2 cycle generators?

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    • April 4, 2018 at 05:00 #20269
      Chuck
      Participant

      Anyone have one? Read where they can be as quiet as the more popular brand name little red 4 cycle. At a price point way below the 4 cycles, smaller, lighter with no oil changes or valve adjustments, are they worth it? Not as much power output, but just need a standby battery charger after a week in the rain.

      Thanks!

      2012 F350, 6.7L SRW
      2015 Alaskan 8.5 Cabover

    • April 5, 2018 at 07:48 #20299
      ardvark
      Participant

      Which two cycles are rated as quiet as Honda or Yamaha? I’m not seeing that in the ratings I found.

      Steve and Andra
      2012 F350 6.2 gasser SRW LB
      Fab Fours front and rear in case we run into a rhino
      2019 Northstar Laredo SC

      • April 7, 2018 at 15:49 #20374
        Chuck
        Participant

        The comments I read were only anecdotal, not from the published spec’s, which do show that the 2 cycle’s are louder. This is why I’m interested in real life use/experience.

        2012 F350, 6.7L SRW
        2015 Alaskan 8.5 Cabover

    • April 7, 2018 at 17:48 #20376
      ardvark
      Participant

      Yeah the specs were like 85 decibels, darn loud and watching it on youtube, it sure sounded loud. Basically a throw away if it needs parts and it didn’t sound very problem-free.

      I keep reading the anecdotal reports on off-brands being quiet, but they sure hurt my ears when I am stuck next to them! Both my Yamahas still start on the first pull and the oldest one has been with me for 13 years and required nothing but the oil changed.

      Steve and Andra
      2012 F350 6.2 gasser SRW LB
      Fab Fours front and rear in case we run into a rhino
      2019 Northstar Laredo SC

    • April 12, 2018 at 07:39 #20612
      Chuck
      Participant

      Drove by a friends farm in WV, and he had 2 of these units. Great for tools around the outskirts of his farm, but did not have clean enough AC to run through my Xantrex charger. Xantrex never did qualify the AC input, so no joy with either unit. Both were the H Freight T’gator models. One 11 years old and the other was 8.

      Since I don’t carry an o’scope in my rig, can not conclusively say the sine wave was crap, but a failure is a failure.

      The sound actually wasn’t as loud as I thought, and we could carry on a conversation without issue from about 10 ft. away.

      I did find a 4 cycle Sportsman 1000 gen/inverter that looks promising and youtube testing shows that it locks on to 60HZ, with no variation. Size is very similar to the 2 cycle models I tested, too. Priced at around $160 makes it worth looking at.

      I’ll update this forum, if I do get a 4 cycle unit, but for now I’d say the 2 cycle issue is dead.

      2012 F350, 6.7L SRW
      2015 Alaskan 8.5 Cabover

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