# Pramac 5500-Watt Diesel Portable Generator



## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

We're looking at the [URL="http://www.pramac.com/pages/Generators_en/938]Pramac 5500 portable diesel generator[/URL] and we simply cannot find any reviews for this company or this product.


5500 watt portable diesel generator with electric start. 
Powered by Kohler OHV engine. 
Premium alternator provides 6% harmonic distortion. 
12-gal. fuel tank
Full power switch
1 in. frame protects the generator and can be used for lifting
Low oil shutdown

The Kohler engine is a big plus. What's unknown is where the product is actually made and how well it's made. Several companies sell this model; but, none of them have reviews posted. At least Home Depot has a 30 day return policy.

Have any of you had experience with the Pramac brand of portable generators?


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## Fn/Form (Nov 6, 2008)

Country Living said:


> ...
> 
> Have any of you had experience with the Pramac brand of portable generators?


 Check youtube as well. I looked at the website and was encouraged to see they offer custom solutions as well. Not a sign of a 100% cheapy company. Sorry, no more info than that.


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## squerly (Aug 17, 2012)

Country Living said:


> The Kohler engine is a big plus. What's unknown is where the product is actually made and how well it's made.


No reviews but it appears to be made in Indonesia.

LINK


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## helicopter5472 (Feb 25, 2013)

Well Kohler is well respected as is Yanmar diesel ,used in many boat applications.


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## Enceladus (Dec 26, 2010)

I bought a Pramac three years ago and its working fine. Its has a 5 gallon tank, electric start, and a Yanmar engine.

Problem: when I tried to pull start it, one of the three rubber shocks that holds the engine ripped in half.


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## dav84 (Nov 20, 2014)

If your looking for long term dependability buy a Honda eu2000 very fuel efficient,Quiet,High resale value. You cant go wrong.


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## Genevieve (Sep 21, 2009)

we're looking for a diesel generator ourselves and it's slow going. we want one to do the whole house although I keep telling hubby that as long as the fridge,freezer and well pump works I'm happy. He's the one that has to have the tv and such on lol

I found these 2 sites and hubby has been checking on some others but I don't know what they are.

http://www.hardydiesel.com/kubota-generators/kubota-7-kw.html

http://www.lister-petter.com/p/power-water-solutions/4/lp-range/2/generator-sets

we want to switch to diesel because the fuel lasts longer than gas will


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Genevieve said:


> we're looking for a diesel generator ourselves and it's slow going. we want one to do the whole house although I keep telling hubby that as long as the fridge,freezer and well pump works I'm happy.


Genevieve,
I've worked on generators off and on for almost 30 years.

I would strongly suggest you look for a good, used Terex/Amida/Allmand (or similar) "light tower" with a Kubota D905 engine. These are 6.5 KW and run at 1800 RPM (the speed is VERY important for longevity). We have these things at work; some run 24/7/365 and have over 20,000 hours without a problem. One of these will run the whole house as long as you don't use a lot of heavy loads at the same time, like electric water heater, electric oven, clothes dryer, or central A/C.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2005-Allman...r-Kubota-Diesel-Engine-Generator/141467297665

The other option I would recommend is look for a diesel Kubota generator from a wrecked motorhome. They are a little harder to find, but they are out there. In Texas they go for about $2000 - $2500 for one in excellent condition. Many of them are large enough they will easily handle the "average" loads of an "average" home.
Here's one: 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Onan-7-5-KW...l-Motor-Home-RV-Stand-By-Gen-Set/351179648827

The Kubota you posted from the Hardy site is OK, and was designed to keep trucker cabs climate controlled so they don't have to run the big rig engine. I tend to shy away from generators with their own enclosure... I like to have the generator in a small shed by itself instead. There are pros and cons of going either way.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

I consider RPM to be an extremely critical factor when selecting a generator. The two main types you'll see in the USA for 60Hz power here is 1800 RPM and 3600 RPM (foreign models for 50Hz will be 3000 and 1500 RPM)

Even though they may have the same power output rating, They are not exactly the same thing....

3600 RPM units are smaller, lighter, which makes the GREAT for something that needs to be portable. ... they also burn more fuel, are much louder, and wear out faster.

1800 RPM units are bigger, heavier - typically burn a little less fuel, are quite a bit quieter, but will also last for 1000's upon 1000's of hours if taken care of.

I mentioned earlier the light towers that use a D905 Kubota engine: these will last for 20,000 hours. We have several that are over that mark, or getting near it ( I looked at one this morning with 18,313 on it). They are 905 cc's, about 12-14 HP or so and are pretty darn heavy. They are typically 6.5KW

Here's a little Kubota genset designed for semi-trucks: Its only 482cc's (a little bigger than half the size of the D905), but runs at 3600 RPM. It's also rated for 6.5KW 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Portabl...GL7000-7000-Watts-7kW-Ships-Free/201156947582

Which of these two do you think I would rather have


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## labotomi (Feb 14, 2010)

The faster the generator turns, the fewer electrical poles the generator needs to produce the same frequency. 

FREQUENCY = RPM * Number of poles/120

Fewer poles means less windings so less copper and less weight. 

For the generator side, faster or slower doesn't really matter with regard to wear and tear but it could matter on the engine side.


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## ZoomZoom (Dec 18, 2009)

LincTex said:


> I mentioned earlier the light towers that use a D905 Kubota engine: these will last for 20,000 hours. We have several that are over that mark, or getting near it ( I looked at one this morning with 18,313 on it). They are 905 cc's, about 12-14 HP or so and are pretty darn heavy. They are typically 6.5KW


I have a Kubota D902 in one of my machines. I believe the D905 is the next size up so it should be closer to 22-25HP. A lot of engine for a 6.5KW generator.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

labotomi said:


> For the generator side, faster or slower doesn't really matter with regard to wear and tear but it could matter on the engine side.


Correct. With "consumer products" like a home-based generator, the 3600 RPM units typically only last for a few hundred hours. The only exception I have found to this is the really "High-End" Honda, Robin-Subaru and Yanmar powered units.

Conversely, engines on 1800 RPM generators seem to typically live for quite a few thousands of hours.

For me, NOISE is a huge factor - as well as fuel burn.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

ZoomZoom said:


> I have a Kubota D902 in one of my machines. I believe the D905 is the next size up so it should be closer to 22-25HP. A lot of engine for a 6.5KW generator.


21HP.... at 3000 RPM.

Figure a little more than half that at 1800 RPM. 
12, 13, 14 HP would be a pretty close guess at 1800.

At 1800 RPM, they purr so smooth and run (relatively) so quiet. 
Exhaust noise with the factory muffler is negligible, but the mechanical noise (hey, diesels are "rattley" sounding) means it needs to be in a small enclosure or building of some sort. You could relocate the radiator and really make it "stealthy".

Honestly, for a small diesel they are actually pretty quiet. They have a lot of cast iron in them, which is an acoustically quiet metal. 
Oh, the little aluminum Lombardini diesels - you can hear them from 1/4 mile away!


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