ETQ IN1800i generator any good?

[Devlin]

I'm just wondering if anyone has used this at the track for their tire warmers, and what you thought of it.

At $497.77 the price is right. Any issues? How's the loudness compared to others around you who use Honda/KIPOR/whatever?

http://www.easterntools.com/spec_pdf/1800i_back.pdf ...and sold throught Wal-Mart.

[CBRJOHN]

By the specs it look almost as quiet than the 2000W Honda,, Which is very quiet. And it's 1/3 the price of the Honda.. Looks pretty good on paper..

I'd be very interested in a review of these as well. I have a 4000W Commercial Genny but it is pretty loud

[john bickle]

If you are usuing it for tire warmers you are right on the border for output wattage with Chicken Hawks. If you were running our warmers you have lots of room. You need to check the start up spec on other warmers.
It looks like it will run all the warmers but start up is what draws the most wattage.
I find with these types of generators as opposed to Honda/Yamaha. They tend to over rate what the generator is capable of. Where as Honda/Yamaha tend to under rate.
For referance. Chicken Hawks take just over 1500 watts, Bickle Warmers take just over 900, that's for 180/190 rears.

I'd be interested if you got one or if someone does to see what it can run.
John

[mobius]

I got myself one of those a few months ago, but wont be using it till this season starts. I have a set of T2 warmers wich are rated at 1000w. so even if the generator is over rated, I'm sure it'll hadle 1 set of warmers with ease. the construction of it is fairly decent, and for $500 at the local walmart, I couldent pass it up.

[Devlin]

I got a lemon and decided to return it on the same day (today).

The float in the floatbowl seemed to be stuck as it flooded on a Biblical scale, drained about a liter of gas on my garage floor (through one of the two clear tubes that comes out the bottom) and turned the new 10W30 into the thinest soup you've ever seen. After I drained the fuilds to return it to WalMart, the thing would'nt even turn over with the pull cord as the insides had been so well scrubbed by all the gas in the crankcase - unreal! ...never seen anything like it in my 40 years with small gas motors.

If you get one. Make sue it works well before your 90 days are up!

BTW, my CH warmers draw ~1150 (at full tilt of 215F, which I never use) and ramp up to that slowly so that they don't "shock the tire" (as per my manual) so I don't believe startup watts apply in this case as they do in most things like motor.

[Brian P]

Hmmmm ...

This supports the contention that if Wal-mart sells it, it's junk from you know where ...

[Seoul Man]

I bought an ETQ TG4000 from Walmart last year on clearance for $300. Didn't work right out of the box. I contacted the company and they referred me to a local small engine repair shop who fixed it under warranty. I was fairly satisified with the customer service, but obviously the fact that the thing didn't work to begin with is a bad sign. I haven't even tested it yet to see if it works since I didn't get it back until after the season was over. The problem ended up being a bad circuit board or something. It ran fine, but it wasn't putting out any power. I guess its another case of you get what you pay for. But $300 for a 4000 watt genny? It was hard to resist!

[Devlin]

I bought an ETQ TG4000 from Walmart last year on clearance for $300. Didn't work right out of the box. I contacted the company and they referred me to a local small engine repair shop who fixed it under warranty. I was fairly satisified with the customer service, but obviously the fact that the thing didn't work to begin with is a bad sign. I haven't even tested it yet to see if it works since I didn't get it back until after the season was over. The problem ended up being a bad circuit board or something. It ran fine, but it wasn't putting out any power. I guess its another case of you get what you pay for. But $300 for a 4000 watt genny? It was hard to resist!

hm, it sound like its gonna be a loud one. please pit far away. gotta go inverter type or be hated at the track - LOL

[CBRJOHN]

hm, it sound like its gonna be a loud one. please pit far away. gotta go inverter type or be hated at the track - LOL

lol, I loved the guy at the GoLo weekend last year with the big trailer that pulled in late Saturday and ran his hugely loud generator all night long.. I was going to have a word with him but he had left,,,, Turns out he wasnt even at the track day, just using Shanny for a free night camping..

Ohh And it you're looking at a Honda,, They're 30%-$40% less in the US.. Camping World usually has Great Prices

[mobius]

mine ran in tha garage for an hour without any problems. it doesnt have a float, it's a pump, to give it a few pumps when starting it and then open the valve for free flowing air once it's running. if you over pump it, it will spill gas.

[KawiZuki]

This is kinda sad...everyone burning up resources and polluting the air just to have warm tires...we are already burning gas and rubber in the name of fun, it would be nice if we as a community could do our little part to reduce.

John, is there a better way. Solar panel hooked up to "old car batteries".
It just seems like a giant waste for non race purposes.

I do get the purpose it's the method I wish we could improve upon

[Brian P]

KawiZuki, to generate 1 kW would require 10 square metres of solar panels, and then they wouldn't work when you need them most (when it isn't sunny).

But ... You know what? After all these years, I don't own a set of tire warmers (nor a generator). If it's sunny, I park the bike so that the sun shines on the tires. It has never been an issue. Perhaps it means taking it a *wee* bit easier on the warm up lap ... but the purpose of the warm up lap is to warm everything up. But, I am not in competition with Jordan Szoke for a national title (far from it).

For track days ... Just take it a little easy on the first and second lap. Actually, the pace that most people run on track days, does not even warrant that. The pace that 80+% of people go on track days, could be done using the most hardened hockey-puck tires inflated to 45 psi ... as long as they are REEEEEEAAAALLL smooth riders, and therein lies the problem in most cases.

I have heard it claimed that using tire warmers extends tire life by reducing the number of heat cycles. This usually comes from the same people who are using one or more sets of tires every weekend anyway ...

I started racing at a time when nobody, but NOBODY, had tire warmers. It's still like that if you go to the vintage races.

[murf]

+1 just go 90% the first lap and warm em up. even if I had warmers I would take the first lap easy to warm up the brain and body. There seems to be alot of guys that have done a couple of track days one season and they think they need tire warmers and race tires next season, only to find out their lap times are20 seconds slower than a quick guy in the fast group........there is no need for that, just use some good tires like Pilot Powers, or if you must, a hybrid track/street tire like a Pilot 2CT or Bridgestone BT002 RS. Not too mention they won't be going fast enough to keep the race tire warm and will most likely end up losing grip over the course of the session, which is potentially dangerous.

KawiZuki, to generate 1 kW would require 10 square metres of solar panels, and then they wouldn't work when you need them most (when it isn't sunny).

But ... You know what? After all these years, I don't own a set of tire warmers (nor a generator). If it's sunny, I park the bike so that the sun shines on the tires. It has never been an issue. Perhaps it means taking it a *wee* bit easier on the warm up lap ... but the purpose of the warm up lap is to warm everything up. But, I am not in competition with Jordan Szoke for a national title (far from it).

For track days ... Just take it a little easy on the first and second lap. Actually, the pace that most people run on track days, does not even warrant that. The pace that 80+% of people go on track days, could be done using the most hardened hockey-puck tires inflated to 45 psi ... as long as they are REEEEEEAAAALLL smooth riders, and therein lies the problem in most cases.

I have heard it claimed that using tire warmers extends tire life by reducing the number of heat cycles. This usually comes from the same people who are using one or more sets of tires every weekend anyway ...

I started racing at a time when nobody, but NOBODY, had tire warmers. It's still like that if you go to the vintage races.

[john bickle]

You can't heat soak the tire carcuss in two laps. You can generate superficial heat. But then that is where your problem lies. So you generate superficial heat but the inner carcass is cold and you get seperation,,, cold tearing ,,regardless of you ability.
The first two laps are not the problem,, the second third is where all you damage to the tire occurrs.

We looked into making a warmer that would run off a battery. BUt you still have to charge the battery.

I think the better generators like Yamaha and Honda are more eco friendly.
I have a Kipor 1000 that is nothing but a night mare. Leaks fuel, fouls plugs, you can't fill the oil without spilling it or getting surgery tubing. My Yamaha is awsome!

[Kit]

Reduce your carbon footprint in the rest of your life (e.g. the 99% of your life your not at the race track) and your doing your part IMO

[Devlin]

We are getting a bit off topic from my OP, but for what it's worth, I for one am a sceptic about man made climate change (and I don't work for the oil companies).

Trouble is, there is a terrible imbalance in the debate right now. Check this out:

http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=-1326937617167558947&ei=_PR5SaaTLqDM-gGP3eS2BQ&q=climate+change+hoax&hl=en

...and there are many more.

[franz131]

This is kinda sad...everyone burning up resources and polluting the air just to have warm tires...we are already burning gas and rubber in the name of fun, it would be nice if we as a community could do our little part to reduce.

Penny wise and pound foolish.

You worry about a tiny motor sipping 1 liter of gas per hour, not the 1 litre trackbike burning leaded race gas at 2 litres per lap? We burn gas for recreation, there's no sugar-coating it.

[Y2KR1]

Get a Honda. I got a EU2000i last year and it is great. I plan to keep mine for ever. My uncle has a 1000 Honda from the 80's from his sail boat and the thing still runs like a top

I got mine new in the box from eBay out of Ohio for 899 delivered to Michigan when the dollar was +CDN to USD

[caboose483]

Penny wise and pound foolish.

You worry about a tiny motor sipping 1 liter of gas per hour, not the 1 litre trackbike burning leaded race gas at 2 litres per lap? We burn gas for recreation, there's no sugar-coating it.

That's a good point!

I can get about 90km to a full tank out of my Ten during a track day. I always start the day with a full tank, I'm never up to a decent pace until my 3rd or 4th session anyhow so the extra weight doesn't really bother me. Just less fill ups during the day.

[caboose483]

This is kinda sad...everyone burning up resources and polluting the air just to have warm tires...we are already burning gas and rubber in the name of fun, it would be nice if we as a community could do our little part to reduce.

John, is there a better way. Solar panel hooked up to "old car batteries".
It just seems like a giant waste for non race purposes.

I do get the purpose it's the method I wish we could improve upon

I'm never going to have kids so i figure that my carbon footprint ends with me. The easiest way to fix pollution is to have fewer people. I am doing my part! ahahaha