ETQ TG32P12 4,000 Watt 7 HP 207cc 4-Cycle OHV Gas Powered Portable Generator
by Eastern Tools & Equipment
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Our Price: $399.99 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $367.99 (click here) Category: Lawn & Patio See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of ETQ TG32P12 4,000 Watt 7 HP 207cc 4-Cycle OHV Gas Powered Portable Generator
Customer Review: Good Value
Summary: 4 Stars
I acquired one of these a few weeks ago strictly for emergency usage, which will hopefully be rare, if ever used. I expect to power a well pump, furnace fan, lights, TV, fridge, microwave, etc. ... but not necessariy all simultaineously. The ETQ TG32P12 has adequate capacity for this use for my circumstances.
The generator was shipped via UPS and recieved within a few days. The shipping box showed some significant wear and tear but no major areas indicating shipping damage. After removing the unit from it's box, I noticed the generator end had two minor dents to the generator housing and the frame seemed slightly bent. These were both minor cosmetic issues not worth any followup. I am very satisfied with the unit's overall fit & finish.
Adding gas and oil, the unit started the first pull. It is very quiet! I powered two 1500 watt heaters via the 4 pin locking connector generator outlet (I had to buy a $20 cable to do this) for about 90 minutes. These loads are close to the unit's maximum rated output. The generator carried the load properly, reacts to load changes quickly and the output voltage was in the neighborhood of 110 volts (using an analog volt meter).
The motor-generator does 'buck' around some within the unit's frame when at this load. I was using it in my yard, so it did not wander around any. But it might if used on a hard surface.
When I switched the generator off, it continued to run! I checked the wiring around the switch and noticed a wire had pulled loose from a connector in the wiring harnass. The generator powered down after I plugged this wire back in.
I would have preferred an additional 120 VAC GFCI outlet instead of the 3 pin L5-30R outlet. This would provide GFCI protection for both of the generator's 120 VAC output circuits. A built-in volt meter would be useful. The provided wheels are a small diameter and very narrow ... fine for a hard surface, but somewhat problematic for grass or softer surfaces. I do have some concern for the observed "bucking" under load. I suspect this is typical for most generators, but we'll see what portions of the unit, its wiring harness, etc. shakes loose with usage.
I believe the TG32P12 represents a good value for a backup, emergency power role for many home situations. It has adequate power capacity for many items in a typical home. However, it does not have capacity to power things like an electic water heater, electric range, heat pump, central air conditioning, etc.
Customer Review: 2nd Times the Charm
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased my first TG4000 during the 6 days power outage in my area caused by Hurricane Ike's passing. A previous 1000W Generac refused to start and I was sure it wouldn't have done much good anyway. I wasn't home when the unit arrived and the carton appeared to have been retaped, but despite a few shipping dings looked to be in good shape. Keeping the first experience short...I think I'd been sent a customer return. I found the air filter cover broken and twisted out of place, the unit already filled with oil, and subsequent troubleshooting found the spark plug connector broken, and the fuel tank pushed in at the outlet, enough to have splintered the paint under the tank. Never did get the unit to start. Amazingly, Amazon took the unit back without argument.
I waited a bit more than a month before deciding that the unit specs and price were what decided me on the purchase the first time, so I order again. Less than 2 days to deliver and I had a much cleaner carton, insignificant shipping dings, a with a small price reduction. Still, I waited nervously for 3 weeks before opening the carton. After a thorough visual inspection, I declared the unit perfect, and proceeded to prepare for the first running. This unit was dry, so I filled the oil, added barely a liter of gas (unlike the over-eager filling that I gave the first unit), set the choke, and prepared to start the engine.
I really wasn't expecting to start the engine. I was squatting, off balance, and using my left arm (right handed), so I was merely attempting to move some oil around and ensure gas was in the carb. Oops...despite the efforts of a 10 year old girl (no slight intended), the engine fired, tentatively chugging, growing smoother and quieter with every second. It was such a satisfying feeling. I was almost giddy with delight. I had to run and get the wife for Show and Tell. I haven't had the need to use it yet, and in fact, due to my first experience I hadn't bothered to install the wheels and handle (in the event another unit was going back). Nonetheless, the unit is relatively quiet, smooth running, easy starting, and besides generally good looking. As I've seen in other posts, the fuel gauge may not be working. That was one thing that worked well on the first unit, but with this one it may be that I just haven't filled the unit to the point the float is activated. Aside from that, I'm prepared for a many years of satisfied, emergency backup power. I had my Generac for over 20 years, so I'm hoping for something similar.
Customer Review: Second time is (hopefully) a charm.
Summary: 3 Stars
I received my ETQ TG32P12 generator on August 17th. I took it out of the box (the sides of the generator are right up against the sides of the box) and immediately noticed one of the rubber motor mounts was torn. I figured no big deal so I put on the feet and then started on the wheels when I noticed that the metal leg that leads to the motor mount on the side with the control panel was broken into 2 parts. I stopped and went in and called Eastern Tools. I received a message (this was during posted service hours) that said " Hello. Thank you for calling. Goodbye." I thought I had called a wrong number so I called it again and heard the same message. I then e-mailed Eastern and described the broken parts and asked what I should do at this point. As of this writing I have still not heard from them. After the phone calls to Eastern, I called Amazon and got through to a rep who said he would get back to me within 24 hours about getting a new generator/refund. Well after 24 hours, I contacted Amazon again and they finally replied that they were shipping me a new generator and how to send the broken one back. I received the new generator today, August 20th. I put it together and ran it for about an hour and everything seemed fine. As noted in many other reviews, the oil is difficult to add and it does take slightly less than a quart before overflowing. It ran fine and I powered up a couple of small items with no problem. I had to take the old generator back to a UPS store (about an 8 mile trip) with the return label Amazon sent me but that went fine. I bought this generator after reading many of these reviews but I am now skeptical about it lasting very long after seeing it up close. I would like to thank all of you that have written reviews on this product and will update this when my power goes out and I have to use this generator for real.Customer Review: Good value
Summary: 5 Stars
The generator arrived promptly and in good condition. There was no shipping damage, not even a scratch. The wheel kit was easy to attach. Directions weren't really needed to do this. Only a little common sense is required and assembly was a snap. All wheel kit hardware was supplied and was of good quality. I encountered none of the problems other reviewers have mentioned. After assembly, the next step is to add oil. The position of the oil hole is a little awkward, as others have noted. You either have to tilt the unit, or use a funnel with a hose. I would recommend a funnel which can be very cheaply obtained at WalMart or any auto supply store. I have a pressure washer with a Honda engine and the oil hole is located in a similarly difficult spot, so this isn't unusual. The engine held slightly less than a quart of oil. Next add gas. Easy. The pull cord is also in a somewhat difficult spot, but I had no problem pulling it. Choke the engine, and pull. Mine started on the FIRST PULL! Eased off the choke and it ran great. Noisy, yes, but no more so than other units I've seen. I tried several power tools on the generator, a drill, pad sander, and big belt sander. None caused the engine to "bog" down even slightly. One hint, the safety on/off buttons located on the plugs were all in the "off" position. This took me a minute to figure out but they are easy to reset by simply pushing them in. I let the unit run for about 30 minutes. It is a good idea to flush the gas from the carb. The easiest way to do this is to cut off the gas and let the engine run dry. Overall I have been very impressed with this generator. Operation is simple. There were no noted quality problems, such as loose connections. I believe this is an excellent generator for the price, comperable with "name" brand units costing twice as much.Customer Review: Good value with some reservations
Summary: 4 Stars
Received this generator in good condition 3 days after ordering! Some assembly required, which created my first concern- the nuts & bolts supplied had very poor threads- I had to screw them together with two wrenches to loosen them up enough to use. Not a good first impression. On my unit, the 240v outlet is installed at an angle with only part of it coming through the mounting hole. Either the outlet was a little too big or the hole in the mounting plate too small, but the fact that they shipped it without correcting this is troubling. The practical result is the insulating cover that should protect the back of the 240v and the 2 120v outlets does not fit properly and bare terminals are exposed behind the panel. Finally, on my unit, starting was hard initially. Upon inspection, I found the plug wire was loose. Snapped it on and it started easily.
This unit is fairly loud, but I started my 6.5 hp Craftsman lawnmower next to it for comparison and the mower was noticeably louder. I do recommend getting a funnel with a flexible neck for filling with oil.
It seems capable as rated; I connected a 1500 watt heater to the right hand 120v outlet and the voltage dropped only 1 volt. On the left, however, it sustained the load, but the voltage dropped to 114v. From studying the schematic, it appears on this generator that the load is voltage compensated on the right outlet only, which is connected to one of the two field coils on the alternator. The left outlet is not regulated, so you want to try and balance your load between the two outlets as much as possible, and connect any sensitive devices to the righthand one.
All in all, I'm satisfied with this generator for my purpose, which is emergency power for my refrigerator, gas fireplace fan and some lights.