Forums » Off-topic discussion » Does anyone know anything about generators? 1 2

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  Aug. 22, 2011 8:35 a.m. tuna55 SuperDork

  The type you plug important appliances into when the power goes out.
  

  I looked online to get prices and they are all over the map. Most names like "AMERICAN POWER" are Chinese, and likely crap. If I buy something, I want it to be reliable and not crap.

  I'd prefer to get something that's somewhat zombie apocalypse capable, so the propane powered versions are appealing because the fuel is so darn stable.

  Does anyone have any thoughts on brands, sizes, fuel types, places to buy them?

  We're mostly talking about powering the fridge and two freezers (with $1k worth of beef in them). No automatic stuff necessary. I'll pull start it and plug in what I need.

  Thanks!!!

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  Aug. 22, 2011 8:37 a.m. NGTD Dork

  HONDA

  Fridges and freezers use motors and they can sometimes have very high start-up currents - I would go 5 kW.

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  Aug. 22, 2011 9:11 a.m. 81cpcamaro New Reader

  Honda generators are very good, but the price reflects it.

  Northern Tool lists quite a few in there catalog and website. At least a good place to compare features.

  Another option if you don't need new is to find generators from RVs, especially the Big class a and class c models. They run at lower rpms so they are quieter and a lot are Onan powered, which are very good ones as well.

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  Aug. 22, 2011 9:12 a.m. cwh SuperDork

  We have a 5kw Briggs powered Coleman. It will take care of business for freezer, an AC unit, etc. Honda power is better for durability, but very pricey.

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  Aug. 22, 2011 9:41 a.m. pinchvalve SuperDork

  I have a cheap 3500W Champion unit that I got on sale from Cabelas and it has run for days and days without letting me down. Not real quiet, and probable made in China, but so far it has been reliable.
  

  I recommend having an electrician install a transfer switch to your fuse box however. These things make it so easy and safe to switch to generator power. You just run a heavy-duty cord to the box, then switch over what you want as needed.

  

  "Don't Sweat the Petty Things." Yes, and Don't Pet the Sweaty Things.

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  Aug. 22, 2011 9:45 a.m. RossD SuperDork

  You can make loud generators quiter by adding a 'real' muffler and larger intake. If you do it right you shouldn't even decrease the advertised ratings.

  We have a Champion and I think its a 3500 watts starting, 3000 watts running. It's great for our cabin and when we built our shed. We also have solar panels so we don't use it a lot any more. The optional wheels and handle should not be optional. Buy them; or get a Honda that a 90 lb person can pick up with one hand.

  Actually ours looks a lot like the one above! It 'appears' that Champions are made in California.

  00100001

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  Aug. 22, 2011 9:54 a.m. 1988RedT2 Dork

  Find out what your local warehouse club (i.e. Costco) stocks and buy that, unless you can find a fair deal on a good unit elsewhere. I picked up a 6500 watt Coleman and I've been happy with it. The Tecumseh engine is loud as Berkeley, but as little as I use it, I don't give a E36 M3.

  To me, it just doesn't make sense to fork out the dough for a Honda. Yes, they are great, but no, they're not worth it if all it's going to do is sit in the garage waiting for the power to go out.

  Don't skimp on watts, though. Voltage drop when something with an electric motor is trying to start up is bad news.

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  Aug. 22, 2011 10:29 a.m. GrantMLS Reader

  the fact that my honda sits in my shop for years and when I need it and it starts on the first pull everytime after sitting makes the price worth it..

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  Aug. 22, 2011 10:50 a.m. curtis73 Dork

  You might look into used trailer generators. They're huge and overkill but they can often be bought at surplus auctions for $1000. Get one with the Hercules gas motor and it will run forever.

  I suggest against the little compact ones. They usually have proprietary bolt patterns and parts. If you get a larger one (like the champion listed above) they use universal mounts, bolt patterns, and other things. If the generator fails on a little Honda, you have to buy a special Honda generator. If it fails on a larger Genset you can buy a generator from Grainger, HF, etc and you can be guaranteed it will bolt on.

  I went through the same thing with pressure washers. I always bought the neat little compact ones but once their done, they're trash.

  I'm bringing sexy back

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  Aug. 22, 2011 10:54 a.m. Zomby woof SuperDork

  GrantMLS wrote: the fact that my honda sits in my shop for years and when I need it and it starts on the first pull everytime after sitting makes the price worth it..

  The Chinese gen sets will all do the same.

  Almost everything is made in China, as are the Champions (which are supposed to be good). I have a Hyundai (licensed, made in China), and it's been running my barn and shop since a spring storm took out my power. I have a transfer switch in my house, but if you're only going to need it for a freezer/fridge etc., then it's a lot more economical to just unplug them and run a cord. Do not run gen power into your panel unless it's isolated. I'm sure you know why. 5KW should be your minimum.

  If you're looking at diesel, the good ones run at 1800 RPM. The cheap ones at 3600. Propane is good, but gas and diesel is easy. In an emergency, I might want easy.

  Being where we are in the sticks, for about 10 years we would lose our power for 1-7 days a few times a year, so we're set up fairly well. Since I put the system together, we have never needed to use it (currently knocking on wood).

  AngryCorvair wrote: and that right there is why 90% of the time i think ZW is a berkeleying douchebag.

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  Aug. 22, 2011 11:49 a.m. pinchvalve SuperDork

  I should also mention that many of my neighbors have permanent, natural-gas powered units that automatically kick in and power the whole house. (we loose power a lot in my neighborhood!) They start at many thousands of dollars, but man are they nice!

  "Don't Sweat the Petty Things." Yes, and Don't Pet the Sweaty Things.

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  Aug. 22, 2011 11:52 a.m. GrantMLS Reader

  Or atleast know somone near you that has one and become friends during poweroutages!

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  Aug. 22, 2011 12:03 p.m. Dr. Hess SuperDork

  I bought a 7KW/8.x Honduh powered unit from Sam's for one large. Black max or something like that. HF sells a whole house 200 amp transfer switch (got that too). Built a generator shack for it.
  

  Yeah, sitting in the dark for 6 days in an ice storm gets one to-a-thinkin' on this type of thing.

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  Aug. 22, 2011 12:30 p.m. cwh SuperDork

  3 weeks after Wilma. Not gonna happen again.

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  Aug. 22, 2011 12:46 p.m. Basil Exposition Reader

  Got a Champion as pictured above, as well. Powerful enough to run the A/C unit on the race trailer. Also ran two fridges (mine and the neighbor's), TV and satellite equipment and some lighting during a 5 day power outage after a hurricane. Wouldn't run the central A/C in the house, of course.

  After that experience, my neighbor had a $6000 natural gas powered auto backup generator installed for his house. The first time he had to use something burned up in it and he was back to mooching off my $300 Champion.

  The things are pretty noisy. At one point we were a little concerned with somebody trying to steal it from us, since you have to keep it outside and it would be easy to follow the sound. As it turned out, not a problem in our neighborhood, but not unheard of in others.

  Don't be tempted to plug one into your house wiring without the proper switching device. Otherwise, when the power comes back on it will turn into a huge gas bomb. You can find pictures of examples on the intrawebs.

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  Aug. 22, 2011 12:58 p.m. cwh SuperDork

  Generator theft was a huge problem here after Wilma.

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  Aug. 22, 2011 1:36 p.m. GregW New Reader

  Just for grins search for gen sets powered by Lister CS derived single cyl diesels. Central Maine Diesel sells one set up for co gen using straight vegie oil. Definitely old tech 600 rpm engine but way cool.

  BTW the set up weighs north of 800 lbs so spur of the moment theft is not a big deal.

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  Aug. 22, 2011 1:43 p.m. 81cpcamaro New Reader

  The things are pretty noisy. At one point we were a little concerned with somebody trying to steal it from us, since you have to keep it outside and it would be easy to follow the sound. As it turned out, not a problem in our neighborhood, but not unheard of in others.

  Build a surround for it, with a chain-link or wood fence with a lock. You can quiet it down some as well with a surround, just leave enough ventilation so it doesn't overheat.

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  Aug. 22, 2011 2:25 p.m. sobe_death Reader

  Sorry I can't add anything useful... These are the generators I have experience with.

  
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  Aug. 22, 2011 2:37 p.m. BoxheadTim SuperDork

  Looks like that'll be hard to steal from someone's back yard . Plus I guess you can run the neighborhood off one?

  Sanity is vastly overrated.

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  Aug. 22, 2011 2:42 p.m. sobe_death Reader

  Haha yeah, depending on the neighborhood, probably pretty easily from that monster.
  

  You definitely need a crane to move it, but it probably wouldn't stop the copper thieves from trying to pull copper out of the generator barrel. At least until they lost a limb reaching in there

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  Aug. 22, 2011 2:43 p.m. cwh SuperDork

  I saw a generator being set up by Seimans in St. Vincent. The diesel engine alone was 40' long by 20' high. Biggest engine I have ever seen.

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  Aug. 22, 2011 6:10 p.m. slantvaliant Dork

  Occasionally someone brings one of the old military units to us for repair . Parts can be tough to get. I'd advise to buy modern commercial instead.

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  Oct. 31, 2011 2:45 p.m. dj06482 HalfDork

  After searching in Google to get some hits on this site, I'd figure I'd bump it up in case anyone else in the North East was interested. After two major storms coming through in the past two months (Irene and latest snowstorm), I'm thinking a generator is less of a luxury and more of a necessity. Out of 10,883 customers in my town, 32 have power. Amazingly, we seem to be one of the 32, although that could change at any moment...

  '05 Odyssey | '06 RAV4 | '06 Dodge RAM 1500 QC

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  Oct. 31, 2011 3:14 p.m. familytruckster Reader

  I have the same transfer switch as the one pictured in the above post....Very nice to have. I have a coleman 5500/6500W. Runs nearly everything in the house except the water heater and a/c/ and emergency heat.

  If you can afford it, the LPG/NG powered, auto transfer switch ones are the way to go. They start at like $3K

  Another thing to note, if you are using CCFL bulbs, that cuts the needed wattage for the house down quite a bit, and you can get away with a smaller genset.

  I want the one we have at work....powered by a 700hp twin turbo V12 CAT.

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