Need generator advice

[MickeyLane]

Living in Florida is a lot of fun in the winter - you get to laugh at everyone shoveling snow, etc.

The summer is different. Tampa and the area immediatly east is the lightning capitol of North America. Every once in a while, a hurricane shows up and what the lightning doesn't zap, the wind gets.

The power goes out a lot.

Any suggestions on a good generator?

[paladin]

Both siblings in Okiehoma use honda generators and seem very happy.....

[Steve McMahon]

Go Japanese. Honda or Subaru-Robbins. Be very cautious of counterfit's however. There are a multitude of fake Honda's out there. Look for the UL approval and Manufacturers labels. Install a proper generator panel (or have installed by an electrician) If you get serious shoot me an e-mail and I will get some more info from you on your house and give you some options and suggestions. Generators are one of the things I do for a living. It's not practical for me to sell you anything but I can point you in the right direction for what to look for in your area.
Steve
mcmahon@lbelec.com

[Ross M]

I want one of these:
http://www.speedwaysales.com/honda/generators/EU2000small.jpg

Honda EU2000i. Pricey - just under a grand - but unbelievably quiet. Walked by a mobile broadcast studio operating one the other day. Now I actually believe that 59 dB rating.

Speedway (http://www.speedwaysales.com/honda/index.php)

Ross

[Mrleft8]

My advice is get one. Ever since I got one my power hasn't gone off (during awake hours) long enough for me to get the generator hooked up.

[BrianW]

After giving this subject much thought...

We simply bought a bigger boat that had a genny. smile.gif

[bukuboy]

If you think a little out of the box try www.utterpower.com. (http://www.utterpower.com.) Regards, ---Bill

[ 04-03-2005, 07:11 AM: Message edited by: bukuboy ]

[MickeyLane]

Originally posted by bukuboy:
If you think a little out of the box try www.utterpower.com. (http://www.utterpower.com.) Regards, ---BillCool. I wonder how much one of these setups cost?

[TomF]

I was wondering the same thing ...

... one of the writers on Utterpower said that all told, it cost about half of what his previous large Honda generator setup cost. Unless I'm mistaken, that means that a Lister clone with a generator would run to about 2K.

Sounds very attractive, no? Could run the thing on biodiesel, and have essentially no dependency on petroleum for household energy.

t.

t.

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

Honda.

[Mrleft8]

Originally posted by Peter Malcolm Jardine:
Honda.Got an abcess Peter? tongue.gif

[formerlyknownasprince]

Listeroids eh? I've got a Lister STW2 8.5 kVa genset on my boat. Damn noisy ..... but then again, compared to the 2 x Detroit 4-53s its almost silent.

[MickeyLane]

My apologies for not following up on this question. Twelve hour days ‘n all…

During the hurricanes last year, the power was out for days. Everyone lost all the food they couldn’t eat and sitting around in 95 degree/95 percent humidity all day – and particularly all night – took a tremendous toll on attitudes. For some of the really old farts down here, it didn’t do their health any good either…

I’d like some sort of generator that could A) run non-stop for a week if need be and B) run at least the house air conditioner, the fridge and some few lights. I can do without the electric stove and the clothes washer/electric dryer.

The house A/C is 220 volt. Don’t know the amp requirements (yet) or the start-up requirements. Don’t know the fridge’s power requirements either but I’m pretty sure it’s not much.

Until I do a little research, I’m assuming 8-10 kw as a starting point. I’ve got some experience with generators this size.

No. I’ve got a lot of experience with them. My RV has a 7.5 kw Generac in it. Generac has to be the worst piece of monkey poop ever put on the market. I’ve replaced every circuit board in the thing - $200 and $300 a pop – plus I’ve replaced the starter motor 4 times. At $360 a pop. All this and I have less than 600 hours on it. (In Generac’s defense, I don’t think this model was ever intended to be operated in a bad-weather environment. The front end of a diesel bus style RV is a bad-weather environment.)

I know I need some sort of switch-over from city power to generator. I know that automatic systems are available but probably not necessary – I’ve got to manually start the generator so I can manually operate a switch. (I don’t want some setup that will pump power back into the city lines!)

I think what I need will occupy 6-8 square feet of floor space, weigh about a 1,000 pounds and require a rigid mounting system, an outside exhaust and some sort of radiator for the cooling system.

The question is – where do I get one and how much will it cost?

[Stiletto]

Hospitals have such systems. Do you have any small hospitals/clinics in your area? a talk to their maintenance man should help.

We had a power crisis in our largest city a few years ago and hire companies came up with a range of diesel generators.

[Concordia..41]

If you're going to go to all that trouble, I'd say look at a hard-wired house back up system - and many folks are.

My research said 2k-4k for the generator and equal amount for installation. There are gasoline, diesel, and LP gas systems. The better ones come on automatically at intervals to keep the system up to par.

The 2k model supposedly runs the average house - sans central air - TVs, minor appliances, refrigerator, ceiling fans, lights, etc. The 4k model supposedly will run central A/C and all of the above.

Midrange - 12kw puppy - runs $3k plus installation, which can't be done by your brother-in-law or neighbor because FPL has to drop power for the connection & won't reconnect if a licensed master electrician isn't involved - DAMHIKT...

http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/167151_lg.gif

I don't know where the water heater falls into the dynamics, but every generator has a specific output, and each appliance draws a particular amount. Seems like a good excuse to use basic math skills, and my plan - should I get around to executing it - is to get a generator on the lower end of the price scale and manage my power usage. If we have to unplug the fridge and the X-boxes to do a load of wash, so be it.

We've all got different dynamics, but before I'd pay $1,000+ for a portable unit, I'd pay $3,000+ for a hard-wired unit that would increase my home's value. But then again, I've done neither so.....

I had some stuff saved, but threw it away a while back in frustration because I could see I wasn't going to get around to it. (Also looking like I'm not going to get the shutters built either - :mad: - got that 12 hour day thing going here too...)

Here's a good web page with the various levels of options.

http://www.electric-power-generators.net/view.htm]

And I know you said Generac was a piece of crap, but their picture came up first. And that was the brand I was looking at, so I'll do more research if and when I get around to making a move.

Here's to hoping the next hurricane season ISN'T!

- M

[ 04-07-2005, 09:08 PM: Message edited by: Concordia..41 ]

[Hughman]

Originally posted by MickeyLane:
7.5 kw Generac in it. Generac has to be the worst piece of monkey poop Home Depot sold a consumer version of these. The sales people referred to them as "returneracs"

I have a 3.5KW craftsman I bought used for $300, and it will power the 220v well pump, 110v fridge, heater igniter, and some lights. I put plug/recepticals in the lines to these, and must disconnect the line to switch the feeds. Cheap and safe.

[Alan Peck]

Hughman: I just got a 3.5 KW Craftsman for the same purposes as you. I have the same idea of just plugging in the needed appliances like the refirgerator and a few lights and such.

I am curious as to how you hook up the 220V well as there is no plug for this as it is hard wired?

[Hughman]

mine has a 220 receptacle. there are a multitude of plugs and adapters designated for specific voltages and amperages. I spent some time at the electrical wholesaler getting the right ones, so the power switching could be done by anyone in my household, and in the dark, because it will be! :eek:

Do this when there isn't a power failure, or the parts won't be available...DAMHIKT!

[Mrleft8]

Look at Northern tools. They have a fairly large selection of generators.