Sooo..... how to use a generator w/ tank

[PS0305]

Hubby and I are looking at getting a generator before next winter. If we lose power, I'd like to not be looking for a generator at the last minute. This last ice storm knocked out our power for ten days, since our lines aren't buried in this neighborhood. The house got down to freezing, it seems, in 2 days.

When I've lost power before, max of 24 hours, I used battery operated items to keep the flow going in the tank and did without lights.

Hubby thinks we should get a generator and just plug in tank things (heaters, etc), then plan on staying in a hotel again (should the worst happen). I figured we should heat the house somewhat and try to plug what tank things we can in.

Did anyone do a configuration that worked? What size generator do you use? What did you plug in?

 

[fewells]

I have a 6500 watt generator I got for $700. I used it to run my SEIO and my 500 watt heater. So that is around say 600 watts max.... I know it is over kill to say the seio uses 100 watts but you gotta figure surges in power..

Then I used the remainder of the power from the generator to run my tv my furnace blower. I have gas heat so all I had to do was wire a heavy duty power cord to my furnace and walla I had heat tv and my tank. then the power went off at the shop and I moved in there........

Buy the biggest generator you can afford and you should be fine. Get it now before they are hard to find.

 

[PS0305]

I have seen SEIO listed as a brand before, but I am assuming that this isn't attached to your sump. It just circulated water?

We are looking now, I was just unsure since everything is electric. If nothing else, I think Sams stocks a bigger generator in fall. However, we didn't think we'd need a $X00 generator when we saw them in stock! LOL.

 

[Deadeye]

If anyone finds a good price on a generator let me know, I want one too.

 

[joelk835]

Last time I was in lowes I saw quite a few open box generators on clearance.

 

[SoupySteve]

The generator my folks got - and I got to use once they got their power back was a 5600w continuous power 8800w peak power. That badboy ran 2 SEIO M1100s, 2 150W HQI pendants, a 55W heater, a 90W laptop... I could go on. I think they paid $700 for it. It's a craftsman if I remember correctly...
One thing I've seen advertised are these things (Gaurdian is the company I heard) that start at $1200 - but they run on your home's natural gas - as soon as no power is running in your house (or the second some swith ISN'T on ???) this thing starts running off of your natural gas (just like these lil things we're using unleaded to run). They apparently look like an second Central Heat/Air box next to your house. I say it's something to consider throwing some $$$ on if you ever build - with your tank(s) in mind.

 

[PS0305]

If we ever build, I will keep an eye on that. Definetly a possability if we stay in the area. DH wants an editing room and I want a photography studio.

It sounds like a craftsman may be the way to go for now though!

 

[maxxII]

Hey guys,
We got hit hard by the storms too....we lasted 2 days in the summer storm that smoked StL before we camped out at Lowes and bought a 13500 Watt Start up/8500 Watt normal generator. We used it for the next 48 hours til our power came back on.

I wound up buying extension cords, and running my entire tank off that, (58 gallon but using lots of electrical), two small fans, a portable DVD player, some small lamps, a freezer, the refridgerator, and cell phone chargers.

We had to refuel it every 10-12 hours, because we didnt have that heavy a load on it. Our next purchase is to have an electrician come out and wire in a transfer switch, so we can run household items off the generator. We'll be able to turn off circuit breakers, and leave on essential items, like the AC or Heat...and the fish tank.

IMO, if you're going to buy a generator, buy one that can run your house. You're gonna be seriously annoyed when you cant run things like AC or Heat, but your fish tank is still going strong...

BTW, Generators should not be set up and left unattended...meaning you guys leave the house. Generators are dangerous, and have caused several deaths in the St Louis area in the wake of the recent storms...everything from carbon monoxide poisoning, to fires, to explosions..(the last one was in East St Louis when two guys decided to refuel it w/o turning it off. They spilled the gas on the hot exhaust which started a fire, and ignited the fuel in the gas can and the fuel tank. The resulting explosion killed them, and burned down the house.)

There were also several reports of generators being stolen here in St Louis...granted Springfield isnt StL, but still...its easier to steal when no one is around.

Just my take on things...

Nick

 

[PS0305]

We really appreciate all of the information.

Oy. The reports of deaths are why we didn't buy a generator late (day 8-9). Hubby says his motivation for leaving was in case the house blew up . However, I think your points back up my thoughts (as long as we don't blow up our children, we'll be careful).

The transfer switch is a great idea. I'll have to see if my Dad can wire that in (he works I&C in a nuclear plant - lol). Dad was talking about running it up our dryer vent, but that means we can't do laundry until he drives 3.5 hours to take it out again (or put it in ourselves).

 

[Deadeye]

Honda makes some they claim are silent I was looking at but they are super expensive.

 

[maxxII]

Honda and Yamaha make the quietest generators, (in that order) but they both want about a dollar a watt ...so a 5k watt gen's is going to cost you about $5K. Its still audible, but not as bad. To be honest with you, when the power's out, no one cares about the gen's noise...
What makes the Honda and Yamaha so much more expensive isnt the silence of their gen's but the quality of the electricity they produce. The vast majority of generators produce power that spikes and surges while its opertating...just the nature of the beast. This type of electrical power is not good for sensitive electronics like LCD TV's, computers, etc....
The power that Honda/Yamaha generators make is capable of running those without issue...

BTW, when I'm talking about Honda and Yamaha generators, I'm talking about the ones where the entire thing is made by Honda or Yamaha. I have seen Honda engines on other generators which is not the same thing.

Nick

 

[hambandit]

i ran my 8500 into the breaker box and ran the whole house. didnt lose a fish. granted, that was only my fresh tank the salt one wasnt going. but im quite sure it wouldnt have blinked. we had the furnace, couple tvs, all the fish ****, the fridge, computers, the only thing that didnt work was the dryer and that was cause its 220v and i didnt feel like buying the plug to hook it up. it was too cold to worry about doin laundry anyways. but hot showers felt amazing.

 

[maxxII]

Did you wire a receptacle to the breaker box? This is essentially what I'm interested in doing but with a transfer switch so electricity from the generator isnt sent down the line potentially endangering working linemen, and also to prevent an electrical fire when the power is restored.

Nick

 

[hambandit]

i pulled the box off the wall outside so it wouldnt go anywhere else. otherwise i would have been powered my neighbors an everything