Your last generator Maintenance Run

[3930dave]

I have a QRP rig, but it is the old Yaesu 817 I have had for the better part of 20 years. QRP was my favorite power of transmission, as it really tested your ability to get the SWR down as close to 1 as you could get it by exact trimming of the dipoles of the antenna. Doing digital modes on QRP was a fun hobby, too. Amazing how far 5 watts on a good propagation day could get you running PSK31.

Classic radio ^

Wouldn't say I'm heavy into QRP, but I know it definitely stretches your Engineering skills to get it to perform well, and is valuable training for true SHTF scenarios.

I tend to stay with voice, but the digital modes are impressive. A long-retired Canuck Military buddy of mine (also a ham) commented a long time ago, that these AR digital modes often reminded him of the signal-processing for hunting subs...... similar math, different targets. FT8 seems very popular today, and soon I can have my AR AI avatar talking to yours 24x7x365 (not my thing), but again, pushing digital signals that far @ low-watts is impressive (the guys in a park, running FT8 @ 100 watts do crack me up), and I do see plenty of people firing up FT8 short-term to test propagation or a new antenna quickly.

Fun hobby, with no end of projects to keep busy with....

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

If it's a Chinese carb, better buy 2 just in case one is bogus.

It does seem to be everywhere.

An older mechanic I work with just went through a nightmare changing plugs in a recent-model Honda CRV. Final answer - looks like the Honda-boxed (bought @ Honda car dealer) plugs were counterfeit. Problem was amplified by the "all-knowing" engine computer never throwing ANY mis-fire codes, but plenty of others. Honda Canada engineering had to get involved, to get this resolved.

Rgds, D.

 

[ultrarunner]

Challenge: buying Quality.

Answer: varies with Time.

I used to only buy Moog parts for chassis work.... they too seem to have succumbed to the bean-counters/offshoring etc..... For 4 wheeled road stuff, tending to buy Dorman lately, if available.

Small carbs.... if it's Totally Eaten By Ethanol, then either scrap the tool, or roll dice with PRC carbs (many people seemed to have been lucky in the Past, but Time can't be ignored). Cheap ^ enough, that if it takes more than one carb, still may be worth it, and if you can lean-on Amazon's Return policy (usually good) you may still only pay for one.

Rgds, D.

It’s sad when good names tarnish… I was always Moog.

I do think it’s good to have options but too often it’s take it or leave it.

Price, Quality, Availability is always the dilemma when seeking all three.

 

[Camofurever1]

if you buy a part from the US, Japan, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, the list goes on, you have some
confidence there are minimum quality standards applied.
We imported too much low end merch from China that their reputation initially got rightfully screwed up.
Not any more.
If I buy a Cutler Hammer circuit breaker, am not worried about quality.
that's the power of a name brand, with a proven reputation for adequate or even superior quality.
all gets down to engineering and quality control, particularly if parts subbed out.
testing is very expensive

Kubota always made a big deal out of their sole sourcing all their machinery, so that they could maintain
consistently high quality. Sure worked for them.

The start button on my Westinghouse generator broke within two years. The replacement said made in China.
I like to research and compare and it's not possible, that I know of, to do that easily with stuff made in China.
made in Taiwan is actually a very positive symbol today.

I want to make an informed choice between the cheaper one and the better one.
But I can't
Is CE enough? is it real CE? How about UL?
how much of the certification is fake?
did anyone make sure those claims of THD are true?
are your engine bearings the cheapest ones they could buy to
last about 300 hours?

The CE marking is not a quality mark, nor is it a certification mark. CE is a European Union Government licensing tag mark.

As far as a UL listed or UL recognized product, it is easy to check UL's online database to see if a Manufacturer submitted the product to be UL tested and also to see if that product passed the testing and, was granted the privilege to apply the UL mark to their product. Just because a product is shown in the online UL database does not mean the product is listed or recognized. You have to carefully read the whole report to see if it passed all of the testing. Getting a product through UL's stringent testing takes time and money. A product doesn't have to have a UL mark on it for it to be a quality product. But, it greatly increases the chance that it is a quality product. If a product has a UL listed or recognized mark on it, it is the real deal.

As far as "Name Brand" being a indicator of quality, that line of thinking went out of style in the late 70's. Companies have been bought and sold through the last few decades. Some companies were dissolved after the buyout or merger, but the purchasing company had the licensing rights to still use the name brand on a crap product line made in BFE. Look at the brandname "Craftsman". It was owned by Sears and Robuck. They didn't make any of their tools, they had multiple contract manufacturers that made and packaged everything for them. As the decades went along, their quality went way downhill, due to manufacturing being given to the lowest bidder.

Look at John Deere lawn mowers. You can buy them at the big box stores, but those mowers are made by companies that have purchased the licensing rights to put a John Deere sticker on the product. It doesn't ensure that it is a quality product. If you want a real John Deere mower with quality engines and parts, go see the dealership.

 

[grsthegreat]

The CE marking is not a quality mark, nor is it a certification mark. CE is a European Union Government licensing tag mark.

As far as a UL listed or UL recognized product, it is easy to check UL's online database to see if a Manufacturer submitted the product to be UL tested and also to see if that product passed the testing and, was granted the privilege to apply the UL mark to their product. Just because a product is shown in the online UL database does not mean the product is listed or recognized. You have to carefully read the whole report to see if it passed all of the testing. Getting a product through UL's stringent testing takes time and money. A product doesn't have to have a UL mark on it for it to be a quality product. But, it greatly increases the chance that it is a quality product. If a product has a UL listed or recognized mark on it, it is the real deal.

As far as "Name Brand" being a indicator of quality, that line of thinking went out of style in the late 70's. Companies have been bought and sold through the last few decades. Some companies were dissolved after the buyout or merger, but the purchasing company had the licensing rights to still use the name brand on a crap product line made in BFE. Look at the brandname "Craftsman". It was owned by Sears and Robuck. They didn't make any of their tools, they had multiple contract manufacturers that made and packaged everything for them. As the decades went along, their quality went way downhill, due to manufacturing being given to the lowest bidder.

Look at John Deere lawn mowers. You can buy them at the big box stores, but those mowers are made by companies that have purchased the licensing rights to put a John Deere sticker on the product. It doesn't ensure that it is a quality product. If you want a real John Deere mower with quality engines and parts, go see the dealership.

Yup. On the john deere products from home depot. Learned first hand there made in mexico and licensed the name. Had issues with One that didnt work . Took it back to HD, They said i have to go to JD for service. JD refused service because it was not a true JD product. Became a screaming match at HD, Who finally refunded me my $$.

 

[Camofurever1]

Yup. On the john deere products from home depot. Learned first hand there made in mexico and licensed the name. Had issues with One that didnt work . Took it back to HD, They said i have to go to JD for service. JD refused service because it was not a true JD product. Became a screaming match at HD, Who finally refunded me my $$.

Exactly......

 

[Camofurever1]

Look at the new "Scout Motors". Scout was a product name that was part of International Harvester. Obviously, when IH was bought out in the early 80's, the Scout name was part of the purchase. It got stuck in a back shelve for decades. The name got sold off recently. Now, there is a Scout Motors trying to convince the younger generation that what they are producing is the same quality and robustness of what the IH Scout was back in the 50's through the 70's. Today's plastic Scout is not the machine your Grandpa's was.

 

[daugen]

yes but grandpa's Scout didn't have six USB ports so how could I possibly want it?...

I am the very happy owner of a JD X370 mower bought from local dealer.
Same dealer who sold my grandfather a JD B in 1941.
Good models used to start with LX, then became 3 series. Anything else is a low spec mower.
Have also owned largest 7 series diesel JD, marvelous machine. But I don't have ten acres of lawn any more and
I can't use a zero turn due to arthritic hands. So the power steering 3 series models are great entry level good quality mowers.
Honestly, what do you expect a 1299 mower to run like after three years?
those L100's, sad waste of green paint.
and all those sealed for life bearings.
screeeeeeccchhhhhh, wack wack wack wack

 

[ultrarunner]

At least Onan so far been as difficult as other companies I depend on.

But the State is in their place over Diesel emissions.

3M always had a great reputation in the medical field but some of the products lately just not up to par…

Siemens is another with proprietary that is later abandoned…

For almost a year Siemens was after me to pay annual licensing to continue support.

Thankfully I kept all my 1995 documentation of my purchase including license to use but then had to prove I was the original purchaser, etc.

Getinge Steam Sterilizers is another… they basically only offer full support to original purchasers…

I had a machine I bought new under contract they could no longer repair as parts no longer available…

I also had a sister machine bought on the same PO in storage…. I wanted to do a swap and was told no… so I took the mother board from the stored unit to fix the unit on the floor and it did.

Getinge then said I made repair with unauthorized third party part???

I had to say no… the part was purchased from Getinge by me and I had it in storage and then needed the serial number so it could be verified…

I got it straightened out but doubt anyone else here would have the legacy institutional knowledge to do the same.

 

[D'oh]

The quality of Chinese carbs has went decidedly downhill as if late. Just ask anyone who rebuiulds chainsaws and buys the cheapo carbs from Amascon. Total crapshoot today, so good luck. You may get a good one, buth then you might get a turd.

Chainsw Carb is way different than a Graxity Fed Carb. No Diaphrams, No Check Flaps, Bo Impulse.

Just Brass Jets, Seat, Steel Needle and Plastic Float. The original 1600hr China Carb, doesn't have any Throttle Plate play, just a leaky Needle and Seat. Could reuse all the Jets and Body if needed but Why bother? An Amerrican Made Needle and Seat would cost the same as the whole thing.