generator roncommendations
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 936
Likes: 25
From: La Ronge Saskatchewan
generator roncommendations
Any one have some experience with a portable home generator for when the power goes out ?
I want to run mainly the oil furnace during the winter. So I think I need a 2500 sized gen for starting the furnace and then once the furnace is running ofcourse the demand on the gen would be less.
What is the difference in copper wound or aluminum wound ?
Honda ofcourse is a great engine but will a Briggs do just fine ?
The throttle back mode in low demand is great but only comes on the higher priced models.......is it a good thing to have or just a convienence ?
I have looked online lots and there are 2 companies from southern Ontario that sell what looks to be decent units and cheaper than Cdn Tire. They also pay the shipping. Bosstoolsupply.com is the one place i was looking at.
Opinions, comments, experiences.......
Actually it's my wife that wants the generator, not for IF the power goes out.....WHEN it goes out. La Ronge has a crappy line. Keeping in mind the gen would maybe see 1 to 3 hours of use all year !
I want to run mainly the oil furnace during the winter. So I think I need a 2500 sized gen for starting the furnace and then once the furnace is running ofcourse the demand on the gen would be less.
What is the difference in copper wound or aluminum wound ?
Honda ofcourse is a great engine but will a Briggs do just fine ?
The throttle back mode in low demand is great but only comes on the higher priced models.......is it a good thing to have or just a convienence ?
I have looked online lots and there are 2 companies from southern Ontario that sell what looks to be decent units and cheaper than Cdn Tire. They also pay the shipping. Bosstoolsupply.com is the one place i was looking at.
Opinions, comments, experiences.......
Actually it's my wife that wants the generator, not for IF the power goes out.....WHEN it goes out. La Ronge has a crappy line. Keeping in mind the gen would maybe see 1 to 3 hours of use all year !
Last edited by laynrubber; Dec 30, 2005 at 12:43 AM.
Moderator
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 97,686
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From: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
The only experince I had along time ago in a mobile home with an 8 hp Generac during a power failure. It kept the oil furnace and lights working quite well till I plugged in the coffee perk! The perk must have taken alot of power as I had to unplug it quickly. The generater would run both electric motors on the oil furnace and the lights as well.
The B/Stratton motor should do fine for standby, you may be do better with the Honda at resale. Depends on the price difference as what to chose.
The B/Stratton motor should do fine for standby, you may be do better with the Honda at resale. Depends on the price difference as what to chose.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,470
Likes: 108
From: Staten Island, NY
I've had a 3,000 watt Chicago Electric generator from HF for the last 18 years for just the reasons you state. The lights go out 3 or 4 times each summer and at least once each winter. Usually for 1 to 4 hours but once for a day and a half (in the summer). It will run all the lights, the refrigerator and the furnace in the winter. Even a small window A/C unit in the bedroom in the summer.
You get what you pay for. We use Honda's at work. They're quiet, built like a tank, they run for 6 to 8 hours at full load on one tank (2.5 gal) of gas and they idle down under part load and get even better gas consumption. My HF generator is loud, runs about 1.5 hours on a fill up (about a gallon) and runs wide open all the time. At full load in hot weather the muffler glows cherry red. But it still works fine and its still going strong and starts on the second pull after all these years.
Honda - $1,400 HF - $450.
If you're only going to use it a couple of hours a year let price be your guide. But having said that, stay away from aluminum wound generators. The run HOT under full load.
You get what you pay for. We use Honda's at work. They're quiet, built like a tank, they run for 6 to 8 hours at full load on one tank (2.5 gal) of gas and they idle down under part load and get even better gas consumption. My HF generator is loud, runs about 1.5 hours on a fill up (about a gallon) and runs wide open all the time. At full load in hot weather the muffler glows cherry red. But it still works fine and its still going strong and starts on the second pull after all these years.
Honda - $1,400 HF - $450.
If you're only going to use it a couple of hours a year let price be your guide. But having said that, stay away from aluminum wound generators. The run HOT under full load.
Last edited by PupnDuck; Dec 30, 2005 at 06:16 PM.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 302
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Go with the copper windings. Auto idle is nice if you are going to to have intermittent loads like on a construction site, but if you are only using it for standby power I might pass on it. I would buy the largest KW I could 5-6000 watt should be the minimum to try to run a house. As far as engines go Hondas are fine but I would insist on HEARING them run. Some of them are so noisy that the neighbors will be calling the police. Greg
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Elder User
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 735
Likes: 1
From: SW Iowa
I bought a little generac 11 hp single cyl Briggs with a 6000 watt gen and a 4 1/2 gal fuel tank. It will pull the furnace fan, frigerator, and coffee maker, light bulb. I can run one stove element, but not the coffee at the same time. Hot water heater means turn off all coffee and stove circuits. It has worked fine for me for several years now, just keep in mind you need to schedule a start up and exercise session lasting at least 20 minutes least once every 2-3 months just to be sure everything is OK and ready to go when you do need it. Also, dump old fuel into the lawnmower every spring to keep it full of fresh stuff. It is noisey, but I guess you could park something infront of the muffler to break up the sound.
Be sure you wire in a power transfere switch so you don't fry a lineman.
I was unaware anyone used anything other than copper to wind a generator.
Be sure you wire in a power transfere switch so you don't fry a lineman.
I was unaware anyone used anything other than copper to wind a generator.
Last edited by 4wd; Dec 30, 2005 at 10:10 PM.
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 153
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From: Ossipee, NH
I also use a Generac 5500 watt gen. It has a 11 HP Generac engine. It's noisy, but my nearest neighbor is 1/4 mile away, so they don't mind! 
For a "quality" generator figure on having at least 1 HP for each 500 watts of output (not surge power).
I use my gennie for lights, the stove (LPG, but electronic ignition), refrig, freezer, furnace, & well pump. Last year, I ran extention cords everywhere to get power where needed. I had to rewire the furnace & well pump (240 volts) directly to the gennie, what a pain!!
The furnace would not work, because I think its computer was sensing a floating ground. (The gennie was not "grounded") This year I have installed a 50 amp transfer switch and rewired my circuit breaker panels. Everything now works as it was intended to, including the furnace. Now, I only need to plug the gennie into the outdoor outlet, feeding the transfer switch. 
If this gennie ever dies, then I'll replace it with either a 7500 watt or 10,000 watt unit so I don't have to worry about switching things off to power the well pump or furnace at the same time (can't take a hot shower without the well & furnace running
). 5500 watts is very marginal when trying to power all these things at once. 
Fran
For a "quality" generator figure on having at least 1 HP for each 500 watts of output (not surge power).
I use my gennie for lights, the stove (LPG, but electronic ignition), refrig, freezer, furnace, & well pump. Last year, I ran extention cords everywhere to get power where needed. I had to rewire the furnace & well pump (240 volts) directly to the gennie, what a pain!!
The furnace would not work, because I think its computer was sensing a floating ground. (The gennie was not "grounded") This year I have installed a 50 amp transfer switch and rewired my circuit breaker panels. Everything now works as it was intended to, including the furnace. Now, I only need to plug the gennie into the outdoor outlet, feeding the transfer switch. If this gennie ever dies, then I'll replace it with either a 7500 watt or 10,000 watt unit so I don't have to worry about switching things off to power the well pump or furnace at the same time (can't take a hot shower without the well & furnace running
). 5500 watts is very marginal when trying to power all these things at once. Fran
Last edited by f4fran; Dec 31, 2005 at 09:43 AM.
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Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Southern California
Most public safety agencies use Onan and a few use Honda. Onan is the best you can buy and available in every size imaginable. Honda is good but parts at times can be a bear to get and typically cost more than Onan.
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 621
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From: near pittsburgh pa
I agree with f4fran about wattage. Usually people will buy to small first time round.
Hard call here, if it's truly only 1-3 hours a year, basics only needed. You will want to have a simple connection for a powerfailure. Seems like trouble only hits when you are gone. Wife should know what to do,how to do, and where's the flashlights.
Might want to check out rental stores. Most will sell older, good units, that have more than enough life in them for 1-3 hours a year
All boils down to $$$$ in wallet and keeping the Mrs. happy!
Hard call here, if it's truly only 1-3 hours a year, basics only needed. You will want to have a simple connection for a powerfailure. Seems like trouble only hits when you are gone. Wife should know what to do,how to do, and where's the flashlights.
Might want to check out rental stores. Most will sell older, good units, that have more than enough life in them for 1-3 hours a year
All boils down to $$$$ in wallet and keeping the Mrs. happy!
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 692
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From: Houston
I've had a 4000 watt Generac for 13 years. Use it primarily for the deer lease but also use it at home when the lights go out. At the deer lease, it runs at least 10 hours a day for 7 days in a row. No problems. If I could do it over, I would buy a small 1000 watt suitcase size generator for the winter when I only need light bulbs and a full-blown 6000 watt generator for summer when I need AC. At work, we've bought three generators from Northern Tool. They provide a good value IMO.
Freshman User
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 43
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From: SE Texas
We have an 8000 watt Honda from Northern Tool. It runs our 1-1/2 hp well easy. You might want to look at the distortion of the sine wave if you want to run any electronics (micro wave, TV, computer etc). Don't go below 5-6%. If you are running only motors, you don't have to worry about it. We used ours a little this year when Rita paid a visit.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,658
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From: "Islander"
I have a MultiQuip (construction job site) which has copper windings, powered by a 11 hp Honda, idles down, quiet and sips gas. I paid $250 used, added $48 in replacement parts, my free labor but then it's a 6KW generator costing over $1,900 new.
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