Tips When Buying a Used Generator
Whether you are looking to buy a diesel, natural gas or gasoline powered generator you can start by contacting manufacturers directly or save time and browse our listings, keeping an eye out for those direct from the manufacturers. Most manufactures of industrial generators like Daewoo, Ingersoll Rand and John Deere already sell used gensets. Very often, manufacturers will offer you a used machine that can be customized and refurbished and even rebuilt to exactly suit your portable, stand-by or primary power source needs.
If you are not buying directly from the manufacturer you need to aware of how old the unit is, what it was used for and how well it has been maintained. Like vehicles, industrial generators also have odometers that tell you how much mileage they have on them. Never buy a used genset that is missing an odometor or that has one set to 0.
Another thing to consider is that a generator that was used as an emergency or stand-by unit is probably in better shape than one that was used as a primary source. Ask the seller for the history of the machine and, in the event that the history is missing, be sure to bring it up and use the lack of history in your decision-making (weighing the risks) and in negotiation.
It is best to have the unit inspected by a certified technician before you buy it or require that the dealer, broker or current owner provide you with a certificate saying that it has been inspected in the last month. You can also hire a mechanic or engineer to do an inspection and make sure that all of the bearings, bushings and wiring on the generator are in good shape.
If you are buying a complex industrial machine or a stand-by machine for a mission critical facility such as a hospital it is best to put any machine that you might potentially buy through as many inspections as possible. It is also possible to buy a used machine from an individual and then ask the original manufacturer’s service department to tune it up and customize it to your needs.
