[JSMC]

well what ye all got?

[JSMC]

bump

[trevor povey]

without going in the garage and looking i think mine is a 6.5kva.. be very aware though this thing is heavy and no way can one man lift it!!

[Perfect Windows]

I'm only just moving into guttervac, so I'm commenting here at a very early stage and based on the research I did before buying.

I've bought a Pramac S5000, 5kVA.  Honda engine. Mine was off fleabay from a guy who had realised as he fitted out his catering van that it wasn't powerful enough for his what he needed to run from it.  There are some bargains on there, but I also suspect some utter lemons, so tread carefully.

There are cheap generators out there.  They are cheap for a reason. The research I did suggests that the Chinese ones seem to last for a short time then fail, so I suspect you'll buy cheap and buy twice.  I chose to go the second hand route because the seller seemed utterly genuine (and was!).

This is the one I was looking at before I fleabayed: http://www.justgenerators.co.uk/pages/HondaEC6000.htm which should be up to the job.

You're not going to want to drag it in and out of the van, so a long heavy duty extension lead is a good purchase.  If you're going for a 110v vac, you'll need 4mm cable (which is damned heavy!) and you'll need to make up your own, as you don't appear to be able to buy them longer than 14m made up.  I've been making mine this weekend - I've made two 25m extensions.  240v is a lot more forgiving on cable as the current is lower.

If you're leaving it in the van, either you'll be leaving the back open or having a hole punched so you can route the exhaust out of it.

Hope that helps.

Vin

[JSMC]

i hear what yer saying about only buying honda powered ones. that's also like saying don't buy a skoda. There ar eother companie sout ther ewho do good engines. loncin seem to get good reviews and i am thinking of going for one of those

[Perfect Windows]

To clarify, I didn't say buy a Honda.  What I was trying to get across is that the cheapest ones appear not to be up to the job. 

Vin

[simon w]

I'm only just moving into guttervac, so I'm commenting here at a very early stage and based on the research I did before buying.

I've bought a Pramac S5000, 5kVA.  Honda engine. Mine was off fleabay from a guy who had realised as he fitted out his catering van that it wasn't powerful enough for his what he needed to run from it.  There are some bargains on there, but I also suspect some utter lemons, so tread carefully.

There are cheap generators out there.  They are cheap for a reason. The research I did suggests that the Chinese ones seem to last for a short time then fail, so I suspect you'll buy cheap and buy twice.  I chose to go the second hand route because the seller seemed utterly genuine (and was!).

This is the one I was looking at before I fleabayed: http://www.justgenerators.co.uk/pages/HondaEC6000.htm which should be up to the job.

You're not going to want to drag it in and out of the van, so a long heavy duty extension lead is a good purchase.  If you're going for a 110v vac, you'll need 4mm cable (which is damned heavy!) and you'll need to make up your own, as you don't appear to be able to buy them longer than 14m made up.  I've been making mine this weekend - I've made two 25m extensions.  240v is a lot more forgiving on cable as the current is lower.

If you're leaving it in the van, either you'll be leaving the back open or having a hole punched so you can route the exhaust out of it.

Hope that helps.

Vin

Just been looking for 110v extention leads for my gutter vac and come across these  www.toolspot.co.uk/.../50m-110v-extension-reel-tw-outlet-connexion
 50M 110v leads and there on a reel as well, so will be ordering one to use with my machine and transformer

[Chris Cottrell]

http://www.toolspot.co.uk/product/50m-110v-extension-reel-tw-outlet-connexion

[Perfect Windows]

That reel's 16 amps (though there's little detail in the description).  If your vac is 3,000W, then it'll be drawing 27amps, so you'll be overloading it.

You need a 32A extension, the longest of which (that I've seen) looks to be 14m.

Vin

[simon w]

That reel's 16 amps (though there's little detail in the description).  If your vac is 3,000W, then it'll be drawing 27amps, so you'll be overloading it.

You need a 32A extension, the longest of which (that I've seen) looks to be 14m.

Vin

Vin.

How can you be sure it's 16 amps? if I get 32 amp extention's can I join three leads togeather? I suppose it's cheaper to buy 50M of 32A extention cable and put your own 110v plugs on them?

[Perfect Windows]

Vin.

How can you be sure it's 16 amps? if I get 32 amp extention's can I join three leads togeather? I suppose it's cheaper to buy 50M of 32A extention cable and put your own 110v plugs on them?

The size of the connector looks like a 16A one.  The fact that they can fit two into the hub of an extension reel also suggests that, plus the price is about right for a 16A 50M cable.

I bought cable and connectors last week.  100M of 4mm cable, two male 32A connectors and two female came in at £150 inc VAT, so it's not cheap.  From that I've made two 25M extensions.  However, I know they can handle the power, so I'm content.  Also, I expect them to last five or more years, so it's one side of one clean every year to have the right cable.  For me, that's worth the trouble.  Plenty of people won't bother and they will almost certainly get away with it...

If you're going to do it be aware; 4mm cable is VERY heavy.

110v really can be a pain in the backside.

Vin

[JSMC]

Electric start
Silent ( 76db@7m )
5.5kva 5.5kw
230v/110v Generator with automatic voltage regulation
25 litre fuel tank for up to 10 hours use
1x 230v 32 amp and 2x110v 16amp Industrial sockets
12volt 8.3amp DC outlet.
Mains power is protected by a circuit breaker and also fitted with a volt meter

i'm guessing i'm limited to what type of 110v vac i can use?