Chinese generators

Submitted: Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 15:36
ThreadID: 136335 Views:3634 Replies:6 FollowUps:8
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Hi. Just got a Chinese generator for backup in this stormy weather. It has a pair of threaded terminals for 12 volt supply. The sad part is it also has a pair of threaded terminals for the 240 volt supply.

Never seen this before. Be handy for the budding home electrician to fry himself !!

No brand name. Bought on an online auction. It has a model number. DG8500SE.

Just thought it a bit freaky

Regards Greg
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Reply By: Flighty ( WA ) - Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 16:14

Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 16:14
Hi Greg
Sorry but maybe throw it away, or have someone qualified to remove power from 240 v side terminals.
Can picture that as you say a death waiting for some unsuspecting person.
To be honest I can't even imagine it being even allowed into the country like that.
Cheers
Flighty

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Reply By: Member - mechpete - Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 17:08

Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 17:08
you get what you pay for
cheers mechpete
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Follow Up By: Greg J1 - Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 17:22

Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 17:22
I totally agree Pete. Usually don’t buy Chinese garbage, this was a very spur of the moment purchase.
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Reply By: Ron N - Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 18:11

Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 18:11
I'm sure AllanB will be along soon to add his valuable opinion - but personally, as a buyer, specification-setter, and user of numerous large portable gensets over many years (for on-site power when mining or contracting, and up to 20Kva), I can tell you this much;

The generator is not intrinsically unsafe, nor is it illegal to sell generators in this form in Australia.

This generator is designed to be wired in to a house/property/building, and as such is not fitted with standardised Australian outlet plugs.

To enable this unit to be used as a house/property/building backup, it must be checked over by a competent and licenced electrician, to ensure the wiring and connections are safe and meet Australian Standards and electrical requirements.

If the unit meets all satisfactory wiring and connection standards, then it must be physically wired in ("hardwired") to the house/property/building, utilising standard Australian electrical procedures and materials, by a competent and licenced electrician.

The Australian/NZ Standard that applies to this process, is covered under AS/NZS 3010:2017, Electrical installations—Generating sets.

The electrician you employ must have access to a copy of this standard, and follow the procedures listed therein.

Alternatively, if determined safe to wire up, the unit can have a switchboard fitted to it, with the appropriate plugs or outlets as required.

Be aware, that both of the above processes will probably cost a lot more than the generator did!

Cheers, Ron.
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Follow Up By: Greg J1 - Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 18:26

Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 18:26
Appreciate your reply Ron. This machine also features 2 15 amp power points. The pictures in the description didn’t show these terminals.

This machine is no longer advertised on this auction. There is a bigger one and a smaller one.

I too have earthmoving machines Ron. I was actually bidding on an excavator bucket from the same seller when I noticed the generator.

Cheers
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Follow Up By: Ron N - Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 18:41

Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 18:41
Greg, the generator market is flooded with Chinese-built generators.

Many of the lighting towers used on minesites and construction sites utilise Chinese generators for power.

There are good models and bad models in the Chinese range. Some are absolute rubbish, others are quite satisfactory in their construction and performance.

The main problem with Chinese generators sourced on-line is a general lack of backup and parts support, if they do develop problems.

Typical of this is, if the voltage regulator fails, you will often find it difficult to source a new one (or one that actually fits) and your generator then becomes useless.

Many Chinese design engines use substandard components, and die an early death. Many are over-rated for their power output, to try and compete.

Even if you buy a Chinese genset with a "brand-name" engine, such as Cummins or Perkins, you will often find the engine has no parts or service support locally, and local agents for Cummins and Perkins will advise you that the engine is designed and built under licence, specifically for the Chinese market and Chinese use - and to acquire parts for them, you need to source them directly from the Chinese.

The bottom line is, there's a lot of traps in buying Chinese products on-line and you're well-advised to become familiar with Chinese selling practices.

Cheers, Ron.

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Reply By: Member - kev.h - Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 18:33

Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 18:33
That's a 6KW generator for fixed install (hard wired) by a licensed electrician
Be careful if doing your own install 6KW gives one hell of a boot
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Follow Up By: Greg J1 - Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 18:36

Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 18:36
Thanks Kev. Mate it’s Chinese. Probably only 4.2 kva ??
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Reply By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 19:43

Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 19:43
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Hi Ron, I'm here, but I don't have much opinion.

Googled "DG8500SE" and got a lot of hits but little info. That model number seemed to embrace a whole range of alternators from 3 to 8 kVA outputs.
None of the illustrations revealed "screw terminals" for the 230v output. some seemed to have 'Australian" 3-pin sockets, but hard to tell.
Could be a problem... or could be OK if managed right. Safety and reliability?? I think you said it all.

So, none of that was much help, was it? But it sidesteps an argument. LOL





Cheers
Allan

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Follow Up By: Greg J1 - Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 20:48

Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 20:48
Hi Allan
Believe me mate I’m not looking for an argument.
Just wanted to point out what absolute garbage is offered online these days. This online auction wasn’t eBay. It was on one of the big American online auction sites. You know you can bid on anything from a D11 to a Mitsubishi triton.
I was just gob snacked when we opened the box and seen this. We filled it with oil and cranked it up, plugged a 9 inch grinder into it and ran it without a mere touch of noise.
What got us was any dick head clown could bear off some wires, put a couple of crimp on fittings on it and power up a work light ? A coffee maker ? who knows what else ? We have the common sense in our workshop not to touch these terminals !!! But I’m sure there are some who would say “ awww cool what’s that” and do something silly and fry themselves.
Maybe this shouldn’t be about Chinese generators. It should be about dodgey Australian clowns desperate to make a a few bucks.
Ps. What colour 240 volt wire do we put on the red and the black. Haha.
Regards Greg
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Follow Up By: Greg J1 - Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 21:14

Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 21:14
Forgot to say. Narr wouldn’t argue with a bare knuckle champ.
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Follow Up By: Greg J1 - Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 21:28

Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 21:28
I’ll stand beside you if the blue is about Nissan’s !!! Ok
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Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 21:58

Tuesday, Feb 27, 2018 at 21:58
.
Hi Greg,

No argument? Then what is the point of logging in to The Forum?

In truth, I dropped out of Bare Knuckle School. Couldn't stand the sight of blood!

An alternator with no noise? Its probably just a big battery in an alternator housing.

As for colours of 240 volt wires...... I dunno..... I'm colour-blind. I just keep trying the alternatives until it works.

Cheers
Allan

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Reply By: howesy - Thursday, Mar 01, 2018 at 20:02

Thursday, Mar 01, 2018 at 20:02
check it with a multimeter probably says 24.0V
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