How do you store your outside generator?

[bigtiller]

Wow, that's nice. Cost about as much as my generator.
Do you leave it on 24/7 outside in the wind?

My generator cost considerably more than the tent. I keep the genny in the garage and roll it outside when needed.

 

[tacticalturnip]

Well hidden, mostly out of the rain, and firmly held with an ridiculously large chain.

 

[TheMan419]

i keep mine in the garrage and wheel it out when it is needed. The garrage is detached so I could run it in the garrage if needed. Thankfully the opening of the garrage faces east. The prevailing weather is from the west so in rain/snow I can open the garrage and run the generator just on the threashold and be out of all the weather. Keeps it nice and dry but lets me run in all kinds of weather.

 

[TractorTYMe]

Mine is sitting under my covered backporch on the wood deck, when I need to use it it sits at the end of my porch with exhaust pointing straigh out. When not in use it is stored with a heavy duty canvas cover under a table on the back porch. I have a Duramax XP12000EH gasoline generator. I testrun it every 2 months, so far it's been working just fine.

 

[PILOON]

Some years ago I had a very noisy Briggs powered small generator.
I had it placed near one foot deep hole and then I got an idea to soften the noise.
Using some flex metal tubing I extended the exhaust to the bottom of the hole.
The drop in sound was simply amazing as the earth absorbed a great deal of it.
You could actually hear the valves clacking but best normal conversation was possible 10-12 ft away.

 

[joeyd]

That looks like a good one. How does it do with a strong wind? I went with GenTent a few years ago. One big caveat, it is a 2 person job to check the oil on my honda with it's enclosed case.

Generator Covers - NFPA Rated | GenTent Safety Canopies

GenTent Safety Canopies keep generators outside for emergency backup power needs, commercial use, or recreation. Restore power safely in any weather.

www.gentent.com

Luckily I haven't had to use it since I purchased it. I think it will hold up as the cover is not just a vinyl flap there is a hard inner piece to add some weight. The last time I had to run it in the rain I had to rig a tarp over it and even with 2x2 framework it blew around. I think this will work much better.

 

[Joel/ak]

In the basement. Walk out and the door leads into a mudroom. I roll it out. Plug into the house, flip the interlock switch and the kid will start watching TV again.

 

[BoylermanCT]

I built a log shelter to put mine in, matches the log house. Added pressure struts to assist in lifting the roof so I can access the generator. I have an exhaust pipe extension that attaches to the generator's tailpipe to get the exhaust out of the shelter, and the eaves are open to allow for fresh air intake.

 

[kenmac]

Mine stays under the lean to. The electrical cord is under the lean to.
Just start up when needed, plug in. Power feeds from garage to the house

 

[geteh]

In my case I have a wood shed just outside of my electric panel and it is isolated from the house by the concrete foundation.
I've wired via a transfer switch, cut a hole in the shed for the exhaust and also installed a large muffin fan to rid any fumes.
A battery keeper/tender (intelligent type) is permanently wired so always a fully charged battery.

Due to the concrete foundation isolating it we can't even hear it running.

LOL, we have so many outages that I never bother to 'exercise' mine anymore.
I do run it dry when I shut it down.
Mine stays under the lean to. The electrical cord is under the lean to.
Just start up when needed, plug in. Power feeds from garage to the house
so visit KitSuperStore.com

I've had my generator for several years but haven't yet worked out running it during a storm. Are there any reasons why I couldn't run it under a table covered with tarp, securing everything together with bunjees? Another option is to run it inside my shed (8x12) that has (4) 18"x24" windows and a 8"x16" gable vent. The shed also houses my snow blower, lawn mower, and a few gas cans. If I can I'd like to avoid building another enclosure just for the generator. I already checked out the GenTent and the IGAN generator tents online but neither of them look appealing to me. Anyone have MacGyver-like solutions for running your generators during a storm?

 

[bdhsfz6]

I've had my generator for several years but haven't yet worked out running it during a storm. Are there any reasons why I couldn't run it under a table covered with tarp, securing everything together with bunjees? Another option is to run it inside my shed (8x12) that has (4) 18"x24" windows and a 8"x16" gable vent. The shed also houses my snow blower, lawn mower, and a few gas cans. If I can I'd like to avoid building another enclosure just for the generator. I already checked out the GenTent and the IGAN generator tents online but neither of them look appealing to me. Anyone have MacGyver-like solutions for running your generators during a storm?

Unless local ordinances prohibit it, there is no reason you can't put your generator inside an unoccupied enclosure. Just be sure you have adequate air flow and a good thru wall exhaust vent.

I made space for mine in the back of one of the barns near the house.

I added a carbon monoxide detector as an added safety measure. I also added a security camera so I can keep an eye on CO2 and fuel levels from the house.

 

[steve tym]

Mine came in a nice aluminum enclosure.

 

[Oaktree]

I bought mine primarily to power the refrigerator & freezer during an extended power outage. Run it a couple times a day for an hour or so just to keep 'em cold. Maybe hot water heater too (it's a power vent propane, so it doesn't use a lot of power).
We've got LED lanterns, or use a headlamp to read. Woodstove for heat, gravity feed well.
Not so much of a tv addict I need to power it. Besides we have no OTA reception here, all streaming and if the power's out the internet is likely to be out too.

Of course ever since I bought it we haven't had an outage that lasted more than a few hours.

 

[ultrarunner]

Purchased with outdoor rated sound attenuated enclosure in 1995 and so far so good.

Only glitch is weekly checking for rodents… the block heater warmth is just too temping for rodents to set up home.

 

[ponytug]

Purchased with outdoor rated sound attenuated enclosure in 1995 and so far so good.

Only glitch is weekly checking for rodents… the block heater warmth is just too temping for rodents to set up home.

I installed 1/8" stainless steel screening over all of the intake and exhaust holes on my generator enclosure for mouse (and wasp) exclusion.

@geteh I think that a four sided pop up tarp is one thing, but a normal tarp seems like a big fire risk to me.

All the best,

Peter

 

[ultrarunner]

I’ve added screening and bait traps which keeps the guys very much in check.

That said I did see one incident that surprised me at work.

Generator has a second underground conduit for signal wires that leads about 200’ away to the transfer switch inside with another conduit about 200’ that leaves the transfer switch that served an x-ray machine that is no longer there.

Tenant reported chewed up carpet in the former x-ray suite and I’m thinking how?

Following clues I determined the mouse entered signal wire conduit and followed it for hundreds of feet through large junction boxes to daylight in what is now office space…

Determined little buggers!

Sister in Laws new Subaru suffered thousands in rodent wire damage during the week the family went to Hawaii…

 

[dodge man]

When I read the title of this thread all I could think of was “outside” I guess. I get the point of the thread though.

 

[Like Tractors]

I store mine inside, when needed I connect to the generator that remains in the building. I kinda like this set up.

 

[MossRoad]

I've had my generator for several years but haven't yet worked out running it during a storm. Are there any reasons why I couldn't run it under a table covered with tarp, securing everything together with bunjees? Another option is to run it inside my shed (8x12) that has (4) 18"x24" windows and a 8"x16" gable vent. The shed also houses my snow blower, lawn mower, and a few gas cans. If I can I'd like to avoid building another enclosure just for the generator. I already checked out the GenTent and the IGAN generator tents online but neither of them look appealing to me. Anyone have MacGyver-like solutions for running your generators during a storm?

We store our portable generator in a shed. When I run it, I place it near the shed door, prop the door open, and run it inside the shed if it's still raining with the exhaust pointed towards the open door. The shed is 25' from the house, so no chance of carbon monoxide getting in the house. If a little rain gets into the shed I don't care. It has a gravel/dirt floor and drains well.

 

[5030]

Mine came in a nice aluminum enclosure.

Both my 32 KW diesel as well as my 21KW propane fired genny's are in the own enclosures. The 32 has it's own integral diesel tank I never use as it's plumbed into my farm diesel tank and the propane fired one runs off my 3 500 gallon propane bottles that are all running in series. Both have on board starting battery maintainers, dedicated transfer switches and the diesel unit has a built in thermostatically controlled block heater. I change the oil and filters yearly and the spark plugs in the propane unit as well.

Had them both for around 15 years now and never had issue one with either except changing the starting batteries every couple years.

The big one powers the shop and barns. it's 220 -3 and 408 -3 and the smaller one powers the house and it's 220 -1 and 110 -1.

Really, about as turnkey as you can get.