Posted by Ecnerwal on April 25, 2010, 3:58 pm
> I am in my 70's so I really need a generator I can count on, I
> purchased on from a company called "Ram Power" it was a
> diesel powered electric started generator, from the start it
> was a disaster, I had a good friend who checked it out and
> he basically said unless you are good mechanic this will never
> work properly. I could not get parts from the company nor
> a service manual. My next generator was ordered from a
> company called "Heartland" when it arrived I called the company
> about a service manual and was told there was no manual available
> nor was there no warranty.
>
> Judging from my experience I would not buy any generator made
> in China or any generator that can not have a repair company locally
> that can repair the generator if it malfunctions.
>
> Let the buyer beware, both of these companies when I ordered the
> generators told me they had service manuals and parts available
> and when I requested the manuals they denied ever saying it.
You buy cheap chinese junk, you get cheap junk - no surprise there. Why
did it take you TWO before you figured that out?
If you "really need a generator you can count on", you would have done
better to buy a north-american made unit from the start - probably at
less cost than the two crappy chinese units you've wasted money on and
still don't have a reliable generator. Having done my research before
committing my money, I have a Northern Lights 1800 rpm marine diesel
(for ease of integration into my heating system as cogeneration - if you
simply want a packaged land unit, they have those too.) For fiddling
with, I have a gas Kohler that's older than I am.
If you "can't afford" to buy something that works, you really can't
afford to waste money on something that doesn't. Cheapness is expensive.
--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by
Posted by vaughn on April 25, 2010, 4:11 pm
>
> Judging from my experience I would not buy any generator made
> in China or any generator that can not have a repair company locally
> that can repair the generator if it malfunctions.
You get what you pay for; sometimes less.
Everything Chinese is not necessarily bad, but in general I would rather buy
used American iron than no-name/no-support Chinese stuff. Both approaches will
require the buyer to be willing & able to do some trouble-shooting, adapting,
and wrench-turning. Other than that, you really need to shop around the local
gen companies. They may have a good used unit they are willing to install and
support. If so, ask here first before you buy. Even "name" brands can
sometimes be trouble. Be especially cautious if you are offered any Generac
equipment..
Vaughn
Posted by clare on April 25, 2010, 8:56 pm
On Sun, 25 Apr 2010 12:11:03 -0400, "vaughn"
> >
>> Judging from my experience I would not buy any generator made
>> in China or any generator that can not have a repair company locally
>> that can repair the generator if it malfunctions.
>>
>You get what you pay for; sometimes less.
>Everything Chinese is not necessarily bad, but in general I would rather buy
>used American iron than no-name/no-support Chinese stuff. Both approaches will
>require the buyer to be willing & able to do some trouble-shooting, adapting,
>and wrench-turning. Other than that, you really need to shop around the local
>gen companies. They may have a good used unit they are willing to install and
>support. If so, ask here first before you buy. Even "name" brands can
>sometimes be trouble. Be especially cautious if you are offered any Generac
>equipment..
>Vaughn
If the Generac is over 10 years old and still running, it will be a
good generator.
As for cChinese ANYTHING, look at it as a parts kit that will require
extensive work to make a workable machine from it.
Think "silk purse" and "sow's ear"
Posted by Jim Wilkins on April 26, 2010, 2:05 pm
On Apr 25, 4:56pm, cl...@snyder.on.ca wrote:
> ...
> ...
> As for Chinese ANYTHING, look at it as a parts kit that will require
> extensive work to make a workable machine from it.
> Think "silk purse" and "sow's ear".
Absotively, posilutely.
In my experience the major components are generally decent, it's the
little stuff that some mamasan made in her kitchen while watching the
kids that are junk.
I just improved a new 2000 Lb boat winch with better bearings and
cable guides. Generally the mods are very simple, the drum bearing is
a piece of hobby store brass tubing cut to length. I ran a drill bit
into the hole to remove welding flash and then just slid the tube in,
taking up the slop in the winch drum and making the gears engage
properly, unlike it's stripped predecessor. The factory hadn't even
greased it. The cable guide is scrap copper water pipe slid over the
handle shaft. Before I started doing this my winches and cable pullers
wore badly in a day, now they last for years.
These take the prize for high maintenance on a simple machine:
http://img.diytrade.com/cdimg/926526/9065574/0/1244812811/SHEAR_BRAKE_AND_R=
OLL.jpg
Nevertheless they can be very useful.
jsw
Posted by Jim Wilkins on April 26, 2010, 1:37 pm
> ...
> ...Be especially cautious if you are offered any Generac
> equipment..
> Vaughn
The owner of the local small engine shop told me Generac is one of the
more reliable brands. He knows I would fix it myself and wasn't trying
to create more business.
jsw
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> purchased on from a company called "Ram Power" it was a
> diesel powered electric started generator, from the start it
> was a disaster, I had a good friend who checked it out and
> he basically said unless you are good mechanic this will never
> work properly. I could not get parts from the company nor
> a service manual. My next generator was ordered from a
> company called "Heartland" when it arrived I called the company
> about a service manual and was told there was no manual available
> nor was there no warranty.
>
> Judging from my experience I would not buy any generator made
> in China or any generator that can not have a repair company locally
> that can repair the generator if it malfunctions.
>
> Let the buyer beware, both of these companies when I ordered the
> generators told me they had service manuals and parts available
> and when I requested the manuals they denied ever saying it.