# Pulsar Inverter Sale



## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

I had wanted to post this sooner but got tied up. Home Depot is running a very nice sale on the Pulsar inverters: Link

Apparently, this model lists for about $585, although I've seen them for sale for around $430. Home Depot is selling them for $279. I tried to resist, but I caved in and ordered one. They are on backorder, but at that price, it was a no-brainer. Something like that is perfect to run overnight. I can parallel it with my smaller Wen if I need more power. If you're looking for a small inverter, that's about as good of a price as it gets.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

that might be a cool giveaway gen set as a loaner...
there is always a family member or church member in need...
a low cost inverter like that would be a cool thing to have on hand!
and that would make a great last min gift for some one who has non!


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

iowagold said:


> that might be a cool giveaway gen set as a loaner...
> there is always a family member or church member in need...
> a low cost inverter like that would be a cool thing to have on hand!
> and that would make a great last min gift for some one who has non!


Woot had a sale on the Champion 100692 2k watt inverter generator for $339. That was a pretty good deal on that model. I was tempted but decided to pass. When I saw the deal on the Pulsar, I picked one up. More power for $60 less and with free shipping. Looks like I'm ordering another NGK plug. I don't even run the new inverters now before replacing the plug. 

That's a great idea about having a loaner. My girlfriend's father is on O2 and he cannot be without electricity. An inverter of this size would be plenty powerful enough to run the oxygen machine and a few other items, should it come to that. My elderly next door neighbors, after Ida, had no power and were just sitting in the dark and heat. I wish I had known. I'd have rolled my Firman over and connected the fridge and some lights, at the least.


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## ronskal (Feb 18, 2021)

I saw this and picked one up. Hard to beat 52% off plus I had a gift card so I am into it for US $102. 
I was looking for a second Yamaha EF2000 or a Honda EU2200 but had to jump on it.
These are the same as the Westinghouse & Generac 2200W units sold for over $500.
It's a Chinese unit made by Ducar, I figure once I get past 5 hours I can trust it. Home Depot gives you 30 days to return so I am testing before that window closes.
It does parallel with my Yamaha EF2000ISV2 but the Pulsar needs to be the prime unit. 
Has an 80CC Yamaha clone that runs hard at full power, 5000 RPM. Load testing once you go past the rated 1800W it goes Red and shutdown is imminent.
In spite of its limitations, highly recommended at US $279.


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

ronskal said:


> I saw this and picked one up. Hard to beat 52% off plus I had a gift card so I am into it for US $102.
> I was looking for a second Yamaha EF2000 or a Honda EU2200 but had to jump on it.
> These are the same as the Westinghouse & Generac 2200W units sold for over $500.
> It's a Chinese unit made by Ducar, I figure once I get past 5 hours I can trust it. Home Depot gives you 30 days to return so I am testing before that window closes.
> ...


That's the one I ordered. For $279 with free shipping, I couldn't pass it up. I have a Wen 2225 inverter that's about the same size as this one. They should parallel together nicely. The Pulsar is backordered but it's estimated to be delivered in the next week or two. I wish it had a fuel cutoff to drain the carb, but I've heard there are ways around that.


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## Dutchy491 (Sep 18, 2019)

_Has an 80CC Yamaha clone that runs hard at full power, 5000 RPM. _Are you serious? You Want some good oil if that’s true….


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

yea there are shut off valves that can be added easy to any gen.
or just set them up as tri fuel.
lol you would have as much in the tri fuel kit as the gen cost!
but the kit would fit other gens as well.


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

Dutchy491 said:


> _Has an 80CC Yamaha clone that runs hard at full power, 5000 RPM. _Are you serious? You Want some good oil if that’s true….


I'm thinking that it probably doesn't run quite that high. Unless there's a NOS version? 

I didn't order the NOS version. You have to pay extra for that.


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## ronskal (Feb 18, 2021)

I installed a Tach/Hourmeter and unless it is inaccurate at max load I was at 5000RPM at 1800W.
My Yamaha goes to 4500RPM at Max which is 1600W but it has headroom and can do 1700W.








.


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

I got an email from Home Despot advising that there has been a delay in their receiving the generators in stock. They said if they don't have the generators back in stock by 2/3/22, they are canceling my order. I'd rather they send me something comparable. The Ford FG2300is is the same generator, and I even like the color. I don't know if they carry that model, though. Seems they ought to be willing to do right by their customers. I would gladly accept a Honda 2200 for the same money. I'm flexible that way.


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## Dutchy491 (Sep 18, 2019)

😂😅🤣🥲


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

lmao on the honda eu2200i on the same price!
"HOW DID THAT GO?"
you have to listen to John boy and Billy in the AM to get that one.
I love the MAD MAX routine on that show...
so funny for sure!

yea these days of customer service i have seen some cool upgrades for sure.
all of my luck if i ordered a caddy they would try to sub a Yugo lol!
Walmart upgrades order on line food if you order the Walmart brand of canned soup 
i have seen them upgrade to the red can name brand!
kinda cool!
and the ratio would be close! 2-3 times the cost.

I wish we all could afford the Hondas....
I am blessed with good equipment right now.
I try to keep the good stuff so i do not have to work on gear that is a problem...
at least for me....
nothing worse that to try to use something and it is broken during an outage event!

now these little low cost inverter gens are kinda cool for a starter gen or a giveaway gen.
just keep in mind most of them do not have the good block for long term use...
and as long as you choose them with the 2 times the gen power you need
you should be ok.
just think spare parts.... and while they are in current production buy spare carbs if they are on the cheap as well.
or for the 200 bucks just buy another new gen as a backup as new in the box!


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## speedy2019 (Jan 29, 2019)

I bet thats pretty loud at that RPM, and it get's through a lot of petrol aswel?


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

speedy2019 said:


> I bet thats pretty loud at that RPM, and it get's through a lot of petrol aswel?


the pulsar is a small gen speed, and they are quiet when compared to an open frame.
not as quiet as an eu 2200i honda...
but still in the ok class of gens in the low price area.


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## ronskal (Feb 18, 2021)

speedy2019 said:


> I bet thats pretty loud at that RPM, and it get's through a lot of petrol aswel?


Not loud when compared to an open frame but the little 80CC engine is definitely working. The 5000 RPM was recorded during a Max power check to confirm its rated output of 1800W. During a half or 1000W load it is quite civil.
The Honda 2200W by comparison has a 120CC engine so it is much less stressed I'm sure. Just another reason they would last beyond the great Honda build quality.


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

I sent a message to Pulsar asking them their status on manufacturing and shipping on the PG2300is inverter model. I told them the item is backordered and HD is making noise about canceling orders. I don't know if they will be of any help, but it's worth a shot.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

ronskal said:


> Not loud when compared to an open frame but the little 80CC engine is definitely working. The 5000 RPM was recorded during a Max power check to confirm its rated output of 1800W. During a half or 1000W load it is quite civil.
> The Honda 2200W by comparison has a 120CC engine so it is much less stressed I'm sure. Just another reason they would last beyond the great Honda build quality.


the honda eu2200i is lower rpm as well.
and something about the isolators on the frame keeps it quiet as well when you have it sitting on a wood deck.


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

I got a response from Pulsar, to my surprise. The guy who replied was pretty cool about it. He told me this:

_In-store inventory seems to be on intergalactic backorder right now. After lunch I visited our ops team and they advised a clever workaround. It seems if you order online through Home Depot, it gets fulfilled here, and we have plenty of stock. _

I ordered online so I should be set. I'm hoping to get a shipping notice in the next week or two. I would imagine Pulsar does not want HD canceling a bunch of orders when they are sitting on stock that only needs a shipping label slapped on it.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

well done swamp!
direct to the source always is a good plan!


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## Mike M (Sep 5, 2021)

LaSwamp said:


> I got a response from Pulsar, to my surprise. The guy who replied was pretty cool about it. He told me this:
> 
> _In-store inventory seems to be on intergalactic backorder right now. After lunch I visited our ops team and they advised a clever workaround. It seems if you order online through Home Depot, it gets fulfilled here, and we have plenty of stock. _
> 
> I ordered online so I should be set. I'm hoping to get a shipping notice in the next week or two. I would imagine Pulsar does not want HD canceling a bunch of orders when they are sitting on stock that only needs a shipping label slapped on it.


Smart move!


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

I really don't want Home Depot to cancel my order given how amazing that sale was. I figured at the least, I could let Pulsar know that there was probably a lot of orders out there that could be canceled if they don't intervene. Mass-cancellations would reflect badly not only on Home Depot but on Pulsar as well. The guy at Pulsar I've been going back and forth with has turned out to be really cool. He was surprised when I told him about the HD sale. I asked him if the sale price that HD was selling them for was below cost. He declined to answer directly, but told me that *he* would buy several of them at that price. So, I took that as a yes. A bunch of guys on another board I frequent placed online orders as well and also got the 2/3/22 cancel threat. I'm hoping we now have the manufacturer on our side in this. I wanted to let them know we're on the clock and if they could go ahead and start sending units to HD, that would be super great. If we start getting close to the end of the month and I've still not heard anything, I'll reach out to Pulsar again and see if Logistics can at least call or message their HD contact and let them know the units are coming and to not cancel orders. 

I did ask him about two versions of the PG2300is. They make a rebadged Ford version of the inverter. It appears to be identical to the PG2300is. However, the Ford version is rated at 2k watts running whereas the Pulsar version is rated at 1.8k watts. I asked him what the difference was that gave the Ford version a higher rating. I'm waiting for his response. Perhaps it's a simple mod that can be applied to the Pulsar version.


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

One thing I'm curious about. I don't see that the parallel ports on the Pulsar are marked. On my Wens and Champion inverters, the parallel ports are red and black, identifying them as hot and neutral. On the Pulsar, both ports appear to be black. On the Hondas as well, they don't appear to be color-coded. How does one determine the hot from the negative if both are the same color?


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

LaSwamp said:


> One thing I'm curious about. I don't see that the parallel ports on the Pulsar are marked. On my Wens and Champion inverters, the parallel ports are red and black, identifying them as hot and neutral. On the Pulsar, both ports appear to be black. On the Hondas as well, they don't appear to be color-coded. How does one determine the hot from the negative if both are the same color?


you can pull the cover and paint the ring.
i mark the hondas.


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

iowagold said:


> you can pull the cover and paint the ring.
> i mark the hondas.


But prior to that, how do you determine which is which? Seems odd the ports would not already be identified as hot and neutral. For the Wens, I think left is neutral and right is hot. On the Champion, it's reversed. So, there doesn't seem to be any standard based on placement. They are all already color-coded, though, so there's no confusion about the proper way to connect the cords.

Unless the outlet is colored under the cover? There has to be some way to determine which is which.


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## ronskal (Feb 18, 2021)

I think I got lucky when I parallel tested the Pulsar with the Yamaha? I just matched locations on each Gen and it worked. What would be the result of crossed polarity on an AC circuit? Bad news on a DC circuit!


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

The anecdotal evidence I've read about in one review talked about trying to get an a/c unit to run on a pair of inverters that were connected in parallel. For some reason, the inverters kept overloading when he'd try to turn the a/c unit on. He knew there was a potential issue with connecting the cables out of polarity. He said he reversed the cables on one of the inverters and after that, they stopped overloading. 

So, it's my understanding that it doesn't matter how the cables are plugged in, but if the inverters overload, try reversing the connection and see if that clears the problem. There is not supposed to be an issue with how the cables are connected, but apparently, it can cause a problem in some instances. I may have to experiment a bit if I run into problems with the connection.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

LaSwamp said:


> But prior to that, how do you determine which is which? Seems odd the ports would not already be identified as hot and neutral. For the Wens, I think left is neutral and right is hot. On the Champion, it's reversed. So, there doesn't seem to be any standard based on placement. They are all already color-coded, though, so there's no confusion about the proper way to connect the cords.
> 
> Unless the outlet is colored under the cover? There has to be some way to determine which is which.


wire colors and where they connect on the outlet for the 20 amp outlet
and or wiring diagram in the manual


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

iowagold said:


> wire colors and where they connect on the outlet for the 20 amp outlet
> and or wiring diagram in the manual


I guess it would be possible to pull the panel and look at the wire colors. I'll see if I can rustle up a wiring schematic and find out that way which port is labeled as which. The drawing might not show it, though. I may have to physically remove the panel to find out for certain. I don't have the unit yet, or even the shipping notice, so it will probably be a while.


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

The manual does not indicate the "correct" way to wire in parallel. Wires colors are red & white. I wonder why be so secretive about it?


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

One of the ports is the 120v the other is neutral. Best to use a multimeter to confirm the ports on both units and label.


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

drmerdp said:


> One of the ports is the 120v the other is neutral. Best to use a multimeter to confirm the ports on both units and label.


That makes sense. Using a DMM, it should be possible to test each port to see which one is outputting the 120 VAC signal. That would then be the "red" port. I can't tell from the wiring diagram which port is the hot one.


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

The port on the right that is connected to the red wire would be considered the "hot".


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## LaSwamp (Mar 16, 2021)

GenKnot said:


> The port on the right that is connected to the red wire would be considered the "hot".


Ah, okay. I see it. The port on the left has a white wire running to it and the right port has the red wire. I guess the inverter is using white wire for neutral?


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

Correct


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## GenKnot (Dec 20, 2021)

By the way, that is a wiring diagram and does not necessarily reflect the physical layout on the generator. What is left or right versus what is red or white would still need to be determined.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

GenKnot said:


> By the way, that is a wiring diagram and does not necessarily reflect the physical layout on the generator. What is left or right versus what is red or white would still need to be determined.


yup pull the cover and verify visually. the guy or gal on the assembly line could to have had a bad day and switched the colors.
as well as look at the outlet for proper wiring.
they make those "bug" units to plug in to an outlet for wiring test as light indicator.
we use those all of the time here, and the better units have the volt meter built in.
pm if you need links on those.


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