CAT® RP5500 - 5500 Watt Portable Generator (49-State)

I just wish I would have bought the 8500. Starts very easy I pull like a Honda lawn mower.

I purchased this generator before hurricane Florence and I have to say I am very pleased with this generator. It runs absolutely great with no issues at all. I do think this generator should be offered at a much better price though.

This is a follow up to my previous 1 star review. Cat contacted me and explained why the gfci's are tripping while running the refrigerator/freezer and they are taking the necessary steps to rectify the issue. I'm sure I'll be satisfied with the product once this issue is resolved.

Under no circumstances would I recommend anyone buy this product. I purchased this product a few days before the arrival of hurricane Irma to replace an aging Briggs and Stratton generator that provided a decade of reliability. The setup is very straightforward and the generator started up on the first pull. That was the end of the positives.

We lost power on Sunday Sept. 10th as hurricane Irma approached. Once Irma passed through and it was safe, I fired up the generator and began powering up our refrigerator/freezer as that is the primary reason why I own a generator. After approximated 5 minutes the 20A gfci switch tripped rendering my fridge powerless. After several attempts on both 20amp switches, using 20amp power cords the result was the same.

I contacted Cat customer service and was informed that I needed to use the 30amp non-gfci protected switch to run my refrigerator, although my refrigerator will only pull a maximum of 16.9amps and has run successfully on a 20A circuit for 7 years. To be sure, I borrowed my neighbor's new Generac GP 5500 which she purchased before the storm as well. I plugged the 20A power cord from my fridge into the 20A gfci receptacle and ran my fridge without issue for about 4 hours until I needed to return the generator.

I followed up with Cat customer service for a 2nd time and was informed they did not know what the problem was and that they would transfer me to their local warranty repair contractor which they did. Per the repair contractor, he stated that it was likely an issue with the length of the power cord and recommended that I purchase a shorter cord to alleviate the problem. Although there was no issue with the cord I used with the gfci protected Generac I followed his advice and purchased a 50' and 25' 20amp power cord at the cost of ($70). Upon arrival, I tried both cords, separately, and achieved the same result.

I followed up with Cat for a 3rd time and spoke with Roxanne. It appears Cat has no interest in standing behind their Chinese made products nor do they have any interest in trying to solve any problems with their products. I offered a potential solution to Cat of shipping me their Multi outlet 30A to 5-20R adapter (at their expense) so that I can power my refrigerator but received the following response:

"Hello David,

Thank you for contacting Cat Home and Outdoor Power. My name is Roxanne, we were speaking earlier today, and I am following up on your case.

I understand from our conversation that you were having issues with your refrigerator tripping the breaker. The resolution will be to use the required the adapter to change 120v -240v. We do not have a converter on our Home and Outdoor Power website as we do not sell them.

You were also concerned regarding getting one in a short time period. If you search Amazon online you may be able to have it shipped for "Overnight Delivery"

If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me by phone at 844-PWR-ME UP (844-797-6387) or email at homeandoutdoorpower@cat.com.

Regards,
Cat Customer Interaction Center
www.cat.com/homeandoutdoorpower"

Apparently, Cat has no idea how their products actually work and have no idea what they sell. My refrigerator runs on 115v and the adapter that is needed is the 30A to 5-20r. Below is the link to the item on their own website.

https://shop.cat.com/en/usa/502-3692?ddkey=https%3AClickInfo

Finally, to be clear, I've never asked them to replace the product nor have I attempted to return it for a refund. I simply expect them to do what is necessary to solve the problem at their expense. Not mine.

I now have an entirely new perception of a company I always assumed was reliable. If you're looking for a household generator, I would recommend anyone but Cat and if you're looking for construction equipment you may want to look at Volvo, Kobelco or Komatsu (also made or assembled in America) as alternatives if this is how Cat does business.

Some idiot wrote a bad review on this machine. Maybe he should come on down to Florida and watch this 5500 run the entire house and my neighbor's.

It's freaking perfect. He needs to buy a North Korea generator, maybe it will suit his needs.