Harbor Freight Generator head 10kw

[larryccf]

i've been looking for a 4 pole gen head as well, hoping for one US made - agree with the comments about the chinese gen head bearings and windings

did find these italian made generator heads (Mecc Alte) and went to their web - they do have 4 pole gen heads, and there's a seller on ebay offering a lot of their 2 pole generator heads)

they've got a US distributor in IL, but no website - just phone contact - only website is the factory's italian web

one tip on northern hydraulic gen heads - it's crazy but their gen heads are cheaper when bought ordering them as a replacement part for one of their generators - i've got a 13Kw trifuel gen - and had a generator interlock kit on the panel box (keeps the generator breaker from being turned on unless the main breaker is turned off first) - anyway, had an electrician do some work on the panel box, adding a couple circuits, and the idiot moved the gen breaker to a new position - had a power outage, ran the generator (i had turned off main bkr) and when power came back on the generator started stumbling and running like it was either dragging a helluva load or fire at the plug was strangely intermittent - finally discovered it was being backfed from the panel box while it was trying to send current to the panel. Turned out, after full testing, my gen head is fine - i've got over 577 hours on that generator, between outages and monthly maintenance running.

when i called northern tech assist, was surprised the entire gen head was $599

you can actually build the gen i have, with all items supplied by northern for just over $2k not counting the tube frame. That includes the 10 gal tank with fuel guage & shut off. They retail it at $2900 last time i looked, $3400 for trifuel version

back to point - i'd love to see a quality 5-6K 4 pole gen, either US or Japanese mfgr'd, especially one there are good reports of durability, not just reports that they look good

 

[schmism]

got to love old thread revival!

Today you cant beat a ST gen head for durability/cost despite origin of manufacture.

 

[BearKiller]

Today you cant beat a ST gen head for durability/cost despite origin of manufacture.

"ST" meaning ?? (I just read this entire thread two nights ago)







I bought the HF generator head four years ago, on sale at $179.99, and with 20%-off coupon = $143.99

I built a cart with wheels and ordered a pulley for the shaft.

Although it calls for a 20-HP, I borrowed the 13-HP Honda from my Norwood sawmill for power.

Once it was together, I fired it up and sawed a few thick planks with a circular "skill-saw" (regardless of name on the handle, around here they all have always been skill-saws).

Then I pushed it into a corner of the shop and it has since gotten buried under a ton of other stuff; I am certain I can dig it out the next time an emergency arises.

Hardly a week passes that our power doesn't go off for several hours, usually when it is pouring the rain outside so we just sit inside in the dark, but it doesn't stay off long enough to drag out the generator.

Last winter, the devastating ice-storm missed us by half-a-county's width.


Since my acquisition of the two-cylinder diesel tractor, complete with lo- and hi-speed PTO, I am going to pick up an old junker bush-hog and mount the generator on that, maybe even build a little "house" over the completed product.

Everything we own/drive is Cummins diesel powered, so by utilizing the tractor for the generator, I will usually have an abundance of fuel at hand; not so with the gasoline, as the sawmill, weed-eater, chain-saw, and lawn-mower are the only gas-burners around here.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Quote from an ebay listing. I see units from 3 - 50 kw listed.

"The ST series single-phase A.C synchronous generators are of the dripproof salient 4 pole rotating field, self-excitation, and constant voltage. The insulation rating is class B. These generators are very heavy and rugged in construction and are easy to maintain and are built to IEC standards. The generator can be coupled directly to diesel or gasoline engines or by v-belts to maintain the generator at 1800 RPM at 60 Hz, in either clockwise or counterclockwise direction. It can also be connected to a PTO of a tractor, truck, or boat. These units are used for heavy duty backup power and primary power for small towns, villages, ships, and mining operations, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week."

 

[schmism]

"ST" meaning ?? (I just read this entire thread two nights ago)

just google st generator. Dont know why they are called ST but thats what everyone calls them.

 

[larryccf]

got to love old thread revival!

Today you cant beat a ST gen head for durability/cost despite origin of manufacture.

just don't have enough confidence in chinese mfgring yet - the chinese have the same capability in terms of quality mfgring as anyone else, but frugality is still too engrained in them - they'll build something the cheapest way possible when they can get away with it.

but they can build what ever you need to whatever specifications are detailed - but then the problem remains, who's quality controling what they're shipping - i'm in mfgring - i don't give an unknown ebay vendor a lot of credit for experience in quality controlling product he receives to ensure it's up to specs

and even when the experienced mfgrs source in china, they sometimes get the shaft. Last year, before coleman went bankrupt, they brought in a bunch of generator heads that were pure junk. Costco was selling a coleman powermax or blackmax (forget which), 8500W surge, 11hp honda eng, electric start with battery, huge gas tank, wheel kit - all the bells and whistles, for $950 - helluva deal. I almost bought one - did a google and found about 5 threads where folks were complaining about their gen heads throwing the windings between 5 and 12 hours of operation -

pramac took over or bought coleman's operations from the bankruptcy trustee, and are still using the same generator heads - they told customers with the defective generators that they could sell them the heads and/or any of the parts

Northern Star, i'm sure uses chinese gen heads, but i trust them to qc what they get prety rigidly - unfortunately, they don't have a 4 pole 1800 rpm gen head

i want one i know i'll get good life out of - i've got an in-law with medical equip we need to keep running, and i'm in an area that suffers a lot of outages - in 10 years, my 13KW gen has 577 hours on it - one outage after a hurricane was 9.5 days, two were 2+ days, the rest 1 day or less, 2 hours to 11 hours

but i just don't, no, make that, can't worry about my gen self destructing and i'd rather just build it one time

like one poster earlier said, you don't see consistently good quality - one chinese gen head might be great, next one just as easily be junk

i found someone selling Marelli (italian gen heads), 1800rpm, 2 bearing, 6KW,
but pricing was $2200 - not exactly what i was looking to spend

 

[4440]

I have a 20 or 22 kw Marelli power head. It is brand new never used. If you are interested please contact me though the message boards here. It is a two bearing (timken) meant to run 24/7 365 for 30 plus years. It is one of the same outfits Carnival Cruise line uses. It is capable of producing 3 phase 480 / 240, single phase 220 / 120, or 3 phase 208 and 110 and the same time.

 

[larryccf]

I have a 20 or 22 kw Marelli power head. It is brand new never used. If you are interested please contact me though the message boards here. It is a two bearing (timken) meant to run 24/7 365 for 30 plus years. It is one of the same outfits Carnival Cruise line uses. It is capable of producing 3 phase 480 / 240, single phase 220 / 120, or 3 phase 208 and 110 and the same time.

nice gen head but 3 times the output i want or need - i've got a little 2 cyl 13 hp honda engine that i'm rebuilding for this gen project

 

[benfromtexas]

I have a perkins fired 20 kw 3ph....20 kw, don't want the 3ph, so how much for your gen head? ..................ben

 

[4440]

I purchased the powerhead from Marelli right after the ice storm hit us earlier this year. I had the intentions of assembling a generator package unit that I could run my stick welder or MIG in the fields if need be or even power the house, barn, or shop.
Since then I have purchased a skid mounted Katolight ag generator and no longer have the need for the Marelli.