I am still looking for a small *quiet* generator. I received advice from this group telling me to stay away from the 'Sip' generator brand. Do any of you have any experience of the 'Kipor' brand? Are they any good, are the suitcase generators quiet? Can you get service for them in the UK (West Scotland). Here is the type that I am referring to:
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and do you think that this model would be enough to run some small power tools and a light? (Tools like corded drill, jigsaw, energy saving light)
Power tools, even modest ones, often have a very high switch on surge and I've found generators need to have several times the power rating of the tool to work reliably. If they don't they trip out each time the tool starts.
> Oh and do you think that this model would be enough to run some small
I have one of the yellow inverter Kipor 1kw suitcase generators and a colleague has the 2kw version, both of which have seen lots of use over the summer.
They have been very reliable, quiet (compared to my open frame Honda VERY quiet!) and deliver clean stable power that computers seem happy to run from.
I've also used my 1kw one for drills and grinders and it seems happy to power them, with the "smart throttle" increasing the engine speed as required.
I've discovered it doesn't like a 1kw load (2x 500w floodlights) being switched on soon after startup (when engine is cold) as this stalls it! Once it's warmed up it is fine with this, even going from zero load to max. I've run the same test on the 2kw gen, applying a 2kw load from zero, and also, once warmed up it's happy to do it.
These floodlights have a noticable flicker when running on the Honda, but are flicker free running from the Kipors.
Oil changes are due after the first 10 hours use and then every 100 hours. Neither appear to have used any between changes.
>>> Oh and do you think that this model would be enough to run some small
Thanks for your helpful response Alan, much appreciated. Can you tell me if yours is the KGE1000Ti / 1 KVA Kipor generator? Do you know if there is any real world difference between the red and yellow models (yellow being the inverter) as the red ones seem to be quite a bit cheaper. I dont intend to run any computer equipment from it.
There is a difference and I've seen the difference described on a web site somewhere... This isn't the site I orginally found, ISTR that was a direct manufacturers site not a reseller, but will do:
I doubt it's quiet, but if anyone wants any of the Aldi long running time generators there are several in Stirling Aldi, in boxes sufficiently bashed to suggest they've done the rounds of several stores.
Dave has answered that already, but I'd say if budget allows go for the yellow ones as it's more future-proof for stuff you may want to power at a later date.
I don't know if you'd get the issue of lights flickering on the red ones - has anyone else got one to advise?
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