Generac 5724

Good generator for the money, but carefully count the load and starting amps. It has good Money/Watts ratio. Not for extencive use (see other review from oct 17 2009). Emergencies such 1-2 days once or… twice in a year. Quiet and simple. Buy a funnel with extention, since oil hole is under the control panel. I bought it to power my 1hp water pump in a basement. Tested, pump started and ran smoothly, unit hasn't notice the load. That's all I need. I could even sell extra electricity to others :)))

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I purchased this unit due to maneuverability, ease of starting, low oil shutoff, and published run time of 12.5hours. Additionally, I like the idea that I was purchasing something "made in the USA." While… most of Generac's units are made in the USA, the smaller units use "generic OHV" engines which they "outsource" which translates to China! Further investigation, after purchase, I discovered that these engines have a plastic camshaft which does not bode well for longevity. The literature on this indicates 20Amp receptacles, yes they are, however, the breakers which feed them are 13.5A!! e.g. I have a large "side by side" frig/freezer which I will power during outages, it has a startup current of 14.2Amps, then a steady state of 1.2Amps. The GP3250 is able to start it as it has a "surge" capacity which allows the breakers to handle 15.6Amps for a short duration. I had to research and discover ths for myself as Generac tech support was seemingly unaware that their units have a "surge" capacity beyond the stated breaker capacity. My complaint is that the literature is very misleading. Calling Generac is a waste of time as all they will do is state whatever the manual does-period. Beyond that, "please return the unit to the place of purchase and buy a bigger one." I purchased this from Amazon and it came by truck. To return it, I'd have to repack and arrange truck pickup and pay freight-would they help me with this as their literature led me to purchase a generator which was potentially too small? "ABSOLOUTELY NOT!" If you're shopping for a generator, do a realistic assessment of the loads you plan on powering so a realistic evaluation can be made. Realistically I suppose this is a fair value for the $$$. It is easy starting, very quiet, and runs a long time on a tank (4 Gal.) of gas. Longevity of a chinese built engine with a plastic camshaft is of concern. The "cadillac" of portable generators is the Honda. However, they are designed and built to run 24/7 for extended periods and cost 4-6 times as much. My needs for this unit are for emergency power for a duration of 4-7 days every year and a half or so, based on history. Spending $3,000 for something to sit in the barn for years at a time didn't seem a prudent use of $$. Guess, "you pays your money and takes your chances." as the old cliche goes. In conclusion, the literature is misleading, not all generac's are made in the USA, and I found myself educating their tech support on how the machine actually worked.

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