Please post your generator choice and experiences

[techman]

As mentioned, storing gasoline is a consideration. Earlier I had a 7.5 KW gas generator, and after I got my Kubota, I ceased using gas around the house, except for some 2 cycle mix for the weed wacker and leaf blower. We had an outage in the winter, and the stale gas I had would not even start the generator. Took me hours to clear the driveway and find an open gas station in the snowstorm. So storage for me became a significant issue. That is when I switched to a diesel genset. If treated and you keep moisture out, as much as possible, diesel will last for years in a tank.

Just one more consideration. The cost to own is higher, but having the power, without fuel hassles, also has a price.

paul

 

[Dirtball]

1. I don't care for the cheaper gennys , but not everyone has the same budget. I am a hobby farmer and a hobby alternative energy guy, I get a kick out of having some comforts during outages and decreasing my stress level cause I own well maintained equiptment. I can leave my pets in the AC during a summer outage and go to work leaving the genny unattended.
2. I think a genny needs frequent oil changes with good oil and close monitoring. An air cooled genny that has a 1.2 quart oil sump and burns some oil running WOT in the heat under load shouldn't be allowed to run down 1/2 qt. would you let your tractor that holds 4 qts run on 2.4 qts? No.
3. There is so much written about how to size it, auto on or not, portable or not, fuel choice. I can say from experience that if you really NEED backup power, have plan B to the backup genny, cause everything can fail. A 12 yr old dry rotted $10 fuel line shut down my 20kw topshelf Kohler diesel genny once.
4. Honda EU2000i little suitcase unit is $1000. It will keep the fridge on ,lights, fan. You can trade it like silver bullion. Everyone knows what it is.
5. Yes 5. Those pretty Generac propane 20kw NG/LP for $3800 that sit outside on a pad...... sit outside on a pad. Do you leave your Kohler powered lawnmower and electric bench grinder outside year round in a cheap tincan? No you store them indoors. So the genny that lives outside will not fare as well as one that gets a nicer home in an outbuilding.

 

[Scotty Dive]

I recently went through this decision process and its was harder than I thought. Here is what I learned - and I am in the northeast, so we get "warnings" of hurricanes and blizzards so we tend to be better prepared or warned than other parts of the country.

A natural gas or propane fired generator uses more gallons of fuel per electricity created than gasoline and although you may have large storage tanks...they 1. May be near empty when the crap hits the fan, or 2. if a real bad disaster, the trucks to fill them might not be able to get to you or cannot fill themselves at their facilities Depending on your set up, you could be heating your house, stove, water and running your generator all on the same fuel source. If you get a propane fired generator - legally (I may be wrong or this may be different for different locations) the generator has to be mounted so not to shake the gas fitting that attaches to it. So having a portable genny becomes a "permanent" version.

Gasoline - when we lost power for over a week due to a hurricane - the gas stations could not pump either. Getting gas was a real issue. I prepared by buying lots of 5 gallon gas containers and when we are warned of a storm I fill them all up - they do not go to waste as I just add them to the cars when the storm is over. Also - most cars have anti siphoning devices installed so your car tanks become a significant challenge to get the fuel out - it can be done but its a challenge especially without power.....also my boat worked as a good source..just a thought.

I went through my whole house and added up all of the amperage and wattage and made my decision there. Also - I installed a throw swtich that allows me to manage what circuits are on or off. If you have a transfer swtich, you have to make the decision of what circuits you want to be able to run via the genny. Once wired that way you cannot change it without an electrician. For us - heat in the winter is the most critical not ac. But, my hot water heater takes 4500 watts just to run.

As for a PTO generator - I would think you may really need your tractor at this time...snow, trees etc.

Diesel - same as above with gasoline....you have to have a supply or its lights out again. And the bigger the generator, the bigger the fuel consumption.

I really liked the Generac stand by units that were powered by propane....but I went for gasoling due to being portable and the possible need to assist other neighbors by lending them my generator. I went with generac 7500 watts and I can manage my whole house with that..no ...not the ac....but I can heat, run hot water, coffee makers, freezers and fridges without issues.

I also installed a fuel drain on the generac and NEVER leave any fuel in the carb or tank. I charge the starting battery every month - I put a reminder in my outlook calendar.

 

[joshuabardwell]

For large whole-house generators, I haven't seen cases where the gasoline options were even that prevalent. It's generally propane/NG or diesel for the big water-cooled units.

When comparing gasoline and diesel fuel costs, make sure to figure that most people running a whole-house generator are buying off-road diesel (no road tax) and storing it bulk.

You're absolutely right. I was thinking more along the lines of portable generators. For whole-house generators, diesel or LPG/NG are the most prevalent options.

 

[3930dave]

If you have a local well respected equipment rental shop, check with them. My preference is an independent shop that is known for small motor service, as opposed to a big box rental counter.

A buddy of mine has had good luck getting deals on Honda generators from an area shop. Honda, and maybe some of the other big names, seem to require an established dealer to buy a minimum annual # of units for their rental fleet. So, you often can find a unit that is not that old, with low hours, and with the right shop - properly maintained.

Not saying that you can expect to find these for 10 cents on the dollar, but it may be worth the time to check in your area.

Rgds, D.

 

[RoyJackson]

For most people, I don't think diesel generators make sense. Here's why. It's true that diesel generators are more reliable and fuel-efficient than gas generators. Because they run at lower RPMs, they are usually also quieter. But they're typically around double the cost of a gas generator for the same wattage.

For most TBNers, a PTO genny would make most sense, most of the time.
The power outage in the SE and Mid-Atlantic areas (WV, specifically) have been extraordinary...same as the 4 day outage we experienced in south central PA during the snow storm last 31st Oct. So, for most of us...a PTO genny.
It really depends on what you'll need to power and how prepared (or over prepared) someone wants to be...

 

[Locoweed]

My thoughts are that in case of a emergency, I want something I can rely upon. That excludes anything made in China for me.

 

[patrick_g]

I have three generators: 1. 17KW LPG autostart Generac for house. 2. Small LPG Generac in slide-in pickup camper, runs A/C or microwave but not both. 3. 17.5 kw gasoline Generac on welding trailer which runs MIG, stick, plasma, grinders, chopsaw etc. They all work perfectly with no maint beyond oil and filter change. I have had 2 small Honda gas generators, hand portable 1000 watt and they both worked perfectly and started easily with pull rope.

 

[hr3]

I too have 3 generators..First in line is the Generac 8 kw run through an automatic transfer switch.. This is for the wife when I'm not home.. Second is a Honda 6.5 kw liquid cooled.. It's setup in the garage and is exhausted to the outside.. This too is automatic all you do is start it up and hit a button and it will automaticly transfer from the Generac to the Honda.. Last is a PTO setup.. 8kw again hooked up the the wifes g1800..

I like to cover all the fuel bases,,

 

[daybreak1998]

Howdy,
My first consideration would be the connection. The size of amperage needed, and then the generator itself. Having bulk off-road diesel helps with this part. Multiple tractors also helps with the type of generator. I have and use a bunch of different generators. But, when the power is going to be off a long time, a tractor is hooked to a pto generator to supply power.
JD 6430 using 540E with 30kw pto generator with the engine turning at a miserly 1580rpm using 1.1 gallons an hour. The load ranges between 5kw to about 22kw. Connection is through full power connection at the central farm distribution at the meter. Works great. :cool2:

 

[nikdfish]

We are still running a 10 horse, 5500 watt Porter Cable we bought a dozen or so years back. It is one of the brushless models that, supposedly, can handle up to a 9000 watt surge. It gets exercised every few months for 30 minutes or so with a 1500 watt load on each leg. It typically starts on the first pull. Gas is stored in a locker away from the house in 5 gallon cans, treated with Stabile for a 18 month shelf life & rotated during the year on various equipment items.

This past week it was supporting 1 freezer, 2 refrigerators, fans and various household electronics. During equipment motor starts, power didn't dip below 118v (according UPS readout). It has a 7 gallon tank and I went 12 hours before refilling, but could have gone a bit longer.

The wife & I have discussed getting an updated backup power system, but have been somewhat daunted by a comment from an electrician that local code requires fixed, whole house, generators to be capable of handling the full circuit panel load with no provision for load shedding ($$$ for genny), or a second panel be installed, moving over loads whose total did not exceed the generator capacity ($$$ for labor). In addition to being expensive to acquire, I'm guesstimating that fuel consumption would easily be in the $5-$7 per hour range burning propane for a generator that could handle the full panel. Diesel would be cheaper to run, but could easily double the installation cost.

Nick

 

[General Lee]

i have a 15000 watt generac that I got from Norwall.com Ihave only hooked it up to the house to make sure it works and start it (without fail) every month or two. i have used it for welding at the back of the property. I just had to take the welder. I permanantly mounted it on a cheapo harbor freight trailer. I found this option cheaper and more versatile than a permanent stand alone generator. I put in a whole house transfer switch. I have had it for 5 years and now since purchasing have not had the power off long enough to warrant using it.

Good luck but I found norwall wonderful to deal with

One of Generac's 15,000W units is something I am considering. I'm torn between a whole house standby unit or a large portable. I won't be toting around the large portable, I have a smaller one for that. I like the convenience of a whole house unit but don't like the cost.

 

[sodamo]

My thoughts are that in case of a emergency, I want something I can rely upon. That excludes anything made in China for me.

Just to add a perspective to your perspective... I'm totally off grid, have to have a Genset for those non sunny times. I have a 24kw New Holland Shanghai. In last 5 years, I put almost 1050 hrs on it. Until April, I had a HONDA EU3000i as backup for my cottage and emergency backup for my primary. It is 6 years old. In Apr, it refused to start, after using it just three days prior. Checked everything I could, replaced the plug, ended up taking to dealer. Best guess is the inverter, a $700-800 repair. I don't think so for a 6 year old generator. Thankfully, my Chinese Genset is just humming along. I have a Honda EU2000 for emergency emergency, but wouldn't expect to run the whole house.
I remember growing up, thinking Japanese made = junk. I have 2 Toyotas in the yard, the latest from trading a GMC. I'd be more worried over something made in India, but I'll save for another time.

David Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[meburdick]

I am asking if every can post their PORTABLE generator of choice if they were to purchase one today AND anyone that has a good proven one over the years.

I am researching to buy one very soon and I am over whelmed on which way to go. I have a 100 gallon LP tank for kitchen stove only. I like the idea of a standby unit but don't want to add another LP tank and I really don't want to spend 5-6 grand.

I don't need to run the whole house at once but the biggest thing I would want to run is my 3 ton AC unit. I'm looking at a generator in the 10-12,000 watt range. Also don't want a PTO genny because I may need my tractor in certain disasters.

You asked about PORTABLE units but mentioned looking for 10-12k watts. I believe that *most* of the ones considered portable will not go above 10k. The ones that do, will tend to be pretty pricey.

Also - look very carefully at the fuel consumption rates for propane, gas, and diesel for generators of a similar size. When I was looking at different possible choices, I seem to recall that propane used 2-3 times the amount of fuel as gas, and close to three times the amount of diesel. It could be extremely convenient to have an auto-start generator connected to propane, but you expenses do not end with the purchase - they are very expensive to run.

If money was no object, I would absolutely buy a Honda i series. Hands-down, Honda makes the smoothest, quietest, most reliable generator motors in the business. The i series (inverter) are much more efficient, and even quieter, than conventional generators. However, you pay a LOT for that. A Honda generator can easily run you 3-5x the cost of a comparable non-Honda generator. The Honda i series maxes out at 6500 watts, so that's out for you. A conventional Honda portable generator can be had up to 10,000 watts, which retails for around $5k, which is how much you said you don't want to spend.

The i Series are nice, but I found them to have only marginally better specs than many of the competitors. When you factor in the price, the only way I would go Honda (i Series or otherwise) would be if I could get a screaming deal on a new one or a very good deal on a used one.

The major advantage to most of Honda's generators is that they are extremely quiet.

I ended up buying a portable from Sam's that will peak at 8250. I bought this one to replace a 5k Coleman that was pretty poorly maintained and "left it all out on the field" after running for three straight days last fall. That generator was able to power all of my lights, my well pump, my oil-fired hot water heater, my refrigerator, garage door opener, the blower fan on my wood stove, and a few other "small things" without issue.

After it basically died out on me and needed a partial rebuild of the motor, I sold it to someone that wanted a project and put the money toward the new one. The unit I got has electric start on a Yamaha engine and runs very nicely. I'm considering making it the main power source for a 220V welding unit in my new shed when I build that. Then, in the event of a power loss, I'll wheel it over to its little "dog house" and fire it up to run the house.

 

[General Lee]

You asked about PORTABLE units but mentioned looking for 10-12k watts. I believe that *most* of the ones considered portable will not go above 10k. The ones that do, will tend to be pretty pricey.

There are huge "portable" ones out there. Generac makes several from 10K to 17.5K They have wheels and can be rolled around but are HEAVY.

 

[LBrown59]

1*As mentioned, storing gasoline is a consideration. Earlier I had a 7.5 KW gas generator, and after I got my Kubota,2* I ceased using gas around the house, except for some 2 cycle mix for the weed wacker and leaf blower. We had an outage in the winter, and the stale gas I had would not even start the generator. Just one more consideration.

For most TBNers, a PTO genny would make most sense, most of the time. 3*The power outage in the SE and Mid-Atlantic areas (WV, specifically) have been extraordinary...same as the 4 day outage we experienced in south central PA during the snow storm last 31st Oct. So, for most of us...a PTO genny.It really depends on what you'll need to power and how prepared (or over prepared) someone wants to be...

1*It's a bigger problem and more dangerous to store than diesel.2*Same here after i went to all diesel tractors.3* We just got our power back on tuesday but we left home and stayed some where else that had power and did not return return home until thursday.3*

 

[meburdick]

Stabil or no, I would never keep ethanol gas stored in a machine's carburetor. Tank, yes. Carb no. I always cut the fuel supply and let it run dry before storing them. I have lost two carburetors to ethanol gas, and it's not going to happen again.

I use this on ALL of my gas-powered equipment... Mowers, snowblowers, weed whackers, snowmobiles, etc... It keeps the carb from getting gummed up as the fuel breaks down in there. Floats will stick, and you're done.

For most TBNers, a PTO genny would make most sense, most of the time.
The power outage in the SE and Mid-Atlantic areas (WV, specifically) have been extraordinary...same as the 4 day outage we experienced in south central PA during the snow storm last 31st Oct. So, for most of us...a PTO genny.
It really depends on what you'll need to power and how prepared (or over prepared) someone wants to be...

PTO ones *seem* desirable on the surface. However, in order to produce clean power, it has to run at a specific speed. While you may have a tach on your tractor, are you absolutely certain that it's correct? And, does your engine run at exactly the same speed at all times, keeping the PTO turning at an exactly constant speed?

Any fluctuations and you're not delivering clean power. And that can lead to premature failure of your electrical items... Especially electronics and anything with a motor.

Add to that the fact that running the generator ties your tractor up and makes it unavailable for any other use. Some folks work around this, but for some it makes things tough. If you're like me, and you garage your tractor, running the generator means leaving it out in the elements while you're creating power.

There are huge "portable" ones out there. Generac makes several from 10K to 17.5K They have wheels and can be rolled around but are HEAVY.

As I said, most portables will cap out around 10k. The majority of them seem to be in the 5-7k range.

 

[General Lee]

We are still running a 10 horse, 5500 watt Porter Cable we bought a dozen or so years back. It is one of the brushless models that, supposedly, can handle up to a 9000 watt surge.

If it weren't for wanting to stay cool, my current 5500w would be fine as well. It has a 8250W surge capacity. Call me a wuss, but I gotta be cool in my own house during summer outages.

I think these storms are gonna be a regular thing. The environment has changed and the storms are getting more and more powerful. With this comes more and longer power outages.

 

[joshuabardwell]

Best guess is the inverter, a $700-800 repair. I don't think so for a 6 year old generator.

Holy cow! I really would expect more from a Honda.

 

[joshuabardwell]

PTO ones *seem* desirable on the surface. However, in order to produce clean power, it has to run at a specific speed. While you may have a tach on your tractor, are you absolutely certain that it's correct? And, does your engine run at exactly the same speed at all times, keeping the PTO turning at an exactly constant speed?

If you're not sure about the quality of power coming from your genny, I suggest a Kill-A-Watt device. I always put one on my genny before plugging stuff in, just to confirm that all is on the up and up. It could detect any changes in output frequency, although you would have to actually buy a PTO generator before you could test whether its RPMs were consistent.

It seems like the Kill-a-Watt would be useful anyway, because it seems like the output of the PTO-based generator would vary depending on your PTO RPM, and you would want to tune the throttle to produce the exact right output. Without something that measured the frequency of the AC signal, that'd be impossible.

But here's the thing I wonder about PTO-based generators. I looked at some of them, just out of curiosity, and they seem comparable in price to self-contained gas generators--about $100 per kW or so. I'm kind of confused why I would pay the same price for a generator without a motor as I would for one with a motor. Okay, but fine, maybe the components are more sturdy or whatever. But question 2 is, I'm not sure it's worth the difference in price running my tractor vs. running a generator motor to me. What I mean is, every 100 hours, I have to change the oil on the generator. It's a quart or two at most. And clean the air filter. Okay. But my tractor's major services are something like $280 for fluids and filters. Holy cow! That's a mighty expensive generator motor there. I'd rather be working the tractor if I'm going to be putting hours on it.