Generator Recommendation

Looking for a recommendation on a portable generator around 8000 running watts. House is wired for 120V connection with a 7500 watt generac transfer switch which runs our boiler, refrigerator, freezer, lights, and some creature comfort outlets (TV for the kids, coffee pot).

I have a Briggs & Stratton 8000 but the rotor has failed and needs replacing - cheaper to buy new.

I live in New England - it is very common for trees to fall in our town causing power outages of 3-5 days until they can resolve. With 3 little kids at home, we can't be without it.

Thanks in advance for helping me decide.

Brands I'm considering -
Generac
Echo
Predator

 

You thinking inverter genny? I would be with all those electronics

 

I have a Generac that my mom gave my wife and I.

We've had it maybe 2 years and otherwise I believe it's about 15 years old or so. Still works.

 

If you want the best, Honda, but if you are thinking something more affordable, I've had really good luck with Champion...they have excellent CS!
8750-Watt Open Frame Inverter – Champion Power Equipment

 

This one is a tri fuel...can run on gasoline, NG, or propane....NG and propane don't have the long term storage issues that gasoline does.
9000-Watt Tri Fuel Inverter with CO Shield® – Champion Power Equipment

 

Honda is a bit out of the current budget!


Interesting that Champion has given you excellent CS. The reviews contradict. Same price range as a Generac.

 

I've read of many people that agreed with excellent CS from Champion...but me personally, I bought a used 2500W genny from someone, it had an issue that I thought was caused by the carb needing cleaned...but that didnt fix it. So I called their techline for help, and get some parts prices...the tech thought I needed a new control board (he said its the single most expensive part on the machine) and just needed a copy of my receipt to send me the board...I said I am not the original owner, and have no receipt...he asked for the serial number, which proved that it was less than 1 year old (warranty period) so he said if you can install the board, I'll send it to you...no problem!
That did not fix it though, so I called back, the tech said we were getting beyond his expertise level at this point, so passed me off to another more experienced guy, which was also stumped...I tore into the genny myself (former OPE (Honda) tech) and found a part that I suspected as a possible issue, when I called back he told me what this part (small black box with an on/off button for the "ECO" mode on it) was, and agreed that it could be causing my issue, so he sent me one of those too...told me to keep the control board that I didn't need now...the second part took care of it then...runs/works great!

 

This is why I still prefer the EM series from Honda or equivalent. They don't have a bunch of gismos to fail. First time I saw a generator with bluetooth...all I could think of was 'why?'. No, they don't make the cleanest power, but it's gonna be cleaner than most of their competition. If it's a true emergency situation, then I don't really need to be on the laptop too much. Have watched the guys in our shop fool with some of these feature laden ccp produced units and they end up chasing it back to some stupid switch or the like that really has nothing to do with power generation. My own opinion as to why all the cheap genny's AVR's fail is because the genset is spiking too much. Most of the repairs I made to Honda contractor units were dead outlets, fuel solenoids and lol...brushes.

OP, sorry to muddle. I feel bad for most folks looking for generators these days. They've gone too far and made them unrealiable...which is what you DON'T want out of a Generator that is for emergency use. I totally understand the $ issue. If they were still willing to produce them (they're not because nobody wants to or is able to pay for quality anymore) I would whole heartedly recommend a Subaru. They decided it's not worth trying to compete with Harbor Freight and exited market. Honda will do same eventually, I think. They are already slowly exiting small engine market.

 

True, but unless you are only going to plug in one or two things (that doesn't have sensitive electronics) then powering up the whole house, or even whole circuits, you are powering up a bunch of electronics...and the control boards on this stuff has NOT gotten more robust in recent years!
I have 2 gennys...a big one to power up the big things, mainly the well now, since the water heater is HPWH now, and set to eco mode only...guess the electric stove/oven too, if we decided we needed to bake cookies during the blackout but then I have the Champion 2500 inverter genny to run the more sensitive stuff, and power the basic necessities, like running the blower on the wood furnace, which runs almost all the time when heating...the inverter genny will run all day on the fuel that the big dog would use in an hour or two (plus its WAY quieter too!)

 

genny + electronics, the genny needs to have less that 8% Noise( cause I can't think of the proper term) in its output. This is not voltage variation but garbage in the sine wave.

Just remembered the proper term Harmonic Distortion .

 

I agree Hondas are too expensive and now that they're reportedly being made in China instead of Japan I don't think you can depend on their long reputation. have had excellent customer service from Champion. Like really great. Over decades that I've owned champion generators. I currently have three champion inverter gensets and one big firman brand 7500 that uses a very common and often replicated honda clone 420 CC engine.

One big lesson I've learned is always get dual or tri fuel. Propane, gasoline, and NG if the NG is available for you. You see it every power outage, fools standing in line trying to buy gasoline for their generators. I store tanks of propane that last forever plus you can steal another propane tank from any suburban barbecue. Running on propane means no carburetor issues from bad fuel.

I'm not that worried about the power quality from inverters vs. noninverters from a reputable brand like Champion. Your laptop, for example, doesn't even see the AC power. The laptop is powered from the battery that is charged by the charger that uses that brick to essentially air-gap your laptop. That said, inverters make power at least as well as your utility. It's pretty amazing.

Like Brenda, I have a couple of champion 2500 watt inverter generators that just sip fuel, are quiet, make excellent power, can carry one in each hand, and can be run on propane or gasoline.

Unless your boiler is electric, do you really need such a huge genset?

 

If $$ is a strong consideration in the northeast harbor freight has Honda clones reasonable priced

 

I have a Honeywell that I have had for at least 10 years. It's been good.

 

I don't see the love for inverter generators. You want variable speed for comfortable camping and such they are great. Emergency power id recommend something more reliable.
If you are concerned about electrical noise turn on some LEDs and watch the circus unfold on a scope.
Sensitive electronics is becoming a term from the past.
Why the buzz about "brushless"....... NOT dependability or clean power! It's because it's CHEAPER to build.
The brushes do NOT carry the output current of the generator, like a sparking electric motor.
They only carry the exiter current, the power to turn on a magnet. Just like the millions of car alternators, that are 3phase BTW.
Brushless rotors are far more prone to failure than the simple coils on brush designs.

 

You definitely don’t want a brushless generator. They suck for THD among other things. Did anybody suggest seeking brushless?

I agree that sensitive electronics is a marketing term made up by the manufacturers of inverter generators. Many electronics are sensitive to major disruptions like lightning or brown outs but not to the difference between inverter and noninverter gensets.

 

I was looking for a generator semi portable when I lived in Louisiana as we were always losing power during the summer. I went welder, Hobart Champion 1o000w starting 9000w continuous. I snagged a low hour model for $2200, I do use the stick welder as a side bonus. I purchased it back in 2008, it will still be running when the ones mentioned here are in the scrap heap. They are super simple, not picky on fuel (they can be thirsty, but can be converted to NG/Propane easily) and are dead reliable.

 

If you're powering anything worth money that has electricity running through it, do yourself a favor and find a generator with a published total harmonic distortion rating of less than 5%.

I was shopping a few months back (went with Honda), and if I recall, Generac was the only company with a generator in the size you're after that published a rating less than 5.

If the company doesn't list their THD, it's because it's above 5.

 

Completely understood - if a storm is predicted I'm usually stocking up on gas in advance (15-20 gallons). If I don't use it, the gas goes in the cars pretty quick so it doesn't sit. But one time I didn't do my due diligence and was driving all over my area looking for an open gas station. Luckily I found a Cumberland Farms that brought in a big industrial generator to run the store. News cameras were all over the place and a helicopter flying over it. About an hour after I got my gas, the police actually shut the operation down as it was causing a circus on the roads and there were 2 fender benders.

My boiler is electric and wired to the transfer switch. So yes, that's why I'm after a larger genset.

We are in season 2 with a wood stove, so I do have that going for me now should we lose power for a few days and need the heat.

 

are there any opinions on Echo Generators?

My 2 chain saws, leaf blower, and trimmer have all been amazing tools. But does that quality transcend to a generator?

My local shop is selling this unit....
EG-10000 | ECHO-USA.com

 

I'd be a little surprised if they are actually making them...probably a rebadged ??? brand genny...