Genarators

[WFM]

I bought a new Honda generator when the 'ice storm of '98' arrived. It ran for days and since I've hooked up a Gen-tran box to my breaker box in my house. It powers six breakers. Furnace , water pump, kitchen, cellar lights, outside pole light, livingroom. So I have power to all the important things. I learned to drain the carb during storage. Add stable to the fuel and it just keeps right on working.

 

[lsmurphy]

LSMurphy - I wasn't trying to be a smart alec - that is pretty cool and 10kw besides. Had me thinkin', should I come across a gen unit.....

No, I understood,


I look for a cheap way to get what I need as I don't have $6K to get what I want.

 

[skeets]

Man I look at the numbers the generator sites toss out and to say it makes me want to puke is an understatement. I don't mind paying for stuff but dayum

 

[Bulldog]

Man I look at the numbers the generator sites toss out and to say it makes me want to puke is an understatement. I don't mind paying for stuff but dayum

That's why most of us either sit in the dark or try to get by with a little portable unit.

 

[DanDan]

That's why most of us either sit in the dark or try to get by with a little portable unit.

For us it's not so much a matter of sitting in the dark.
We live in a "fire-prone" area and- despite paying a state-mandated "protection fee"- we know we won't see one whit of protection until it's all but over. At least that's how it's gone with the last TWO major wildfires in our area.

We are our own Fire Dept.
We need to keep the well going and a few pumps here and there. We definitely have it all covered right now, but running out the separate generators and getting them set up can be time consuming...

The price tag definitely gives us pause.
The argument against upgrading to a larger standby genset seems to always deteriorate to this logical point: what are we willing to spend (or not spend) to protect the little place?

Anyhoo, I don't mean to invite commentary on our situation, only providing some background on why, in some cases, the expenditure might not be purely luxurious.

 

[Bulldog]

what are we willing to spend (or not spend) to protect the little place?

I guess this really is the bottom line for us all. Whether we are just trying to keep a freezer going or fighting to save the entire house we try to do everything we can. None of us want to loose what we have worked so hard for.

 

[skeets]

You make a good point Dan, but still them chickens are gona have a tuff time laying enough eggs to cover it,,lol

 

[olthumpa]

This is what I did. I put a 100 amp 2 pole lug in the main panel (could not locate online). Ran 100 amp+ wire to the Square D panel listed below and attached it to the 200 amp main panel. Installed Interlock Kit in Square D Panel. Ran 10/3 with ground to Power Inlet Box. For those things I wanted powered during an outage, I transfer-ed the wires to the new panel and attached to appropriate size breaker.

Now when the power goes out I plug the generator in and start it. Go to the breaker panels, shut off the main at the top of the sub panel and turn on the generator breaker in the panel. Now I have power for the essentials.

Square D Schneider Electric Homeline 20-space 20-Circuit Indore Main Breaker Load Center with Cover Value Pack
Model #HOMVP5 Internet #10019789 Store SKU #358341
$52.97 / each

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Square-D...MVP5/100197589?keyword=100197589#.UngN4lO7Gfi


Square D by Schneider Electric Homeline Outdoor Generator Interlock Kit
Model # HOMRBGK2C Internet # 203030954
$46.00 / each
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Square-D...GK2C/203030954?keyword=203030954#.UngOLFO7Gfi

Reliant Controls 30 Amp Power Inlet Box (50 AMP also available)
Internet # 202213702 Store SKU #725625
$49.97 / each
www.homedepot.com/p/Reliance-Controls-30-Amp-Power-Inlet-Box-PB30/202213702?keyword=202213702#.UngOw1O7Gfhhttp://www.homedepot.com/p/Square-D-by-Schneider-Electric-Homeline-Outdoor-Generator-Interlock-Kit-HOMRBGK2C/203030954?keyword=203030954#.UngOLFO7Gfi

 

[skeets]

I found out to day at my dealer that Kubota does not make generators for the American market any more,, strange huh

 

[dieseldude]

Skeets, Did they mention as to why there no longer making generator for american market? Just curious.

 

[skeets]

Nope dude he did say, unless they are having trouble meeting emission standards. Well today I loaded the gen up and headed to see lil bro,, and after him taking the carb apart ( he is very good at stuff like them, me not so much) put it back on and bam fired right up and shut down,, pulled it again fired right up shut down,,hmmmm new fuel line new filter gas in gas out WTF???? Hey whys that little red light when you pull the string?? LIGHT??? yeah pull it again.. ok theres a little red blinking light,,, freekin oil shutdown switch went tits up disconnected it gave one yank and bada bing da beast is runnin. so now to track down a new switch and gasket or what ever it needs no we didn't take the cover plate off but I will try to track something down and if any body has a exploded vies of a 10 hp Tecumseh motor let me know maybe I can get a part number.... That thing almost cost me a grand for a new one,,,lol

 

[dieseldude]

Thanks for the info on the kubota generators. On your generator, is it sitting fairly level? is the oil level full? I'm only asking since I went through the flashing red light routine to find out that if out of level enough it will trip the low oil switch, but this was on a briggs engine.

 

[skeets]

Yep it was on the garage floor so that's pretty level, after we pulled the spade connector off the run/kill switch the silly thing never missed a beat

 

[Frank46]

I have an fairly new craftsman genny 6000 watts. I used a 240 volt for the socket on the generator and ran so cord to a gangbox with 4 outlets. Separated and checked with voltmeter so I went from 240 down to 120 om eack of the four outlets. One freezer,two refridg/freezers and one for the george foreman grill. Whats left over will feed a 3' circular two speed fan and some lights.Gotta find my dads old connector crimp tool as I made this up on the fly right before the winds started. Probably a larger box with more room inside. Frank

 

[skeets]

Yeppers its getting to be that time of year in the summer its not bad but winter not so much I don't mind sitting in front of the fire place to keep warm but some people here need the well and furnace to run,,lol