800w genny

[AlanM6]

800w genny at Aldi is it worth it

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/special_buys3_25515.htm?WT.mc_id=2012-07-06-17-51

[Arthur Brown]

Well it's cheap, the Machine Mart like product is £96. It's two stroke so you will need a fuel + oil mix, there is no noise figure so it could be louder than you want. Likely it will run a 30amp charger possibly a slightly bigger one, according to their soft starting.

[David Schweizer]

I bought one a few years ago, and it is ok for a cheap genny. I manage to power my B&D Quatro hammer drill with it although the drill is rated higher than the quoted power tool output. It isn't the quietest of machines, but it isn't desperately noisy either. I have never used it to charge batteries so cannot comment on how good it would be for that.

 

One word of advice, consider replacing the cheap spark plug with a decent one. I had great difficulty starting it until someone (on this forum) suggested a new plug. It now starts withouit any problems.

Edited July 7, 2012 by David Schweizer

[Burgiesburnin]

800w genny at Aldi is it worth it

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/special_buys3_25515.htm?WT.mc_id=2012-07-06-17-51

 

 

I am a bit out of the loop in terms of pricing but even as a back-up for another system this would appear to be a must have at the price.

[blackrose]

Personally I wouldn't waste my money. If you have a decent generator you don't really need a back-up and this one will probably do more to annoy your neighbours than anything else.

[Chalky]

Cheap and cheerful. I've had one for 9 years and apart from the occasional spark plug and getting the oil/fuel mixture wrong it's been fine. Not the quietest of generators (86dB?) and if you get the mixture wrong the canal disappears in a blue haze! I've used it whilst fitting the boat out to run drills, low power routers, grinders and circular saws. Also used the 12V output to get enough charge into a flat starter battery so I could start the engine and then let the alternators take over.

They're a Chinese machine sold under a number of different brand names, B&Q, Wolf, etc.

 

edited to add

Originally they were sold as 1kW generators then as 800W. As bottle says (next post) they're 650W continuous into a resistive load (bulb or heater) and I seem the remember 220W into an inductive load (motor etc). I've run a 1kW router off it intermittently and loads of 750W power tools. It will struggle but it can do it. You need to let the engine warm up first and when you use the tools you need to allow time for the generator to cool down between uses to prevent damage. This is obviously outside the design parameters so it's at your own risk.

When new it struggled sometimes due to the tightness of the engine (you get what you pay for) and would occasionally cut out but after a few usages it freed up and has been fine since.

Edited July 7, 2012 by Chalky

[bottle]

Please read the blurb carefully:

 

It is not a 800 watt generator, it is a 650 watt (continuous) generator.

 

It is not a battery charger, it does have a 12v output.

[Tesla]

But coud you run a car type charger via the AC plug to get some charge into a starter battery? Is it worth the money for that alone?

[Chalky]

But coud you run a car type charger via the AC plug to get some charge into a starter battery? Is it worth the money for that alone?

 

It has a 8A at 12 V output (from memory) but it's unregulated so you'll need to monitor it and be careful. I've used it to get enough power into the starter so I can start the engine then let the alternators take over. The mains output isn't very stable for frequency or voltage so I've no idea how well it would work with more sophisticated devices.

Edited July 7, 2012 by Chalky

[Arthur Brown]

For a generator it is very cheap. HOWEVER, it's two stroke, noisy and poorly regulated. SO as a first generator it may work, or for very occasional use doing emergency battery charging through a fair size charger it would likely suffice and not be much cash tied up. You will have to store petrol which adds complications and you will need to measure out fuel and oil to make the two stroke.

 

It's easy to buy a quieter four stroke engined genset, or a diesel genset but that is adding a zero onto the price.

 

Ultimately it's down to you and whether you have a NEED for a tiny genset. It certainly will NOT run fancy power tools

[blodger]

But coud you run a car type charger via the AC plug to get some charge into a starter battery? Is it worth the money for that alone?

I have its predecessor that was 90 quid; I do not use it often but it works with any charger, be it car or marine 3 stage, that I have connected to it.

 

When others are immobile with rundown batts I find it more efficient than using my inverter and a charger to charge up their batts.

[onionbargee]

For a generator it is very cheap. HOWEVER, it's two stroke, noisy and poorly regulated. SO as a first generator it may work, or for very occasional use doing emergency battery charging through a fair size charger it would likely suffice and not be much cash tied up. You will have to store petrol which adds complications and you will need to measure out fuel and oil to make the two stroke.

 

It's easy to buy a quieter four stroke engined genset, or a diesel genset but that is adding a zero onto the price.

 

Ultimately it's down to you and whether you have a NEED for a tiny genset. It certainly will NOT run fancy power tools

 

 

I don't know what you mean by a 'fancy' powertool, but the sinewave output of these is extremly rough, not good for electronic equipment, i would never plug an expensive battery charger in to one. I don't think motors in powertools care what sinewave they eat.

 

 

 

60 quid is a good price on these generic 2 strokes. Now they are making the windings out of aluminium wire they are getting even cheaper. ( and more nasty )

[bottle]

I don't think motors in powertools care what sinewave they eat.

 

No probably not but the electronics that control the motor might.

[OldGoat]

I don't think motors in powertools care what sinewave they eat.

 

No probably not but the electronics that control the motor might.

 

 

I would have agreed with you - but we had a small "magimix" that hardly ran at all on an 1800W (continuous) standard inverter, a 6" polisher that wouldn't start easily and a small vacuum cleaner that struggles and gets hot.

 

 

I'm told it's something to do with cheap motor design.

[Arthur Brown]

Power tool motors may likely be universal AC/DC, but if you switch on a 500w motor on a 650w generator it's likely that the generator will stall before the motor comes up to speed.

[Chalky]

Power tool motors may likely be universal AC/DC, but if you switch on a 500w motor on a 650w generator it's likely that the generator will stall before the motor comes up to speed.

 

No - once run in the speed drops, the revs pick up and the cut disappears in a blue haze whilst you use the tool.

[Slim]

Personally I wouldn't waste my money. If you have a decent generator you don't really need a back-up and this one will probably do more to annoy your neighbours than anything else.

 

 

About 4/5 years ago some friends of mine gave up their nb and bought a Bruce Roberts 44' yacht with a view to going down to the Med and maybe further. Fully equipped with twin alternators on a hefty Ford engine. Also had a 6 Kva cocooned diesel gennie. Minimum hours on everything. Almost in jest I twisted his arm to buy a similar bit of kit from B & Q for about 30 quid. Fast forward a couple of years, he found himself at anchor somewhere in the Med with totally flat batteries (he is an ex electronics man so not ignorant around electrics) Out came the £30 gennie and with a fair bit of jury rigging he managed to get going without any drama.

 

Moral, never say never!!!

[by'eck]

Wonder if it produces 60Hz AC if its running direct drive alternator at 3600 rpm?

[bowten]

Anti social,anti Planet and Aunty Pat could make more power.

[PhilR]

But coud you run a car type charger via the AC plug to get some charge into a starter battery? Is it worth the money for that alone?

 

If you already have a *car type* mains battery charger available to plug into the generator I suspect the output might be more reliable than using the poorly regulated (?) 12v output from the generator.