Cute little generator!

[doug hodder]

Ceebe
Your right, he said due to it being a 2 stroke. I did not know what that had to do with anything. Calif don't allow 2 stroke engines? What about motorcycles and boat motors?

Frank

You can still buy a 2 stroke engine in Ca...chainsaws, trimmers..mini scooters.....etc....however 2 stroke engines on boats must be injected, if sold new...and some lakes won't even allow them over 25 hp..(Tahoe)..Jet skis and PWC's must be injected and their days are numbered...old mix 2 strokes are going to be banned on all lakes in the near future probably....for motorcycles....the only 2 strokes sold are for off road use....the mini scooters aren't street legal, however that doesn't stop the army of kids running them up and down the road here. That's what I found....which is unfortunate as I have a great 1959 Mark 58A Mercury outboard on a wooden boat....Doug

[vairman]

If you use a lawnmower engine, your best be is to use a Gm alternator with the internal regulator. 1970-89 There cheap and easy to come by at any junk yard for about $15.00.. they put out 65 amps at 13.7volts.. 20 amps at 600 rpm and 65 amps at approx. 1200 rpm.. Wireing is easy, just run a ground wire from the case to the Batt neg. term. then from the plastic plug (get it at Auto Zone), run the large wire to the Batt terminal on the back of the alt. from the same terminal run a wire to the +side of the Batt. Now get a cheap 12 volt light (a marker light works good) and a toggle switch run the small wire to the switch and from the switch to 1 of the light's wires then take the other light wire and attach it to the Batt terminal on the alternator... turn off switch and start engine, once started turn switch on and let the charging begin... I will post a schematic later...

Greg

[madjack]

Endo...this is just my opinion but if it ain't got at least 2000 watts it's not good for much more than charging a battery...a hair dryer, a coffee maker and an electric(120) heater all draw more than 1000watts. The 2000watt Hondas and Kawasakis sell for close to a grand but McCullough sells a similar type model for about half that price...like I said IMO(nothing humble about it)
madjack

[doug hodder]

I've got a Kawasaki 650 watt 4 stroke...lighweight, and quiet...it will barely spin a blender for Margueritas....at sea level....won't do it at 10K feet where I camped in Colo....it will run a lot of lights, smaller TV and VCR...as I use it all the time when power goes out up here in the winter....has a charging system for 12V...you can get a lot of power for less money...but the drawback is noise and weight...ask Dean about his....you pay for quiet and lightweight.....Doug

[Gaston]

I've had my honda 2000 for 3 years and its the best 900.00 I ever spent on
camping gear!! powers the coffee maker, microwave and most important , the wifes hair dryer!! not to mention keeping my batteries happy. I have friends with larger generators and they are too big and about all they can do that i can't is run the air . people I know with smaller units have little but an over priced battery charger and wish they had a larger generator
with the honda I can gang mine and my friends when we camp next to each other and use the 4000w to start my a/c then unhook his generator and run it on mine. (needs the extra for starting ) oh did I mention, buy one of the cheap noisy units and find how to not make friends in a campground!!

[purplepickup]

The 2000watt Hondas and Kawasakis sell for close to a grand but McCullough sells a similar type model for about half that price...
madjack

I've been asking around and haven't heard anything bad about that McCulloch 2000 watt. I've got one of their leaf blowers that's worked perfectly for 5 years now. I'm going to go ahead and get the generator and I'll give y'all a report in a few weeks after using it this fall.

[madjack]

George, I'm very interested in the little McC so please keep me in formed...don't know if you saw the report I made on the McC 5700watt unit...it impressed the heck outta me...so let us know what ya think, 'cause you could get two of em for the price of a Honda and gang 'em for 4000watts
madjack

[GeorgeTelford]

Hi Vairman

they put out 65 amps at 13.7volts..

The reality is that they can put out 65 amps, but amps are drawn so Just as when used in a car or truck they will supply top Amps for a few seconds on a discharged battery and then will drop to a dribble.

Here is a link to some info and idea for homemade 12v Generators
http://theepicenter.com/tow02077.html

[bledsoe3]

George, thanks for the link. Very cool. I've got to stop reading here. Too many things I want to try/build.

[Spadinator]

I built a homemade generator out of a VW generator and regulator using a Briggs & Stratton engine. It works well and will power lights and charge batteries at about 1/3 throttle. It will run forever on a tank of gas.

[Guest]

...ask Dean about his....you pay for quiet and lightweight.....Doug

Huh?... Did somebody say something?

Hold on a second, gonna hit the kill switch...

BRUAAAAGH...

Ahh... Much better.
Mine is light and easy to pack around, but Yes!, You Pay For Quiet.
Anybody wanna buy an almost new Coleman 1850W Powermate?

I'm dreaming of a Honda 2K, just like the one I saw before...

[Chris C]

Guess that's a dream we all have, Dean. Maybe we could buy one as a group and use it co-op!

[bledsoe3]

Anybody wanna buy an almost new Coleman 1850W Powermate?

Dean, I'll give you $50.00 for it. Oh... can you deliver it too?

[doug hodder]

Sorry Dean....just based on your comments after the last Redwood thing...hope I didn't push your buttons.... .Doug

[Guest]

Doug,
No buttons pushed here... I was just having fun.

Jim,
I think I'll hang on to it... I dumped my liability carrier that audited me for jobsite noise pollution of all things and picked up a nicer insurance company.
It should work just fine for portable power on jobsites.