are less expensive and has about 80% of the market, because of problems with two different RV generators and didn't want any more of them. I considered Cummins/Onan and Kohler. The Cummins/Onan dealer didn't bother to return my phone calls since he left the impression they don't want to fool with small home generators.



Since the generator was installed the first of this year, we've had no power outages... about what i figured.





Bill

 

[BIGNASTY]

What fuel source is it BILL? we run ours on Propane I didnt want to mess with diesel and all the associated fuel gelling problems at -0 temps glad we did go propane FIL/BIL are constantly messing with their diesel gens. Making sure of fuel additive to prevent gelling and then replace fuel if it sits to long. Just much better to run on Propane, can fire ours up from in the house to charge batt's or just to give it a workout and make sure that the system change over works correctly

 

[BIGNASTY]

Mike that rascal looks BIG In the pictures how heavy is that?

 

[mwilson]

Mike that rascal looks BIG In the pictures how heavy is that?

It is heavy, don't know exactly how much. I do know it was a handful to load into the mini-van while it was still in the shipping box at Lowes.



All the weight that the Lowes guy and I really wanted to lift... . plus it was a little awkward to handle.



I did not attempt to lift it out when I got it home, I slid it down a plank instead. Older, wiser, lazier?????



Mike.

 

[Bill Stockard]

What fuel source is it BILL? we run ours on Propane I didnt want to mess with diesel and all the associated fuel gelling problems at -0 temps glad we did go propane FIL/BIL are constantly messing with their diesel gens. Making sure of fuel additive to prevent gelling and then replace fuel if it sits to long. Just much better to run on Propane, can fire ours up from in the house to charge batt's or just to give it a workout and make sure that the system change over works correctly

It is fueled with propane. Natural gas utility service is too far away. There's a full 500 gallon tank within 25'. I also didn't want the fuel degradation that comes with storing gasoline and diesel fuel outside.



Bill

 

[CBari]

I have been looking at some of the PTO gen sets in the 20-25kw range. I always have one or two tractors around the house or shop with fuel in them that is good as we feed hay all winter long. Do any of you have any words of wisdom about the PTO gensets.

 

[B.G. Smith]

Northern tool usually has a couple listed in their catalogue. bg

 

[Bill Stockard]

I have been looking at some of the PTO gen sets in the 20-25kw range. I always have one or two tractors around the house or shop with fuel in them that is good as we feed hay all winter long. Do any of you have any words of wisdom about the PTO gensets.

If you are going to use the generator for backup on your house, carefully check the harmonic distortion and voltage regulation specifications. Poor voltage regulation and harmonic distortion produced by some tractor PTO driven generators will be very hard on and could shorten the life of modern appliances with digital controls, computers, and TVs. Home standby and many portable generators are controlled by electronic governors with quick acting servomotors where most tractor governors are mechanical and slower reacting causing larger voltage variations when electric motors start.

Bill

 

[BIGNASTY]

It is heavy, don't know exactly how much. I do know it was a handful to load into the mini-van while it was still in the shipping box at Lowes.



All the weight that the Lowes guy and I really wanted to lift... . plus it was a little awkward to handle.



I did not attempt to lift it out when I got it home, I slid it down a plank instead. Older, wiser, lazier?????



Mike.

We have a yamaha Gen for the trailer and camping I dont know the number off hand it jumps from 3ooo to 35oo watts when it needs it that is super quite but weighs in a 150 lbs I used to be able to get it in the back of the pickup myself but now Penny grabs the light end and we hoist it up.



GETING OLD I GUESS 60 years old this year,, Asked Penny if she had a old folks home in mind for me?



Said she already HAD ONE DUG IN A NICE SPOT!!!!



BIG