Generator

[aqclean]

Hi anyone out there have any knowledge on the Harbor Freight Generator I keep seeing on sale for under $100.00. I know that honda has a nice quiet one, It would be more for a rest area pull over and brew my own coffee and that sort of thing, and using around the house once and a blue moon. thanks in advance

[vreihen]

It is a two-stroke engine (mix oil and gas), and under 1000 watts. Better check the label on your intended coffee maker, since it may max this generator out. A friend of mine picked one up for $82 on sale last fall, and was satisfied with it. He didn't think it was too noisy, but I haven't heard it run. If I recall correctly, there was a whole thread of comments on the HF web site about replacing the spark plug with a different manufacturer's plug before starting it up for the first time, but maybe I'm confusing it with another generator they sell. It certainly was as easy to throw around as a small
Honda generator, if nothing else.....

[mikeschn]

We have something similar that we bought from Northern Tools.

We are not real keen on it. It's noisy, and it doesn't put out much wattage.

Unless you are in the wilderness, with no one around for miles, it's not the best option. And even then, it may not be the best option.

Mike...

[madjack]

...to me, that little gennie is not much more than a toy...I like to use the coffee maker/hair dryer test for a gennie...if it won't run a hair dryer or coffee maker, which both run in the 1200-1500 watt range, I'd pass...the little gennie is question, besides being a 2 stroke(noisy/smokey) is not good for much more than charging a battery...but, it will do that very well(if noisily)...............
madjack

[eamarquardt]

I got a Honda 1000 for $100 at a garage sale. A few dings but starts and runs fine. Also got a Coleman 1500 watt for $100 at another garage sale. Looked unused, starts and runs fine. The Honda is much quieter than the Coleman (according to the Guy Mazzeo SWAG hearing test). I think there are a lot of generators out there that have seen little actual useage and can be had very reasonably if you are patient and look around a bit.

Better to buy a quality (or semi quality) generator used (with parts availability) than a cheap disposable, IMHO.

Here is a possible "candidate" in your area:

http://providence.craigslist.org/for/2222748654.html

Cheers,

Gus

[aqclean]

Thank you for the replys. I will most likely wait and go with a little honda, I don;t want nothing really big and I not to good with 2 strokers, too messy.