Showing posts with label gas generator. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gas generator. Show all posts

Friday, May 25, 2012

Honeywell HW7500E 9375 Watt 15 HP 420cc OHV Portable Gas Powered Home Generator With Electric Start Review

Honeywell HW7500E 9375 Watt 15 HP 420cc OHV Portable Gas Powered Home Generator With Electric Start
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Amazon has this generator for the lowest price on the internet and much better than locally (once factoring in free shipping which normally costs $170 and tax free which is generally $70 or 7% in Indiana).
Shipping is awesome although it was out of stock for a while. ABF shipping is great. Item arrived intact via smaller truck after 1 week. ABF called my cell phone and arrange for convenient delivery time (signature required). Driver called day of delivery for 30 min. warning that item is coming. Driver hand-trucked 278# generator which is in original Honeywell box without any crating down a 100 foot long driveway into my garage for my wife. This is not the norm as free shipping generally means curb-side drop off and it's up to me to dolly this baby into my garage. My wife gave the driver a nice tip and I called him personally to thank him.
I ended up cutting the box to get the generator out due to heavy weight. I used a dolly padded with a thick towel to lift generator on its side to put on the wheel kit and 2 back legs with enclosed nuts/bolts (no washer needed or included due to specially designed bolts and nuts with washer flare). The tires are solid rubber so nothing to inflate or to go flat (nicely design), and are held on the shaft via washers and cotter pins. The handles fold nicely and bolted on with same type of nuts/bolts. Nuts and bolts are metric so get out you metric wrenches or sockets.
Honeywell HW7500E generator is a beauty. Red, metal fuel tank holds 6.5 gallons with fuel gage and metal gas cap. Black accents and red engine are easy on the eyes. I used Stabil fuel stabilizer from Walmart (1 oz per 2.5 gallons) to allow storage of gas in the tank so it's ready to go with less gunk build up and easier start later. Generator shipped without oil. I did not use the enclosed free 1 liter of 10W30 oil or free tiny funnel, and used instead full synthetic 10W30 oil (5 liter jug) with long neck funnel from Walmart. I recommend pouring the oil into a clean disposable plastic cup and then using this cup to pour the oil into the funnel to reduce drips, waste, and mess. It took a full quart of oil.
I installed a Reliance 30216BRK manual transfer switch kit (bought on Epay for $_1_8_0 shipped--more at Lowes) and used the included 20 foot 14-30 cable from the 30216BRK kit to hook up the generator to the switch (generator is placed outside the garage of course to avoid carbon monox. posoining) when generator is needed. This switch and generator provide power to 50 gallon electric hot water heater (3000 watts), 2 fridges (1600 watts), 2 freezers (1600 watts), 6 ceiling spot lights, and 2 ceiling fans to family room. Obviously, the water heater will be switched on and off just for showers (once existing water in the tank cools) to reduce the load otherwise. The generator does have an idle control, stutters now and then when the water heater kicks on, and does not get any louder than a 20" push gas lawn mower. I can hear the generator barely in the house at night but not during the day. Generator is 10 feet from the house's brick wall, outside the garage door which is closed on top of the generator cable.
Starting is easy with plastic cheat sheet numbering 1 through 7 steps with electric start. 12v/14Ah sealed lead, tractor type battery started the generator with first push of the switch. This battery can be charged with a "smart" car battery charger if set to 2A mode for 6-8 hours. It can be replaced at Walmart or Lowes in the lawn tractor section. Stopping the generator is as easy as 1) unplug, 2) let run 3 more minutes, 3) push the button off, and 4) turn the fuel switch to off (also clearly stated, step by step, on the attached plastic poster).
Overall, this is an excellent generator for the price of $999.99 due to 1) 3 year warranty (1 year parts and labor, other 2 years parts only), 2) Honeywell brand (not the cheap Chinese junk like Powermax, Pro-Grade, Buffalo Tools, Blue Max, Chicago Tools, Eastern Tools, and numerous other aliases--best clue is the chincy 1 year warranty with them sending you the parts and you do the repair yourself or locally at any lawn mower/motor repair shop whose cost may or may not be covered by them), 3) 7500W continuous, 9375W peak watts (Chinese generators have exaggerated wattage ratings so beware), 4) included free accesories (25 foot L14-30 cable to 4 outlets which costs around $60-100 on Epay and even more locally), 1 quart of oil, cheapy funnel, 12v battery, step by step start/stop cheat sheet, toll-free help line with fast pickup by real Americans, and flat-free wheel kit.
I do wish that the fuel tank can be 10 gallons instead of 6.5 gallons, included funnel has a longer neck, easier access to fill oil, less noise is always a plus, included cable is standard 14-30 male to 14-30 female to allow easier hookup to transfer switches--it already has 4 outlets on the generator so why do we need 4 more on the generator cable?, outlet covers to keep them dry in the rain (I plugged them up with baby-proofing outlet covers at Walmart), and actual bumper to bumper 3 year warranty.
Despite these mentioned weaknesses, this generator is still a great buy at Amazon for this price.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Honeywell HW7500E 9375 Watt 15 HP 420cc OHV Portable Gas Powered Home Generator With Electric Start


Designed to help you stay safe and comfortable during power outages, the dependable Honeywell HW7500E Portable Gas Powered Home Generator delivers a host of advanced features that will help put your mind at ease. Featuring an easy-to-use electric start and ample outlets, this highly efficient 9375-watt generator lets you run vital household appliances during power outages or natural disasters.

Not Approved for Sale in California
Note for California residents: This model is not CARB-compliant; for a comparable CARB-compliant model, see the HW7500EL. Units sold to California must be CARB-compliant.
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Wednesday, November 16, 2011

DuroMax XP4400E 4,400 Watt 7.0 HP OHV 4-Cycle Gas Powered Portable Generator With Wheel Kit And Electric Start Review

DuroMax XP4400E 4,400 Watt 7.0 HP OHV 4-Cycle Gas Powered Portable Generator With Wheel Kit And Electric Start
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
PowerMax XP4400E 4,400 Watt 6.5 HP OHV Gas Powered Generator With Wheel Kit And Electric Start (CARB Compliant)
We live in Southern Louisiana, smack-dab in the middle of hurricane alley, and decided to purchase a backup generator to deal with power outages in the event of an emergency. I wanted sufficient power capacity to run our refrigerator, a small portable AC, a few lights, a small TV, charge our cell-phones, and occasionally charge laptop batteries. We figured that around 3000 continuous watts and 4000 surge watts would be sufficient for our needs.
There are several generators sold by the hardware chains (Lowe's, Home Depot) that fit this description, but they're priced around $600 - $700. After some research on the internet, we decided that the PowerMax XP4400 would match our needs, and suit our budget. Just before purchasing it, on an impulse I decided to get the model with the battery powered electric starter, instead of the one that has a rip-cord. Our purchase price (on eBay - from MaxTool - the same company selling them on Amazon) was $469.99, including a cover for the generator, and shipping.
The generator was shipped Fedex Ground and took about a week to arrive. The external cardboard box showed signs of rough handling during transportation, but the generator was well packed in foam, and not damaged during shipping. The whole box weighs about 130 lbs, and it helped me considerably that the Fedex driver wheeled it right into our garage. Unpacking took about 20 minutes. There are a couple of shipping braces that support the engine during shipment that take a little while to remove.
The first thing I did was to flip the generator upside-down on a mat to install the wheel-kit. There are tools provided with the generator to get the wheels and handles on. As shipped, the tires were sufficiently inflated to bear the weight of the generator.
After flipping the generator right way up again, I filled it with SAE30 oil. We live in a relatively warm climate, so I chose 10W30. If you use generator oil, make sure you chose oil made for a four-stroke engine. The oil-fill tube is awkwardly placed - I have a funnel with a tube at the end out it, and found that I had to use it to avoid spilling oil. It takes about 20 oz of oil. To condition the engine, I would suggest changing the oil after 6 hours of run-time, then twice after 8 hours, and every 20 - 30 hours beyond that.
After filling it with gas (there is a mesh fuel-filter underneath the gas cap, I turned the fuel valve on, and started the generator. The engine turned right away, but wouldn't start. This turned out to be an error on my part - it dark, and what I thought was the fully-off position for the choke was instead the fully-on position. After moving the choke to the correct position(fully-off), the engine started up. It is pretty smoky and sputters until the choke is opened. After that it runs very smoothly,with no visible smoke in the exhaust. I don't know what the noise level is, but it is sufficiently low that it doesn't bother me when the generator is running outside the house, and I am on the inside.
The control panel has two 120V outlets (20 Amp), and one 30 Amp outlet that is switchable between 120V and 240V. There is also a 12V outlet to charge a car battery. There is a circuit breaker and a voltmeter. During my initial tests, between 60 watts and 2400 watts of load the voltage stayed at 115 volts, and didn't drop. I haven't tested higher loads yet.
So far, we are quite satisfied. The PowerMax XP4400E is built well, works well, and is less polluting that more expensive Honda, Subaru, and Yamaha powered units sold at the hardware chains.
And a little tip - for any small engine that is run infrequently. Make sure you mix the fuel with some anti-oxidant such as Stabil before putting it in the tank. Gas mixed with anti-oxidant should last for about one year.
Six month update (August 2009) - the generator still works like a champ. Some of the bolts worked themselves loose through the vibrations, so I've tightened them. No other major problems.
Eighteen month update (September 2010) - no problems yet. But I finally got around to installing a transfer switch to connect the generator to the main breaker panel in our house. I recommend this highly - it is far better than running cords all over the place, or back-feeding the main panel, which is illegal and very dangerous for linesman working on the utility company's lines. Reliance Controls makes a pre-wired six-circuit transfer switch (31406/30406) that is perfect for this generator and is available from Amazon. Took me about 3 hours to install, 2 of which were spent flush-mounting it in the drywall.

Click Here to see more reviews about: DuroMax XP4400E 4,400 Watt 7.0 HP OHV 4-Cycle Gas Powered Portable Generator With Wheel Kit And Electric Start

The XP4400 Features:? Durable DuroMax 7.0 Hp, air cooled OHV enginewith low oil shutoff .? Heavy duty steel frame with four point fully isolated motormounts for smooth and quiet operation.? Wheel kit w/ front handle for easy transporting.? Full power panel with engine shutoff switch, volt meter,circuit breaker and power outlets.? (2) Fully protected 120V outlets & (1) 120V/240V twist-lock outlet.? 8 Hour run time.? All steel 3.2 gal. fuel tank with ez-read gauge..? Low oil shut-off protects engine.? Super quiet muffler reduces engine noise.? Idle control holds RPM at a constant level even under heavy loads for fuel savings and noise reduction.Specifications:? Max AC Output: 4400 watts? Rated AC Output: 3500 watts? Current (120V/240VAC & 12VDC)? (2) 120v 20A 3-prong outlets(Standard Household plug).? (1) 120v/240v 30A twist lock(NEMA L14-30 3 Pole 4 Wire).? Low oil shutoff.? EPA & CARB approved engines.? Super quiet exhaust w/ built-in spark arrestor.? EZ-Pull Recoil start.? 7.0 Hp air cooled OHV engine? Fuel Tank Capacity: 3.2 gal? Decibel: 69 dBA? Run-Time [ @ 50% Maximum Output ]: 8.0 hrsIncludes:? RV Switch for 30Amp 120v power to supply demanding RV needs.? Extra large pneumatic tires.? Flip-Up stow away Handles.? Spark plug wrench? All new high impact interior/exterior packaging insures your generator will get to you in 100% factory perfect condition.? Shipping Weight: 130.00 lbs.

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Click here for more information about DuroMax XP4400E 4,400 Watt 7.0 HP OHV 4-Cycle Gas Powered Portable Generator With Wheel Kit And Electric Start

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