Should I Get A Second Generator?

Larry Caldwell · Apr 12, 2018

thatguy said:
I only have 2 Honda EU2000 generators.. I want to look into getting a larger one to power the water heater and/or well pump...

But right now the Honda will run a freezer or fridge PLUS tv, internet, fan, lights, phone chargers, satellite tv etc without issues..

Mine got converted to propane a while back and a 20# tank will run about 20 hrs or so.. and for the most part they will run what we consider the necessities LOL although for the right price id get a larger one in a heart beat to take a shower

my thought is that the smaller ones are cost efficient since most of the power used by the larger units is going to waste..

brian

That's why you need two generators, one big enough to run the water heater and the well pump, the other sized to run the refrigerator and provide 4 hours of TV a night. :confused2: Fuel storage is always a problem in an extended power outage. The larger the generator, the more fuel it sucks, and in a regional outage you may not be able to get to a gas station that may not have power either. My little generator will run 26 hours on 5 gallons of gas at 50% load. At 4 hours a day, that's 5 days worth of power out of 5 gallons of gas. The big generator is good for (supposedly) 8 hours on 20 lb. of propane at 50% load, but a 4 kw water heater plus a well pump is more than a 50% load. I figure maybe 5 or 6 hours, which is two showers for my wife and me, three if we hurry.

Doofy · Apr 12, 2018

Larry Caldwell said:
That's why you need two generators, one big enough to run the water heater and the well pump, the other sized to run the refrigerator and provide 4 hours of TV a night. :confused2: Fuel storage is always a problem in an extended power outage. The larger the generator, the more fuel it sucks, and in a regional outage you may not be able to get to a gas station that may not have power either. My little generator will run 26 hours on 5 gallons of gas at 50% load. At 4 hours a day, that's 5 days worth of power out of 5 gallons of gas. The big generator is good for (supposedly) 8 hours on 20 lb. of propane at 50% load, but a 4 kw water heater plus a well pump is more than a 50% load. I figure maybe 5 or 6 hours, which is two showers for my wife and me, three if we hurry.

I'd be taking shorter showers.

Larry Caldwell · Apr 13, 2018

Doofy said:
I'd be taking shorter showers.

I suppose we could shower in groups. We did that a lot when we were young, not so much any more.

thatguy · Apr 13, 2018

Brucester said:
I had 2 of them but sold one.. I have the parallel kit that connects them together.. do you..? It's for sale if interested.

yes i have the parallel kit.. BUT honestly I dont know how to use it for how im using them..

TheMan419 · Apr 13, 2018

PILOON said:
15 amps is one household circuit which in turn is generally 10 outlets/lights, or 1800 watts.

Can also be converted to, say, 15ea 100 watt light bulbs but with most other devices (like motors) peak start amperage changes it all.
Then to consider that labels that state 15 amps generally refer to 'start up draw' with continuous probably down in the 8-10 amp range.

All that to say that yes you could boil water in a kettle, or possibly nuke a bowl of soup but you'd have to do that in the dark; LOL. For sure not both.

Modern TV's draw very little and LED lighting would be your friend, but forget anything that wants an electric motor due to the high startup current draws.

I use a 7 KW genset that covers all my needs (fridge, freezer, water and sewage pump plus lighting) and some lights + (bonus) TV and satellite.
For heat I have slow combustion stove so power outages are liveable for me.

My genset has has a battery keeper permanently connected.

That is basically the setup I have. Need water for the horses. Living in the Midwest we don稚 deal w hurricanes or earthquakes that could create an area wide problem with getting gas.