Is it possible to buy a generator not from China?

Started by je_freedom, January 11, 2022, 04:30:51 PM

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je_freedom

Good information about product sourcing is hard to find.
The most convenient place I have found is
https://generatorbible.com/blog/top-brands/
   26 BEST BRANDS OF PORTABLE GENERATORS
It's the best source of info I've been able to find,
but it's still pretty incomplete.
It has a paragraph about each of the 26 brands listed.

Most of the companies are based in the USA,
but have their products manufactured in China or other places.

It looks like the most reliable brand to provide American made generators is Generac.
Their products are larger, more expensive, standby generators
that automatically turn on in case of an outage.

When shopping for a generator, other factors to consider are
how noisy is the unit,
what outputs the unit provides,
if it's gasoline only or multi fuel,
whether it's an inverter or traditional type generator, etc.
(Inverter generators produce smoother power,
better suited for powering electronic devices.)

I would avoid Briggs & Stratton because
their engines are designed to have a very limited life.

Below is a listing of the 26 brands,
and where each one is manufactured, according to the article.
Some brands of generators are manufactured by another company on the list.
For example, Predator (sold by Harbor Freight) is made by Lifan.

   A-iPower                   China
   Briggs & Stratton      global
   Caterpillar Inc.,          China
   Champion Power Equipment   ?
   Cummins                  ?
   Dewalt                     ?
   DuroMax                  overseas
   DuroStar                  China
   Echo                        USA
   Energizer                  overseas
   Firman Power Equipment   China
   Ford                        Asia
   Generac                  USA
   Honda                     Asia
   Kohler                     USA, China
   Lifan                        China
   Powerhorse               China
   Powermate               USA ?
   Predator                  China
   Pulsar                     Asia
   Rainier                     ?
   Ryobi                        global
   Sportsman Series      ?
   Wen                        Asia
   Westinghouse         China
   Yamaha                  China, Japan

If you want to connect a generator to your house electric system,
you should first turn off the main breaker switch
(or pull out the main fuses, if your system is that old)
to disconnect your house from the power line.

You will also need to rig an "extension cord"
with plugs at BOTH ends
to plug the generator into a house socket.
(A standard "plug to socket" cord will not do.)
The parts to do that can be found at any hardware store.

It's always good to have some three to two prong adapters around.
There's a good chance you'll need a couple of them
to connect a generator to your house wiring.

And of course, DO NOT run a gasoline engine indoors!
The carbon monoxide will kill you!
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include:
headache, nausea.
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Solar

#1
Good list...
Kohler is a good gas gen. But Onan/Cummins makes a great cheap diesel for RV's but it's quiet enough to have a conversation next to it without yelling.
Two things. One, Generac makes a great engine, but they have serious issues with their control boards, have for the last decade (made in Chiner). Secondly, if you are only looking for a standby genset, go with propane only, gas today does not hold up all that well, even when you add Stabil.

Neighbors Generac just went out when the power failed, and since it usually doesn't just go off.
His went off, then came back on twice, and the third time was so fast that it fried his board and he had nothing for two weeks.

But most importantly, go with a diesel, it will last 10 times that of a gas engine.
I highly recommend Kubota Lowboy 7000, made in Japan, extremely reliable, remote start and quieter than any gas engine out there.

I bought mine almost 20 years ago, rolled the 10.000 hr meter over and have another 5 thousand on that, and it still runs like new.
Loved it so much, I bought another just for backup.

Thing is, this will probably be the only genset you'll ever buy, so why waste money replacing crap.
Oh, and red dye diesel is cheaper than gas.

Believe me, this is what I did for a living.

Kubota GL7000 – 7000 Watt Lowboy II Series Industrial Diesel Generator



$6,149.00
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TboneAgain

Quote from: je_freedom on January 11, 2022, 04:30:51 PMGood information about product sourcing is hard to find.
The most convenient place I have found is
https://generatorbible.com/blog/top-brands/
 26 BEST BRANDS OF PORTABLE GENERATORS
It's the best source of info I've been able to find,
but it's still pretty incomplete.
It has a paragraph about each of the 26 brands listed.

Most of the companies are based in the USA,
but have their products manufactured in China or other places.

It looks like the most reliable brand to provide American made generators is Generac.
Their products are larger, more expensive, standby generators
that automatically turn on in case of an outage.

When shopping for a generator, other factors to consider are
how noisy is the unit,
what outputs the unit provides,
if it's gasoline only or multi fuel,
whether it's an inverter or traditional type generator, etc.
(Inverter generators produce smoother power,
better suited for powering electronic devices.)

I would avoid Briggs & Stratton because
their engines are designed to have a very limited life.

Below is a listing of the 26 brands,
and where each one is manufactured, according to the article.
Some brands of generators are manufactured by another company on the list.
For example, Predator (sold by Harbor Freight) is made by Lifan.

 A-iPower China
 Briggs & Stratton global
 Caterpillar Inc., China
 Champion Power Equipment ?
 Cummins ?
 Dewalt ?
 DuroMax overseas
 DuroStar China
 Echo USA
 Energizer overseas
 Firman Power Equipment China
 Ford Asia
 Generac USA
 Honda Asia
 Kohler USA, China
 Lifan China
 Powerhorse China
 Powermate USA ?
 Predator China
 Pulsar Asia
 Rainier ?
 Ryobi global
 Sportsman Series ?
 Wen Asia
 Westinghouse China
 Yamaha China, Japan

If you want to connect a generator to your house electric system,
you should first turn off the main breaker switch
(or pull out the main fuses, if your system is that old)
to disconnect your house from the power line.

You will also need to rig an "extension cord"
with plugs at BOTH ends
to plug the generator into a house socket.
(A standard "plug to socket" cord will not do.)
The parts to do that can be found at any hardware store.

It's always good to have some three to two prong adapters around.
There's a good chance you'll need a couple of them
to connect a generator to your house wiring.

And of course, DO NOT run a gasoline engine indoors!
The carbon monoxide will kill you!
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include:
headache, nausea.
I'm surprised to see that Echo is made in USA. Last I checked, that's a Japanese company. Used to be Kioritz, I believe, and now it's Yamabiko.
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. -- Tenth Amendment to the US Constitution

Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; IT IS FORCE. -- George Washington

je_freedom

Quote from: TboneAgain on January 11, 2022, 07:15:36 PMI'm surprised to see that Echo is made in USA. Last I checked, that's a Japanese company. Used to be Kioritz, I believe, and now it's Yamabiko.
All I did was compile what I found on that webpage.
I cannot guarantee that their information is accurate.
It certainly is not very complete.
They themselves admit that.
Here are the 10 RINOs who voted to impeach Trump on Jan. 13, 2021 - NEVER forget!
WY  Liz Cheney      SC 7  Tom Rice             WA 4  Dan Newhouse    IL 16  Adam Kinzinger    OH 16  Anthony Gonzalez
MI 6  Fred Upton    WA 3  Jaime Herrera Beutler    MI 3  Peter Meijer       NY 24  John Katko       CA 21  David Valadao

TboneAgain

Quote from: je_freedom on January 12, 2022, 06:29:29 AMAll I did was compile what I found on that webpage.
I cannot guarantee that their information is accurate.
It certainly is not very complete.
They themselves admit that.
I'm not saying the list is necessarily wrong. IIRC, Kioritz/Yamabiko had a plant in Illinois at one time, as well as one in China, so who knows?

Back in the 1970s, Kioritz, using the Echo name, made some of the finest small to mid-size gas-powered chainsaws in the world. They were good enough to be selected to make chainsaws for John Deere back then. I'm still trying to find a vintage CS-315 to replace the one I unwisely gave my stepson a few years ago.
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. -- Tenth Amendment to the US Constitution

Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; IT IS FORCE. -- George Washington