Check out my original review of the Firman Tri-Fuel Generator FIRMAN TRI-FUEL GENERATOR - A Portable-ish Whole House Generator ua-cam.com/video/f7OPXYgcvg0/v-deo.html
A light rain might be ok for a bit but any open frame generator I wouldn’t want to leave to the elements unless you have to I have ran this in a snow storm though. Building an enclosure or buying a gentent would be ideal
We have used the ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxOTeIs0vv4_9B5hsmnLsk9r930uDQLu_Y for probably 30 hours with our camper and it’s been great! The noise level is really only noticeable when running the AC and other appliances like the microwave, hair dryer, or coffee pot. It’s not huge like other ones and it has wheels so even at 90lbs, I can move it!
*Came packaged perfectly. This **Generater.Systems** is awesome! No problems starting on Propane. Three cranks and it lit up. I highly recommend it if you are looking for a bigger generator for a camper or to have during a power outage. Dual fuel source is the way to go!!!*
I've been looking at generators for almost a year since our wonderful governor here in CA has promised that we are going to have blackouts. Had been saving money to buy a large enough one to run my whole house, when I saw this one and your video. That was all I needed to convince me this one was the one, (also, $600-$800 cheaper than the one I was looking at). Ordered it yesterday and expect to get it in two days. Can't wait. Thanks for the two videos on this unit!
I just bought the TO7573 from Costco, $200 off. It has slightly more power than your blue version. You mentioned the noise for the neighbors. I highly suggest you look into a adapter for your exhaust, and attach a small 4 cylinder car muffler. It will make it as silent as a car idling and your neighbors will love you for it. I suggest avoiding the online muffler kits being sold as they are slightly noiser, you can even make a bracket to hold the muffler with some flexible heat rated tubing for exhaust. parts are readily available. I use this set up while camping, and my camping neighbors love it!
Agree with Tim - this sounds interesting. I may not have the skills for something like this so would be nice to know exactly what is involved in the process. Great video Tim - just bought mine in July, electrician installed interlock and wired 50 amp receptacle. Hope to test everything tomorrow and see how it runs things in the house. It won't run everything in my house but also thought about buying a portable A/C unit that I could move from room to room as needed during the summer. Should be able to run NatGas furnace in winter.
1 thing i learned TODAY ... On a 240V generator, there are 2 coils. 120V each. 120V x 2 is 240V Just like the power coming in from the street. My buddy has a 7kW running generator but it kept poping the breaker after so many appliances or loads were used BUT it would run his 6500W dryer just fine. Could never figure it out until the generator repair place he went to told him that we was overloading the 1 side coil which was why he was popping the breaker. This is a 7kW running generator which means its 3500W per 120V coil x 2 which gives a total of 7kW ... Only by coincidence, when he would turn stuff ON inside his house, it was just his luck that MOST of the loads were wired to 1 side of the vertical buss bar in the breaker box .... which meant the one 120V leg from the street was getting more power consumption than the other 120V leg which created a light imbalance on the main transformer coil which isnt a big deal because he has a 200 amp breaker .... So when he got a clamp meter and measured each 120V leg, he saw that one leg was 7100 watts while the other leg was only 3000 watts .. So while that was all fine and good with a 200 amp breaker, this is a problem when it came to his generator that could only do 3500 watts per coil or per 120V leg ... And most of the stuff he ran was wired to one side of the 120V bar so as he got to 3500W and passed it, he popped the breaker. While the Dryer was on 240V .... it was an even balanced load at 6500 watts ..
This is what is happening to me right now. I can run a window unit AC and most things in my house. But I can't run the microwave or a coffee maker. What can I do to fix this? We just had a hurricane and are on day five of no power. I can't cook anything due to this issue.
@@lisadavis4574 # 1 what size generator do you have ?? Window AC is about 1600 watts ... Microwave is about 1600 watts ... Coffee maker is also about 1500 watts All (3) are about 4700 watts total and if they are all on the same side "coil" on the generator, its going to pop the breaker.
Mr Tim, will your generator, using Natural Gas, start up with the pull cord starter. I’m using your valuable videos to learn about this Firman generator.
Bought the gray version about 6 weeks ago I sale for $799, aside from the CO detection they now have all the switches covered with clear weatherproof flexible plastic to protect them
I'm considering purchasing this generator from Costco which currently has it on sale for 699. I asked their online support about the dirty power concern that I had with my electronics. This was their reply... "Total Harmonic Distortion Firman portable generators will output an industry standard total harmonic distortion (THD) rating of about 12%-20% depending on load applied. They will produce a sine wave, not a modified or square wave. This is perfectly acceptable for running common commodities found in your home such as TVs, computers, your appliances, etc. Inverters has a THD of 3% or less THD is a measure of the deviation of a sine wave from a "perfect" sine wave. All electricity, including line electricity, has measurable THD."
I know your not supposed to fill your generator while running, but in a emergency can you be cared and fill your generator while it’s running? Thank you for the stupid question
Not a stupid question at all, it’s totally not recommended and it’s certainly a fire hazard but I can say I know lots of people who have done it. So ideally you are supposed to turn it off and let the gen cool down for a half hour than fill it but that isn’t always practical. So first I would say if you can turn it off for a couple of mins just so you aren’t trying to fill a rattling machine is better, but if not take a infrared thermometer to know where the really hot spots are ahead of time, then pour carefully and have an extinguisher on hand just in case.
12 hours on dirty power(11-14% THD) and no noticeable effect on sensitive electronics? Good luck on the same results with long term usage. I wouldn't risk my $800 motherboard on my furnace/AC air handler with that THD rating.
You can't claim that you had no problems with THD when it ran for only a few hours at a time. There are a lot of variables to consider, one of which is time.
Minimum 15 feet some people say 20 the main thing is just to make sure that the exhaust isn’t pointing toward the window and the wind is blowing it in an open window also keep down the risk of fire
Was going to exchange my smaller inverter firman 3300 for this one. Currently on sale for $1198 cdn. $250 off. But after reading more info THD and sensitive electronics requiring THD of 5% or less I decided to keep my Firman inverter. It has 3% THD while the model your review is rated at 11-14%. I have a newer Lennox furnace (2019) with smart thermostat, and a couple of UPS to protect routers and components and higher THD supposedly can cause issues.
Yeah, I totally get that the THD for this one is between 11 and 14% which is fine for most electrical stuff but yeah anything expensive that requires that has electronics in it for sure stick with an inverter generator
You could purchase a couple inexpensive uninterruptible power supply (UPS) units for your sensitive devices. I have one for my router and modem and runs for ~4 hours for $50. This gives you sign/simulated sign wave power and surge protection. Basically how data centers work on a small scale.
@@jerrybell6786 It’s more a concern for the Lennox furnace which is hardwired into main panel with 15 AMP breaker. My Lennox user manual actually has a section on generator power and states it requires a THD 5% or less
I learned my lesson the hard way about 15 years ago using the Onan Homesite generator with the Honda cloned engine and a who knows generator head. Cost me $800 to replace the mother board in my 5 year old Amana furnace. Didn't happen immediately, but over time dirty power will weaken the electronics in any appliance. @@stephane184
thanks so much for your video Tim, My husband and I are just looking into getting a generator after a four day outage in Sacramento California. Our neighbor's electrician recommended this generator. We want to use our natural gas line for the fuel. In the cold I don't so much need to run our natural gas central heat as long as I can have my heated mattress pad on and can charge up my electronics and keep the fridge and toaster oven running. But we are having outages in the summer when it is above 100 degrees and I hope to be able to run my AC at least some of the time. We will look at other videos to continue learning. Thanks Again, Becky Rule
It’s about 2.5 years later and I’d have to check but no more than 20 hrs so far had two significant outages of 4-6 hours and the running of it every couple of months
it doesn't come with a NG hose. you have to buy that separately. Anyhow, I see that you have the quick connect on the generator end. I've seen some people have it on the NG end. I'm assuming it's a personal preference?
4:28. If you're worried about dirty power, just put anything you're worried about behind a UPS (which you really ought to do anyway), and then you'll be golden.
Very reliable company. One of the oldest companies in China that have a “Honda” like story. This isn’t a “Made in China” Walmart product. It has a reliable engine.
I would have been more concerned about the reliability of the gen head than the engine. The engine won't damage sensitive circuits in your home like a gen head producing dirty power. By the way what is the Chinese company building these engines and generator heads?
I know you reversed the quick connect on the male 3/8 generator fitting.. can you post which adapters you used. having trouble finding flared quick connect adapters
Have you had any communications with FIRMAN about this product. I recently was advised by FIRMAN that extending the exhaust pipe or installing the Generator in an enclosure would VOID my warranty. Any advise on this?
So if an enclosure is built properly with proper ventilation, there’s no way that enclosure is going to harm your generator in any way and there’s no way that anyone is ever going to know that it was in an enclosure so do with that as you will I haven’t heard that that voids the warranty but I haven’t found that in the manual either I can see where an ad on muffler might be more of an issue where it does restrict the airflow and especially if you have to modify the generator to put it on there it’s definitely going to leave its signs that it was there
Can't tell you how many times I've flip flopped on this model. Every time I head back to Costco I start considering it again until watching a video and realize it's not an inverter. Lol.
That is really strange. If it’s brand new, I would try just giving a little more force to her to see if it moves. It may just need a little more force on the first go, but if it doesn’t want to, but I would take it back but if it’s old or maybe it’s got some gunk built behind it I will try to pull the switch off and see if you can clean behind those are my best suggestions
Very interesting that you couldn't run your 2 ton a/c. I've ran my 2.5 ton 12 sear with natural gas with ease. Actually turned other items on too at the same time. Great video anyway.
Mine's been great for 3 years, I only run on propane because propane can be stored forever without going bad. Gasoline can't be stored without degrading even with stabilizers. Bought one of plastic shed's to store it in, an I use a solar battery tender. Great purchase.
Thanks for the great review, i turned on my FIRMAN generator after two year on propane gas, it ran for 2 mins and turned itself off, and wont start. The engine oil level is good. Two yeas back when i brough this generator, i ran for ~2 hour to make sure it works and to run of of any gas before moving to storage. Any tip on resolving this issue ?
Glad I read through the Comments I was about to buy one but did not no a bout dirty power I have brand new furnace cost big$ don't want to mess that up. Are there Generators I can purchase that would be clean power ? again never knew there was dirty & Clean.. I'm looking for something that will have min. run power of 7500 or larger? any recommendation I plan to run Gas but like option for LP? Reliably be goal / quality anyway any suggestions Thank you I subscribed leaned a lot both watching and tons reading comments So Thank ALL I know nothing about these at all but trying to get setup so I can run well pump, furnace, frig,two freezers, lights basically my house 2800 SF . Looking forward to some suggested Generators clean power min. 7500 running 8000 better running better ...
So yes, this one I would be careful of running expensive electronics on it has a total harmonic distortion of 11 to 14% which is higher than it should be what you were looking for is an inverter generator if you find any generator that says inverter on it that’s going to give you sinewave power Now the problem is is that they don’t typically come made for natural gas. You can get dual fuel, gasoline and propane, but then you’d have to look for a conversion kit to convert it to natural gas after the fact.
@@TOOLMANTIMSWORKSHOP I don't have NG where I live. so that not an issue I found a Champion but it has under a 5 gallon tank, found another Champion I really liked Gas tank was 7.7 but no invert lot harder find one than i would of thought there some but was in hopes to stay under $1500 thanks for your help
On the 2ton AC. A PTC Thermistor is a better option then a relay capacitor Start assist. I have the same T07573 and it starts my 2 ton 14 SEER split AC with out issue. I’d also spring for a UPS for the most sensitive electronics like, cable modem, router. They are Uber cheap and the built in dirty AC filters work well. The one I bought was from Costco and was $110 on sale
I’ll look for a good ups Next time at Costco I already picked up the start assist but I’ll def check out the thermistor thanks for the good recommendations
Toolman Tim - enjoyed your review of Firman 07571 tri-fuel. Question, I am concerned about weight of unit. I have an RV. Can I run the generator for an hour while it is secured in the storage area of RV. I can’t see myself & friends lifting unit in and out of RV on daily basis with it weighing 200+ lbs. All responses appreciated. Thanks Phil
I am planning on purchasing this unit to power my entire house . I was planning on installing a 50amp breaker with an interlock. But my concern is that even though the unit has a 50amp plug, it is fused at 31 amps. Thoughts?
I have been researching generators for the past couple of days. I know nothing about generators. It's all Greek to me! YOU are a Godsend!!! My Costco Business center has this for $200 off at $759. I live in Phoenix and am worried about potential rolling Blackouts/Brownouts with our summer heat as my 96 year old mother lives with me. My biggest concern is being able to run the central AC. I think it's a 3 ton unit. Everything else I can get by without for limited time if it puts too much of a load on the generator while AC runs.. Questions: 1. Electrician to install soft start on roof AC unit and plug in at electrical panel? 2. Already have natural gas for heat. Would gas company install some kind of "outlet" or attachment to hook into the existing gas meter? 3. I assume once the electrician has the hook up at the electrical panel, it's just a matter of connecting propane tank up? It would be so much easier if you could come to my house and hook this all up...Hahaha. Thank you for this great easy to understand video.
Thanks so much I love hearing about people trying to get a bit more prepared for power outages. First your doing great. Second yes a soft start have your electrician look and see what the east way to power it would be an outlet or a switch at the panels If you already have a natural gas outlet for a bbq you can tap into that if you don’t get a pipe fitter to hook one up for you. Yes once you have the electrical figured out it’s as simple as hookijng up propane or natural gas the instructions are printed on top of the unit and there are two selector switches one chooses between gasoline and propane/ng and the other selects between propane and natural gas it’s so simple If you want more information I just did a podcast called from anxiety to action dealing with potential rolling blackouts anchor.fm/toolmantim/episodes/131--FROM-ANXIETY-TO-ACTION---Dealing-With-Potential-Blackouts-e1kc8gp Also there is an entire generator playlist on my channel too which hopefully will be helpful ua-cam.com/play/PLqwMYzk2_P_4E7GFhsUzbL5j_6mCZ4K1T.html Take care
If it’s hooked into natural gas you could run it until it’s due for an oil change. First one is 50 hours and and then each one is 100 hours after that. If you are using gasoline really should let it cool off between fill ups
I got firman Tri fuel 10000walt generator last summer. I’ve had big issues with electric start. I’ve been starting it once a month but more not starting than not. I’ve got 19 hrs of running time since new. I’ve only ran propane I’m to the point of getting a new battery.
so this is the first generator i ever bought or used myself we had them in the military but they were old models. Question do i need to run a ground wire for this generator i have the same one you have in the video
No worries this is a question that got me for a long time. This generator is what is called a bonded generator and if you are just power items directly from the outlets via extension cord you don’t need to have a ground wire mounted to a ground rod or plate. This might help a bit ua-cam.com/video/Q-dIslW_6Pk/v-deo.html Feel free to follow up and ask questions
I bought 4 days ago just like that I had to switch the wires on my start and switch to the other side of it and now I started up and it runs for 5 seconds and it's not the oil oil is full now they're shaved my voltage regulator could be bad so they have any inputs on it I would really like to know cuz I like the generator
What would be the proper care and use of this generator if I buy it and never need it? I’m thinking about picking this up as part of my preparation tool kit, but in the past 10 years I’ve never needed one unless would not be one a day camping due to its weight. But they are $200 off right now and was considering it. That discount allows for the purchase of 100 pound propane tank.
So the most important thing to do even if you never plan on needing it is to run it every 2 - 3 months it serves three things, you learn it’s starting procedure, you make sure it starts and runs, you can test it for any malfunctions like a an outlet that aren’t working etc. if your running propane you have not concern of old gas sitting in it. If you use gas then make sure you add stabilizer and make sure you run it dry once or twice a year and add fresh gas. Change the oil once a year and get a trickle charger that you can install on it to make sure the battery stays topped up. That’s really it. If you have any questions regarding it feel free to follow up with me.
Bought one after watching your video. Mine works great with LPG out of the box I'm having trouble getting it to run on gasoline. Gas is probably 5 months old. Could it be the gas or should I return to Costco?
So triple check the starting procedure as there are a couple of knobs that have to be turned ti get it on gas. Also does it run at all on gas and then shut down or does it not start at all
Thanks Tim. I'm going to order one from Costco. I'm curios if it has a 240 3 or 4 plug connector. I watch your first review and your one year review. I'm out on the prairie in Canada as well. BTW - where did you find your small trickle charger? Thanks again! Excellent reviews!
This is the trickle charger I got from Amazon LST Trickle Battery Charger Automatic Maintainer 6V 12V Smart Float for Auto Car Motorcycle Lawn Mower SLA ATV AGM GEL CELL Lead Acid Batteries www.amazon.ca/dp/B073Z73TB5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_VBN8K6VC5F3X57G3N7Q4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 And the outlet on the generator is a 4 prong 50 amp 240 v
I almost bought the tri-fuel version last year but went with the regular one to save a little cash. My cover blew away yesterday tho, and I hope a neighbor spots it! 😅
Hi, I have the same one. Tested with gas and forgot to leave the gas in. It is won't start so start it with propane let it run then switch over to gas but still won't start
Do you use a step up pump to run it when you power it with natural gas? I was told that the natural gas line doesn’t have enough pressure to run without a step up pump.
Seems the starter has gone out on ours. It has only bee run maybe a total of 4-5 hours over the 2 years that we have had it. I can pull rope start it and runs fine I tried another battery and still starter will not engage.
I can’t say that I have I’ve put quite a few hours on in the natural gas and started the thing up many many times on L & G and had no problem with it yet
I got the whole house firman generator in 2018. It was great and powerfull . But when the power went out last week . The generator would not start. The fuel tank was filled with rust and it will only run on propane. Returned it to costco and got the new grey one . Its better then the yellow one.
If you end up having any more problems try either running your tank totally dry each time or added some sea foam to it that stuff gets rid of all kinds of gunk
@@TOOLMANTIMSWORKSHOP its condemnation form sitting for long time in the shed . I never see a tank rust like this . I have many generators for work and the only one that rusted was the firman .
You cannot leave gas in a generator for months and expect it not to cause problems. Run the gas out after using it. I have portable generators that are over 20 years that continue to run great but I never leave as in them longer than a month. I also only use non-ethanal gas.
@@crispychicken2743 All my portable Honda generators have plastic tanks, NO rust problems. However, I never leave gas in them more than a month. I also only use non-ethanol gas.
according to firman, the generator charges the battery. so if you are testing it every month and letting it run a bit, the battery should be good... asked specially about the T04073
Any thoughts on unbounding the neutral ground on the Firman to avoid having two neutral grounds, the second being in the main panel? Does a transfer switch solve this, where an interlock would not? This seems to be the common question.
That’s crazy as the Dewalt tops out at 8750 watts and the firman has 9400 watts your friend s2 ton must have a significantly lower top power spike or maybe it has a soft start on it
@@TOOLMANTIMSWORKSHOP i seriously doubt he has a soft start. He knows his electrical and plumbing so if he had one, i am sure he would remember and would have told me ....
Check out my original review of the Firman Tri-Fuel Generator
FIRMAN TRI-FUEL GENERATOR - A Portable-ish Whole House Generator
ua-cam.com/video/f7OPXYgcvg0/v-deo.html
@toolmantimworks can this generator run under rain
A light rain might be ok for a bit but any open frame generator I wouldn’t want to leave to the elements unless you have to I have ran this in a snow storm though. Building an enclosure or buying a gentent would be ideal
We have used the ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxOTeIs0vv4_9B5hsmnLsk9r930uDQLu_Y for probably 30 hours with our camper and it’s been great! The noise level is really only noticeable when running the AC and other appliances like the microwave, hair dryer, or coffee pot. It’s not huge like other ones and it has wheels so even at 90lbs, I can move it!
Thanks for sharing
*Came packaged perfectly. This **Generater.Systems** is awesome! No problems starting on Propane. Three cranks and it lit up. I highly recommend it if you are looking for a bigger generator for a camper or to have during a power outage. Dual fuel source is the way to go!!!*
Minimum of 10’ but 15 is better for sure especially if you have open windows nearby
I've been looking at generators for almost a year since our wonderful governor here in CA has promised that we are going to have blackouts. Had been saving money to buy a large enough one to run my whole house, when I saw this one and your video. That was all I needed to convince me this one was the one, (also, $600-$800 cheaper than the one I was looking at). Ordered it yesterday and expect to get it in two days. Can't wait. Thanks for the two videos on this unit!
No problem glad you are looking out for your household if you have any questions feel free to post them here or email me at therealtimcook@gmail.com
I just bought the TO7573 from Costco, $200 off. It has slightly more power than your blue version. You mentioned the noise for the neighbors. I highly suggest you look into a adapter for your exhaust, and attach a small 4 cylinder car muffler. It will make it as silent as a car idling and your neighbors will love you for it. I suggest avoiding the online muffler kits being sold as they are slightly noiser, you can even make a bracket to hold the muffler with some flexible heat rated tubing for exhaust. parts are readily available. I use this set up while camping, and my camping neighbors love it!
I may just do a project video on this. Thanks if you have any specific links to the exhaust adapter feel free to post them here. Take care
Agree with Tim - this sounds interesting. I may not have the skills for something like this so would be nice to know exactly what is involved in the process. Great video Tim - just bought mine in July, electrician installed interlock and wired 50 amp receptacle. Hope to test everything tomorrow and see how it runs things in the house. It won't run everything in my house but also thought about buying a portable A/C unit that I could move from room to room as needed during the summer. Should be able to run NatGas furnace in winter.
What's the power ? Been looking at the one at Costco and it's a 7500 running watt one same TO7573 model you've suggested.
It will top out at just over 9000 watts leak for a second or two but running is that 7500 watts on gasoline less on propane and nat gas
I would love to see a video on this. That's my main complaint from the neighbors - NOISE
1 thing i learned TODAY ...
On a 240V generator, there are 2 coils. 120V each. 120V x 2 is 240V Just like the power coming in from the street.
My buddy has a 7kW running generator but it kept poping the breaker after so many appliances or loads were used BUT it would run his 6500W dryer just fine.
Could never figure it out until the generator repair place he went to told him that we was overloading the 1 side coil which was why he was popping the breaker.
This is a 7kW running generator which means its 3500W per 120V coil x 2 which gives a total of 7kW ... Only by coincidence, when he would turn stuff ON inside his house, it was just his luck that MOST of the loads were wired to 1 side of the vertical buss bar in the breaker box .... which meant the one 120V leg from the street was getting more power consumption than the other 120V leg which created a light imbalance on the main transformer coil which isnt a big deal because he has a 200 amp breaker ....
So when he got a clamp meter and measured each 120V leg, he saw that one leg was 7100 watts while the other leg was only 3000 watts ..
So while that was all fine and good with a 200 amp breaker, this is a problem when it came to his generator that could only do 3500 watts per coil or per 120V leg ... And most of the stuff he ran was wired to one side of the 120V bar so as he got to 3500W and passed it, he popped the breaker.
While the Dryer was on 240V .... it was an even balanced load at 6500 watts ..
Thanks for sharing that
This is what is happening to me right now. I can run a window unit AC and most things in my house. But I can't run the microwave or a coffee maker. What can I do to fix this? We just had a hurricane and are on day five of no power. I can't cook anything due to this issue.
@@lisadavis4574 # 1 what size generator do you have ??
Window AC is about 1600 watts ...
Microwave is about 1600 watts ...
Coffee maker is also about 1500 watts
All (3) are about 4700 watts total and if they are all on the same side "coil" on the generator, its going to pop the breaker.
Mr Tim, will your generator, using Natural Gas, start up with the pull cord starter. I’m using your valuable videos to learn about this Firman generator.
in theory yes i have heard from a few that say it doesn't want to but it is built to do that
Bought the gray version about 6 weeks ago I sale for $799, aside from the CO detection they now have all the switches covered with clear weatherproof flexible plastic to protect them
Thanks for sharing that
Great video! Costco has it on sale for $699. I'm going to pick one up.
Nice you won’t be disappointed
What size NG line does it require, 3/8 or 1/2?
20 pounds gass... thats a lot! for 6hrs damnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
I purchased my today for $699 .
$200 off the price in Costco .
Probably 4 July sale.
I'm considering purchasing this generator from Costco which currently has it on sale for 699. I asked their online support about the dirty power concern that I had with my electronics. This was their reply...
"Total Harmonic Distortion Firman portable generators will output an industry standard total harmonic distortion (THD) rating of about 12%-20% depending on load applied. They will produce a sine wave, not a modified or square wave. This is perfectly acceptable for running common commodities found in your home such as TVs, computers, your appliances, etc. Inverters has a THD of 3% or less THD is a measure of the deviation of a sine wave from a "perfect" sine wave. All electricity, including line electricity, has measurable THD."
I know your not supposed to fill your generator while running, but in a emergency can you be cared and fill your generator while it’s running? Thank you for the stupid question
Not a stupid question at all, it’s totally not recommended and it’s certainly a fire hazard but I can say I know lots of people who have done it.
So ideally you are supposed to turn it off and let the gen cool down for a half hour than fill it but that isn’t always practical. So first I would say if you can turn it off for a couple of mins just so you aren’t trying to fill a rattling machine is better, but if not take a infrared thermometer to know where the really hot spots are ahead of time, then pour carefully and have an extinguisher on hand just in case.
@@TOOLMANTIMSWORKSHOP Being extremely careful, no issues.
12 hours on dirty power(11-14% THD) and no noticeable effect on sensitive electronics? Good luck on the same results with long term usage. I wouldn't risk my $800 motherboard on my furnace/AC air handler with that THD rating.
That's why I didn't buy it. The inverter welder I have requires
You can't claim that you had no problems with THD when it ran for only a few hours at a time. There are a lot of variables to consider, one of which is time.
does this generator have a remote starter (kind of keyfob) ?
No this one doesn’t I belive some of the champion ones do and the new 5000 dual fuel harbour freight does
How far should it be from my house outside. I have a small yard
Minimum 15 feet some people say 20 the main thing is just to make sure that the exhaust isn’t pointing toward the window and the wind is blowing it in an open window also keep down the risk of fire
Thanks for the in depth review. I purchased this at Costco last month. Haven't unboxed it yet; on my "to-do' list.
As yet another Californian dealing with our idiotic government, I appreciate the info. Great review, thanks
Some of us here in Texas are dealing with an idiotic corporation that is stripping the money out of its coffers and handing it to shareholders
How many watts is this generator? I'm more than 1/2 way through this video and you haven't mentioned it.
Was going to exchange my smaller inverter firman 3300 for this one. Currently on sale for $1198 cdn. $250 off. But after reading more info THD and sensitive electronics requiring THD of 5% or less I decided to keep my Firman inverter. It has 3% THD while the model your review is rated at 11-14%.
I have a newer Lennox furnace (2019) with smart thermostat, and a couple of UPS to protect routers and components and higher THD supposedly can cause issues.
Yeah, I totally get that the THD for this one is between 11 and 14% which is fine for most electrical stuff but yeah anything expensive that requires that has electronics in it for sure stick with an inverter generator
You could purchase a couple inexpensive uninterruptible power supply (UPS) units for your sensitive devices. I have one for my router and modem and runs for ~4 hours for $50. This gives you sign/simulated sign wave power and surge protection. Basically how data centers work on a small scale.
@@jerrybell6786 It’s more a concern for the Lennox furnace which is hardwired into main panel with 15 AMP breaker.
My Lennox user manual actually has a section on generator power and states it requires a THD 5% or less
I learned my lesson the hard way about 15 years ago using the Onan Homesite generator with the Honda cloned engine and a who knows generator head. Cost me $800 to replace the mother board in my 5 year old Amana furnace. Didn't happen immediately, but over time dirty power will weaken the electronics in any appliance.
@@stephane184
Will a UPS protect a major kitchen appliance?@@jerrybell6786
Question for you: can you run directly from gas to natural gas without adding on a kit? Online calls for ng carburetor kit to run ng.
Do you think this unit would run a LG mini split ? 240v
I’m pretty sure it would. Don’t know the exact wattage draw but it should
I believe it's 1700 for cooling and 1800 for heating, so there should be plenty for that a couple led lights tv refrigerator and freezer, I'm thinking
thanks so much for your video Tim, My husband and I are just looking into getting a generator after a four day outage in Sacramento California. Our neighbor's electrician recommended this generator. We want to use our natural gas line for the fuel. In the cold I don't so much need to run our natural gas central heat as long as I can have my heated mattress pad on and can charge up my electronics and keep the fridge and toaster oven running. But we are having outages in the summer when it is above 100 degrees and I hope to be able to run my AC at least some of the time. We will look at other videos to continue learning. Thanks Again, Becky Rule
Dang 2 days of no power for 4 hours. I wouldn’t even bother with a generator. We get weeks at a time.
Can I run a 5,000 BTU window air conditioner with one of these without hurting the electronics?
How many total hours do you have on it
It’s about 2.5 years later and I’d have to check but no more than 20 hrs so far had two significant outages of 4-6 hours and the running of it every couple of months
Fantastic. Thank you!!!!
I was wondering if I needed to buy two for the entire house.
The slow/soft start for ac would definitely be cheaper.
it doesn't come with a NG hose. you have to buy that separately. Anyhow, I see that you have the quick connect on the generator end. I've seen some people have it on the NG end. I'm assuming it's a personal preference?
I did it that way mainly because how the bbq outlet on the side of ny house was set up save me an extra set of fittings that way.
4:28. If you're worried about dirty power, just put anything you're worried about behind a UPS (which you really ought to do anyway), and then you'll be golden.
That is not as safe as an inverter generator.
@@AsidebarCould you explain?
Is this the T07571 or T07573?
It’s the T07571
Greetings. When powering the house, do you ground it or leave it as is?
This is not advice but I don’t ground it personally. However if you aren’t sure check with an electrician :)
I just keep extra spark plugs on hand because it likes to fail them out
Very reliable company. One of the oldest companies in China that have a “Honda” like story. This isn’t a “Made in China” Walmart product. It has a reliable engine.
Thabks for sharing that
I would have been more concerned about the reliability of the gen head than the engine. The engine won't damage sensitive circuits in your home like a gen head producing dirty power. By the way what is the Chinese company building these engines and generator heads?
Honda generators are NOT made in China. I have 4 HONDA generators. They are the most efficient and the quietest.
Wattage of the generator?
It maxes out at just over 9000 watts on gasoline
Thanks for making these. I watched the previous one. Always appreciate when people do a follow-up when reviewing/installing products.
I just bought a 10,000 Tri Fuel Firman and would highly recommend it...
Love to hear that
I know you reversed the quick connect on the male 3/8 generator fitting.. can you post which adapters you used. having trouble finding flared quick connect adapters
I ended up picking up the flared fitting at a local heating and plumbing shop
Have you had any communications with FIRMAN about this product. I recently was advised by FIRMAN that extending the exhaust pipe or installing the Generator in an enclosure would VOID my warranty. Any advise on this?
So if an enclosure is built properly with proper ventilation, there’s no way that enclosure is going to harm your generator in any way and there’s no way that anyone is ever going to know that it was in an enclosure so do with that as you will I haven’t heard that that voids the warranty but I haven’t found that in the manual either I can see where an ad on muffler might be more of an issue where it does restrict the airflow and especially if you have to modify the generator to put it on there it’s definitely going to leave its signs that it was there
me i know if he can drive the welding machine 120v/240v? thanks buddy
Thx for the follow up. Much better than someone just firing up one they just bought
Appreciate that I am a full 2 years in and keep doing updates. It’s a great gen
Can't tell you how many times I've flip flopped on this model. Every time I head back to Costco I start considering it again until watching a video and realize it's not an inverter. Lol.
if its not an inverter, I would avoid it.
Tim, I have the same generator. The fuel selector switch is stuck in gasoline mode. Why would the fuel selector switch be stuck in that position?
That is really strange. If it’s brand new, I would try just giving a little more force to her to see if it moves. It may just need a little more force on the first go, but if it doesn’t want to, but I would take it back but if it’s old or maybe it’s got some gunk built behind it I will try to pull the switch off and see if you can clean behind those are my best suggestions
Good video Tim, thanks for sharing.
Appreciate it chris
What part is needed for the conversion to natural gas?
Great video. I also have this unit, but have not used it yet. It came highly recommended by our electrician.
I think you’ll enjoy it. I’ve been using mine for 2 1/2 years now and hasn’t let me down yet.
Very interesting that you couldn't run your 2 ton a/c. I've ran my 2.5 ton 12 sear with natural gas with ease. Actually turned other items on too at the same time. Great video anyway.
Mine has a big voltage wattage spike at start up. This summer I’m gonna get a soft start installed
Yea i thought that was odd too, my brother in law was able to run his 2 ton ac with a DeWalt 7kW running generator ....
@@ACommenterOnUA-cam I run my 3ton ac fine
Mine's been great for 3 years, I only run on propane because propane can be stored forever without going bad. Gasoline can't be stored without degrading even with stabilizers. Bought one of plastic shed's to store it in, an I use a solar battery tender. Great purchase.
For me I store propane and gasoline and rotate the gas so it never has a chance to go bad
Maybe have a example show of hooking up that trickle charge. Mine is fairly new but was unused for months, and finally got it to start
Hey Scott here’s a link to that video :). Hope it helps ua-cam.com/video/_E3bzGA6t28/v-deo.html
Thanks for the review. And you NEED a soft start on your AC. My Firman handles mine just fine now.
Thank you I talked to my go to electrician the other day he hadn’t installed one before but said it should be simple lol
@@TOOLMANTIMSWORKSHOP mine had not either. I showed him a couple of UA-cam videos and he said the same thing!
Does it ship with the oil pre installed ?
It comes with the oil but you have to add it yourself
@@TOOLMANTIMSWORKSHOP Thanks
Thanks for the great review, i turned on my FIRMAN generator after two year on propane gas, it ran for 2 mins and turned itself off, and wont start. The engine oil level is good. Two yeas back when i brough this generator, i ran for ~2 hour to make sure it works and to run of of any gas before moving to storage. Any tip on resolving this issue ?
Did you make sure no gas was in carburetor?
Glad I read through the Comments I was about to buy one but did not no a bout dirty power I have brand new furnace cost big$ don't want to mess that up. Are there Generators I can purchase that would be clean power ? again never knew there was dirty & Clean.. I'm looking for something that will have min. run power of 7500 or larger? any recommendation I plan to run Gas but like option for LP? Reliably be goal / quality anyway any suggestions Thank you I subscribed leaned a lot both watching and tons reading comments So Thank ALL I know nothing about these at all but trying to get setup so I can run well pump, furnace, frig,two freezers, lights basically my house 2800 SF . Looking forward to some suggested Generators clean power min. 7500 running 8000 better running better ...
So yes, this one I would be careful of running expensive electronics on it has a total harmonic distortion of 11 to 14% which is higher than it should be what you were looking for is an inverter generator if you find any generator that says inverter on it that’s going to give you sinewave power Now the problem is is that they don’t typically come made for natural gas. You can get dual fuel, gasoline and propane, but then you’d have to look for a conversion kit to convert it to natural gas after the fact.
@@TOOLMANTIMSWORKSHOP I don't have NG where I live. so that not an issue I found a Champion but it has under a 5 gallon tank, found another Champion I really liked Gas tank was 7.7 but no invert lot harder find one than i would of thought there some but was in hopes to stay under $1500 thanks for your help
Thanks very helpful. Going to buy mine today.
On the 2ton AC. A PTC Thermistor is a better option then a relay capacitor Start assist. I have the same T07573 and it starts my 2 ton 14 SEER split AC with out issue.
I’d also spring for a UPS for the most sensitive electronics like, cable modem, router. They are Uber cheap and the built in dirty AC filters work well. The one I bought was from Costco and was $110 on sale
I’ll look for a good ups Next time at Costco I already picked up the start assist but I’ll def check out the thermistor thanks for the good recommendations
Toolman Tim - enjoyed your review of Firman 07571 tri-fuel. Question, I am concerned about weight of unit. I have an RV. Can I run the generator for an hour while it is secured in the storage area of RV. I can’t see myself & friends lifting unit in and out of RV on daily basis with it weighing 200+ lbs. All responses appreciated. Thanks
Phil
i think there is a future for cng and there was a recent start up who made semi electric/cng hybrid haulers?
I think you are right.
Soft start is a good idea, been checking into them also
I’m certianly planning on it this summer or fall
I am planning on purchasing this unit to power my entire house . I was planning on installing a 50amp breaker with an interlock. But my concern is that even though the unit has a 50amp plug, it is fused at 31 amps. Thoughts?
I have been researching generators for the past couple of days. I know nothing about generators. It's all Greek to me! YOU are a Godsend!!! My Costco Business center has this for $200 off at $759. I live in Phoenix and am worried about potential rolling Blackouts/Brownouts with our summer heat as my 96 year old mother lives with me. My biggest concern is being able to run the central AC. I think it's a 3 ton unit. Everything else I can get by without for limited time if it puts too much of a load on the generator while AC runs..
Questions:
1. Electrician to install soft start on roof AC unit and plug in at electrical panel?
2. Already have natural gas for heat. Would gas company install some kind of "outlet" or attachment to hook into the existing gas meter?
3. I assume once the electrician has the hook up at the electrical panel, it's just a matter of connecting propane tank up?
It would be so much easier if you could come to my house and hook this all up...Hahaha. Thank you for this great easy to understand video.
Thanks so much I love hearing about people trying to get a bit more prepared for power outages. First your doing great. Second yes a soft start have your electrician look and see what the east way to power it would be an outlet or a switch at the panels
If you already have a natural gas outlet for a bbq you can tap into that if you don’t get a pipe fitter to hook one up for you.
Yes once you have the electrical figured out it’s as simple as hookijng up propane or natural gas the instructions are printed on top of the unit and there are two selector switches one chooses between gasoline and propane/ng and the other selects between propane and natural gas it’s so simple
If you want more information I just did a podcast called from anxiety to action dealing with potential rolling blackouts
anchor.fm/toolmantim/episodes/131--FROM-ANXIETY-TO-ACTION---Dealing-With-Potential-Blackouts-e1kc8gp
Also there is an entire generator playlist on my channel too which hopefully will be helpful
ua-cam.com/play/PLqwMYzk2_P_4E7GFhsUzbL5j_6mCZ4K1T.html
Take care
I purchased a T8071. I have a question, how many hours can you run the unit non-stop?
If it’s hooked into natural gas you could run it until it’s due for an oil change. First one is 50 hours and and then each one is 100 hours after that. If you are using gasoline really should let it cool off between fill ups
I got firman Tri fuel 10000walt generator last summer. I’ve had big issues with electric start. I’ve been starting it once a month but more not starting than not. I’ve got 19 hrs of running time since new. I’ve only ran propane
I’m to the point of getting a new battery.
so this is the first generator i ever bought or used myself we had them in the military but they were old models. Question do i need to run a ground wire for this generator i have the same one you have in the video
No worries this is a question that got me for a long time. This generator is what is called a bonded generator and if you are just power items directly from the outlets via extension cord you don’t need to have a ground wire mounted to a ground rod or plate.
This might help a bit
ua-cam.com/video/Q-dIslW_6Pk/v-deo.html
Feel free to follow up and ask questions
Tim Thanks for the great review..
Quick ask... do you have video how to empty fuel or clean fuel from carbonator?
I bought 4 days ago just like that I had to switch the wires on my start and switch to the other side of it and now I started up and it runs for 5 seconds and it's not the oil oil is full now they're shaved my voltage regulator could be bad so they have any inputs on it I would really like to know cuz I like the generator
What would be the proper care and use of this generator if I buy it and never need it?
I’m thinking about picking this up as part of my preparation tool kit, but in the past 10 years I’ve never needed one unless would not be one a day camping due to its weight. But they are $200 off right now and was considering it. That discount allows for the purchase of 100 pound propane tank.
So the most important thing to do even if you never plan on needing it is to run it every 2 - 3 months it serves three things, you learn it’s starting procedure, you make sure it starts and runs, you can test it for any malfunctions like a an outlet that aren’t working etc. if your running propane you have not concern of old gas sitting in it. If you use gas then make sure you add stabilizer and make sure you run it dry once or twice a year and add fresh gas.
Change the oil once a year and get a trickle charger that you can install on it to make sure the battery stays topped up. That’s really it. If you have any questions regarding it feel free to follow up with me.
@@TOOLMANTIMSWORKSHOP perfect, thanks
Good video. Waiting to see your enclosure build. Thanks
Thanks Andy I’m excited to get on it as soon as the snow and ice melt here in alberta :)
Bought one after watching your video. Mine works great with LPG out of the box I'm having trouble getting it to run on gasoline. Gas is probably 5 months old. Could it be the gas or should I return to Costco?
So triple check the starting procedure as there are a couple of knobs that have to be turned ti get it on gas. Also does it run at all on gas and then shut down or does it not start at all
@@TOOLMANTIMSWORKSHOP runs for few seconds the dies off. I can start it on propane then switch to gasoline and it also dies after a few seconds
5 months old gas could be stale. If the 5 months old gas in the generator it could have gummed up the carburetor.
Thanks Tim. I'm going to order one from Costco. I'm curios if it has a 240 3 or 4 plug connector. I watch your first review and your one year review. I'm out on the prairie in Canada as well. BTW - where did you find your small trickle charger? Thanks again! Excellent reviews!
This is the trickle charger I got from Amazon LST Trickle Battery Charger Automatic Maintainer 6V 12V Smart Float for Auto Car Motorcycle Lawn Mower SLA ATV AGM GEL CELL Lead Acid Batteries www.amazon.ca/dp/B073Z73TB5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_VBN8K6VC5F3X57G3N7Q4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
And the outlet on the generator is a 4 prong 50 amp 240 v
Have you removed the neutral ground bond for backfeeding home via breaker and interlock kit? Have same unit, and need to.
Thank you. I can be a bit more confident with mine going forward.
I almost bought the tri-fuel version last year but went with the regular one to save a little cash. My cover blew away yesterday tho, and I hope a neighbor spots it! 😅
A tarp and a bungee cord works in a pinch
I just got mine and I’m ready to give it a whole house test run.
Have fun
How can I connect this to my main power box vs running extension cords?
good video, looks like an interesting channel but those thumbnails you use.. terrible.
Just picked up the gray one at Costco for $699.95
I enjoyed your update. Thanks.
Thanks Paul
Thank you, this was SO helpful!
You are welcome Michelle
Wheres the link to the trickle charger?
www.toolmantim.co/todays-tool-1-5-amp-trickle-charger/
Hi, I have the same one. Tested with gas and forgot to leave the gas in. It is won't start so start it with propane let it run then switch over to gas but still won't start
My experience, too! Thanks Tim
Thank you
😎🛠️😎🛠️😎
Do you use a step up pump to run it when you power it with natural gas? I was told that the natural gas line doesn’t have enough pressure to run without a step up pump.
I don’t I have a 20 ish foot long hose and didn’t have any issues with mine
@@TOOLMANTIMSWORKSHOP okay. Thanks for responding.
Seems the starter has gone out on ours. It has only bee run maybe a total of 4-5 hours over the 2 years that we have had it. I can pull rope start it and runs fine I tried another battery and still starter will not engage.
Does it have a fuel shutoff??
Yes it does
How long will it run on gasoline?
12.5 hours on 50% load with a full tank of 8.5 gallons
Is there a way to run the house of a generator ? Like hooking from a panel to generator?
Very helpful thank you 👍
No problem
Did you have a issues with it bogging down in the run position running on natural gas?
I can’t say that I have I’ve put quite a few hours on in the natural gas and started the thing up many many times on L & G and had no problem with it yet
It runs on LP fine, the furnace was running maybe it is not getting enough gas, maybe…… I will keep you up to date
Your right my hose is a 3/8 ID on Tim's video he said to use a 1/2 ID which I just ordered
Thanks to both of you for your help, Merry Christmas
Thank you sir for your MOST OUTSTANDING video reviews! Keep them coming!
Just bought mine yesterday at Home Depot for 1148.99 plus tax. Home Depot has a new reduced price.
you probably got the T08072 which is different than the one in the video here.
@@Sean-mc4iq only diff I didn’t get the electrical cord
@@oneangrycanadian6205 you also would have a higher gas running and starting wattage. It’s a 10,000 watt unit instead of 9,400 watt.
@@Sean-mc4iq that’s ok it is big enough to run my whole house that’s all I cared about lol
On sale at your local Costco for 699.00 just got it a couple days ago
I got the whole house firman generator in 2018. It was great and powerfull . But when the power went out last week . The generator would not start. The fuel tank was filled with rust and it will only run on propane. Returned it to costco and got the new grey one . Its better then the yellow one.
If you end up having any more problems try either running your tank totally dry each time or added some sea foam to it that stuff gets rid of all kinds of gunk
@@TOOLMANTIMSWORKSHOP its condemnation form sitting for long time in the shed .
I never see a tank rust like this . I have many generators for work and the only one that rusted was the firman .
You cannot leave gas in a generator for months and expect it not to cause problems. Run the gas out after using it. I have portable generators that are over 20 years that continue to run great but I never leave as in them longer than a month. I also only use non-ethanal gas.
@@crispychicken2743 All my portable Honda generators have plastic tanks, NO rust problems. However, I never leave gas in them more than a month. I also only use non-ethanol gas.
What size unit are you reviewing. Watts etc.
It’s the firman Trifuel it’s a gas/propane/ng unit
Max wattage for each is 9200/8450/6900
Also this is my original review that has some more in-depth details
The gray version comes with a cover. I got one about 3 weeks ago, also installed the trickle charger, but not the quick connect yet.
Glad to hear.
Tim what is the link for the quick connect natural gas
@@skipscarbrough9558 Natural Gas Quick Connect
amzn.to/33CfpS6
Natural gas hose with quick connect
amzn.to/3JzzkQO
according to firman, the generator charges the battery. so if you are testing it every month and letting it run a bit, the battery should be good... asked specially about the T04073
Any thoughts on unbounding the neutral ground on the Firman to avoid having two neutral grounds, the second being in the main panel? Does a transfer switch solve this, where an interlock would not? This seems to be the common question.
2:25
Interesting, my brother in law has a DeWalt 7kW running generator and he was able to run his 2 Ton ac unit with ease.
That’s crazy as the Dewalt tops out at 8750 watts and the firman has 9400 watts your friend s2 ton must have a significantly lower top power spike or maybe it has a soft start on it
@@TOOLMANTIMSWORKSHOP i seriously doubt he has a soft start. He knows his electrical and plumbing so if he had one, i am sure he would remember and would have told me ....
@@ACommenterOnUA-cam Some a/c units come standard with a soft start. Mine did!
@@Asidebar i dont think his did
YES,, Costco.. ON SALE Great deal. PLUS if ya put your Costco REBATE towards it, WE got our for only $ 650 Wooho
I did that a couple of years ago best way to stack savings
interesting , Thank You
keep up the good work Toolman!
Appreciate it