Aldi 800watt generator £50

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pappaecho

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I bought one today. 2 stroke using 50:1 mixture. My Suzuki 2.2 outboard manual says run it in at 50:1 and then increase to 100:1. So decided to run in the generator at 30:1. Aldi give it a 3 year warranty.........but.....

On the way out from the store I met a customer returning his generator after 1.5 hrs running. It had seized.

Assuming the when it fails I get another new one, how many new units will I get before the 3 year warranty expires?

I also thought you were not allowed to sell 2 strokes unless strimmer or chainsaw?
 
pappaecho said:
I bought one today. 2 stroke using 50:1 mixture. My Suzuki 2.2 outboard manual says run it in at 50:1 and then increase to 100:1. So decided to run in the generator at 30:1. Aldi give it a 3 year warranty.........but.....

On the way out from the store I met a customer returning his generator after 1.5 hrs running. It had seized.

Assuming the when it fails I get another new one, how many new units will I get before the 3 year warranty expires?

I also thought you were not allowed to sell 2 strokes unless strimmer or chainsaw?
Click to expand...


No comment about the reliability of cheap kit from Aldi. You pays your money and takes your chances.


What you think is a restriction on two stroke sales is part of the "Recreational craft directive" so applies to engines in boats used for recreational purposes ... nothing else..

It is actually a limit on emissions , not specifically referring to two strokes anyway, but equally to 4 strokes.. Small carburetted two strokes do not comply with the emissions restrictions ... hence the demise of small two stroke outboards.

There are in fact (large) direct injection 2 stroke outboards which do comply and which can be legally sold
 
Have one from an earlier Aldi promotion. My daughter has used it for hour after hour powering her D.J. equipment, I have used it for hour after hour powering up lighting and tools in a boatshed whilst rebuilding a boat. All I can say is that I must be lucky, it plods on reliably, uses next to no fuel, been a great buy.
 
pappaecho said:
I bought one today. 2 stroke using 50:1 mixture. My Suzuki 2.2 outboard manual says run it in at 50:1 and then increase to 100:1. So decided to run in the generator at 30:1. Aldi give it a 3 year warranty.........but.....

On the way out from the store I met a customer returning his generator after 1.5 hrs running. It had seized.

Assuming the when it fails I get another new one, how many new units will I get before the 3 year warranty expires?

I also thought you were not allowed to sell 2 strokes unless strimmer or chainsaw?
Click to expand...

Maybe he used neat petrol!
 
Bilgediver said:
Maybe he used neat petrol!
Click to expand...

I thought that too. I have a very similar generator bought a few years ago from B&Q, for about £40. It seems quite reliable. Very similar Chinese 2 stroke generators are sold under a variety of brand names. They are not in the same league as the Honda suitcase generator, or its clones, but neither is the price.
 
My understanding is that there are about 10 million of these things in everyday use in China.
They are not just a toy for the DIY trade.
 
If anyone wants it I have got one in my shed. It would run for 15 mins and cut out . I used it for hand tools in the garden ,very noisy but at £60 it is what it is . I used 3 cans of easy start to keep it going and now the choke alloy casting has snapped . I would not recommend one for continuous running but maybe I was unlucky.
 
parbuckle said:
If anyone wants it I have got one in my shed. It would run for 15 mins and cut out . I used it for hand tools in the garden ,very noisy but at £60 it is what it is . I used 3 cans of easy start to keep it going and now the choke alloy casting has snapped . I would not recommend one for continuous running but maybe I was unlucky.
Click to expand...

By using that amount of easy start you have washed away any lubrication in the bore! Its most likely a carb problem?
 
My cheapo B&Q jobby is about 4 years old get used once or twice a year in anger .Managed to smash off fuel on/off knob and knacker plug lead(do not ask) got spares off internet for pennies.

Always start it once a year just to see if it still runs,neat thinners in plug hole always seems to do the business ,although supposed to be 600w it will under great protest run a 1000w heater while merrily smoking its little bits off.
 
Last edited:
parbuckle said:
If anyone wants it I have got one in my shed. It would run for 15 mins and cut out . I used it for hand tools in the garden ,very noisy but at £60 it is what it is . I used 3 cans of easy start to keep it going and now the choke alloy casting has snapped . I would not recommend one for continuous running but maybe I was unlucky.
Click to expand...

Where's your shed?
I might break it for spares to fix my pressure washer....
 
I have one of the identical units (badged 'MAXI'). Works fine once I worked out that obvious fuel problem were due to debris in the fuel tank (from new) blocking the fine mesh filter in the tank (at least it has one!). Interestingly mine appears to have been assembled in India, rather than China.

In retrospect, it's the rating (650-850w) that is the problem for my sort of usage: anything up to around 200w is better served from an inverter.....and all the bigger tools/pressure-washers/etc need far more than the generator can supply.
 
I have Two, bought one and was given the other.

Both are a bugger to start but once they are going they buss away quite nicely.

I have bought cheap angle grinders and drills etc with low watts to use with them.
 
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