Portable Generator for temp power outages.

[groundcover]

I'll second the welder ! Lincoln Ranger 8 with an Onan. Runs the whole house without a problem. Would love to upgrade to the diesel Kubota driven one - Vantage(R) 322 (Kubota(R))
But even I can't justify that ( and I justify some pretty stupid stuff !)

 

[Industrial Toys]

Easy! Just pretend you work for the Government.

 

[TheMan419]

We have natural gas heat. Also need to run the well. We have a 6900 running watt generator. It is plenty powerful to run everything we need. Well, fridge, some lights, hot plate/griddle.

In 5 years at this house we have had 2 power outages lasting more than a couple hours. Both during winter when running the heat is critical.

I have a no name gas generator that claims to be powered by a Honda engine.

 

[gsganzer]

I'll second the welder ! Lincoln Ranger 8 with an Onan. Runs the whole house without a problem. Would love to upgrade to the diesel Kubota driven one - Vantage(R) 322 (Kubota(R))
But even I can't justify that ( and I justify some pretty stupid stuff !)

I have a Lincoln Ranger 305G that I used during our outage. I plan to put in a load side manual transfer after this latest storm to make my life simpler. It has the Kohler Commander 23Hp Command engine and it certainly doesn't sip fuel. The one thing with the welder is it's either on idle or rated RPM with nothing in between. Are actual generators variable speed?

I did notice on a Miller Trailblazer they tout an autospeed capability to improve fuel efficiency. I'm guessing that means it's variable speed.

 

[Industrial Toys]

It can also potentially cause untold damage in your home. Unless it's an inverter style generator. They are meant for a grinder or other power tool. Nothing much more than that.

 

[gsganzer]

It can also potentially cause untold damage in your home. Unless it's an inverter style generator. They are meant for a grinder or other power tool. Nothing much more than that.

I did some google-fu this morning and I haven't read anything saying that a welder/generator shouldn't be used for temp house power. A Miller Bobcat/trailblazer or Lincoln Ranger are mid-line welders with some pretty advanced power control. They're not entry level farm/ranch welders so I would think they provide pretty stable power.

 

[ultrarunner]

May require a bonding change to avoid tripping...

The Honda website states their OSHA jobsite require modification to work to power residence.

 

[grsthegreat]

there are some generators that have onboard main GFCI breakers that will trip when attached to a whole house setup, unless you rewire generator. pretty easy to do, but need manual

 

[bigtiller]

there are some generators that have onboard main GFCI breakers that will trip when attached to a whole house setup, unless you rewire generator. pretty easy to do, but need manual

I had one of those Hondas and it was easy. Following the manual (!!) it took about 5~ minutes to remove the cover and remove a 3" long white wire. But then it was advised to ground the generator with a grounding strap if I wanted to use it any place else.

 

[gsganzer]

Depending what other needs you have, you might consider buying a welder/generator. The small Lincoln Bulldogs or Miller Bluestars/Fusion can give you 5000-6500 watts. That's more than enough for most people, plus you'd have a welder for other tasks!