Portable generators

[Thegennyman]

I contacted a guy selling a generator on ebay to tell him it was not as specified. He was claiming it was a 6.5kva when it wasn't. He suggested I inform other people by putting the info on a forum site, so here goes.
There are a lot of Chinese made generators being marked up as 6.5kva when they are on 3 to 3.5kva. The number on the pull start is the engine horse power at maximum revs of 3600. A 6.5hp engine only develops 5.5hp at 3000 rpm for 50Hz in the UK. 746 watts = 1hp
5.5hp equates in theory to 4.1kva, minus alternator losses and frictional losses true output is only 3.5kva. People are paying a lot of money thinking they are buying a 6.5kva machine when it is only 3.5kva. All I say is watch what you are buying.

 

[rocker]

Thanks!

 

[telectrix]

good post

 

[jpmiff]

thanks, very good information

 

[Thegennyman]

Glad I can help, there is a lot of poor quality machines coming from the far east. I used to buy in the faulty ones and repair them with a view to selling them on. They would come back because something else broke so now I only do genuine Honda's. Most of them are either GX200 copies at 3kva or GX390 copies at 5kva. Now I buy 110 volt generators and convert them back to 220 volts. If you want a reliable generator look for one with either a Sincro, Mecc alt or a Markon alternator. Powered by either a genuine Honda or Briggs.