CTFishTalk.com: 2011 Snow Storm.. How did you fare? - Connecticut General Topics ( CT General Topics ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

RobO · Joined: 24 May 2010 Posts: 285 Location: South Windsor

Is anything made well anymore?

So right before Hurricane Irene I went to Home Cheapo and bought a Briggs and Stratton 5500 constant 8250 peak generator. It cost $799.

I ran it for 3 hours during Irene.

Well with this new Snow Storm we lost power on Saturday afternoon. I started the generator up and ran it periodically for 7 days. I followed all maintenance requirements and change the oil etc. It always started right up on the first pull. Very easy to pull I might add.

Well on this past Saturday afternoon, I turn in on and about an hour later my wife says that there is no power. Well that just can't be considering that the generator is running.

I go check the generator and the 30amp plug is plugged in correctly. The motor sounds fine (purring nicely) but the output power light is not on. I called over my neighbor(an electrician)and he tested the power output or lack there of. There was no power coming out of any of the plug outlets on the generator. We looked for a circuit breaker and there is none. Just and on/off switch.

After further examination I also see that one of the four nuts that fastens the generator motor to the rubber mounted frame has come off and the another one is about to fall off from vibration.

So here I am with a practically brand new generator that stops working after only 7 days of periodic use. By no way was I drawing too much power from the unit as I am correctly hooked up to a transfer switch and generator panel. I was only using half of the watts of what this machine is rated for.

What kind of junk POS did I get?

I called Home Cheapo and they tell me that since I ran it I can not return it and it needs to go out for service. They do not take any returns of generators unless it was still in the unopened box.

Well I siphoned the gas out of the generator load it in my truck and proceed to take it back to HD anyway. After about 90 minutes of arguing I left there with a store credit and new smaller generator.
I was still pissed, but feeling better as at least I could warm the house up.

By the time I get home from HD, the power had returned (Thank you Colorado Electric). Good thing too since I ended up grabbing the wrong replacement generator to bring home (I was angry and in a hurry). Only 20 amps instead of the 30 amp unit I needed to hook up to the house.

Glad I never opened up this box..... Mad

Over all I was well prepared for the storm and faired well until this crap happened.
_________________
I'd rather be fishing, than sitting here in front of this computer,,,

watthe555 · Joined: 11 Jun 2011 Posts: 120

my generator has been running fine. ive had my generator for over 15 years and not a problem. actually, on wednesday night i was using too much power that everything turned off but my generator didnt. so i turned it off for 30 mins and then back on and i noticed one of the switches on the switch box for it was off so i turned it back on and it was fine. did you get a switch box installed with your generator, because that could have been the problem.

RobO · Joined: 24 May 2010 Posts: 285 Location: South Windsor

Yes, the electrician installed a generator switch panel and manual transfer switch.

The generator failed and would not produce any power at the outlets on the generator.
_________________
I'd rather be fishing, than sitting here in front of this computer,,,

fishfinder · Joined: 19 Jun 2011 Posts: 1672 Location: Naugatuck, Ct.

Thats a bummer. I have a Honda and an it solid from Sat night to Thursday night with 3 fridges, 220 water pump and furnace. hopper for wood pellet stove, tv, dvd. WII game setp, toaster, hot plate and a few lights. Note the hot plate and toaster oven were only here and there items but most of this other stuff ran all the time on a 5000 watt gen with no problem as long as you balance the load correctly when hooking up and wiring the Emergenswitch box.
_________________
There's a fine line between fishing....

and standing on the shore like an idiot!

RobO · Joined: 24 May 2010 Posts: 285 Location: South Windsor

I found a review on Amazon from a guy who had the exact same problem as me with the exact same generator. Looks like I got a lemon.
_________________
I'd rather be fishing, than sitting here in front of this computer,,,

Bluegill Terminator · Joined: 03 May 2007 Posts: 538 Location: Plainville

Hey RobO since you said that some of the bolts came undone from the rubber mounts due to vibration, a possibilty is that the magnetic rotator that is spinning inside the loops of copper wire or stator is rubbing up against the stator causing friction and not allowing the rototar to spin freely to generate electricity. This is what happen to my POS MOTOR GUIDE TROLLING MOTOR once I fixed it I sold it Laughing

and bought a Minn Kota and had no problems ever again.
_________________
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o21/PickerelPete/IfeH-r.gif

madkey · Joined: 13 Jun 2011 Posts: 75 Location: Torrington,CT

Rob
My cousin had the same problem with a Home Cheapo generator. The thing was running fine but no power. He said something about the 30amp circuit breaker
popping and then he just ended up running 110 circuits to get him by. But he too went back to the store,bitching and yellin and got nowhere. So you walked out with more than he did.
I have a Northstar with a honda motor wired to the house with the switch and panel. Runs the whole place and my well. My biggest trouble was my DVD player quit on me....I had to rough it and play wii for a couple hours. Some people said i was wasting money when i set all that up.
Anyway good to hear you got back on line
Rich
_________________
I"ve got to be smarter than a fish!