Who owns a generator?

^^ that there was some quality reading^^

 

I do try to help :}

 

x2 thanks for that post! that was some great info.

 

Yeah, you pretty much gave all the info needed for a good choice.

Also as far as the EU3000 honda generators they usually go for about $1000 used, thats what I paid for mine.

 

down here on the gulf coast we have a little experience with generators.
most people usually do the last minute deal and buy one with the storm is about to hit then sell it in off season. the biggest problem with that is most wives and some guys cannot manually hook it up to house and shutoff main power supply to house and get the generator started. also, standing in line for hours for some gasoline sucks ass. most people are reactive and not proactive and they are fine with this setup until they actually have to do it and freak out because it can be a lot to keep up with.
some people just go ahead and waste an ton of money on a 15k standby generator. while they are really nice and convenient you will never get your money back. the only people that benefit from these are those who lose power on a regular basis. those things will go through a huge amount of fuel in a few days and doesn't help you in the long run.
after thinking hard about the options and fuel supplies after a storm the best option around here seems to be to get an 8k standby generator since it consumes so much less fuel than the larger ones. if you have natural gas you can have that hooked up and always have an endless supply. and if the gas lines are compromised after a really bad storm you keep a 100lb propane tank on standby which will last you a few days til the gas lines are fixed. its like having a small generator but its tied in and doesn't require the wifey to try and get it started and hooked up.
another thing to consider is that a generator uses more fuel at full load as opposed to half load. usually a 5-7k will take roughly 5 gallons in 10-12 hrs. if you run it 24hrs a day, you need at least 10 gallons a day. thats a lot of gas. gas will be limited and thats the type of fuel most people will require. hope this helps

 

I got a titan industrial 5500 watt generator.....needs work though

 

We do have gas lines for our house and thats what we use for our stove and hot water heater.

I already have two 5 gallon gas cans and a few small ones. I would add two or three more 5 gallon cans to storage if I go the gasoline route.

Also I had thought about building a small genorator "house" out of plywood to keep the genny in when in use in the back yard to help muffle some of the sound. just keep on end of it open to push it in and out of on the side and to vent.

 

The "Dog house style generator cover" works very well as for venting you can get the foundation type vents 6x24 or 8x24 and mount one lower one upper two per side only need to do three sides size the cover size is based on what the manual tells you for clearances. Then you can put a door on the end to make it completely invisible. Judd is correct about the gas and diesel most folks don't think ahead and I did not account for that. Having exp blizzards, ice storms, huricanes, Squirrels ( jumped into a transformer substation station) took the entire area down for 4 days etc. I have learned the hard way to be prepared.

Cypher

 

Last year we were having power surges BC of all the extreme cold weather and snow (not typical for this area but its happend two years in a row now) and my kid was around 8 months old last winter. When the power went out I was pretty worried about keeping him warm. Luckly the power came back on 45 mins later but people on the other side of town were not so luck, 6-8 hours with no power.


I'd rather have it and not need it then the other way around. Kinda like car insurance and we never even think twice about not having that!

 

I bought a kipor ig2000 watt generator and never looked back.

Iv had if for about 2 years and not a single issue. It starts first pull every time and runs almost anything i throw at it.

Its very fuel efficient, lightweight, Strong plastic case and very easy to do maintenance on.

It cost me about 600 bucks. (cad)

I was a bit skeptical at first (being a Chinese brand) but then i read the reviews and was sold, Plus you cant beat the price.

 

the one i have is propane powered. and we use it in the winter a lot

 

My 5500-Watt Briggs does great.Just had a 6 circuit transfer switch installed ,and love it ,no more drop cords to deal with.I keep my generator in my garage which is about 90ft from my house.so the sound is not bad and it stays dry.(my generator would not run in the rain,kept sucking warter up in the air filter).Now when the power goes out all I have to do is run my #10-4 100ft. drop cord from my garage to the house and I'm up and running in less than 5 min.

 

http://www.mayberrys.com/honda/generator/html/requirements.htm

I work in a shop that repairs generators. Go with Honda, Kubota, or Yamaha if reliability is important. Hondas will last decades if treated properly. We are a dealer, and the only time they come in for repair is when they've been abused or neglected.

There are many cheap generators out there these days. They will sometimes do the job, and sometimes not. If the voltage regulator or rectifier dies, good luck finding parts to repair. If buying a generator for emergency purposes, don't skimp.

Best advice I can give is to keep the carburetor dry during storage. It's not at all hard to turn off the gas and drain the float bowl when putting away. If you are dead set on storing the unit with fuel in it, it needs to be ran once a month at least. (just drain the freakin gas)

Over 50% of all the repairs we do on all types of power equipment are fuel/carburetor related. I am not a fan of fuel stabilizers. Keep fresh fuel around. Remeber, your truck always has fresh fuel if you find youself in a dire situation.

Also, you can always "backfeed" power through a 30 amp plug by connecting to a generator. Just be sure and turn off the main so you aren't backfeeding to the transformer...this is important as to not kill a lineman who thinks the line is "cold".

 

if you plan on using a generator for emergency backup for your furnace, a few lights, fridge, etc you will need to have those circuits fed from a sub panel. you will also need a transfer switch (some transfer switches are also load centres/panels).

 

yes that does work, however it is potentially hazardous and illegal (illegal here, not familiar with american codes).

 

Agreed. But it will keep the heat on in an emergency.

 

X2

Great way to barbeque your local ulility linemen if you don't isolate your house from the grid

 

x3. whenever the power goes out during storms i always flip it off from the line when i use it, then turn on the main breaker in the house and crank it up. then reverse those steps to check if the powers back on.

 

Yes, shutting down the main is absolutely necessary for safety reasons. Let me clarify "emergency". Emergency - We are going to freeze to death and grandma's breathing machine needs power, NOT: Emergency - Dammit, I'm missing the Canucks game!