Generators

[guardianangel]

I don't own a generator yet, or know much about them...

I was hoping you all could give me the 101 info on them.

I want to know things like... what are the features I should look for in a quality generator, how do I figure out how much power I need to get from one for my main house appliances, what brands are considered to be reliable, how much fuel is used in a normal day of use, general price to consider, etc...

I know it is a bunch, but this would be great info we could use on this site in the future too for other users!

Thanks

[MOlivo]

Neonknight is the grandmaster of generators, hell let you know whats up when he see's this post.

Matt

[MiamiARFan]

Ahhhh Generators......Where would I be without Generators? In the dark most likely. :bang:

My first generator was a Generac 6500 that was purchased after Hurricane Andrew. It is big, noisy (sounds like a Harley rolling down the street) and gets the job done. I've still got it. Used it to power the fridge and a window A/C unit after Andrew in the only room that was left in the house that didn't have roof damage and made life livable. Big gas tank so it would run for 12 hours or so under load without requiring a refill. I eventually built a temporary plywood enslosure to muffle the noise.

My second generator was a Honda 3000EU. Man this baby is quiet. We bought it to power the travel trailer in areas that don't have power. Has electric start and an inverter to clean the power up so that you can even power sensative electronics from it. With an electric start it's the cat's meow. But it comes at a price. I did get a great deal online several years ago with no sales tax and free shipping, so it was worth it.

My latest addition is a whole house Generac Guardian. It's a 16KW Aluminimum enclosure unit a little larger than a Central A/C unit. It is powered by Natural Gas line and installed with an automatic transfer switch, so that when the lights go off, it comes on.

Some things to consider;

1. Requirements Define your power requirements. What is critical for you to keep running? Here are some typical [url=http://howto.altenergystore.com/Reference-Materials/Power-Ratings-typical-for-Common-Appliances/a21/:db492]appliance wattages[/url:db492]
Remember peak wattage may boost your requirements on startup. Size your unit accordingly. Some smaller units like Honda's can be daisy chained together for additional capacity.
2. Portability Do you require portability? Get one with wheels or on buy a dolly.
3. Fuel Determine your fuel. Gasoline - what is the run time, and availability of fuel? Diesel will power larger capacity generators, but availability of fuel may be an issue as well. At least here in Florida, a law was passed requiring gas stations to be equipped with backup generators to be able to pump fuel during power outages. Natural Gas - lowers generator efficiency by about 10%. If it's piped in, what natural disaster may affect the distribution network (think earthquakes). Here in Florida, I've never had an interruption of the gas, even during all of the Hurricanes, including Andrew, so this is the option I chose. Also available are LNG or Propane tanks. In some areas this requires they be buried so there is a large additional cost for their installation.
4. Location Make sure the generator is located outside and well away from any windows/roof/garage vents to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. If not wired into the electrical panel via transfer switch make sure you have long enough extension cords sufficiently rated to carry the load.
5. Connections NEVER wire your generator directly into your electrical panel without a transfer switch. You could backfeed onto the grid and unintentionally kill the nice gentlemen trying to restore your electrical service.


Just some thoughts.

[NEONNIGHT34609]

MiamiARFan pretty much said it all .. i have not been on the forum .. its hard to tell someone what they need when you dont know what they are lookin to run . Generac 6500 is a pretty good home unit yes its noisy but there are quiet mufflers that can be bought for them . i use a clip on fan that blows over the engine to help keep it cool . covering them is not really a good idea we are talking about an air cooled motor. u really want to stay away from anything that has a Tecumseh motor on it i have a yard full of them that have broken rods.really i am not kidding people give me blown up gens and 99% of them have Tecumseh motors on them with the same problem broken rods and cracked blocks.the cost of a new engine will run you more then a new gen. lots of people think gen motors are the same there not they have a tappered shaft and are hard to find . honda and briggs are the way to go and i think there are a new ones that look just like the honda motors without the name .. it all depends what u what to spend . just remember not to keep it in the corner of the garage and never start it . they need to be ran and oil changes are a must . fuel depends on the load most units will tell you run time on 50-100% load. i am getting off topic here .. bigger is better when it comes to generators u dont want to buy something u cant run things with .. 6200 or better you should be ok for basic house things like tv,fans, water heater or small window ac, fridge,lights ,if u have a well 6200 might be alittle iffy but should work if u manage your power .. what i mean by that is dont try to run your fridge hot water heater and well at the same time . also dont try to run your house A/C on anything smaller then a 10 kw with a 12 kw surge . if u manage your power u will be fine.

[PAian]

I havent got one of these yet , but it looks interesting http://kensolar.com/portable_solar_powe ... rators.asp (http://kensolar.com/portable_solar_powered_generators.asp)

[FarmBoy]

What do you guys think of this diesel generator? I own a farm and usually have about 500 gallons of diesel onhand. Any one know of a better small diesel generator?

[MiamiARFan]

Most smaller generators are gas. Diesel is more efficient for larger generators, usually 20KW and above. Did a quick search and there are some smaller units, including portable ones available.

http://www.hardydiesel.com/
http://www.generatorjoe.net/store.asp
http://www.usdieselengines.com/
http://www.electricgeneratorstore.com/

Google is your friend. ;)

Don't have any experience with small Diesel gensets, just the big computer room ones, so I'm no help with performance or reliability. Maybe someone else can chime in.

[FarmBoy]

Thanks for your input...obviously I forgot to post the link. The one I'm interested in is this one from Hardy:

http://www.hardysolar.com/shop/product. ... =32&page=1 (http://www.hardysolar.com/shop/product.php?productid=17346&cat=32&page=1)

[Ciggy322]

This generator works nicely in a pinch:

http://www.telliquah.com/Campfire2a.jpg