Chinese generator still going strong after 4 years of abuse!

when it was brand new 2009
• Shop Force 3500 watt g...
winter start 2011
• Chinese 3000 watt gene...
Chinese made, American branded 3000 watt generator I never expected to last long. I was mainly going on people who claimed that they were crap and would break after a few hours of use. Turns out it has gone over 20 hours / 4 years without any maintenance and still runs strong. Unlike many claims of cheap gen units, this generator will handle its maximum 30 amp load with ease. It never leaks, gums up or smokes and puts out stable voltage under any level of load. My only two gripes are, that it lacks a 240 volt hook up (for a transfer switch) and lacks an hour meter (hope to fit an aftermarket one later on). I paid $200 for this thing fresh out of the box and it has so far saved over $1200 worth of food in the deep freezer and two side by side fridge/ freezer combos during multiple outages. I will buy a larger generator, capable of running more items later on, but will not get rid of this little fuel efficient beast. To sum this all up, If you find a cheap enough generator with good reviews, go ahead an buy it!

[@MrCamShaft89]

Hi, I'm from Turkey. I love generators too much. I have chinese clone gen set which name is Stanley 3100 Basic. It has 212cc 7 Hp engine 170F engine code. Your genset is very good working. Engine sound is very nice and strong. It works like a new. I watched this video and your other genset videos many times. This video was recorded in 2014 year and now we are in 2018. This genset still works like a new ? You said that in the video, do not maintenance from purchase it. Oil change and spark plug change can delay sometimes but at least you should use fresh gas. Because, stale gasoline is decreases of engine performance and at the end kill the engine slowly. Gas is waiting more than 1 year, you should change your gas. Sorry, my writing is too long and sorry for my poor English. Thank you, have nice day...

[@jcr65566]

Thanks for posting As long as the fuel not to old and you turned off the carby when you stopped it last time it start I have the same old made in china 3000 watt squire wave generator for years. except for the storage water heater It will power nearly ever thing in the whole house including the sensitive stuff like tvs the fridge ect In all fridge there motor inside is the hermetic compressor type it is a capacitor start single phase induction motor. American refrigerators also have a small fan motor between the freezer and refrigerator compartment it is usually a shaded pole motor. All tool like grinder drills ect are also have these a single phase induction motors . This mean this 3000 watt squire wave generator will power them all over the years for me it has work realy well. Some time if it wont start I take the rope pull off and use a socket and a drill to start it. I cut a quarter of the side off of an old plastic drum and use it as a nose brake or shield it to works well. I let the exhaust pipe blow out the open part of the drum. it makes it a lot quitter

[@jcr65566]

Though my 10 year old old Chinese Honda clones runs fine. Its run a bit loud at 75 db. Most of this noise come from the side of the generator But I found I can make mine much quieter , Say down to say as loud as 60 db. Just by hanging a two flat boards on ether side of of the generator .it got to cover both sides and from the gas tank to the grown I just use two hooks on each board. In a power outage it then becomes a bit more tolerable

[@donnamarie9341]

Hi, :) I'm glad you made this video so I at least feel like the generator is decent. My dad bought it and we've yet to use it because my mother misplaced/lost the manual. You don't know where I can get a manual, do you? Or even a way of just getting scans or copies of the few pages (in English) that instruct on the operation of it? Thanks if you can help!

[@frugalprepper]

I have a Chinese one that is a little smaller than that but very similar that I got in 2008. It was the last one on the shelf as hurricane IKE was starting to come through. I have run it a lot more than 20 hours. I had it running for nearly 2 weeks solid after IKE only stopping it for Oil changes. I have had it spin a bearing in the generator head twice. I also got an UN-sealed bearing for it this last time so I can take the cover off he side and lube up the bearing with a grease gun and I keep and extra bearing on hand just in case. For as much as I have used it, It has been a real work horse. I would have to estimate that mine has several hundred hours of run time on it by now. It is only rated at 1200 watts but I puts out a lot more than that. It will even run a small window AC unit. I usually have it running full tilt wide open under it's maximum load when I am running it too. I paid $169 for mine originally.

[@BatteryGeekReviews]

Longest outage we usually go through is a day or so, yours running that long continuously and probably in all types of bad weather is proof that these generators are good. I've even seen the little 900 watt 2 cycle units last longer than I would have though. I think it would take me a few decades to put that many hours on my unit, but might just pick up some spare parts too just in case. Thanks for the info man!

[@BatteryGeekReviews]

***** Agree, all really depends on the type of quality the bosses over there want to put out. I've had a ton of great experience with equipment made in china. Hell, most of the American generator manufactures are starting to import Chinese parts and slap their name and logo on them. P.S. I have the galaxy note 1 and it has been great. My only issue after 2 years is the battery and the charging port. I've already ordered parts and it only cost me $20.

[@cockshuttboy20]

Reminds me a lot of 3000 watt Champion.

[@scottso241]

how can you tell if its a china generator i think i got one the name is promate i had it almost 2 years but runs really good its a 3000 watts . the one you have looks like mine but a little newer

[@DallasAya]

20 hours. Test. Where does it say that. Need 500-2000 hours at least. They seem to be different grades of junk coming out of China. Champion seems to be Grade A. That's been my experence. I put 20 hours on my generator before I put it into service. Most of the noise is from the valve train. 3/1000 to 4/1000 will quiet it down. Add some STP to oil to Thicken it helps quiet the valves.

[@faffaflunkie]

Hey- when it _does_ finally start to bog down just throw in half a can of _Engine Restorer_ and for all of eight bucks you can get another four years use out of the thing.

[@BOB12349307]

flush oil and gas it will die quick if you don't replace spark plug ngk

[@bboymac84]

where can I get one?

[@BatteryGeekReviews]

Lowes, home depot or anywhere that mainly sales hardware. A lot of times they are sold under American names, but are indeed Chinese engines and alternators. Since this video, I have purchased another one, a harbor freight predator 4000 watt generator. Paid under $300 for it.

[@BatteryGeekReviews]

+-Doug - How is it shit when it has worked flawlessly the entire time I've owned it ? (only thing I've done is clean the air filter and change the oil) The only American made generator I was able to find is made by Winco.......Their cheapest model costs over $2,000. If I could have found an American made generator within a reasonable price range I would have bought it. I wasn't going to loose over $500 of food because the only generators available were chinese.

[@Mr_Tecumseh]

Because its not going to last as long. Its shit because it took an Americans job uour neighbor my neighbor its all around bullshit because thus country not only let it happen but did this shit on purpose so the rich could get richer. My generator is 55 years old and starts on the first pull yours will be long gone in that time period thats why.

[@BatteryGeekReviews]

+-Doug - Yes I would prefer an American made product, but don't have 2K to spend on one. I also wish Walmart wouldn't depend on foreign goods as much, but in this economy and the fact that I'm far from being rich I get what I can afford. Just about every other piece of my lawn equipment is American made (old B&S and vintage toro). Generators are one of the most expensive things to buy, so finding a cheap one allowed me to have one for emergencies vs not having one at all. Like I've said my generator does what it is supposed to do. I maintain it well and expect it to last me a long while. There are accounts of generators like mine going over 6,000 hours without a rebuild. I don't expect to put anywhere near that on my unit, since it is strictly for power outages. I have also looked into vintage units in the past, but found them to be too expensive to buy in good condition. They also require a lot of time and mechanical know how to get running right, both of which I currently lack. I like you will rejoice if we ever get American made generators back at an affordable price, until then I'm happy with what I got.

[@Mr_Tecumseh]

Dont count on getting anything american made back. They sell briggs 3500 running watt generators for 450 whats wrong with one of them? There also now built in china but of higher quality outleast with briggs you know its a name that can be trusted craftsman lawnmower bodies and basically all mower bodies are chinese made now. Some of the Briggs engines are US some are not. I have a perfectly good pristine Briggs generator 1960 3500 watt wico, wicharger subsidiary of zenith im selling for as low as 600 requires no service ready to go. The only thing it will need in the future are annual tune ups. Oil changes and new air filters and adding oil to the tin can filter cover thats it. I have a chinese 3000 watt generator. But I got it for free. Its a starke its brand new but the only reason I have it is because I got it for free. I have a 94 Toro Super recycler all American. One All American early 2000 craftsman mower because everyone needs one of those in there arsenal and on Troy Bilt mower with the honda GCV160 motor got that for free as well in fact I got all that stuff free. The only thing I paid for was the 55 year old pristine winco generator 100 bucks. Stuffs out there just gotta look for it. I have an older mcculloch leaf blower that was made in mexico is sn air stream xlviii and one John Deere by homelite weedwacker also made in mexico. Got both of those for free as well most were curb finds a few were given and a few were puchased at bottom dollar. I paid for my American Snapper snow king snowblower with the Tecumseh 8hp. The 1971 Ariens 7 hp sno thro I have was given. The Tecumseh H70 engine blew this winter. So we pit a 6.5hp predator on it only because it was 90 bucks and the snowblower is still the king. Otherwise I dont buy chinese consumer products, but hell why argue about it. Thats where the country is headed has gone and nothings gonna stop it so why waste time griping about it.

[@eh7599]

junk