Bought a Powermate 5500 Generator

[SwampSurvivor]

First, trying to figure out what this has for an engine. Definitely not subaru like some of them. Something Chinese.

I was finally able to get my hands on a bigger generator. I have to have 2 sump pumps powered pretty much all the time, especially after a storm. And with how bad our power has been lately I have been getting a bit worried about that. The only thing I can't run with extension cords in the furnace, but now I can run sump pumps, refrigerator, AC units. I'm sure I could run a space heater or something on this. if I had to, but we have other means to keep the house warm in an emergency.

It didn't want to start when I looked at it. Dumped a little gas in and it did run long enough verify that it has output.

Got it home, drained the gas and changed the fuel filter -- this is the gas that came out:

With a few gallons of ethanol free gas in it, i can get it to start on the second pull on a cold start.

I changed out the oil and put in Rotella t6 ... it's what I had on hand at the time, this is the old oil ...

If I can figure out what engine it has, I would like to do a valve adjustment next. It has 190 hours on it, so probably time.

A working 5500w generator for $200 isn't bad. If i can get the right panel installed, I would really like to be able to feed the house with it instead of extension cord city!

 

[cpayne5]

Probably a Honda clone. Something similar to a GX240 or GX270.

There may be some numbers stamped into the block that will help you identify it.

 

[CharBaby]

Congrats!
I wish you all the best with your new toy.
I've sorta always wanted a generator in case we lost power. However, in 37 years in my home, we've only lost power for very short periods of time and only twice for more than a day or two.

But, I still want one. One that will power more than just the essentials. Large/powerful enough that I won't even want to know there's a problem. I keep looking at the >9000 watt Predator from HF and having my electrician buddy build an external hookup...you know, whatever he has to do? But, I've yet to do it.

Nice purchase

CB

 

[Aredeeem]

Yes. A sub panel with 6 circuits was the set up I had in my last house. Enough to create a "storm room" of sorts. Kitchen fully functional with power for sump pump and furnace as well. No extension cords. Getting/storing gas!? That's another story. Good solution for short term localized power failures.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

My truck has a 35 gallon tank and my Jeep a 20, usually both are full. If I had to , I could just paperclip the fuel pump relay and pull the valve core in the schrader valve on the fuel rails.


I tried googling the stamped number on the engine and didn't come up with anything.

Originally Posted by Char Baby
Congrats!
I wish you all the best with your new toy.
I've sorta always wanted a generator in case we lost power. However, in 37 years in my home, we've only lost power for very short periods of time and only twice for more than a day or two.

But, I still want one. One that will power more than just the essentials. Large/powerful enough that I won't even want to know there's a problem. I keep looking at the >9000 watt Predator from HF and having my electrician buddy build an external hookup...you know, whatever he has to do? But, I've yet to do it.

Nice purchase

CB


Are you NYSEG? I have National Grid and their service lately has been awful. Power is going out constantly now it seems. The first year I was in my house, there wasn't a single power outage. Now it's out a few times a month. Not necessarily storms, either, it just randomly goes out.

But I can't have it go out after a heavy rain period.

 

[chemman]

I have a Powermate 5000 which I purchased in 1999. It's powered by a B&S 9 hp Vanguard engine. If I recall correctly, all of the Powermate generators I reviewed at Home Depot had B&S engines. I'm not saying that Powermate exclusively used B&S engines during that time frame, but if your engine has an air filter, you might want to compare it to a B&S one. You might be lucky.

Good Luck!

 

[jhg7]

I believe many of the 2000-2010 Powermate generators were powered using a Yamaha mz360 engine.

Sounds like you made a great $200 purchase, hopefully she'll give good service.

 

[Danno]

Originally Posted by Aredeeem
Yes. A sub panel with 6 circuits was the set up I had in my last house. Enough to create a "storm room" of sorts. Kitchen fully functional with power for sump pump and furnace as well. No extension cords. Getting/storing gas!? That's another story. Good solution for short term localized power failures.

This, runs all the essentials, furnace, fridge, freezer, microwave, a light circuit for every level of the house and garage.
220V plug outside feeds the sub-panel with breaker shutoff to the main panel.

 

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted by Miller88
My truck has a 35 gallon tank and my Jeep a 20, usually both are full. If I had to , I could just paperclip the fuel pump relay and pull the valve core in the schrader valve on the fuel rails.


I tried googling the stamped number on the engine and didn't come up with anything.

Originally Posted by Char Baby
Congrats!
I wish you all the best with your new toy.
I've sorta always wanted a generator in case we lost power. However, in 37 years in my home, we've only lost power for very short periods of time and only twice for more than a day or two.

But, I still want one. One that will power more than just the essentials. Large/powerful enough that I won't even want to know there's a problem. I keep looking at the >9000 watt Predator from HF and having my electrician buddy build an external hookup...you know, whatever he has to do? But, I've yet to do it.

Nice purchase

CB


Are you NYSEG? I have National Grid and their service lately has been awful. Power is going out constantly now it seems. The first year I was in my house, there wasn't a single power outage. Now it's out a few times a month. Not necessarily storms, either, it just randomly goes out.

But I can't have it go out after a heavy rain period.


Nope, we're on local RG&E.

 

[Donald]

You can get a single circuit transfer switch just for the furnace. Easy to wire. You could put the power to the furnace on a plug and outlet and just disconnect during a power failure.

I vote NYSEG the worst for power failures.

No comparison to the coop electric I have in DE. NYSEG sucks.

 

[thastinger]

GX190 clone for the engine?

 

[SwampSurvivor]

It's a 389CC engine. When I'm home tonight I'll grab the stamp off of the engine.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted by Donald
You can get a single circuit transfer switch just for the furnace. Easy to wire. You could put the power to the furnace on a plug and outlet and just disconnect during a power failure.

I vote NYSEG the worst for power failures.

No comparison to the coop electric I have in DE. NYSEG sucks.



Would something this this be what I'm looking for? link


The furnace has it's own fused panel and switch in the utility room. As far as I can tell, it's not on a breaker in the main panel.

 

[Fitter30]

Along with a generator panel to protect against feedback mounted outside a generator inlet receptacle 30 amp that way can keep generator in the garage wheel it out when needed. Also added a sub panel to the generator panel for flexibility to switch on and off different loads like water heater and differeny lights and my well pump.

 

[cpayne5]

Originally Posted by Miller88
It's a 389CC engine. When I'm home tonight I'll grab the stamp off of the engine.



Probably a GX390 clone, then. That's a good sized engine for that output wattage.

 

[4WD]

Yep … my 6000/7500 has a 389cc Chonda

 

[Aredeeem]

Back in 2012 Hurricane Sandy had everyone in New Jersey installing whole house natural gas powered generators. Not cheap. 8k or so. Now everybody is praying for a blackout to get a return on their investment. Timing is everything but boy when you need power in the dead of winter folks with generators are neighborhood superheroes.

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted by chemman
I have a Powermate 5000 which I purchased in 1999. It's powered by a B&S 9 hp Vanguard engine. If I recall correctly, all of the Powermate generators I reviewed at Home Depot had B&S engines.


My Coleman Powermate 8500 Peak/5500 watt running has a Genuine Honda GX390 engine.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Engine is a ap188f , some sort of chinese clone of something or another.

Those standby natural gas ones are nice but phew, expensive!

 

[khittner]

I've been warned by electricians and HVAC specialists to be careful about what sort of generator you connect to your furnace fan, particularly if you have an electronically-controlled variable-speed furnace fan, as many high-efficiency furnances now do. You need an inverter generator that produces a very "clean" power stream, without significant spiking. Something works well enough for powering up a few lights or an old freezer may cook the electronic controls of a high-efficiency furnace. I don't know anything about a Powermate 5000, but you don't want your inexpensive "solution" to become a source of more expensive problems. FWIW.