What a little Gem these generators are! Gas sipping quiet. It's enough to run electronics, charge batteries and some lights. I've use this one to charge the battery on the larger one to get it started with electric start. I bought mine for $150 at TSC. But good luck on finding one that cheap now. I'd pay $250 for one knowing what I know about them. They have a 2000Watt gen dual fuel. That's what I want next.
It’s 2024 and you’ve helped me get this bad boy started! I’m in Houston and I was struggling trying to find a generator after the storm…was skeptical how much power this generator can produce. Very shocked
Looks to be the same basic design as the earthquake ig800w I bought a few years ago. I'm tempted to buy the sportsman unit too, the prices recently have been $170-$200 online. Carrying around one of these to run an electric hedge trimmer vs running 2x 100ft cords is a real life saver.
My two cents: 1. I use really good full synthetic oil for my small engines (Valvoline, Penzoil etc.). Heck, if I'm going to save a few bucks by doing my lawn and fixing/maintaining the lawnmower and weed-eater myself, I might as well splurge on oil ($2.50 vs $10.00). Ergo, I had some to spare for this generator. 2. I saved the 3oz squirt bottle (the one with a pointed tip) for oil (the one that came with the new weed-eater), then I bought a graduated cooking cup from Dollar General. Makes oil (and other chemical) measurements more accurate and with less spills. True to form, this thing did crank after 2 pulls. Nicely built for the price.
You were having way too much fun with that leaf! Thanks so much for the video. I had a Predator 2000, which is waaay better than the Ryobi for a female to crank. The Predator would crank the first pull. They did say fill the gas tank up completely the first time you put gas in it to set the carburetor. The Ryobi took 20 to 30 heart attack causing pulls to start and had no strainer. I ran the Predator twelve hours a day for about six months. I'm hoping to have it repaired but ordered this Sportsman in the meantime. Thanks again, very informative. I do always run 93 octane and use good oil.
Well i used my new generator today for the first time at thw flying field it was amazing!! Started on the second pull and was unbelievable quiet everyone wanted to know where in the hell i bought it from. Im really surprised of the high quality for the price once again thanks.
Thanks for the informative video. A few questions, if I may. I am picking my Sportsman in two days. 1.) Can I use mobil full synthetic 10-30w instead? 2.) Doesn't the oil need to be changed after 1 hour of initial no load use? 3.) Is it absolutely imperative that I use non-ethanol gas? My van camper doesn't have outdoor storage outside of my ladder. Thanks
Mine seems to shut down going above 650 watts on a resistive load (heat gun). I'm running E0, so the fuel should be great. My chest freezer also kills it when on eco mode when it starts up, but it can run the freezer with the switch in normal mode. I'd have thought it would ramp up to normal load if it needed to. I've only played around with it for about an hour, so I'll have to test it out a bit more.
Bought mine brand new yesterday, Put in the lower level of required oil, on flat ground. Started on the second pull no smoke on start and ran perfect for first 5 minutes with no load, after that big plumes of white smoke and surging when in Eco. shut down and checked oil level which had dropped dramatically. looks like its going back.
"Put in the lower level of required oil" I'm sure you could have cheaped out more. These things don't need to be cooled or lubricated. Try water next time, it's way cheaper than oil. You can fill many new generators with water for the same price as filling just a single one with oil. Cut each one short of oil, while you are at it.
CHECK ENGINE OIL Remove side panel, remove oil filler cap and check the oil level. Make sure the oil is at top of Lower Level line (See Figure 2). l WARNING: The generator has been shipped without engine oil. Fill with oil or it will not start. l Do not tilt the generator when adding engine oil. This could result in overfilling and damage to the engine l If oil level is below the lower line, add oil to top of Lower Level line. Screw in the oil filler cap when checking oil level. l Oil Type: SAE 10W30 Oil capacity: 7.5 ounces
Yes. look for the pic on the bottle. It shows how the air and oil can flow... I am about to purchase a gen and your vids are top notch for a how-to. thanks
+lloyd mitchell Thanks so much for the kind words. Any idea which generator you'll be buying? Regarding the oil - this application only calls for 10 ounces. I made a slight mess on the initial fill, so I was being ultra cautious.
It will be a full sine wave type as I will be powering electronics (Ham Radios and laptops etc) Quiet on HF,VHF,UHF RF freq-wise it very important. I've experience with the Honda of course, but very pricey for very occassional private use.
+lloyd mitchell Good call. I agree about the Honda, clearly the pinnacle of portable inverter generators. I hope to have one at some point. So far I've been really pleased with the Sportsman. It seems to have ran-in well and runs like a top. Hopefully that will keep up. I'm considering buying another for a 'Run it till it dies' test, but wasting $200 is hard to justify.
Man that thing stays solid at 60hz. I'd imagine the storm cat would run all these the same or is there something different about an invertor? I know its 4 stroke and more efficient but they both put out about the same watts. Would love to see the storm cat running the same items to see how it does. That sportsman is nice but almost 3x more than a storm cat.
+mixwell1983 I'll be posting quite a few comparison videos between the StormCat/Tailgator and the Sportsman. The difference the inverter makes is that the energy it produces isn't as 'dirty' as a non-inverter generator. A video on that is coming too.
You can actually overload the Storm Cat considerably more than the Sportsman. I use my Storm Cat (actually an older HF Blue 800 watt generator) for running power tools, electric chainsaw and even a table saw. The voltage and frequency will sag, but the motors will startup and run. The Sportsman will protect itself and won't allow the inverter to be overloaded for more than a fraction of a second. The inrush current from most electric motor powered devices (small A/C units, saws, etc) will trip them immediately. That being said - the Sportsman produces FAR cleaner power! You can power sensitive electronic device without fear of damaging them. Not true of the StormCat! The "sine wave" output of the StormCat is HORRID. It is grossly distorted and the voltage and frequency is all over the place. The final icing on the cake for the Sportsman generators is that you can easily parallel them with a "Y" combiner cable. You don't need the special gen1000i PL model either... The standard gen1000i is electrically identical. The parallel jacks on the front of the gen1000i PL model are just a gimmick. They are basically just another AC outlet in parallel with the main AC outlet. Two of the gen1000i models will automatically synchronize when started one at a time. You CAN NOT parallel two StormCats. They are primitive AC generators with no ability to phase synchronize. If you try to connect two of them together you will instantly overload both of them and blow their breakers.
What about when storing it and the gas that's left in the primer bulb? Is it better to leave that gas In there? What's the bigger sin here? Pushing that old gas into the carb the next time I need to use it, or emptying the bulb, and possibly drying out the o ring in there?
In my experience the gas in the bulb will eventually dry up even if left full. I don’t empty mine and they (my generators) sit for up to 6 months at a time. Though I do use 100% pure gasoline (no ethanol) treated with seafoam.
I have heard of the fuel tank rattling & making excessive noise. Have also heard of a modification to fix the problem but can't find what the fix is. Do you know?
+Don Kramer I've never experienced that with mine. It is a plastic tank. The only thing I would think could cause it to rattle would be if it is loose or has a cable or line shaking into it.
Would you recommend this generator if the primary use was for tailgating? Would be using it for a tv, radio, crockpots etc. Seems like this would be a great choice!
Crockpots create heat, anything that creates heat requires plenty energy. Be sure to read the energy requirements on all your items you want to use and then see if they do not exceed 800 watts total. if you are close to 800 or over, get the next size up generator.
Help my sportsman generator won't start ... I bought it a little more than a year ago and have never been use.... I test run it when I bought it after that never been touch now I needed and it won't start... what should I do? Please help
My unit, purchased after looking at your videos arrived last Friday, I put on a hour meter and then filled it with oil and gas with no ethanol and it started and worked fine this weekend, tracking hours from the beginning. HOWEVER on several occasions the generator would surge and blow white-ish smoke for a while and then clear up. It has 4.7 hours total on it.. Did you experience anything like this? I've used it only to recharge a laptop in a camp site and test run a CPAP machine, never got over 300 Watts. So far I'm impressed, but concerned with this 'surging' and white smoke output. I don't have a total of how many time it has done it but it's at least 8. Time to make a call on Monday I guess.
+thebanjoman1963 That i saw mine randomly blow white smoke one time. I attributed it to the sea foam I had added to a half empty tank. Hasn't happened since I reached the break-in period. 8 times I would not be happy with. I would agree that a call to support would be a good idea. I would also recommend adding a little SeaFoam to the gas to keep the carb clean and stabilize the gasoline when sitting. Good luck!
+thebanjoman1963 I will also add that at 300 watts load if I have the generator set to eco mode there tends to be slight surging. It goes away if I turn off eco-mode. I suspect that the load is right on the edge of the eco-mode output range and it's trying to bounce between eco and regular speeds.
Send me a private message, Banjo. I found the clip of the generator doing exactly what you described in all my footage. I want you to watch it and see if it's the same thing you experienced.
You were instructed to fill the sump to the brimming point. That makes the splash oiling system apt to overwhelm the piston's oil control ring IF the gen is tilted during the filling, or tilted later, or tilted after it is started. A massive belch of unburned oil (white smoke) may result minutes later.
II put oil in as I was INSTRUCTED thank you..... I know how to put oil in a generator and at the proper level. It was filled on LEVEL ground with the MEASURED amount of 10 oz and has NOT been overfilled. It's been run on FLAT LEVEL ground and it can't be started without some movement of oil in the sump. I don't swing this over my head trying to start it........ The smoking has been intermittent while running on it's own, untouched or moved while running so there IS cause for concern and a call to the support number. I have been trying for days to reach them but only reach a recording and due to job constraints I can't have them call me back during working hours so I have to reach them directly on my lunch hour. I will eventually get through to a real person.
The vent on the gas cap? On mine I have to move it to the open position and then slightly back to get it to pop up. It should be open when running the generator, and closed when the generator is off. I believe since this was filmed they (Sportsman) fixed the issue where it has to be rotated back to keep it open.
It has an inverter that’s supposed to make it electronics safe, but note that it is a budget generator. It’s a matter of how much you trust it. I’ve charged a phone with it, but I haven’t used it for more sensitive electronics
Squirt some *oil in the spark plug hole* and pull the starter cord several times *without the spark plug installed* before the *first start-* just to set up the *boundary lubrication* within the engine.
@@bobbowie5334 Haha yeah I know lol I was just saying that when you do that upon the first start up there will be quite a big smoke screen, that's what happened whenever I first started my generator.
That's not how you want to break-in cast rings. Better to pull the cord a few times with the ignition turned off to spash lube the cylinder from below, the way it's done while running, than to have oil burn in the cylinder and possibly coke the rings.
I have a small 1750 PSI Portland Electric Pressure Washer and I'm looking for a small generator that would be able to power it do you think that this sportsman would be a good option.
Actually - electric motors are far more tolerant of distorted AC input power. I use my blue 2-stroke HF 800 watt generators for powering electric motors (no electronics). They are are great for inrush loads from saws and other electric motor power tools. The Sportsman gen1000i inverter won't handle electric motor inrush current very well, but it produces MUCH cleaner power that is actually superior to that which comes out of your residential AC wall outlet. The Sportsman gen1000i (all models) will automatically synchronize to another clean AC voltage in parallel with them on startup. That means you can parallel two of them with a simple parallel combiner cable.
@@kdanagger6894 Well...in a "conventional" (rotor/stator) generator the sine wave is still a sine wave...a modified sine wave from cheap inverters are hell on electric motors...was wanting to ensure the output was true sinewave...not choppy square wave that "looks" like a sine wave Thanks for your reply!
Will it operate much more than 680 W shown? Mine seems to poop out at at a measured 756W, when it cannot start the compressor of a small refrigerator that another brand of '1,000 W' max surge load generator handled with ease. It is otherwise a fine unit and it runs lights and fans and it ran at the same time for three days, a 1/4 HP submersible pump to empty a 20,000 gallon swimming pool full of a fallen, gigantic ficus tree, just great. That was a 550 W steady load. By the way, I am writing this comment by this generator's power. Hurricane Irma took out our electricity over a week ago. I have over 100 hours on the unit already. Although this inverter gen seems to be a bit over-rated: mine apparently not capable of 1,000W surge or 800W output, it nonetheless handles the vitals of fans and lights, etc, just fine. I wish, however, it could handle SOLO the refrigerator. But it cannot.
+Reid Welch I've ran my Sportsman up to 891 watts and it worked perfectly. When I put a load above 900 it will protect itself and shut down - as it should. If I try to start my air compressor with it the protection shuts it down immediately. It's not uncommon for a large modern fridge to draw over 10 surge amps on compressor startup. What brand is the other generator you mentioned? I've taken some of the cheaper HF generators and ran them well above their rated output. That's not a good thing as the protection circuit isn't working properly and overloads will eventually burn them out.
James Richardson I've been using propane for several years now it's better than a Honda on gasoline. And don't get me wrong. I'm a big motor head four-stroke gasoline guru. But the only carburetor they make for an engine anymore is the basic Square bore Holly carburetor 350 motor. If u.s. carburetion does not make a propane kit you can make one yourself by going into the intake and using a small pencil torch to feed the propane into the intake that's all it takes. Now keep in mind if the engine stops the propane will keep filling up the engine. But the advantage the propane it's easier to start, no carburetion problems ever, it's more dependable long-lasting, the motor last two to three times than a gasoline engine and it's for a lazy person that never wants to maintenance their engine if they don't want to. because the spark plug or gasoline or inside of the motor never gets any carbon build-up whatsoever. My Sportsman 2200 watt hand portable generator I've never put gasoline in it since it was new. And oil in the spark plug always looks new when I maintenance it. I'm sure I can get by with never changing the oil or spark plug on propane but I want things to last forever. that's why I run propane. And propane the fuel never goes propane it's the best prepper fuel out there it's between 100 to 110 Octane and it always Burns. Gasoline , diesel, racing fuel, jet fuel, alcohol, nitromethane or any other liquid fuel goes bad gives problems and is dirty inside the engine even diesel. I have a diesel truck but it's still not as clean and simple as propane. And if you think propane won't make big Power think again. Back in the 90s a guy was running low eighths in the quarter of a mile on propane.
I ordered mine. Got it put oil in ran it to brake it in. Changed the oil. Put it away for 2 months then I ran it and it broke. I took it back to home depo and no returns or exchanges. So I paid about 200 with taxes. And I did not really ever use it. Yup I got ripped of 200 down the drain.
Make sure you run it completely dry every time you use it. NEVER store these with gas in them! I would like to know how many volts the generator is producing and if it's AC or DC and what type of inverter is in it. It's $200 at Home Depot, but from what I hear, it does really well on gas. It is claimed it can run 500 watts appliance for 10 hours on one gallon gas. That is pretty good from what I have seen.
The site glass measuring device should not be used for anything accurate. The plastic bottle can be squeezed or bloated from sitting in a car trunk. Throwing the level of oil and scale off.
What a little Gem these generators are! Gas sipping quiet. It's enough to run electronics, charge batteries and some lights. I've use this one to charge the battery on the larger one to get it started with electric start. I bought mine for $150 at TSC. But good luck on finding one that cheap now. I'd pay $250 for one knowing what I know about them. They have a 2000Watt gen dual fuel. That's what I want next.
I found one at TSC for $169 a couple days ago. Went ahead and ordered it. Couldn’t pass that up after researching them!
I just found one for $100 at TSC. Super excited considering
what I’ve heard about it
It’s 2024 and you’ve helped me get this bad boy started! I’m in Houston and I was struggling trying to find a generator after the storm…was skeptical how much power this generator can produce. Very shocked
DID you hear these are updated to 7.5 OZ oil fills?
I did, they claim that 10 onces was causing failure on the unit
Everything I hear is 7.5 ounces or it will smoke.
Looks to be the same basic design as the earthquake ig800w I bought a few years ago. I'm tempted to buy the sportsman unit too, the prices recently have been $170-$200 online. Carrying around one of these to run an electric hedge trimmer vs running 2x 100ft cords is a real life saver.
I use condiment (ketchup) squeeze bottles for these kinds of things..great video..
My two cents:
1. I use really good full synthetic oil for my small engines (Valvoline, Penzoil etc.). Heck, if I'm going to save a few bucks by doing my lawn and fixing/maintaining the lawnmower and weed-eater myself, I might as well splurge on oil ($2.50 vs $10.00). Ergo, I had some to spare for this generator.
2. I saved the 3oz squirt bottle (the one with a pointed tip) for oil (the one that came with the new weed-eater), then I bought a graduated cooking cup from Dollar General. Makes oil (and other chemical) measurements more accurate and with less spills.
True to form, this thing did crank after 2 pulls. Nicely built for the price.
Never use synthetic oil for break in. There's good reasons he didn't.
You were having way too much fun with that leaf! Thanks so much for the video.
I had a Predator 2000, which is waaay better than the Ryobi for a female to crank. The Predator would crank the first pull. They did say fill the gas tank up completely the first time you put gas in it to set the carburetor.
The Ryobi took 20 to 30 heart attack causing pulls to start and had no strainer.
I ran the Predator twelve hours a day for about six months.
I'm hoping to have it repaired but ordered this Sportsman in the meantime. Thanks again, very informative.
I do always run 93 octane and use good oil.
They changed it from 10oz to 7.5oz.
Well i used my new generator today for the first time at thw flying field it was amazing!! Started on the second pull and was unbelievable quiet everyone wanted to know where in the hell i bought it from. Im really surprised of the high quality for the price once again thanks.
+Anthony Thompson 👍
Are these generators able to plug a fridge into it and a stove? I really don’t know just asking? 🤷🏻♀️
If it’s a full sized fridge that’s likely asking more than this little generator can reliably power. Full sized stove - no.
Thanks for your demo I founded this very helpful I am going to purchase one of this little guy!
Test with 800 watts ohmic load passed. Very good. Because not everywhere where 1000 is written on it, there are also 1000 in it...
What a well detailed video you did thinking of getting one Home Depot has them $175 now
That’s a great deal
Thanks for the informative video. A few questions, if I may. I am picking my Sportsman in two days.
1.) Can I use mobil full synthetic 10-30w instead?
2.) Doesn't the oil need to be changed after 1 hour of initial no load use?
3.) Is it absolutely imperative that I use non-ethanol gas? My van camper doesn't have outdoor storage outside of my ladder.
Thanks
Mine seems to shut down going above 650 watts on a resistive load (heat gun). I'm running E0, so the fuel should be great. My chest freezer also kills it when on eco mode when it starts up, but it can run the freezer with the switch in normal mode. I'd have thought it would ramp up to normal load if it needed to. I've only played around with it for about an hour, so I'll have to test it out a bit more.
Keep it up Kev! After watching 1/2 dozen of your videos, you've got a new subscriber. :)
If there was ever a good generator vid , this is it . Thanks
Bought mine brand new yesterday, Put in the lower level of required oil, on flat ground. Started on the second pull no smoke on start and ran perfect for first 5 minutes with no load, after that big plumes of white smoke and surging when in Eco. shut down and checked oil level which had dropped dramatically. looks like its going back.
"Put in the lower level of required oil"
I'm sure you could have cheaped out more. These things don't need to be cooled or lubricated.
Try water next time, it's way cheaper than oil. You can fill many new generators with water for the same price as filling just a single one with oil. Cut each one short of oil, while you are at it.
I just bought this generator and was looking for a quick guide on it (other than RTFM). Great video - informative and to the point.
CHECK ENGINE OIL
Remove side panel, remove oil filler cap and check the oil level. Make sure the oil is at top of Lower Level line (See Figure 2).
l WARNING: The generator has been shipped without engine oil. Fill with oil or it will not start.
l Do not tilt the generator when adding engine oil. This could result in overfilling and damage to the engine
l If oil level is below the lower line, add oil to top of Lower Level line. Screw in the oil filler cap when checking oil level.
l Oil Type: SAE 10W30 Oil capacity: 7.5 ounces
You are holding the oil wrong its designed to allow air in if you flip it over. Great videos series thanks
+lloyd mitchell Thanks! Are you talking about fully inverting the oil bottle?
Yes. look for the pic on the bottle. It shows how the air and oil can flow... I am about to purchase a gen and your vids are top notch for a how-to. thanks
+lloyd mitchell Thanks so much for the kind words. Any idea which generator you'll be buying? Regarding the oil - this application only calls for 10 ounces. I made a slight mess on the initial fill, so I was being ultra cautious.
It will be a full sine wave type as I will be powering electronics (Ham Radios and laptops etc) Quiet on HF,VHF,UHF RF freq-wise it very important. I've experience with the Honda of course, but very pricey for very occassional private use.
+lloyd mitchell Good call. I agree about the Honda, clearly the pinnacle of portable inverter generators. I hope to have one at some point. So far I've been really pleased with the Sportsman. It seems to have ran-in well and runs like a top. Hopefully that will keep up. I'm considering buying another for a 'Run it till it dies' test, but wasting $200 is hard to justify.
Bought a gas cap for a honda gen aftermarket that has metal tube. Added fuel line and a 5 gal external tank.lets my ac run a long time.
Can you please post a link to that????
Can we use non grounded (2 prong) plugs with this Sportman generator?
yo mama plug a powerstrip that has a ground into it.
Man that thing stays solid at 60hz. I'd imagine the storm cat would run all these the same or is there something different about an invertor? I know its 4 stroke and more efficient but they both put out about the same watts. Would love to see the storm cat running the same items to see how it does. That sportsman is nice but almost 3x more than a storm cat.
+mixwell1983 I'll be posting quite a few comparison videos between the StormCat/Tailgator and the Sportsman. The difference the inverter makes is that the energy it produces isn't as 'dirty' as a non-inverter generator. A video on that is coming too.
You can actually overload the Storm Cat considerably more than the Sportsman. I use my Storm Cat (actually an older HF Blue 800 watt generator) for running power tools, electric chainsaw and even a table saw. The voltage and frequency will sag, but the motors will startup and run. The Sportsman will protect itself and won't allow the inverter to be overloaded for more than a fraction of a second. The inrush current from most electric motor powered devices (small A/C units, saws, etc) will trip them immediately.
That being said - the Sportsman produces FAR cleaner power! You can power sensitive electronic device without fear of damaging them. Not true of the StormCat! The "sine wave" output of the StormCat is HORRID. It is grossly distorted and the voltage and frequency is all over the place.
The final icing on the cake for the Sportsman generators is that you can easily parallel them with a "Y" combiner cable. You don't need the special gen1000i PL model either... The standard gen1000i is electrically identical. The parallel jacks on the front of the gen1000i PL model are just a gimmick. They are basically just another AC outlet in parallel with the main AC outlet. Two of the gen1000i models will automatically synchronize when started one at a time.
You CAN NOT parallel two StormCats. They are primitive AC generators with no ability to phase synchronize. If you try to connect two of them together you will instantly overload both of them and blow their breakers.
What about when storing it and the gas that's left in the primer bulb? Is it better to leave that gas In there? What's the bigger sin here? Pushing that old gas into the carb the next time I need to use it, or emptying the bulb, and possibly drying out the o ring in there?
In my experience the gas in the bulb will eventually dry up even if left full. I don’t empty mine and they (my generators) sit for up to 6 months at a time. Though I do use 100% pure gasoline (no ethanol) treated with seafoam.
I have heard of the fuel tank rattling & making excessive noise. Have also heard of a modification to fix the problem but can't find what the fix is. Do you know?
+Don Kramer I've never experienced that with mine. It is a plastic tank. The only thing I would think could cause it to rattle would be if it is loose or has a cable or line shaking into it.
Most if not all videos of the 1000i say put a little more than 7 ozs of oil ?
My manual for 1000i says 7.5 oz of oil
They revised it to the lower amount to reduce the chances of smoke
Great video!! Thank you for sharing with us!
I have a followup on my KevReviews channel that talks about how it’s held up
What was the device you used that was reading the load that had your fans and lights plugged into?
It’s called a Kill-a-watt. They even sell them at Harbor Freight now
A good informative video. I also liked that meter. Iam looking into getting this generator. Thumbs up on this video !
@Kevcentral is this generator still working for you? interested becausee this video just hit the 4 year mark!
Check out my KevReviews channel. I just posted a 4 year update
I would make this demo part a separate video clip or highlight.
Great video.
Would you recommend this generator if the primary use was for tailgating? Would be using it for a tv, radio, crockpots etc. Seems like this would be a great choice!
+Tyler Grindstaff absolutely!
I use mine only for tailgating. rain 1 42" tv and a second 55" tv using 100' cord off this for 6 hours and never had to add gas.
+justin collings 👍
Crockpots create heat, anything that creates heat requires plenty energy. Be sure to read the energy requirements on all your items you want to use and then see if they do not exceed 800 watts total. if you are close to 800 or over, get the next size up generator.
New units have stickers over the 10oz in the manual, now reads 7.5oz. Problems with smoking when using 10oz.
Thanks for the info
Mine developed a gas leak. Called to see if they knew what the problem couyld be and I pretty much got a tough scheit responce.
Help my sportsman generator won't start ... I bought it a little more than a year ago and have never been use.... I test run it when I bought it after that never been touch now I needed and it won't start... what should I do? Please help
Did it sit with gas in it?
My unit, purchased after looking at your videos arrived last Friday, I put on a hour meter and then filled it with oil and gas with no ethanol and it started and worked fine this weekend, tracking hours from the beginning. HOWEVER on several occasions the generator would surge and blow white-ish smoke for a while and then clear up. It has 4.7 hours total on it.. Did you experience anything like this? I've used it only to recharge a laptop in a camp site and test run a CPAP machine, never got over 300 Watts.
So far I'm impressed, but concerned with this 'surging' and white smoke output. I don't have a total of how many time it has done it but it's at least 8. Time to make a call on Monday I guess.
+thebanjoman1963 That i saw mine randomly blow white smoke one time. I attributed it to the sea foam I had added to a half empty tank. Hasn't happened since I reached the break-in period. 8 times I would not be happy with. I would agree that a call to support would be a good idea. I would also recommend adding a little SeaFoam to the gas to keep the carb clean and stabilize the gasoline when sitting. Good luck!
+thebanjoman1963 I will also add that at 300 watts load if I have the generator set to eco mode there tends to be slight surging. It goes away if I turn off eco-mode. I suspect that the load is right on the edge of the eco-mode output range and it's trying to bounce between eco and regular speeds.
Send me a private message, Banjo. I found the clip of the generator doing exactly what you described in all my footage. I want you to watch it and see if it's the same thing you experienced.
You were instructed to fill the sump to the brimming point. That makes the splash oiling system apt to overwhelm the piston's oil control ring IF the gen is tilted during the filling, or tilted later, or tilted after it is started. A massive belch of unburned oil (white smoke) may result minutes later.
II put oil in as I was INSTRUCTED thank you..... I know how to put oil in a generator and at the proper level. It was filled on LEVEL ground with the MEASURED amount of 10 oz and has NOT been overfilled. It's been run on FLAT LEVEL ground and it can't be started without some movement of oil in the sump. I don't swing this over my head trying to start it........
The smoking has been intermittent while running on it's own, untouched or moved while running so there IS cause for concern and a call to the support number. I have been trying for days to reach them but only reach a recording and due to job constraints I can't have them call me back during working hours so I have to reach them directly on my lunch hour. I will eventually get through to a real person.
Do you close the top gas piece after it is started????
The vent on the gas cap? On mine I have to move it to the open position and then slightly back to get it to pop up. It should be open when running the generator, and closed when the generator is off. I believe since this was filmed they (Sportsman) fixed the issue where it has to be rotated back to keep it open.
@@KevCentral thank you, i appreciate it.
HELLO! I AM GOING CAMPING FOR ONE NIGHT. IS THIS A GOOD CHOICE TO POWER MY ELECTRONICS?
It has an inverter that’s supposed to make it electronics safe, but note that it is a budget generator. It’s a matter of how much you trust it. I’ve charged a phone with it, but I haven’t used it for more sensitive electronics
How come the manual says this generator needs to be grounded?
All generators say that
@@KevCentral so I’m ok if I use a heavy duty extension cord and a gfci prime cord
Squirt some *oil in the spark plug hole* and pull the starter cord several times *without the spark plug installed* before the *first start-* just to set up the *boundary lubrication* within the engine.
That'll cause a pretty big smoke screen upon start up. 😁😂
@@chivosadventures8171 People don't do this- and wonder why their generator goes _kaput_ at 125 hours.
@@bobbowie5334
Haha yeah I know lol I was just saying that when you do that upon the first start up there will be quite a big smoke screen, that's what happened whenever I first started my generator.
That's not how you want to break-in cast rings. Better to pull the cord a few times with the ignition turned off to spash lube the cylinder from below, the way it's done while running, than to have oil burn in the cylinder and possibly coke the rings.
you never showed the watts does it run at 800watts? because a lot of people say it overheats at 280watts
I have a video where I hook a kill-a-watt meter to it and show it at various loads
@@KevCentral I searched for it I can't find it.
I have a small 1750 PSI Portland Electric Pressure Washer and I'm looking for a small generator that would be able to power it do you think that this sportsman would be a good option.
What’s the amp draw on the Portland?
Hey kev I just got one of those and we use mostly 220V. Will this affect the wattage. And can I use a step up transformer .
To use a step up transfer is useless you are cutting the wattage in half just buy a more capable generator
Would that power an electric leaf blower or electric chainsaw?????
+Richard Stets depends on the am output. If it doesn’t exceed 6.5-7amp peak then it will power it. We have an electric pole saw that it can power.
Thank you
Yes and yes
Is the inverter true sine wave or modified sine wave? Will it overheat/burn up electric motors?
Nice that it's a 4 stroke vs 2 stroke.
Mfg says all their generators are true sine wave inverters, but I’ve done no testing to verify that they are a true sine wave.
Actually - electric motors are far more tolerant of distorted AC input power. I use my blue 2-stroke HF 800 watt generators for powering electric motors (no electronics). They are are great for inrush loads from saws and other electric motor power tools.
The Sportsman gen1000i inverter won't handle electric motor inrush current very well, but it produces MUCH cleaner power that is actually superior to that which comes out of your residential AC wall outlet. The Sportsman gen1000i (all models) will automatically synchronize to another clean AC voltage in parallel with them on startup. That means you can parallel two of them with a simple parallel combiner cable.
@@kdanagger6894 Well...in a "conventional" (rotor/stator) generator the sine wave is still a sine wave...a modified sine wave from cheap inverters are hell on electric motors...was wanting to ensure the output was true sinewave...not choppy square wave that "looks" like a sine wave
Thanks for your reply!
Will it operate much more than 680 W shown? Mine seems to poop out at at a measured 756W, when it cannot start the compressor of a small refrigerator that another brand of '1,000 W' max surge load generator handled with ease. It is otherwise a fine unit and it runs lights and fans and it ran at the same time for three days, a 1/4 HP submersible pump to empty a 20,000 gallon swimming pool full of a fallen, gigantic ficus tree, just great. That was a 550 W steady load. By the way, I am writing this comment by this generator's power. Hurricane Irma took out our electricity over a week ago. I have over 100 hours on the unit already. Although this inverter gen seems to be a bit over-rated: mine apparently not capable of 1,000W surge or 800W output, it nonetheless handles the vitals of fans and lights, etc, just fine. I wish, however, it could handle SOLO the refrigerator. But it cannot.
+Reid Welch I've ran my Sportsman up to 891 watts and it worked perfectly. When I put a load above 900 it will protect itself and shut down - as it should. If I try to start my air compressor with it the protection shuts it down immediately. It's not uncommon for a large modern fridge to draw over 10 surge amps on compressor startup.
What brand is the other generator you mentioned? I've taken some of the cheaper HF generators and ran them well above their rated output. That's not a good thing as the protection circuit isn't working properly and overloads will eventually burn them out.
Test mit 800 Watt ohmscher Last bestanden. Sehr gut. Denn nicht überall, wo 1000 draufsteht, sind auch 1000 drin...
nice little generator, are you going to put a hour meter on this one?
+Josh Kilen Yep. I'm hoping i can get to that tomorrow.
Just purchased this and manual now says 7.5 oz of oil
Can it be converted to use propane?
I believe they already have a variant of this product (or one similar to it) that runs on propane.
I already have one and I am hoping I can use propane instead of gas but they do not make a conversion for mine.
James Richardson I've been using propane for several years now it's better than a Honda on gasoline. And don't get me wrong. I'm a big motor head four-stroke gasoline guru. But the only carburetor they make for an engine anymore is the basic Square bore Holly carburetor 350 motor. If u.s. carburetion does not make a propane kit you can make one yourself by going into the intake and using a small pencil torch to feed the propane into the intake that's all it takes. Now keep in mind if the engine stops the propane will keep filling up the engine. But the advantage the propane it's easier to start, no carburetion problems ever, it's more dependable long-lasting, the motor last two to three times than a gasoline engine and it's for a lazy person that never wants to maintenance their engine if they don't want to. because the spark plug or gasoline or inside of the motor never gets any carbon build-up whatsoever. My Sportsman 2200 watt hand portable generator I've never put gasoline in it since it was new. And oil in the spark plug always looks new when I maintenance it. I'm sure I can get by with never changing the oil or spark plug on propane but I want things to last forever. that's why I run propane. And propane the fuel never goes propane it's the best prepper fuel out there it's between 100 to 110 Octane and it always Burns. Gasoline , diesel, racing fuel, jet fuel, alcohol, nitromethane or any other liquid fuel goes bad gives problems and is dirty inside the engine even diesel. I have a diesel truck but it's still not as clean and simple as propane. And if you think propane won't make big Power think again. Back in the 90s a guy was running low eighths in the quarter of a mile on propane.
Does the gas have to be mixed?
No. This is a 4-stroke. No mixing required.
Is this generator is good for computer usage 300 - 350 watts?
It should power that without issue
Thank You for help.
What kind of meter are reading with?
It’s called a kill-o-watt meter
Mine says it should only have 7.5 oz. whats up with that?
They updated the instructions. I suspect too many people were having smoking issues caused by excessive oil with the old recommendation.
@@KevCentral Few thanks! great videos.
Nobody takes the Oil filter out and soaks it in oil orior to running... Says to do this in the instructions...
There is no oil filter in this model
У нас продают точно такие, только называются ПАТРИОТ. У наших генераторов корпус жёлтого цвета.
What is the price?
You didn't lubricate the cylinder walls. That's a dry start.
yep and low octane fuel
Low octane fuel is best for air cooled utility engines
"That's what she said" Michael Scott
I ordered mine. Got it put oil in ran it to brake it in. Changed the oil. Put it away for 2 months then I ran it and it broke. I took it back to home depo and no returns or exchanges. So I paid about 200 with taxes. And I did not really ever use it. Yup I got ripped of 200 down the drain.
You had to call sportsman customer service not Home Depot, It has 1 year warranty.
Make sure you run it completely dry every time you use it. NEVER store these with gas in them! I would like to know how many volts the generator is producing and if it's AC or DC and what type of inverter is in it. It's $200 at Home Depot, but from what I hear, it does really well on gas. It is claimed it can run 500 watts appliance for 10 hours on one gallon gas. That is pretty good from what I have seen.
I think it's 13 amps
Too much for this generator
Put the generator on the side, you won't spill the oil, 10 on.
Did you wear a shop apron, safety glasses and hard hat?
The site glass measuring device should not be used for anything accurate. The plastic bottle can be squeezed or bloated from sitting in a car trunk. Throwing the level of oil and scale off.
try slightly tipping gen away from you then fill.