This is an outstanding product that was just put to the test last week. I was able to power my essentials (2 Fridges, lights, furnace, well pump, sump pump, tv, dvd, 2 cooking plates, crock pot, and my neighbors furnance, and never exceeded 50% load. We usually ran at 20% making my effeciency much higher. I actually got 20 hour run times on one tank of gas (9 gallons). The only time I stopped running this machine was to fill it with gas, and change the oil. This is a great, reliable, effecient, reliable, powerful, reliable unit. Did I mention it was reliable?
After living without power for a week after Tropical Storm Irene last year and since more violent weather seems to be the new normal I decided it was time to buy a generator big enough to power the major systems in my house (boiler, well pump, appliances, lights, ...). I did TONS of research and was sorely tempted by the flood of cheap, Chinese-made machines out there, but I decided that sacrificing quality and access to parts and service just to save a few hundred bucks on the purchase price was not a smart trade-off. What good is having a generator if you can't trust it to work in an emergency? Generac manufactures its generators in the US and designs their own engines specifically for generator duty. They have a comprehensive web site where you can get information on usage, maintenance, and parts.
Well, I'm glad I bought the Generac 5847! It shipped fast and was well packed in its carton. All parts and documentation were in the box as expected, and it was easy to install the wheels and fill it with oil and gas. Generac includes the oil, plus a maintenance kit including an extra oil filter, air filter, spark plug, plug wrench, and even a paper funnel and a couple of paper shop towels nice! You also get a trickle charger that you can plug into the wall to keep the generator battery topped up and ready to go (and of course when the generator is running, you can plug the charger into one of the 120v outlets on the generator). This thing is built tough, too the bright orange tube frame is seriously beefy, and the motor-generator combo is mounted on big rubber isolators. I also like that it has a proper spin-on oil filter, a feature missing from most portable generators.
I tugged the choke lever, pushed the start switch and VROOM the gennie fired right up! I also tried starting it using the pull cord and found that it started in one easy pull. Then I plugged in a couple of tools and lights just to test that the outlets were hot, and the generator didn't even notice. The noise level is about what I expected: it's a gas engine, after all, so it ain't silent, but it's on par with other generators I've heard, not to mention other gas-engine powered tools I have. And as usual for portable generators, this one is not weather-proof, so I'll be making a shed for it. I also plan to wire up a waterproof twist lock receptacle on the outside of my house and properly connect it into my house's load center no back-feeding through the clothes dryer receptacle for me!
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Generac has the worse attitude about customer service and support that I have ever encountered. The generator (once it is fixed and working) probably is a 4 or 5 like many others have rated it. Over all I give them a 2. If your generator works correctly on arrival (based on reviews most seem to), you will probably be very happy with it.
If you buy a Generac generator, you should be aware that Generac's response to warranty issues is dismally slow. Their written warranty does not cover needed adjustments, even if your new unit arrives out of adjustment. (The output of mine was only 100 volts on arrival.) If you do not have the means to get the 250+ pound unit to a repair dealer, Generac's warranty does not cover pickup and delivery of the unit. You cannot return it to Amazon once it has had gas in it, which I knew when I ordered it.
After three frustrating weeks of emails, phone calls and slow responses, I finally got Generac to cover the $80 repair cost and the $55 pickup and delivery charge. Their attitude was that according to their written warranty it was my responsibility to pay another $135 to get the defective product working the first time. A detailed time line follows, if you are interested...
02-January-2013
My brand new generator arrived on December 28. The shipping box was in perfect shape and there was no visible damage to the unit. I was able to test it for the first time over the weekend and found that it only delivered 100 volts and the frequency was only 58 Hz, with no load. As per instructions, I contacted Generac and was given the name of a service dealer. The service dealer was very nice but they require a deposit to look at the unit, which they will return when and if Generac approves the warranty repair. The service dealer warned me that it sometimes takes 4 weeks for Generac to authorize the repair.
I also have to get the 250+ pound unit to the service dealer or pay the service dealer to pick it up from my house and Generac will not cover the pickup charge under warranty.
I contacted Generac a second time and told them that this was not an acceptable solution for a purchase that was not working correctly upon arrival. The representative told me that none of the incident escalation people were available and that I could submit an incident form electronically. I've submitted an incident form to Generac. We'll see if they resolve this quickly. If so, I may raise my rating.
I cannot return it to Amazon since it has had oil and gas in it. Plus, I had to cut the shipping carton apart to put the wheels on and roll it out (far too heavy to lift). Checkout the return policy before you order.
Update 08-January-2013
Here is the response I received from Generac in response to the incident form I filed:
"Thank you for contacting Generac, my name is (removed) and I will be your case coordinator. I apologize for the failure of your generator, however Generac unfortunately cannot pre-approve a repair as the repairs needs to be diagnosed as a manufacturing defect in order to qualify for warranty coverage. In order for warranty to cover the repairs, the issue would need to first be diagnosed by a certified service dealer as a manufacturing defect. Not all service dealers require a deposit and if you would like to contact some additional dealers, I have included a list below. If the service dealer does request a deposit before working on the unit, that deposit should be returned if the issue is found to be a warrantable item. As for the travel expense, I apologize for the inconvenience, but the product warranty only covers parts and labor for the repair, with transportation being the responsibility of the consumer. Once again, I apologize for the failure you've experienced and if you have any questions, please feel free to email or call me back."
Basically it is my responsibility to get the DOA unit to a repair dealer. I do not think this is very good customer service for a generator that did not work correctly the first time it was started.
Update 24-January-2013
It has been almost a month since my generator was defective on arrival.
I managed to get Generac to agree to be responsible for the $55 fee for the service dealer to pickup and return my generator. The service dealer picked it up on January 14. They told me on the 18th that the repair should be under warranty and that they were waiting for Generac to respond. I contacted Generac on the 18th and was told that they were waiting for something from the dealer. The dealer gave me the claim numbers showing that Generac acknowledged receipt on the 17th. I do not understand what Generac needs from the dealer.
There was still no word from Generac as of yesterday, the 23rd. I emailed Generac yesterday and told them if I did not receive confirmation by today that my claim had been resolved I would submit a complaint to the Better Business Bureau.
I just do not understand how a company can be so slow to get a product that was defective on delivery fixed. Are they so backed up with warranty claims that it takes weeks to approve one after it is submitted by one of their recommended service dealers?
Update 25-January-2013
It got worse before it got better. My Generac Case Coordinator called me shortly after noon yesterday. He explained that the repair was just an adjustment to the governor that regulates the speed and that adjustments were not covered under the Generac warranty because they were not "manufacturing defects." He said that I should read their written warranty (wish I knew all of this before ordering). I explained that I would not accept this since the generator produced low voltage the first time I started it and as far as I was concerned it was a manufacturing defect since it never worked correctly. I asked to speak to a manager and he told me that he was a manager. I asked to speak to his supervisor and was told that he probably could not get back to me that day. After making it clear that I would be filing a Better Business Bureau complaint, if his supervisor did not contact me that day and agree that Generac would cover the repair, we ended the call.
The Case Coordinator called back about 20 minutes later and told me that Generac would pay the $80 for the repair plus the $55 for pickup and delivery of the generator. Hopefully the service dealer will be able to deliver it to my house today (they are really nice people but are a small operation).
Read Best Reviews of Generac 5847 XG8000E 8,000 Watt 410cc OHV Gas Powered Portable Generator With Wheel Kit & Electric Here
I bought the Generac XG8000E after experiencing two week long power outages this fall (Hurricane Irene and the freak Halloween snow storm). After waiting to get my transfer switch installed I finally decided to power up the Generac to test out the wiring and circuits. I was disappointed to find that the Generac was very difficult to start. I think the problem is there is no gas prime bulb. I put in only one gallon of gas at first and tried for an hour to start the thing. I disconnected the fuel line filter to see that gas was flowing pass the gas cutoff switch it checked out OK. Then I tried to pour gas into the fuel line still didn't start. Finally I emptied my 2.5 gal gas can into the Generac and then it started after several more attempts. So if you buy a Generac put lots of gas in the tank in order to use the gravity of the gas to help prime the carburetor. And hey Generac put a primer bulb on your gas line! And also put a sticker on the gas tank to tell owners to fill the gas tank when starting.
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I purchased this generator three years ago and couldn't be more satisfied with it. I had an electrician install a 100 amp transfer switch and now can easily power the entire house with this unit. With selected circuits on, I can run the generator for about two hours on one gallon of gas which is a wonderful feature. We lost power for five days on three occasions since purchasing this generator and having electricity makes investing in this worth every cent.
I noticed that with running two refrigerators, one freezer, lights, tv's, heat, and the computer, I was only using about 25% of this 8000 watt generator's capacity. I will run my central a/c with it should I lose power in the summer as well. We also bought this same unit for our son. I do start the generator and allow to run once every two weeks, and charge the battery overnight twice a month, to insure it will be ready for the next power outage.
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