Generator help

[marcusbigdady]

It's about winter in OH, I am looking for a Generator but not sure what size i need, All i want to run is my tank, 4-250w. DE's, Hammerhead pump and 2-250w. heater and my furnace(gas), I will light by candle and cook in the gas oven or BBQ grill. I know you get what you pay for, But i want to spend as little as possible, My 4 kids brake the bank as it is... Thanks for the help..

[BeanAnimal]

1000W worth of light
500W worth of heat
250W worht of pump
200W for the furnace

So you have around 2000W worth of equipment. They make 2400W units... but you may be cutting it too close becuase the motors and ballasts draw A LOT of current when the start up.

You best bet is a 5000W unit (5kW). If you can afford it, get the honda. If not, at least get one with a honda engine. If not, then just about anything will do. Pay attention to tank size and runtime at 1/2 and full loads. Noise level may also be a factor for you. The more you pay the more reliable and the less noise the genset will make.

Bean

[trick440]

Hey. I just bough a generator from a guy near Toledp, OH.

I got the 5500W, (8000w Max) for $475. Which is a sweet deal.

It runs my house pretty decent.

I did trip the breaker on it, twice. It tripped with 3 Quiet one 3000 pumps running, 300w of lighting, my furnace, fridge, 240v water heater, big screen TV, and 1200W heater for my reptile cage all was on at once..... So what can ya expect.

So I like it cause of the sweet deal. It is a generic generator, says Honda parts will fit on it. It is a pain to start cold... took my about 30 pulls... the other day, which is crappy. But I think I have learned a new technique with the choking it a bit, then changing it to half choke.... ok enought babbling..

This guy also sells a 6500W max w/ electric start and wheel for about $50 more. I drove over an hour to get it and think it was worth it. I know the stress I went through last time my power went out... it was so so terrible... and now its no problem. Power went out the other day... just started the generator at 6 am, got ready and went to work... left the generator running.. no worries. Came home at 3:30 the generator had ran out of gas by that point but the motor was still warm, so It must of dies within an hour.

heres a link to the toledo guy.

Mine...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=007&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&viewitem=&item=170048389093&rd=1&rd=1

His others...
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?sofocus=unknown&sbrftog=1&from=R10&satitle=generator&sacat=-1%26catref%3DC6&sadis=200&fpos=48327&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&seller=1&sass=lavoyroad&fsop=1%26fsoo%3D1&coaction=compare&copagenum=1&coentrypage=search&fgtp=

[trick440]

Hey I was just looking and that 6500W has the 240V at 46 amps.
My 8000W only has 240V at 23 amps. (probably why mine tripped twice)

And they are rated close at 5500w-6000w continuous. That 6500w I think is the better one. It also has electric start and wheels. I wish I would of got that one. Sucks I was broke though and really couldn't afford the additional $100. aahh well.

[javatech]

Get atleast 6500 you know you will want to run at least one small tv to keep up on what's going on and of corse you need your computer
and they also say you should only run it with 70% load max thats why i got a 7500 so i could also keep the refer and frezer runing

[The Professor]

One other feature of a generator you should try to find is a low oil cutoff. It does raise the price slightly but over time if you forget to moniter the oil level it it runs dry you risk ruining the motor.

[BruiseAndy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8663743#post8663743 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by trick440
Hey I was just looking and that 6500W has the 240V at 46 amps.
My 8000W only has 240V at 23 amps. (probably why mine tripped twice)

And they are rated close at 5500w-6000w continuous. That 6500w I think is the better one. It also has electric start and wheels. I wish I would of got that one. Sucks I was broke though and really couldn't afford the additional $100. aahh well.
Watts = Amps * volts

a 6500 will deliver about 25 amps (6500/240) at 240 volts. You could have been reading the 120v specs. Thats why power company bills you in watts.

[AZDesertRat]

Look at the Champion line at Checker/Schucks/Kragen/Murrays auto parts. I have the 3500w version which has the low oil cutoff and will run everything I have aquarium wise. It will also power a 13.5 BTU air conditioner, microwave oven and all the lights in my 5th wheel travel trailer at the same time without a hiccup. They run about $299. They can also be found at Cabelas outdoors.

[BruiseAndy]

might also want to check out the natural gas conversion kits. Adds about $100-$150 to the cost.