Gas Generators?

Jgoal55

Jgoal55

Active member
saw the thread about battery backups and it reminded me that I actually am looking to get a very small.....gas powered generator and I want to buy one ASAP.....for hurricane season.....

It sole purpose will be to power my tank but because I live in a condo and because Im techincally not allowed to have one....it has to be very small and very quiet....any suggestions?
 
Those little guys are a bit expensive... but you're getting the Honda name, reputation, and quality, it's tons quieter, and usually burn cleaner than the cheaper off brands. Plus, you can usually buy parts at any small engine shop. If you have the bucks, go with Honda, hands down. This is coming from a small engine mechanic, who's major job deals with about 80% Honda.
 
$1000 dollars for a small 1000w generator? jesus christ, is it that much better than the $125-$200 one?

I'm in the market too, but for $1000 it better power my house.
 
Another huge factor as why Honda generators are more expensive than most is they use a regulated power inverter. Translation: it will provide a steady constant flow of power.

Portable generators are a very raw way of generating and delivering power. One of the things you will hear and read is about the danger of using sensitive electronics with generators i.e. computers, TV's and stereo's. They warn of this because most generators do not regulate the power flow so there is a potential of energy spikes or dips which could short out your electronics. Even using a power strip cannot prevent this, a dip in power can be as detrimental as a spike. Also, do not over stress the generator, remember ever electronic device has a running consumptions AND a start-up spike.

Just as a warning, make sure if you use one at your apartment to have proper ventilation for the generator AND the fuel/gasoline. Storing gas inside is extremely dangerous, gas vapors can be as hazardous as carbon monoxide.
 
KromiX said:
$1000 dollars for a small 1000w generator? jesus christ, is it that much better than the $125-$200 one?

I'm in the market too, but for $1000 it better power my house.
Click to expand...

KromiX,

If you have the means you should really look at getting a transfer switch for your house to connect to the generator. It is a much safer and easier way to get power to the areas of your house you want it to. Also, if you can afford the extra cost try and get a diesel powered generator. Diesel engines will last 50 times longer than a gasoline and will have a much better run time. Also, it is a tad easier to get diesel after a storm as everybody needs gasoline for cars and generators. But, expect the cost to be about 50% more :(

Check out Costco, they had some good inexpensive gasoline powered generators for under a $1000.
 
Wow...that Honda Generator is super quiet...impressive. Sounds like a good option but yeah, more than I thought.

As for ventilation, I have an outdoor balcony so that will be fine.

Im thinking that I will need the generator to power a halide (250w) for about 2-3hrs a day, the power heads (2x Vortechs or one?) and that's about it.

My plan is to not run the generator throughout the night and just let the battery backup power the voretchs through the night.

What do you guys think of electric generators....that you can recharge with your car?
 
Jgoal55,

From what you are saying you should be okay with the 1000w from Honda, but keep in mind that you are going to be powering the battery back-up to get charged as well as the circuits that run everything, but vortechs are real good with this. So make sure you add that number in to the factor. When you turn the generator on power on the things that use the most energy first and work you way down. Make sure you give yourself about a 50w buffer, it is always hard to calculate voltage drop and flicker rate.

Jgoal55 said:
What do you guys think of electric generators....that you can recharge with your car?
Click to expand...

We call this a rechargable battery... you are using one power source to charge another, in a pinch will work but not a real practical option
 
first of all, if you run a generator on your balcony YOU WILL GET IN SERIOUS TROUBLE with your neighbors and the association! they will argue very convincingly the dangers it poses to others that leave their windows open since there is no power and the exhaust could very well come into their apartment. dont do it!

here is an alternative i worked on when i did not have a generator

P8290308.jpg


P8290307.jpg


P8290313.jpg


i only used 2 batteries for the test, i now have 8 total batteries. even though i have a generator now, i will still use them to run small thing if i need too, but when i had my tanks they were intended as battery back up for the tanks only. i dont remember how to calculate the run time based on watts, volts, amp hours etc etc

Charger

P9030321.jpg


P9030320.jpg
 
Well done! Good choice on the sealed AGM batteries. However you need to but those batteries in some sort of insulating box with a fast-acting fuse. With that sort of ampacity a dropped tool or accidental short will turn into a ball of plasma.

I tend a 12 Volt 1000 Amp-hour stack of batteries for some amateur radio repeaters. When we scaled up to that size I went searching the web for pictures of shorting accidents. Scary!

lilfishbigreef said:
first of all, if you run a generator on your balcony YOU WILL GET IN SERIOUS TROUBLE with your neighbors and the association! they will argue very convincingly the dangers it poses to others that leave their windows open since there is no power and the exhaust could very well come into their apartment. dont do it!

here is an alternative i worked on when i did not have a generator

i only used 2 batteries for the test, i now have 8 total batteries. even though i have a generator now, i will still use them to run small thing if i need too, but when i had my tanks they were intended as battery back up for the tanks only. i dont remember how to calculate the run time based on watts, volts, amp hours etc etc

Charger
Click to expand...



Tim, also known as N9DKI

@ home, 90 gallon tank, dry, waiting for the remodelling to be over
@ work, 19,000 gallon per day RO
 
PurdueWaterGuy said:
Well done! Good choice on the sealed AGM batteries. However you need to but those batteries in some sort of insulating box with a fast-acting fuse. With that sort of ampacity a dropped tool or accidental short will turn into a ball of plasma.

I tend a 12 Volt 1000 Amp-hour stack of batteries for some amateur radio repeaters. When we scaled up to that size I went searching the web for pictures of shorting accidents. Scary!
Click to expand...

Yeah, i know! when i can, i will be building a containment box with fuses. they are not connected together when not in use. i can only imagine 8 of those batts together and them shorting out, scary indeed!
 
lilfishbigreef said:
Yeah, i know! when i can, i will be building a containment box with fuses. they are not connected together when not in use. i can only imagine 8 of those batts together and them shorting out, scary indeed!
Click to expand...

I've seen metal battery cabinets for whole-building UPS's, something like 600 AH @ 240 Volts, with holes burned thru the shelves where some nimrod used a non-insulated wrench to work on the stack. The fuse probably saved his life, golly knows what burns he got. Not-so-subtle hint: wrap the wrench you are using on the battery terminals in electrical tape, just in case. Knew a guy that grounded his wrench thru his wedding band. He kept his finger - barely.

Charging large arrays of batteries is an art form in itself - been pursuing that quest for 15 years with mixed results. Nothing sucks more than to have your batteries go flat after 15 minutes because they didn't charge properly. BTDT

Love the pictures, keep up the good work!

Tim

@ home, 90 gallon tank, dry, waiting for the remodelling to be done
@ work, 19,000 gallon per day RO
 
Ooooh, I just thought of another couple of options, if cost is no object.

Some of the hybrid pick-up trucks have 120 VAC inverters, and start the engine automatically to keep the battery charged. I think they call it the "work site" model, or something like that.

I've also seen articles on modifying a Prius to the same end.

So would it then be a vehicle with on-board inverter, or a really big UPS that you can drive to the point of use?

Sorry, it's getting late and I'm getting silly. :-)

Tim

"no dear, I need the $45,000 truck to keep the tanks going"
 
Hey guys,

Thanks...I didnt realize they was so much activity on this thread since I last saw it.

Emilio, what you did there looks great but I have no time to put something like that together, at all.

What you're saying about the generator on the balcony is my worry as well. And I'd rather not do it BUT, I'd prefer to pay a fine than lose my tank in most cases. Luckily, my balcony is quite spaced out from the next closest balcony and behind me is a huge open field so exhaust fumes would not be an issue at all for any of my neighbors.

That said, I am obviously very open to alternatives and would obviously prefer not to use one if there is a viable alternative. My biggest concern is that the power grid that we're on is always one of the last ones to get power back....during the last big storm, 2 weeks.

DanMgy....I know the electrical generators are not the most ideal option, but will it work? I dont mind running it down to my car to recharge it and leaving it there, our garage is gated and secure.
 
Jgoal55 said:
My biggest concern is that the power grid that we're on is always one of the last ones to get power back....during the last big storm, 2 weeks.
Click to expand...
I can tell you that it is not your grid, it is that the other grids around you and it just happened to place yours right in the middle. Because of where yours was located it was the last to come on for that storm. Really, it was just bad luck, the grids are turned back on leading from the main transmission, to the substations and then the lines heading to the center of the outage.

Jgoal55 said:
DanMgy....I know the electrical generators are not the most ideal option, but will it work? I dont mind running it down to my car to recharge it and leaving it there, our garage is gated and secure.
Click to expand...
It will work but be a lot more challenging, they will not run as long and take longer to charge. You should look at lilfishbigreef's post about using car batteries, you can get them pretty cheap at costco/BJ's and you can recharge them. Just make sure that you store the properly and keep them dry.
 
Jgoal55 said:
Emilio, what you did there looks great but I have no time to put something like that together, at all.
Click to expand...

honestly its not that big of a deal! you need a charger (can be found at wal-mart, thats where i got mine), an Inverter (sold EVERYWHERE, autoparts stores, costco, wal-mart, target, the Home stores etc etc ) here is a link to an power auto detecting switch "Battery Back-up Controller"

NOW, for the batteries....that can be a tough one if you want to save money. you would have to search local places that sell Marine batts or somewhere similar for specific 'Sealed Gell Batteries' they are the only ones safe to run inside a house. IF you have somewhere OUTSIDE to keep them when in use you dont have to get sealed batteries BUT can not use them indoors! VERY Dangerous if you would use them outside, the search for batteries would not be that difficult. i will admit, buying a generator would be much easier BUT you do have the condo association and neighbors to deal with afterward.

GL

HTH

Emillio
 
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