Anyone have any experience with this sort of equipment, what best brands/models/sizes to buy, etc?
Anyone have any experience with this sort of equipment, what best brands/models/sizes to buy, etc?
Get a 6,000 watt. I back feed mine and it runs everything in the house except the central ac, water heater, oven/stove and washer dryer.
It is good for a couple widow ac units and every light, ceiling fans and the fridge/freezer in my town house.
Pay attention to the decibel ratings. You can get a quiet one and it doesn't have to be a honda or yamaha.
During 2004, we were on our generator a total of 17 days! Getting gas proved to be a problem as gas stations were all without power! Consequently, I had a 100+ mile round-trip to get to an undamaged station for gas!
I ran 2 refrigerators, lights, fans, TVs and a 220v well pump, and small burners on the electric range just fine on a 4000 watt unit (though at times, it "sagged"). I got by on running the generator for about 12 hours/day (and staying out of the refrigerator when the power was off..., used the ice chest then!)
I have since upgraded to a 5000 watt, electric start generator! It took me several days to clear my driveway and the street of trees/limbs/debris with a chainsaw. In the process, I dislocated my shoulder and, starting the manual generator was AGONY for all of 2004!!!
Another poster said to pay attention the the db noise ratings (which I would agree with). Like that poster, I also "Backfeed" my house through a 220v circuit (after shutting down the main breaker, the AC breaker, and the dryer breaker). Please note "Backfeeding" can be highly dangerous if you do not religiously kill your main breaker! Having wired a number of homes and built/maintained electronic items for the past 40 years, I don't worry about backfeeding. However, if you do not REALLY trust yourself to do it properly, pay the BIG BUCKS for a separate generator panel OR, just run whatever you REALLY need to off of extension cords!
Also, make sure that you do not run the generator in an enclosed area (garage/porch/etc.) OR where you will have an open window nearby. If you do you may very well become a hurricane casualty due to carbon monoxide poisoning!
Here's hoping generators will not be needed for years to come!
P.S., don't forget to drain the gas and let the generator run out of the remaining gas in the carb and line before putting it away for the year. Use Stabel fuel additive in the fuel that you store up for emergency use and DO NOT keep the fuel for more than one year (burn it in your lawnmower and car... refill the emergency fuel containers at the start of the hurricane season)....
Do you have Natural Gas line hooked up to your house?
Thanks for the ping, Joe......This is a good incentive to protect our homes and save some taxes!
I'm more concerned about the window situation but deluged by mail from window companies. It still looks like it's a better buy to go to lowes or home depot for new windows.
Today's Tampa Tribune quoted a lady who bought a generator but it was very noisy. Further, it was stated that power companies may take longer because some generators somehow, I don't recall now cuz I'm no electrian, but apparently generators can cause electrical shock and other problems when the power companies try to bring a neighborhood back on line. www.tbo.com