As a test the elderly recipient of this generator feebly pulled the cord to start the motor. At first it looked pointless as the effort failed to build up any momentum. The motor turned about one and a half strokes, but incredibly, the motor fired up on the second tug. The electric start worked fine, but if the battery happens to lose too much charge, starting the motor by hand proves easy enough. It’s also possible to jump start it just like a car.

Delivery requires coördinating with a shipping company that only hands over the product to a warm body. For the customer accustomed to finding items dropped off at the stoop, that sucks. It also conflicts with having the item sent to a site other than home. The driver had no qualms, though, about loading the generator onto the back of a pick-up which was nice. Still, instead of waiting for a delivery which I had to transfer to another location,I could have just as easily bought a generator at the hardware store. Amazon used to conveniently leave items for me where ever I needed them delivered (Kansas, Michigan, Virginia). Now, I have to take time off from work to meet a trucker and complete the delivery myself. Gifts don’t arrive as a welcome surprise anymore because the recipients have to go through the same rigamarole.

It has ample 120 volt receptacles to plug portable GFCI’s into for running heavy duty extension cords through the house. This’ll provide some immediate comfort while the electrician installs a transfer switch, a 30 amp inlet and sub-panel. He or she will also piece together a 10-4 SO extension cord to connect between the generator’s 220 volt outlet and the sub-panel’s inlet.

Don’t scrimp on the budget for the set up with the transfer switch. It makes plugging in a generator convenient and safe. You can hook up the generator yourself any time you want to later.

–tick-tock–October 2008, it still runs. It has only a few hours running time, though. A generator mechanic pointed out that these cheap products have short lives without regular attention, so change that oil! $700 genny, good deal, would buy from same again.