A bad design for sure, like who isn't going to put this down on dirt, grass, wet leaves or whatever at a construction site, campsite or backyard, bringing a piece of plywood is a lame solution to fix a poor design. Why didn't they just make the air suck thru a grille on the side? I'm guessing this was an attempt to make it quieter. After looking at a similar Champion inclosed generator online it looks like they have the exact same setup.
*100% best **Generater.Systems** I have used. A test for hurricane prep here in Louisiana: three AC units, 5000, 5000 & 8000, 3 fridges, 2 device power setups, 4 flat screens....AND I had 40% of the power meter to spare.*
I love mine, it works great and is 1/3rd the price of a Honda. All I have to do is set it on top of a wooden board or a piece of cardboard, what a HUGE inconvenience.
I bought one when it first came out at Costco, looks a bit different. I have dragged it everywhere, throw it on the dirt, always starts, never a problem. By the look of the amount of sand in the bottom of the generator, I would say it was literally digging it's own grave at the beach as the vibration settled it down. User Error!!
I have one of these as well. Runs like a champ - I run non-ethanol through it. Starts all the time no matter how long it's been sitting. I did have an issue where my 5-20R wouldn't hold a plug anymore so I called support. A HUMAN ACTUALLY PICKED UP THE PHONE! Guy out of N. Carolina. 7 days later (today) the replacement part showed up in my mailbox!
The intake is on the bottom, how stupid can you get! I take these kinda generators hunting, camping, and it’s all sand and dirt, ! I bet it would work super good if you hook up a vacuum to the HOLE ON THE BOTTOM OF IT
Same here. I purchased a 2nd one that was refurbished on ebay for less than $250. Almost 25 hours on it and no problems. I do use a mix of regular oil and synthetic but that’s just me
That's funny. I bought one from Costco and have run it for hours without a single problem. Try reading the owner's manual next time. I would not hesitate to buy another Firman from Costco.
I have two of this same model W2000i, and never had a minutes worth of trouble, we actually replaced our predator 9000 with the Firman P09201 for back up at the house. I still use predator at the shop. But I’m a big Forman fan.
Run mine on snow, dirt, gravel, and grass. Never had a problem. Filter always clean. But mine looks a bit different than this one. I will check it tomorrow. It’s run for hundreds of hours with no issues.
Modify the filter, add some larger material its good to go! Can't beat the price this thing is amazing if you dont operate it on a sandy beach like this guy did!
Thanks for the video, just checked my air filter, little bit of dry grass in it. Pulled the rubber grommet off the bottom and turned it around. Seem to run great, only three years old. Firman also has good customer service as i also purchased a 3300 and didn't notice right away the handle was cracked, sent parts no questions.
I don't know what you expected, really. This whole line of generators has some of the best COSTCO and other major store reviews. As far as not putting this anywhere near beach sand - I think it's really a no brainer, and it doesn't matter where the intake is. A slight gust of wind and you will have sand inside. Generally, even when I used generators on a lawn, - I would still put them on a tarp, and not on the grass directly to minimise the possibility that ants or some other insects or pollen/dust get sucked up into the system. As far as the design goes, I do understand the rationale for the intake port to be on the bottom. Some of the best compact computer cases have their intake fans on the bottom, it saves space and makes sure that coolest air is delivered to the CPU, as cool air naturally is situated lower than warmer air. These generators are some of the quietest and the lightest because of this and it's a plus. I do, however, agree that the manual should at least mention the sand part, as well as to make sure the bottom intake is unobstructed, as most people are clueless as to how these work.
Glad I saw this video. Made me think about possible water ingestion when using it while snow is melting. I have a hunch the bottom facing intake helps reduce noise. A simple modification of adding an intake shield should help reduce debris ingestion. I use my lawn mower on sandy ground and the air filter still gets grit despite being far from the ground. I need to clean the air filter often, however the engine lasted a lot longer than 10 minutes. Based on the loose air filter fit of this generator, I would say this damage should be covered by the guarantee though.
Easy way around that, and I've done it myself, high temp gasket maker, set that foam piece on there while it's still wet, let it cure and no issues whatsoever. That foam is cheap to replace, so when you cut it out to change it, just repeat the process. If I remember correctly I believe these generators require an oil change every 20-30 hours of run time after they've been broke in.
I couldn't agree more ..These Firmans are a real nightmare to work on. I thought Hondas EU2000 and EU2200 are bad,but these Firmans are the worst. Try getting the carburetor off or doing a recoil rope repair. Almost 40 years doing small engine repair and all these small suitcase inverters are just impossible to work on and keep running.
I bought one and love it. The airbox is still on the bottom but I like that design. I run mine on the cement. No plan on taking it in sand or putting it on grass. The most i'd put this thing on is gravel. I don't think it's a "total failure". Not too hard to put in a different airbox and reroute it. I agree bad design but doesn't prevent me from purchasing for my use case and i'll deal with it to save $800 over a honda 2200.
Thanks for the information. I have one, never had any trouble. I never set it on the bare ground. I usually put it on my tailgate. I'll be sure to never do that.
I bought one of these online from Costco Canada May 2021 for $286 CND all in delivery included, however it’s a 2000/1600 and not 2001/1700 so not sure if that’s a US/Canada thing. I mount mine on 2x6 blocks to keep it off the ground, I used the regular oil provided, went through a tank of gas for the break in period, fine metal shavings is normal during breakin. Then changed the oil to 5w30 synthetic (that’s good to run in hot or sub zero weather). I’ve only used Shell 91 in the generator as 91 has no ethanol in it. It’s been running like a charm on every camping trip and it always starts on the first maybe second pull. Great Generator for topping up the house batteries and having AC power available in the camper for a few hours a day.
I have one and think it is the best made inverter for the money. It has a cast iron cylinder for longevity. I run it on a chunk of plywood and no issues at all. The only complaint I have is the way to change oil. It is a terrible design and very messy. A 20 cent plastic extension to screw into the oil fill port would make all the difference. Other than that, It is as good as any Honda I’ve had to work on.
Dude are you serious? Who puts a generator in the sand on the ground? The air intake is on the bottom because the air is cooler. It's not hard to modify or seal the air box I would soak and ring out the sponge filter in oil.
Good evening. Thank you for this video! It highlights several things. I would be comfortable with one of these Firmans. Grey, gritty oil- regardless of whatever generator I end up getting to help power our travel trailer, I will be doing an aggressive oil changing regime initially; maybe run it 30 to 60 minutes and change the oil and repeat that 3 or 4 times. Also, I would put the generator on board or sheet of wood to separate the air intake from the ground contamination. Safe travels!
As for power generation I think these units are wonderful Just make sure if you're planning to travel with it that you call ahead to the small engine shops in the areas we plan to stay to make sure that they carry the parts you would need should you have to do any repairs on your trip. I have a couple of Honda 2200 suitcase generators and you can find dealers with parts in even the smallest towns, or if you're really stuck Amazon. I personally have never seen a firman dealer brick and mortar store.
its bigger than the junk parts/, inferior metals they are made with - , the generators act as if they will work for a while then starts doing intermittent problems all kinds of stuff , then firman wants you to be phone slave with them, playing hoop jump corporate power trip control games and also tries to get more money out of you , its designed as a complete corporate , cheap failure component product $ / customer back and forth scam .
Thanks for the video. I purchased one off of eBay for $200.00 and have yet to use it. I bought it just in case power went out (which it hasn't since purchase). I also purchased a very thick rubber mat to go underneath because I saw where the port was. No disrespect but, putting any electronic in the sand or dirt is asking for it!
Our Honda 2000watt inverter generator at my work sucks off of the bottom too. So dumb. Makes no sense. I'll have to take a look at both of my 2000watt Firmans and check them out. I'll just place a board under them. No biggie.
Recoil seems on part with my 3000w firman. I have no issues with these gens at all. The poster of this video does have a valid concern, but it's easily remedied. BTW....firman service is pretty good. If the customer emailed them and talked this out with firman, they probably would have given him another generator. Not the first time they have given a new genny to make the customer happy. It may have been an opportunity for firman to make an update to design as well.
thanks for the video you probably saved me this trouble, i have this generator, i will be careful where i run it. So far this generator is working very well for me.
My neighbor has another brand generator and it has the same intake on the bottom design. This design is not exclusive to the Firman, which I have, and I love. It has been very reliable, and common sense says to place it on a piece of plywood when using at the campsite (which I do).
Its on the bottom because it draws cooler air. Ive had mine for 1 year running 24 hours a day 7 days a week i live on a boat. This 2100 runs my tv three fans and a ac plus charges my phones and portable lights all at the same time. Soo dont know what happened on this one and im not one to plug a business but ive been impressed with mine. Only problems ive had is when the plug fouls it will shut off clean the plug and its balls to the wall again. I probably dont change my oil like i should and hopefully dont jinx it. About to change the plug today for first time was how i found this feed. And wanted to change the air filter. If you run it light you cant even hear it meaning just the tv fan seems to crank it up alot ac all the way.
Why not remove that rubber baffle from the base of the generator enclosure? Then the air intake will not suck air directly from that bottom port but will instead take air from the other openings in the case as well. The intake air will be warmer (from engine heat) but the comparable Hondas (eu2200) take the warm intake air from the lower part of the generator also, they aren’t designed to take cold air from outside the case. This would also likely help cold weather running of this unit.
@@machinesnmetal I'm not sure if it would technically void the warranty, but if you hang on to the boot it could be reinstalled before making a claim. I'm planning to remove mine and put a piece of tape over the hole in the bottom. Easily reversible modification to solve the dirt ingestion problem. I'm glad I saw this video!
Thanks for the info about the Honda intake style. I just bought the Firman (can't beat the price) and I'm going to make this change before I ever start it up.
Got one,it sucks, if use it ever, I’ll put it on a wood platform, other then that,I’d be ashamed to sell it, my honda is all I need! Thanks for your video, it totally hit what I was wondering
Absolutely correct. The air filter intake AND filter are not designed for sand and dirt AND we sure can't use these in our garages in a power loss without Carbon dioxide poisoning (death). I lost two BRAND NEW units at the Imperial Sand Dunes (Glamis) in 2 days. BRAND NEW. I found the same as this review, almost zero compression and NO OIL on the foam filter which, by the way, is only half the thickness of a Honda 2000i. The filter did not filter and sand literally passed through it and was in the carb input side and went through it and into the engine and sanded the piston and cylinder. It was a ruined 4 day weekend for me due to my RV being 100% electric. A real downer. I called FIRMAN in Phoenix (they are the North American importer/supplier for US and Canada) and they basically told me to go pound sand by saying I will have to pay for the repairs at a local small engine repair shop. Brand new generators guys... Pfff Honda for me for now on. FIRMAN CAN GO POUND SAND
If your reading all these comments like I am it appears that it's a good machine with a design flaw..I say no problem take the side cover off to get access...take a 2" black abs pipe and reroute the cold air to the air box from the side of the cover and your all good 👍... sounds like a whopping hour project to me...
It seems hard to believe that sand or dirt finished off the engine in 2 hours of running. The air filter has no dirt in it. All these chinese engines have metal in the oil after its first good run. The dont put much effort into cleaning the block after machining. Dump the oil after an hour, then once again after the next hour and you are good.
I am going to go buy one of these generators this weekend and do a test with it on Sand video to see if we can replicate this failure in a controlled environment
@@machinesnmetal some times the valve adjustments are bad resulting in a lack of compression. That would not account for the appearance of your oil though.
It wasn't the best idea to have it draw air from the bottom but, I don't think that is worth the verdict of DO NOT BUY. These seem to be great other than this one issue which could be 'fixed' by placing the generator on a piece of cardboard or plywood.
I just bought this generator. Used it on and off for 24 hours and then it shut off and wouldn't restart. Yes, it had clean gas! It was on the pavement, but I totally see the issue! Craziness! Expensive too, $700. It's going back! I will find a better one. I need a generator that is reliable. Thanks for the detailed explanation.
The commenters here keep saying your supposed to put it on a sheet of plywood, not directly on the ground 🤷 I don't know, I've never owned one and wouldnt. I stopped repairing them for Firman a while ago now, was nothing but a headache.
Shannon , take the valve cover off and look at the rocker arms( 4 nuts,its easy). Mine did the same thing and it was one of the rocker arms fell off the push rod and the intake valve wasnt opening.
This video is spot on. I picked up a used one, same sand problem in airbox. Wouldn't hardly fart with starter fluid the compression was so bad. (Also, there's a compression release). Upon disassembly, it's actually the rings that were unable to spring apart and continue sealing against the cylinder wall. Firmly bound up with grit in the ring grooves. The piston looked like it'd passed over a belt sander. The Firman crew are a bunch of clowns and wouldn't return my emails or calls. The BBB reviews are telling as well. Best to avoid. I ended up honing the cylinder, unsticking the rings, cleaning everything up and putting it back together. It runs, doesn't visably burn oil but you can hear a bit of piston slap at higher loads. I blocked off the bottom opening and removed the lower snorkel tube. Drawing air from the lower part of the machine is still relatively cool...and grit free. Terrible.
@@machinesnmetal I know, without seeing it firsthand it's almost unbelievable a company would produce such a turd. Even on their website it's promoted as ideal for outdoorspeople and its pictured on a mound of loose dirt. Ooof.
@@machinesnmetal I saw in another comment you have a few of these. If it were determined that the inverter could run when the flywheel is spun by other means... It would be interesting to serpentine drive four or six of these and parallel the outputs all together, lol. 🤓
@@ross9580 I'll put that on the youtube whiteboard in the shop, under diesel powered pencil sharpener and above small block chevy powered taylor dunn meter maid mini truck.. oops did I let that one slip? :)
Honda or Yamaha invest extensive research and development into their products. They would ever locate an air intake in that location. Thanks for the video
It's a good entry level for people that can't afford anything else. Thanks for letting us know about the air intake. I will make an aluminum stand for mine with extra bottom filters.
@@machinesnmetal wish that I could. I cannot currently go to Costco because my wife is at the hospital due to covid complications. I am confined at home with our two young children.
@@machinesnmetal We managed to beat COVID. I will do a video of the aluminum stand once I manage to clean up and insulate the garage. I should have something by the end of July.
I've seen a filter on the intake on the side of a forklift overhead guard in addition to the main filter. I have no idea where you would get one but it would probably work. It was like a little 5x5×2 cassette you would slide a filter into. Might be called a "foundry pack" but I can't remember
I have a 3200 watt dual fuel and it just failed after about ten hours. Costco return. Im just looking to see what the deal is with Firman. (I think this opening is a drain and not the air intake, there are other air vents on the case, this isnt the air intake, in my opinion. See the louvers over at the other end, and it has free airflow around the case interior. All I know is their service desk had never actually used the product and had no idea how to connect the battery which comes disonnected to prevent discharge.
I bought 4 of these and blew the motor. I broke in the motor and changed the oil and then took it to the dunes where it sucked up sand. It doesn’t say to not put it on the ground in the manual. It is for sure a bad design. Also my tri fuel firman generator had blown the rings after just 5 hours of use. I am a little unsure of the quality of these but feel the company is honest and trying hard.
Come on, he did not read the manual. "Operate generator on a level surface, do not expose generator to excess moisture, dust, dirt, or corrosive vapors." "Place on a stable level surface." The owner probably did not even read the owners manual....
@@machinesnmetal it is interesting that the larger cousin to this unit as the air intake in the front instead of the bottom. I have the 3650 unit. Ran a break in procedure which changes the oil after the first and third hour of operation. I did not see any metal in the oil. This does seem to be a case of severe operator error. Some customers are just hard on equipment.
I can place my 13 year old non-firman brand generator on any surface including sand without fear of damage due to it having a design incorporating common sense engineering principles.
The owners manual on every Firman generator states "Do not block Generator Air vents with paper or other objects" Im fairly certain that sand meets the criteria for "other objects".
The intake is on the bottom on my predator 3500. Sitting on sand would ruin many generators as they have piss-poor air filtration...and suck air from the bottom. I always set mine on cardboard or a forlded up beer box for this very reason. Wouldve been better to show people how to fix that air filter if you plan on using it in sand, its not difficult to make a tighter fitting filter.
I bought a Firmin NAPA 6000 after Hurricane IDA. Power was out. I ran it only 230 hours and it broke. Mechanic said it has internal damage. I'm waiting to hear back from the mechanic. It's under warranty. The mechanic said this year he has had 20 something Firmin generators in his shop and 7 in it now. I will not recommend this brand of generators. I have a Briggs and Stratton that is 16 years old and ran it a lot and it's still doing great.
Got two of them ... they work like a charm . Quieter than honda 2000 . The moral of the story is , know your machine first , and some people should'nt be allowed to operate power equipements 🤣🤣🤣
Do you know that clear tube that comes down right above the air filter? Where does that plug into? Mine got unplugged and I don’t know where it’s supposed to plug into.
@@machinesnmetal oh phew~ yeah we have been using the generator to play Guerrilla shows with the band but this last time it shut down on us...time to return it
Sounds like the hack is to rebove thay lower boot. I cant imagine pulling warmer air in will be much efficiency or longevity difference on a small N/A engine
OR make sure to set on it on a Clean Surface Not directly in the Dirt or Sand & always Buy with a Credit Card that way if you lose the receipt you have proof of Purchase on your Credit Card Records !
I don't think they are that cheap for this particular reason I think they are just mass produced with cheap parts. I've tried ordering parts for this from my local supplier and it is impossible they just tell me to buy a new generator because they are so cheap I have the feeling these are very disposable.
Your filter seems very dry. Do you oil your filter on a reg bases? Also this unit has a cast iron sleeve so that is a good thing the unit is a good unit the bad thing is the air intake. And also the fact that they do not tell you to keep the filter oiled regularly and tight. Also this unit has to be off the ground .bad design . Could set it on a rubber mat inside a hot water tank leak pan or use a small tube and extend the intake at the bottom and run it up middle of the unit.
HAVE one run it about 8hr day 7days a week. Yes run it on a concrete not on sand. Has about 1500hrs on it. Leaks oil from somewhere? Have to add oil between oil changes now. Just seen these at a store for $800. Nope my 425 about 1yr ago
Bought this generator - worked once and then the second time I needed it the pull cord snapped after two light pulls. It costs almost as much to replace the pull cord as the generator. DO NOT BUY.
I just purchased one at Costco and it making a thumping sound every couple of seconds. I called firman a they said it sound like a misfire and as long as it’s working normally it’s not a problem but I don’t think that’s normal and they have terrible customer service.
TO LATE I JUST BOUGHT A NEW ONE FROM COSTCO..I DEFINITELY WONT BE PLACING GENERATOR ON THE GROUND ...IM GONNA HAVE MAKE SOMETHING TO PUT IT ON SO IT SITS HIGHER ATLEAST A COUPLE INCHES HIGHER SO IT GETS PROPER AIR INTAKE...
Great content! I got the same Generator and it sat on my concrete drive way. Well after one use today it díd not want to start and the electric company is doing repairs, got candles. Going to return the machine to Costco and get something better
I tried that, could not find a warranty / service depot within 100mi of my location, not good when I need a part before the weekend... I think I'll stick with my honda-
DON'T buy one,... OR, read the owners manual & I bet it tells you to NOT put it in the f***ing dirt ! I have 2 different brand & size Inverter Generators & both have the air intake at the bottom.
@@machinesnmetal it's a fine generator. It's a Yamaha clone and it's available under 10 or so different brands. I have this specific machine and it's been fine.
What happens if you have it on a piece of plywood or clean cement floor in your basement and there is a 3" flood? It would.l suck up the water 🌊 into the intake and probably ruin the motor. My Honda 2200 has the intake 50% the way up the side of the machine, about 6" off of the ground just for this scenerio
A bad design for sure, like who isn't going to put this down on dirt, grass, wet leaves or whatever at a construction site, campsite or backyard, bringing a piece of plywood is a lame solution to fix a poor design. Why didn't they just make the air suck thru a grille on the side? I'm guessing this was an attempt to make it quieter. After looking at a similar Champion inclosed generator online it looks like they have the exact same setup.
The champion and the Firman are the same machine, just in different cases.
*100% best **Generater.Systems** I have used. A test for hurricane prep here in Louisiana: three AC units, 5000, 5000 & 8000, 3 fridges, 2 device power setups, 4 flat screens....AND I had 40% of the power meter to spare.*
Absolutely
I love mine, it works great and is 1/3rd the price of a Honda. All I have to do is set it on top of a wooden board or a piece of cardboard, what a HUGE inconvenience.
Same here, bought the 3650/3300 Big Daddy, and we love it...a power house. Firman gives great value for the feature list.
@Duke Seventhreee thank GOD I watch this video, so thank you for the info. Just bought the 3300 now I know where I shouldn’t put it.
It's a dumb design. Your statement is foolish. I bet you vote blue.
@@talusranch990 dumbest comment......by far.
Mine has 600 hours. Used in dirt, sand, rocks, grass. No issues but now that I watched this, I’ll seal the bottom intake path and modify the intake
Never put your generator directly on the ground, always place it on a small piece of plywood so that it does not suck up dirt
Thanks man, I’m new to this game and that’s a good tip.
I bought one when it first came out at Costco, looks a bit different. I have dragged it everywhere, throw it on the dirt, always starts, never a problem. By the look of the amount of sand in the bottom of the generator, I would say it was literally digging it's own grave at the beach as the vibration settled it down. User Error!!
Didn't want to say that but I have one too.
I have one of these as well. Runs like a champ - I run non-ethanol through it. Starts all the time no matter how long it's been sitting. I did have an issue where my 5-20R wouldn't hold a plug anymore so I called support. A HUMAN ACTUALLY PICKED UP THE PHONE! Guy out of N. Carolina. 7 days later (today) the replacement part showed up in my mailbox!
The intake is on the bottom, how stupid can you get! I take these kinda generators hunting, camping, and it’s all sand and dirt, ! I bet it would work super good if you hook up a vacuum to the HOLE ON THE BOTTOM OF IT
I think the moral of the story is "Don't set your brand new generator and set it in a pile of sand."
Exactly!
You couldn’t place it many places without running the risk of sucking up stuff wether that is sand, saw dust, grass, moisture….,,
I think you are too dumb to see the issue with the design
I actually bought one, n believe it or not, the thing is bunk. Mine crapped out 20hrs in!!!! Piece of junk
or don't put it on the floor or under water duh
Had mine for years, used well over 24-48 hours nonstop let alone shorter runs times. NO ISSUES
me too zero troubles
Same here. I purchased a 2nd one that was refurbished on ebay for less than $250. Almost 25 hours on it and no problems. I do use a mix of regular oil and synthetic but that’s just me
These are great generators and a great value !! Just don’t set them on dirt …
That's funny. I bought one from Costco and have run it for hours without a single problem. Try reading the owner's manual next time. I would not hesitate to buy another Firman from Costco.
I have two of this same model W2000i, and never had a minutes worth of trouble, we actually replaced our predator 9000 with the Firman P09201 for back up at the house. I still use predator at the shop. But I’m a big Forman fan.
Run mine on snow, dirt, gravel, and grass. Never had a problem. Filter always clean. But mine looks a bit different than this one. I will check it tomorrow. It’s run for hundreds of hours with no issues.
Modify the filter, add some larger material its good to go! Can't beat the price this thing is amazing if you dont operate it on a sandy beach like this guy did!
Great comment! We love our 3650/3300
Thanks for the video, just checked my air filter, little bit of dry grass in it. Pulled the rubber grommet off the bottom and turned it around. Seem to run great, only three years old. Firman also has good customer service as i also purchased a 3300 and didn't notice right away the handle was cracked, sent parts no questions.
You cannot measure compression accurately this way because it has a compression release to make starting easier
I don't know what you expected, really. This whole line of generators has some of the best COSTCO and other major store reviews. As far as not putting this anywhere near beach sand - I think it's really a no brainer, and it doesn't matter where the intake is. A slight gust of wind and you will have sand inside. Generally, even when I used generators on a lawn, - I would still put them on a tarp, and not on the grass directly to minimise the possibility that ants or some other insects or pollen/dust get sucked up into the system. As far as the design goes, I do understand the rationale for the intake port to be on the bottom. Some of the best compact computer cases have their intake fans on the bottom, it saves space and makes sure that coolest air is delivered to the CPU, as cool air naturally is situated lower than warmer air. These generators are some of the quietest and the lightest because of this and it's a plus. I do, however, agree that the manual should at least mention the sand part, as well as to make sure the bottom intake is unobstructed, as most people are clueless as to how these work.
cpus arent cooled from bottom fans, bottom fans are for PSUs lol
Just got one for 250 with rebate. For the price I can work around that but good video thanks for the heads up!!
What store did you buy it at?
I have the same Generator and it runs flawlessly. I've got 150 hours and no problems. Set the Generator on a piece of plywood and Ground it.
Glad I saw this video. Made me think about possible water ingestion when using it while snow is melting. I have a hunch the bottom facing intake helps reduce noise. A simple modification of adding an intake shield should help reduce debris ingestion. I use my lawn mower on sandy ground and the air filter still gets grit despite being far from the ground. I need to clean the air filter often, however the engine lasted a lot longer than 10 minutes. Based on the loose air filter fit of this generator, I would say this damage should be covered by the guarantee though.
Easy way around that, and I've done it myself, high temp gasket maker, set that foam piece on there while it's still wet, let it cure and no issues whatsoever. That foam is cheap to replace, so when you cut it out to change it, just repeat the process. If I remember correctly I believe these generators require an oil change every 20-30 hours of run time after they've been broke in.
Return it to Costco and get another one. Just did the same thing with the 3200i firman. Took 10 minutes. No questions asked.
So inconvenient when Costco is 3200mi from your location...
@@machinesnmetal free delivery with cosco
I couldn't agree more ..These Firmans are a real nightmare to work on.
I thought Hondas EU2000 and EU2200 are bad,but these Firmans are the worst. Try getting the carburetor off or doing a recoil rope repair. Almost 40 years doing small engine repair and all these small suitcase inverters are just impossible to work on and keep running.
I bought one and love it. The airbox is still on the bottom but I like that design. I run mine on the cement. No plan on taking it in sand or putting it on grass. The most i'd put this thing on is gravel. I don't think it's a "total failure". Not too hard to put in a different airbox and reroute it. I agree bad design but doesn't prevent me from purchasing for my use case and i'll deal with it to save $800 over a honda 2200.
Thanks for the information. I have one, never had any trouble. I never set it on the bare ground. I usually put it on my tailgate. I'll be sure to never do that.
I bought one of these online from Costco Canada May 2021 for $286 CND all in delivery included, however it’s a 2000/1600 and not 2001/1700 so not sure if that’s a US/Canada thing. I mount mine on 2x6 blocks to keep it off the ground, I used the regular oil provided, went through a tank of gas for the break in period, fine metal shavings is normal during breakin. Then changed the oil to 5w30 synthetic (that’s good to run in hot or sub zero weather). I’ve only used Shell 91 in the generator as 91 has no ethanol in it. It’s been running like a charm on every camping trip and it always starts on the first maybe second pull. Great Generator for topping up the house batteries and having AC power available in the camper for a few hours a day.
I have one and think it is the best made inverter for the money. It has a cast iron cylinder for longevity. I run it on a chunk of plywood and no issues at all. The only complaint I have is the way to change oil. It is a terrible design and very messy. A 20 cent plastic extension to screw into the oil fill port would make all the difference. Other than that, It is as good as any Honda I’ve had to work on.
Where do you order parts for them? I can't here in Canada up North. When I ask any equipment dealer they tell me to buy a Honda
Dude are you serious? Who puts a generator in the sand on the ground? The air intake is on the bottom because the air is cooler. It's not hard to modify or seal the air box I would soak and ring out the sponge filter in oil.
Good evening. Thank you for this video! It highlights several things. I would be comfortable with one of these Firmans. Grey, gritty oil- regardless of whatever generator I end up getting to help power our travel trailer, I will be doing an aggressive oil changing regime initially; maybe run it 30 to 60 minutes and change the oil and repeat that 3 or 4 times. Also, I would put the generator on board or sheet of wood to separate the air intake from the ground contamination.
Safe travels!
As for power generation I think these units are wonderful
Just make sure if you're planning to travel with it that you call ahead to the small engine shops in the areas we plan to stay to make sure that they carry the parts you would need should you have to do any repairs on your trip. I have a couple of Honda 2200 suitcase generators and you can find dealers with parts in even the smallest towns, or if you're really stuck Amazon. I personally have never seen a firman dealer brick and mortar store.
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its bigger than the junk parts/, inferior metals they are made with - , the generators act as if they will work for a while then starts doing intermittent problems all kinds of stuff , then firman wants you to be phone slave with them, playing hoop jump corporate power trip control games and also tries to get more money out of you , its designed as a complete corporate , cheap failure component product $ / customer back and forth scam .
Great generator. Never had an issue. Just be mindful and you’ll be fine.
The honda generator i use at work is a year only and had to fix it twice so far. We can not place it on wet ground because it sucks up water
Thanks gor the tip! I pulled out yhe air boot and put tape over the bottom hole. Didnt notice any change in sound or running.
Thanks for the video. I purchased one off of eBay for $200.00 and have yet to use it. I bought it just in case power went out (which it hasn't since purchase). I also purchased a very thick rubber mat to go underneath because I saw where the port was. No disrespect but, putting any electronic in the sand or dirt is asking for it!
Just found this, been searching for the cause of my surging for days. Thanks!!!
Mine is surging too.did you find a solution? Been looking too for a long time
I have my firman for 5 years, works great
Our Honda 2000watt inverter generator at my work sucks off of the bottom too. So dumb. Makes no sense. I'll have to take a look at both of my 2000watt Firmans and check them out. I'll just place a board under them. No biggie.
Recoil seems on part with my 3000w firman. I have no issues with these gens at all.
The poster of this video does have a valid concern, but it's easily remedied.
BTW....firman service is pretty good. If the customer emailed them and talked this out with firman, they probably would have given him another generator. Not the first time they have given a new genny to make the customer happy. It may have been an opportunity for firman to make an update to design as well.
Well, I think is well worth the $199 that Costco offered it for a few months ago in-store. Set in on plywood and something similar.
Thanks for posting this. Almost bought one used for cheap. Thought it was going to be an easy carb clean. Thx again.
thanks for the video you probably saved me this trouble, i have this generator, i will be careful where i run it. So far this generator is working very well for me.
Excellent!
My neighbor has another brand generator and it has the same intake on the bottom design. This design is not exclusive to the Firman, which I have, and I love. It has been very reliable, and common sense says to place it on a piece of plywood when using at the campsite (which I do).
Its on the bottom because it draws cooler air. Ive had mine for 1 year running 24 hours a day 7 days a week i live on a boat. This 2100 runs my tv three fans and a ac plus charges my phones and portable lights all at the same time. Soo dont know what happened on this one and im not one to plug a business but ive been impressed with mine. Only problems ive had is when the plug fouls it will shut off clean the plug and its balls to the wall again. I probably dont change my oil like i should and hopefully dont jinx it. About to change the plug today for first time was how i found this feed. And wanted to change the air filter. If you run it light you cant even hear it meaning just the tv fan seems to crank it up alot ac all the way.
Is there much sand and dirt on your boat?
Why not remove that rubber baffle from the base of the generator enclosure? Then the air intake will not suck air directly from that bottom port but will instead take air from the other openings in the case as well. The intake air will be warmer (from engine heat) but the comparable Hondas (eu2200) take the warm intake air from the lower part of the generator also, they aren’t designed to take cold air from outside the case. This would also likely help cold weather running of this unit.
Would that not void the warranty?
@@machinesnmetal I'm not sure if it would technically void the warranty, but if you hang on to the boot it could be reinstalled before making a claim. I'm planning to remove mine and put a piece of tape over the hole in the bottom. Easily reversible modification to solve the dirt ingestion problem. I'm glad I saw this video!
Thanks for the info about the Honda intake style. I just bought the Firman (can't beat the price) and I'm going to make this change before I ever start it up.
Got one,it sucks, if use it ever, I’ll put it on a wood platform, other then that,I’d be ashamed to sell it, my honda is all I need! Thanks for your video, it totally hit what I was wondering
Absolutely correct. The air filter intake AND filter are not designed for sand and dirt AND we sure can't use these in our garages in a power loss without Carbon dioxide poisoning (death).
I lost two BRAND NEW units at the Imperial Sand Dunes (Glamis) in 2 days. BRAND NEW.
I found the same as this review, almost zero compression and NO OIL on the foam filter which, by the way, is only half the thickness of a Honda 2000i. The filter did not filter and sand literally passed through it and was in the carb input side and went through it and into the engine and sanded the piston and cylinder. It was a ruined 4 day weekend for me due to my RV being 100% electric. A real downer.
I called FIRMAN in Phoenix (they are the North American importer/supplier for US and Canada) and they basically told me to go pound sand by saying I will have to pay for the repairs at a local small engine repair shop. Brand new generators guys... Pfff
Honda for me for now on. FIRMAN CAN GO POUND SAND
Thanks for the upload. I'll prob still buy one but good input here.
If your reading all these comments like I am it appears that it's a good machine with a design flaw..I say no problem take the side cover off to get access...take a 2" black abs pipe and reroute the cold air to the air box from the side of the cover and your all good 👍... sounds like a whopping hour project to me...
It seems hard to believe that sand or dirt finished off the engine in 2 hours of running. The air filter has no dirt in it. All these chinese engines have metal in the oil after its first good run. The dont put much effort into cleaning the block after machining. Dump the oil after an hour, then once again after the next hour and you are good.
I am going to go buy one of these generators this weekend and do a test with it on Sand video to see if we can replicate this failure in a controlled environment
@@machinesnmetal some times the valve adjustments are bad resulting in a lack of compression. That would not account for the appearance of your oil though.
Solution found place generator on old cookie sheet. Works great.
It wasn't the best idea to have it draw air from the bottom but, I don't think that is worth the verdict of DO NOT BUY. These seem to be great other than this one issue which could be 'fixed' by placing the generator on a piece of cardboard or plywood.
I just bought this generator. Used it on and off for 24 hours and then it shut off and wouldn't restart. Yes, it had clean gas! It was on the pavement, but I totally see the issue! Craziness! Expensive too, $700. It's going back! I will find a better one. I need a generator that is reliable. Thanks for the detailed explanation.
The commenters here keep saying your supposed to put it on a sheet of plywood, not directly on the ground 🤷 I don't know, I've never owned one and wouldnt. I stopped repairing them for Firman a while ago now, was nothing but a headache.
Shannon , take the valve cover off and look at the rocker arms( 4 nuts,its easy). Mine did the same thing and it was one of the rocker arms fell off the push rod and the intake valve wasnt opening.
This video is spot on. I picked up a used one, same sand problem in airbox. Wouldn't hardly fart with starter fluid the compression was so bad. (Also, there's a compression release). Upon disassembly, it's actually the rings that were unable to spring apart and continue sealing against the cylinder wall. Firmly bound up with grit in the ring grooves. The piston looked like it'd passed over a belt sander. The Firman crew are a bunch of clowns and wouldn't return my emails or calls. The BBB reviews are telling as well. Best to avoid. I ended up honing the cylinder, unsticking the rings, cleaning everything up and putting it back together. It runs, doesn't visably burn oil but you can hear a bit of piston slap at higher loads. I blocked off the bottom opening and removed the lower snorkel tube. Drawing air from the lower part of the machine is still relatively cool...and grit free. Terrible.
Yet the other 99% of the viewers of this video disagree with my opinion. 🤷
@@machinesnmetal I know, without seeing it firsthand it's almost unbelievable a company would produce such a turd. Even on their website it's promoted as ideal for outdoorspeople and its pictured on a mound of loose dirt. Ooof.
they r junk and no one believes. Just give them a few years each and every one will need a carburetor and you won't be able to source the part.
@@machinesnmetal I saw in another comment you have a few of these. If it were determined that the inverter could run when the flywheel is spun by other means... It would be interesting to serpentine drive four or six of these and parallel the outputs all together, lol. 🤓
@@ross9580 I'll put that on the youtube whiteboard in the shop, under diesel powered pencil sharpener and above small block chevy powered taylor dunn meter maid mini truck.. oops did I let that one slip? :)
Honda or Yamaha invest extensive research and development into their products. They would ever locate an air intake in that location. Thanks for the video
It's a good entry level for people that can't afford anything else. Thanks for letting us know about the air intake. I will make an aluminum stand for mine with extra bottom filters.
That is a super smart solution, can you please post a video of the project?
@@machinesnmetal wish that I could. I cannot currently go to Costco because my wife is at the hospital due to covid complications. I am confined at home with our two young children.
@@machinesnmetal We managed to beat COVID. I will do a video of the aluminum stand once I manage to clean up and insulate the garage. I should have something by the end of July.
I've seen a filter on the intake on the side of a forklift overhead guard in addition to the main filter. I have no idea where you would get one but it would probably work. It was like a little 5x5×2 cassette you would slide a filter into. Might be called a "foundry pack" but I can't remember
I have a 3200 watt dual fuel and it just failed after about ten hours. Costco return. Im just looking to see what the deal is with Firman. (I think this opening is a drain and not the air intake, there are other air vents on the case, this isnt the air intake, in my opinion. See the louvers over at the other end, and it has free airflow around the case interior. All I know is their service desk had never actually used the product and had no idea how to connect the battery which comes disonnected to prevent discharge.
I bought 4 of these and blew the motor. I broke in the motor and changed the oil and then took it to the dunes where it sucked up sand. It doesn’t say to not put it on the ground in the manual. It is for sure a bad design. Also my tri fuel firman generator had blown the rings after just 5 hours of use. I am a little unsure of the quality of these but feel the company is honest and trying hard.
Come on, he did not read the manual. "Operate generator on a level surface, do not expose generator to excess moisture, dust, dirt, or corrosive vapors." "Place on a stable level surface." The owner probably did not even read the owners manual....
I love it, the can of worms this video is opening 😅🤣🤣🤣
@@machinesnmetal it is interesting that the larger cousin to this unit as the air intake in the front instead of the bottom. I have the 3650 unit. Ran a break in procedure which changes the oil after the first and third hour of operation. I did not see any metal in the oil. This does seem to be a case of severe operator error. Some customers are just hard on equipment.
I can place my 13 year old non-firman brand generator on any surface including sand without fear of damage due to it having a design incorporating common sense engineering principles.
Thanks for posting this. There’s a duel fuel option I’m eyeing here in small town Alaska and want to pull the trigger on it, but not sure.
Is there a local parts / support line near you? Last think you want is a valve spring to break and be down 3 months waiting on parts.
It’s interesting that he didn’t compare how other generators get around this? I thought they all have the same design.
I guess you didn't listen how he mentioned honda! 🤷
Set it on a car floor mat no Big deal now that you told us so I do thank you for that awesome information
Intake is on the bottom for sound attenuation. Don’t set it in sand?
The owners manual on every Firman generator states "Do not block Generator Air vents with paper or other objects" Im fairly certain that sand meets the criteria for "other objects".
Air vents, different thing. What does it say about the air intake?
I'm gonna buy one of these and just put it on a rubber mat. Good find.
Need to make a snorkel for it
A snorkel would be a great idea and pretty easy to do probably as well
Yeah, thats a major design flaw. But its still a hell of a generator.
The intake is on the bottom on my predator 3500. Sitting on sand would ruin many generators as they have piss-poor air filtration...and suck air from the bottom. I always set mine on cardboard or a forlded up beer box for this very reason. Wouldve been better to show people how to fix that air filter if you plan on using it in sand, its not difficult to make a tighter fitting filter.
bought a new honda generator and no issues at all. :)
Mine had the same issue So I cleaned the cylinder and carb and ran it. After running the compression went up, the rings aren't even seated yet.
I don't know about this one buy my 2 firman generators run great. My little one for short term outages and my duel fuel 9400watt for shtf LOL
You are right the air intake is on the bottom for sound reduction. Not good at all.
I bought a Firmin NAPA 6000 after Hurricane IDA. Power was out. I ran it only 230 hours and it broke. Mechanic said it has internal damage. I'm waiting to hear back from the mechanic. It's under warranty. The mechanic said this year he has had 20 something Firmin generators in his shop and 7 in it now. I will not recommend this brand of generators. I have a Briggs and Stratton that is 16 years old and ran it a lot and it's still doing great.
That's a bummer what happened to your Firman. I wish you great success with it!
@@machinesnmetal thanks
He probably used it on a beach. But you could easily add a length of hose to redirect the air pick up
...i forgot, they also have a 3yr warrenty and would surely cover this
already bought mine, so way pass return period. thank you for the heads up though.
Got two of them ... they work like a charm . Quieter than honda 2000 . The moral of the story is , know your machine first , and some people should'nt be allowed to operate power equipements 🤣🤣🤣
Could we add a second air filter to the bottom air i take port?
For sure, but it may void the warranty
Do you know that clear tube that comes down right above the air filter? Where does that plug into? Mine got unplugged and I don’t know where it’s supposed to plug into.
It's a carburetor overflow drain, dosen't plug into anything at the bottom.
@@machinesnmetal oh phew~ yeah we have been using the generator to play Guerrilla shows with the band but this last time it shut down on us...time to return it
What's a guerilla show?
@@machinesnmetal maybe they let a bunch of Ak's rip into the air at the end
Thanks for the video. Will be cautious and be sure to hang it on the “ceiling” 😅😀.
I have mine with this problem I opened it and it's a lot of sand inside. My question is did you make it run.
No, I threw it in the recycling bin.
@@machinesnmetal 😥
Sounds like the hack is to rebove thay lower boot. I cant imagine pulling warmer air in will be much efficiency or longevity difference on a small N/A engine
It would probably be fine, but will void the warranty unfortunately
@@machinesnmetal did it take any significant mods to remove/install it? Seems like a rubber boot that could be slipped back in before return
I ordered this same one off ebay so I guess I'll use my 4 in one hand truck as a generator stand
How about not set any generator on SAND
I don't know they use this generator on the sand and it seems to work no problem
th-cam.com/video/kdDqD6pnwkg/w-d-xo.html
OR make sure to set on it on a Clean Surface Not directly in the Dirt or Sand & always Buy with a Credit Card that way if you lose the receipt you have proof of Purchase on your Credit Card Records !
I was wondering why they sell these so cheap. Now I know. Great video.
I don't think they are that cheap for this particular reason I think they are just mass produced with cheap parts. I've tried ordering parts for this from my local supplier and it is impossible they just tell me to buy a new generator because they are so cheap I have the feeling these are very disposable.
@@machinesnmetal nonsense, i've had them adjusted and repaired NO PROBLEMS in Canada
Good thing I bought the 2000 watt edition
The best generator in the game 🗿
Your filter seems very dry. Do you oil your filter on a reg bases? Also this unit has a cast iron sleeve so that is a good thing the unit is a good unit the bad thing is the air intake. And also the fact that they do not tell you to keep the filter oiled regularly and tight. Also this unit has to be off the ground .bad design . Could set it on a rubber mat inside a hot water tank leak pan or use a small tube and extend the intake at the bottom and run it up middle of the unit.
Not my machine, was a customers. I wouldn't own one of these generators, there is no parts line within 300mi of my place.
Great inspection and review 👌
I appreciate your kind comment a lot of the viewers have nothing nice to say
HAVE one run it about 8hr day 7days a week. Yes run it on a concrete not on sand. Has about 1500hrs on it. Leaks oil from somewhere? Have to add oil between oil changes now. Just seen these at a store for $800. Nope my 425 about 1yr ago
Bought this generator - worked once and then the second time I needed it the pull cord snapped after two light pulls. It costs almost as much to replace the pull cord as the generator. DO NOT BUY.
I just purchased one at Costco and it making a thumping sound every couple of seconds. I called firman a they said it sound like a misfire and as long as it’s working normally it’s not a problem but I don’t think that’s normal and they have terrible customer service.
Can't you just bring it back to costco?
I have a Firman 3650ir and the air intake is on the side. Bang for the buck you can't go wrong
TO LATE I JUST BOUGHT A NEW ONE FROM COSTCO..I DEFINITELY WONT BE PLACING GENERATOR ON THE GROUND ...IM GONNA HAVE MAKE SOMETHING TO PUT IT ON SO IT SITS HIGHER ATLEAST A COUPLE INCHES HIGHER SO IT GETS PROPER AIR INTAKE...
I'm glad you saw the video so you can prepare your machine!
Any engineering design that would put the air intake where it could reasonably be expected to draw in excess dirt is negligent in design period
Not according to half the commenters below 🙄
Great content! I got the same Generator and it sat on my concrete drive way. Well after one use today it díd not want to start and the electric company is doing repairs, got candles. Going to return the machine to Costco and get something better
Firman has a 3 year warranty.
Where do you take it for warranty work? No shops around here do Firman warranty work ?
@@machinesnmetal you've heard of something called Google ?
I tried that, could not find a warranty / service depot within 100mi of my location, not good when I need a part before the weekend... I think I'll stick with my honda-
I wonder if the warranty covers setting the generator in a pile of sand??? 🤣
DON'T buy one,... OR, read the owners manual & I bet it tells you to NOT put it in the f***ing dirt !
I have 2 different brand & size Inverter Generators & both have the air intake at the bottom.
Saved me. Was going to grab one of these.
They aren't so bad I guess as long as you hang them from the ceiling when you run them.
So what you saying for 10 $ I can buy some pvc pipe and make a snorkel and it's fixed and saved 1000$ instead of buying a honda
You could, but it will still be a piece of junk, I've got 11 of them in my shop right now, can't order parts for them from anywhere.
@@machinesnmetal I dont believe you. Plus you took you likes off the video lol
I never realized likes were turned off I just turned them on for you I will post another video showing all the broken generators.
Set it on a piece of plywood or cardboard. There I fixed it.
Intake is on the bottom to make it quieter. Intake makes a lot of noise.
It certainly quieted down this one 😂😂
@@machinesnmetal it's a fine generator. It's a Yamaha clone and it's available under 10 or so different brands. I have this specific machine and it's been fine.
Not this one, this ones in the junkyard
@@machinesnmetal ok?
There is a caution to only use it on a hard clean surface.
What happens if you have it on a piece of plywood or clean cement floor in your basement and there is a 3" flood? It would.l suck up the water 🌊 into the intake and probably ruin the motor. My Honda 2200 has the intake 50% the way up the side of the machine, about 6" off of the ground just for this scenerio