Generac query

[JoeK]

I am in process of obtaining and older(1970s?) Generac generator and supposedly Car Starter Unit.Specs as follow:
Model 6104-0
Ser 0258197
VAC 115/230
Amps 26/13(115/230??)
Watts 3000
Phase 1
Cycles 60
RPM 3600
There are spots on patent plate for DCV and Amps,but they're blank.Would like to know DC output.

Eng Tec H-80-155707
Ser 12580
This plant was bought new by local garage and spent yrs under tarp in back of 1/2 cab Surplus Jeep CJ service vehicle.When station closed Jeep was auctioned off and buyer did not need generator so it sat for 3-4 yrs in a shed,until current owner purchased it for his hunting camp,where it was used to provide power only for tools used to remodel cabin.It has now set in a dry shed for appx 6yrs and came to me for carb cleaning/tuneup.Engine now starts right up,runs well,spins gennie(direct coupled) with no noise/smoke,sparks,mouse bits etc.Only real downside I see so far is bad case of surface rust on the tin and that 25ft DC leads are badly deteriorated and peeling.Still need to "load the gennie on AC&DC somehow to check it out.
Seller wants $150 less my bill. Is the ole girl worth it? I don't really "need it" but it would be handy being portable. Thanx

[Gunny]

Generac was not known for making good quality reliable generators until very recently. Genner Junk was a label they will be stuck with for a while.

Sounds like you got one of the few good ones that slipped out the door.

Load it up on AC with a toaster oven, heat lamps, what ever draws a good amp load, don't overload it.

If it had a 240V plug on it, increases the value of it.

$150 plus your bill. Depends on your bill but I think its probably worth $175 to $200 at the most. Might not be able to find parts for one that old anymore.

DC output. Probably pretty low, maybe 10 amps for battery charging. I wouldn't bother using that feature, if you are going to charge batteries with it, get a good charger and plug it in.

[armandh]

on the other hand you can get some idea of the battery charging output by looking at the size of the cables . if it is like welder cable it might have a high peak output [not continuous]

[JoeK]

Cables are quite heavy,braided copper"siamese" appx 3/8" core.Primary use of unit orginally was jump starting cars.
I was told that it was a"booster",not a "charger",but thats passed down 3rd/4th hand story. In that vein,over the years I've seen basically 3 kinds of units here in the Northland.
Dedicated DC,often,12/24/48,high amperage gennies,more like a welder.
Battery bank backed,gennie replenished DC units.
Units similar to this Generac AC/DC,used as a "fast charger"

Just kinda find it odd that with all other data clearly stamped on plate,that DC info is not present.I'm thinking toward idea that this unit may have been the "battery backed" booster in it's youth.

[Fred M.]

JoeK-

I'm thinking your generator may be older than the 70s. Model 6104-0 does not appear in my Clymer books. They skip over all of the 6000 series numbers. It also doesn't appear in the owner's manual look-up at the Generac web site,
http://www.generac-portables.com/ser...er_manuals.cfm.

Perhaps you could get more information about it if you clicked on the Generac "Contact Us" button. Although Briggs & Stratton now owns their Portable division, someone there might have access to historical data.

Fred

[JoeK]

New Info obtained today.Got the original Manual,sales slip and Warranty Card stub in my hand, Unit is a Generac G-8 Startanator Model 6104-0 purchased new in Jan,1977. The 3000 Watt label affixed apparently refers to the 12VDC output,not overall.ACV is 4000W off the 230 socket or 2000W at either or both of 115 sockets.If DC is 3000W as manual states,I believe that translates to 250A. No wonder it has the big fat DC leads.It is also switchable to low amp"trickle" to begin process of charging "flat battery at idle.This leads me to think this may be more of an alternator than a generator.Owner is now wafflin a bit on sale.Made him fair offer and he has til Fri to decide