Portable Generator

[cg21]

I would like to be able to plug the generator into the wall... and be able to use anything in my house...... I will be turning off breakers I am not using for sure.... some lights.. pool filter... ect... but I would like everything to work.. maybe not all at once.



what do you guys think about keeping the generator in my attached garage?? have a designated spot... where it can stay forever.. and then just install a dryer vent like system to the exhaust??? will be dual purpose heat in the winter in my garage... and security.

 

[cg21]

i was going to go with a whole house automatic generator BUT if the gas lines fail.......... i am SOL and they cost a boatload of cash.

 

[pinshooter45]

Having been with out power for as many as 5 days at a stretch my trick is simply fuel management. My 5K genny is hooked up with the dual male heavy cord that I hook up out in my Garage, keeping windows open. I can run 8-10 hrs on 5 gal of gas. I simply run as needed. My biggest concern is my frozen and fresh food in my fridge and freezer. Most modern fridges and freezers will keep food for several hours as long as you don't open them too much. Plus I keep gallon jugs of water frozen and think of them as big coolers. My 5k won't run my CA so I'd just have to get along with fans in a hot time like now, A bigger one is on my list of things to do!

 

[longbarrel]

If you just want to keep a refrigerator or two cold, just get a 800 watt inverter and run it off your car. Few hours at a time is fine. $50 done. And I saw on the survival podcast this table top ice maker that makes 25lbs of ice a day. Run if off the same inverter.

I have an 8000w genny but picked up one of these for smaller events, more portable, much less noise.

How you gonna get gas to run your car??

 

[longbarrel]

I would like to be able to plug the generator into the wall... and be able to use anything in my house...... I will be turning off breakers I am not using for sure.... some lights.. pool filter... ect... but I would like everything to work.. maybe not all at once.



what do you guys think about keeping the generator in my attached garage?? have a designated spot... where it can stay forever.. and then just install a dryer vent like system to the exhaust??? will be dual purpose heat in the winter in my garage... and security.

I think that is an easy solution, so long as you remember to turn off your main breaker.(so as not to back feed the power lines)also be sure to size your wire and receptacle accordingly so as not to overheat and melt(possibly causing fire)

 

[Iroquois]

I would like to be able to plug the generator into the wall... and be able to use anything in my house...... I will be turning off breakers I am not using for sure.... some lights.. pool filter... ect... but I would like everything to work.. maybe not all at once.



what do you guys think about keeping the generator in my attached garage?? have a designated spot... where it can stay forever.. and then just install a dryer vent like system to the exhaust??? will be dual purpose heat in the winter in my garage... and security.

Can't say I like the idea of a motor running indoors even with good exhaust ventilation.
If the wind changes you could get a house full of carbon monoxide.
I would leave it outside and chain it to something first.

 

[churchmouse]

Electricity is easy. If something is smoking, you're doing it wrong.

A smart novice electrician will carry a large freezer baggie in his tools when attempting this work. If it starts to smoke, shut it of and catch the smoke in the baggie.
I will tell you how to get the smoke back into the device in the next installment.

 

[Ted]

what do you guys think about keeping the generator in my attached garage?? have a designated spot... where it can stay forever.. and then just install a dryer vent like system to the exhaust??? will be dual purpose heat in the winter in my garage... and security.

Grounding and exhaust would be the obvious problems to contend while indoors. Both are hazardous to life, so be sure to do it right the first time.

i was going to go with a whole house automatic generator BUT if the gas lines fail.......... i am SOL and they cost a boatload of cash.

So long as you have natural gas flowing through the meter, you should be good to go with an automatic standby generator. Its not too often that one encounters a catastrophic failure of two utilities, but if you have the ability, you many be able to use propane as a source of fuel as well.

 

[Bruenor]

i was going to go with a whole house automatic generator BUT if the gas lines fail.......... i am SOL and they cost a boatload of cash.

I believe that there are dual fuel generators, ones that run on either natural gas or diesel fuel.

 

[churchmouse]

You can run a genny indoors but the exhaust has to be ran outside and done in a way as not to start a fire. The pipe has to be sound and ran through a sleeve to keep the hot pipe from igniting the wall.

 

[CountryBoy19]

For those sizing a generator I highly recommend you get a "kil-a-watt" meter and meter your loads now. I put it off for a long time but now that I'm considering a generator I got one and it is worth it's weight in gold. What I found out was that I don't think I will be needing nearly as much generator as I thought I would.

 

[Bill B]

I have a propane unit rated at 3250 running watts. I decided on propane because I always have at least two bottles running around and it is a lot easier to take it with me when we go "camping."
During the recent storms we were without power for about 13 hours, I used it to keep two fridges and a freezer cold. I would run the 2 fridges for about 30 minutes, the freezer for about 30 minutes and then shut it down for about 2 hours.Although I'm reasonably sure it would run both fridges and the freezer at the same time, I had no desire to tax the system. The freezer stayed frozen, the fridges stayed cold and I used about 10# of propane. During the winter it would be more than enough to run the furnace.
To those of you considering making a double-ended plug: in addition to all the safety concerns already discussed, remember, if you are going to back-feed though an outlet you are limited by the breaker on that outlet. For example, if I were to use my exterior outlet to back-feed my house I would be limited to 20 amps, as that outlet is on a 20 amp circuit.
Much better to set up and use a transfer switch. I will be using extension cords until I can afford the transfer switch install.

 

[churchmouse]

I have the mad skills (as do my sons) to run a house with the dead man or widow maker dual ended plugs. We are adept at jumping out boxes on roofs to get power for equipment etc. and it comes with our trade. A lot of or most of folks do not have these skills as they are just not exposed to the workings of the wiring in the home. That said, if you can, do. If you can not, get the transfer switch. Have a knowledgeable sparky wire it in for you. Write the switch over procedure down and place it near the box so easy find and read. Keep a flash-lite handy. Follow the directions and be careful. A mistake could cost someone their life.
You can do the drop cord thing as well. Just do not over load the circuits in the genny. There are limits.