generator?

[Boxerglocker]

I use a Honeywell 2000W inverter generator got it for $500 at Costco 2 years. The Honeywell is a Honda clone, no quite the same options but almost as quiet and half the price. The generator does double duty in my tent trailer and gets quite a lot of use during the year on camping trips and when I go on match weekends away staying on range properties for classes. If not in use I run the generator at least once a month for 10 minutes and always run the carburetor dry at shutdown and top the tank off.
Reliance 4 circuit transfer switch $180. Took me 1 hour to install, very basic if you have any clue of how home electrical works, it’s easy. I don’t lose power much in my area but have pets and with this unit have my furnace fan powered and utilized a number of electrical outlets. My stove is gas so there is no issue for cooking and there is always plenty on propane for the BBQ.
http://www.electricg...114A/p1109.html

 

[dennishoddy]

Nice rig.
You bring up some good points about Generators.
Most have permanant magnet generators. The manufacturers recommend running them under load every 6 months to maintain polarity.
Running it out of fuel or using a fuel additive that preserves the gas is also a great practice.

 

[Boxerglocker]

Nice rig.
You bring up some good points about Generators.
Most have permanent magnet generators. The manufacturers recommend running them under load every 6 months to maintain polarity.
Running it out of fuel or using a fuel additive that preserves the gas is also a great practice.

Yes, the polarity issue is definitely a reason to keep your generator exercised. I've learned from numerous experiences from others that having a 10-20K watt generator is absolutely useless if it doesn't start or even when it does actually put out voltage. I highly advise folks to make the decision of which size generator to go with not necessarily on the total wattage you may need but keep into great consideration the amount of actual use it will get. What you can get away with minimally and the amount of set-up time in a emergency. My old house had a electric start 6500w unit with a 5 gallon tank and took a little over a quart of oil. It was a PITA to service every year, siphoning out the old fuel in the spring draining it dry and preserving the cylinders. The newer inverter Honeywell has only a 1 gallon tank, uses less than 3/4 qt of oil. I never have to drain the fuel because of the amount of use it gets all year round (just top it off). Oil changes are a snap cause I just lift it onto my bench.
One other piece of advise don't spend money on a generator and not set it up and test it immediately after you get it. I had a friend that spent $1200 on a Yamaha generator. Kept it in the box on standby for almost a year, big storm can power can out. He spent 3 hours in the dark with his pregnant wife nagging the him over his shoulder before she finally called me over to help him get it running cause he had zero clue how to get it going. The next year I helped him install the same basic transfer switch set-up.