Yeti Generator

[CafeReef]

hello all,

question for everyone. I know I would be far better off getting a legitimate generator like a Honda or similar. My only concern is running a generator on fuel. I live in Nebraska and we get very harsh winters at times and power outages can be common in my neighborhood. My concern is with carbon monoxide and not wanting to leave the generator running indoors, or outside frankly.

I ran across these Yeti generators by Goal Zero, anyone have any experience? at 400WH I would think it should be enough to get me a a few hours out of my setup.

What I would like to run,

1-MP10
1-50w Finnex heater (this is a spare emergency heater as my primary is in my sump).

It also helps that it is a much cheaper "generator", I like that it can be solar powered, charged up, or ran off of a vehicle in emergency situations.

https://www.amazon.com/Goal-Zero-23...465995874&sr=8-1&keywords=goal+zero+generator

Thanks

 

[soulpatch]

why would you not want it running outdoors?

That said you are talking of basically a UPC unit. The unit charges via solar or plugging it in but is just a large battery. Hardly a generator in my eyes.

I would not trust my tank to it any more then I would a normal UPC.

 

[Scorpius]

You only run internal combustion engines indoors when either:
A. You're a fool of sorts
B. You're trying to kill yourself.

 

[soulpatch]

You only run internal combustion engines indoors when either:
A. You're a fool of sorts
B. You're trying to kill yourself.

Obviously but he said he didn't want to run it OUTDOORS either so asking why.

IE he could be in an apartment and not have a spot for it or simply not want to walk out in weather.

 

[CafeReef]

winter weather is the primary concern, other seasons are not a big deal. I am in a fairly open area where I would not want it exposed to the elements for any extended period of time.

Just curious if anyone had experience with this system as it gets fairly good ratings.

 

[HippieSmell]

I just bought a generac iq2000 during a power outage. It's quiet for a generator, small enough to bring indoors when not in use, and powerful enough to run life support on a tank. It also outputs a true (I think) sine wave, which is good for electronics. Something to consider.

 

[DustanT]

I think its a nice system and not a bad price either for what you get. Have you added up how many amps and watts your system uses?

 

[Reef Frog]

What are your needs & expectations; how long do you want it to run the items listed? Also keep in mind that a 50w heater won't keep a 50g tank warm for long if the room temperature drops in really cold conditions. In theory it could run the heater alone for 8 hours but 5-6 is more likely. On a cold day as the inside temp plummets, it won't buy you much time really.

But it would run the Vortech pump for a good long time. This won't help much though when the water temp gets to 60F & everything but the bacteria dies. For circulation I'd just buy the Vortech battery back up. It's automatic so it will cover you if power goes out during a thunderstorm for example. Exotech states 24-36 hours, & they can be Daisy chained for longer running. And the vortech is much less expensive - the item you listed is really expensive for what it is IMO. You could get a heavy duty auto jump bid with AC plugs for less with similar or better capacity for less...and can use it to jump start a car or truck. Sink say pass on that model.

You need more capacity for meaningful amount and duration of heat. The fuel generator is the best solution. The next best is an AC inverter hooked to your car battery. You can get 500-800w capacity for under $100 and it will last indefinitely as long as you have gas to run your vehicle and can get an extension cord from vehicle to the tank location. That would probably run enough heat for even the worst long term power outage scenarios.

 

[sirreal63]

I have the Yeti 1250 with 8 Boulder Panels for charging. It is the backup gen for the tank and life in general but we also have several gas generators. The 400 will not run your whole tank for very long, and won't run your heater alone for very long. Mine 1250 is intended to run the Tunzes and heater but it doesn't get as cold here as it does there. I can run my Tunzes and heater over night and recharge the next day. The small one will probably not work for you. We also have the benefit of a large solar insolence, even in the winter.

Get a real inverter generator, run it outside and make sure you use the correct size extension cord for the load you are running.