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Overall Rating
5.0
(Based on 6 Reviews)
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September 04, 2006
Ed Tobin
Reliance Controls AmWatt™ Load Tester Review
Greatest little gadget since sliced bread. Really helped in my selection of a emergency gererator. I just wanted what I needed and not a lot of extra power. With this tool, it was a sinch. Ed
August 25, 2006
PETER CASTRO
Reliance Controls AmWatt™ Load Tester Review
Works Great, Easy to Use, Just Plug Your Device Onto It and Then Plug It Into the Outlet, and You Get An Instant Readout. Just Select Between Amps or Watts. Helped Me a Great Deal Trying to Figure Out What Would Be the Best Generator For My Budget? How Much Power Did I Really Need in Case of An Emergency?
June 29, 2011
Jackie Warren, MI
A WONDERFUL PRODUCT
I bought this generator for dry camping at the infield of Michigan International Speedway for a NASCAR race. Lots were the size of 19x40. I had NO problem with noise levels in the evening. The next campsite was only a few feet away and I heard no complaints.
The best selling feature of this generator for us was the switch for saving fuel. We got almost 8 hours from the one tank full at minimum power (only a CPAP machine was running at night). I am a 66 yr. old woman and it was easy to start. But obviously too heavy for me to carry. Young men are always helpful.
This exceeded my expectations. Was surely worth the money.
I give kudos to electricgeneratorsdirect.com for great service, great delivery, great price and an easy to navigate website.
I recommend this product 100% I also recommend buying this tester so as not to blow fuses. It is easy to use and read.
I bought this generator for dry camping at the infield of Michigan International Speedway for a NASCAR race. Lots were the size of 19x40. I had NO problem with noise levels in the evening. The next campsite was only a few feet away and I heard no complaints.
The best selling feature of this generator for us was the switch for saving fuel. We got almost 8 hours from the one tank full at minimum power (only a CPAP machine was running at night). I am a 66 yr. old woman and it was easy to start. But obviously too heavy for me to carry. Young men are always helpful.
When the generator arrived, I ran it a few hours for break in, then with the "assistance" of an electrician friend, we shut down the power, started up the generator (always started right away with the electric start), hooked it into the power panel and started to throw switches.
It easily ran everything (excepting heat pump, dryer, and stove) and we turned on lots of lights, TV, etc. Even cycled the microwave just to see what it would handle.
One confusing factor was the interface between the furnace and the heat pump. At first the furnace would not operate (with the heat pump off). However, after about 5 minutes it went on. It takes that long for the controls to cycle through. When you restore normal power, it also takes about 5 minutes for the heat pump to go on.
One small complaint--the muffler seems small--somewhat noisy. However, if power is out, all the neighbors will have their generators running, so probably isn't a problem.
I'm very pleased with everything.
When the generator arrived, I ran it a few hours for break in, then with the "assistance" of an electrician friend, we shut down the power, started up the generator (always started right away with the electric start), hooked it into the power panel and started to throw switches.
It easily ran everything (excepting heat pump, dryer, and stove) and we turned on lots of lights, TV, etc. Even cycled the microwave just to see what it would handle.
One confusing factor was the interface between the furnace and the heat pump. At first the furnace would not ... more
July 27, 2008
Dave Whitney Nevada, IA
Nice Unit
After searching eBay and online, I purchased this unit for the price and the corded feature.
Most other units are plugged directly into the wall and then you plug the powered source into the unit.
Well, as you can imagine, behind stereos, TVs, refrigerators, etc...this corded unit makes it MUCH easier and faster to rate your electronics.
Tip: If you have a TV, dish, cable, speakers, etc. all plugged into a powerstrip...just rate the lot of them via the powerstrip. After all...in an outage, to have the TV working...the cable and or dish needs power too!
June 18, 2008
Harold Miller Houston, TX
ProForce = GREAT value!
Living in Houston, hurricane seasons can vary from a few storms to a full blown Category 4 headed straight for the city.
When Rita came close to hitting Houston a couple of years ago, it became apparent that we needed to be ready to stay and tough out the storm if we could not get out of the city.
I made the decision to start shopping for generators.
There were quite a few things that I found important: 1 - quality, 2 - load watts, 3 - fuel consumption. With a limited budget, I couldn't pick up a nice quiet unit like my buddy's Honda.
Man, that was an awesome generator but for close to $1k, it was too far out of reach. I wanted to spend around $3-400 on something in the 2500-3000 watt range.
After more research, I found what I originally thought was an off-brand but turned out to be quite popular. Going through the Coleman site, I found ProForce generators. As I dug deeper, these ProForce generators were simply just another brand line for Coleman.
After searching through the different sizes, I found it: The ProForce 3000. It was perfect. With a whopping 10 hours of run time on just 3 gallons of gas (@ 50% load), it was one of the most fuel efficient generators on the market for it's size. I pulled the trigger and bought it.
Since then, I've used it for all types of projects. From powering a camp site to helping provide electricity for construction areas, it's never let me down. It's so compact and much more quiet than other generators I've seen used.
It's one that I would highly recommend to anyone looking to purchase a generator in this size. Hurricane season for 2008 has just started here in Houston. With the news stations buzzing about being prepared this season, I know that I'll be safe with my ProForce generator on standby.
Some recommendations that I would have for this unit would be to purchase an hour meter to keep track of maintenance. EG Direct has a nice little Yamaha unit for only $39.
Additionally, it wouldn't be a bad idea to purchase the AmWatt power meter to keep track of how much load is on your generator. This will also help to balance the load between both 120v outlets. I've purchased both for my generator.
EGD RESPONSE: Harold, the ProForce is a very nice generator. You made a wise choice. Unfortunately, Coleman Powermate went bankrupt a few months ago. If you're looking for a similar machine, consider the Briggs & Stratton 3500 Watt Portable Generator. Very similar. Very nice generator.
Living in Houston, hurricane seasons can vary from a few storms to a full blown Category 4 headed straight for the city.
When Rita came close to hitting Houston a couple of years ago, it became apparent that we needed to be ready to stay and tough out the storm if we could not get out of the city.
I made the decision to start shopping for generators.
There were quite a few things that I found important: 1 - quality, 2 - load watts, 3 - fuel consumption. With a limited budget, I couldn't pick up a nice quiet unit like my buddy's Honda.
... more