Deal on good sized power generator coming at Costco.com

mikea

mikea

Touchdown! Greaser!
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iWin
Hey fellow summer cavepersons!

I just got the Costco flyer that lists this 8250/7250 watt generator with electric start is going to have an instant $150 off on 9/15 making it $649 delivered.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Produc...=0&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1

Manual here: http://www.costco.com/images/content/misc/pdf/550930manual.pdf

The best part is it has sine wave output so my UPSs shouldn't barf from it like they do on anything else.

Woot! No more power chasing!

I checked and figure that is at least a $150 savings by any measure and much more with shipping. (The version on Amazon for $749 doesn't include a battery!)

Sure it's another Chinese deal, but it's Costco. If you're a member, you can bring it into a store a for a full refund if it ever fails...and now it occurs to me, the same if the power comes back on. Wonder when they'll add generators to the guarantee exception list.

I'll be selling my brand new $350 4000 watt generator with a whole two hours on it. Mebbe I'll keep it around until the next power failure and make a killing. My neighbors might think they like me lot better about then.
 
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mikea said:
Hey fellow summer cavepersons!

I just got the Costco flyer that lists this 8250/7250 watt generator with electric start is going to have an instant $150 off on 9/15 making it $649 delivered.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Produc...=0&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1

Manual here: http://www.costco.com/images/content/misc/pdf/550930manual.pdf

The best part is it has sine wave output so my UPSs shouldn't barf from it like they do on anything else.

Woot! No more power chasing!

I checked and figure that is at least a $150 savings by any measure and much more with shipping. (The version on Amazon for $749 doesn't include a battery!)

Sure it's another Chinese deal, but it's Costco. If you're a member, you can bring it into a store a for a full refund if it ever fails...and now it occurs to me, the same if the power comes back on. Wonder when they'll add generators to the guarantee exception list.

I'll be selling my brand new $350 4000 watt generator with a whole two hours on it. Mebbe I'll keep it around until the next power failure and make a killing. My neighbors might think they like me lot better about then.
Click to expand...

Mo bedda........

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Produc...c1&lang=en-US&hierPath=114*3241*3242*&topnav=
 
This just fuels my already ridiculous idea of purchasing a barge and turning it into a floating party palace on Lake Winnebago.
 
Just be careful. Cheap generators sound like freight trains, in my experience.

That's the only reason to spring for the Honda units...
 
Jay Honeck said:
Just be careful. Cheap generators sound like freight trains, in my experience.
Click to expand...
That doesn't matter at all if the generator is hooked up to a massive amplifier and speaker system on a party barge.
Take that, Honda muffler engineers.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Just be careful. Cheap generators sound like freight trains, in my experience.

That's the only reason to spring for the Honda units...
Click to expand...

My Onan 8 KW in the motorhome hums, you can hardly hear it running, but like you said, it ain't cheap.

little kabota 3 cylinder 28 horse, runs at half throttle most of the time.
 
Tom-D said:
Mo bedda........

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Produc...c1&lang=en-US&hierPath=114*3241*3242*&topnav=
Click to expand...

Sure, at 10x the cost. Someday, if I live that long.

I will more likely install a transfer switch with a ridiculously long feed run to the input box my back yard. I once came across a guy that had a system to make a cheap Suncast/Rubbermaid type yard storage box into a generator enclosure.

Jay Honeck said:
Just be careful. Cheap generators sound like freight trains, in my experience.

That's the only reason to spring for the Honda units...
Click to expand...

This one is claimed and reviewed to be reasonably quiet.

The main reason I put the generator behind the house is to bounce the noise away from my neighbors and soon, into the old folks home, :devil: even though that's outside my bedoom window.

In my case it's a moot point since AT&T drops a generator bigger than that to run the UVerse VRAD, also outside my bedroom window.

If my neighbors p* me off, and making a 150 foot electric feed run to the backyard is too expensive, I'll just put the input box out front. That would also mean I'd have to drag the generator up there from the back which would be impossible if the yard is full of snow.

---------------

PAGING ENGINEER LANCE F!

Could you take a look at the schematic at the end of the manual linked above and clarify for me why those power outlets are fed weird?

I would have thought that they would have two phases of output and feed each 125v output from each. They have both duplex outlets on the same line, which is shared with the twist lock outlet, and then the 220v outlet has one of those on one side and a completely isolated phase on the other.

It looks like they're showing separate windings of the generator for each line, but could that balance out mechanically somehow?

I dunno what that black box in the middle does, but I think it's marked as circuit protection.

I'm just wondering how you balance the draw all of the available power - or if I need to be concerned. I have a cord that splits the 25amp 125v twist outlet into two conventional outlets. I'd use that and the two GFCIs, but I could alos get a cord to split the 220v outlet.
 
Bob Noel said:
That'll be good for the economy.
Click to expand...

You're not from around here, are ya?

Even the US brands are made in China.

Briggs and Stratton and Generac. China. And the reviews say the suckage is equal to the cheapees, as in, if it's DOA they tell you to drag the 300lb thing in to a dealer for repair and wait a month.
 
Mike,

Don't know what you have for furnace and AC, but some of the newer computer-controlled, high-efficiency units puke with most generator power. Apparently problem is frequency stability and harmonic distortion. Units like the Onan are generally pretty good, construction-site generators are not usually as good.

YMMV

Bill
 
I've got an 80KVA unit on my place in NC. Don't get me started as to why, lets just say I'm not overly pleased with the amount of money I paid the engineers who were subs to my architect.
 
wsuffa said:
Don't know what you have for furnace and AC, but some of the newer computer-controlled, high-efficiency units puke with most generator power. Apparently problem is frequency stability and harmonic distortion. Units like the Onan are generally pretty good, construction-site generators are not usually as good.
Click to expand...

Yeah. What I found is that my UPS units didn't like the power from the small one I got, which is a construction generator. They looked at the square wave like it was a brownout and kept clicking the power transfer and not charging., In fact one UPS died, but it may because the battery died.

This claims to have a sine wave output so I have my fingers crossed.

Even with the "dirty" power my laptop bricks, monitors and TVs would work directly plugged into it, and the fridges worked fine.

I don't have immediate plans to wire in my panel for HVAC. I'll run extension cords. But if we had a long stretch of suffocating heat like this time I'd be grabbing the wire strippers and vamping.
 
flyingron said:
I've got an 80KVA unit on my place in NC. Don't get me started as to why, lets just say I'm not overly pleased with the amount of money I paid the engineers who were subs to my architect.
Click to expand...

:yikes: 80KVa? Nice of you to stop by Mr. Gore.
 
mikea said:
You're not from around here, are ya?

Even the US brands are made in China.

Briggs and Stratton and Generac. China. And the reviews say the suckage is equal to the cheapees, as in, if it's DOA they tell you to drag the 300lb thing in to a dealer for repair and wait a month.
Click to expand...

"Here?" I've only been here all my life.

If every generator is made in China, then why did the OP even mention it?

anyway, if you don't care about the US economy, keep buying crap made in China.
 
I've been looking at this $3K unit, and running it off the natural gas that already flows to the house.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200365567_200365567

My only issue would be that my NG enters the house on the NORTH side of the house, and my electric panel is on the SOUTH side of the house.

The gas lines DO go to the attic and upstairs (hot water heater and HVAC), but I haven't had a plumber do a look see to determine if the lines are large enough to run this unit too.

Also need to do more research on Generac quality--reviews on Northern's site weren't adverse (4.6 out of 5, with 7 reviewers).

This other unit would make more sense, as it already is wired for 200A service panels, whereas the previous link is to a 100A service panel unit.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200481745_200481745
 
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Bob Noel said:
"Here?" I've only been here all my life.

If every generator is made in China, then why did the OP even mention it?

anyway, if you don't care about the US economy, keep buying crap made in China.
Click to expand...

It says Chinese cheapee. The ship has sailed on manufacturing jobs in the US.

In my day "Made in Japan" once meant cheap crap, too.

It's not all "cheapee." Apple's stuff is made in China, too. Same for Sony.
 
wsuffa said:
Mike,

Don't know what you have for furnace and AC, but some of the newer computer-controlled, high-efficiency units puke with most generator power. Apparently problem is frequency stability and harmonic distortion. Units like the Onan are generally pretty good, construction-site generators are not usually as good.

YMMV

Bill
Click to expand...

My 8KW will run 2 roof airs, a microwave, 2 TVs, the refer, and all the lights and still charge the house batteries all at once.
 
TangoWhiskey said:
My only issue would be that my NG enters the house on the NORTH side of the house, and my electric panel is on the SOUTH side of the house.
Click to expand...

The run of either gas line or electrical line will not be long enough to matter. Esepcially for a home unit.

We ran the cables for a 750 KVA unit (for a radio station studio complex) 40-50 feet. Just size the lines for the current draw and avoid excessive voltage drop. The cable from your service mains is probably longer (I know mine is).

You'll need to make sure the gas feed is sufficient. On-demand hot water heaters require surprisingly large gas feeds.
Also need to do more research on Generac quality--reviews on Northern's site weren't adverse (4.6 out of 5, with 7 reviewers).
Click to expand...

Generac is known for mixed quality. Onan and Kohler are probably the best units, considered to be reliable and heavily used in commercial properties, data centers, and so forth. In the radio stations, it was generally one of those two products - in data centers, we often put in a flywheel system that gave us a couple of seconds of uninterrupted power while the genset spooled up. The flywheels also were great surge suppressors & did a great job at keeping the frequency constant.


mikea said:
It says Chinese cheapee. The ship has sailed on manufacturing jobs in the US.

In my day "Made in Japan" once meant cheap crap, too.

It's not all "cheapee." Apple's stuff is made in China, too. Same for Sony.
Click to expand...

I think Onan (now owned by Cummins), Kohler, and Generac make many of their generators in the US.
 
I believe Caterpillar also still builds in the U.S. Not cheap. Order the dual oil pressure sensors if you're installing at a data center. Ask me how I know and how fast I drove down the freeway to get there when the battery plant only had 30 minutes of backup time. ;)
 
TangoWhiskey said:
I've been looking at this $3K unit, and running it off the natural gas that already flows to the house.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200365567_200365567
Click to expand...

Yep. Next year, one of those units is going in at my house.
Here in Colorado, the earthquake risk is very low (so the gas lines will be intact), but the power outage danger in winter is very high.
This would keep my kitchen, fridge, freezer, gas furnace, air handler fans, water heater, and lights going. So, no broken pipes, hot food, hot showers.
In summer, it could power the AC as well, so we can keep the house cool.

Nice insurance policy, especially if we're out of town (it's all automatic).
 
mikea said:
It says Chinese cheapee. The ship has sailed on manufacturing jobs in the US.
Click to expand...


I guess people really do live on the left side of the bell curve.......:dunno:
 
PilotAlan said:
Yep. Next year, one of those units is going in at my house.
Here in Colorado, the earthquake risk is very low (so the gas lines will be intact), but the power outage danger in winter is very high.
This would keep my kitchen, fridge, freezer, gas furnace, air handler fans, water heater, and lights going. So, no broken pipes, hot food, hot showers.
In summer, it could power the AC as well, so we can keep the house cool.

Nice insurance policy, especially if we're out of town (it's all automatic).
Click to expand...

Yeah. My brother has one after enduring a 9 day blackout. It cost $4500 installed. It runs once a week to self test.

This when the real estate expert on Today said that a generator was a bad home improvement investment. Sure, if you're flipping the house. Not if you live there.
 
wsuffa said:
Mike,

Don't know what you have for furnace and AC, but some of the newer computer-controlled, high-efficiency units puke with most generator power. Apparently problem is frequency stability and harmonic distortion. Units like the Onan are generally pretty good, construction-site generators are not usually as good.

YMMV

Bill
Click to expand...

I had complete failure in getting my furnace to operate on an adequately-sized jobsite genset; forget which brand, engine was a Subaru. The control electronics did not care for the current at all, threw error codes.

wsuffa said:
I think Onan (now owned by Cummins), Kohler, and Generac make many of their generators in the US.
Click to expand...

Generacs are made in the US, all except their small portables, which are Chinese.

TangoWhiskey said:
I've been looking at this $3K unit, and running it off the natural gas that already flows to the house.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200365567_200365567

My only issue would be that my NG enters the house on the NORTH side of the house, and my electric panel is on the SOUTH side of the house.

The gas lines DO go to the attic and upstairs (hot water heater and HVAC), but I haven't had a plumber do a look see to determine if the lines are large enough to run this unit too.

Also need to do more research on Generac quality--reviews on Northern's site weren't adverse (4.6 out of 5, with 7 reviewers).

This other unit would make more sense, as it already is wired for 200A service panels, whereas the previous link is to a 100A service panel unit.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200481745_200481745
Click to expand...

Troy:

Check out these guys, whose pricing is excellent. Guy is a sponsor at Beechtalk.

http://www.wholesalepowertools.com/generators/generac/standby-generators.html
 
I bought a small generator from Northern Tool to run my camper, which isn't very big. Made in China of course. So it is a 2000 watt generator and it runs fine. It powers everything that I need to power, and I have no complaints as far as that is concerned. The only thing is that it is loud. A Honda would have cost me over twice as much, but they are much quieter. If I could just figure out how to quiet mine down I would be happy with it.
 
I'm assuming that most of the noise from the generator comes from the exhaust. Has anyone looked at replacing the exhaust on a B&S powered generator?
 
SCCutler said:
I had complete failure in getting my furnace to operate on an adequately-sized jobsite genset; forget which brand, engine was a Subaru. The control electronics did not care for the current at all, threw error codes.

Generacs are made in the US, all except their small portables, which are Chinese.

Troy:

Check out these guys, whose pricing is excellent. Guy is a sponsor at Beechtalk.

http://www.wholesalepowertools.com/generators/generac/standby-generators.html
Click to expand...

Thanks for the referral, Spike. I'll check it out. Did you finally find something that would work well with your furnace? My Trane HVAC units are likely to be particular about the kind of power feeding it.
 
TangoWhiskey said:
Thanks for the referral, Spike. I'll check it out. Did you finally find something that would work well with your furnace? My Trane HVAC units are likely to be particular about the kind of power feeding it.
Click to expand...

Nope. We just remained cold for a while. After failing in the effort (and becoming convinced, in the process, that the furnaces' controllers were both damaged in the voltage surges which occurred when the power failed, that we were going to have to undertake costly repairs to both units), we went out to dinner or something like that.

As it worked out, when we came home, the power was back on. We were very fortunate in this regard, as usually, when the power fails here (and it does so with startling regularity), it takes a Very Long Time to be restored. This time, though, it was back on quickly, while many in the city endured several days of dark and cold.
 
mikea said:
If my neighbors p* me off, and making a 150 foot electric feed run to the backyard is too expensive, I'll just put the input box out front. That would also mean I'd have to drag the generator up there from the back which would be impossible if the yard is full of snow.

---------------

PAGING ENGINEER LANCE F!

Could you take a look at the schematic at the end of the manual linked above and clarify for me why those power outlets are fed weird?

I would have thought that they would have two phases of output and feed each 125v output from each. They have both duplex outlets on the same line, which is shared with the twist lock outlet, and then the 220v outlet has one of those on one side and a completely isolated phase on the other.

It looks like they're showing separate windings of the generator for each line, but could that balance out mechanically somehow?

I dunno what that black box in the middle does, but I think it's marked as circuit protection.

I'm just wondering how you balance the draw all of the available power - or if I need to be concerned. I have a cord that splits the 25amp 125v twist outlet into two conventional outlets. I'd use that and the two GFCIs, but I could alos get a cord to split the 220v outlet.
Click to expand...
I can't get the manual to download, every time I try using Firefox or IE it fails. Many utility type gensets with 110/220 out have a switch that allows all the available power to feed a single 110v circuit by paralleling the two generator outputs (this eliminates all 220v power). Perhaps that's what you're seeing as this would require one 110v winding to be isolated. Also each style of outlet has a max current rating and must be protected with a fuse or CB equal to or less than the outlet rating. The twist lock types come in about 20 variants WRT voltage, # of phases, current, and grounding but 30A is common for gensets.

Edit: I finally got the manual by saving a copy and opening it directly with Adobe. The "box" in the middle is a switch that does what I already guessed (above) i.e it configures the genset for 110v or 220v operation. In one position of that switch the two 110v windings are paralleled and fed to the three 110v only outlets and duplexes through additional CBs dedicated to each outlet or duplex. In the other position the 110v outlets are disabled and the two windings are connected in series and feed the 110/220v twist lock outlet.

So as long as your 110v loads are reasonably well balanced (i.e. no more than 30A on one of the two legs) you should put the switch in the 220v mode and use the 110/220v twist lock outlet (the one with 4 terminals) and wire that through the transfer switch to your main panel just like the service feed.
 
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gismo said:
I can't get the manual to download, every time I try using Firefox or IE it fails. Many utility type gensets with 110/220 out have a switch that allows all the available power to feed a single 110v circuit by paralleling the two generator outputs (this eliminates all 220v power). Perhaps that's what you're seeing as this would require one 110v winding to be isolated. Also each style of outlet has a max current rating and must be protected with a fuse or CB equal to or less than the outlet rating. The twist lock types come in about 20 variants WRT voltage, # of phases, current, and grounding but 30A is common for gensets.

Edit: I finally got the manual by saving a copy and opening it directly with Adobe. The "box" in the middle is a switch that does what I already guessed (above) i.e it configures the genset for 110v or 220v operation. In one position of that switch the two 110v windings are paralleled and fed to the three 110v only outlets and duplexes through additional CBs dedicated to each outlet or duplex. In the other position the 110v outlets are disabled and the two windings are connected in series and feed the 110/220v twist lock outlet.

So as long as your 110v loads are reasonably well balanced (i.e. no more than 30A on one of the two legs) you should put the switch in the 220v mode and use the 110/220v twist lock outlet (the one with 4 terminals) and wire that through the transfer switch to your main panel just like the service feed.
Click to expand...

Got it. THANKS, Lance!

I'll use the 110v outlets as long as I'm running extension cords and switch to the 220v when I have the transfer switch or a hack thereof.

BTW, I was just reminded that there is a semi-legal solution that saves on putting in a full transfer panel setup. It's called an interlock: http://www.interlockkit.com/intro2.htm

Unfortunately for me, my breaker panel is tres-weird and not one of the name brands. I could do this by rigging up my own main lockout but I'm more inclined to spring for a real transfer panel.

I need a new service entrance at some point soon anyway.

My order for this generator is in.

I get to laugh even more at the next disaster.

I'm fairly certain that ComEd isn't going to improve service any year soon. Some towns have sued them over outages.
 
Every now and then I am also checking current offers at Costco.com. At the moment I need a new generator because my old one broke down and now I decided to bypass the time with generator rentals until I find a good offer. By doing so I have the opportunity to try different generators and then finally decide which one fits my requirements best.
 
I have a Generac 15kw genset (LP)and a 200 amp transfer switch. It automatically picks up the full load during utility power outages. i run a Burnham boiler, 2 Lennox air handler units (variable speed DC motors) controlled by a Tecmar 370 controller. Summer time I run 2 A/C compressors. I have no problem with appliances, TVs computers etc.
 
Dang,
most of the standby gennies Costco is offerering are LP/NG. We've got propane for my shop but the cost is pretty high and I don't want to run a genset off my tank. No natural gas available either. I'd really like to find a diesel unit as we have fuel for the tractor that can be used as well as the fact that diesel is a lot more efficient than LP or NG.....or gasoline for that matter. I guess I just have to keep looking at govt surplus...


Frank
 
The big Generacs are solid units. There portable units they picked up from some acquired company seem to have mixed reviews.
 
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