MTM Inverter Generator any good?

[nismo4x4]

Hey guys, looking at getting this inverter gen for the future since we're still without power from the TC Yasi..its bloody hot and wasted heaps of food. I heard a review about them and they haven't faulted it yet.

Thought its always handy to have one for camping too..

Has anyone got one of these? if so please post some feedback about them. Many thanks.

MTM Inverter Generator Silent 4.4kVA PRO SINEWAVE POWER (eBay item 140489813623 end time 11-Feb-11 14:44:56 AEDST) : Home

 

[Old.Tony]

That looks pretty good. Don't pay attention to the dB rating too much, when the thing loads up it'll drown out conversation - we have a "whisper quiet 52dB" Honda Eu20si and sure enough, at idle or low loads it's lovely and quiet, but switch on the air con in the van and you may as well bolt your head to the side of a dirt bike and go for a ride.

Would I buy the one you've found? Given the $ and the power output, probably. It's a fair bit of power for the money being asked. If the output is a clean(ish) 240V (unlike the cheapy 2-strokes you see around the place) then it's definitely a winner.

 

[KraftyPg]

No idea bout the inverter but the company doesn't have a brilliant online rep. I brought a compressor from them last year (as per a thread titled something like "12v Compressor) and others have brought compressors and stuff from them. I had one or two minor problems with filters they didn't address despite the complaint through ebay but otherwise I had no problems with them, price was right, delivery was acceptable etc. However there are a number of other Aussie sites with people whinging that their Honda stuff is re branded and there is heaps of people suggesting they don't honour warranties. I wouldn't say avoid them but I would suggest that you be aware they're not the most popular choice for larger things.

 

[nismo4x4]

cheers guys. I wanted to go Honda 2kva but they wanted $2200 omg prob worth every bit as they are excellent generators..as i have honda mower and whipper snipper for 7 yrs and still going strong. but i would prob only run the genny twice a year...i could buy 4 gennys to one honda ...hmmm...buy and throw seems to be the way

 

[Jon]

Hey Nismo I was just looking into the exact same genny along the same thoughts as you funnily enough. A mate of mine has one, the 3.2kva version and although I haven't seen it in the flesh yet he reckons it has handled the last couple of days pretty well, apparently its not that quiet but for the dollars it might be ok. And as you said will only use it a couple of times a year. He has a couple of fridges, some lights and the plasma tv plugged in all without any dramas at all.

 

[terryc]

Okay, no practical experience with these, but initial impressions are CHEAP and NASTY.

Reasons;
1. Nowhere have I seen similar power so cheap
2. Uses VA whereas reputable companies use Watts.
0.8 * VA = Watts approx.
3. Use of "inverter" means crap quality power (really rough sinewave). Inverters are good in dc-dc conversion, so WTF is it doing.
4. Claims silent but no db figure.
5. No mention of run time, tank size, etc.

Head over to myswag.org forum and read the scathing comments on ebay generators.

A lot of these cheap generators are very low duty cycle generators, or run them once and then ditch them.

I also have the advantage that I have a number of franchise tool shops around and would feel more comfortable buying some of their stuff, especially as it has a warranty.

 

[Old.Tony]

I thought I read on the site that it was 58dB @ 7m - the standard distance - which is not too bad compared to some (especially 2-strokes) but it isn't the quietest on the market. Having a 5.7L tank makes it a little higher capacity than my Honda's 4L tank but it probably has a slightly larger motor too, so I'd expect run-times to be similar.

My Honda Eu20si is an inverter as well, and I've every confidence in its output. The use of the term "inverter" should indicate that they're generating multiphase AC with the motor (which will be variable due to rotational fluctuations of the engine) and rectifying this to high-voltage DC, which they clip and invert to 240VAC. This method also allows the generator to run at lower rpm when the load is lower, thus conserving fuel and reducing noise, while still producing a nice stable 240VAC.

I'm not saying that EVERY "inverter" generator is good. Some use square wave inverters which are just junk (rare, these days) and some use modified sine wave - these are an attempt at coming closer to sine wave by introducing stepped square waves into the cycle. They aren't perfect, but they're okay for most gear. These are more common.

The most expensive is the microprocessor-controlled pure sinewave inverter like the Honda. For more info, you could check How Do Inverter Generators Work and Honda Power Equipment - Honda Generators.

 

[d22dave]

Mine looks to be the same/ similiar xg-sf 3000 2.8 kw maximum. The old man bought it couple of years ago of ebay, Used it maybe 6-10 times ran everything he wanted on the van including aircon. He bought the honda Because it weighs 20 kg versus nearly 30 kg, The extra weight was making it hard for him to move around. Guess what i got for xmas only run it at home so far, On eco pretty quiet gets a bit louder off eco but not that bad. The only issue is the choke cable needs a tweak once in a while

 

[d22dave]

Here,s the bigger/ latter version of mine i don,t have the lcd screen




4.4 KVA SINE WAVE INVERTER GENERATOR LCD REMOTE START (eBay item 140507592938 end time 06-Feb-11 21:04:36 AEDST) : Industrial

 

[Jason]

I bought my chainsaw from them (AGR Machinery), it's been pretty good so far.

 

[nismo4x4]

cheers for the info fellas...still no power since last wednesday :-( and ergon reckons could be 3-4weeks, il be the guinea pig for this genny...see how it goes at least the genny is gov funded

 

[Colin Douglas]

G T Emblem

Hi, Im Colin a new member. I have a navara stx 2008 which I have just purchased. On the rear uhder the stx it has a GT emblem.Would this be an add on or could it be a special edition.Thanks Col.