C0010020 Inverter Generator

So bought this knowing it is made by Generac. Can't go wrong. Got a really good deal here on Amazon $500. Not bad, caught it on sale. Got it in 2 days, great. Added the oil and did a couple hour break in with no load. Ran great and very quiet. Plugged in my camper with a 13,00 btu A/C. With nothing else running tried to start the A/C, no luck. Immediately cut out and went into fault. So it won't start my A/C. I did not have a soft start at this time. So I ordered a soft start which I was going to get any way, but I wanted to see if this would run it without. Nope. Not surprising, but a little bit of a bummer. Installed the soft start and tried again. No luck, WTF. After doing some research come to find out it is always in "eco" mode. The Honda, Generac, and Harbor freight generators have a switch to turn it off, not the Craftsman. So after contacting Generac and getting the wiring schematics for the Generac and the Craftsman (Generac customer service is awesome by the way), I figured out how to run a switch to turn off the "eco" mode. The wiring is literally all hooked up inside, all I had to do was cut the harness, solder in a switch, and mount the switch. I Put it back together and tried it out and sure enough I was able to turn off eco mode so that the RPM's are higher when the load of the A/C kicks in. Hooked the camper back up and I had A/C in the camper being ran by the generator. The generator was quite a bit louder with the A/C running though. Not a big deal for me because I will only be using it during the day where we camp and not during quiet hours. It will now start and run the entire camper while charging the batteries back up. I am very happy with this now after the modification. It is stupid that this doesn't have the switch already installed especially since everything is already there to install one. I also installed an hour meter to keep track of running hours for maintenance. I really don't know why they don't already have that too, but whatever. I paid $10 for the hour meter and switch. It took a couple hours to install both. I ran it this past weekend camping for 25 hours on 5 gallons of gas running the A/C and charging the group 29 battery the entire time. It is a little louder than I'd like it to be, but I really have nothing to compare it to since this is my first suitcase type generator. I'm sure the Honda and Harbor Freight are quieter, but for what I paid for this I'm not mad, and knowing it is a Generac makes me at ease. So buy it if you are on the fence.

I would like to start out by saying, I have not used this item for an extended period of time. So far, it does what it is supposed to and is the perfect size item for backup power or the jobsite. Pros: Lightweight/Portable; QUIET!; Easy to start; easy to use; flexible in outlet types/configurations; easy to store; provides consistent power to devices - quickly adjusts throttle to adapt to startup power loads. Funnel and oil provided. Battery charging cables included. Cons: Adding oil is tricky, but easy. You have to unscrew the side housing and fill it. The oil filler angle is also unusual, so spillage is almost a given filling the engine up with oil. I wish they would have provided Synthetic oil instead of conventional. Synthetic has the ability to run under a broad array of temperature conditions. I will likely switch to synthetic after the 1st oil change. It is made by Generac, which is a brand leader in generators. Craftsman just put their name on it - which is okay. I like the red color - and the form factor is nice! Overall, if you are looking for a small generator for camping, backup power, power tool support when not able to connect to the grid or other light duty electric devices, this is the ticket. I own a larger generator for a vacation property and it is heavy, loud, and not easy to transport. This is a great, quick power solution for when the lights go out during a storm to keep the furnace running, a few lights on, and my Fridge/Freezer avoiding food spoilage.

Very quiet and dependable

I purchased 2 of these on 2 seperate amazon accounts. 1 for work and 1 for home. Unboxed both on Friday. Added the oil and 90 octain gas, followed the starting instructions as described, it's not rocket science. Neither would start, but both leaked large amounts of gas on my garage floor. After multiple times trying, the home unit started and ran for about 30 seconds, idle high and low, pouring more gas out onto the floor. Hasn't started since. The work unit after multiple attempts will occasionally start for several seconds but then shuts off. They have Craftsman colors and stickers but are made by Generac. I always thought Generac was a reputable outfit. And since when did Craftsman start putting out such low end junk, not that they were ever top of the line, but this is ridiculous. In 3 days I have spent over 5 hours on the phone talking with people from customer support, when you can actually get a person to talk to. They have all promised to call me back, email or text, and none have. Negative 5 stars.

I bought this awhile ago and have used it, it works great, I would buy again and, I definitely recommend this

I am really suprised that Craftsman put their name on this garbage! After 2 years using 92 octane and starting it every few weeks. Now when I need it it won't start. New gas, under 10 hours of use and it does not start. Oil is fine. It starts a little then dies. I always trusted the Craftsman name but the generator suck and it it juck!

It was perfect size and lids expensive than a Honda and even quitters too

I have some rural property that I have not set up power on yet. I purchased this generator for odd jobs that I need to get done on this property. I have used it to run a sawzall, a hammer drill and a pancake air compressor. It has had no issues providing enough power to run these tools. The generator is surprisingly quiet, you could easily have a conversation on the phone while standing right next to it. I am thinking about purchasing another one for a backup. The initial oil fill was super easy because it came with a side fill funnel and a tool packet which helped to remove the panel and fill oil without spilling. I would add a fuel stabilizer to the fuel because this thing sips gas and the fuel may sit in the tank for a while. Older fuel can gum up your carburetor after sitting in a tank. I am super happy with the purchase. Dave