I live 'off-the-grid' and needed a back-up generator for my primary one. In fact, I needed it really badly, as my primary unit's engine self-destructed. Although solar energy is one way in which I "make" electricity for my home, during the Pacific Northwest winters, there's just not a whole lot of Ol Sol to go around. Here I am in the middle of winter and my primary source of power has just died. I quickly researched available options and came to this little DuroMax generator. Reviews here, on Amazon (and through Home Depot, who also sells this brand), tended to be favorable, but there where a few really negative comments, resulting in lower ratings. I read them all and saw a common thread: The problems were related to quality control and end-user ignorance. The ignorance I could do nothing about, and had to dismiss a considerable percentage of those comments which stemmed from that issue. The quality control issues also seemed to have a common thread: poorly fitting this or that... these things tend to lead back to the end-user and either naiveté, inexperience, ignorance or some combination of all three. Only a few reviews actually had component failure and those seemed to be satisfactorily resolved. One reviewer indicated an oil leak developed after the warranty was out, but the seller was working with him on that.
Here's my experience: Ordered Thursday afternoon. Delivered Tuesday evening. Set up (30-45 minutes), start up (recoil) and run. Charged house batteries for two hours, turned off and went to bed. Woke up next morning, electric start, run, charge batteries (and run whole house) until ready for work.... shut down, come in and write review at work (on my break - no internet at home). It starts really easily (on LPG - I haven't tried gasoline yet, but have that in case one of my smaller LPG tanks runs out), runs quietly enough that the rain on my roof was louder than the generator. I may need to adjust the engine governor, as I get an overspeed indication on my inverter. Otherwise it performs like a champ!
C'mon, people... look at the big picture: you're paying rock-bottom price for a unit assembled in China by workers who typically make less in a week than many of us make in an hour. Let's fairly assess the value of the unit:
1) The engine is a Honda 'clone', making 7 hp. It was probably reverse engineered in much the same manner as Ural motorcycles were reverse engineered from 1940s era BMWs. There's no R&D. There's no search for tiny modifications which will result in minor improvements. There's no re-tooling for newer versions and none of the intellectual overhead Honda has, but the engine is based upon a design which we know to work. Even with good maintenance, this engine will not likely last as long as the Honda upon which it was based, but at 1/3 the cost (or less) it can be replaced when needed (and Amazon sells the replacement engine!)
2) This is a dual fuel generator set, from the factory... no messy modifications. It is warranted for 2 years. If you modify (or purchase) a Honda generator retrofitted for use with LPG, you'll find that Honda will not honor the warranty on their product.
3) Noise level? I read reviews where people were complaining about how loud this unit is! I fired mine up and my wife didn't even know it was going! Go and listen to other generators before you complain that this one is loud! Compared to a Honda EU3000iS (MSRP: $1900+), this unit is louder, but is still not loud.
Really.... if you want an analogy, buying this generator is like purchasing a base model Ford or Chevy and then complaining that it doesn't have fit and finish or run like a Mercedes or a Porsche. You have to look at it realistically. My Dad always said "You can't drink champagne on a beer pocketbook".
While this may be a one star Mercedes, it's a five star Ford!
Right now, this little guy IS my primary source of power, and it's looking very good. I'll update as things progress.
UPDATE: I've now had this little jewel charging my batteries for over a month. It has NEVER failed to start. I've had three really minor issues... and two can be chalked up to operator error.
1) I have begun running the generator on gasoline, instead of LPG, because gas is actually cheaper than propane, right now. This little guy can run my refrigerator, freezer, well pump, washing machine and some lights (as well as other small appliances - TV, DVD player, etc) AND charge my batteries.... some of these things run simultaneously. It runs a looooonng time on a tank of fuel. The little fuel gauge on the tank, however, doesn't always work right.
2) Speaking of running all these things - I had it wired to run 120 volts off one leg of the 30 amp/240 volt outlet. The breaker kept popping. I then changed it to run off the 20 amp 120 volt outlet, and all is well with the world. Operator error.
3) I have (he said, embarrassed) had the opportunity to "test" the low oil shut-down. Needless to say, it works. Operator error.... again.
SECOND UPDATE: The generator has been running every day since its arrival. Never a problem starting on either gasoline or LPG. One issue I've begun to notice, though: Since gasoline is currently still cheaper than LPG, that has been my fuel of choice; the issue I've noticed may - and may not - be related to running on gas. After the number of hours this has run (I estimate around 200 - no hour meter [note to DuroMax: a cheap hour meter might be a good idea for the next incarnation of this set]), the engine has now "broken in" and tends to run a little fast. As a result, the output shows "overspeed" on my inverter. I confirmed this by choking it down, a bit, and the error signal went away. I'll need to look at adjusting the run speed on the engine. Otherwise, it keeps chugging along! The Little Generator that Could!
| Brand | DuroMax |
|---|---|
| Wattage | 3500 watts |
| Fuel Type | Dual Fuel |
| Power Source | gasoline-powered |
| Recommended Uses For Product | Residential, Camping |
| Item Weight | 128 Pounds |
| Voltage | 120 Volts |
| Output Wattage | 4400 Watts |
| Special Feature | Electric |
| Included Components | Generator |
| Color | Blue and Black |
| Product Dimensions | 23.8"L x 20"W x 18"H |
| Material | Metal |
| Model Name | Dual Fuel Portable Generator - 4400 Watt Gas or Propane Powered - |
| Engine Type | 4 Stroke |
| Ignition System Type | electric start-camping |
| Tank Volume | 3.96 Gallons |
| Engine Displacement | 210 Cubic Centimeters |
| Runtime | 9 hours |
| Frequency | 60 Hz |
| Starting Wattage | 4400 Watts |
| Running Wattage | 3500 Watts |
| Manufacturer | DuroMax |
| Part Number | XP4400EH |
| Item Weight | 128 pounds |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Item model number | XP4400EH |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Size | L |
| Style | 4,400-Watt Dual Fuel |
| Pattern | Generator |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Special Features | Electric |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | No |
| Battery Cell Type | Sealed Lead Acid |
| Warranty Description | 3-Year Warranty |
