Returns next week....

Last week, while talking to him, an Assistant Manager at Lowes in Tarboro stated "I bet we sold over 500 generators" in anticipation of the hurricane. Lowes associates told everyone buying generators that, unless it was unopened, absolutely no returns. Now this is just Tarboro. I can imagine bigger cities sold more. Like you said, people always put them up for sale a few weeks after a storm." May be a lot coming up for sale in the coming weeks.
I used to work at Lowe’s part time. Guy brought in a couple year old grill that was rusted all to hell and he claimed it wouldn’t light. Manager caved and replaced it. Pissed me off
 
Like most of you guys I try to stay prepared with food, propane, batteries, etc. etc. As far as the Genset goes, I bought this Ryobi in June of 17 (don't remember what storm was coming) and just opened the box this past week. It's only 1800/2300 which is all I need but I've now discovered the "Generlink" transfer switch so I may be in the market for a larger unit in the near future and if I score one I'll be putting the Ryobi Inverter unit up for sale. But I need to make sure the new unit gives me power as pure as the Ryobi so I can run electronics safely.

Let's not forget to say a short prayer for folks closer to the coast that didn't fare as well as we did.......
 
If you got the time get your hustle on and park at the door for the returns. Offer pennies on the dollar cause you know they are not taking them back. Have a gas can ready to test if the are ok. There may be a couple of deals to be made.

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nothing. But I am using this coupon in the next 2 weeks
b362f3c08af0a6271fab514f131f6ed2.jpg
I have the 9000, they run chonda engine and it runs amazingly
 
Didnt buy anything really 'extra'
I picked up a few extra canned goods - but I'll eat those
Topped off my gas tank when I could - I'll use that

I posted before about HD having lots of generators in stock - each had a sign that said any used would not be returned
 
Bought a 12,000 watt generator and a 455 Rancher saw. Needed both. Not gonna return either. My old generator shit the bed, so a new one was in order anyways. The saw? A feller always needs a good saw or 2 on hand.
 
No returns, but I would like to get some branches trimmed.
 
Don’t plan on returning anything. Got some AA batteries, an extra light that is now doing duty as the bathroom closet light, and an extra cell phone battery bank. My wife got scared enough to want a generator, so now we are buying my sister and BIL’s generator that they were going to return. Now I just need to get it to where I can plug it into the breaker box.
 
Those of you mentioning propane generators might want to check the energy efficiency of propane vs natural gas vs gasoline before you make a hard choice.
They all have their advantages and disadvantages.
Natural gas doesn't require storage but in severe cold can suffer supply curtailment. This assumes it is available in your area.
Gasoline (and diesel) is harder to store in volume.
Propane can typically be stored in larger volumes but can be expensive.

Looking at the energy requirements of the one at my parents house:
Natural gas: 228 ft^3 per hour half load and 327 at full load (228,000 and 327,000 BTU/Hr respectively). Edit: gas is billed in "therms" which are roughly 100 cubic feet. Current Piedmong NG price is ~$1 per 100 cubic feet or roughly 3 dollars per hour to run. This works out at about half the price of propane (assumed 316 hours x $3 = $950.

Propane: 92 ft^3 (2.53 gallons) at half load and 142 (3.9) at full load. (230,000 and 355,000 BTU/Hr)

In terms of propane, an 1K gallon tank (800 gallons) would last ~316 hours at half load or just under two weeks at a cost of about $2,000 in propane.
 
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They all have their advantages and disadvantages.
Natural gas doesn't require storage but in severe cold can suffer supply curtailment. This assumes it is available in your area.
Gasoline (and diesel) is harder to store in volume.
Propane can typically be stored in larger volumes but can be expensive.

Looking at the energy requirements of the one at my parents house:
Natural gas: 228 ft^3 per hour half load and 327 at full load (228,000 and 327,000 BTU/Hr respectively). Edit: gas is billed in "therms" which are roughly 100 cubic feet. Current Piedmong NG price is ~$1 per 100 cubic feet or roughly 3 dollars per hour to run. This works out at about half the price of propane (assumed 316 hours x $3 = $950.

Propane: 92 ft^3 (2.53 gallons) at half load and 142 (3.9) at full load. (230,000 and 355,000 BTU/Hr)

In terms of propane, an 1K gallon tank (800 gallons) would last ~316 hours at half load or just under two weeks at a cost of about $2,000 in propane.

See.... I knew I could get someone to do all those calculations for me. Thanks....
PS: I'll be having a TON of fun painting that fence later this week if you want to stop by...
 
Last week, while talking to him, an Assistant Manager at Lowes in Tarboro stated "I bet we sold over 500 generators" in anticipation of the hurricane. Lowes associates told everyone buying generators that, unless it was unopened, absolutely no returns. Now this is just Tarboro. I can imagine bigger cities sold more. Like you said, people always put them up for sale a few weeks after a storm." May be a lot coming up for sale in the coming weeks.


The lady handling returns at my Lowes said she handled at least 10 generator returns Saturday and at least that many again Sunday. They had so many returned they didn't have anywhere to put them.
 
nothing. But I am using this coupon in the next 2 weeks
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I've got last year or the year before's model of that one, circuit panel is black.
Starts first pull every time, not real quiet, burns very little fuel, happy with the purchase. Coupon in the NRA publications is usually $10 lower, but it isn't in there every month.
Get the wheel kit, you can move it, but it's unfun, two people can move it with ease, but no one ever wants to go mess around in the weather.

Not returning anything, didn't buy anything but fuel and that was just early.

I think the rash of returns has more to do with people that either don't have the money to buy it in the first place, or don't have anywhere to store it. More stores should stop acting like rental outfits.
 
I've got last year or the year before's model of that one, circuit panel is black.
Starts first pull every time, not real quiet, burns very little fuel, happy with the purchase. Coupon in the NRA publications is usually $10 lower, but it isn't in there every month.
Get the wheel kit, you can move it, but it's unfun, two people can move it with ease, but no one ever wants to go mess around in the weather.

Not returning anything, didn't buy anything but fuel and that was just early.

I think the rash of returns has more to do with people that either don't have the money to buy it in the first place, or don't have anywhere to store it. More stores should stop acting like rental outfits.
yeah I have heard the wheel kit is kinda flimsy and that a set of pneumatic wheels for a hand truck works and can be found in the HFT store for a lot less. Does your have the twist lock 220V outlet? That's honestly the only reason I am looking at these verses getting another Honda to run parallel with mine.
 
yeah I have heard the wheel kit is kinda flimsy and that a set of pneumatic wheels for a hand truck works and can be found in the HFT store for a lot less. Does your have the twist lock 220V outlet? That's honestly the only reason I am looking at these verses getting another Honda to run parallel with mine.
Now that you mention it a guy in line told me the wheels were useless on anything but pavement. I still haven't put any on mine, but everytime I drag it out and across the yard it gets back on the to do list.
It does have a twist lock 220V
 
@noway2

Efficiency and intial cost have made propane standbys less appealing to me, although they seem to be the most convenient. I have been looking up used welder generators, particularly diesel powered units on their own trailer. In a perfect world I would have both!
 
Returning nothing.
The 220V plugs I picked up were overpriced, but the elec supplier had them overnighted in for us procrastinators, therefore they were the only one around that had them in stock. I felt that's fair.
Water keeps and I'll put the extra 20 gal of gas in something else.
It's not ethical to expect someone/a business to order an item, pay people to stock it, ring it up, help load it in a vehicle, then process a return, pay someone to restock, pay for the storage space and taxes as it's their property until sold. It's stealing from them and drives prices on everything else up.
 
Back in the 90s, while in school, I worked in a music and video chain store. One of our big ticket, big profit, items were game cartridges for consoles like the Nintendo. Often times kids would buy them and then try to return it for their cash back making us a free rental store. One, not particularly bright kid, asked about the return policy on purchase. I told him, "if it is defective we will swap it out for the exact same item." A few weeks later, I got called up to the register by the manager. That kid was back and claimed I told him he could return it for a refund (lie). I told the manager what I said and his return was denied. You should have seen the lump in that kids throat when he learned he wasn't getting his $60 back ($110 in today's dollars). A fair amount of money for a 14 year old.
 
I'm using a small welder as my generator, similar to https://www.millerwelds.com/equipme...n160&utm_medium=promotiles&utm_content=online

I'd like to find a deal on a diesel Trailblazer.

Nice. I'd like a Trailblazer as well. Not that I would ever use the welder to potential, but it's seems more cost effective then buying a generator and multiprocessor welder separately. I have a 5000W portable generator now, but generators are like guns... They work good in pairs.
 
Not returning a blamed thing. We just did our normal grocery shopping, as far as food went; some preps cycled out on schedule.

I had been meaning to buy a saw for some time - tired of borrowing my dad's Husky and hauling it up and down the road between here and Saluda. So I finally bought me a Stihl MS 271 Farm Boss, which I wouldn't even dream of returning. I already had a use for it, as the dead tree in the back yard needs dealing with.

I just shake my head at people who get a capability (generator, saw, food, whatever) and then give it up. If you can't afford to keep it, you couldn't afford to buy it in the first place. And if you thought you might need it now, you're going to think you'll need it again later, between hurricanes, ice storms, and whatever else might happen. Returning items is a poor way to manage cash flow. Not to mention integrity.
 
A long time ago, I was with a consumer products company preparing to go public on the New York Stock Exchange. Part of the process commonly includes a "road show" where management runs around (in our case, US and Europe) trying to convince prospective investors to buy into the deal. We were in NYC, presenting before a large group of such prospects. Someone asked, "What's your return policy" (he, understanding that we sold a lot to department stores and often the actual cost of consumer returns is pushed, totally or partially, onto the manufacturer).

Feeling full of myself, I stepped forward and answered...

"They order it,
we produce and deliver it, and
they return and order some more."

:cool:
 
For me, propane was best route. We have tankless propane water heater, propane stove and propane back up heat. So the tank is always getting used and filled. This time I checked the useage and 1.5 days used 5% of tank. That was with my mom not knowing it was on line and useing the dryer the first day. After that, it just hummed along all day and night. If I really need to strecht it I could cut off at night but I like the fans blowing to help keep us cool at night.
I am thinking about a upgrade to a bigger size that will run the a/c, lol
 
yeah I have heard the wheel kit is kinda flimsy and that a set of pneumatic wheels for a hand truck works and can be found in the HFT store for a lot less. Does your have the twist lock 220V outlet? That's honestly the only reason I am looking at these verses getting another Honda to run parallel with mine.


Just a fyi one of the large solid wheel furniture dollys works well if your not planing on taking it off the pavement and mainly rolling in and out of garage if you find one cheap and best thing is no flat tires to worry about.
 
I'm not taking anything back. We made one purchase that I had been wanting to make any but had put off...a generator. Now, it won't run the whole house like I would really like to have but we don't plan on staying in this house too much longer and it will run everything we need to keep our frozen foods, take a hot shower and if we shut everything else off it would likely run the heat pump. It also runs on gas and propane so I've got some flexibility. The only other thing I did was make sure all my gas cans were full. I put off buying the generator long enough, I'm keeping it.
 
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