First generator

My first generator was a Champion 4000 watt starting / 3500 watt running conventional 3600 RPM unit. It's a good machine, very fuel efficient, but loud.

Last year i purchased one of the Harbor Freight Predator 3500 Watt inverters. It's much quieter. I've run two refrigerators, a chest freezer, the dishwasher on heated dry cycle and more with this generator. Coputeris aren't a problem with generators, but the newer computerized appliances are.
 
Originally Posted by edwardh1
does a generator have to be an inverter type to use safely with modern refrigerators that have the displays etc?
I cannot comment on those refrigerators, but I do have some modern high tech laundry machines that only emit clicking sounds on the dirty power supplied by my conventional 3600 RPM Champion. Haven't tried the inverter on them yet, not wishing to risk any unnecessary damage. Should that multi-day outage come along, I suspect that they would run on the inverter.

The UPS system covering my home office and network infrastructure definitely did not like the power coming from the Champion. Basically it would machine gun between line and battery power, and all of that switching did manage to fry an external hard drive. That same equipment has no problem at all on the inverter generator. I cannot even hear it running when positioned 30 feet from the house with the windows closed. An inverter generator will definitely cost you twice what a conventional unit will, but it's worth it IMHO.
 
Wow, lots of good replies to this.....

I am kinda thinking toward the smaller ones, as I really don't have a bunch of stuff that I would have to power. Fridge, (future small freezer) electric stove/ microwave. House is not that big (tad over 1050sf)- so lights would not be a huge issue either. Maybe the furnace in winter, small ac unit in hot summer.

I am thinking more mid level in size, though I think 3500- 4000 would be enough....might not hurt to have more!

Keep them coming....learning all I can! Thank you!!
 
Champion also makes what they call a digital hybrid generator.
It is pretty much an inverter power head in an open frame chassis. You get the benefits of clean power and fuel savings, they are quieter than a standard generator, but louder than an enclosed inverter.
They make a few sizes, but this 6250 surge/ 5000w running might be perfect for you .
champion digital hybrid
 
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Originally Posted by daves87rs
Wow, lots of good replies to this.....

I am kinda thinking toward the smaller ones, as I really don't have a bunch of stuff that I would have to power. Fridge, (future small freezer) electric stove/ microwave. House is not that big (tad over 1050sf)- so lights would not be a huge issue either. Maybe the furnace in winter, small ac unit in hot summer.

I am thinking more mid level in size, though I think 3500- 4000 would be enough....might not hurt to have more!

Keep them coming....learning all I can! Thank you!!

It'll hurt when you're out of gas. Unless you have a large supply of fuel available I'd go with the smallest that will run what you need to run. A lot of things also don't need to be ran at the same time.

My 2000 watt Champion will run my fridge, small chest freezer, and a 5K BTU A/C unit at the same time, and sips gas. I've tested it out.

Wattage Guide
 
I purchased the Champion 3500/4000 watt unit in 2012, shortly after our experience with hurricane Sandy.. Our home is located 100 miles from the ocean, but we still lost power for 43 hours. Many people within a few miles of us lost power for five days. Since that time the Champion has seen us thru a number of 8 hour outages. We've run a line over to the neighbor's house to power their refrigerator during several extended outages. We've run three refrigerators and a 15 cubic foot chest freezer simultaneously with 4000 watts starting and 3500 watts continuous power. The first bit of advice is to sum up your loads and size accordingly. Someone else mentioned including 1500 watts to run the wife's hair drier. He wasn't joking. I did the same.

The second bit of advice is to invest in a transfer switch. You can figure this out the hard way by trying to run extension cords to all of your loads, or you can just take my word for it. Certain things like your furnace and dishwasher are probably hard wired, meaning there is no easy way to run them from an extension cord. In my case the heat, hot water and kitchen range are all gas fired, but all require electricity to function. Those devices account for three of ten circuits on my transfer switch. The powder room where my wife dries her hair is a fourth circuit. The home office is a fifth, the garage door opener is a sixth, etc. Figure out how much power you need and also how to get it where it needs to be in an emergency.

Finally there is the traditional vs. inverter vs. hybrid type unit that others have covered. Last year I picked up a Predator 3500 (3500 watts starting / 3000 watts running) from Harbor Freight. If you watch for sales you can get one of these for $700, which is still twice what I paid for the Champion. Others have pointed out that HF only provides a 90 day warranty, so you need to assess your own level of risk tolerance. Personally I made it a point to log 30 hours of use on the target loads before the warranty ran out. Those loads included the two refrigerators, 15 cubic foot freezer, and the dishwasher in heated dry cycle. I did all of this in the "ECO" mode where the engine throttles up and down to meet the demand. The unit never stalled, but you could easily tell when the heating element in the dishwasher came on. The Predator is MUCH quieter than the Champion and perhaps just a little more fuel efficient. We can't hear it running if it is 35 feet from the house and the windows are closed. Is that worth double the price? It depends if you need to let it run overnight with the widows open. Several of my neighbors within 200 yards run traditional units overnight, and you can definitely hear them running.
 
Originally Posted by daves87rs
Wow, lots of good replies to this.....

I am kinda thinking toward the smaller ones, as I really don't have a bunch of stuff that I would have to power. Fridge, (future small freezer) electric stove/ microwave. House is not that big (tad over 1050sf)- so lights would not be a huge issue either. Maybe the furnace in winter, small ac unit in hot summer.

I am thinking more mid level in size, though I think 3500- 4000 would be enough....might not hurt to have more!

Keep them coming....learning all I can! Thank you!!


Don't guess- plan and calculate

I'm just trying to help you avoid getting lit up, burning down the house and possibly doing something that could negate an insurance claim should an incident occur.

Is the jenny going to be single or dual voltage? ( all 110 or 220 also)

First, you plan to run this through the panel or by cord to individual point?

If panel, get a transfer switch- no other way to do it.

If corded drop, add up the numbers on the breakers ( amps rating) on the devices you want to power and multiply times 110 or 220 (to get watts) ( watts = volts times amps) to find out the total watts you need for a circuit. Add 25% minimum for surge loads.

On the cord- make sure the CONDUCTOR SIZE is correct for the load and distance ( get an Ugly book and read)

If you are plugging cords into a buss, make sure the buss is rated for the total

Ground and bond everything through the jenny to earth- differing potential can kill

My advice is to have an electrician review your decisions and equipment.
 
Originally Posted by daves87rs
Hi everyone !

I need to grab a generator for my home. For the last few years, I've borrowed one if we need it. I fear it is going to be a summer with a lot of storms and outages...

With a tight budget due to the current situation, I am looking more for a basic one. Pretty much to keep the appliances going, maybe a fan. (Mostly the Fridge)

I see the Harbor Freight ones, and also ones from retailers that look like it in different colors. Looking for suggestions , as there are quite a few out there......


While I've been happy with my Harbor Freight generator, do pay attention to the ratings. Example, my Predator 4000 has some fine print associated with it. First, it's 4000 watt surge, 3200 continuous. In addition to being 3200 watt continuous, it has two separate stators on the generator head, so a single load is limited to 1600 watts, or 13 amps on one 120 volt circuit. In other words, if I want to plug in a 15 amp appliance, I'm out of luck.

That said, I've had it running my refrigerator, sump pump, lighting, and furnace with no trouble when we had a tree take out the power lines for 24 hours one winter. Loaned it to some friends a little later when they had their power out and they were able to run a couple of space heaters when Ohio Edison said it would be a couple of days to get their power restored.

Don't forget to to keep stabilizer in fuel supply, and be sure to run it periodically with a load. Generator heads losing their residual magnetism and not being able to self-excite is a real thing if they sit unused for a long time. I run mine with a 500 watt halogen work light once a month for a 1/2 hour.
 
Almost all are downrated from the face number for continuous operation.

On Inverter generators and starting compressor based devices...

Every one I have owned has a switch labeled ECO, or similar and when switched off the genset goes right to 3600RPM.
When Eco is on the unit RPM matches the load and they idle way down under light load.
Dont be fooled by a showroom demo if how quiet they are when idling - Push a 2K genset to max and its a roaring little beast.

The smaller units may RUN compressor based devices, but STARTING them is a different story especially with eco on.

If you are going to run a smaller genny and expect to start these devices reliably you will likely be running in fixed RPM mode vs inverting.

UD
 
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Originally Posted by Dave Sherman
Originally Posted by daves87rs
Hi everyone !

I need to grab a generator for my home. For the last few years, I've borrowed one if we need it. I fear it is going to be a summer with a lot of storms and outages...

With a tight budget due to the current situation, I am looking more for a basic one. Pretty much to keep the appliances going, maybe a fan. (Mostly the Fridge)

I see the Harbor Freight ones, and also ones from retailers that look like it in different colors. Looking for suggestions , as there are quite a few out there......


While I've been happy with my Harbor Freight generator, do pay attention to the ratings. Example, my Predator 4000 has some fine print associated with it. First, it's 4000 watt surge, 3200 continuous. In addition to being 3200 watt continuous, it has two separate stators on the generator head, so a single load is limited to 1600 watts, or 13 amps on one 120 volt circuit. In other words, if I want to plug in a 15 amp appliance, I'm out of luck.

That said, I've had it running my refrigerator, sump pump, lighting, and furnace with no trouble when we had a tree take out the power lines for 24 hours one winter. Loaned it to some friends a little later when they had their power out and they were able to run a couple of space heaters when Ohio Edison said it would be a couple of days to get their power restored.

Don't forget to to keep stabilizer in fuel supply, and be sure to run it periodically with a load. Generator heads losing their residual magnetism and not being able to self-excite is a real thing if they sit unused for a long time. I run mine with a 500 watt halogen work light once a month for a 1/2 hour.




I've heard good things about it too. Agreed with running it when i can to "warm " it up a bit.....
 
Originally Posted by ABN_CBT_ENGR
Originally Posted by daves87rs
Wow, lots of good replies to this.....

I am kinda thinking toward the smaller ones, as I really don't have a bunch of stuff that I would have to power. Fridge, (future small freezer) electric stove/ microwave. House is not that big (tad over 1050sf)- so lights would not be a huge issue either. Maybe the furnace in winter, small ac unit in hot summer.

I am thinking more mid level in size, though I think 3500- 4000 would be enough....might not hurt to have more!

Keep them coming....learning all I can! Thank you!!


Don't guess- plan and calculate

I'm just trying to help you avoid getting lit up, burning down the house and possibly doing something that could negate an insurance claim should an incident occur.

Is the jenny going to be single or dual voltage? ( all 110 or 220 also)

First, you plan to run this through the panel or by cord to individual point?

If panel, get a transfer switch- no other way to do it.

If corded drop, add up the numbers on the breakers ( amps rating) on the devices you want to power and multiply times 110 or 220 (to get watts) ( watts = volts times amps) to find out the total watts you need for a circuit. Add 25% minimum for surge loads.

On the cord- make sure the CONDUCTOR SIZE is correct for the load and distance ( get an Ugly book and read)

If you are plugging cords into a buss, make sure the buss is rated for the total

Ground and bond everything through the jenny to earth- differing potential can kill

My advice is to have an electrician review your decisions and equipment.


Very good advice..thank you!
 
Originally Posted by JimPghPA
OP, you really have to get into details about what the peak load is that you will ever ask of the generator.

Keep in mind that in hot weather you will be better off with a generator that is not ever ran at 100 % of its rated ability.

There are de-ratting amounts that take into consideration altitude, and temperature. Some manufactures include that information in the owners manual, and some do not.

Remember the larger it is the more gas it will drink. So you want something that is a little over-sized for the maximum it will see, but not a lot over-sized.

Inverter generators are more expensive and consume much less gas when they are ran at light load, and the power they produce is electrically cleaner (less harmonic distortion) which means they will run just about anything as long as their maximum output is not exceed.

3600 RPM units are cheaper, and do a better job of handling surge loads like starting an air-conditioner compressor, but they drink more fuel, and are much more nosier. If you get one of those you would be wise to have a long power cord to run it far from the house.



Had a few folks mention that too. It makes sense! I need to add up the few things that will be attached. I biggest and most likely item as of right now is the fridge.....
 
Notes:

1) It takes 2HP to make 1000W (rule of thumb) .
2) Generator heads peak around 85% efficiency (under about a 75% load) +/- a few percent depending on load/design. You won't find one that is 62% efficient or 99% efficient.
3) Remember that some of the power made by the generator goes back into the field (excitation) winding.
4) Some of the power used to drive a generator is used to drive the cooling fan.
5) Distortion is almost always better under a load vs. no load.
6) A small engine's HP is DIRECTLY related to it's displacement!

By that I mean, 390cc will produce a maximum of 13HP or 6500W continuous. So when you see a 212cc engine, which will make 6.5HP and a 4000W rating, be aware the real world power is 3200-3300W. There is no magic here.

Conclusion: Look at the displacement, convert to HP, divide by 2 to get watts.
 
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Well - I just got electricity this morning and took my Westinghouse iGen 2200 offline. This baby ran continuously from Aug.29th at about 5pm to Sept 6th t 0945. -- So that is 160 hours straight - the only downtime was for a couple of minutes to refuel.

I alternated a 5500BTU window unit and a Large refrigerator/freezer along with a constant use of a 32" LCD TV, 2 lamps with LED bulbs, more phone chargers than I could count and 3 small fans. Enough to keep my food, keep us relatively comfortable and watch OTA TV!

This is the 2nd Hurricane I've used the iGen 2200 for - I used the same for Hurricane Zeta last October for about the same duration, maybe a little bit less....

I will change the oil today as I'm 60 hours overdue (hahaha) -- Oil in it now is Shell Rotella 0W-40 that I got at some clearance for $10 a jug ( I got 3 jugs).

Tank is 1.2 gallons and I was having to refill every 9.5 hours.

I also use this Generator for a host of other small jobs, mostly with my electric pole saw on property that I own.

Westinghouse iGen 2200 for the WIN!!!!!!
 
That sounds good, and your genset is very fuel efficient. I know first instinct is to buy large, but after some experience I think people start thinking buy fuel efficiency.
 
Our honda 2200 inverter is the go-to here. It will run anything which plugs into a 15amp receptacle. Did 2 fridges, or a microwave, no problem. Runs camper AC. Not all at once, but during the 2011 tornados it ran 6 days here. Once I realized there was minimal fuel penalty between running all day and cycling on/off, I just let it run. Uses a gallon every 8 hours running 2 fridges, CFL bulbs and a couple of fans, and cel chargers. a single space heater will bring it close to max during the winter and burn through gas much faster.
 
This is my setup. I have a medium sized Honda genny that I use to run my AC , water heater, and fridge. That is the big stuff that I have to use on an as needed basis. I use the Honda as needed to keep the fridge cool. My hot water heater is electric so I will warm it up if I need a lot of hot water to shower or do laundry. I have propane heat that does not require electricity. The Ac is the only appliance that I would have to keep consistently running. If the weather is cool then that wont be a problem. The Honda is only used for the big items so I can conserve fuel. I keep a supply of fuel on hand at all times because I live on a farm in the sticks. I also keep a supply of Sta-bil and Seafoam on hand to keep all my fuel good. I have a Harbor Freight 2 stroke genny that I use to run my lights, TV, computer, cell phone charger, etc. It sips fuel and I don't worry about it's fuel consumption when I'm running the lights. A gallon of fuel lasts a long time in that genny.I haven't installed a transfer switch yet however I have an electrician friend who will take care of that. Anyway get a genny that will run you big items, fridge, ac, heater, electric stove, etc. Except for the AC, you can run a small genny for everything else. Have plenty of oil, fuel, and Sta-bil on hand and you will be all right.
 
I ran the Westy 2200 for a trip in the Sierra's. I didn't really enjoy the experience and ended up buying the jetting kit (pretty hard to get and not cheap). I ended up returning it before I was able to install. Shortly afterward, I found a deal from a dealer and bought the EU2200i, tuned, and ran without any issue at 9800ft the next month. I know tuning helped quite a bit and found no issue acquiring various jets. If any of you guys need an un-used and sealed jetting kit for your Westy, let me know. Its also on Craigslist.
I might have gotten away with giving it another chance....
 
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