Back up generator, home use.

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bshillam

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So ultimately a Honda EM5000 would be nice from reliability and efficiency I am trying to be budget friendly. I came up with a Yamaha powered, idle down featured 6000 watt for under a k.
[url=http://www.homedepot.com/weba...w.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/sto ... =203183985

Thoughts about what you have or would choose? Needs,
Portable we'll be moving so true back up for the house isn't an option
Need no less than 5000 watts, I've reviewed some of our start up vs continuous running needs
Idle down/eco throttle - our last power outage lasted ten days so efficiency is a must. I have noticed some of the cheeper Gen sets really aren't cheeper. Spend it now or later.
I would like to have one that could be serviced if the need comes.

Thoughts? :idea feedback :smileo
 
I guess I would wonder where you would put it it to prevent it from finding a new home while you where using it. I have a EU 2000 and a EU 3000 Honda's as I use the 2000 on the boat and for doing odd jobs on our property by putting in a dump cart and pulling around the yard for powering an electric hedge trimmers, and electric drills for planting bulbs etc.. When power goes out I use them both to keep refridgerators and a freezer going and the sump pump, internet. I park the cars so the generators our in the middle and chained together to prevent theft so they can not be picked up and carried away. Yamaha has a good name I would trust them. I run mine dry and and drain the gas from the float bowls as they will get the ethanol disease if you don't.
D.D.
D.D.
 
I have a 5500 watt generator I use for home backup. I had a pro electrician come in and install the separate circuit box that cuts the power to the street. The gen is able to run basics: family room, refer & furnace. The rest of the lights are out, so we use flashlights or an old kerosene lamp I inherited from my grandmother. That thing is a winner. We have a gas stove and fireplace so we can cook and stay warm even if we cut the furnace off. I paid less that $700 for the generator and it has wheels so I can take it w/ me. The wiring supplies were about $300 bucks IIRC and the electrician was a friend of a friend; no charge.
 
I have a chain that I will be using to chain to the house/porch. It shouldn't walk away as the unit I am looking into is 200 lbs.
 
The question is what do you need to run? We have a 6500 "contractors" generator--and this is about what this is. The engine on this unit is Yahama--but the generator is "Rigid"--which I suspect may be Chinese--I would look into that. However the reviews are good, and these are not used a lot,. so they should last well with the amount of use. We used our contractor type for over 6 weeks after Hurricane Ivan. I had over 50 gallons of gas on hand, and one of our friends did a long run in a pick up and came back with the 50 gallon drums in the back of the truck full of gas (not a real safe idea!) but that 100 gallons got us thru until we could buy gas locally.

These type are loud--I note it says 0 dB--not sure what to make of that, but most are fairly noisy.

We ran 3 refrigerators and a freezer, plus fans, all of the lights etc. We could not run air conditioning. Fortunately we have a gas stove, but it would run the micro convection--a stretch to run more than one regular oven. The house was professionally wired with a transfer switch and plug for the 6800 generator when built.

After that experience we put in a Generac 18 KW natural gas whole house generator which will run the air conditioning as well as all of the other appliances. This generator is automatic, self runs every week on Tues. It comes on a dozen times a year when we have power outages. Takes about 60 seconds out outage before it fires up.
 
I agree with Local Boy about the seperate circuit box-- the last thing the utility workers need is to be hit with backfeed power while trying to restore service. This has been a growing problem with solar panels and generators being hooked up improperly.
 
Roger If you shut down the 200 amp(main breaker) power supply coming into your house . Then plugging into a circuit 20amp and then feeding thr rooms that one needs depending on size of generator .
that seems to be what some people are doing in florida ? We havea 2400watt yamaha that I thought could be used for the c-dory it's 70 lb a little to much . We now use it as a back up for hurricanes in fl.
One must pay attention when elec supply comes back on, to shut down generator and turn on main breaker 200amp to restore your electricity to your home I guess inverters, solar and generators could cause all sorts of problems for first responders or elec workers .
 
Yes- be sure to throw your main breaker first, then start the generator.
The proper sequence to follow when the electrical power is restored is to shut down the generator, then open (turn off) all of the sub-breakers first, then close (turn on) the main before turning on the sub-breakers one at a time.

If you have downed lines in your area--- STAY AWAY- your body is an excellent conductor of electricity.
 
We don't have a problem with unplugging the freezer,sump pump and refrigerator from their respective outlets and connecting them to a heavy enough extension cord. That way it can't be a problem when power comes back. I have just thrown the breaker off to the heater disconnected the power feed from the heaters junction box and made a pig tail with a male plug and connected the pigtail to the heater and then plugged the pig tails plug into an extension cord. It got us heat. We have underground power so we don't lose it all that often. Having a switchable main that can break the incoming power and switch to incoming generator power from a large generator fueled by natural or propane gas is the hot setup if you regularly deal with power outages for days at a time. But you can get by with smaller portable generators if you want to go Beverly Hillbilly style like us. :D
D.D.
 
I am no electrician, trust me. :lol: But the pro who installed our setup said it is required code to have a fail safe method to cut power to the street/utility. I would imagine it would be the same in every state. The issue is back feeding power from your gen set through the lines and thus injuring/killing a line worker.

What he installed was two main breakers that are physically attached together by small steel rods/brackets. So either you have power entering from the pole or you have gen set power. There is physically no way to have both on unless one was to cut the steel brackets.

I look at it this way; Do it correctly, the first time, and you'll sleep better.

If you have downed lines in your area--- STAY AWAY- your body is an excellent conductor of electricity.
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Deal w/ this at work. It's amazing how stupid people can be. If you have police officers and fire fighters and construction workers all yelling at you and frantically waving their arms, perhaps it's NOT a good idea to walk under/around/over that wire that is sparking/arcing! I see it once in a while. One lady even had her umbrella open as she dipped under the wire!!!!!! But hey..it was raining and that's how she always walks to her bus stop. :roll: :shock: I mean, crossing the street would've been inconvenient. :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
 
Definitely have a failsafe/transfer switch installed. Its not only code and could harm linemen but if your gen. is hooked up to the utility when the power comes back on you will own a new boat anchor! (even if your gen. is not running at the time)

The Generac NG or LPG Bob described are nice in that their exhaust is "greener" and you don't have to carry in fuel for them. If it is only for back up power you don't have to worry about the fuel going bad either. The Amish who installed and maintain my offgrid system told me a lot of them installed LPG units back in the 80's but most of them eventually returned to diesel as the fuel of choice for a prime power unit.

Another thing to consider is insurance regulations. My ins. company for example will not let you keep 100pd LPG tanks. They made me have a large tank installed that is piped in underground. I also have to keep my diesel tank, propane tank and wood pile a certain distance apart. Some companys dislike generators and battery banks. Some companys require you to purchase a separate rider to cover fuel leakage. After I had my system installed I had my ins. co. come and inspect it and take pictures. Anything not installed to code can give them an excuse to deny a claim or cancel your policy.

The idle down feature will save fuel but as I pointed out in another thread recently it can carbon up your engine.

Noise is also a big consideration. Liquid cooled are usually quieter than air cooled and one that runs at 1800 rpm is easier on the ears than one that runs at 3600rpm. You can get the Generac's with a sound enclosure. Honda also have some very quiet units. If it says "campground approved" the decibel levels will be low.

Regards, Rob
 
One precaution with this type of portable gen. if you run out of gas and you want power restored right away - the temptation is to go refill it. Pouring gas on top of a HOT engine is very dangerous! :shock:

With the idle down feature - if you are running a large load that comes on and off it is sometimes hard for the gen. to ramp up quick enough. That type of use is also hard on the engine. If and when you might be using a piece of high amp. equipment it is advisable to switch the idle down feature off. I have also seen problems with the idle down feature wearing an oblong shaped hole in the carb where the throttle shaft pivots. :(

A good choice if you have a tractor is a PTO gen. They are cheaper and less maintainance because they don't have their own engine and don't require a dedicated fuel supply. You can also get ones that run as low as 600rpm. The more windings a gen has the the less rpms are required to produce 60hertz. More windings mean more resistance tho - which is why they are mostly diesel (for the low end torque). Most gas generators are 3600rpm (to operate in their powerband). Most air cooled gens. also run at 3600rpm to maintain airflow.

If you travel a lot you can also get set up where your gen. comes on automatically if the power goes out. This keeps your freezers running etc.

My main gen. is a 3 cyl. Yanmar coupled to a Stamford(made in USA) 14 kw. powerhead. It is controlled by a Trace inverter. My back up gen. is a 2.5kw Briggs(also US built). My last resort gen. is a 1200watt 2 stroke piece of ca ca made in China(big surprise) :lol:

Sorry - didn't mean to right a book here! :oops:

Regards, Rob
 
Unfortunately though I have yet to find a generator that runs at 1800 rpms and is portable. I was trying to spend as close to 1k as we are renting and a true standby is about a year away when we purchase. Anyone know of an 1800 rpm Gen set that is portable? I'd love to find a diesel set, but am afraid of the Chinese brands that have no support.
 
The transfer switch for our 6800 watt generator, is on an interlock. It has a separate breaker, which cannot be turned on when the main 200 amp breaker is on for the house. (Somewhat similar to what Rob described).

I would not rely on just remembering to cut the main breaker off.

In our area after Ivan, as the power company came thru the area, they inspected the houses, and how the breakers were inter locked. If not properly done, they pulled the meter, and you would not get power until the building inspectors (back loged for months)--approved your setup!
 
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