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Briggs & Stratton or Generac inverter generators


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Strictly between those two.. I would go with the Briggs. Performance is going to be comparable. The main kicker with the Generac is that is has a proprietary engine. Finding parts or having it serviced is a major PITA. Just about any small motor repair shop can handle a Briggs and most of your wear and tear parts are stocked just about anywhere you go.

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Generac portables have been around longer. I think it was back in 2000 or so when Briggs bought production rights from Generac and started producing their own version with a Briggs engine.. then some time later the usage term ran out so Generac started producing their own again with their proprietary engine. I don't really remember, but seems like that was back in 2009(?) 2012(?). They are both very comparable, but on the service end (in the U.S.) the Briggs has them hands down.

 

That being said.. in that class.. either one would be a decent choice for periodic use. For full timing I would look more at the Yamaha or Honda's.

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Between those two, Id opt for the Briggs HOWEVER it seems the Honda or Yamaha are much quieter then those two and quieter then most cheaper big box store or farm supply sold units. To my surprise Hyundai (spelling??) has several good reviews on sites such as You Tube etc. I get a kick out of gents who may spend hundreds of thousand dollars on their RV and then buy a cheap loud noisy screaming genset versus a Honda, Yamaha or other quiet quality unit. However to each their own.

 

John T

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If you are shopping for "cheap" inverter/generators then check out some of these sets that come up in a search of Amazon. There are several that I have not heard of in this listing. We have considered getting a small one just for occasional dry camping and as a backup for power at our home-base where we are served by an electric cooperative that does occasionally loose power from storms. I keep trying to balance cost for occasional use against the reliability factor. Thus far I just keep looking..... :blink:

 

 

Here is a review that rates several brands of inverter/generator. It explains the different types and prices of generator sets and does a pretty good job for the layman.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

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It is very very hard to beat the Honda. After all, what good is a generator if it does not work when you want it to.

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It is very very hard to beat the Honda..

 

Or Yamaha (my preference). ;) But I agree.

 

The biggest problem in the portable inverter generator industry is that there is no industry standard for ratings. "Continuous", "peak" and "surge" ratings will generally have time limits as to how long it is capable of providing that level of output before "stepping down". Ie., "Surge" ratings might be only for a fraction of a second (useless) or for 30 mins under load. "Continuous" may or may NOT be rated under load.. or may only be sustainable for 3 hours of operation.

 

In the case of the Champion 2000 watt.. that would be the case. It may be capable of 1700 watts "continuous" without load, but an actual load of 1350-1400 watts will bog it down to surging and sputters and eventually kill it.

 

It's entirely up to the mfg. to determine how and under what definition they rate their products. It makes it terribly confusing to the consumer who really has no way to compare apples to apples without a great deal of research.

 

While the Champion is nearly as quiet as some of the top brands... and have a run time per gallon nearly on par as well... it's one of the largest (size wise) by far, marginally heavier and unable to perform to "specs" under load. Lacking in a number of additional.. what I would consider "key features" (like something as simple as an oil and fuel drain plug)... it would be near the bottom of my list. IMO, the price tag is selling you "quiet" and "long run time".. like the "big boys".. not reliable, clean power production.

 

For authorized service centers I did a quick search of a 50 mile radius of my current location. Results were as follows:

 

Briggs & Straton: 22

Generac: 6

Champion: 3

 

All that being said... if you're only after a portable for occasional weekend use a few times a year with light to moderate loads (when it's more of a creature comfort rather than critical power production) then some of the less expensive types will likely be a better fit for your budget and serve you perfectly well. Just be aware of what you're getting for your dollar.

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It is very very hard to beat the Honda. After all, what good is a generator if it does not work when you want it to.

While that is true, people on a limited budget can ill afford to spend more than needed. Based upon several review sources, the WEN 56200i seems to have just as good ratings and at a significantly lower cost, when compared to the Honda EU2000i.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

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I think an hr meter would give the best as far as deciding the best performance. A friend went through a couple Champions ( valve problems ) Warranty was good but he had to ship to them or they shipped him parts, So he did the work. I think after warranty it would be a disposable. ( labor and parts would cost more than another new one )

 

Briggs on lawnmowers that I have had I would estimate a lifespan of 5 yrs which if broke down into hrs would not really be very. many. I did have one 4000 Briggs genny ( never again ) The big problem with Briggs motors is valve guides wearing out thus starting to use oil and lose compression making them hard to start or not start at all.( another disposable )

 

Honda that we had on 2" water pumps always outlasted the pump.

 

Honda and Yamaha motorcycles including Quads are like a TIMEX.

 

If the carburetors have a float on them be sure to shut the fuel off before transporting ! A bouncing float will allow gas to go down on piston leaking past the rings down into the oil creating a big boom or thinning oil down to where not good lubrication.

Jim Spence

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For full timing I would look more at the Yamaha or Honda's.

 

We've had both brands and they're both very nice. What we found with the Yamaha, however, was getting it serviced. Unlike the Honda's, we found that there were few places that would/could service a Yamaha.

LindaH
2014 Winnebago Aspect 27K
2011 Kia Soul

 

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Unlike the Honda's, we found that there were few places that would/could service a Yamaha.

 

Very true. Yamaha service centers are very few and far between. The Yamaha's generally rate higher than the Honda's, and have a few desirable features (to some) that the Honda's don't... but that goes the other direction as well. Access to wear and tear parts off the shelf or convenient service centers ain't ones in the "pro" column on Yamaha's.

 

Fortunately though, having owned both over many years... I've never had a one that ever saw the inside of a service center (knock on wood). ;)

 

Differentiating between the two.. feature by feature really get's down into the nitty gritty as far as which is best suited to an individuals needs, but I've never heard any owner of either ever complain or regret their purchase.

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