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(More customer reviews)There are so many things to consider when you shop for a generator, especially if you intend to use it to power your home when the electricity goes out. This generator might be a good choice for you, it is a quality generator for it's size and price range. The Honda GX series engine is tops for this type of generator, the brushless alternator design is a must if you want your generator to last any significant amount of time. Also, a plus in my book is that this generator is a TRUE 6500 continuous watts - be careful because many generators list their SURGE wattage as the primary number.
Of course, that means first consider how much power you will need. I live in the country, I run a well pump, I have electric hot water, I need at least this big a generator... in fact probably bigger since I have electric heat or more. Decide what you want to run before hand and talk with your family to set expectations and requirements... you could save yourself money. I bought a generator with twice the power of this one, and not surprisingly, more than twice as expensive... as power goes up on a generator, price goes up even moreso.
Second, consider quality. If you are prone to prolonged outages, you can run up the hours pretty quickly. For a backup generator used a moderate amount, a Honda gx series engine ( like the one featured on this generator) is just what the doctor ordered. But if you are going to run very very often, or use it as a primary power source, you are going to want a (much more expensive) liquid-cooled model, either diesel, gasoline, propane, etc.
Which leads to another consideration: the fuel. A gasoline generator is great and the easiest to buy because of their predominance on the market, in fact my generator is gasoline powered. But consider where you will get gasoline from if it is a major blackout, since storing large amounts of gasoline is neither safe nor wise, and in many cases not even legal. Knowing a close by gas station that has it's own backup power would come in handy. But consider other fuels that are more easily stored in bulk - diesel, or propane. of course, that makes the generator more expensive, and of course you might also have to add a propane tank - even MORE expense.
Which leads nicely into a discussion of budget. Besides the generator itself, count on more expense for things like plugs/cables for the generator, a battery if it is needed, even in many cases - motor oil! And the most significant expense beside the generator itself - the transfer panel to wire it your house safely, and the cost of hiring an electrician to do the wiring, unless you are VERY comfortable with tapping into your home's power supply and messing about yourself. And note that the more powerful a generator, the more costly the transfer switch and cables to carry the power to your house, and the harder it will be to find the proper components with compatible plugs, etc.
Finally - do NOT forget to read the manual, and to do periodic maintenance and run the generator about once a month to make sure it is in good shape when you need it.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Porter-Cable H650IS-W 6,500-Watt Contractor Portable Generator
The Porter-Cable H650IS-W 6,500-watt Contractor Portable Generator comes with a powerful 13 HP Honda GX390 OHV engine. The engine features a compression release for easy recoil start, a cast-iron cylinder sleeve, and its 7-gallon fuel tank provides 9.4 hours of run time at 1/2-load and six hours at full load. The compressor also features 10-inch pneumatic tires for easy portability.. With circuit breaker protection and an advanced alternator design, this generator has no brushes to replace and comes with rugged all-metal and ball bearing construction for longer life. Rubber isolators are also included to reduce vibration. Other features include an idle control to save fuel and reduce noise, an hour meter for maintenance scheduling, a full power selector switch for maximum 120 VAC motor starting, a fuel gauge, and lift rings. This generator measures 20 x 32-1/2 inches and weighs 219 pounds.
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