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  #26  
Old 12/29/2007, 12:20 PM
KyleO KyleO is offline
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Location: Brentwood, CA (Bay Area)
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Quote:
Originally posted by PaintGuru
Any suggestions for those that really can't get a generator (in a condo so I'm thinking the neighbors won't like the noise)?
You have a patio or a veranda? That is where my generator would be if I was in a Condo. These units are fairly small.....

The only time you will run it is in an outage, yes? I don't think your neighbors will be as unhappy about the noise as they will be envious that they don't have one (in the event of a power outage).

Don't be too surprised if generators start popping up around you, when and if there is some type of significant outage or emergency!
  #27  
Old 12/29/2007, 01:00 PM
PaintGuru PaintGuru is offline
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Location: Livonia, MI
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Quote:
Originally posted by OceansWonders
Tell the neighbors if there is ever a major poweroutage they can use at as well for emergencys I don't think they would mind.
You've never lived in a condo with old, cranky people who whine and complain about everything .
  #28  
Old 12/29/2007, 01:05 PM
KyleO KyleO is offline
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Location: Brentwood, CA (Bay Area)
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Quote:
Originally posted by PaintGuru
You've never lived in a condo with old, cranky people who whine and complain about everything .
So maybe your "cranky" neighbors will be too busy whining and complaining about being without their TV and lights to worry about your generator noise!
  #29  
Old 12/29/2007, 04:19 PM
nybyrne nybyrne is offline
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Location: Port St Lucie, FL
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I got a 8000 watt gen. It is the norm for stormy Florida
  #30  
Old 12/31/2007, 10:31 AM
matt_54351 matt_54351 is offline
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Location: Orlando, FL
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i WAS refering to the more expensive versions of battery backups, around $1500 that are true create true sine wave electricity. that's why i made the reference to it being an expensive option.

on a separate note for those that dont want the expense of a full house generator but the ease of use, dont forget that you can convert the carborator on most small generators so they dont burn gasoline, but burn LP or natural gas. that way you dont have to worry about it running out of fuel by hooking it up to your main house tank or a 20lb gas grill tank if need be.
  #31  
Old 12/31/2007, 11:19 AM
dsanfilippo dsanfilippo is offline
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Batteries WILL runout...the generator is a better investment for your money, if you want to get advanced why not a natgas/propane model with an auto start and auto power xfer?? I am looking into it for my house. I didn't think that my power would ever go out for almost a week - being only 20min from chicago - man was I wrong
  #32  
Old 12/31/2007, 10:03 PM
snorvich snorvich is offline
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Location: Barrington, Illinois
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I live where you live. That is why I have a natural gas generator with an auto start and auto power transfer. Saved my tanks a couple of times. I also put my refrigerator and freezer on it which is great for not having my food spoil.
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  #33  
Old 12/31/2007, 11:29 PM
o.c.d. o.c.d. is offline
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I've thought about solar panels they have came down in price and I found portable units that work with battery backup? Sine waves a problem with solar?
  #34  
Old 01/02/2008, 08:40 AM
matt_54351 matt_54351 is offline
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Location: Orlando, FL
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sine waves are not a problem with solar as long as you buy an expensive converter that is made specifically for true sine wave conversion. it does not matter how you re-charge the batteries, it's how you convert the power from battery to the tank that matters. if you are serious about going this route i would make the system powerful enough that you could power your tank year round for free!!! as long as you have a couple plug in the wall battery chargers for times it is cloudy for extended periods but you still have normal house power, you should never run the batteries down.

just remember that if you want to go 24/7 self sufficient there is more to the equation than just raw wattage. because the tank runs 24/7 and the sun does not you need to figure out how many watt hours your tank uses in a day and divide by 3 or 4 to get a rough range of how many solar charging watts you need to keep the system self-sufficient.

so if your system uses 5000 watt hrs in a day figure on needing 1250 to 1675 watts of solar power to ensure that you stay self sufficient 24/7. on an average cloudless day you only get 4-6 hrs of full charging plus a few hours at the beginning and end of the day that you will get some charge, but not the full potential. then take into account that not all days have full sunlight so you have to make sure the sunny days make up for the cloudy days. the other reason you need significantly more solar wattage then your tank uses is that you have to deal with line loss, converter inefficiencies, and other variables that will affect how efficiently the power is converted.

Last edited by matt_54351; 01/02/2008 at 09:06 AM.
  #35  
Old 01/02/2008, 12:57 PM
cannarella cannarella is offline
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Generator is the way to go. You also need to factor in the price of a proper transfer switch. Figure around $300 for one that will work with up to a 7500 watt generator. I picked up a generator last month when HD had a sale on the 5000 watt for $400. Unfortunatally it is back up to $600.

Here is a link to what matt_54351 was talking about when converting a generator to NG or LP. http://www.propane-generators.com/

I am thinking about one of these since I have NG at the house.
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  #36  
Old 01/02/2008, 03:38 PM
fredknack fredknack is offline
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This is great information guys. All of the technical details about the various options are very helpful. The details are always more complicated than you think at first. Sort of reminds me of setting up a saltwater tank...the details can really sock it to you.

I really like the idea of the generator conversion. It has always seemed to me that storing gasoline won't work and when times are tough I don't want to spend my time in line at a gas station.

The solar option sounds great but I think the cost does not work with my timeline. I do plan on slowly building a solar system but at first it will very modest. I would like to be able to power two powerheads and a 300 watt heater with solar someday.
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  #37  
Old 01/05/2008, 12:07 AM
THE GIMP THE GIMP is offline
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Location: Fullerton, California
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Who makes the quietest Generator?

The last power outage we had here, the neighborhood sounded like a campground at dinner time.....all night.....mine was the noisiest.
  #38  
Old 01/05/2008, 12:19 AM
marsh marsh is offline
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Location: Arkansas
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OK generator check.


How do I protect an electronic ballast when the generator goes on?

Last edited by marsh; 01/05/2008 at 12:31 AM.
  #39  
Old 01/05/2008, 07:21 AM
Paddlefoot Paddlefoot is offline
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I like the Honda inverter gensets. They are expensive but run very quiet. They also produce "cleaner" power than the wall socket. I have a EU 2000i that runs at 59db at full load. I also have a EU 3000i for redundancy. The 3000 runs at 58 db full load and will run an RV 13k A/C with no problem.
  #40  
Old 01/05/2008, 01:04 PM
KyleO KyleO is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by THE GIMP

The last power outage we had here, the neighborhood sounded like a campground at dinner time.....all night.....mine was the noisiest.
That is funny!!!
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  #41  
Old 01/06/2008, 08:34 AM
tanked3333 tanked3333 is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: SW Florida
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Unhappy

I borrowed a gas generator when Hurricane Charley hit my area
in 2004...Lost power for 17 days with temps in the low 90's and
90 percent humidity...The generator went down after a day in the rain.
Lost everything except a hawkfish which I still have. You could have
sold a generator for a couple grand easy at that time. My water
was at 90-93 degrees..Couldn't even buy ice. Just had a battery air pump.
  #42  
Old 01/06/2008, 02:47 PM
KyleO KyleO is offline
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Location: Brentwood, CA (Bay Area)
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Wow! That sounds like a terrible experience all the way around....
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Enjoy every moment......you don't have nearly as many left as you think!!!
  #43  
Old 01/07/2008, 12:35 AM
matt_54351 matt_54351 is offline
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Location: Orlando, FL
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i lost power during Charlie for about 7 days and while i couldn't buy ice ANYWHERE i could buy as much dry ice as i wanted from a wholesaler. they saved my tank. just something to think about next time you're without power in the summer.
  #44  
Old 01/08/2008, 02:05 AM
bergzy bergzy is offline
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Location: The OC, Baby!!!
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Quote:
Originally posted by Runfrumu
It's amazing, spending 300 bucks on a plastic skimmer that basically bubbles water, but spent half that on something that can power most of my house in an emergency.
i get these skimmers free with each visit from mcdonalds!!!

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  #45  
Old 01/08/2008, 12:28 PM
tkeracer619 tkeracer619 is offline
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Solar panels in the middle of a snow storm, ice storm, or a week of clouds will do nothing. They cost a fortune. I even know someone who sells them but won't use them...


Here is the website with natural gas generator conversion kits.
http://www.propane-generators.com/

I purchased an opti-ups that has a true sine wave output for about $400 on ebay. Powers my koralias and a return pump for 6-8 hours.
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  #46  
Old 01/09/2008, 07:40 AM
Paddlefoot Paddlefoot is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: S/E Pa.
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A handy generator option is a Convenience Cord. It allows you to hook up to the high amp (NEMA L14-30R) locking plug so you don't overload your extension cords. Most have 4 gfci outlets and come 25-50 or 100 foot lenghts or you can make your own.
http://www.electricgeneratorsdirect....roducts_id=501
 

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