# Just went to Harbor Freight...



## RainyPNW (Feb 12, 2012)

... not a SINGLE REAL GENERATOR!!! Just some TINY ones (600w).... 

They were completely wiped out... was hoping to find a 4000 or 7000
watt propane generator (don't want gas). But the entire section with
the sign above "generators" was empty. They only had a pallet of really
small ones by the front window....

We recently had MASSIVE ice storms (Seattle area) ... I wonder if that
was the reason? Or the "NGEO Preppers" show?

All I'm after is to not be without basic power for 72 hours.... 4000w 
would work fine.

I just wonder why they were WIPED OUT. Maybe there's more "preppers"
around Seattle than I thought 

RainyPNW


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

Check out "Home Depot", "Lowes" or if there are any in your area "Tractor Supply". They all should have something that will fit your needs.

http://www.homedepot.com/Outdoors-O...&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053&searchNav=true

http://tsc.tractorsupply.com/search?w=generators&searchButton.x=0&searchButton.y=0

http://www.lowes.com/pl_Portable+Generators_4294858689_4294937087_


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## RainyPNW (Feb 12, 2012)

Thanks Davarm ... will check them out. Probably a LOT more than
Harbor Freight but I'll give them a shot.

RainyPNW


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## horseman09 (Mar 2, 2010)

Rainy, if you don't mind some unasked-for advice......

First, don't buy an off brand generator. A generator is like a home defense pistol. When you need it to work, it MUST work, and it must work the very first time, every time.

Second, use Sta-bil Blue (marine) fuel stabilizer in yor tank. It works better the the red stuff.

Third, exercise your generator at least once a month, and do it on the coldest days, too. A fair weather generator is a waste of money.

You might want to check out a Northern Tool catalogue. They have some off brands to avoid IMHO, but they have good solid brand name gensets, too.


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## Jezcruzen (Oct 21, 2008)

I was over at Lowe's just the other day and noticed they had an entire isle devoted to generators. I found myself lusting after a Generac 8KW electric start model! 
They also offer a number of permanent installation type home generating units that seemed reasonable in price.


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## AlabamaGal (Dec 27, 2011)

I definitely agree with horseman. Don't buy an off brand. Research and buy the right one for you, not the one on sale.

I have a Honda. It's quiet, super efficient and very portable. It is also same to use for electronics, when came in handy for charging neighborhood cell phones (and one wheelchair) last April. It ran for a week on 5 gallons of gas (I have an i2000). Some of my coworkers had cheap off-brands that failed in a day or two of steady use. Turns out my more expensive generator was cheaper because I didn't lose the contents of my freezer and they did, and I had 5 gallons of gas in the garage and they were feeding thei's 15-20 gallons every day.

Costco has one of the whole-house natural gas powered ones right now. It's very tempting, but I don't need it. What I have is fine.


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

If a 4,000watt generator will do you fine, what about going the silent-route and have an inverter to run your equipment off of batteries? I am impressed with the inverters from DC AC Power where they have UPS-based inverters (plug the inverter to the wall, attach some batteries and it will automatically run off of batteries when the main power is cut).

For a 5,000watt running (10,000 watt peak) inverter, they have one ( http://dcacpower.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=11 ) and it will cost you only $500 plus any batteries that you attach to it (it does not come with batteries).






I have several computer and small-appliance UPS systems in my house, I would not be without them. I have UPS attached to my primary electronics (computers, routers, phones) and to secondary electronics (DVD-player, stereo) as well as to appliances (furnace, fridge, freezer). Currently, running in my house is 10 seperate UPS units with the "biggest" one running my furnace ..


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## Nadja (Jan 12, 2011)

I'm sorry to inform you naekid, but although those cheap inverters may produce that much power, they also consume a lot to work. Some of them up to 20% when just on. You need to work that out very carefully. For a good deal on a rock solid generator, try looking for one in a wrecked motor home. I bought to onan twins for around $200.00 each and about 4k worth of power. Then I bought a 7k Kohler twin , also cast iron for $200.00 and was hardly ever used. 
Good deals abound if you know were to look.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Nadja said:


> For a good deal on a rock solid generator, try looking for one in a wrecked motor home. I bought two onan twins for around $200.00 each and about 4k worth of power.


Most Home Dep or Lowes generators all run at 3600 rpm and are LOUD and THIRSTY and don't last very long.

Concur with old motor home generators... my old (1973) Onan is HEAVY (500+ lbs?)and runs SLOW (1800 RPM) and will run for decades.

I have it currently set-up to run from natural gas from the home supply line. I also milled the heads to bring the compression up (very easy to do and only cost me two beers) so the fuel consumption is much better.


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## Nadja (Jan 12, 2011)

LincTex said:


> Most Home Dep or Lowes generators all run at 3600 rpm and are LOUD and THIRSTY and don't last very long.
> 
> Concur with old motor home generators... my old (1973) Onan is HEAVY (500+ lbs?)and runs SLOW (1800 RPM) and will run for decades.
> 
> I have it currently set-up to run from natural gas from the home supply line. I also milled the heads to bring the compression up (very easy to do and only cost me two beers) so the fuel consumption is much better.


Way to go Link Tex.


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

Every time there's a devastating storm somewhere in the nation, I hear about people cleaning the stores out of generators. What do they do with them afterward? Doesn't anyone still have them tucked away in a shed or a garage or something? :scratch:

Another bit of advice. Maintain them carefully. Keep track of the hours of use and change the oil at least as often as the manufacturer recommends, and more often is better. Same thing with all other maintenance. 

Also, if you have trouble pulling a starter cord, consider getting one with a push button start. We can start ours either way, and as we get older (and me being a woman without the upper body strength like my husband has) it's nice to have the push button. In really cold weather we still have the pull cord, which is more reliable at those times. On a few occasions we've had to roll the generator to the house and bring it in by the woodstove for a while when it's below Zero outside, then take it back out and start it.


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## 1969cj-5 (Sep 14, 2011)

I think they had a deal on them in the last ad as well.


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## Ponce (May 3, 2009)

What you call a "tiny" generator is my favorite one......it is a two strokes 1,200 W (oil and gas mixed together) and 1.2 gallons of gasoline will last eight hours........I have three of them but being single it is all that I need for my every day use.............altogether I have 8 generators, from 350 to 5,000W..........the 5,000 will be running once a day for one hour for my freezers and frig, three of those eight will be for trading for gasoline or whatever.

Also from Harbor Freight I have three of those 45 W pannels ($150.00 ea).............using now two sets of three with one set in reserve in the garage, using them for the past five months with no problems........also a 1,200W solar pannel for my security system.

"Get ready today for the way that you want to live tomorrow"... Ponce


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Ponce said:


> What you call a "tiny" generator is my favorite one......it is a two strokes 1,200 W (oil and gas mixed together) and 1.2 gallons of gasoline will last eight hours


I would never suggest anyone get one as their first and/or only generator... They are actually very fuel thirsty under a good load for the amount of watts you get out of them. You can get a slightly larger (1500-2000 watt) generator with a four-cycle engine that will actually burn less fuel than the two stroke unit under light loads, and under a load will burn the same amount of fuel as the 2-stroke unit, but give over twice as much power. Just saying.


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## OHprepper (Feb 21, 2012)

I saw a brand new military 5k diesel on Ebay yesterday. they wanted 1800 or best offer.it is one of the ones that run at 1800rpm. only 3 hrs on it. i considered it, as i have used those exact ones many times, but i havent decided if i am gonna look at that or more food. i cant eat a generator.


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## horseman09 (Mar 2, 2010)

OHprepper said:


> I saw a brand new military 5k diesel on Ebay yesterday. they wanted 1800 or best offer.it is one of the ones that run at 1800rpm. only 3 hrs on it. i considered it, as i have used those exact ones many times, but i havent decided if i am gonna look at that or more food. i cant eat a generator.


OH, be sure and check the voltage output. Some military generators are designed for specific military equipment, so they are not necessarily 120/220 AC. On the other hand, if you want a generator to maintain the systems on your F4 Phantom fighter, hey -- good deal!


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## OHprepper (Feb 21, 2012)

thats the ONLY kind i use on my personal F4 phantom...but seriously i checked, it was fine. we used them in when we built our "bee huts" over seas. the only reason i didnt buy it was because i forgot how heavy they are. 900lbs. and no wheels. i lack the forklift to move it around so i had to pass


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## Veldro (Feb 28, 2012)

Harbor Freight usually has some pretty big ones in stock, kinda weird they'd be completely sold out. I got a really good deal on one a few months ago.


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