GS7500 – GenShed portable generator shelter
GenTran GS7500 Generator Shelter for Portable Generators up to 7500-Watt
Price: $754.00
Features
- Provides a durable, secure, weatherproof means to store and operate a portable generator (up to 7,500-Watt) for backup power
- It provides out-of-the-way protection for your generator and frees up space in your garage for other items
- Incorporates a patent-pending magnetic exhaust system so heat and fumes exit the enclosure safely while an internal blower fan introduces fresh air to the engine
- Accessing your generator for starting, refueling and servicing is a cinch by raising the roof and opening the doors
- Installing your generator in the GenShed shelter may reduce engine noise by as much as 10 db, mitigating noise pollution around your neighborhood
User Reviews
Overview -
With the GS7500 GenTran Generator Shed you are buying Suncast GS2000 plastic shed that has been modified to handle a small 7.5 kw portable power generator. Over all the shed is a typical Suncast product, easy to assemble plastic enclosure that snaps together in a very short period of time. GenTran has modified the shed to better handle the heat buildup and ventilation requirements of running a small portable generator inside a plastic based shed. The ventilation fan seems adequate to handle the needs of supplying the necessary air flow to keep the generator from over heating or badly melting the shed enclosure. To aid in preventing a potential over heating situation GenTran supplies a over heat sensor that when installed properly will shutdown the generator using the low oil shutdown circuit. The exhaust pipe with magnetic ventury that is intended to safely exhaust the extremely hot exhaust fumes works when connected to a proper fitting muffer. However to prevent melting of the shed where the exhuast pipe exits you will need to either provide some kind of fire rated insulation or stand offs to prevent it from over heating the plastic to the point of failure causing it to melt. Over all the original price of almost $800 is not worth the money for the amount of engineering that went into taking another companies product modifying it to handle a generator.
Details -
The actual enclosure is a Suncast GS2000 shed modified with several holes for ventilation, electrical access and exhaust fan function. These hole give the owner the option to connect the included exhaust hose anywhere needed. Each hole is covered by a metal round soffet vent. The back side of the shed on the upper section is modified with a 700CFM fan caged in a metal safety fence. This fan draws fresh air in creating a positive pressure environment to help push the hot air out every exhaust hole along with any other unsealed hole. The exhaust hose adapter is equipped with a magnet to secure the flame resistant flexible cloth vent tube to the muffle, The other end is intended to be feed out of the closest vent hole. To do this and prevent the shed from melting you will need to add some kind of fire/heat rated insulation or modify the end connector to provide the required heat break. Else you will cause the shed to melt at the point the pipe it its metal fittings touch the plastic of the shed.
Over all the product does as described and provides a secure enclosure to store your portable emergency backup generator in. Thanks to Amazon and their reduced price it makes it a little more reasonable for what you get. However I would not purchase it for the full price as it's simply not worth that much money. -- An honest review
I would like to comment as someone who did purchase the product and I did file a complaint. In fact, I filed the complaint before the date the manufacturer posted a review that they haven't had any complaints. To refresh his memory and inform potential buyers. I purchased the
generator as a result of a devastating tornado that hit my town. My family was
without power for almost 5 days and relied on a generator. The generator I
purchased, because of the tornado, has 5500 Watts. The GenShed GS7500
claims to be designed for 7500 Watts so I thought it would be the perfect
item to protect my new investment. It was installed on June 28, 2008, and
tested on June 29, 2008 for 30 minutes. On August 3, 2008, I tested the
generator for 1 hour per the manual instructions for the first time inside the GenShed because the generator manual requires it to be tested monthly.
After only one hour, the plastic back around the exhaust of the Genshed was melted. After only one hour of use, I feel that this product is extremely unsafe. Had the generator been inside the GenShed the entire 5 days I was without power, I believe I would have faced a serious fire within a couple of hours. I posted pictures and although I am still disputing the fact that I paid for this faulty product, I am mostly concerned about consumer safety. The manufacturer continues to blame it on my installation but I can guarantee that it was installed as instructed. If this product can melt so fast imagine running your generator overnight inside this shed... your house could be on fire while you are sleeping and you'd never know it!!!!! Buyer BEWARE!
-- Can I make it a NEGATIVE 5???? BUYER BEWARE!!!!
It is difficult to determine which reviews were written by consumers who actually purchased the product or if they are simply opinions, so I will generally address the posted reviews.
After receiving many requests for a generator enclosure, the GenShed(tm) shelter was conceived, designed and market tested with the objective to offer an affordable shelter that allows consumers to store AND run a portable generator in a shelter with the lid and doors closed since most power outages happen during inclement weather and noise abatement in a neighborhood is important. The GenShed(tm) shelter has been tested with many brands (but not all) of portable generators up to 7500W and confirmed that it is safe and works as designed when all components are installed and used according to the Assembly and Operating Instructions.
Several reviews comment on the durability of the GenShed(tm) shelter: "it was very week (sic), no strength, I would be suprised (sic) if it stayed together in a strong thunderstorm" and "watch the box melt and burst into flames". We have received no consumer reports of these issues, these comments are just unsubstantiated opinions. Why do we use an off-the-shelf resin enclosure? Cost and durability. Similar metal enclosures are $1000+ and expensive to ship and difficult to assemble. The resin enclosure used is easy to assemble, cost effective to ship, durable, maintenance-free, ideal size for a portable generator and carries a UL flammability rating of "H-B" which is self-extinguishing. The maximum recommended usage temperature of this resin is 180 degrees F. For consumer convenience, the GenTran(tm) website does list "compatible" portable generators, but leaves the final decision with the consumer.
About the cooling fan... generator manufacturers do not recommend placing a portable generator in an enclosure due to the build up of heat and poisonous gasses; we knew we had to develop an effective way to address these concerns. After extensive research, we selected a high volume (700CFM) industrial fan (not your ordinary bathroom fan) that blows air INTO the GenShed(tm) shelter thereby creating positive pressure which provides fresh air to the engine and forces air through a patent-pending venturi exhaust system. The permanently mounted fan is reliable, withstands harsh outdoor environments, approved for use in humid and damp locations, cULus listed, made from galvanized corrosion-resistant materials, has a thermal interlock switch and is rodent proof. Consequently, it isn't a $50 fan.
It is our objective to make the GenShed(tm) shelter compatible with as many portable generators possible, so two types of exhaust systems are provided: 1) a heavy-duty magnetic system for pipe-type exhausts and 2) a hardware affixed exhaust for baffled or perforated mufflers. It is up to the installer to choose the most appropriate exhaust system for installation. Since the exhaust system has to withstand temperatures of up to 1000° F over extended periods of time, we had to use durable materials that are not inexpensive.
Lastly, the GenShed(tm) shelter includes a high temperature thermal interlock that will shut down the portable generator engine in case of overheating. This high temperature safety switch is user installed on the oil level or low Oil switch on the generator.
The true testament to the value customers are receiving are the hundreds of satisfied customers whom have purchased and are now using the GenShed(tm) shelter.
If you believe you can design, test, market and manufacture a GenShed(tm) shelter for less, please call me at 1-888-GENTRAN so I can hire you as a consultant to improve the GenShed(tm) shelter.
Sincerely,
Jack Mandula, President
GenTran Corporation
-- Response from GenTran
OK, first off whoever reviewed this and gave it 5 stars is either insanely rich and naive or work for the company that produces this blatant rip-off? I mean $800.00 for a freakin' mini-garden shed plus a couple parts that you can pick up for about $150.00 anywhere else. Absolutely brilliant example of the "people will buy anything if you put the right spin on it". Well the only spin on this is that it is a rip. If you have $800.00 to spend on a box for your generator go get one of the good quality vented exterior metal boxes that are 1000 times safer, possibly cheaper and will last 1000 times longer. Or for fun, you can buy this one, let your generator run all night and watch the box melt and burst into flames! XD -- Not even worth one star
This "GenShed" is actually a plastic garden box that is marketed to hold garbage cans and landscaping materials. Made by Suncast (MFR Model #GS2000), it is sold at K-Mart for $139.00 and Sears for $199.00. I'd suggest that this storage box was neither designed nor intended by the original manufacturer to be used as a portable generator shelter.
http://www.suncast.com/productdisplay.aspx?id=51&pid=22
Into this plastic box, the GenTran vendor has incorporated several inexpensive louvered vents, an electric fan, a temperature switch, and a dubious exhaust outlet...for a $600+ markup! I consider the exhaust system to be dubious, if not downright dangerous, insomuch that hot exhaust gasses must pass through a thin plastic wall. Further, the idea that a magnet could adequately secure the pipe against separation from the muffler (due to regular exhaust pressures) does not inspire confidence.
Portable gas generators, aka gensets, operate at very high temperatures for extended periods of time. They require large volumes of fresh air for proper cooling and exhaust dissipation. The GenShed would, in my opinion, provide the necessary air volume only if the lid and doors were propped open for the duration that the genset was in operation (electric fan notwithstanding). Doing so would certainly negate any decibel reduction qualities that a closed shed would provide.
GenTran combined a good idea with substandard execution. It is my belief that a plastic garden shed of this size and construction is not a suitable installation platform for a portable gasoline generator. Finally, the aforementioned $600.00 markup is beyond parody. I do not recommend the GenShed for reasons of safety and excessive pricing.
-- Usurious markup for a few extra bits
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