This generator is sold under a few names $139: amzn.to/3GZxJoc (no battery cables) and $149: amzn.to/3H00Qrl - If you own one of these ket me know your experience
They're really good. I got one for $90 from Mills Fleet Farm's online store several years ago and it still runs well. The reason why they're good generators is that they're actually a Yamaha or Kawasaki design made in Japan. I guess the Japanese decided to be cheap and let China manufacture the generators and, well, we all know how that goes. Probably should've started it out on 40:1 for the first tank and its a good idea to spray fogging oil in the cylinder before starting it so its not running dry right away.
we had a multiple day power outage years ago. It was $99 back then on Amazon. I was mainly used it to power the fridge and a few of UPS at power my router and electronics. I later found a use for it as portable power for an electric chainsaw. Trimming tree branches and clearing brush at was just to far to run an extension cord.
I had one similar to this when we lost power for seven days. It ran almost constantly, running freezer, and CPAP at night and TV and recharging all the phones during the day. It was a rockstar, and lifesaver however, I did purchase a better one after that experience.
Electrical Engineer here. Great video, though I might add to the comment of you saying "I wouldn't use it on computers, gaming consoles, etc., but use it for fridges, pumps etc." is not quite correct. Though I would stay away from plugging very expensive electronics into it, most of the "modern" switching power supplies do literally not care what you put into it as long as it doesnt have PFC (power factor correction), even then I wouldn't expect any issues with this sort of signal from the generator. Interestingly the machines some might asociate with "not being sensitive to "dirty" power" are actually the real concern with high THD sources like this generator. For example a pump or fridge, most of the single phase ac motors use a capacitor to get going - this poses a few issues while being powered by such a "dirty" source - first the capacitor doesn't do as good of a job as a "starter" for the motor, thus wearing it more quickly and the motor being hotter - second the non sinusodial source makes for a rough running motor, pump, etc. which wears out its bearing and such much more quickly.
Thank you. I've seen this generator a bunch on different youtubers videos but this guy whips out a portable power wave analyzer that Costs almost as much as 2 of my cars
The truth is, that "dirty" sine wave doesn't matter to almost anything you'd plug into it, including most electronics, which first rectify to DC anyway. As one who collects and enjoys quality antique machinery, I've been tempted to get one of these anyway, just because they're so gosh darned cute! I'm sure the quality is seriously lacking compared to what I'm used to with vintage machines though...
This comment needs to be higher, if the electronic device has a "brute force" or linear power supply and definitely not vacuum tube rectification, this generator will in fact do strange stuff to it, but most modern electronics use switching power supplies which by their nature have huge tolerances and will rectify to DC almost any incoming AC voltage between 100-250v and 50-60hz give or take a few volts/hz the tag on the power supply will tell you all the info needed.
Yup. Most AC-DC rectifiers have large capacitors to filter and prevent issues when power surges with additional loads on the circuit. These allow a steady DC current. Without these capacitors, even on 120v wall outlets, if someone on the other side of the house turns on a vacuum cleaner or your HVAC kicks on, it would crash your desktop PC. Even if it was just for a fraction of a second.
good honest review. in 2017 we got hit by hurricane irma and my power was out for a week. i used one of these for 3 days, till i got a bigger gen, and ran my fans TV and battery chargers for my lights. i still have one of these buzz bombs. they are loud, smelly, run rough, but easy to service and repair. these days i have mostly inverter gens (champ 2k, honda eu2k, sportsman gen 1000i) but these buzz bombs are fine if you don't over load them. keep them running at 4-600 watts and they are happy. btw they have enough umph to run a 5k window ac. they are a copy of a 1970s yamaha.
I know they say to use 50:1 which is probably for emmessions reasons. But I'd use 40:1 of full synthetic oil if you want it to last longer. Many experienced chainsaw mechanics say. A 2 stroke can run on 50:1 but won't last nearly as long.
@@albinklein7680 I'd like to see that tested long term. I'm sure it can run can at even 70:1 with seemingly no problem on high quality castor/full synthetic blend oil. But wont last as long....Many items like my snowblower say to use 50:1 knowing you're only going to be using it in cold weather & only a couple snowy days out of the year. Similar to these 2 stroke generators. They're meant mainly for occasional use- camping trips, power outage & not meant for heavy daily use. If someone plans on using it for say 3-4 days every week to help charge a solar system. I'd go 40:1. The guys who use chainsaws on a daily basis for a living are the ones who say don't use 50:1 if you want it to last longer. A 2 stroke oil that uses castor bean oil. Like either 100% castor oil or a blend of full synthetic & castor bean. Can save a 2 stroke in an overheating situation if using 50:1 because the castor oil actually gets thicker the hotter it gets & protects better 🆚 non castor oils that will just burn up once it reaches a certain temperature & offer 0 protection if overheating... Which is one main reason why castor oil was used many years ago (& still is) in air cooled 2 strokes. The big downside of castor oil. Is that it leaves deposits & gunks up the engine. So it has to be taken apart & cleaned more. Guys who ride air cooled 2 stroke motorcycles also say 40:1 makes the engine last longer 🆚 50 & 60:1...Using 50 or 60:1 will make the bike slightly faster & wouldn't hurt once in a while if engine temperature doesn't get too high...Too much oil like 25:1 or 30:1 isn't good either because it causes the engine to run lean/ hotter & also gunks up engine. Most air cooled 2 stroke motorcycle guys say use 40:1 from beginning to end. For the longest life. But 50:1 will get better emmessions and make Greta Thunberg happy.
@@michaelbrinks8089 what I did is put some good 2 stroke oil directly into the spark plug hole and lubed it up really well before starting. I did 3 heat cycles and then varied the load with a leaf blower to break it in. I got the Pulstar and it is quiet and works very well. I go rich with the oil. Also NGK plug and NGK connector.
@@narcissistinjurygiver2932 That's how I broke my chainsaw in. Took spark plug out, looked inside for factory dirt, stuck a Q tip inside to see if any dirt or metal shavings would be on it. Put a little a little oil in. Then did a couple heat cycles. Which reminds me, I need to order some good castor/full synthetic blend oil to keep on hand for summer. On hot 90-100F plus days I try to use castor/syn oil.
@@michaelbrinks8089 I test that on my 1970s Vespa scooter for several thousand miles every year. The fuel cap says "1:33 mix". I rebuilt the engine about fifteen years ago with modern FAG and Koyo bearings and I run a 1:75 mix with regular gas and Castrol R since that engine was broken in properly. It is totally fine. The exhaust and cylinder head/ports are clean as if it was a four stroke. I run the recommended 1:50 mix through my chainsaws, though. Those are very high performance engines seeing hard abuse.
I used 2 of these after Hurricane Harvey after the sun went down to keep the freezers and refrigerators chilled and run a few LED lights in addition to powering a UPS for charging the laptops and cell phones. I found that it's best to replace the fuel petcocks, fuel line and install an inline fuel filter to make them last longer. It's been 6 years and I still use one of them once or twice a month.
@@Gokywildcats11 They were to me. I've gotten years of use out of them, and as long as you know what things to replace, and keep them maintained, they run pretty good.
Well what usually fails on them is people not knowing they have to turn the fuel petcock. Spark plug fouling is an issue if you run them incorrectly. And you may need to clean the carb. As long as they turn and have compression you're good to go to get a non running unit for very little money.
@@no-damn-alias I've found that running it slightly light on the oil mix usually about 55:1. Plus I add an ounce of Berryman's B=12 cleaner to every gallon of 2 cycle I mix up. The biggest issue is using ethanol mix. So I drive a little out of my way to get non-ethanol gasoline.
It ought to work okay with computers if you use a power conditioner or UPS with it. Even without, it should be okay. The power output is clean enough that the filter caps and stuff on the power supply *should* be enough to get it through, but I think a UPS or power conditioner would still be advised. At this price it's a good deal even if you only need it for one occasion. I happen to have a large pure sin wave inverter, so I'd use it to produce DC for a battery and run it off the inverter. For that use, it seems perfect.
A Furman power conditioner is a good option, as well as APC, Vertiv, Cyberpower, Eaton, or Tripp-Lite (an Eaton brand) UPS or automatic voltage regulator.
For those who have an apartment or condo especially with a deck to help prevent theft, this would be great if it lasts. 5gal of stored gas oil mix, and the fridge, LED lights & a fan would probably work well. {Although I could see all the neighbors wanting to "hook up" as well}...I had a smaller gas generator that unfortunately was burned up by over loading it after a hurricane. I've learned to say no... I'm gonna check this one out. It would be great to have as a back up to my big one. Down here in Florida, we lose power during every storm. Sometimes it's back up quickly, and other times, not so much. After Irma, I had no power for 29 days. My well pump must be connected along with the fridge! Definitely need at least a fan as well.
@@MrSGL21 Actually I was in an area of Pinellas County on 5 acres of what used to be an Orange Grove. We had 2 poles snapped and one had a transformer on it. Because they ran out of those, and the size Jack needed to restore power, we were the last ones restored. I THEN moved to Pine Island, and went thru Ian... THAT'S a story for another day! Suffice to say, I won't be riding out hurricanes again. I don't know if you remember, but at the last minute the weather folks said we were going to be missed, and Tampa Bay would get the direct hit... Ugh! THAT didn't happen... 🥴
@@dragonslayer7587 oh i remember. i was at work the night before. i barely had enough time to grab some stuff, my dog, etc and head to a buddys much better built house. we lost power at his house around noon on wednesday while watching the sheriffs substation float on FMB float away. i went home the next am, place was still there with light damage and spent the next 8 days without power. Champ 2k inverter genny for the the win.
A two stoke generator like this would probably drive your neighbors nuts running on an apartment balcony being too loud. Be prepared to share some power
@@StephenByersJ I'm sure it would, however, building a box of some kind, would probably limit the noise. I'll say this, it's been a while since I've lived in a condo, but when I did, my neighbors weren't exactly quiet on a good day!
I got one of these for cheap. Cannot complain for the amount spent. I’ve already made money using it and it’s come in handy twice during power outages to charge a power station that has pure sine wave.
I think this is a great thing to have on hand for people in areas where power outages are much less common, so you're prepared just in case. Obviously here in New Hampshire you'd want something a little more dependable, and maybe bigger. But honestly, comparing this to my Yamaha EF6300ISDE, this little thing is pretty incredible for the price!
I got one like this from my local home big box store when the regular price was about $100 and the black Friday sale was $80. I used it to charge my deep cycle battery for my trolling motor and used a 2nd hand modified inverter. It meant I could power my boiler circulation pump during power outages. 30 years later it still works and is my backup unit. I also have used it to power tools when working in the woods.
I remember this being sold by Harbor Freight as a "tailgator", for $88.00! Some had a cammo case and looked great. I started to pick one up at that price but passed on it. Probably a nice gen to haul around for small projects.
Anywhere from 900 watts to 1200 watts depending on the sticker on the unit several different companies put their name on same unit with different colors.
I camped for a weekend off grid last year. A camping neighbor had one of these that he ran every morning to top up his battery. It wasn't terribly noisy at distance and seemed to work well. It started first pull every time I seen him use it. Never seen him put fuel in it. I would buy one if I needed something in that capacity.
I’ve got this generator. To date. The pull starter has broken, I now start with a drill. The gasket blew, I fixed with silicone gasket goop. One of the super long head bolts snapped. It smokes to hell when first started. Spark plug needs cleaning quite a lot. And it takes forrreeevvveeerrrrrr to settle into a happy idle when cold started. Yet. It. WILL. NOT. DIE. I got this thing similar price to the video to get me out of a bind expecting it to last a couple uses tops. Years strong! Is it good? Oh hell no! Go buy something better lol. But you get what you pay for and it’s solid, if you are happy fixing stuff it can last a while.
Fun fact: The muffler isn't the only thing that makes an engine quiet. The build quality and tolerances of the engine has a lot to do with how loud it is. You can put the largest muffler on the most expensive engine, but it means nothing if the engine isn't balanced and toleranced properly. It's why generators (and some 2-cycle scooters) with quiet engines cost so much more :D
These generators are sold under many names and probably made by many factories. I've been using one from Harbor Freight for over 15 years and other than occasional carb cleaning it has never failed. While not very loud, the sound is annoying up close. They do work better under moderate load.
I bought a GENMAX 2200W Ultra -Quiet from Amazon. Ran once and never started again. It is a 80# boar anchor now. Amazon will not help you and the factory are clueless.
I had one of these it was pretty good for what it was, it ran my laptop no problem. Also kept the lights on during power outages. Didn't last long though. Harbor freight's predators are really good, just get the smallest one. For the life of me i could not get that thing to start without a shot of starting fluid. Then it would fire up first pull. It did work very well with tools.
I have the same one just branded different. Says it has low oil shut down 😂 Runs well, but I don’t think it’s ever started without ether on the first go
Good info! I didn't know these even existed. Seems like a pretty good value in case of emergency! Did you get the canned fuel mix at a hardware store? Thanks!
I have had one of these for over 10 years and it still runs good. Dropped off the truck and smashed the gas tank. Running direct from a gas can. Used every hunting season. Also sold at Princess Auto/Harbour freight.
Would it be good to charge a battery pack and not damage the battery. You could use this to charge a battery pack and use the battery pack to run TV's and computer's
That is a tough one, I think in most cases it would work fine, but its a bit scary since the THD was acceptable but close to being too much. The better brands like Ecoflow and Anker will likely detect problematic power and shut down but its not guaranteed.
Would love to see this compared to the 1500 watt version. On paper it seems like the better deal. For 70 dollars more you get 300 more starting watts and a 100 more running. You also get a second outlet and since its a inverter generator it "should" be much more electronic friendly. Which is the biggest selling point for me. As a bonus if you need more power down the road you can get a second one and connect them for 2000 running watts. So ya im seriously eyeing that one.
I would never pay for premixed gas...biggest rip off ever... it's way cheaper just to buy pump gas & some 2 cycle oil & mix it yourself... instructions on making a 50:1 or 40:1 mix for whatever volume you're mixing is right on the side of the bottle of oil, making it super easy, barely an inconvenience...
I have a westing house generator that has a peak of 4500w only has 120v outlets could you do a video on how I could connect this to my home in a power outage. I’ve watched your other videos and it looks like you are generally using a generator that can do 240v
1000 Watt Power Conditioners are under $100. If needed, this can be used to clean the power. (A Power Conditioner is basically a UPS without a battery.)
Dedication to your viewers buying a $7000 piece of equipment to test a $150 piece of equipment, or a sneaky way to get a equipment (grown-up toy) without your wife throwing up a fit.😂
$7,000 power analyzer? You could have bought a decent oscilloscope and 10x probe for 5% of that amount. It won't summarize the readings for you but the calculation are only sixth grade math. A suggestion for when you start it: open the fuel valve and wait a minute to let the float bowl fill. With the ignition OFF and choke ON pull it three times then turn the ignition ON. It will usually start on the next pull.
Great presentation and a very informative review. I would expect nothing less from a person keeping a well organized spark plug kit like you utilized when changing out the the original cheap spark plug with a high quality NGK plug. A couple of questions: 1. The receptacle looks like NEMA 20A; does this generator supply 20 Amps for devices requiring it? 2. Are these legal in California and states adopting California's emission standards? (California is set to ban the new sale of gasoline powered small off-road engines in 2024, 2- and 4-stroke.) Please let me know. Thanks again for all your great content.
them things are worth the money i have had one for ten years never really use it but 3 pulls and it goes good for a just incase or camping deep in the woods and its light
It puts out about 10-12 amps. But it is absolutely imperative that you connect a battery with at least 25 Ampére-hours to it, because that outlet has no regulation at all.
I don't completely agree with your claim that you can't run sensitive electronics because most power supplies like computer PSU's and phone chargers can run on a wide range of voltages and they typically don't need a perfect since wave because they just filter the AC to DC and step it down.
Generator manufacturers are pushing the limits with truth in advertising. They'll use 25% load to make buyers think it will run a long, long, long time. But buyers don't realize how little power that 25% is on that generator.
i would use this generator to recharge a battery/solar inverter unit in an extended outage, it would probably do great i would be careful of using this with a high end refrigerator as they usually have electronic controls easily identified by a 7 segment with buttons thermostat instead of a analog dial, infact you should have a (proably 20 amp) surge protector when using one of those on utility power I could run all my 3 garage refrigerators off one of these things to get them cold again, a portable 1000w resistive cooktop I have or recharge my ecoflow but I would not run my kitchen refrigerator as it is sensitive and the defrost cycle would overload it anyway
Really like your videos but I’m surprised how you pour fuel from can. If you pour with opening from top when tilted it won’t gurgle and splash and you have more control of how much comes out.
I appreciate the tips. I never buy premixed fuel, it is such a ripoff. I only did it here since I was 100% sure someone would say "you should have used ethanol free fuel the whole test was botched" But you are right I definitely could have poured it much more elegantly.
To measure sine wave distortion, I would atleast want to put the generator on a 100 resistive load such as an incandecent light bulb. I suspect no load viewing of the sign wave is not accurate.
I'd stay away from this brand. Once bought a Powersmart snowblower, it wouldn't start after a 2nd snowstorm of the season. I was lucky Lowes was willing to take it back. A good generator cost more for their quality built. If properly maintained, it will outlive you.
This generator is similar to the tailgator that got discontinued. Also theres no place to plug in the clips. Unless you want to overload your battery with 10x the voltage.
This generator is sold under a few names $139: amzn.to/3GZxJoc (no battery cables) and $149: amzn.to/3H00Qrl - If you own one of these ket me know your experience
I own one. Use it to run a lil cabin. I LOVE it!
I have 2. Both very good. Called something else at Harbor Freight and during sales can be had for around 90. Good review
They're really good. I got one for $90 from Mills Fleet Farm's online store several years ago and it still runs well. The reason why they're good generators is that they're actually a Yamaha or Kawasaki design made in Japan. I guess the Japanese decided to be cheap and let China manufacture the generators and, well, we all know how that goes. Probably should've started it out on 40:1 for the first tank and its a good idea to spray fogging oil in the cylinder before starting it so its not running dry right away.
we had a multiple day power outage years ago. It was $99 back then on Amazon. I was mainly used it to power the fridge and a few of UPS at power my router and electronics. I later found a use for it as portable power for an electric chainsaw. Trimming tree branches and clearing brush at was just to far to run an extension cord.
One note about refrigerators.....older ones might be good to run, but modern ones have very sensitive computer boards and are sensitive to high THD.
I was thinking the same thing. Even the cube/dorm-style fridges are starting to have electronic controls in them.
I had one similar to this when we lost power for seven days. It ran almost constantly, running freezer, and CPAP at night and TV and recharging all the phones during the day. It was a rockstar, and lifesaver however, I did purchase a better one after that experience.
Harbor freight used to sell them for $69.00 a few years ago.
Electrical Engineer here. Great video, though I might add to the comment of you saying "I wouldn't use it on computers, gaming consoles, etc., but use it for fridges, pumps etc." is not quite correct. Though I would stay away from plugging very expensive electronics into it, most of the "modern" switching power supplies do literally not care what you put into it as long as it doesnt have PFC (power factor correction), even then I wouldn't expect any issues with this sort of signal from the generator. Interestingly the machines some might asociate with "not being sensitive to "dirty" power" are actually the real concern with high THD sources like this generator. For example a pump or fridge, most of the single phase ac motors use a capacitor to get going - this poses a few issues while being powered by such a "dirty" source - first the capacitor doesn't do as good of a job as a "starter" for the motor, thus wearing it more quickly and the motor being hotter - second the non sinusodial source makes for a rough running motor, pump, etc. which wears out its bearing and such much more quickly.
computers have a power inverter so they are ok
The most interesting thing in this video is the power quality analyzer.
Seven… thousand… dollars!!!
@@giantfactory I know, I looked it up, too. Way too much. But I want one! Even a used unit on ebay is still $2K
Thank you. I've seen this generator a bunch on different youtubers videos but this guy whips out a portable power wave analyzer that Costs almost as much as 2 of my cars
You can buy instruments that will give you the same information all for under $1k, you just won't get a pretty screen with color coded boxes.
@@giantfactorycertification cost are a scam
The truth is, that "dirty" sine wave doesn't matter to almost anything you'd plug into it, including most electronics, which first rectify to DC anyway. As one who collects and enjoys quality antique machinery, I've been tempted to get one of these anyway, just because they're so gosh darned cute! I'm sure the quality is seriously lacking compared to what I'm used to with vintage machines though...
Try to get an original vintage Yamaha one.
This comment needs to be higher, if the electronic device has a "brute force" or linear power supply and definitely not vacuum tube rectification, this generator will in fact do strange stuff to it, but most modern electronics use switching power supplies which by their nature have huge tolerances and will rectify to DC almost any incoming AC voltage between 100-250v and 50-60hz give or take a few volts/hz the tag on the power supply will tell you all the info needed.
Yup. Most AC-DC rectifiers have large capacitors to filter and prevent issues when power surges with additional loads on the circuit. These allow a steady DC current. Without these capacitors, even on 120v wall outlets, if someone on the other side of the house turns on a vacuum cleaner or your HVAC kicks on, it would crash your desktop PC. Even if it was just for a fraction of a second.
good honest review. in 2017 we got hit by hurricane irma and my power was out for a week. i used one of these for 3 days, till i got a bigger gen, and ran my fans TV and battery chargers for my lights. i still have one of these buzz bombs. they are loud, smelly, run rough, but easy to service and repair. these days i have mostly inverter gens (champ 2k, honda eu2k, sportsman gen 1000i) but these buzz bombs are fine if you don't over load them. keep them running at 4-600 watts and they are happy. btw they have enough umph to run a 5k window ac. they are a copy of a 1970s yamaha.
I know they say to use 50:1 which is probably for emmessions reasons. But I'd use 40:1 of full synthetic oil if you want it to last longer. Many experienced chainsaw mechanics say.
A 2 stroke can run on 50:1 but won't last nearly as long.
With good quality oil you can run them at 75-80:1 without any problems!
@@albinklein7680 I'd like to see that tested long term. I'm sure it can run can at even 70:1 with seemingly no problem on high quality castor/full synthetic blend oil. But wont last as long....Many items like my snowblower say to use 50:1 knowing you're only going to be using it in cold weather & only a couple snowy days out of the year. Similar to these 2 stroke generators. They're meant mainly for occasional use- camping trips, power outage & not meant for heavy daily use. If someone plans on using it for say 3-4 days every week to help charge a solar system. I'd go 40:1.
The guys who use chainsaws on a daily basis for a living are the ones who say don't use 50:1 if you want it to last longer.
A 2 stroke oil that uses castor bean oil. Like either 100% castor oil or a blend of full synthetic & castor bean. Can save a 2 stroke in an overheating situation if using 50:1 because the castor oil actually gets thicker the hotter it gets & protects better 🆚 non castor oils that will just burn up once it reaches a certain temperature & offer 0 protection if overheating... Which is one main reason why castor oil was used many years ago (& still is) in air cooled 2 strokes. The big downside of castor oil. Is that it leaves deposits & gunks up the engine. So it has to be taken apart & cleaned more. Guys who ride air cooled 2 stroke motorcycles also say 40:1 makes the engine last longer 🆚 50 & 60:1...Using 50 or 60:1 will make the bike slightly faster & wouldn't hurt once in a while if engine temperature doesn't get too high...Too much oil like 25:1 or 30:1 isn't good either because it causes the engine to run lean/ hotter & also gunks up engine. Most air cooled 2 stroke motorcycle guys say use 40:1 from beginning to end. For the longest life. But 50:1 will get better emmessions and make Greta Thunberg happy.
@@michaelbrinks8089 what I did is put some good 2 stroke oil directly into the spark plug hole and lubed it up really well before starting. I did 3 heat cycles and then varied the load with a leaf blower to break it in. I got the Pulstar and it is quiet and works very well. I go rich with the oil. Also NGK plug and NGK connector.
@@narcissistinjurygiver2932 That's how I broke my chainsaw in. Took spark plug out, looked inside for factory dirt, stuck a Q tip inside to see if any dirt or metal shavings would be on it. Put a little a little oil in. Then did a couple heat cycles. Which reminds me, I need to order some good castor/full synthetic blend oil to keep on hand for summer. On hot 90-100F plus days I try to use castor/syn oil.
@@michaelbrinks8089 I test that on my 1970s Vespa scooter for several thousand miles every year. The fuel cap says "1:33 mix". I rebuilt the engine about fifteen years ago with modern FAG and Koyo bearings and I run a 1:75 mix with regular gas and Castrol R since that engine was broken in properly. It is totally fine. The exhaust and cylinder head/ports are clean as if it was a four stroke.
I run the recommended 1:50 mix through my chainsaws, though. Those are very high performance engines seeing hard abuse.
Pretty good value for $139, I've seen Generators do less but cost more.
Agreed, this could do a lot of useful things for a decent price.
It used to cost $100 but inflation is hitting
Right. I remember these being tested by many people and it was like only 99. There are many variants of the same design @@misham6547
in asia those generator cost under $100, with some sacriface quality build, like the switch are not waterproof, and many other thing
Really? Here in Germany you can get a pretty decent 1kVA four stroke inverter generator for less than 150 Euros if it is on sale.
I used 2 of these after Hurricane Harvey after the sun went down to keep the freezers and refrigerators chilled and run a few LED lights in addition to powering a UPS for charging the laptops and cell phones. I found that it's best to replace the fuel petcocks, fuel line and install an inline fuel filter to make them last longer. It's been 6 years and I still use one of them once or twice a month.
So is it worth the money
@@Gokywildcats11 They were to me. I've gotten years of use out of them, and as long as you know what things to replace, and keep them maintained, they run pretty good.
Well what usually fails on them is people not knowing they have to turn the fuel petcock.
Spark plug fouling is an issue if you run them incorrectly.
And you may need to clean the carb.
As long as they turn and have compression you're good to go to get a non running unit for very little money.
@@no-damn-alias I've found that running it slightly light on the oil mix usually about 55:1. Plus I add an ounce of Berryman's B=12 cleaner to every gallon of 2 cycle I mix up.
The biggest issue is using ethanol mix. So I drive a little out of my way to get non-ethanol gasoline.
It ought to work okay with computers if you use a power conditioner or UPS with it. Even without, it should be okay. The power output is clean enough that the filter caps and stuff on the power supply *should* be enough to get it through, but I think a UPS or power conditioner would still be advised.
At this price it's a good deal even if you only need it for one occasion.
I happen to have a large pure sin wave inverter, so I'd use it to produce DC for a battery and run it off the inverter. For that use, it seems perfect.
A Furman power conditioner is a good option, as well as APC, Vertiv, Cyberpower, Eaton, or Tripp-Lite (an Eaton brand) UPS or automatic voltage regulator.
life or death situation, you'll be glad you did. it's a good one to have as a backup or if you live in an area you don't know if you'll ever need one.
For those who have an apartment or condo especially with a deck to help prevent theft, this would be great if it lasts. 5gal of stored gas oil mix, and the fridge, LED lights & a fan would probably work well. {Although I could see all the neighbors wanting to "hook up" as well}...I had a smaller gas generator that unfortunately was burned up by over loading it after a hurricane. I've learned to say no... I'm gonna check this one out. It would be great to have as a back up to my big one. Down here in Florida, we lose power during every storm. Sometimes it's back up quickly, and other times, not so much. After Irma, I had no power for 29 days. My well pump must be connected along with the fridge! Definitely need at least a fan as well.
damn i was only out power for a week after irma. north fort myers. you must have been down by marco
@@MrSGL21
Actually I was in an area of Pinellas County on 5 acres of what used to be an Orange Grove. We had 2 poles snapped and one had a transformer on it. Because they ran out of those, and the size Jack needed to restore power, we were the last ones restored. I THEN moved to Pine Island, and went thru Ian... THAT'S a story for another day! Suffice to say, I won't be riding out hurricanes again. I don't know if you remember, but at the last minute the weather folks said we were going to be missed, and Tampa Bay would get the direct hit... Ugh! THAT didn't happen... 🥴
@@dragonslayer7587 oh i remember. i was at work the night before. i barely had enough time to grab some stuff, my dog, etc and head to a buddys much better built house. we lost power at his house around noon on wednesday while watching the sheriffs substation float on FMB float away. i went home the next am, place was still there with light damage and spent the next 8 days without power. Champ 2k inverter genny for the the win.
A two stoke generator like this would probably drive your neighbors nuts running on an apartment balcony being too loud. Be prepared to share some power
@@StephenByersJ
I'm sure it would, however, building a box of some kind, would probably limit the noise. I'll say this, it's been a while since I've lived in a condo, but when I did, my neighbors weren't exactly quiet on a good day!
I got one of these for cheap. Cannot complain for the amount spent. I’ve already made money using it and it’s come in handy twice during power outages to charge a power station that has pure sine wave.
I think this is a great thing to have on hand for people in areas where power outages are much less common, so you're prepared just in case. Obviously here in New Hampshire you'd want something a little more dependable, and maybe bigger. But honestly, comparing this to my Yamaha EF6300ISDE, this little thing is pretty incredible for the price!
Sorry. But you can get decent running four stroke inverter generators for the same price! Those two stroke rattlecans are a total ripoff!!
@@albinklein7680where? I haven’t been able to find an inverter generator for less than $350, which is well more than double the price of this thing
I got one like this from my local home big box store when the regular price was about $100 and the black Friday sale was $80. I used it to charge my deep cycle battery for my trolling motor and used a 2nd hand modified inverter. It meant I could power my boiler circulation pump during power outages. 30 years later it still works and is my backup unit. I also have used it to power tools when working in the woods.
As a resident of hurricane alley 🤦😳 THANKS!! There is a HF not too far from my house. They run lots of sales so I will keep an eye out for this one.
I had a Harbor Freight version of this. After sitting for a while I would have to spray a tiny bit of ether in the carb to get it going.
I used to have one of these, the trick to start it is that you need to turn the gas on and wait a few minutes for it to gravity feed
I remember this being sold by Harbor Freight as a "tailgator", for $88.00! Some had a cammo case and looked great. I started to pick one up at that price but passed on it. Probably a nice gen to haul around for small projects.
I bought one for $88. It's still in the box.
@@danielsee1 I wish I had bought one back then, for 88 bucks couldn't go wrong. I bought one of their 2000 watt gens and it was a dog.
"It doesn't suck" LOL!
Very thorough review. Thanks.
Thank you I really appreciate it
Harbor Freight used to sell these for $89 (even less sometimes). They discontinued them. I thought 2-strokes were not allowed anymore.
Anywhere from 900 watts to 1200 watts depending on the sticker on the unit several different companies put their name on same unit with different colors.
I camped for a weekend off grid last year. A camping neighbor had one of these that he ran every morning to top up his battery. It wasn't terribly noisy at distance and seemed to work well. It started first pull every time I seen him use it. Never seen him put fuel in it. I would buy one if I needed something in that capacity.
I’ve got this generator. To date. The pull starter has broken, I now start with a drill. The gasket blew, I fixed with silicone gasket goop. One of the super long head bolts snapped. It smokes to hell when first started. Spark plug needs cleaning quite a lot. And it takes forrreeevvveeerrrrrr to settle into a happy idle when cold started. Yet. It. WILL. NOT. DIE. I got this thing similar price to the video to get me out of a bind expecting it to last a couple uses tops. Years strong! Is it good? Oh hell no! Go buy something better lol. But you get what you pay for and it’s solid, if you are happy fixing stuff it can last a while.
You could get these for $79 a few years ago.
They were on sale for 59,99 or 49,99 for a long time.
I would be curious how some of the dc to ac inverters available on Amazon would test using this tester.
The GENMAX 2200W is a pile of crap. It is a $400 boat anchor.
Fun fact: The muffler isn't the only thing that makes an engine quiet. The build quality and tolerances of the engine has a lot to do with how loud it is. You can put the largest muffler on the most expensive engine, but it means nothing if the engine isn't balanced and toleranced properly. It's why generators (and some 2-cycle scooters) with quiet engines cost so much more :D
These generators are sold under many names and probably made by many factories. I've been using one from Harbor Freight for over 15 years and other than occasional carb cleaning it has never failed. While not very loud, the sound is annoying up close. They do work better under moderate load.
There exist 4 stroke inverter versions of this generator (at least in germany) at an only slightly higher price.
Thank you to the blogger for evaluating the 2-stroke generator, welcome to our store to purchase a cost-effective 1200W generator.
Fun video, Chris! Very cool power meter too!
Much appreciated my friend!
Good, detailed review.
Would you charge an ecoflow with one of these?
This is one of the best generators I’ve ever owned. They’re awesome
I bought a GENMAX 2200W Ultra -Quiet from Amazon. Ran once and never started again. It is a 80# boar anchor now. Amazon will not help you and the factory are clueless.
First thing anyone should do when buying a HF gen is to change the spark plug to an NGK.
I had one of these it was pretty good for what it was, it ran my laptop no problem. Also kept the lights on during power outages. Didn't last long though. Harbor freight's predators are really good, just get the smallest one. For the life of me i could not get that thing to start without a shot of starting fluid. Then it would fire up first pull. It did work very well with tools.
I have the same one just branded different. Says it has low oil shut down 😂 Runs well, but I don’t think it’s ever started without ether on the first go
This could be a viable triple redundant backup to a "good" emergency generator.
Good info! I didn't know these even existed. Seems like a pretty good value in case of emergency! Did you get the canned fuel mix at a hardware store? Thanks!
I have had one of these for over 10 years and it still runs good. Dropped off the truck and smashed the gas tank. Running direct from a gas can. Used every hunting season. Also sold at Princess Auto/Harbour freight.
I got a cheap 4 stroke inverter for under £100 at aldi roughky $120 is was then reduced to £75 from i think the £90 i paid.
Would it be good to charge a battery pack and not damage the battery. You could use this to charge a battery pack and use the battery pack to run TV's and computer's
That is a tough one, I think in most cases it would work fine, but its a bit scary since the THD was acceptable but close to being too much. The better brands like Ecoflow and Anker will likely detect problematic power and shut down but its not guaranteed.
The inflation is crazy. About two years ago those generators sold for $59,99.
Would love to see this compared to the 1500 watt version. On paper it seems like the better deal. For 70 dollars more you get 300 more starting watts and a 100 more running. You also get a second outlet and since its a inverter generator it "should" be much more electronic friendly. Which is the biggest selling point for me. As a bonus if you need more power down the road you can get a second one and connect them for 2000 running watts. So ya im seriously eyeing that one.
I have a pulsar brand and it has two outlets. The oil mix label on the generator and on the manual clearly states to mix the fuel 30:1 ratio.
I would never pay for premixed gas...biggest rip off ever... it's way cheaper just to buy pump gas & some 2 cycle oil & mix it yourself... instructions on making a 50:1 or 40:1 mix for whatever volume you're mixing is right on the side of the bottle of oil, making it super easy, barely an inconvenience...
I have a westing house generator that has a peak of 4500w only has 120v outlets could you do a video on how I could connect this to my home in a power outage. I’ve watched your other videos and it looks like you are generally using a generator that can do 240v
Personally, I love mine, it works great now after I replaced the carburetor then rebuild the new carb😂😂😂
Can you do those test with some cheap and budget inverter generator.. It's pretty much required to run a house nowadays
Wish all generators were tested for THD.
1000 Watt Power Conditioners are under $100. If needed, this can be used to clean the power.
(A Power Conditioner is basically a UPS without a battery.)
That's a good idea. I was watching a guy refab a UPS.,that gave me an idea with a 12v car battery for higher wattage output
Happy new year 🙏🙏
Thank you, you as well!
I always like your videos. I have only one question, can I safely charge my lithium iron phosphate batteries?
If you use a plug-in charger it probably should be ok but I could be wrong. I wouldn`t use the DC output of this on an expensive battery with a BMS.
While you're testing cheap generators how about the aceup 2300w inverter generator?
Dedication to your viewers buying a $7000 piece of equipment to test a $150 piece of equipment, or a sneaky way to get a equipment (grown-up toy) without your wife throwing up a fit.😂
Got a similar one, changes in voltage is a problem, so I always use a 100w light bulb to stabilise the voltage.
$7,000 power analyzer? You could have bought a decent oscilloscope and 10x probe for 5% of that amount. It won't summarize the readings for you but the calculation are only sixth grade math. A suggestion for when you start it: open the fuel valve and wait a minute to let the float bowl fill. With the ignition OFF and choke ON pull it three times then turn the ignition ON. It will usually start on the next pull.
Wow
I’d purchase it. I was thinking of being 50 miles off shore.
You can turn the power up a little bit by the way to just under 1200
You think it would be ok to charge a solar power station!!! Thank you!! Love the show!!!
The Tektronix power quality analyzer is also a good option.
Great presentation and a very informative review. I would expect nothing less from a person keeping a well organized spark plug kit like you utilized when changing out the the original cheap spark plug with a high quality NGK plug.
A couple of questions:
1. The receptacle looks like NEMA 20A; does this generator supply 20 Amps for devices requiring it?
2. Are these legal in California and states adopting California's emission standards? (California is set to ban the new sale of gasoline powered small off-road engines in 2024, 2- and 4-stroke.)
Please let me know. Thanks again for all your great content.
I believe these are the same generators sold by harbor freight under $100 sometimes
I have a power conditioner on my rack that feeds power to my more sensitive electronics. I wonder how well it would clean up that power.
it would probably do a good job, seeing as those are usually pretty expensive
Do you have a model no for it? Curious
them things are worth the money
i have had one for ten years never really use it but 3 pulls and it goes
good for a just incase or camping deep in the woods and its light
My tailgator and Chicago electric generators do the same thing n from H F and are acouple of yrs old an still going strong.
Thank you for the review. I just ordered one of these.
Wouldn't A Good Surge Protector, Protect Sensitive Electronic Equipment?
Buy one as a backup.
There are so many pine cones this year
Seriously! I need to find a use for them
I want to see the non inverter predator 9000 on the scope. Im curious the harmonics.
very nice job, what db app do you use?
Decibel X, it may not be the best but it's worked for me and when I cross check it to a gauge has always been accurate
Power smart on Amazon is now 171.00
I saw that, they just went up, but get this one: amzn.to/3GZxJoc its $139, at least for now
For $200 (I got lucky) a few years ago, I picked up a 3300W (4000W peak) generator. No need to mix fuel. Puts this thing to shame.
I've seen these units and been curious how the DC output is as it has 12VDC on the side.
It puts out about 10-12 amps. But it is absolutely imperative that you connect a battery with at least 25 Ampére-hours to it, because that outlet has no regulation at all.
Good to charge a delta pro if there’s no power and no solar option?
what generator would you recommend for tailgating? Using an old tv and some speakers
That Only Fans “patch” about had me laughing choke 😂
Me too. So darn funny. Next thing Chris will be selling feet pics. Great review as always Chris!
I don't completely agree with your claim that you can't run sensitive electronics because most power supplies like computer PSU's and phone chargers can run on a wide range of voltages and they typically don't need a perfect since wave because they just filter the AC to DC and step it down.
Pretty much lost me at 2 stroke.
How about a video on the analyzer?
Generator manufacturers are pushing the limits with truth in advertising. They'll use 25% load to make buyers think it will run a long, long, long time. But buyers don't realize how little power that 25% is on that generator.
Spend $7,000 on an instrument to test a $149 Generator. Cool.
Good today. Tomorrow junk. Had two . Burned up everything I connected to it. Would not maintain 60 cycles.
You mention it running a refrigerator.. I don't think that's a great idea most modern fridges have sensitive circuitry.
Awesome 👍
i would use this generator to recharge a battery/solar inverter unit in an extended outage, it would probably do great
i would be careful of using this with a high end refrigerator as they usually have electronic controls easily identified by a 7 segment with buttons thermostat instead of a analog dial, infact you should have a (proably 20 amp) surge protector when using one of those on utility power
I could run all my 3 garage refrigerators off one of these things to get them cold again, a portable 1000w resistive cooktop I have or recharge my ecoflow
but I would not run my kitchen refrigerator as it is sensitive and the defrost cycle would overload it anyway
Can one use this to charge a solar generator (or power station) such as the new EcoFlow Ultra?
Really like your videos but I’m surprised how you pour fuel from can. If you pour with opening from top when tilted it won’t gurgle and splash and you have more control of how much comes out.
I appreciate the tips. I never buy premixed fuel, it is such a ripoff. I only did it here since I was 100% sure someone would say "you should have used ethanol free fuel the whole test was botched" But you are right I definitely could have poured it much more elegantly.
What i usually do is get a cheap engine, buy a used alternator , convert it to DC and put a pure sinewave inverter on it
To measure sine wave distortion, I would atleast want to put the generator on a 100 resistive load such as an incandecent light bulb. I suspect no load viewing of the sign wave is not accurate.
I actually have the older model. It has two plugs instead of one for some reason
I'd stay away from this brand. Once bought a Powersmart snowblower, it wouldn't start after a 2nd snowstorm of the season. I was lucky Lowes was willing to take it back.
A good generator cost more for their quality built. If properly maintained, it will outlive you.
This generator is similar to the tailgator that got discontinued. Also theres no place to plug in the clips. Unless you want to overload your battery with 10x the voltage.
If you mean the one he shows in the video, the clips plug in above muffler at 1:57
@@SexyEarHair I did not see that. Interesting.
@@AWIRE_onpc yeah some of these units have a dc circuit built into the side. the tailgators didn't
@@MrSGL21Puslar makes their own version but that has the dc plug on the front
What are your thoughts on using it to Power up a DC power station.
2:27 was a little funny with OF