In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Portable generator thoughts

Discussion in 'Chainsaws and Power Equipment' started by Andy8850, Nov 2, 2019.

  1. Nixon

    Nixon

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    I’ve got a Champion dual fuel 7500w genset that has served me well when needed . ( 5 day black out ) But, like Dennis , I went to a Whole house gen set ,auto transfer system ( Kohler 20kw ) . The reasons were ...I’m not getting younger. Can my wife drag this stby gen set out ,and set it up if she needs to without great difficulty ?
     
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  2. nsmaple

    nsmaple

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    From what was said in the OP (just running a couple circuits in a power outage), I would just get a small 2-3000 watt inverter genny and run a couple extension cords and call it good. That would be very easy to take and use anywhere, and would use very little gas.

    IMO the big thing in an outage, for me at least, is how little fuel it burns and not if it will run my whole house or not. We had a 6+ day outage in Dorien. The first day, the closest place that still had power and you could get gas was 45 minutes away. And there were huge lineups and they ran out. I was set with my 5 jugs I had on hand, they lasted almost the whole outage running two generators at two houses enough to keep food from spoiling and the necessities going (a 3400w inverter and 3000w cheap Walmart special).

    If I had a big LP or fuel oil tank I could tie one into, that might change things a bit- just that the fuel bill would be higher.
     
  3. wishlist

    wishlist Guest

    Just running a couple circuits I would do my setup that I use to run a 1/2 hp vacuum pump in the sugarbush .
    Get a Honda 2200 generator , add an extended run tank , which is nothing more than a 6 gallon outboard motor tank , gas cap , and some gas line . The generator had a fuel pump so no need to elevate the tank . It also has auto idle . I burn less than a gallon of gas 9 hours continuous runtime . Very efficient!
     
  4. wheelhorseiron

    wheelhorseiron

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    HF 6000/5000 watt and 900 watt. Big one can run the well pump, etc. I use it for my welder too, since I don't have electric in the shed. Small one runs my small air compressor and other small things.

    They've done well.

    Sent from my LML212VL using Tapatalk
     
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  5. bert the turtle

    bert the turtle

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    I picked up a Generac at Costco. Nothing fancy but it is strong enough to run my house when I need it. And can't beat Costco's return policy when things go wrong.

    I debated getting a really nice one, but in the end this was a situation of good enough is good enough.
     
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  6. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    I have an old generator, maybe 15;years old. It is a Coleman brand. It's 5500 watts.

    I picked up a non running Chinese Honda clone from Northern tool. Not an inverter clone but the loud type Honda clone. It starts first or second pull and is rated at I think 5000 watts

    Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk
     
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  7. MrWhoopee

    MrWhoopee

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    Power outages are relatively common in the mountains where I live. Even more so now the PG&E turns off the grid when it gets windy. I have 2 generators, a Honda EU3000IS and a Ridgid 8000 watt with Subaru motor. The Honda is a beautiful, quiet, elegant piece of engineering. In Eco Mode it burns a gallon of gas in about 5 hours and will run everything that uses 110v if used judiciously (don't turn on the hair dryer while the microwave is running). The Ridgid is fired up when I need to pump or heat water. It burns closer to 1 gal./hr, so it only runs when necessary. I installed a transfer panel and power inlet port conveniently located so I can switch generators in about 30 seconds. I didn't connect the dryer or electric range to the transfer panel, we can manage without them. Both generators are electric start for the reasons mentioned by others. I exercise my generators every 3 or 4 months. When done, I turn off the fuel and let them run dry to prevent the carbs getting gummed up.

    I have also faced the fuel availability problem twice this year, having to drive 45 miles to Redding. If Redding didn't have their own electric utility, who knows how far I would have to go. Fuel efficiency is a VERY BIG issue. I have increased my gas storage to 18 gal. plus what is in the tanks. Considering converting to propane for the increased storage capacity and shelf life.
     
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  8. RabbleRouser

    RabbleRouser

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    5500 to 6500 watts for "just a couple circuits"? Sounds like you're looking for 4x more generator than you need. Bigger isn't always better. Gonna consume more fuel, which can be hard to get at desperate times, definitely louder, more difficult to move/store.

    Depending on your needs, I don't recommend the cheap generators for anything. The power signal is often so chaotic it's like running sensitive electronics on top of a jack hammer. Think about an inverter type generator. Lots quieter, much more fuel efficient and better power quality than the power company. Also think about a dual fuel version, that can run off propane or gasoline.

    Most people can get by with 4300 watt pretty easy. Some even less.
     
  9. JB Sawman

    JB Sawman

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    If you can swing the cost a dual fuel gas/ propane is the best for standby propane you are not worried about the fuel going bad they are efficent but do not oversize your unit steady run should be about 60 percent load JB
     
  10. Ralphie Boy

    Ralphie Boy

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    I haven't used Generac in quite some time. Used to have them in my business and we called then Generjunk! Blasted things never worked, hard to start in cold weather, or wouldn'd start at all. Stalled out when starting an electrical device. I took the write off and bought Kohler. They worked great. After We used them up we went with Onan, best by far.
     
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  11. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    Dang y'all must loose power a lot, unless your Amish and are useing them to power your shop?? Then again if your Amish, the whole forum thing being accessed either by phone or computer would be a little different too:D
     
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  12. fuelrod

    fuelrod

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    I just got a Kubota diesel genny, 6500w. It's called a "Lowboy" and is in a totally enclosed cabinet with a lifting eye, not real heavy but at 500 pounds- too much to drag around. Got my first chance to use it last week for 2 days and the fuel consumption was good and it's quieter than my kubota 3800w gasoline genny.
    I always have at least 200/300 gallons of fuel around for no concerns there.

    I don't know if y'all have seen a few of the new ways of (legally) connecting your generator, they are fairly new, at least to me.
    One is a device with a Male twist lock plug mounts between the meter and the cabinet. You'll need an electrician to contact your power company, he'll need to cut the tamper proof "tag" to pull the meter.
    The other is a simple device that allows you to back feed through your panel. You add a 30 amp breaker in the panel, run a wire to a "RV" type outside receptacle and install this simple lockout device that physically will not allow your newly installed 30a breaker to be on at the same time as your main breaker. It IS UL APPROVED! Even HD has them.
    The nice thing about both of these is that they are legal and will never put a lineman on a live line! The 2nd unit I mentioned would cost approximately $150 if you can locate your genny (outside) by your panel. You'd only need 6-8 feet of wire. Not sure on the "meter" type's cost, but much simpler than selecting and running a bunch of wires to a generator panel, and probably much cheaper. These obviously will power everything in your house and you'll need to limit what circuits you leave on according to your generator output.

    20190928_123529.jpg
     
    Last edited: Nov 9, 2019
  13. fuelrod

    fuelrod

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    Hey, that meter one may be dependent on weather your electricity company allows them or not. Here in Maine they are allowed.
     
  14. clemsonfor

    clemsonfor

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    I can have closer to 70 gallons available if I plan. All the cans will add up to over 30. I have my Pontoon which will hold 30 gallons that I can nurse from if needed. My old boat which is empty could hold another 25 but I never fill it, the boats basically in long term storage. I have my old K10 when full will hold 32 that I can suck fuel from as well. Unless it's something known or expected I don't have that much fuel on hand usually.
     
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  15. Andy8850

    Andy8850

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    I am torn between a gas Honda EU7000 inverter generator and a Kubota GL7000 Diesel generator
     
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  16. Farmchuck

    Farmchuck

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    Both sound like great candidates, let us know what you decide!
     
  17. bert the turtle

    bert the turtle

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    I think it depends on frequency of use and what fuel you generally use.

    If you are using it every day and keeping it in the back of the truck or in a work trailer it doesn’t really matter what fuel. Although, I’d feel safer with cans of Diesel than cans of gas in the truck.

    If it’s at home for emergency use, it depends on what fuels you may have at home and/or what your vehicle uses. If you heat with oil, you can put a rotary hand pump on the tank and run the diesel generator. On the other hand, if you are going to keep jerrycans of fuel specifically for it, you’ll need to rotate the stock so you’ll be better off with whatever you can use up in the car or lawn mower or whatever.
     
    Last edited: Nov 12, 2019
  18. MAF143

    MAF143

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    We lost power this morning after a 3" overnight snow with temperatures in the teens.

    I rolled out of bed and rolled the generator outside, shut off the mains and plugged in. It started right up after I figured out the cryptic choke and gas petcock icons... I hate those things, every time I run this thing I keep saying I'm gonna magic marker "on" and "off" on the dang things, but never do...

    It ran for 3 hours and our electric came back on. It's a Peditor from HF at 7000 watts and I never have put a battery in it for the electric start. Beats having to drive into the office on icy roads. The roads are pretty well cleared off now, but they were pretty messy this morning.
     
  19. nsmaple

    nsmaple

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    Also might depend on how much or what you have for electronic stuff. Some of that stuff is a lot happier with inverters. But a diesel tied to a big fuel oil tank could go a long time.
     
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  20. fuelrod

    fuelrod

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    Honda makes a good machine for sure. I'm partial to diesel, especially for our outages that can be for days. I actually had to pay the power company to add 3 poles to the end of their line (along the road) just to hook up to my 7 poles on my property to get to the house, in other words I'm at the end of the line and last to get re energized.
    I found my generator used for $2200. An older fella bought it new and it lived in a shed with the exhaust piped outside, he was downsizing and no longer needed it.