Home Generators

[jr37]

I know in case of an emergency I don't need to run the whole house, just the essentials. What size generator do you use as a back-up for your home/cabin. I think I have found a good deal on a 5550/8550 watt Briggs. I had been looking to buy a 6500/8000 watt Generac. Is the 5550 big enough, from your experience, or should I go with the 6500. I think the 5550 will be fine, just not sure.

Are the Briggs generators a quality machine, or should I go with a Generac or something else?

Thanks in advance.

 

[lt250rfd]

try to figure what you will need or want to run with it as far as in amps to make sure your big enough. my dad has a generac and has had good luck with it. heard of people talking up the hondas because they are a bit more quite.

 

[wilson]

something else to look for is one that will idle down when high output is not needed, mine runs balls-out all the time its running

 

[russr]

i have a honda2000 and i use it to just run the 2 sump pumps one lamp and fridge.

 

[hamburgchf]

If you buy one can I use it sometime

 

[doomsman]

If you heat with propane consider a propane gen and tap off the big tank for extended outages and no worries about stale gas.
Just a thought.

 

[sledhead1125]

Hondas are nice and quiet but you definately pay for it. I am assuming you would be going with a automatic home stand generator that runs on natural gas or propane, or are you looking at a portable generator that you would just use for your home? The big thing is to figure out exactly what you want to run and look at your those items to figure out how much current they draw (don't forget that appliances usually have a surge of power to start). As for brand, I am a design engineer at Generac so you can probably guess where my vote goes.

 

[sledboy482]

I bought a 3500 Watt Briggs last year at Fleet Farm. Wanted a 3000 watt Honda, but they are about $2500. So, this is louder, but works really well. Generac motors are made in China, so that is what swayed me back to Briggs and Stratton. Has mad in USA on the decal, so I figured I was helping someone hold their job even if for a while. I have used it camping and I do place it far away from the campsite into a woods, because they are not quiet. Cannot complain about it otherwise.

 

[big_motor_guy]

Genarac is also a USA based Co, specifically Waukesha, WI. Don't shy away from them, I've always had great luck (better than with briggs) but that was just for portable generators, not the home units, either is fine, I'd go with genarac

 

[snow_monkey]

I purchased a Honda eb5000 befor y2k and got a great deal. I need proof of reliability before I pull the trigger. My neighbor had the same unit in his truck covered with mud. He beat the crap out of that unit. He was in construction and used it every day. For a cabin the eb5000 would be plenty unless you wanted to run air. I still run a small window unit in the event of power loss in the heat of summer. A few friends have purchased similar take offs and have had major problems with the magneto. Many cool features on the Hondas like auto idle, low fuel shutoff, and compression release for easy starts make them a great choice. Other big names to consider Yamaha, Mitsubishi, and Onan all have good reviews.

 

[jr37]

The plan is to buy a portable one. I was leaning towards the Generac and Briggs because I thought they were both manufactured in the U.S. I am not positive that the Briggs in made here, but I think it is.

 

[booondocker]

You need to consider how long you will need to run it. If you are out of power a bunch, then oversize it more than you would if you are just buying to have it just because you might need it.

AC sucks juice....remember that.

Refrigerators and microwaves suck juice too.

Anything with a compressor motor will likewise draw down the motor.

But if all you are doing is running a tv, few lights, well pump, and maybe a normal refrig, you don't need that much outside sucking up petro.

If this is strictly for your cabin consider going even small than the 5.5 kw surge to 8.5kw.

I have owned several of these and the briggs...tho slow to get with the overhead valve motors is now right up there with the best of the best. So I would not hesitate to buy one.

Honda is just running on a name...tho they are good, in m/o not woth the extra bucks.

Also inverters will run only as fast as they need to produce the watts. Everything else either runs at idle with no draw at all, or full blast with no in between. They are pricey but might be worth some savings in petro over time.

If you need really quiet, build a sound cage for the unit out of Styrofoam board and point the opening in the cage away from your cabin....you won't hear it well enough to navigate back to your cabin if you get lost.

I run an inverter off a couple deep cycle batteries, which lasts for hours and then charge the batteries when I need more power like pumps or motors running...microwave etc. Doing this means I run the genset only half as much as I used to do....and of course half the fuel cost too.

Whatever you do....take the time to put a pigtail outside so you can run a cord over to it and plug it into the grid so you don't have cords hanging around on the floor. If a job is worth doing...it is worth doing right. Safety is important here.

 

[jr37]

We will have a transfer switch installed on the house so there is no risk of juice going back into the grid.

 

[polarisrider1]

If you are bothering with the transfer switch you may as well go all out and get a propane/nat.gas fired generac unit.If you want portable Honda is the only generator your nieghbors will tolorate and you plan to sleep while it runs. It is quite and sips gas. I have 2 of the 2000 watts that can be hooked together.

 

[latner]

This has worked well for me:

http://robinamerica.com/pfeatures.aspx?pid=34
Also use this when camping.

http://www.reliancecontrols.com/ProductDetail.aspx?20216A
This is set up for 220v. Since the genny is 120v, just a matter of changing the wiring at the plug-in.

 

[jr37]

If you are bothering with the transfer switch you may as well go all out and get a propane/nat.gas fired generac unit.If you want portable Honda is the only generator your nieghbors will tolorate and you plan to sleep while it runs. It is quite and sips gas. I have 2 of the 2000 watts that can be hooked together.

I live in the country, so neighbors are not a problem. I also would love to have the reliability and quiet of a Honda, but cost is a factor. Honda is out of my reach for a while. I like the idea of hooking the two 2000 watts together, but that would run me about 1800-1900 bucks just for thhe generators, and that's not gonna happen. Although I could also use one camping in the summer.

 

[sw_lower]

yes a 5550 gen. will do ok the 6500 gen will be better, I have 5000 gen. and it works ok,, I run 3 refrig ,water pump , 4 TV, no elect. water heater or microwave I back feed from garage to house turn off main breaker! to run central air you need 15k to 20k gen.

 

[srt20]

I have always had good luck with generac. I use them at the race track in the summer, 2 nights a weekend, about 6-8 hrs per night. They are loud, but Im at a race track so noise isnt an issue. My first was purchased use, it was a 3500 watt with idle control. Nice genny. Used it 4 years, I think it was 2 years old when I got it from another racer. Still works and have it. I bought a 8500/15000 watt the year southern WI had all the floods, 07? I have changed the oil twice in it. Otherwise, gas and go.

Hondas are nice, but I needed more power. Dont be afraid of Generac. ALOT of racers use them every weekend, alot of contractors use them everyday.

BTW I can run a 30 gallon air compressor and a mid-sized wire feed welder at the same time. I never tried running the whole house, I dont have a transfer station yet. But I have no doubt it will run the house fine.

 

[snow_monkey]

Honda's are not that much if you shop around. X'2 on the Honda is very quiet. When there is a power outage like this morning I can here my neighbors generator 1 acre away over mine. Just say'in.

 

[rocketman356]

Problem solved. 4cly. 1.6 Ford Industrial motor puts out 110 amps.Ours has been trouble free for 13 yrs.