Portable Generators

[buickanddeere]

This is totally FALSE, you can combine two or even more, BUT they still will only be making 120volts...

SR

Depends if connected in series or parallel

 

[TomSeller]

Correct. You double the amperage not the voltage.

What if you set one on top of the other rather than side by side? Does that double the potential?

 

[dragoneggs]

What if you set one on top of the other rather than side by side? Does that double the potential?

mechanical potential potentially!

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Depends if connected in series or parallel

Then explain EXACTLY how to do it, on two small Honda generators???

All the kits made to connect two inverter gen sets from the factory are parallel kits...

SR

 

[grsthegreat]

Then explain EXACTLY how to do it, on two small Honda generators???

All the kits made to connect two inverter gen sets from the factory are parallel kits...

SR

A paralling kit doubles the amperage available.... It doesnt make a 120 gen operate at 240. If you had two 2,000 watt generators that each provided 16.6 amps of power @ 120 volts, by paralling them you can get 33.2 amps at 120 volts.

 

[newbury]

<snip>

We also had an EU3000is, which got stolen from work. All moot as OP needs 240 for well pump.

Why bring up the OP - For a while I thought this was only about smog pollution and burning wood

OH!! The Original Poster:

Looking to get a portable gas generator, around 8,000 - 10,000 watt generator output. This will be to operate the well water pump during construction and some power tools. It will later be used as a backup power in case the main electric power goes out.

Been looking at Generac and Honda.

Generac XP8000E (clean power design for sensitive electronic equipment) - $2,400
NorthStar Honda - $2,300

Any other ideas, comments or recommendations?

Well if you can run the "sensitive electronic equipment" off a battery based UPS this might be a potential solution:

Duromax (which I wrote about WAY back in this thread) has their 10KW on sale again.

Go to ebay for DuroMax 10000 Watt Hybrid Dual Fuel Portable Gas Propane Generator .
And then apparently there is a coupon code C20LABORDAY for another $50 off.

Several of us on TBN have bought this over the last year or so since this thread and I can't remember any complaints.

/edit
It's been on sale a couple of times over the last year, normally for $699. I've one and it saved my son and his family of going to a motel when his power went out for days and we used it for hours off and on to run construction equipment.

$650 versus $2,300.

 

[ultrarunner]

Looks like it is around $1,000 now.

Read through the comments and many satisfied users.

Complaints I read were more about support or the noise rating being measured at 21' away.

 

[downsizingnow48]

I wonder if today's appliances are "sensitive electronic equipment". The Generac write up makes a point of saying it is safe for appliances.

 

[ultrarunner]

Good question...

I buy UPS power supplies for work and most often the Uninterruptable Power Supplies Specified are Sine Wave Units which cost more than modified sine wave.

A manufacturers of sensitive medical equipment supply the UPS seeing it as critical.

All of the UPS units I install are connected to the facility Emergency Power Generator which typically provides power transfer in 6 seconds from power loss, generator start, load transfer... so these UPS units only bridge less than 10 seconds from loss of utility power to transfer plus they also provide voltage variation protection...

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I have never encountered a problem with my computers and ancillary gear using my 17.5 KW gen set and a 1 KW UPS. Never used it W/O the UPS. All the fancy electronics on the appliances do not seem to mind the generator.

Ron