How to Buy a Used Generator
Craigslist is a great resource for finding used generators. I would definitely look there to try to find a deal on a generator. Many generators get purchased and then almost never get used. There are a lot of 5 year old generators that have not even had two tanks of gas run through them.
I am much fonder of the brand name generators when purchasing a used generator so that is what I will look for. I want to be able to get replacement parts for both the generator and the motor. I will not buy one of the off brand generators. The brands I know I can get parts for would be Yamaha, Honda, Briggs and Stratton, and Generac. The other thing is you want to be able to get parts in four to ten years when you need them so make sure you get the owners manual or that you can print it out from the manufacturer's website.
Get the model number from the seller before you go look at it and check it out on the internet. Find out what you can purchase the generator for new. Often sellers will exagerate the price they actually paid ore sometimes they just overpaid for their generator.
The major brands have series labels on the generators. As an example Generac has several series of generators. GP, XG, XP, iX, and LP are the different series from Generac. This allows the manufacturer to compete in the different generator markets. For instance most consumers are looking for inexpensive and light weight while most construction contractors are looking for durable and long lasting. Check out the model for price online before you purchase. You may be looking at a budget generator and it may be priced like a deluxe version.Load testing a New or Used Generator
I have a very simple load tester. Take a blow dryer or two with you. I just used a blow dryer yesterday that was 1785 watts. Electric resistance heaters draw a lot of power. Let the generator warm up a little and plug in your blow dryer. Most blow dryers will have two different power settings. If you are looking at a generator that is not rated for as many watts as your blow dryer is rated for then try it on the lower setting. If the generator will not power your dryer on the low setting then it doesn't have enough power to do anything other than charge a few batteries.
Two of these hair dryers will add up to over 3000 watts so you can test even a medium sized generator with two of them. Many people selling a generator will have no idea how much load their generator will handle.
Low oil shutdown
This is a very important feature on a generator. Many times a generator will get filled up with gas over and over and since it is working fine no one checks the oil. Check your owners manual however oil changes on most generators should be done fairly often. Most of them do not have a large only hold a quart or two of oil and the engines tend to be run hard for long periods. If you want your generator to last check your oil every time you fill the gas and change the oil often. If your generator shuts down due to a low oil situation I would not add oil, I would change the oil immediately.
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