Generators at Home Depot

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I was just at the local Home Depot in Burnsville, Minnesota and i saw a bunch of gensets in the tool department. Even the rare Generac 4000XL. I didn't see any sold signs on any of them as was the case 3 months ago. Maybe supply is catching up with demand? Or perhaps Y2Kpro and his buddies have convinced everyone that the power will stay on in 2000. I checked the price on the Generac and it was only $739. Just 40 bucks more than what I Paid last year for mine BEFORE the rules of supply and demand sent prices soaring. Even Northern Tool is priced about 100 bucks higher.

-- rick (I'mset@home.house), July 19, 1999

Answers

I believe you got ripped! I got a coleman 5000 EX from Sam`s for 499.00 Smokey

-- Smokey (Smokey1057@aol.com), July 19, 1999.

I am amused to note that the local CT Farm stores have generators in abundance. They also have posted a policy that any generators, kerosene heaters, and wood stoves bought before Feb 2000, are not returnable. :)

I suspect that most of the people who bought those items will be GLAD that they do have them, as the local govt has NO plans of any kind that I am able to find out about. (Hanover PA).

My employer runs a decent sized company here (150+ people, 20 million $ income yearly), and the local govt won't even respond to his letters asking what they're doing to get ready for Y2k. Not a good sign.

-- Bill (billclo@msgbox.com), July 19, 1999.


My advice would be to stear clear of Coleman and Generac Genset. Parts are difficult to obtain now, and probably impossibe after rollover. Honda, Kohler and such are better (but more expensive)

Bob P Lic #11234 NJ

-- Bob P (rpilc99206@aol.com), July 19, 1999.


Home Depot here in NM has a HUGE inventory of generators, and they may go on sale soon!!!

tail waggin'...

The Dog

-- Dog (Desert Dog@-sand.com), July 19, 1999.


I've got my 20kW MagneTek for only $13,000. And I don't think I got "ripped" on it, either.

-- Dennis (djolson@pressenter.com), July 19, 1999.


If you are going to invest in a generator, try to buy an "industrial" grade unit. Generators sold at mass merchandisers are usually of poor quality, not made for long term or heavy use and need repairs often. Prepare to pay double for a quality unit (remember there is a reason a Yugo cost less then other cars). FYI, propane powered units are available at any RV dealer. Like with anything you get what you pay for, you will regret buying a cheap unit!

-- BiGG (supersite@acronet.net), July 19, 1999.

Just something to think about:

If you plan on running any electronics make sure that the power is clean. My dad bought a gen set that was dirty enough that the UPS didn't even recognize that it was plugged in.

-- d (d@dgi.old), July 19, 1999.


UPS units are known not to like many gensets. Just call APC and they will give you an earfull about how you need to update (Buy a new one) your UPS to work with all power sources.

I solved my problem by inserting a good ol' Solavolt Power conditioner. No probs. That saturable core reactor does not let anything through but 120V clean AC. End of story.

-- helium (heliumavid@yahoo.com), July 19, 1999.


PS: The local COSTCO has lots of 5KW units stacked to the ceiling.

-- helium (heliumavid@yahoo.com), July 19, 1999.

Smokey, I believe you don't know what you're talking about. My Generac has an overhead valve industrial engine with an oil pump and automatic shutdown if it loses oil pressure. Your "economical" Coleman probably has a tiller or snowblower motor on it. Loud, crappy of gas, and wears out fast. You get what you pay for!

-- rick (I'mset@home.house), July 20, 1999.


Those who already prepared (last winter, last spring) and who have the dollars available to get a generator, already got their own.

That created the huge demand (then) that resulted in the greater supply (now) that will allow those who panic (later) to get their generator in the future ("sometime later, Martha, maybe this thing won't be as bad as they say").

Now, if they can only figure out exactly WHERE those pesky "localized" power outages that Mr K. so regularly predicts will happen are going to happen, we can ship the right number of generators left over to exactly the right place so the panicked public can pick them up later (January 2-3-4)

-- Robert A Cook, PE (Kennesaw, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), July 20, 1999.


Well, I just fired off my "cheapo" Coleman generator. Cranked on the first pull. I do this about every other month. For all you know it all types out there this "cheapo" Coleman has run perfectly through two hurricanes for two weeks 24/7. All I did was change the oil once every day (less than a quart of $.99 Havoline)and gas it up. The hurricanes were in 1995. Since then, it has powered a hunting camp I have two or three times a year. It is perfectly capable of running a 1 1/4 horsepower submerged pump, refrig, etc....

Unless you think y2k is going to be the end of the world, don't waste a wad of cash on some outrageously priced generator. Though when some of the doomers are trying to scavenge up some cash by dumping their y2k stash, I'll be buying, likely for pennies on the dollar.

Got power?

You bet

-- nowayinheck (Youbet@nochance.com), August 14, 1999.


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