School me....the cheaper units.....5500w for around 700-ish, the problem with their AC power is from engine fluctuations? I've read a lot into their "dirty" power reputation, but is this "dirty" power from the engine speed differences when there is a load and when there isn't a load? Example, I got it running nice and smooth at 3600 rpm. Now the HVAC kicks on, and I can hear the genset drop RPM's for about 1-1.5 seconds, during that drop, the voltages decrease? My reasoning for questioning is that I've read you should not use these chonda gensets on sensitive electronics such as computers and flat screen TV's. During the last ice storm, my HVAC worked fine, but about a month later, a circuit board got fried and I wonder if it was because of my genset.
portable generators-where do we discuss them?
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Originally Posted By: Schmoe
School me....the cheaper units.....5500w for around 700-ish, the problem with their AC power is from engine fluctuations? I've read a lot into their "dirty" power reputation, but is this "dirty" power from the engine speed differences when there is a load and when there isn't a load? Example, I got it running nice and smooth at 3600 rpm. Now the HVAC kicks on, and I can hear the genset drop RPM's for about 1-1.5 seconds, during that drop, the voltages decrease? My reasoning for questioning is that I've read you should not use these chonda gensets on sensitive electronics such as computers and flat screen TV's. During the last ice storm, my HVAC worked fine, but about a month later, a circuit board got fried and I wonder if it was because of my genset.
When the RPMs drop from the load change, the frequency goes down. It has a voltage regulator which will try to maintain the voltage. This is part of the "dirty" power, but one of my amateur radio journals actually looked at the waveforms some of these conventional generators produced, and they were badly distorted. That's the other "dirty" part, since that means harmonics are present.
Was this board in the HVAC? Those usually get powered through a transformer, rectifier, and voltage regulator, and by then whatever was happening on the 120 VAC side was probably no longer an issue. Switching supplies in televisions and computers are different animals; they aren't as immune.
School me....the cheaper units.....5500w for around 700-ish, the problem with their AC power is from engine fluctuations? I've read a lot into their "dirty" power reputation, but is this "dirty" power from the engine speed differences when there is a load and when there isn't a load? Example, I got it running nice and smooth at 3600 rpm. Now the HVAC kicks on, and I can hear the genset drop RPM's for about 1-1.5 seconds, during that drop, the voltages decrease? My reasoning for questioning is that I've read you should not use these chonda gensets on sensitive electronics such as computers and flat screen TV's. During the last ice storm, my HVAC worked fine, but about a month later, a circuit board got fried and I wonder if it was because of my genset.
When the RPMs drop from the load change, the frequency goes down. It has a voltage regulator which will try to maintain the voltage. This is part of the "dirty" power, but one of my amateur radio journals actually looked at the waveforms some of these conventional generators produced, and they were badly distorted. That's the other "dirty" part, since that means harmonics are present.
Was this board in the HVAC? Those usually get powered through a transformer, rectifier, and voltage regulator, and by then whatever was happening on the 120 VAC side was probably no longer an issue. Switching supplies in televisions and computers are different animals; they aren't as immune.
It was in the HVAC. It controlled the automatic igniter and shutoff. When the tech took it out, you could clearly see a burn in the circuit board. I was still able to use it by manually turning on the heat, but wouldn't go about it automatically.
Originally Posted By: rjundi
I think power concerns are overated. If the appliance worries you during outage don't use it.
We don't care much about our stuff, no issues.
I have a 25 yr old Coleman 5 KW. What little I've run it, I had no troubles with computers or electronics
I think power concerns are overated. If the appliance worries you during outage don't use it.
We don't care much about our stuff, no issues.
I have a 25 yr old Coleman 5 KW. What little I've run it, I had no troubles with computers or electronics
Originally Posted By: Schmoe
School me....the cheaper units.....5500w for around 700-ish, the problem with their AC power is from engine fluctuations? I've read a lot into their "dirty" power reputation, but is this "dirty" power from the engine speed differences when there is a load and when there isn't a load? Example, I got it running nice and smooth at 3600 rpm. Now the HVAC kicks on, and I can hear the genset drop RPM's for about 1-1.5 seconds, during that drop, the voltages decrease? My reasoning for questioning is that I've read you should not use these chonda gensets on sensitive electronics such as computers and flat screen TV's. During the last ice storm, my HVAC worked fine, but about a month later, a circuit board got fried and I wonder if it was because of my genset.
The problem with the cheap ones is you have to listen to them, I run my generators on average 1k hours a year each on various job sites. The difference between a $2k+ Honda and a $400 Costco special is the Honda is whisper quite, which if you listen to the thing for 8-10 hours a day is worth the price right their. They also burn far less fuel, start usually with one pull, etc. They also last for thousands of hours and you can get parts for them.
It all depends on what you want. If you just plan on running it a handful of hours a year out back to keep the fridge and furnace going anything will work. If you actually plan on using a generator spend the extra money!
I also trust the higher dollar ones to charge electronics. I'll plug a $3k Mac Book, or a $1k Hilti into a Honda, but NFW into a Chonda.
School me....the cheaper units.....5500w for around 700-ish, the problem with their AC power is from engine fluctuations? I've read a lot into their "dirty" power reputation, but is this "dirty" power from the engine speed differences when there is a load and when there isn't a load? Example, I got it running nice and smooth at 3600 rpm. Now the HVAC kicks on, and I can hear the genset drop RPM's for about 1-1.5 seconds, during that drop, the voltages decrease? My reasoning for questioning is that I've read you should not use these chonda gensets on sensitive electronics such as computers and flat screen TV's. During the last ice storm, my HVAC worked fine, but about a month later, a circuit board got fried and I wonder if it was because of my genset.
The problem with the cheap ones is you have to listen to them, I run my generators on average 1k hours a year each on various job sites. The difference between a $2k+ Honda and a $400 Costco special is the Honda is whisper quite, which if you listen to the thing for 8-10 hours a day is worth the price right their. They also burn far less fuel, start usually with one pull, etc. They also last for thousands of hours and you can get parts for them.
It all depends on what you want. If you just plan on running it a handful of hours a year out back to keep the fridge and furnace going anything will work. If you actually plan on using a generator spend the extra money!
I also trust the higher dollar ones to charge electronics. I'll plug a $3k Mac Book, or a $1k Hilti into a Honda, but NFW into a Chonda.
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Originally Posted By: andyd
Originally Posted By: rjundi
I think power concerns are overated. If the appliance worries you during outage don't use it.
We don't care much about our stuff, no issues.
I have a 25 yr old Coleman 5 KW. What little I've run it, I had no troubles with computers or electronics
That's probably the same gen that I have. 5KW run 6250 start, Coleman Power-mate with the Subaru engine. I also run my large flat screen TV, and computer with no problems.
Originally Posted By: rjundi
I think power concerns are overated. If the appliance worries you during outage don't use it.
We don't care much about our stuff, no issues.
I have a 25 yr old Coleman 5 KW. What little I've run it, I had no troubles with computers or electronics
That's probably the same gen that I have. 5KW run 6250 start, Coleman Power-mate with the Subaru engine. I also run my large flat screen TV, and computer with no problems.
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