| Author | Message | ||
     Midnightrider |
So we are out of power for the third time this year. There are thousands still without power, but only about 150 in our little node. Translation - we'll probably be last up Asking for recommendations on a emergency generator. I want something big enough to power the HVAC for at least part of the house (3300 sq ft). Probably won't make a difference in this outage - but I'd like to be ready for the next one Thanks Don | ||
| Krassh |
Not cheap but Guardian Natural Gas Generators are pretty cool. As soon as I save some pennies I will probably pick one up. http://search.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/attr ibuteSearch.do?catPath=All%2BProducts%252F%252F%25 2F%252FUserSearch%253Dgenerator¤tPage=1&last Page=4&isNext=&isPrevious=&category=&attributeValu e=Guardian&attributeName=Manufacturer&requestedPag e=1&resultsPerPage=10&resultsPerPageBottom= | ||
| Krassh |
Also Lowes carries Centurian. http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetai l&productId=303377-24212-0055360&lpage=none | ||
| Ironhead1977 |
Find your local Briggs and Stratton dealer and inquire about a Briggs standby unit. All the replacement parts are available from briggs at reasonable pricing and is serviceable by any Briggs genset tech. | ||
| Ratbuell |
I got one last year from Sears, I want to say it's a B&S motor but I'll have to look. Pretty nice, electric start, comes with its own battery tender setup, runs a good long time on a tank of fuel.... Right now, I'm using an outlaw cord with the main breaker off when I need it, and it's plenty to run our pellet stove, fridge, lights, alarm clocks and coffee maker. I could *probably* run a TV and DVD off it, but if it's dark and there's no power...we just go to bed. At any rate, the new house (when we can afford to build it) will have a proper transfer switch instead of the outlaw cord setup. I haven't forgotten to turn the main off yet, but.... | ||
| Just_ziptab |
Normally,you can't buy a Honda generator "for cheap" on eBay.....too many bidders/idiots. I got a new Coleman generator on the cheap ,on eBay, because everybody wants a Honda and weren't looking at Coleman's. The thing works great. Same dealio with miter saws.....everybody bids up the DeWalts...........I got a great Ridged for neart 1/2 of what the DeWalts were bringing........ | ||
| Xbpete |
We are actively looking for a standby portable generator. I am looking at a 10hp Briggs & Stratton 5500 watt unit, available locally for $675, or an AC Delco unit, 6500 watts, 13HP for $900. Mostly I really need to know that the unit is made in USA, I cannot afford the Guardian or Centurian units, but absolutely will not accept a made in freakin China ANYTHING. Living in the remote mountains, we often loose power from ice on the lines or a tree taking one out, longest outage was a little over three days within the last few years. We need to power a pellet stove battery back-up charging system ( gives us 36 hours running time ), water pump, lights, satellite receivers and TV... for my 85 year old Mom. I looked at the running time per tank of fuel, amps needed for energized circuits and feel the 5500 watt unit will be enough for my 2,100 s.f. home. I should be able to get 24 hours on 12 gallons of gas. Locally, the Honda 5500 watt generator was over 2,100 dollars. I chose the Briggs unit and the switch over circuitry, total package will be right at a thousand dollars, outside semi-enclosed cover another couple hundred. | ||
| Brumbear |
I have a little 3.5K coleman powered my house and heat NO water though well pump is 220V not enough juice or the frig it was freezing anyway for 3 days. The thing to remember is to shut off the main breaker when you run one just in case you were not informed | ||
| Ferris_von_bueller |
Brum, 3.5k or 3500 watts is the equivalent of running two hair dryers, simultaneously. For comparison: well pump is approximately 2200 watts,fridge 800w http://www.oksolar.com/technical/consumption.html | ||
| Just_ziptab |
"I should be able to get 24 hours on 12 gallons of gas".......that would suck(for me anyways) if gas was $4.25 a gallon. I still have to test my battery/inverter system to see how much run time I can get with just running my wood fired boiler pumps and thermostats. 3 amps minimum draw at idle and 12 amps maximum draw with all three pumps running. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
If you're heating your house with oil, you should get yourself a diesel generator. They cost big piles of money unless you go chinese. I have been wanting to go that way for some time. Those little Honda lunchbox generators are sweet though. You can team them up for more power. | ||
| Brumbear |
yeah it aint alot but it ran the lights the tv and the heat for 3 days so all I'm saying is you relly don't need alot 5K would probably do it | ||
| Ar15ed |
we had 13 days in the dark during a 24 inch snowstorm in 1993. we bought a honda 5500, and it has performed flawlessly ever since then. it literally still has the original spark plug in it. hondas are definitely more expensive, but i would have to say they are worth the difference. good luck! ed | ||
| J2blue |
Try Northern Tool's web site for a wide selection including accessories: http://www.northerntool.com/ You have to click on the yellow "Categories" button and select "Generators" to get to it. (Message edited by j2blue on January 01, 2009) (Message edited by j2blue on January 01, 2009) | ||
| Iamike |
If you have a newer furnace with electronic controls you want one at least 5kw. During a bad ice storm here a couple of years ago people were buying the small units and burning up their furnace controls due to the voltage flucuations. Our company bought several hundred units and gave them to customers that had been off for an extended time. If I lived where I had a lot of outages I'd buy a natural gas or propane unit mounted on a pad with a throwover switch. | ||
| Ironhead1977 |
The main consideration should be parts and service availability for whatever unit your looking at. Keep in mind Coleman is out of business. There are parts out there until they are used up. How long that will take depends. Tecumseh engines are history. Same story with parts as Coleman. Anything with a Chinese engine at present, no parts. Ask an independent dealer if you are not sure. | ||
| 65460 |
I did the exact same thing XbPete did. Briggs unit and the switch over circuitry. And he was accurate on the price, it cost me about $1000.00- $1100.00 complete. It runs my furnance, well pump, frig, electric hot water heater. Basiclly when I need it, Im not wanting for anything in the house, it can cover it all | ||
| Just_ziptab |
There ain't much too my Coleman if it goes bad...and not likely for no more than what use it gets. The "infrastructure" is there.......motor craps,re power with a Honda. Generator craps,replace with a Northern unit.When I store it,it is run dry and the tank aired out.Oil changed and ready to go by just fueling it up.I bought the Coleman cheaper than I could buy the parts to build one from Northern parts............plus it's nicer looking than a home made gen set. | ||
| Corporatemonkey |
In the the late 90's my folks were building a house on an island. It had similarly poor power service. They looked into a basic generator setup. But by the time you brought a good but basic unit, had an electrician PROPERLY wire in a second circuit it was quite a bit of money. It turned out to be about the same price as a permanently installed house generator setup. They ended up with a Kolher 10kw propane generator with a manual changeover. If I remember correctly the entire setup was negotiated down below $4k installed. When the power went out all that needed to be done was turn a key from inside the house, wait a couple of minutes for the generator to stabilize then throw a single lockout breaker. In their case a good portion of the house was generator powered, minus the oven, some of the electric cooktop burners (wired so only 2 worked), clothes dryer etc... The 220v sump pump worked, as did the backup propane furnace. Maintenance was minimal because it was a propane model. Once a month you had to run it under load for 30 mins. Other than that a once a year engine service (oil, etc...) The best part was because it was a fully installed system they more than made their money back when they sold the house. A friend of mine who cheaped out and brought a basic portable generator, but had all the proper wiring done got hosed on resale. If it was my money, spend it right once and get a built in model. It will save you headaches down the road. BTW: For those of you who doubt the quality of a Honda/Yamaha inverter generator are truly missing something. There is a reason they are in demand. They are extremely quiet (~58 db loaded), and produce clean SW power. Most of the "contractor" generators are very loud, and produce so so power. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Alright Don, you had to ask. I watched FOUR transformers go "pop" on the poles on my street tonight. I'm typing this on gennie power (cable modem still working just fine). Mine's a Craftsman portable ('bout the size of a wheelbarrow). Briggs-n-Stratton electric start engine. 6300w constant, 9100 startup/surge. More than enough for us to currently be running some lights, the fridge, my sump pump (ah, the joys of living in a FEMA floodplain), my pellet stove, the network closet and a couple laptops (me on badweb, her on tonight's NCIS episode). |
