I ordered this generator after the last season of hurricanes and storms in Northeast USA. My house is in a flood prone area and I wasn't going to go through another entire hurricane season with sleepless nights. My old generator stopped working last year so I knew I was in the market for a new one.
I paid $299 for this generator off of Amazon and another $39 for the wheel kit (DuroStar DS4000S-WK Wheel Kit for DS4000S). As of writing this review, the generator is down to $289.00. Either way, I would have paid $350 for this unit!
The packaging was great. There was no damage to the unit during shipping. My biggest complaint about packaging is that some oil seemed to seep out of the unit and onto the box so I had to be careful when opening it up. I ended up having to wipe the units frame down with a rag to dry it off. The unit does not ship with oil, but someone must have put oil in it at one point to test it out because there was a lot of oil in the box. One other note, be sure to remove the shipping mounting bracket! The easiest way to do this is to use the provided tool and loosen the nuts and bolts while the unit is sitting level.
We have not had to use this unit yet (thankfully) but I did get it running. I recommend purchasing an all purpose or transmission fluid funnel from your local automotive shop - this will help you to fill the oil tank without getting oil all over the place. The location of the oil fill is not very convenient, but with the proper funnel it isn't much of a headache. I imagine in the middle of a storm though that this could prove to be a huge design flaw. Once oil was added, I threw in some Unleaded 87 octane gasoline and it started up on the second pull. I let it run for about 5 minutes. The unit is QUIET! Very quiet. I would even go as far as to say that my lawn mower is louder than this generator. I was able to put my head right next to the generator without issue, and I could not hear it running from inside of my house. Very impressed with the volume!
Attaching the wheel kit was a pain to say the least. The location of the bolts is a problem, and the bolts and nuts are different wrench sizes which is another problem. It makes installation a bit of a pain. I would say though that having this generator on wheels is very helpful. I would recommend the wheel kit to anyone interested in this generator.
Thanks - I hope this was helpful.
---------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE AFTER FIRST USE (HURRICANE SANDY - 10/29/2012)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Hurricane Sandy hit us hard and we were estimated to be without power for 5 days. I prepared the generator the day before it hit, filled it with gas, checked oil level, and then started it up. It started right up! I then followed the instructions:
- Let generator run for a few minutes before plugging in any load
- Plug in all load starting with most intensive first
- Flip breaker to ON
It has been 4 days without power now and this generator has powered the following (at different times):
- (2) 1/2HP sump pumps
- (1) refridgerator/freezer and (1) microwave
- (1) refridgerator/freezer and (1) HVAC system for heat
- (1) refridgerator/freezer and (1) Verizon FiOS system
- Miscellaneous items [cell phone chargers, hair irons, radio, etc.)
The unit does not have a wattage meter to show you the current load but you should do your due diligence to know how much power various items draw. I can judge how must stress I put on the unit by keeping a note on how long 4 gallons of gas gets me. The unit says 4 gallons = 8 hours on full load. I am getting 4 gallons = 16 hours so I am only putting the unit through half load.
I changed the oil 20 hours into running per the manual. From what I understand this is very important! Don't skip this step. I had a hard time removing the oil drain plug (10mm hex wrench) so I ended up removing the oil cap and tilting the unit to the side to drain the oil which removed almost all of it. Again, it started right up afterwards with no issues.
Lastly, compared to all of my neighbor's generators, this one is the quietest by far!
Bottom line - if you treat this generator right and maintain it, it should return the favor and save your butt in times of need. We have a 1 yr old daughter and without this generator it would have been a difficult few days.
---------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE AFTER STORAGE (Fall 2012 - Fall 2014)
---------------------------------------------------------------
I recently pulled the generator out of storage to turn it over and let it run for a bit. When I stored it in 2012 I changed the oil and emptied the gas tank, so all I had to do was put a bit of gasoline in and start it up. I'm happy to report that it started up on the first pull without issue. I let it run for about 5-10 minutes, then closed it down for storage again (drained gas tank). I am extremely satisfied with this purchase!!
---------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE AFTER STORAGE (Fall 2014 - Spring 2018)
---------------------------------------------------------------
It's been a little over 5 years since I had to use this generator with Hurricane Sandy - 10/29/2012. I just pulled it out of storage again to see if it would run. Ended up having some trouble. Replaced oil, fresh gasoline, still wouldn't run. Ended up having to take the carb off and clean it out as it was all gummed up inside. After cleaning it and putting it back together, started up 1st or 2nd pull of the cord. Runs like a champ still and generates power without any issue. My only warning is that you really need to make sure you keep FRESH gasoline on hand. It seems this generator does not like gas that has been sitting around for 6+ months. I've started adding fuel stabilizer to the tank to see if that will help and then cut off the fuel line and let the engine die that way to help clean out the carb.
This generator doesn't owe us a dime. Great purchase.
PLEASE MARK THIS REVIEW AS HELPFUL IF YOU FOUND IT HELPFUL!
| Brand | DuroStar |
|---|---|
| Wattage | 3300 watts |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline |
| Power Source | Gas Powered |
| Recommended Uses For Product | Residential |
| Item Weight | 94 Pounds |
| Voltage | 120 Volts |
| Output Wattage | 4000 Watts |
| Special Feature | Portable |
| Included Components | Generator |
| Color | Yellow/Black |
| Product Dimensions | 23"L x 17"W x 18"H |
| Material | Metal |
| Model Name | DS4000S |
| Engine Type | 4 Stroke |
| Tank Volume | 3.96 Gallons |
| Engine Displacement | 208 Cubic Centimeters |
| Runtime | 8 hours |
| Frequency | 60 Hz |
| Starting Wattage | 4000 Watts |
| Running Wattage | 3300 Watts |
| Manufacturer | DuroMax |
| Part Number | DS4000S |
| Item Weight | 94 pounds |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Item model number | DS4000S |
| Batteries | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Style | 4,000-Watt Gas |
| Pattern | Generator |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Special Features | Portable |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | No |
| Warranty Description | 3-Year Warranty |
