Generac 5606 XP Series XP8000E 12,000 Watt 410cc OHV Portable Gas Powered Generator With Electric Start (Non-CARB Compliant)

This Generac XP portable generator features True Power utility-quality electrical output with an hour meter and maintenance resets. Engine: OHV, Engine Displacement (cc): 410, Rated Watts: 8,000, Surge Watts: 12,000, Receptacles (qty.): 5, Fuel Capacity (gal.): 8, Start Type: Electric and recoil, Low Oil Shutdown: Yes, Battery Included: Yes
Customer Review: A Powerful Review
I bought this fourteen hours before we lost power for 182 hours. OPERATION It's very simple to operate. You could easily show a child. It was easy to fill. If you accidentally spill a little fuel it doesn't end up over the control panel or the muffler. There is easily accessible first-stage fuel filter in the filling area. Very nice feature. It has an hour meter which is very handy. I like the options for plugging items in. They give you a very nice 25-foot extension cord for the 30 Amp circuit. VERY nice. PORTABILITY It is very portable...easy to roll and maneuver. It is heavy. Two good-sized male adults or three people to load and unload from a pickup truck. One person can easily lift one side to maneuver over a curb. Easy to assemble. All you have to do is add the wheels, add oil, add fuel. The fold-down handles are VERY solid and just a really nice feature. I rested my garage door on the frame so I could have the muffler outside. NOISE You are not going to have long conversations around it. It's louder than my 650 but it's supposed to be. I did not feel it was too loud but I'm sure someone makes one that is more quiet. FUEL EFFICIENCY We ran a 1,500 watt heater, a TV/satellite receiver, two notebook computers, a wireless Ethernet router, a satellite modem, a 300 watt light, a 150 watt light, a 250 watt infrared lamp, a livestock heated water bucket for the miniature donkeys and a heated water dish and heated blanket for the barn cat and our large GE fridge. Plus we used a few other items on occasion but everything above was on all the time. I filled the tank as full as I could...over-filling it according to their instructions so it probably has a little more than eight gallons. We ran it for 14.5 hours and it was still running when we turned it off for the night. I've always liked the Generac name and have had a good experience with them. They give you everything you need for your first maintenance. They give you a paper funnel. So if you buy this while the power is out you can get it up and running quickly. Negatives: Noise, the oil level "dipstick"
Customer Review: available elsewhere
bought new at Lowe's for $1349 plus local sales tax, still $100 cheaper than here. will update when I fire it up.

Power failures due to extreme weather, high power usage, aging utilities, and other unpredictable events continue to increase nationwide. Any restaurant that has been forced to dispose of spoiled meat and produce can tell you how expensive even a short power outage can be.

In the winter of 06-07 parts of Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, and Missouri were without power for up to two weeks. In the meantime business and homeowners were forced to deal with frozen pipes, flooded basements, cold buildings, darkness, and lack of running water. Trying to find a portable generator to purchase or rent during this period became nearly impossible. Whether you are a business or homeowner a backup power source is a good investment, think of it as an insurance policy against discomfort and loss of profits.

There are two types of generators available that can be used as a source of power, portable or standby. In the event you are considering such a purchase I recommend doing your homework very carefully. The internet and any reputable generator dealer are great sources for this information. A licensed electrician should also be consulted and hired before any installation begins.

Portable generators are available from $500-$3500 and are the type you see on construction sites and campgrounds. These are normally powered by gasoline or diesel fuel and are easily transported with a pickup truck. Depending on your power needs an investment of around $1000 is enough to power a few essential items in the average home such as sump pump, well pump, deep freeze, refrigerator, television, forced air furnace (natural gas or propane), and a few lights. Due to the large amount of power required by central air conditioning units on startup even the most powerful portable generators are not enough to run central air. However a small window unit can be powered by some of the larger portable units.

Standby generators are available from $1500-$70,000+ and are the type used in homes to hospitals. These models usually require a small concrete pad for them to be mounted on and are wired into the buildings electrical panel with the use of a transfer switch. Normally powered by diesel fuel, natural gas, or propane these generators can be set to come on automatically upon the loss of power. Properly installed the transition from grid to backup power is a nearly seamless flickering of the lights and can be setup to run only a few essential circuits or the whole building including central air conditioning. Standby generators are always there, well standing by, in case they are needed and will even start themselves once a week or so to charge the battery and circulate fluids so they will be ready when required.

Caution should always be used around any generator and the manufacturers recommendations followed to the letter due to the obvious dangers posed by these devices. Under no circumstances should a generator be hooked to a buildings wiring system by the practice commonly known as back-feeding! This practice is extremely dangerous and is life threatening to people even miles away, not to mention being illegal in most localities. The use of a transfer switch and licensed electrician to install it is the only safe and proper way to go.

The author of this article has 29 years experience working in the highly competitive housing market of the west and southwest suburbs of Chicago as a carpenter. His job titles have included Master Roof Cutter, Apprentice, and everything in between. Most of his experience is in the high end custom home marketplace, including all aspects of fine homebuilding, from footings to ridge cap. More information is available at this carpentry website.

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