I Bought The CHEAPEST Generator On Amazon... 

This generator's output voltage is likely regulated by a run capacitor so voltage will be frequency dependent. The higher the frequency the higher the voltage output. When you were loading the engine beyond its capacity the frequency was probably well below 60 hz which is why your voltage was so low. Engine is lacking the power to stay above 3600rpm. These cheap generators usually don't live up to their claimed output. Realistically this generator is probably only capable of around 700 watts continuously.

Just waiting for the companion video where Tyler tries all kinds of bad fuels for the generator until it dies.

Remember, those cheap generators does not have a AVR (automatic voltage regulator) and is not meant for electronics, you need a generator that has a AVR so that it regulates its voltage automatically.

Electrician here, voltage wise you want between 110-125 in the US, that generator will slowly melt shit in my opinion

Tyler not recommending something, because it’s not safe actually is hilarious!😅

"IT'S NOT EVEN THAT LOUD" Yells Tyler. 😂😂😂😂😂

The gas smell right out of the box is because its tested for quality control, thats surprising for its price

So small engine guy here. The red fuel means it's non ethanol mixed fuel. Makes it super easy to tell what is or isn't mixed with oil. The smell of gas in the tank is gas from the factory tested. A majority of the time factory fuel is sucked out but does leave a smell

This is virtually identical to the Harbor Freight "Tailgator" generator that they used to sell with coupons that used to put them around 100 bucks. I still have a "Chicago Electric" version that ran 900w, and while it wasn't the cleanest power, it is a relatively quiet, useful camping generator and I found it quite useful for running things that were fairly tolerant of voltage swings and a bad output waveform. The pull starter is long gone - I start it now with a power drill and socket that fits the flywheel bolt!

My grandfather had two strokes

Tyler is that neighbor.

I have the Harbor Freight Tailgator version. I use it to run our refrigerator and our upright freezer during power outages. I only run one at a time. I switch between them every few hours. It does the trick for us. No damage to the generator or the appliances. The generator does beat its brains out when the Sears Kenmore 15 cubic freezer built by Electrolux compressor starts up. But, it does cycle on and the generator is able to sustain it. As for the fridge, we have a Sears Kenmore Elite 21 cubic ft bottom freezer built by LG. The generator works hard (but no near as much with the freezer) upon compressor startup. After that, same thing generator holds it. When I open the door of either the fridge or freezer the light brightness fluctuates. But, again...... I've used the generator around 30 times over the last 6 years and it's done the job.

They are really great for running an angle grinder in a junkyard or a small air compressor to air up a tire in the middle of nowhere

Some RU-vidrs edit out their attempted fails. Tyler shows it all.

When he first started pulling on it I said to myself I guarantee you he forgot to turn something on. Lol 😂

Tyler is that neighbor that if you ever needed to barrow anything bet he would have it

That voltage drop will seriously damage a compressor in a refrigerator or freezer. To be fair I have one of these little generators I bought years ago. It is great for hand power tools and job site lighting because it is light and easy to transport. For the price it was a great deal, but not a solution for household appliances during power failures. Incidentally I removed the pull start assembly and start it with a cordless drill, way easier to crank.

Project farm needs to do his testing on this too!

a generator going under the nominated voltage in full load is more dangerous in the sense that it will draw more amps and heat the cables and that can cause fires

Electronics that are rated for 120VAC on the input typically use an internal transformer to step it down to 15V or 12V and then rectify it to DC(whatever the internals might need). The transformers should be rated for higher than 120V due to variances in outlets and for safety by a reasonable margin. Nowadays some devices are rated for EU and US use, so they can handle both 120 and 220VAC.

most electrical devices have a +- 10% voltage range built in for listing. 145 is a little above that and you would def see degredation of device life. i wouldnt say it was dangerous, but def not ideal. however given any load it will drop voltage to a more accetable, albeit high, range.

Fuel is colored because the oil is pre mixed into it.

I bought 3 of three of them for 60 each about 10 years ago. I kinda knew the voltage and freq were going to bee all over the place. I spent years as a generator mechanic so no surprise. But they are great for running stuff like you said. I mostly ran lights with them

Those generators are workhorse.. But its recommended to set the output frequency as most are way off from the 60hz...there is a set screw to side of the generator you can adjust while using a meter thats capable of reading the frequency of them... I got the pulsar 1200w same machines different "sticker brands" working over 9 years.. Also replace the crappy sparkplug they come with and they last a long time..

Yeah, I would only use this on resistive loads like heat guns and electric griddles/kettles. Or little motors like a small sump pump, circle saw, or something like that. But with this small of an output, better to just use battery power tools and pack a few spares with ya.

I have 2 of those generators which have been very reliable and work fine for powering a battery charger, drill, grinder. They are Chinese clones of a 1970s Yamaha generator. I paid $79 for mine at Harbor Freight many years ago.

I love how many smart dudes watch Tyler just to see what he will do. Like he is a lab rat🤣😭

I use this geny about 10 times a year just to power the 3 light bulbs I have in a winter cabin. And it's prefect for that, because it's lightweight and sips fuel when not fully loaded.

It is what it is, I've had one like that for years now, paid 85 bucks for it on e-bay shipping included. Good enough to make a pot of coffee when the power goes out and run some lights, and I've run a stand-by TV using over the air antenna maybe not recommended but good enough till the power came back. A tip for all small engines, keep a can of carb cleaner on hand and give them a shot in the carb for easier starting.

There is a non zero chance of Tyler sharpening up that generator nicely.🍿😬

The 135 volt that you were seeing is little higher, it may cause some unwanted behaviour on non switching electronics but it's not too much of a jump, and about the 100V it only can cause drop in power for non switching electronics like those that plug straight into a wall, for a phone charger, laptop charger, pc powersupply it shouldn't matter too much as they are rated from 100 to 240 volts

while the mini jenny I own is a different brand name, it looks almost exactly the same as yours, the only difference is mine's 240v (and I suspect a lower wattage due to the difference in voltage) Output differences (and the "fun" they cause) aside, its a handy piece of equipment, but I did come across one irritating issue: Once you're finished using it, turn the fuel tap off and let it run dry because if you let it stand for a while, the fuel can turn to varnish in the carb which leads you to the "fun" adventure of stripping, cleaning and rebuilding the carb, which is NOT a fun experience 🤬

I'd be curious how many hours it runs for before it breaks in comparison to other generators. I'd bet with low to medium use through a year you get one maybe two years out of it.

$140.. Wow the price has liked doubled. Freaking inflation lol

"Look how good I am." He says moments after clearly spilling it😂

Can we get a collab with project farm

If I remember correctly, most devices in the US (while they don't specify it) should be able to run off of up to 130 or 140v just fine (mainly to compensate for those who happen to live near substations or other electrically upstream areas), though the main thing I would be personally concerned about is the peek-to-peek voltage of the output, since most meters will only show the RMS (or in other words, the average) voltage, and if the peek-to-peek voltage is too high, then it could start to damage electronic devices that are plugged into it.

i hope your doing well Tyler thank you for the awesome content! 😁😁

i have a honda ex1000 that i got for a project and the little generator has been really great. charges the batteries to run all the accessories in my car and some heat or ac very well.

Him comparing weight to volume almost went over my head.

Cheap wayward generators are fine for all electronics if you just use them to charge batteries chained with well-regulated ac converters to connect sensitive gear to.

I'm sure everyone's noticed Tyler's subtle weightloss over the last few years, but I think I'm seeing this man start to show some gains! Props tyler!

Spend your money on a generator that can power your whole house, install an inlet on your panel and an interlock kit. I did that a few years ago and it's one of the best investments I've made. I converted mine to natural gas and have unlimited fuel. I did a few videos on it.

16 poles and a still haven't started up. Yep, it's a two-stroke all right!

don't hook a computer up to that

Your neighbours must love you 😂

I love that ty keeps his ninja stars next to his winter coats and squeegee lmao

I have a feeling that this thing is adjustable. I think you can adjust the throttle response to the output and make it set the output as usable as possible.

1.1 metric gallon = 110 metric ounces.

Your neighbors must love you for having a running generator for hours lol😂

this little guy is actually nice to have, i have one like it for smaller tasks, and most electronics have protection circuitry that would prevent damage

2 pulls unless Tyler forgot to turn the "on" switch on.

I think that the acceptable volt range for US electrical plugs is 110 to 125 V. 110 V is most frequently seen in old construction, while only the newest construction has 125 V. All devices are made to run Between these voltages, and most of them can run between 110 and 240 V so that they work in countries that have those higher voltages.

that generator would be fine for anything that is basically not a smart device. so basically run the chest freezer if there is no power, power tools and so forth.

I would have missed the big yellow decal about the fuel valve, too. It's the excited 10 year old in us, wanting an engine to start as soon as possible. Right on Dude, minor setback.

I bet his neighbors loved him for this one.

I refuse to believe you were once a diesel mechanic 😂

Hi Tyler, I bought my first generator like this one in 2008, which had a 63cc engine. Over the past few years, the engine size is been increased to 79cc (I think). Yes, this generator is very crude and only useful for running basic, non-sensitive stuff. It is brushless and uses a 15 uF capacitor to energize the field thus, voltage regulation is very poor and the sinewave output is very distorted. The output voltage is determined by the electrical load and the engine speed. I consider the maximum output power to be 800 watts, trying to draw more power causes the output voltage to quickly sag. There is a 10mm nut on a shaft next to the gas shutoff that you can adjust for engine speed. With no load, I suggest adusting for an output voltage of 130 to 135 volts, which provides the best overall output voltage compromise. In the US, induction motors have an input voltage range of 105 to 125 volts. Although, I don't recommend running anything other than a fan or light bulbs. Don't use it with a refrigerator or air conditioner, you will fry both the generator and appliance. The typical US kitchen refrigerator pulls a 20 amp surge when starting. The advantages of this little generator is low cost and light weight.

I had a 2-stroke genset similar to that one (had a voltage meter). Anytime it hadnt been running for a day or more you basically had to remove the plug and spray in starter fluid if you wanted it to start. After a rotted 10x10 fence post fell on it and squished the gas tank to near nothing I bought a 4-stroke inverter unit. A little heavier but WAY more user friendly.

Tyler trying to explain AVR without mentioning is quite funny actually.

This is what we come here for. Excellent test. This is basically the same as the Harbor Freight one too.

Well, the standard for the US is 120 volts, so going over that can be risky as the appliances and such as the US can only handle 120 safely to just under 150 (risky, but generally safe). Places like the UK have 230 volt standard, and their appliances are built to allow 230 volts safely. The top amount of volts in the US you can reach before its very dangerous is 150.

It’s always a blast watching Tyler while I’m high😂 (either way it’s a blast but I’m having a really good time)

i have that Generator when i got it earlier this year it was 100 dollars, i hotshot for a living so every-night when i stop at a truck stop i run this Generator. been 7-8 months and never had an issue i love it

9:29 its okay for most electronics like phone chargers or laptop chargers to run on 130 ish volts because they are made to handle up to 240 volts and they can just simply pull less current at high voltages. 10:17 its also fine for things to run on under 115 volts it will just make them run less efficiently since they have to pull more amps to create about the same wattage

Where in the manual did it state this genset was safe to use for electronic anything. Maybe, a power drill, but not much else

I got one like this from my local home big box store when the regular price was about $100 and the black Friday sale was $80. I used it to charge my deep cycle battery for my trolling motor and used a 2nd hand modified inverter. It meant I could power my boiler circulation pump during power outages. 30 years later it still works and is my backup unit.

I use cheap generator on TV etc, but I also put a constant load onto it too, so it doesn't go up and down..

I think it will take you 20 pulls to start it.

When the wall meter reads "666" at 9:03 for a second should explain a lot with this generator lol.

Had the same one from Harbor freight. Absolutely loved it.

Got a little 2-stroke Chicago generator off craigslist for $20. It was leaking fuel bad with the petcock open so I hauled it home, pulled the carb bowl off and found that the float was stuck. Easy fix, and now I have a little generator for emergencies. My only complaint is how loud it is.

I've got the harbor freight version they're all the same 63cc generator lol. The only thing I'd recommend is going easy on the pull start mechanism. It's plastic and can easily break. Personally I lightly pull on the cord until I feel it engage and then give it a yank. Luckily there are lots of replacement parts for these like the starter as well as kits that replace the carb, ignition coil, spark plug, and air filter for under 20 dollars.

On today’s episode, Tyler displays the importance of invertor generators.

Perfect little generator for running a small heater in an emergency. Fill it up with mixed 100LL and it would probably have a shelf life of years

They work great for the price on coffee makers and small sub pumps when needed. Even a circular saw works on them. Left one out in the snow, rain, etc, for 3 years before it would no longer run.

Didnt want to mix gas he doesn't need, buys premix for 5x the price that he doesn't need

Nice !! A chainsaw with a non- regulated generator attached :D

These would be good for essential stuff like lights & fridge in the event of a power cut, definitely nothing sensitive though.

I love how there’s no crazy intro it’s jsut a nice handclap , then at the end we get to party to the outro , it’s like a reward

Thanks, good idea to check voltage on a new generator, looks like the regulator bad on that one!!😱😱

This thing would work good for using wired tools in the field.

Depends on your usecase. Actually its not really bad for modern devices with a switch mode power supply (like an phonecharger, laptop, ...), they are rated from 80V up to 270V and take nearly any frequency, thats because they rectify the AC at first to DC

I really love the Tshirt man, but you gotta get busy and finally fix that design, so it doesn't look like "C void warranties", so I can buy one.

The governor can be adjusted to reduce the frequency and voltage.

"Why is this fuel pink?" It's strawberry flavour.

2:55 I've owned one of these for about 2 years now and I forgot to turn the gas valve as well 😂

1:24 Tyler: "How much you wanna bet I can get this in here without spilling any of it?" *literally splashes all over the top of the generator and a little on the table* Tyler: "Look how good I am! It's hard being this talented"

A generator is just one of those things I really wouldn't want to cheap out on.

110-140 is pretty normal for a genny like this, and fine for all but the most sensitive eletronics. Almost everything today has a switching PSU that takes whatever up to 240. I've seen ranges from as low as 80vAC to 260vAC. Turns the timings down a bit (if you can) and it should also drop the voltage. It also helps when you don't overload it.

Seems like you need some sort of capacitor or battery in between the generator and outlet to run smoothly

had one of these at a cabin for many years and it never once had an issue. even ran electronics like a flat screen and old ps2 without any problems

Perhaps I missed it, but using an oscilloscope to look at the sine wave would be a good idea. Having a messy, bad sine wave is as bad as high voltage and spikes, for equipment with sensitive electronic components.

I have the “tailgater” version of this. I got it for $80 at harbor freight and I really use it tailgates haha. But a few years back we got hit with the back end of a hurricane here in Atlanta and I lost power for three days. I used this little generator to run a furnace, two refrigerators, an Xbox and a TV. It did not like it but it got the job done. I have since installed a whole home generator.

the transformer in the device will take care of everything! LOL

The low & high voltage is due to the cheapness of the boost circuitry in the inverter. Expensive inverter generators have what you can think of as "gears" like in a car or bike. Cheap ones are like "direct drive" which are always a compromise at both the low and high end.

it's fine for most rudimentry electronics. power tools, lights, heaters. one thing i would be curious about is to see how much frequency changes with load. (your kill-a-watt can read this)

That’s basically the TailGator that Harbor Freight used to sell. They were ok if made in the right factory. Obviously dirty power, but for a cheap generator you expect that.

Electrician here, the extension cord didn't help you at all. Never run a genny at 100% rated load unless its an emergency. Always run a generator 5 minutes and let its RPM settle before using if its not an inverter generator. You probably burned out the capacitor running 8 amps on it for 3 hours 20 minutes. If you were to buy one of these, get an off the shelf AC-AC voltage regulator for use with electronics.

That sound of a leaf blower. I can't get away from it. Every... fricken... day... one of my neighbors is getting their grass cut at 8:00 in the morning and all I hear is that sound...