# Generators



## Dad2ms (May 17, 2015)

Quick question. This past year we moved from the city and bought a house with some land out in the country. It's off the beaten path and I'm a bit worried about keeping power this winter. I don't want to invest a ton but have been looking at some generators at TSC. I just need recommendations on what kind and size and setup. 

I'm not looking to run my whole house. Just need to run some heaters and maybe refrigerator. 

Talk about how you run your cords and at what point do you crank it up when the power shuts down.


----------



## Old Vet (Oct 15, 2006)

You could get by with a 7000 watt generator. If you don't have too much to run. You can't run a high watt stove on it but anything you can run on an extinction cord you can. I gave one to my son in law to power his house if he ever needs to. I have a whole house generator and don have to worry about power and it only cost me less than 1k and that also bought a 250 gallon propane tank to go with it. The best way to run cords is through a window and stuff it with a blanket to keep the could out.


----------



## MD Steader (Mar 11, 2010)

I have a small homestead and the other year we needed floor work that called for pullout and replacement of all the electric in the basement. Best thing we did was replace our breaker box with one that had a built in transfer switch. No power cords no separate box and I can mix and match any circuit that I need as long as I don't go over the generator. I have all the critical ones marked with tape. 

We run a 5500 watt Honda when we need it and just hook it up to an outside coupling on the house.. Some folks like the set piece gennys but most are way overrated for what you need. 14KW will run everything in the house at once and you don't really need that. Plus I'd stay away from Propane. IMHO once it runs out its gone. 

If I had to do it again the only thing I would change is pay the extra for a diesel fuel one. Ours is gas and we bought it in the run up to Hurricane Sandy.


----------



## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

We have 2; a 5500 and a 4500 watt. Used the 5500 during Sandy to run sump pump, freezer, fridge, some lights, TV, DVD player and the heat circulator from the fireplace (didn't need furnace). 
Shortly after Sandy ended, gennys were for sale cheap everywhere. Grabbed the 4500 and a few other little ones.
I still use cords, and run them thru the dryer duct into the house (we weren't doing a bunch of laundry at the time,,,LOL!)

Matt


----------



## MattB4 (Jan 3, 2016)

If you are going to run space heaters via extension cords, Make darn sure to have heavy duty/gauge ones and keep the run length short as possible. A severe fire hazard exists when using extension cords to electric space heaters. 

As to the size of genset? Add up your expected loads in watts and try to use load management. This is where you turn stuff on and off to keep loading within your gensets ratings. Gasoline to run a generator is expensive and may be hard to obtain during a power outage. Try to run the genset smartly and shut it off when possible to conserve fuel. 

Do not forget to keep up on routine maintenance and testing. There is nothing more irritating to have a power outage and not be able to get your genset going because you ignored it for many months.


----------



## Darren (May 10, 2002)

Anything that can be run from an outlet can be run from a 2,000 watt generator. I like the Honda EU2000. Relatively easy to carry. Easy on gasoline. Extremely quiet. Set it outside someplace safe. Run an extension cord into the house to power items one at a time as needed. For ex., you don't need to power a refrigerator 24/7 if you leave the door closed and only open it infrequently. 

The other benefit is the Honda is easy to carry to a work location to allow you to use corded power tools as needed.


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

you need to know your load first 

check the information plate on your furnace , then figure out the loads of everything else you intend to run 

make yourself up a work sheet and add up all you have in watts , your generator needs to be about 1/3 larger than the largest load 

now the real reason you did the worksheet is to figure out what you are and are not really going to need to run 

then install or have installed a generator transfer switch that fits with the load you decided you needed , and buy the generator to support that load.

fuel you need to keep some on hand and you need to keep it fresh , make a plan for storage and rotation 5 of the 6 gallon cans will run your generator for some time , buy ethanol free gas and if you can and if you can't rotate more frequently and run your generator every month for a half hour or so to keep the carb cleaned , always shut off the breakers on the gen-set and turn off the fuel let it run dry this is better for storage in carburetors

rotate the fuel into your car , truck , or other equipment where it will be used up 
fuel stabilizers can help , seafoam is a good one , but there are others


----------



## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

If you want heat propane is much more efficient, since even small heaters take a lot of wattage. Then use a smaller generator to power other appliances and lights


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

Bearfootfarm said:


> If you want heat propane is much more efficient, since even small heaters take a lot of wattage. Then use a smaller generator to power other appliances and lights



This is a god point , a wall mount LP heater can keep the whole house above freezing , the fuel doesn't go bad sitting in the pressurized cylinder it never takes on water , and it needs no electricity to run it is also very quite


----------



## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

Definitely need to know a few things to be helpful. Do you need to run a deep well pump? Do you need large amounts of electricity for space heating or water heating? Do you need to run an electric stove or electric clothes dryer? Those are some biggies (usually 220 volt) and none are likely to do well on a "small" generator.

If all you need is small stuff, it gets a lot easier. 

For just a small generator that a person can easily pick up and carry around, I like the small inverter generators such as the Honda EU2000i or the Yamaha EF2000iS. They're very quiet and quite efficient. There are other name brands and sizes ranging from under 1000 watts to over 5000 watts. If you're needing to run 220 volts or higher wattages, the $$ become substantial.

We live in an RV so our power needs are pretty small and basic compared to many. But we had a week without power about this time last year. For the first couple of days, we survived off of just the 12 volt battery charger portion of one of the Honda 2000i generators while one of our neighbors used the 120 volt outlet for his RV. Later in the week, we were able to use a 120 volt outlet as well, which allowed us to run a small chest freezer periodically and keep our cell phones and computers charged up. Our heat only required 12 volts to run the fan as it's a propane heater. The refrigerator only required 12 volts to run a circuit board as it also ran on propane. Same with the water heater. The stove is propane. We didn't even try to use the 110 volt clothes dryer or the microwave. But we were just fine.


----------



## Dad2ms (May 17, 2015)

Bellyman said:


> Definitely need to know a few things to be helpful. Do you need to run a deep well pump? Do you need large amounts of electricity for space heating or water heating? Do you need to run an electric stove or electric clothes dryer? Those are some biggies (usually 220 volt) and none are likely to do well on a "small" generator.
> 
> If all you need is small stuff, it gets a lot easier.
> 
> ...



Honestly, we are just looking for something in an emergency....power being out a few days. Run a space heater for heat and maybe a few outlets. If it's real bad would plug the fridge in for a bit. We are on a well but have a plan. We have plenty of drinking water.


----------



## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

Dad2ms said:


> Honestly, we are just looking for something in an emergency....power being out a few days. Run a space heater for heat and maybe a few outlets. If it's real bad would plug the fridge in for a bit. We are on a well but have a plan. We have plenty of drinking water.


Ok, that's helpful. Most of the common space heaters that I've seen are around 1600 watts. That would pretty much be the max that a Honda 2000i would put out. Stepping up to one of the 3000 watt inverter generators would give you enough to run a heater like that and alternate between some other things... fridge, freezer, computer/phone chargers, that kind of thing without necessarily having to turn off the heater to do other things. The 3000 watt generators are still fairly fuel efficient but usually heavy enough that it probably wouldn't be comfortable to carry them around like the smaller ones. No biggie as a small cart or a set of wheels can easily get 'em moved to where they need to be.

That's just a suggestion. Lots of possibilities. 

Good luck!


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

my thought are 

plan 1 you get a generator to run the freezer and fridge as needed and you get a gas , LP or Kerosene heating appliance that functions without electric and run the generator as needed 

plan 2 get a larger generator and transfer switch and make life easy to switch over the household refrigeration , well and if you have it septic lift and furnace 
this makes the stress of disaster a lot easier , really , I installed one of these for my brother 2 years ago about 4 months later his wife and infant daughter were at home while he and I were at deer camp and the power went out there wasn't a bad storm or anything just a transformer that feeds their house and the neighbors went out. it was about a 15 minute thing for him to walk here through how to hook it up start it and use the switches to turn the well , septic lift , furnace , refrigerators, freezers , and I wired in the master bedroom so they could have lights , tv , and such in that room.


electric heat is very inefficient 



you might want to look at these http://www.britelyt.com/ these lanterns produce more heat than a space heater and run on virtually anything flammable

this may be another idea for heat http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...ne-radiant-heater-carb-compliant?cm_vc=-10005


it would help to know where you are , on a winter day in Wisconsin 3 electric space heaters would hold the house temp but not raise it in a 1100 square foot house and that more than doubled he electric bill


----------



## OH Boy (Dec 22, 2010)

Get a Mr. Heater Big Buddy (or two) for temporary heating. 18,000 BTUs. Totally portable. Will run on a one pound propane cylinder, or you can buy a hose to attach it to a 20 pound (or larger) cylinder. If you try to run space heaters off of your generator, you are going to need a much larger generator than you would other wise need.


----------



## biggkidd (Aug 16, 2012)

I have over 12,000 hours on a EU2000. Burns 3 gallons every 24 hours. Fridge, lights, computers, tablets. No heavy loads like space heaters. Now it does run a 6500 btu AC also during summer BUT that increases fuel burn to around 5 gallons a day (24hrs) With the fridge, AC and lights / small loads it's pretty well maxed out. 

Side note switching to Mobil 1 did gain about 1/4 to 1/2 gallon gas saved in 24 hours.


----------



## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> electric heat is very inefficient


Know what you were going for, but that ain't it. Electric heat is right at 100% efficient....you put a kilowatt of power in, you get a kilowatt of heat out.

It the generation of electric power that is often fairly inefficient.....the fuel it takes to run a generator has a huge waste factor....you'd be better off burning it directly rather than converting it too electricity in the case of heat.

As you and others have said....for backup heat, propane is the way to go. Get a couple 100lb bottles ( I keep 12 personally, plus 3-500gal tanks...that's how much I like propane), and you can run a 30,000BTU heater for about 60 hrs on a 100lb tank.

A 30,000 BTU propane heater is about the equivalent of an 8-9kw heater. To run 8-9kw off a generator would take a good sized generator (like a 15kw to leave you power to run anything else). 

A 15kw Generac generator, for example, uses 2.5 gallons per hour. A 100lb bottle has about 23 gallons, meaning you could run your generator to make heat for 9 hours off 100lbs, or directly in a propane heater for 60 hours.....6.6 times longer.

THAT is what Pete means by inefficient. No matter how you scale it, you're 5 times (or more) better off using a fuel to heat with rather than burn it in a generator. Generators are for things like motors and lights.

Personally, I think you ought to be looking at wood heat for at least a supplement if not your primary source of heat......given the nature of this forum.


----------



## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

biggkidd said:


> *Side note switching to Mobil 1 did gain about 1/4 to 1/2 gallon gas saved in 24 hours.*



Now THAT is interesting ! Thanks for posting !

What SAE weight did you use. Most small engines call for 20 or 30w straight (temp dependent)....I assume you used something like a 5w------- ?


----------



## biggkidd (Aug 16, 2012)

TnAndy said:


> Now THAT is interesting ! Thanks for posting !
> 
> What SAE weight did you use. Most small engines call for 20 or 30w straight (temp dependent)....I assume you used something like a 5w------- ?


Andy 10W30 is what honda calls for. Being a small engine mechanic I am also use to straight 30 weight. With this little high tech genny I followed what the manual suggested. So far it has worked very well with 10w30. It's getting oil changes on or about the first and fifteenth of each month. During summer when it's loaded heavier with the AC I often change it every week. I broke it in with pennzoil 10w30 for about 500 hours then switched. It actually gets just a hair better than I claimed but 3 GPD is a good worst case with our standard load. It is often 2.3-2.7 GPD. GPD = gallons per day (24hrs) 

Side note these EU2000's are hard on the pull rope where it passses through the rope cover the rope wears through. This is about 4 inches inside the case. I've found a piece of heat shrink for 6 inches right at the handle increases rope life by at least 10 times.


----------



## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

I won't use an unvented propane or kerosene heater in an enclosed space. Ever year there are some deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning. The blower on a vented propane heater or the pump on an outdoor wood boiler don't take much electricity. A small generator can easily power them up and have plenty left over for lights and the fridge. An electric heater requires a large generator to run.

The best source of heat is a wood stove inside the house. It uses no electricity. Mine gets lit in October and put out on May.


----------



## Canyonero (Jan 20, 2016)

I'll second the vote for regular testing. I've taken to running mine at least once a month, until it's warm. When I'm done, I shut the fuel valve and run it dry. I keep cycling fresh fuel through it as needed. It always starts on the first or second pull.


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

TnAndy said:


> Know what you were going for, but that ain't it. Electric heat is right at 100% efficient....you put a kilowatt of power in, you get a kilowatt of heat out.
> 
> It the generation of electric power that is often fairly inefficient.....the fuel it takes to run a generator has a huge waste factor....you'd be better off burning it directly rather than converting it too electricity in the case of heat.
> 
> ...


Yes thank you for explaining that so well


----------



## rule4 (Feb 19, 2013)

Have you looked into having a switch hardwired into your electric panel?

I have a generator that I can wheel out of the barn and plug into the side of the house and feed my electric panel. There is a built in safety that shuts down the main so I it's impossible back feed the grid and injure a utility worker. If we loose power all I do is plug it in and hit a switch. 

I had the whole thing set up by an electrician in about an hour. I want to say it was $300ish for the switch and install.


----------



## OnlyMe (Oct 10, 2010)

rule4 said:


> Have you looked into having a switch hardwired into your electric panel?
> 
> I have a generator that I can wheel out of the barn and plug into the side of the house and feed my electric panel. There is a built in safety that shuts down the main so I it's impossible back feed the grid and injure a utility worker. If we loose power all I do is plug it in and hit a switch.
> 
> I had the whole thing set up by an electrician in about an hour. I want to say it was $300ish for the switch and install.


We have a similar set up - when power is out, as long as I have heat in the winter I'm happy - at that point priorities really change.


----------



## SmokeEater2 (Jan 11, 2010)

Take a look and see if you are the only house being served by the electric companies transformer, That can make a big difference in how long it takes a crew to get around to you.

For example, An ice storm hit here in 2009 and thousands of people in the county were without power. Electric crews were brought in from around the country to help get everything back on line. 

I live in the country and I am the only house served by this transformer. It only made sense for them to concentrate on repairing lines and transformers that fed multiple houses first.

It was 16 days before we had power back courtesy of a crew from Michigan. 

We ran a 5500 watt generator that powered everything but the furnace. A kerosene heater supplied heat and I think I used about 15 gallons of kerosene and around 70-75 gallons of gasoline.

I had about 50 gallons of gasoline on hand which was a life saver in the first few days since the gas stations didn't have power to pump gas. They also couldn't run debit or credit cards, Cash was king.

I now have an additional 2500 watt Champion inverter gen for smaller loads like when we just need lights etc. It saves a lot of gas over the 5500 watt unit. I also have a little Champion 1250 watt gen that supplies light in the barn. I use Mobil 1 oil in all of them.

Having your stuff on hand before the power goes out is a good plan. There wasn't a generator, flashlight, battery powered or oil burning lamp, kerosene heater or propane left for sale in the county for about a week. People stood in long lines at Lowes, Home Depot and Wally world waiting for trucks to come in. 

Also, Keep enough oil and spark plugs on hand for a couple of days, Those get scarce too.


----------



## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

Don't forget extra starter rope, just had to replace a rope in a generator, first time it had been pulled since the new years ice storm power outage.


----------



## NorrisCruz (Dec 31, 2016)

Nice. A properly maintained generator can last for decades, but during that time, it may need repair. All generators give the same standard 120V and usually have a single outlet. Wiring is needed to take power from this outlet and send to multiple outlets. Professionals will want to examine a number of critical areas within the generator when performing emergency generator repair service NJ. To make sure this critical device will turn on when you need it to, it is a good idea to seek out generator service companies.


----------



## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

A few years back my dh about killed himself trying to get generator started in the middle of the night. He'd started it just the week before on a test run, but when it was needed it didn't start PERIOD. 

Best investment we made was to go with a whole house natural gas generator that kicks on automatically when power is out. This is especially true now that I'm alone as I could never manage a portable generator. 

Its also nice to know that even if I'm not home the generator will keep the furnace going. Temps often drop into the minus range most winters so it wouldn't take long for pipes to freeze.

It automatically starts and runs for 10 or 15 minutes weekly to keep the battery charged. Yes, it was expensive and yes, it is expensive to have it serviced once or twice a year, but its provides a peace of mind that's priceless.


----------



## ai731 (Sep 11, 2007)

We have a 4000/3000W (starting watts/running watts) Champion and it's fantastic. It's small and light enough that I can get it out, set it up and start it by myself if hubs isn't home (I'm 5'3" and 50 years old...) 

We bought it "just for emergencies" and it's main purpose is to stop our basement from filling with water during a power outage. We're in a very low area and during the winter/spring our sump pump runs *a lot*. 

I test run it twice a year (spring and fall) without fail, and it will go for 10 hours on 2 gallons of gasoline.

Highly recommend it.


----------



## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Scratch the idea of heating with a generator.... unless you have sacks of cash lying around... Electric heat is very expensive, unless your hooked up to the grid...


----------



## Murby (May 24, 2016)

Forget the brand new tractor supply generators.. 

Get on craigslist and go find yourself a Coleman with a Tecumseh engine.. Something in the range of 4000 to 6000 watts can be had for as little as $250 if you look around.. They are built better than newer units.

The trick, is to know what area's you live around that don't lose power very often or for very long. For instance, I bought a 5500 watt Coleman that was 20 years old from a suburb township just outside of Detroit where I live. 
I know the area and I know that even in the oddball occurrences they do lose power, its never for more than ten to twelve hours. 
Looking at the generator can give you a lot of information as to how much it's been used. 
Got mine for $250, then added a natural gas addition to the carb so it can run on my Natural gas, propane, or just go back to normal gasoline. 

Generators that run on propane or natural gas run much smoother.


----------



## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

I'd buy the biggest propane tank I could and a generator that runs on propane. Add propane furnace, hot water heater and kitchen stove and you'd be set. Even if wood is your primary fuel, having propane backup would be a good idea in case you're gone and the weather is cold. 

This is the sort of thing that you can buy less expensive, less power, less everything and then find it isn't enough so you end up having to buy better and just doubled up your expenses.


----------



## Welshmom (Sep 7, 2008)

FWIW, here's my .02:
Sometimes starting an engine with a pull cord can be a bear (as Ann mentioned) or darn near impossible. I am capable of starting almost anything, but what if I were sick, or had a pulled shoulder, or it was just my daughter at home, etc? For this reason, I chose a Champion generator with an available battery/electric start. Also has the pull cord as a back up. It starts perfectly, every time, no torn shoulder for me! I really like this generator, like I said the performance has been just great, had it for a few years now. I mainly have it for winter needs - I have cattle and keeping them in fresh, liquid water in winter requires a water pump and a tank heater. 
The other benefit of this generator was it was sold by Costco, and delivered free right to my door, so no wrassling it in and out of my truck, etc. I got the wheel kit so I can move it around, I also recommend one of those if you are going with anything larger than a camping generator. 
Everyone else has commented on sizing it to your needs. I installed a transfer switch as well and everything has worked very smoothly on the few times I have needed it here.


----------



## yeahYeah (Jan 14, 2017)

when i lived in the burbs i had a generac 3250. it did well for what i needed it for, but now out in the country i need something larger.

intention is to run a portable AC, fridge, fans and IF needed a small space heater. Peak summer in TX can be brutal.



Canyonero said:


> I'll second the vote for regular testing. I've taken to running mine at least once a month, until it's warm. When I'm done, I shut the fuel valve and run it dry. I keep cycling fresh fuel through it as needed. It always starts on the first or second pull.


i pretty much do the same. I run it once a month, i hook up various items to it to give it a work out.


----------



## Lauri (Sep 20, 2008)

I am reading this with great interest.

Due to the windstorms of this past week, I was without elec for 2.5 days.
An 8000w generator (pull start) and a transfer switch came with the house I bought in Nov 2015.
but I had yet to use it, and when needed, could not get it started. 

I am thinking of replacing it with an electric start generator, but upon reading these posts feel I may not need that big of unit.

I have a fireplace, gas stove, gas water heater, gas dryer. Fridge and separate freezer. 
HAVE to run the sump pump. Animals need 50 gals. of water every other day. 

I did not realize gens could run on different fuels.

I too have had shoulder surgery, mid 50's, lone, female. 

However, in addition to the generator situation, this power outage has provided me with some great feedback on things I need to get taken care of b/4 the next outage. 


thanks to the OP for starting this conversation, as well as to those that have offered advise.


----------



## k9 (Feb 6, 2008)

Gasoline fueled genset that are converted to propane are derated, if converted to natural gas more so.


----------



## Autumn Moon (May 3, 2017)

Lauri said:


> I did not realize gens could run on different fuels.


To answer your question: There are gensets that run on gas, ones that run on diesel and ones that run on propane. You can't mix them, and you have to know the type of system you purchased.
From reading, it seems that one can purchase a gas genset and modify/convert it for propane if I read that correctly. If one is not familiar with gensets, I just wanted to clarify that.


----------



## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

The top of the list if moving into another home would be to install a woodstove and a transfer switch. No matter what the circumstance, a woodstove confirms you will always have heat.
Propane/battery backup gennies are nice, but I went another route the first time as I knew our time on that property was finite.
Bought two Champion 3000 inverter generators; one for our RV and one for my shop and to use at job sites. Installed a transfer switch. I used the Champion when we needed just a few lights. It is quiet, fuel efficient and dependable; I used our Honda Black Max 9k gennie when the outage was prolonged or we needed to keep the freezers cold, internet, stove, etc.
Regarding pull ropes, I'm in my 50s and have torn a rotator cuff before, so I'm not high of jerking ropes for 20 minutes. I don't advocate it, but my Honda can be a hard to wake up if it has sat for more than a month. A quick shot of starting fluid into the carb and away it goes, every time.


----------



## In The Woods (Apr 27, 2017)

Autumn Moon said:


> To answer your question: There are gensets that run on gas, ones that run on diesel and ones that run on propane. You can't mix them, and you have to know the type of system you purchased.
> From reading, it seems that one can purchase a gas genset and modify/convert it for propane if I read that correctly. If one is not familiar with gensets, I just wanted to clarify that.


Just to be clear - there are a lot of small generators that will run on gasoline and propane. All it takes is a turn of a valve.

http://www.championpowerequipment.com/products/generators/for-home/76555-3000w4000w-generator/


----------



## Steve_S (Feb 25, 2015)

Just a bit of input here..
I have a couple of Gennies on hand (offgrid) and they get their use mostly for my construction & bigger tasks at hand.

#1 is the workhorse; a Champion 41552 7200/9000w gasser
#2 is my Inverter Genny; a 3000w King Canada inverter generator (backup for my solar charging) and for special things.

Conversion & Adapters are available for these to run Gas, Gas/LPG or Tri-Fuel gas, lpg & natural gas. Many generators can be converted / adapted and that's not a bad idea when your off-grid, remote. Gas/LPG is one of the best solutions as LPG will not sour and lasts during storage, unlike gasoline. LPG does have issues with serious cold temps, so dual gas/lpg solves that by letting you startup with gas, warm it up & then flip to LPG... so your not left in the cold ! I have a kit for my big guy - great stuff !

Where to get kits ? A few vendors out there but I have one from here and other's also report good things so, have a look: https://centuryfuelproducts.com/generators/conversion-kits

BTW: Champion has made Home Stand-By Gennies for some time now and as for Value to Dollar they are a WIN ! worth having a look at IF you are looking for a more comprehensive solution to backup power... 
http://www.championpowerequipment.com/for-home/home-standby/

Not to knock Honda, Yamaha etc... they are all great machines BUT very $$ and sometimes we want a Rolls Royce but have a Chevette Budget and still need something that works.


----------



## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

I have lived in places that were off grid and had been for the previous one hundred years or so. We ran a generator for one hour in the morning and one hour at bedtime. This kept the freezer frozen and pumped water for the house and livestock. One day a week we ran the generator for a few hours to run the washing machine. The clothes dried just fine on a close line. It was on old gas powered Honda, 5000 watts. We used less than one hundred gallons of gas for a year.

Muleskinner,


----------



## Bungiex88 (Jan 2, 2016)

If money is no problem I’d get a Honda. But if your scraping just like most people I plan on getting either a Westinghouse or generac. And I’m going to either get a 5000 or 7500 just to run freezers, possibly well pump if needed and possibly water heater if needed.


----------



## Darren (May 10, 2002)

If money is no object buy a Hawkpower generator. It's a prime rated generator. Run it 24/7 until time for an oil change.


----------



## In The Woods (Apr 27, 2017)

Bungiex88 said:


> If money is no problem I’d get a Honda. But if your scraping just like most people I plan on getting either a Westinghouse or generac. And I’m going to either get a 5000 or 7500 just to run freezers, possibly well pump if needed and possibly water heater if needed.


The key to having any generator is the gas you use and how you store it. DO NOT use the regular gas from gas stations. It contains Ethanol which when left in a carburetor for more than a few weeks eats away at the seals and rubber parts.

Find a place that sells non-ethanol gas. Here is a site that lists most places:

https://www.pure-gas.org/

Also use a stabilizer like Sta-Bil in your gas cans. Non-ethanol gas with stabilizer will stay good for 1 year in storage. I keep 20 gallons like this. I label the cans with the date they were filled. At the one year point I will dump them into my truck and refill with fresh.

Also if you use a generator like I do which is only a few times a year - when you are done with using it turn the gas off while it is running and let it run until it runs out of gas. This assures the carburetor has no gas in it when it is stored.


----------



## Ohio Rusty (Jan 18, 2008)

I live rural and a generator is a must. For quite a few years I had a Coleman powermate 5500 generator for emergencies. It easily ran the freezer, refrigerator and sump pump AND the window air conditioner in the upstairs bedroom. All of those were about max wattage I would use it for. The problem was it was LOUD .... annoyingly loud. You could hear it a mile away ... something like 10,000 decibels ....... forget trying to sleep while the generator was running. Last year it had a carburator issue and I took it in for service. I sold it when I got it back and bought one of the harbor freight 3500 watt predator inverter generators with both the push button and rope pull start. I can't believe how quiet this generator is !! The push button is a dream to start. I need to buy a small trickle charger to put on the battery when not in use or the battery will go dead eventually. The other thing I will miss on this HF generator is the predator doesn't have a 220 plug and my Coleman did. That 220 plug is real handy if you need to plug in a welder. I don't have any 220 outlets at my house anywhere. With the sale coupon it was $649. I have already ran it 5 hours and changed the oil for break in. I have 2 extra bottles of Briggs and Stratton 30 weight oil for the generator on hand. I use either Sea Foam or Sta-Bil as a stabilizer for my gas in cans.


----------



## margoC (Jul 26, 2007)

I just got the predator 3500 this week. I've been working but plan to break it in this weekend. I have some better spark plugs, stabile, seafoam, and various and sundry other items.

I want to get the flatbed wagon so I can move it around the yard more easily. Those castors won't cut it on my grass. That way I can move it to a neighbor if they need to cool down a fridge or freezer. 

For us it will be on the patio. I have one 10 guage cord to run into the house through the doggie door. I can run another one through the bedroom window for that end of the house, all from the patio. 

I might just keep the genny in the mud room and roll it out on the patio to start it every month or so.


----------



## Ross (May 9, 2002)

We keep a few around but we have quite a few must run things too. Basically a 5000 watt generator is a comfortable size. Shouldb’t rip through fuel too bad I wouldn’t heat with electricity. A small cube heater pulls 1500 watts. It will do it but 3 will make a genny work and suck fuel. 
I just bought a Champion 11500/9000 watt generator and a new generator pannel is next. Thise must run things would tax a smaller uniy but we have 3 5000 watt units as back up and alt locations. I also have a smaller inverter just for electronics. We also keep some fuel pn hand year round. Theres always enough to do without running to sit in line for gas!


----------



## markt1 (Dec 15, 2013)

Generator prices skyrocket above 6 kilowatts. I have a tri-fuel Honda generator rated 13kw on gasoline and 12kw on propane/natural gas fed from a 500 gallon propane tank. The 12kw number is significant because common commercial 240volt plugs stop at 50 amperes. Above that you'll need to pay an electrician to hard-wire the output. I also have a solar system with a 9 kilowatt-hour battery bank with an inverter-charger allowing the batteries to be charged from the grid or generator. So I could run the generator for 2 hours a day for heavy loads such as washing machines and the well pump, run the low level loads the other 22 hours (also have a fireplace). Be aware that such large generators consume huge amounts of fuel per hour. If I ran mine at 12kw continuously the 500 gallon tank (that by law only holds 400 gallons) would last for...2 weeks! With propane at $2.45 per gallon that would cost me $70 per day!!! Looked at diesel, but my farmer brother-in-law complains about mold/mildew frequently clogging his tractor fuel filters. And with alcohol in the gasoline...I went with propane as the only long-term storage fuel.


----------



## gilberte (Sep 25, 2004)

Expand your skill set so that you can live without a generator, People have done it for years.


----------



## oldasrocks (Oct 27, 2006)

We have an 11KW propane Generac wired into the house full time. It runs 10 minutes a week to keep it tuned up and battery charged. We had a 15KW but it died after 11 yrs. Served us well during an ice storm that lasted 11 days in 07. Then we have a gas 15KW in the shop to run the well etc. Contrary to what Mark1 says above it does have a 50 amp outlet that we can plug in to the switch box. Mandatory to have a positive disconnect in Missouri.

The trouble with 5,000 watt gennys and smaller is the estimated lifetime of them. They are made to take camping or something and will not survive long term use.

I still have that 15KW sitting in the shop. It kept burning out the voltage regulator. We had it replaced 3 times and gave up. The tech could not figure out why nor could Generic. If anyone think they can solve the problem I'll help load it in their pickup. I hate the idea of taking it in for scrap.


----------



## markt1 (Dec 15, 2013)

Contrary to what Mark1 says above it does have a 50 amp outlet that we can plug in to the switch box.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When I said that plugs stop at 50 amps I meant that 50 amp plugs are common, which is what I have on mine. You won't find ones above that.


----------



## oldasrocks (Oct 27, 2006)

Sorry, Misread your post.


----------



## damoc (Jul 14, 2007)

gilberte said:


> Expand your skill set so that you can live without a generator, People have done it for years.


 Done that now its time to learn how to build,repair,improvise or engineer items that will allow us not to revert to hunter gatherer status.

Somebody made a very good point I think it was from some fiction novel I dont remember now but basicaly the point was what is the use of depending on electrical generation even in its most reliable forms such as wind,solar and hydro because in no time at all we will have lost the ability to make a lightbulb.I dont agree with this I think we should strive to maintain our technology and will but it is a very good point.


----------



## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> gilberte said: ↑
> *Expand your skill set *so that you can live without a generator


What "skill set" will keep the hundreds of pounds of food in my freezer from thawing, or keep my favorite drinks cold and perishable foods fresh?


----------



## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

I'm gonna guess God put me here to live in these days for His own reasons. I am able to live circa 1950 or 1920 if I chose to.
I might even be able to adapt to the 19th century if circumstances required it, with a proportional reduction in my mortality.
In other words, its all good to believe you can roll back in time until I don't know, you can't post on this forum anymore.


----------



## gilberte (Sep 25, 2004)

Bearfootfarm said:


> What "skill set" will keep the hundreds of pounds of food in my freezer from thawing, or keep my favorite drinks cold and perishable foods fresh?


 Come on, don't you think that we're going to arrive at a point where you are not going to be able to run down to the gas station to get five gallons for your generator?


----------



## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

gilberte said:


> Come on, don't you think that we're going to arrive at a point where you are not going to be able to run down to the gas station to get five gallons for your generator?


I keep more than that at home all the time.

In the past 66 years, the longest I've been without power was almost 5 days, and I only used about 10 gallons of gas.

You didn't answer the question I asked you.



> Bearfootfarm said: ↑
> What "skill set" will keep the hundreds of pounds of food in my freezer from thawing, or keep my favorite drinks cold and perishable foods fresh?


----------



## JohnP (Sep 1, 2010)

Dad2ms said:


> Quick question. This past year we moved from the city and bought a house with some land out in the country. It's off the beaten path and I'm a bit worried about keeping power this winter. I don't want to invest a ton but have been looking at some generators at TSC. I just need recommendations on what kind and size and setup.
> 
> I'm not looking to run my whole house. Just need to run some heaters and maybe refrigerator.
> 
> Talk about how you run your cords and at what point do you crank it up when the power shuts down.


I've got a 3650 watt(3000 running I think) that will do the fridge, a 9000btu window unit, our laptops, tv, LED lights etc. We use a two burner camp stove to cook on and a 20lb cylinder lasts a long time. I've had HF genies that all quit putting out power at some point. I run Champion genies now as they're cheap, quiet and get good reviews and have a three year warranty. I wouldn't mid a Honda but for that amount of watts, it would be 10 times the price. That 3650 watt Champion runs $329.00

For heat, get a wood stove or a Big Buddy heater. A Big Buddy, hooked to two 20lb cylinders will run "up to 220 hours". That's on low I'm sure. Running an electric heater on a genie will cost a fortune in fuel.


----------



## gilberte (Sep 25, 2004)

Bearfootfarm said:


> What "skill set" will keep the hundreds of pounds of food in my freezer from thawing, or keep my favorite drinks cold and perishable foods fresh?


You know, the usual: Canning, drying, smoking, etc. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for electricity and freezers and such, just want to be able to eat if there's no power for an extended period of time.


----------



## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

gilberte said:


> You know, the usual: Canning, drying, smoking, etc.


I know how to do all that.
It's fine if you like all your meats boiled or smoked.
We have enough canned foods to last months.

I like my steaks medium rare though.
I like Tuna steaks on the grill.
I like fried chicken and pork chops.

All those require refrigeration.
It makes life easier and more safe too.



gilberte said:


> just want to be able to eat if there's no power for an extended period of time.


That can be planned for.
There's no need to do without since most outages are short term.


----------



## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

JohnP said:


> I wouldn't mid a Honda but for that amount of watts, it would be 10 times the price.


For around $2000 you can get 2 EU2200i's and connect them.
They are much quieter and more fuel efficient.
Most of the time you could probably get by running just one.

That's also the full retail price, so I'm sure you could find them lower somewhere.


----------



## 50ShadesOfDirt (Nov 11, 2018)

Off-grid for some years now ... wouldn't ever go back to on-grid electric bills.

On the gennie side, we have found that these rules apply:
1. you always need more power than you bought, so buy x times bigger than you need
2. always have a backup gennie, and/or of different fuel/capability (but no gasoline)
3. if you're gonna do 3600rpm gennies, never do gasoline ... do propane; if you're gonna do 1800rpm gennies, do diesel; if you don't know the difference, do tractor (pto) gennies and "split the difference" (diesel tractor that never breaks down drives a gennie w/ no carburetor)
4. electric start on anything that moves
5. no computers in anything (this means avoid the 15kw eco-gen from generac, or similar); like car computers, these things = grief
... I'm sure there's more rules ... these were the most painful when being beat into me ...

What this translates to is that, amongst all our solar stuff, we put in 1000gal propane tank, a 22kw generac propane standby generator, an 11kw backup propane gennie (the beast), and a 25kw pto gennie driven by our tractor. the generac, even though standby, gets used frequently by the solar stuff (no sun, the gennie automatically comes on at need, etc.). When it kicks on, we run around the house turning on everything, we tell the neighbors to drag over their extension cords, and we power up the nearest city as well ...

Primarily wood furnace heat, backup propane heat, and lots of propane appliances, but everything else is electric ... 

None of this is "inexpensive", but it is priceless to be off-grid and free of the "electric-man" and his bills w/ charges for this, that, and the other ... even more so when a neighbor tells us that power was out for a week or so, and we didn't even know about it (out in the country, power stays down for awhile ... not enough buying power per acre, I guess).


----------

