Cheap military generator looks like a steal at $350, until owners warn it's 'incredibly loud'

One shopper's ultra-cheap generator deal is turning heads online, and drawing plenty of cautionary advice.

At roughly "tree fiddy," or $350, the apparent military-style generator looked like a bargain, but Reddit users said bringing it back into service safely may involve more than just fresh fuel.

Here's what to know

In a post to Reddit's r/Generator community, the original poster wrote, "I bought this from a remodeling company who purchased it back during hurricane Sally. I was told they used it for a short time to power their office and it's sat since. I'm going to drain the diesel and change the fluids before attempting to crank it. Anything I need to watch out for?"

Some commenters said the low price could make the purchase a huge win if the unit runs. One commenter put it bluntly, saying, "Wow, 26 hours of run time, that's a steal!"

Another commenter warned, "Meter your phases before you connect anything to it, verify steady voltage on your phases. Sometimes those analog gauges go bad and you could have incorrect voltage readings on them."

A used heavy-duty generator can be an option for someone seeking backup power without paying full price for a new standby system. Still, older commercial or military-style units are not always plug-and-play for home backup. As one commenter said, "As much as I love playing with the MEP sets, they are excessively complex for standby use."

Commenters also repeatedly flagged the noise. One commenter answered the poster's question about things to watch out for with a two-word warning: "Incredibly loud." Another added, "I hope you don't have any neighbors nearby or mind going deaf."

Even a cheap generator can stop feeling like a bargain if it is wired wrong, deafeningly loud, or dependent on scarce replacement parts.

Before trying to fire it up, commenters suggested covering the fundamentals, like replacing old fluids, inspecting the air filter, and looking over the hoses, filters, and oil. One commenter said, "Honestly, those engines don't care about a little old diesel. Just check the air filter and oil condition. And find a muffler for that thing!"

Where can I learn more?

This kind of generator project raises the same questions homeowners face with any backup power setup, including noise, safety, and whether an aging unit is worth the hassle. 

• Homeowners are debating noise-reduction enclosures for generators as worries grow over airflow and warranties.

• After Hurricane Beryl, experts warned that carbon monoxide from generators can turn outages deadly.

• Across the U.S., installers say home backup batteries paired with solar are gaining ground.

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