Larry Caldwell
Elite Member
We purchased a 6500 watt portable gas generator (B&S engine) for construction of the house. Over the last ten years, we have had two multi-day outages - 1 for three days due to a wind storm and one for 18 days due to an ice storm. I learned that during the ice storm, the little generator was plenty for our normal needs, with the following caveats:
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3. We have an electric water heater, and the little generator couldn't run that.
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You must have a really healthy water heater. Mine went out a few years ago, so I replaced the 4400 watt unit with a 3600 watt unit. My 4400/5000 watt generator would run either one. It would also run the well pump, but not both at once. I would turn on the water heater to heat a tank of water, then turn off the water heater and turn on the pump to get hot water.
Generally it was easier to heat water on the wood stove.