Need a generator recommendation (1 Viewer)

[john_eckels]

This past weekend we got hit with 75 mph winds which ended up taking out the electric everywhere. It was estimated to be down 3-5 days. I borrowed a friends 6K watt generator and it was so nice. I am currently looking for something for occasional use in the 5K to 8K wattage range. I found a John Deere 6200 watt at Lowes that is in the price range I am comfortable with. I am hoping that someone returns one and it goes in the clearance section. Anyone have recommendation of a particular brand / model? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

6200 / 9750-Watt Portable Generator with Pull Start

 

[79fj40moneypit]

I had all the less expensive ones including generac, I have a Honda 6500 now and it is the best for a portable. IMHO

 

[Cuerno Largo]

I needed a generator about 4 years ago. I bought a 10000 watt Miller Bobcat 250 generator/welder for about 2100. At that time it was about 200 dollars less for a 10000 watt stand alone generator. I now use the welder on my ranch and have not had to use the generator (yet). Just something to think about when you are looking if you have a use for an arc welder.

 

[KLF]

I personally would not buy any power equipment from Home Depot or Lowes, especially the John Deere stuff they carry. They are built to a lesser spec than the models that a true JD dealer sells, very poorly made. Same with their Weber grilles, same with their Dewalt tools, etc.

We just looked at a bunch of houses and almost all of them had backup generator hookups installed. Then we bought a house that doesn't have one (moving in next week). Several people told me they never used it, that it was a waste of money, and had a lot of trouble keeping the generator maintained and reliable since they never used it.

Just a thought.

 

[Pin_Head]

X2 on the Bobcat.

Might as well get something powerful and reliable that can weld and will always be worth $2,000 as long as it runs.

 

[Cattledog]

Was given a 20+ year old honda, it has been fully submerged in a flooded basement, ran once every six months to change ou the gas and oil. After the flood I changed the oil and new carb. Runs like new. Go honda. The Honda's hold their resale value too.

 

[EdsCruisin]

I used a portable 10K unit for a week to power my house and it worked great, if you like pouring in 10 gallons of gas per day and listening to it run.

Now I have a 12K Generac that I picked up from a specialty hardware store. It came with a panel, but I had to have it installed by a pro electrician to get the permit and a large enough gas meter. The big positive differences are that it exercises for 15 minutes every week, runs on natural gas, and is much quieter. There are companies that will service it for you too.

Have I needed it since installing 3 years ago? Only once. But for $2,500 I have piece of mind that when I need to flush my toilet, it will, and my side of beef in the freezer will not spoil, even when I'm not home. I also know it will start, whereas my neighbors with portables find out at the worst time that they did not service theirs.

 

[turbocruiser]

This is a somewhat stupid question but other than using the few plugs found on fronts of generators how does one run power back to the circuit panel in the house and how does one selectively power specific circuits? I am interested in getting a generator but started thinking that in a storm situation I'm only going to give a few select appliances power unless I'm able to go back to the circuit panel and power up the furnace, the refrigerator and the stove. I don't care any at all about powering up the stereo, the television, etc. I just would want to have heat for the house (winter outage) and keep the food both fresh in the fridge and hot in the stove. If a stove is simply too much to power with portable Honda generators, I can easily use the grill but the furnace and fridge are mandatory. So again howdoya get good power to these things and what would a licensed sparky likely charge for the additional addons? Thanks.

 

[EdsCruisin]

This is a somewhat stupid question but other than using the few plugs found on fronts of generators how does one run power back to the circuit panel in the house and how does one selectively power specific circuits? I am interested in getting a generator but started thinking that in a storm situation I'm only going to give a few select appliances power unless I'm able to go back to the circuit panel and power up the furnace, the refrigerator and the stove. I don't care any at all about powering up the stereo, the television, etc. I just would want to have heat for the house (winter outage) and keep the food both fresh in the fridge and hot in the stove. If a stove is simply too much to power with portable Honda generators, I can easily use the grill but the furnace and fridge are mandatory. So again howdoya get good power to these things and what would a licensed sparky likely charge for the additional addons? Thanks.

Most big (non-portable) units come with a panel that has a limited amperage and number of circuits installed. It is mounted right next to the house panel and a large conduit connects them. The electrician will disconnect power from select breakers in the main panel and connect them to the breakers on the emergency panel, effectively making it a full time panel. There is a current sensor in the emergency panel that flips a switch when the power goes out, to start the generator.

These type of emergency panels are available pre-made with a big special plug for your portable generator, or else you could create the same thing with an assemblage of parts available at a hardware store (with the exception of the automatic switch). Depending on which system you choose makes the contractor price vary considerably. It should only be a couple hour's work for the full install.

 

[turbocruiser]

Most big (non-portable) units come with a panel that has a limited amperage and number of circuits installed. It is mounted right next to the house panel and a large conduit connects them. The electrician will disconnect power from select breakers in the main panel and connect them to the breakers on the emergency panel, effectively making it a full time panel. There is a current sensor in the emergency panel that flips a switch when the power goes out, to start the generator.

These type of emergency panels are available pre-made with a big special plug for your portable generator, or else you could create the same thing with an assemblage of parts available at a hardware store (with the exception of the automatic switch). Depending on which system you choose makes the contractor price vary considerably. It should only be a couple hour's work for the full install.

Excellent, thanks for that answer. I noticed that Honda has "Transfer Switches" on their website. It seems like somehow they sit midway btwn the generator and the circuit panel but it also seems like somehow they require manual switching of specific circuits. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding that? I guess that what I would want is an automatic way to keep the furnace and the fridge going and then perhaps a manual way to specifically select certain circuits as needed. Honda also has some interesting stuff on "Power Management" where they compare the running power of appliances with the startup power of appliances. So if there is something that will keep just the furnace and the fridge going when I'm away and then something that allows me to turn on a light or two manually, that would be wonderful. Will these wishes be satisfied by a transfer switch or am I interested in the wrong things here? Thanks again I really appreciate any advice provided.

 

[EdsCruisin]

I'm not sure you can have the automatic switch with a portable generator. Something has to "tell" the generator to start up, on it's own. And of course the generator has to have a battery and starter. I can picture how to set up a manual switch system, but I don't know that anybody mass produces them.....Maybe I should design and patent something? Gears are turning........

Another route for you to protect the fridge and furnace when you are not home is a capacitor (battery) system. Buy a system that stores power from some type of electrical generation, like wind or solar and hook that up to certain circuits.

Keep in mind that a closed refrigerator or freezer will maintain temperature for a good long while when full of food and powered down. Likewise a house is generally quick to reheat, especially if you have forced air.

 

[romegadave]

I have the Generac 3000 (has 110 and 220) but the electric start will not function. Here's my stupid question:

Is the battery removable...I was able to disconnect leads but the battery does not easily slide out. TIA for your help. These threads have inspired me to double check maintenance on my equipment, Dave

*EDIT What I have is a Generac 7000....any ideas on what I need to do? Is this battery replaceable or ?

 

[MarkReye1]

This past weekend we got hit with 75 mph winds which ended up taking out the electric everywhere. It was estimated to be down 3-5 days. I borrowed a friends 6K watt generator and it was so nice. I am currently looking for something for occasional use in the 5K to 8K wattage range. I found a John Deere 6200 watt at Lowes that is in the price range I am comfortable with. I am hoping that someone returns one and it goes in the clearance section. Anyone have recommendation of a particular brand / model? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

6200 / 9750-Watt Portable Generator with Pull Start

Hi,

I am a sales rep for a construction rental store in S FL. If you want a portable generator, get a Honda from a Honda Generator dealer. If you want a portable diesel generator, Pramac sells a 5500 diesel with a Yanmar engine. It will run 15.6 hrs at full load. Most if not all gas portable generators last 4 to 15 hrs at half or quarter load.

If you need to run all kinds of stuff, then I would venture to my competition (we are a S Fl only operation) and take a look at your total amps and visit a Sunbelt, United Rental, Neff, RSC etc and see what they have in their used generator inventory. We exported a used Wacker G25 20kw Mobile generator for less than 5k. Get a transfer switch have it set for remote start and be done. Pop the wheels and good to go.

Mark

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

But for $2,500 I have piece of mind that when I need to flush my toilet, it will, and my side of beef in the freezer will not spoil, even when I'm not home.

Do you have electric toilets

 

[Mace]

Do you have electric toilets

Water well...

No power, no pressure

 

[Landpimp]

just went thru this, my Generec 5500 died, guess they typicaly last 200-ish hours which is about what mine had on it, ran it for 7days 24hours aday 2 years ago....

so....after much debate, I picked up a 1 year old Honda EB5000X for $1200 on monday, new at the dealer they are $1900+ tax(dad just got the same unit)

problem with the EB series is they are OSHA units and have a nutral bond, but it can be removed to use to power the home

so now I have a genset that will last me for ALONG time and the piece of mind is well worth it. And yes I am gonna wire this one up the right way in the house

did use a EB3000 that was my buddies and that was a slick little unit, but only 110v

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

Water well...

No power, no pressure

That crossed my mind, but it says he's in Baltimore. Doubt there are many wells still active in Baltimore, I feel like you'd be pulling more oil, gas, and other chemicals out of the ground than water ;p

 

[imsofakingwetodddid]

Equipment dealer out of Pompano??

i am interested in used whacker with deere 4045 for export as well, would like output to be in 70 kw range... I have 4045 pulled and rebuilt from boat(marine series/but can convert back) __ so a shot engine would be good just want parts to convert to dry exhaust...i have exporter in Miami area

 

[MarkReye1]

I was a victim of the slow construction biz. I no longer work for the company. I am in the real estate industry now. You have to determine how many amps and at what phase to determine what would be the best size. Also, you have to know what cycle 50 hertz or 60 hertz is used in the country that you want to export the generator to.

 

[KLF]

I personally would not buy any power equipment from Home Depot or Lowes...

We just looked at a bunch of houses and almost all of them had backup generator hookups installed. Then we bought a house that doesn't have one (moving in next week). Several people told me they never used it, that it was a waste of money, and had a lot of trouble keeping the generator maintained and reliable since they never used it.

Just a thought.

Holy cow, what a difference a year makes. Total about face here. We lost power for 6 days in December, it totally SUCKED, trying to keep the house warm with a fireplace (didn't work), no water, camping gear in the kitchen, etc. We lost it a few more times in the spring, so I changed my tune really fast.

I just finished my generator install this weekend. I ended up buying a Generac GP5500 off of Craigslist, it was only $500, had only about 20 hours on it, and the guy gave me a big spool of 10/4 wire and some breakers and L14-30 plugs. Yes, this is a Home Depot machine, but my plan is to run it for a few years till I get sick of dealing with the gasoline and yanking the pull start, then I'll upgrade to something a little bigger with electric start that runs on propane.

I installed a GenTran #301660 manual transfer switch (Gentran Corporation: Generator Transfer switches for home & business) right next to my existing 200A panel in the basement. I have 8 circuits on the transfer switch, I have heat and my well pump, as well as several important lighting & recept circuits running. Tested it out, works great. Bring it on, winter! I have less than $1000 into the whole setup, and it's safe and reasonably convenient.

I have the transfer switch hard-wired to a pigtail that sits outside in a bucket behind my garage right now, but this is only temporary. Plan for the Spring is to buy or build some sort of enclosure on a small concrete pad, that will sit off in the backyard, actually in the woods. Conduit into the garage.