[Shimpy]

Originally Posted by claricecolin

I would hope so. I was amazed at the amount of returns after Irma. I asked and found out since items had left store they had to be destroyed. Could not be resold or donated. All could think is why return items you can use (water, canned goods and batteries have a long life).

Just to show how some customers are,
1965 thru 1979 I worked at Sears and they had a policy of anything could be returned for whatever reason. I had to take back luggage that was sold 2 weeks ago and returned with airline tags on because they decided they didn't like the color. They returned camera sets with the film and flashcubes used up. I've seen gallons of paint returned then put on the paint shaker to mix the paint for another customer and make a loud racket. Opening the cans found rocks put in the can to bring it up to look like the can was full. They returned fans for space heaters and then for fans again. Its unbelievable how some people can be so cheap.

[Marvic 1]

I know a guy that did his complete house floors with ceramic tiles, He took this dusty electric tile cutter after he was done back to Home Depot and got his money back...

[geofitz13]

We used to have a dept store called Lechemere's. They had a dept where they re-sold items at a considerable discount. I had a friend who would go in, buy top-end stero equipment, and then return it the next day. Then he would go back a couple days later, and re-purchase it at a steep discount in the returns dept. And this guy made good money. He just thought it was fun to beat the system. I never did understand it....

[Dmbluk]

I have been hanging on to mine for about 7 years now. Haven't used it yet. I think it is my good luck charm.

[skyking]

Originally Posted by TimeForChange

I want a refund. I have purchased over $300 in groceries and supplies, 14 gals of gasoline for my generator, filled up the car and both golf carts and all we may get is 30 to 50 mph winds.

15 mile an hour winds.

[VillageIdiots]

Originally Posted by jimmemac

Disclaimer on front doors saying generators will not be returnable

I bought a generator in that Lowes on Sunday. All of the signs I saw clearly stated that generators can be returned within 30 days if they are in new condition, so not sure if you saw a different disclaimer, or if they changed it after I left. I previously went to Camping World and they also had lots of generators but had signs posted everywhere that all generator sales were final. I don't know that I'll return mine or not, but I prefer having the option to if I want. The main reason I would is because they didn't have exactly what I wanted but had what I could get by with if it came down to it. If I can exchange it in a week or 2 for what I actually want, or take it back and buy what I actually want somewhere else, what is wrong with that?

[Nucky]

Just a point of interest. If a Generator Purchaser is the kind of person who follows the instructions included with their new purchase then they will find out as I did that the unit should be run for 8 hours and then have the oil changed before putting a full load on The Generator. Sooo if you did decide to follow the inscrutions your Generator is no longer new and this may change the return policy at the store you purchased it from. Best of luck.

A friend of mine has had his Generator for about a year and used no fuel additive such as Stabil and when he went to get ready for this storm Zip, Zero, Zilch! The Carburetor is full of garbage from the gummed up old gas that wasn't treated. He got it fixed up for under $100 so I count him as lucky.

I will start mine every two weeks. I will treat the Gas. When the worst part of the weather threat is over there is a screw you turn that drains the gas tank and finish draining the Carb by running it dry.

I will work on getting the Small Engine Repairman's Phone number in case anyone gets jammed up!

[VillageIdiots]

Originally Posted by Nucky

Sooo if you did decide to follow the inscrutions your Generator is no longer new and this may change the return policy at the store you purchased it from. Best of luck.

New implies not removed from box or at least from internal wrappers or assembled, and certainly no fluids added. I bought one in a box and bought a container of oil and filled up my 5 gallon gas can. I put the box in my garage and sat the oil on top of it, still in the bag. If I had needed it, everything I needed was right there. If I don't need it, it's ready to load back up and take back to store with the receipt. If they have what I really wanted in stock, or can allocate one for me, I'll swap it out. If they don't, I'll simply return it and find the one I really wanted before waiting for the next storm to threaten.

[Velvet]

Sounds like it’s ‘new’ to me. I didn’t know about the 8 hours before rule. Ours up north is standby and runs itself for 20 min each week. It is noisy even though it is Koehler etc so I set it to run at noon on Mondays when people are at work and school.

[Shimpy]

Originally Posted by Nucky

I will start mine every two weeks. I will treat the Gas. When the worst part of the weather threat is over there is a screw you turn that drains the gas tank and finish draining the Carb by running it dry.

I will work on getting the Small Engine Repairman's Phone number in case anyone gets jammed up!

Hey Nucky I've been doing this for years on my pressure washer and generator. I use Sea Foam for a gas treatment and found I can wait 6 weeks before running it. I'm going to try 8 weeks soon.

[Nucky]

Originally Posted by Shimpy

Hey Nucky I've been doing this for years on my pressure washer and generator. I use Sea Foam for a gas treatment and found I can wait 6 weeks before running it. I'm going to try 8 weeks soon.

Sounds good to me. Can you imagine all that money and in the moment of critical need, ZONK! Sea Foam it is cause I only treated a little of the gas I bought. Thanks a Million!

[Tom C]

I have always treated my stored gas with Sta-Bil. I stored an engine long-term before. In that one I used Sea Foam fogging oil that I put directly into the cylinders after pulling the spark plugs. All have worked well.

I have de-lacquered a carb that was not stored correctly. After taking it apart and soaking with straight Sta-Bil for 10 minutes, the lacquer coating left by the gasoline came off with just a simple Q-Tip.

so ... I have found all these products to work well, when used per the instructions.

I once stored fuel in a motorcycle (carb, not FI) using only Sta-Bil for 7 years (not starting it for that long). When I went to re-start it, it fired up w/o issue. I would not have believed it if I had not done it myself. I DO NOT recommend this. I also immediately topped it off with fresh fuel.

[VillageIdiots]

Originally Posted by Tom C

I once stored fuel in a motorcycle (carb, not FI) using only Sta-Bil for 7 years (not starting it for that long). When I went to re-start it, it fired up w/o issue. I would not have believed it if I had not done it myself. I DO NOT recommend this. I also immediately topped it off with fresh fuel.

Definitely not recommended, not even by Sta-Bil. But it's definitely thee product to use in engines or even gas cans that are going to sit for a while. They have a product now (360) that also includes an ethanol treatment as well as fuel stabilizer and I mix that in with regular gas for any small engine I have, including my golf cart. I had a generator in NC for years, since Hurricane Floyd, and always used Sta-Bil in the gas. I would start it about once a year and let it run until warmed up, then I'd close the fuel shut-off and let it run until it quit. Never had a problem with it starting up or running rough. If you don't use a fuel stabilizer, you'd want to start it and run it much more often to keep it in good shape.

[Moderator]

The topic of this thread is Generators at Lowes. If you wish to discuss fuel additives, please start a new thread. This thread is now closed.

Moderator