# Generator suggestions



## Bux-n-Dux (Dec 18, 2009)

Guys, i know many of you have had good and bad experience with generators. I need some help picking out a new generator tomorrrow. Mostly just need it to run my well, sump, frig/frezzers and maybe a couple lights/fans when the power goes out for a couple days. Would a 5000W be what i need? I prefer it portable and with a fairly large fuel tank so i don't have refill every 3 hrs. My price range is about $750 and where is the best place to shop for them? Thanks in advance guys.


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## big show (Sep 10, 2007)

Splurge and get a Honda or save your money and get a Champion from TSC. Very good quality for around $300. They are wired for 220 and 110. Run time of about 15 hours.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Petronius (Oct 13, 2010)

Assuming that every thing runs on 15 amps, add up the number of watts each unit runs on. Don't forget the surge when first starting up.


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## JimP (Feb 8, 2002)

I've been researching a whole house standby myself, propane powered.
This site here has about the best prices I've found on every type, standby, portable, diesel, gas etc.

http://www.norwall.com/

Most ship free, + no tax. 
It was reccommended by my electrician as being a very good company to work with. 
Not that you're going full shot at full house wattage, but it's a possile source for a portable to meet your needs...
The standby's come complete with transfer switches, panel, ground pad. 
I'm looking at a Generac 7KW for around $1700...maybe this fall.


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## bucklessyooper (Jun 13, 2003)

I would be looking at a generac in that price range. You should look at the 5k - 7.5k models. They are not as quiet or well built as a honda or yamaha but they are far superior to any Chinese generator like a champion. Just remember the bigger you go the more fuel you are going to burn.


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## FISHMANMARK (Jun 11, 2007)

5k Should work. I have a 6.5k and can run the house pretty much as normal. I can't run the well or furnace at the same time.

It doesn't matter which one you buy (within reason), just make sure you start it every month and run it for a few minutes. Otherwise, you will be in the worst weather conditions and pissed off you can't start your generator.


Mine burns just under a gallon an hour. 5 gallons lasts 6 hours.


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## hypox (Jan 23, 2000)

I've been looking at this one for a while....

http://www.generatorsales.com/order/Honda-10kw-Propane-Generator.asp?page=H04590

Does anyone have any experience with these?


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## tmanmi (Sep 20, 2005)

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/category_generators+portable-generators+5-000-6-999-watts

They have free shipping on some models.


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

I've got a 5.5KW that I've had for twelve years. I also bought and installed a transfer switch when I got the generator. I paid about a grand for the generator, but that was in the late summer of 1999 when everyone was going Y2K crazy. You can buy a comparable generator now for about $600. I think I spent about $1400 total between the generator, transfer switch, and hookup supplies. The extra $400 is WELL worth it! No dragging around extension cords and such. Just plug the generator into an outlet outside, then come inside and throw a few switches and you're in business. 5500W has done everything I've ever needed it to do.

John


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## PikeLaker (Sep 22, 2008)

> The extra $400 is WELL worth it! No dragging around extension cords and such. Just plug the generator into an outlet outside, then come inside and throw a few switches and you're in business. 5500W has done everything I've ever needed it to do.​


Have the same set-up works like a charm. Runs the house as usual...I do not have a well pump tho.


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## WoW (Oct 26, 2010)

FISHMANMARK said:


> It doesn't matter which one you buy (within reason), just make sure you start it every month and run it for a few minutes. Otherwise, you will be in the worst weather conditions and pissed off you can't start your generator.


Thanks for the reminder...I was going to do that 3 weeks ago and flat out fogot.

I only run mine every few months and have no problems at all. Knock on wood...


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## Bux-n-Dux (Dec 18, 2009)

I really think a 5kW would do the trick for what i need. For the handful of times i lose power for a significant amount of time i just can't justify spending a ton of money on a generator. Nothing like spending $1,000 on a tool i would only use once a year.
Generators are one of those Tim Tool Man Taylor "more power!" traps imo.


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

I'd love to have an automatic natural gas powered backup, but I don't have three grand to drop right now. My 5.5kw unit works fine for now. When you look at spending about $600 for a generator and maybe another $400 for a transfer switch, it's really not a lot of money when you consider what you could lose if you lose a fridge and an additional freezer full of food. Depending on how full either or both are at the time of the blackout, a generator could pay for itself with ONE use!

John

My current generator works fine but I've broken both of my shoulders now and have a plate and ten screws holding one of them together. I can still start it but once in a while I have a problem pulling the cord. I'm considering upgrading to an electric start. They're really not that much more money. Maybe I'll sell the one I have and use the money to put toward a new electric start. I found this site which has a LOT of generators in just about any configuration you could want. Even "tri-fuel" models.

http://www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com/


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## POLARBEAR (May 13, 2002)

I have a couple of generators. One Honda eb5000. We lost power on monday night, tuesday morning I dug out the honda and fired it up. The honda sat on a shelf in the garage since last summer. Full of gas with stabil.

When last ran I shut the fuel off and let it run out of gas in lines and carb. I pulled the generator down and turned on the fuel line. 20 min later I pulled the choke and the Honda started on the first pull.  So happy.

I have run a well pump with this honda. The 3500 honda would not run the well. The 5000 would run the well, but not much more. we would notice lights dimming etc. 

Running a fridge, window ac, tv and dvd and a fan we burned about 5 gallons of gas in 14 hours or so. Not bad. We spent $100 on gas in our power outage but did not loose any freezer or fridge foods and kept comfortable. 

I bet on Honda.


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

If you have a well, go closer to 7KW than 5KW. Install a transfer switch too, so you don't kill any guys working on repairing downed power lines or burn up your generator trying to power the whole neighborhood.


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## Burksee (Jan 15, 2003)

ih772 said:


> If you have a well, go closer to 7KW than 5KW. Install a transfer switch too, so you don't kill any guys working on repairing downed power lines or burn up your generator trying to power the whole neighborhood.


I tried that once, forgot to shut the main off before starting the generator. The 30 amp breaker on the generator just wasnt strong enough to power up the grid in the neighborhood. :lol: :lol: :lol:

I was advised by a lineman one time unless someone doesnt have their service wired correctly that as long as you've got the main off there is no hazard to them.

Well pump motors due require a bit of a surge to get started. As long as the furnance blower or fridge doesnt start up the same time as well pump the 5000/6500 I have does the job 99% of time.


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

Burksee said:


> I tried that once, forgot to shut the main off before starting the generator. The 30 amp breaker on the generator just wasnt strong enough to power up the grid in the neighborhood. :lol: :lol: :lol:
> 
> I was advised by a lineman one time unless someone doesnt have their service wired correctly that as long as you've got the main off there is no hazard to them.
> 
> Well pump motors due require a bit of a surge to get started. As long as the furnance blower or fridge doesnt start up the same time as well pump the 5000/6500 I have does the job 99% of time.


A big problem arises when houses have an older panel in them. Some of the panels have several breakers slots that are directly connected to the service and are NOT disconnected when the main breaker is turned off. If a guy puts a 2 pole breaker on those slots, and tries to use it to back feed his house, he will feed back through the service and into the power lines. The breaker panel in my old house (built in the late 70's) was like that. They are usually the slots that are left unused and it is very tempting to use them without really looking at how the buss bars are connected in the breaker panel.

I found out sort of the same way you did, except I knew the main breaker was turned off. I ended up doing a little circuit tracing of the buss bars in the panel and discovered the slots that were always connected to the service and upstream of the main breaker in the panel.


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## Big Reds (Oct 14, 2007)

I have a Generac 5000 watt (6250 surge) with a 10hp Briggs. Had it about 11 years now. 
I haven't had a single problem with it so far. Fired it up yesterday after not running it for 1.5 years or so. Fired right up after 3 pulls.
The price tag back then was $625.00. I bought three for $1500.00 out the door. Sold the others for $625.00 each.


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## Bux-n-Dux (Dec 18, 2009)

Thanks for the input guys. It sure is tough to drop $600-$800 on a piece of equip that I'd use once a yr on average...but I think I need to finally pull the trigger. Buying online seems to be the way to go. Nearly all the places I've looked at have free shipping.

_OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors_


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

I hear people talk about having to start your generator every month. Mine used to get used on a fairly regular basis but for the past couple years the power has been much more reliable and I haven't had to use it much. Only occasionally will I pull it out and start it up. It always starts and runs fine. I generally run Stabil in the fuel tank and it works fine. I've had this generator for twelve years and I've never run it dry to store it. It's always been easy to start and run fine. 

I love having a transfer switch. It makes it very easy to operate at near normal conditions whenever the power goes out. 

John


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## PLUMMER47 (Dec 9, 2006)

The only way is clean power, to do it right your gonna have to have a generac,Kohler,Honda, Cat or Cummins. Just ran natural gas to one this morning. The other 10kw ( generic big box cheap brand) just smoked several expensive appliances. Electrician tested power supply and it was all over the meter because that 10kw struggled to power just the A/C unit, everything else was seeing a "brown out surge" so to speak. Live and learn I guess. They installed a 7Kw Generac, customer was able to see the difference on the meter himself. So that 7kw did way more and perfectly steady than the cheap 10Kw model. You could feel the heat in the plugs/wires at the appliances as well between the 2 generators


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

My twelve year old Coleman 5.5kw has been used MANY times over the years and it's always performed flawlessly and has never smoked any appliances.

John


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## jakeo (Sep 14, 2004)

Burksee said:


> I tried that once, forgot to shut the main off before starting the generator. The 30 amp breaker on the generator just wasnt strong enough to power up the grid in the neighborhood. :lol: :lol: :lol:
> 
> *I was advised by a lineman one time unless someone doesnt have their service wired correctly that as long as you've got the main off there is no hazard to them.*
> 
> All I am going to say is...._BACKFEED ON A SHARED NEUTRAL_ will change his opinion. These threads scare me. PLEASE make sure the neutral is also disconnected.


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## harpo1 (Dec 6, 2007)

One thing to keep in mind. Most power outages only last a short time. Granted we have had a few that lasted longer. Buying a generator that will run your entire house is probably overkill for most users. Think of the items you truly need in the event of a power outage (fridge, sump pump, well, etc...) and buy a generator based on those needs.

Just a thought, but have any of you ever tried running two generators in tandem? My parents were in the market for a new generator this summer. The problem was that they wanted something small and portable to use on their 5th wheel camper, but also large enough to get through a power outage. After some research, we found out that they could purchase two 2,000 watt Honda generator's for nearly the same price as one 4,000 watt unit. Now for camping they just use one of them (which will run about 12-14 hours on a tank of gas) and if need be can hook the two of them together to power most of their house if needed. The total cost of the two smaller generator's was only about $100 more than one large generator.


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## tdejong302 (Nov 28, 2004)

I bought a $300 generator from Menards last fall. Ran it for 3 hours and when doing a recent remodel I went to use it again. Its been in the shop all week. Complete junk. My little 1000k honda works like a charm though. It starts on the 1st pull almost every time. My advice. buy Honda. Even if you have to go alittle smaller and maybe pay more doing it. Best performing thing I have. NO maint. auto shut off when oil is low and uses about a gallon over 5 hours.


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## hypox (Jan 23, 2000)

Can you buy a portable generator that runs on natural gas and have some sort of "quick connect" system for the gas? When your out of power for days the gasoline thing gets old.

_OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors_


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

I think you have to change the size of the jets in that carb to switch from gasoline to propane or natural gas.


EDIT:
Check this out...

http://www.propanecarbs.com/methods.html#method2


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

hypox said:


> Can you buy a portable generator that runs on natural gas and have some sort of "quick connect" system for the gas? When your out of power for days the gasoline thing gets old.
> 
> _OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors_


If you look at that link I provided, they sell "tri-fuel" generators that will run on gasoline, propane, or natural gas. They're pricey but would be nice to have one.

I did some research a couple years ago and found that there is a place that sells a conversion kit for my generator to make it run on natural gas or propane. I thought about doing it but someone said that natural or propane isn't as efficient as gasoline so your generator output drops off also.

John


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## PLUMMER47 (Dec 9, 2006)

Yup, I did a couple Honda's recently that run on Natural. Its a simple conversion kit.


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

PLUMMER47 said:


> Yup, I did a couple Honda's recently that run on Natural. Its a simple conversion kit.


What did your conversions cost?

After reading this thread and the question came up about conversion to natural or propane, I decided to look into that site again. I found that a conversion kit for my generator is about $267. That's a lot of coin so I figured I'd just stay with gasoline. But a little bit ago something dawned on me. If you're running natural gas, you shouldn't have to worry about fuel stabilizers and gummed up carburetors. I'm considering moving my outlet box from where it's currently located near my meter box on the south end of my home to the west side of the house. I have a walk out basement so I could put my generator right on the edge of the concrete patio below my deck. Then I could build an enclosure and leave the generator there all the time. If it were run on natural gas, there would be no running to the gas station when it runs out. It also means no more dragging it out of the garage and over to the south end of the house to plug it in. That's a real drag when the power goes out in January. Even in the Spring or summer it's a pain when it's pouring rain and the power goes out.

I think I may do a little more research and find out about converting mine. It will cost a few bucks, but in the long run should be worth it.

John

EDIT:
Here's a link to that site that carries the conversion kits. They state that there is no loss of power when converting to natural gas and they've had no complaints about it since they've been selling these. They also mention the advantage of not having to deal with stale gas gumming up your carburetor and that the engines are supposed to be easier starting in cold weather.

http://www.propane-generators.com/


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## hypox (Jan 23, 2000)

This one doesn't look too bad. Seems like a good price too.

http://www.generatorsales.com/order/03369_alt.asp?page=H03369

I'm still wondering if there is an easy way to connect and disconnect the natural gas though. Can you have a flexible connection like propane?


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

I see no reason that you couldn't use a flexible line like you'd use with a dryer or water heater. If and when I convert mine, I'm going to probably just use copper flare fittings and be done with it. If I do end up doing it, the unit will be in place and stay there all the time so I won't really have a need to disconnect it.

John


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## PLUMMER47 (Dec 9, 2006)

Code actually requires a flexible connection for earth movement. However it has to be the high dollar stuff like stainless steel or the rubber coated stainless. The stove dryer ones are just aluminum and can be cut easily by a weed whip. It also has to be grounded or shielded with the yellow jacket or the rubber coating for lightning strikes. Most important is to run the correct gas line size, to often someone runs 1/2" and it starves the engine. It should say in the manufacturer's requirements. If the run is over 30' you have to increase 1 pipe size.


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## beta pi (Oct 25, 2006)

I have a Honda EX3300 electric start. Quite, dependable, easy to start.


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