Cheap chinese generator safe for electronics?

[Jonnygsx]

My travel trailer included a cheap chinese portable generator. The only identifier on it is xg-sf3000. It appears that these are all made by the same chinese company and sold under different brand names. Anyways I have read that they have very dirty inconsistent power and that that can be bad for charging laptop computers or using 3 stage smart battery chargers. Bad enough that it can burn up battery chargers. Is this true? I am trying to decide if it is worth using this generator or if I should try and craigslist it with the intent to buy a smaller wattage but more reliable and quality generator?

[83President]

Toss the cheep generator...
as far as Chinese made products.... everything is manufactured overseas.
in fact companies like Warn winches, bad lands "harbor freight tools" version of a winch are the same product except the high price name tags...
I could buy a truckload of crappy generators slap a name on it as my own and its the same generators oriellys, AutoZone, Kmart, Walmart, and home depot sells.




I think you would be safe with a surge protection circuit.

[Jonnygsx]

mlts22 wrote:
Which Chinese generator?

Jonnygsx wrote:
My travel trailer included a cheap chinese portable generator. The only identifier on it is xg-sf3000. It appears that these are all made by the same chinese company and sold under different brand names.

[hugemoth]

I don't know about your battery charger but I wouldn't hesitate to power a laptop with any generator. The power brick generally says input power 50 or 60 cycles, 110 to 240 volts. So it's unlikely any generator will be able to fry it.

[mlts22]

Which Chinese generator? The Yamaha ET800 design that the $100 Harbor Freight two strokes use was made in the early 1970s. It is not designed to power electronics (as silicon wasn't really mainstream for a decade after it hit shelves.) In fact, there are YouTube videos showing surges and spikes when loads go on and off.

Chinese open-framed models might have some voltage regulation circuitry. However, it will take work as described above to see if it is safe for electronics.

Were it me, I'd at least buy a Champion open-framed model at the cheapest. They come from China, but Champion at least has good customer support.

[free_radical]

beemerphile1 wrote:

tandkj wrote:
Get rid of it and buy AMERICAN.

What generators are made in the USA?

Generac,Brigs &Straton,Kohler,Cumins,Onan??

[SaltiDawg]

Most portable generators do not have a high voltage protection feature.

I have added that function to my home residence portable generator and have used the generator to power refrigerators, fans, etc, and to operate my high end audio/video equipment without any problems.

(I have no RV experience.)

[rustycopperball]

It's red, must be good!!! Honda's' made in China too

[Jonnygsx]

Wow Line conditioners are surprisingly expensive. This generator is near 3000 watts. Something like 2400 I think. A line conditioner for that wattage is going to be over $200. For that money i'd rather buy another solar panel and sell the generator and just run off solar.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

I would check power with a voltmeter, then a frequency meter, first unloaded then with a good load on it for at least twenty minutes. Power should not be above 127 Volts, 62Hz nor below 108 volts 56Hz.

If the generator surges even once during the test, strike one, it's out.

Do not run inductive loads while electronics are plugged in.

A laptop brick is rugged as hell. 80-240 volts, 52 - 68 Hz. A brick's output is not influenced by the value of the power put into it. Until the point it shuts down.

Harmonic distortion is I believe what you are referring to. Not a big issue when the generator is lightly loaded and voltage and frequency are within design specs.

It's when the generator is loaded to a battery charger or other inductive load that waveform resembles the path of a sailor in Po City on a Saturday night.

[bikendan]

beemerphile1 wrote:

tandkj wrote:
Get rid of it and buy AMERICAN.

What generators are made in the USA?

Exactly!

[OhhWell]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi Jonny,

It is an inverter generator, so it provides power that is possibly cleaner than what you get from shore power.

It may be unreliable or it might work just fine. They are totally inconsistent. Other than a spark plug, there are no parts available for repair.

inverter generator review

XG-SF3000

I had a Kipor that worked for 8 years. When I changed RV's I wanted something smaller--and I had extremely poor results with "off brand" inverter generators. The first one burned up (i.e. it caught on fire).

Then I had a Boily which I fought with and lost the battle. I finally sold it not working at a garage sale for $100.00

So, that first link to the review : I take it they weren't impressed???? hahahah.

[pianotuna]

Hi Jonny,

It is an inverter generator, so it provides power that is possibly cleaner than what you get from shore power.

It may be unreliable or it might work just fine. They are totally inconsistent. Other than a spark plug, there are no parts available for repair.

inverter generator review

XG-SF3000

I had a Kipor that worked for 8 years. When I changed RV's I wanted something smaller--and I had extremely poor results with "off brand" inverter generators. The first one burned up (i.e. it caught on fire).

Then I had a Boily which I fought with and lost the battle. I finally sold it not working at a garage sale for $100.00

[wa8yxm]

There are indeed dual-conversion power line conditioners that can take a very dirty input and give you pure sine wave out... They cost more than a very good generator however.

If your Chinese model is an INVERTER unit, then I'd feed the trailer via a surge guard such as the Progressive Dynamics. it will sense most issues and shut you down BEFORE damage happens.

If it's an open frame type (Contractors type) GET A NEW GENERATOR or a whole bunch of earplugs for your neighbors.

WHile it is true that SOME portable generators are.. Rather nasty. the key word is SOME.. Generally small generators (Under 5,000 watts) with a motor that spins at 3000 (50 hz) or 3600 (60hz) RPM are the bad ones.. But even there there are exceptions.

The only way to be sure.. Is testing.

[beemerphile1]

tandkj wrote:
Get rid of it and buy AMERICAN.

What generators are made in the USA?