Generator Help requested..

[Pilot]

A little off topic, but here are a couple suggestions for running generators:

NEVER us gas with ethanol unless you can't get the good stuff. Check marinas for ethanol free gas. Some even use aviation gas; that stuff has a lot of lead. If you must use gas with ethanol, drain the tank after use and use it up in your car, periodically buying fresh gas in jugs for your generator and other gas engines. If gasohol sits for awhile 2 things happen, it separates out from the gas and the alcohol absorbs water. Neither are good.

Also, install an inline shutoff valve in your fuel line. When it's time to shut down the generator, shut off the fuel so no fuel sits in the carb to form varnishes and other deposits.

I have heard you don't want to run you computer from the generator; I don't know it that's a problem, but food for thought.

 

[thatguy]

Good suggestions on the gas- Also keep in mind that some places dont have ethanol in the 93 octane gas, but remember if there is only one hose it may hold 4 or so gallons of fuel before you get to the 93 octane..

the reason you dont want to run electronics from MOST generators is that the dont provide 'clean' power (is spikes etc)..

The Honda EU generators are inverter models which are safe for electronics since they provide clean power - BUT are quite expensive when comparing watts to watts.

brian

A little off topic, but here are a couple suggestions for running generators:

NEVER us gas with ethanol unless you can't get the good stuff. Check marinas for ethanol free gas. Some even use aviation gas; that stuff has a lot of lead. If you must use gas with ethanol, drain the tank after use and use it up in your car, periodically buying fresh gas in jugs for your generator and other gas engines. If gasohol sits for awhile 2 things happen, it separates out from the gas and the alcohol absorbs water. Neither are good.

Also, install an inline shutoff valve in your fuel line. When it's time to shut down the generator, shut off the fuel so no fuel sits in the carb to form varnishes and other deposits.

I have heard you don't want to run you computer from the generator; I don't know it that's a problem, but food for thought.

 

[General Lee]

I have a 7000watt/8750 Briggs & Stratton that pretty much runs the whole house also. The coffee pot reference is funny. Last time I was hooked into the transfer switch, I figured why tempt fate, so now keep a jar of Maxwell House instant coffee onhand. Water can be heated up in the microwave - not ideal but . . . can't do w/o it and hey, coffee, any coffee is better than nothing!

I have a Troy Built, Briggs and Stratton motor 5500 watt, 8250 starting watts Generator. I run pretty much my whole house within reason with it. To run the well pump I shut off breakers to everything else until the bladder fills. The generator even ran my hot water tank which has dual 4500 watt heating elements. I shut off all breakers to run that as well.

Speaking of coffee makers, My microwave isn't acting right after using it during Hurricane Irene. Must of had low voltage or something which damaged it. When I used the microwave, I only had on 2 refrigerators, TV, couple lights and satellite box on. Should of had plenty of Gen power for the microwave.

 

[BandRRanch]

Definitely a good idea to to get your dad's 2000 and a parallel connection. Honda's and Yamaha's are nice that you can connect like that and now have a 4000 watt generator. All appliances have an initial start up power requirement a lot higher than the wattage it takes to run. That should be on your appliance specs. Some of these gens, like the Yamahas, have a boost mode where they can go above their wattage rating for that short period of starting an appliance. They draw off the battery that is used for the electric starters. I have a Yamaha 3000iSEB with boost of 500watts (to 3500watts) for up to 10 seconds to start something up. These guys also have inverter technology which gives you much cleaner electric output so you can run your computers and such without getting surges and potential crashing of your hardware. Plus they are real quiet (53-60 dBA), and sip gas. Nice features. The one I have has a remote starter so you can keep it pretty far outside and just start it up from the house or wherever. I take it on my tent hunting trips. I'm sure that 2000 just didn't have the power to do an inital start up of your freezer. Get that parallel connection and you'll be good to go. Always plug in, and start up one appliance at a time. If you need to run a microwave or such which draws a lot of watts, turn the other appliances off or unplug until you get done. That way you won't have an initial huge surge which your gen won't be able to handle..Here is one site with some of the Yamahas. They now have a 6300 watt inverter. That's sweet...http://www.wisesales.com/generators-1/yamaha-generators.html?gclid=CK6AiPSAgKsCFeUZQgodOkofzw

 

[Larry Caldwell]

you can hear the freezer humming quite loudly all the time.. and you really dont hear the compressor cut in/out running on household current..

This morning I could hear the freezer humming when running off the generator - I can only assume that having 2 cords plugged into the generator (the other cord was running a table lamp with a CFL bulb ~20watts) last night somehow kept it from running the freezer..

Brian

More likely you were trying to start the freezer with back pressure on the pump. I don't know how you would unload the freezer pump, but try letting it sit for an hour, or turn the thermostat up, start the freezer, then turn the thermostat back down. You say you can hear it humming 24/7, so to me that means the motor runs all the time and a solenoid loads and unloads the pump.

 

[OcalaPat]

I live in Florida and got sick and tired of the portable/semi stand alone generator hassles. Upgraded to a Stamford NewAge genset powered by a Kubota V2203 4 cyl diesel. Everything runs through an ANSCO automatic transfer switch which also exercises the unit as I wish. Runs entire house including A/C, elect stove, elect water heater, lights, COMPUTERS etc. with not even a burp. Best investment I ever made.

 

[JB4310]

Sounds sweet, how much KW?

Any pics?

JB

 

[OcalaPat]

The genset is a 20 Kva. I have it installed in an equipment shed about 200 feet from the back of the house. I have to walk out my back door to hear it running. I love it!

 

[Toyboy]

What do you feed it fuel wise?

 

[JB4310]

The genset is a 20 Kva. I have it installed in an equipment shed about 200 feet from the back of the house. I have to walk out my back door to hear it running. I love it!

Man you really didn't want to hear it! is that the only reason you put it so far from the house? What size wire did you need to carry 20,000 watts back to the house? Do you know what the fuel consumption is at half load?

I like that type generator the best, would like one in the 12-15 KW range.

JB.

 

[techman]

Mine is only 9.8 KW, but will power the whole house. Just can't run the hot water heater or stove without shutting down the heat pumps. I have the HWH on a contactor that drops out when on generator. I override it once a day when on gen power, making sure I switch off the heat pumps. Not a hassle. My last run, after hurricane Irene, used about 0.3 gal/hr average. My gen is also mounted in the tractor shed, which is only 50' from the house, and you still need to strain to here it. That is what is nice about a water cooled, 1800 RPM unit.

Paul

 

[SpringHollow]

My air cooled 12KW is less than 15' from the house and we have a hard time telling if the generator is running or the refrigerator. A good quality unit is quiet.

Ken

 

[grsthegreat]

My Onan is in the wood shed along side the house. It runs thru a car muffler, so is so quiet it sounds like a car at a fast idol. Cant hear it in the house at all.

 

[OcalaPat]

Man you really didn't want to hear it! is that the only reason you put it so far from the house? What size wire did you need to carry 20,000 watts back to the house? Do you know what the fuel consumption is at half load?

I like that type generator the best, would like one in the 12-15 KW range.

JB.

The main reason that I put it there is because that is where the equipment shed was located. My brother, an electrician, took care of the wiring, but it looks like the same size wire that my main feed, from utility pole, comes in on. I'll ask him tomorrow. The advertized spec for 50% load is 0.45 gal/hr and 0.79 gal/hr full load. I've never really tired to calculate fuel consumption because I feel that whatever it is, it is. I have a 150 gallon diesel tank that feeds the generator as well as supply fuel for equipment and Kubota tractor.

I live on 25 acres in north central Florida. Mostly horse training facilities and large farms in this area and while we aren稚 bothered too much by hurricanes, we do get quite a bit of wind. With overhead electric lines and lots of very large old grow trees; we loose power quite a bit. Just last week the power was out for more than 15 hours.