They Are At it Again
Submitted: Friday, Nov 05, 2004 at 22:29
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Member - 'Lucy'
Evening all
Cruised through the local Bunnings $-mart today and on entering was confronted by a pallet of GMC 850W 2HP gen-sets for $168 ea.. (b-a-stards were $198 when I bought
mine 5 months ago).
Turned left into the tool section and Helloooooooooo! a pallet of GMC 750W 2HP gen-sets for $98 ea.
To the eye they are identical, clones, twins, whatever you use to describe something that is the same.
Whilst checking these two do-das out I notice out the corner of my eye another pallet of gen-sets approx 2 meters away.
Hellooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! they are 'blue meanies' and branded at 850W 2HP for $235 ea.
At best, the only physical difference I could find was that the 'Blue meanie'fuel tap looked a bit up market compared to the GMC'S.
Other than that, same sh$t from the same place..
Mine has never missed a beat and drives everything I want it to, so if your interested there is bargain to be had.
Have a nice one.
Ken Robinson
Reply By: motherhen - Saturday, Nov 06, 2004 at 01:44
Saturday, Nov 06, 2004 at 01:44
The following was pinched from another
forum - i don't understand technology - but someone found the brand name generator more satisfactory than the cheapy. Depends on what you use them for i suppose.
"What I found with a cheaper generator was that they DO NOT give pure sine wave power like the Inverter HONDA 2.0i does, and the one we had would NOT run the BTi battery charger, which is one of the main reasons that you would want a generator for in the first place. The BTi battery chargers are sensitive electronic devices that require pure sine wave power, or they detect spikes in the power, and a safety device in them shuts the charger down."
AnswerID:
83203
Follow Up By: Member - 'Lucy' - Saturday, Nov 06, 2004 at 12:27
Saturday, Nov 06, 2004 at 12:27
Morning Motherhen
I only use
mine for power
tools and the odd top up of a deep cycle battery.
Don't take it
camping, and when
camping use 12V as the source power with a KERIO for the laptop and a INVERTER if I need 230V for anything else.
The gennie for me is a domestic use tool only and as Billy says its a NO BRAINER at these prices.
I just posted it to bring to everyones attention that Bunnings are flogging them at ridiculous prices.
Ken Robinson
FollowupID:
342217
Reply By: Peter 2 - Saturday, Nov 06, 2004 at 10:28
Saturday, Nov 06, 2004 at 10:28
But for the majority who want a gennie to run lights, maybe a simple batt charger or basic
tools or the frig and freezer once in a blue moon or when the blackouts arrive when
sydney electricity can't handle the summer peaks they will suffice.
If you want to run PC's or other sensitive gear then the more expensive ones may be the go.
Personally I think that if you need a gennie when
camping you are going about it the wrong way.
We've been 4 wheeling and outback touring for 30 years for approx 3 months of the year, using frig, laptop, AA batt chargers,
HF radio and 12v lighting without the need for a gennie. We've got one 40w solar panel which can keep up with everything for extended periods.
But each to there own.
AnswerID:
83221
Follow Up By: Billy - Saturday, Nov 06, 2004 at 11:37
Saturday, Nov 06, 2004 at 11:37
Agreed, it's a little unfair to compare the $98 750W GMC to the $2100 Honda 20i. I've got one of each!
The Honda has all sorts of smarts (eco throttle, inverter processed power etc etc) and will start and run an RV airconditioner and safely run computers. If you want to do these kinds of things, you need to spend some $$.
The Honda "lives" in the RV which is not always around so I picked up one of the $98 ones too just to be on hand out in the garage.
We had a blackout the other evening and it looked like it may come into play. We have all the 240V independent
camping gear to get us through but I was ready to take the Genny next door, they have nothing.
We have a
camping weekend coming up with a family that don't have much gear either so it will go along so they can run some lights.
OK the power is rough and you need to mix your fuel, but if you only want lights or to trigger the gas hot
water during a blackout or help some mates out, for $98 you can't go past it, it's a no brainer, even if you never use it!
Regds
Bill
FollowupID:
342211
Follow Up By: Member - 'Lucy' - Saturday, Nov 06, 2004 at 12:20
Saturday, Nov 06, 2004 at 12:20
Good morning Peter
I don't take the gennie
camping, but use it for driving drills, angle grinders etc.,
It also gives the deep cycle a quick top up as
well if its out for awhile.
The laptop angle has been done to death on this
forum and I personnaly use a KERIO to drive
mine off the 12V which I now IMHO believe is the safest method with no risk of 'frying' anything..
Billy above says it all in his last paragraph
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Peter 2 - Saturday, Nov 06, 2004 at 16:05
Saturday, Nov 06, 2004 at 16:05
Yes I also run the laptop from a switch mode power supply (which is what the Kerio ones are), much safer than having 240v leads live in the vehicle while travelling, too many sharp corners and things like
seat runners to cut wires.
FollowupID:
342241
Reply By: Mikell - Saturday, Nov 06, 2004 at 16:17
Saturday, Nov 06, 2004 at 16:17
I dont know much about these gennies. Can someone tell me if the will run drills, grinders, 9 1/2" power saw etc. Might be useful down the paddock if they can. Also can you use a short extension lead as
well or is this pushing the freindship a bit.
AnswerID:
83246
Follow Up By: Penguin (NSW) - Saturday, Nov 06, 2004 at 18:32
Saturday, Nov 06, 2004 at 18:32
Hi Mikell
I've run a drill off my 850W GMC. Can't see a reason why it wouldn't run other stuff under 850W. A short extension should be OK.
My opinion only.
FollowupID:
342267
Reply By: ianmc - Sunday, Nov 07, 2004 at 00:49
Sunday, Nov 07, 2004 at 00:49
I have a 650/850w Scorpion 2 stroke & I test ran it with a 650w drill & a 500w flood light & they both worked fine but certainly an overload.
I would suspect the $235 unit may be the dearer 4 stroke motor.
Till lately nearly all outboards which are very relieble were 2 strokes &
there are no valves etc to adjust or seize up when left for long periods
AnswerID:
83313