Generator

[Backbeach Jake]

Will a 4k-5k watt generator run a furnace, fridge, TV and a coupla lights? I don't think that was the last outage this year, maybe the last in warm weather.

[Raven]

typically yes
my friend was running two fridges +

but had to unplug all
to run the large water heater

but the water heater held hot water for 2 1/2 days

[Slipknot]

5K might do that Fred but if you actually read the labels on the appliances and add up the wattage, you'll have a better idea how much you need. My dad has a 6500 watt and he does several circuts in his house, runs the boiler, lights in a few places even outside, micro, refer and freezer and TV. I have a 4000 watt and can do a refer and freezer along with one light, it has in the past run my hot air furnace with refer but that is pushing it .

get a tleast a 5000 but a bigger is better.

[justplugit]

Like Slip said.
BBJ, it will cost you more $$ but imho you cannot beat the Honda
for reliability and QUIET. Mine is 10 years old, starts on first pull
and is very quiet.
It idles down to a wisper when it's not being
drawn from.

Ya get tired of the drone of a cheap generator real quick.

[GregW]

How pricey are they???

[tysdad115]

A portable one varies in price depending on size. Google generator you will be able to compare output/pricing from all brands. One thing to keep in mind...I borrowed a gas powered 5K ,average fuel life for full tank was around 8 hours. I started it at 7am and shut it down at 11pm. 3 days of gas was $60.00. They are able to run off natural gas/propane also. I dont know if these ones are more efficient, or if the long term benefit would eventually even out. A 10K natural gas set up is around 2300.00 plus installation but thats an automatic set up that will do most of the essentials.

[Saltheart]

I just ordered a Generac 5837 which it a 7 kw standby unit. It automatically switches on when line voltage drop is sensed. It comes with the transfer switch and load center with circuit breakers included. It comes with its own enclosure. It runs on LP or NG. I got it for $1640 from International tool.com. That price includes tax, shipping and lift gate delivery. Its an outstanding deal for the unit I got. Yes its a lot compared to say a $750 portable 7kw but with all the features I decided to go for it. My biggest worry is a sump pump that runs in the wet weather which includes a lot of winter months. When its pumping , I might have 30 minutes without power before the water rises above the cellar floor. Luckily the water table goes down in the summer so I got no water in the cellar from Irene. Except for the sump pump need I probably would not have gone for any generator at all. Haven't had one in this house for 46 years. I have however had the basement water 3 times since the problem started about 10 years ago. Lots of area construction near me had all drainage water routed towards a brook across the street from me and that added water to the water table just enough to put about 4 inches in my cellar under the worst rain conditions. Anyway , flooded cellar is a pain to clean up so hopefully this new set up will be insurance against it.I could have gone the portable gen route for much less. . However , if I bought a $750 portable generator and happened to be out of town (or out of country) when I needed it and wasn't there to start it , I would be rippen mad so I decided the all automatic set up was the way to go. Also with NG , i don't have to carry gas or refill LP tanks , I just run a gas pipe to it.

Oh, forgot to add , it will run the whole house except for central AC. I seldom use AC anyway. If I did need AC for a few days , I obviously wouldn't be running the furnace and likely not the sump pump so I could do a window AC unit in dire circumstances, like if I was sick in bed and dying from the heat.

[spence]

I've got the same sump situation. Spent a lot on a battery backup system last year but a generator would have been a more cost effective option.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[Saltheart]

Yep , I looked at the battery option. Inverters to 110 V drain 12 volt batteries very quickly with a pump so you need a charger etc. Decided it wasn't for me in the long run.

[Raven]

A friend of mine was just telling me

that a guy who was without power from IRENE
and had his generator outside running

had his electricity suddenly go off.... and he wondered why?

because he could still hear it running ....

he goes outside to check it out and finds a lawnmower
running and the Generator was gone-STOLEN
while he was still in the HOUSE....

so ya better cable yours to a tree. eh!

[justplugit]

If I had it to do over I would go the Saltheart route because of the
automatic feature for the sump.
My 3500 runs the sump,frige, 2 lights and cable TV without a problem.
Sips gas too with a 5 gal tank filled every 18-24 hours depending
on how often the sump is on and how much TV my wife watches.

Your right Rav, ya gotta heavy chain it down.

[Swimmer]

I'd be careful running a thin flat screen tv on a generator. A fat boy (tube type tv) is O.K. from what a couple of electricians have told me, but not the newer ones. Can't take the constant fluctuations like a tube tv can.

[Raven]

interesting...

considering its alternating current in house wiring...

[TheSpecialist]

Make sure you shut your breakers off in case your power comes back on while you are running it.....

[justplugit]

All good points.
Didn't have any problems with the flat screen. Maybe lucky? My son in law, electrician , set it up
so the FIOS cable plug went directly into the generator on one circut
and the TV plugged into the other generator circut skirting the house box.
Prolly wouldn't want to do it for long periods of time though.

[Raven]

Originally Posted by TheSpecialist

Make sure you shut your breakers off in case your power comes back on while you are running it.....

in this case it creates a power surge....

so if the flat screen TV is plugged into a power surge protector
outlet ..... wouldn't that protect the TV?

[Swimmer]

The problem as it was explained was, if ytour watching TV and the freezer comes on and maybe the fridge at the same time it could really cause a problem. Both of them said even without surges it is a problem. The tube type TV's absorb/diffuse the electricity differently, but the juice goes right to what ever mechanism the powers the screen in the flat babies.

[Swimmer]

Originally Posted by Raven

interesting...

considering its alternating current in house wiring...

AC with no fluctuations in a newer home.

[leptar]

Originally Posted by Backbeach Jake

Will a 4k-5k watt generator run a furnace, fridge, TV and a coupla lights? I don't think that was the last outage this year, maybe the last in warm weather.

Depends on (AMPS X VOLTS = WATTS)
size the generator for Peak....

Average values
1200-2200W @ Startup for furnace 1/6-1/3hp
3000W @ startup for a standard Fridge
400-500W @ Startup for a TV

Light bulbs... 100W = 100W, 60W = 60W They need to be figured in on the peak and also in the running..


I've seen 4 20 bulb stringers trip a 5,000W generator...

Go to a MFG's website and use their calculator, Honda, Generac, ect...

If you see a need to go over 8000W you might want to look into a "permanent' automatic unit.. LP/NG are super sweet with an automatic transfer switch you don't have to do squat other then change the oil when it's due.

What ever route you go read reviews on every website you can...

[leptar]

Originally Posted by Raven

in this case it creates a power surge....

So you don't blow your generator/fry your wiring/ or kill someone by backfeeding the utility lines...

I'll give you an example..

Someone wired a 25kw unit to their home panel... they lost power when a truck slid into a pole and took it down.. the last 3 houses had power from the generator.. the Homeowner wired his home panel and skipped the transfer switch but kept the utility switch in place which stops utility power from backfeeding the generator but the transfer switch keeps the generator from backfeeding the utility lines...

Had this happened further away and a linesman came down he/she would have been killed...

Originally Posted by Raven

so if the flat screen TV is plugged into a power surge protector
outlet ..... wouldn't that protect the TV?

A surge protector is just that... protects from a surge
Everyday protection you need a line conditioner APC makes a good one and if you have money to burn you can get the Monster brand one...

[Saltheart]

All the listed issues are what justified the automatic unit for me.

[Grapenuts]

You guys are talking about running gen. juice through the house wiring..we lost power...out came a 1400w gen. I use on small jobs..but I unplugged the tv-few lights-refer-an a couple other things and with cords plugged direct into the gen...that little gen. ran all that stuff and didn't blink..so when the juice came back on their were no hick-ups to anything...just turned the gen. off..unplugged everything and went back to a normal life..end of story.

[justplugit]

Being that my Fios plug was directed into a surge protector
and then into a seperate generator circut and the TV plugged into
a surge protector and then run on the other circut can anyone explain why I
would have trouble with my flatscreen?

[justplugit]

Got an answer to my own question.
My son in law was over tonight and said the generator puts
out a constant 120 volts and there is more chance of the power company
having a surge of power then a properly running generator.

Still best to use the surge protectors coming out of the generator
and at the appliance just to be safe.

Hope this info is helpful but use at your own risk.

[Saltheart]

I changed to a model 5870.Cost me more but do to fire proof enclosure I can locate it closer to the house. Got to be carefull of the details with these things!

[JohnR]

Leptar

Important to note after some reading (and professionals please chime in)

DOs:

Do unplug the equipment you are going to run and plug into a quality surge strip connected to a thick, heavy duty extension cord connected to genset. Remember, the longer the cord, the higher quality & lower gauge it must be to handle the output. Skinny cheap cords can melt / fire and will increase resistance - they all do it the further distance you go.

Don't plug in computers / electronics unless on a UPS/battery / Line conditioner of some sort. The power coming in on a generator is not very clean and unless filtered can mess up equipment. Laptops are slightly less dependent on this.

Some high end audio / video equipment doesn't even like normal UPS devices.

DON'Ts:

Don't EVER plug your generator into the home premise wiring (I have seen people elsewhere stating to do just this) unless done by a professional with all the right protections. As noted above you can introduce power to the main lines and electrocute a line worker. Pretty pleeze

(And don't buy Monster - you probably paying double to triple for the name)

[Saltheart]

Good general info here.

Portable Generator Buyer's Guide - Emergency Generators | Northern Tool

Look for THD <5% and voltage regulation of 1%

Some generators have 15% THD. This will cause real problems with electronics.

[Slipknot]

is THD total harmonic distortion?

[Saltheart]

Yes.How clean the AC sine wave is. The cleaner the better. Typical electric company is maybe 6 %.

[Backbeach Jake]

I remember something about square wave vs sine wave from an electronics course I took some 30 years ago. You want true sine wave in a/c.