Generator Chinese diesel genset, or PTO generator??

[whistlepig]

I have a 5500 watt 13 HP generator I bought new from pepboys a year ago for under $400. Runs 14 hours or so on 6.5 gallons of gas. Was an excellent purchase for me. I've run approximately 100 hours so far without a single hickup. I power my entire house including well pump. My neighbor ran his for 8 straight days with no issues at all.

Here's my thoughts.

- Much rather put hours on a 400 dollar generator than a 15000 dollar tractor.
- When it is 1:00am, like last week when I last lost power. I'd much rather roll the generator out of the garage, start up and plug in than go out, start tractor, hook up 3 point generator and then plug in. Man, the thought of hooking up the generator to the tractor in the middle of night gives me the willies, I had not really thought about that.

For me the decision was an easy one.

Joel

Pretty much the same reason I have a portable. I take it out of the garage and put it on the back deck that is covered and out of the weather. I wouldn't be able to do that with a PTO generator on my tractor. With the tractor and PTO generator setup I would have to let it set out in the rain. Generators are not for getting wet. I also think running a $15,000 tractor to power a generator is over kill. But some with large farms use PTO generators on their tractors. I think they have buildings large enough to keep their tractors out of the weather. For them I think a PTO generator may be the better choice.

 

[JoelD]

Pretty much the same reason I have a portable. I take it out of the garage and put it on the back deck that is covered and out of the weather. I wouldn't be able to do that with a PTO generator on my tractor. With the tractor and PTO generator setup I would have to let it set out in the rain. Generators are not for getting wet. I also think running a $15,000 tractor to power a generator is over kill. But some with large farms use PTO generators on their tractors. I think they have buildings large enough to keep their tractors out of the weather. For them I think a PTO generator may be the better choice.

Certain you are correct, I guess when you get to a critical mass, a portable in the 15kw ranges starts to get into some real money.

I still think that its a tough decision if the generator, motor and all is anywhere near the price of a comparable 3pt generator why the 3pt would make more sense. I just struggle the thought of a tractor running for hours and hours, a tractor motor is big bucks.

Joel

 

[JohnDeere4300]

When i first bought the PTO generator and used it the first day i knew that wasn't going to last.

 

[whistlepig]

When i first bought the PTO generator and used it the first day i knew that wasn't going to last.

Why would a PTO generator be less reliable than any other generator?

 

[RWolf]

I don't think he was refering to the quality but in operating costs. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[JohnDeere4300]

When i first bought the PTO generator and used it the first day i knew that wasn't going to last.

Why would a PTO generator be less reliable than any other generator?

I thought the PTO generator was great.

I just didn't want my tractor running all day supplying power for the house, and couldn't use the tractor for something else if needed.

 

[Skyco]

I have two of the generic Chinese diesel gensets, one at home for backup and one on my remote property as the only power source. So far so good. The remote one is run quite a bit in the summer for powering the air conditioner in my shack/cabin. Mine look like the pic below but are painted red. I got them both in a closout at Pepboys for around $600 each. I wouldn't have bought them for the original price which was more than twice that

 

[JohnDeere4300]

I have two of the generic Chinese diesel gensets, one at home for backup and one on my remote property as the only power source. So far so good. The remote one is run quite a bit in the summer for powering the air conditioner in my shack/cabin. Mine look like the pic below but are painted red. I got them both in a closout at Pepboys for around $600 each. I wouldn't have bought them for the original price which was more than twice that

That was good price on them.

 

[JoelD]

Hard to believe the prices you can get these things for if you keep your eyes open and time it right.

Diesel is nice compared to gas when it comes to sitting for a long period of time in between runnings, although I keep staybill in mine and I keep the tank full to prevent corosion. I've not had a problem.

Joel

 

[Skyco]

Yeah it is funny- one of them I got in Augusta GA, it had been sitting there for over a year, I kept bugging the manager about cutting me a deal but he would laugh and decline. Then one day I stumbled across a huge closeout rebate....ended up buying two. They are pretty quiet, certainly not silent but about 20dB quieter than a 5kW Coleman I've had for 20+ years. That thing is from purgatory, always runs but you can hear it for miles

One thing I've learned about equipment sitting...around the first of the month I try to run everything I have. It really helps, as I've spent many hours over the years degunking carburetor jets that have clogged. The smaller the engine the quicker they clog as the hole in the jet is proportionally smaller for smaller engines. I also keep Stabil in the gas, and I use non-ethanol containing gas for the power equipment, my ATV, 3 motorcycles and 2 boat engines. I also try to cycle old fuel from the equipment through the cars once a year..replacing it with new.

They are predicting a very unusual March snow here tonight, if it goes like usual the power will go out due to either icing or someone sliding off the road and taking out a pole....so may get to use my diesel gen for the first time other than monthly exercises.