Generator questions???????????

NYSpeed Automotive NYSpeed Off Topic
1

Dear NYSpeed,

I have decided to buy to a generator and thought I would check in here to see if anyone had any advice about www.hardydiesel.com or any other generators.

My main reason for buying is to have back up power at the house.
It might also be nice to have during construction as I will not have public power for quite some time.

Does anyone have any experience with generators?
Any pros or cons when choosing?
Any reason to not buy diesel?

Thanks,
Mike

2

If you are going to be using it a lot then go with diesel. Diesel engines last longer and are more fuel efficent. If you are only going to use it once in a whlie then get a gas one. The only advantage gas ones have is that they can be converted to run on natural gas or propane. I am not sure if diesel engines can be modified to run on them.

3

Just curious if you have thought about wind power and or solar? Both have gotten considerably cheaper in the last few years (although I haven’t priced them out).

The only reason I bring it up is that there is a guy up in Northern NY (Richville) that only uses a wind mill + batteries and has a diesel generator for back-up. I think he said he makes about $70 a month on feeding the grid. This was a few years ago.

Thought it would be something to think about given that you said you have some land. Obviously it isn’t mainstream so it’s not vor everyone…

4

Eh, knowing where he lives, i don’t think wind is a viable option. He is in the middle of the forest basically, whihc would KILL all the wind.

5

I just researched this for my own house, I’ll post when I get home. I had a whole list of generators.

6

That’s a good point, I guess until they come up with a method to raise them off the ground and above the tree line it will never work.

7

How big are you thinking about going? Do you want to run your whole house just like when you’re on grid power, or is keeping the heat on, the fridge cold, and the sump pump pumping enough?

Keep in mind that the little gas generators will fry electronic equipment because they don’t supply clean power. If you plan on running computers, or things with computers in them, you’d want an inverter. I’m assuming the big whole house generators have a way to address this issue but I don’t know for sure.

Most importantly, if you’re feeding the generator into your house wiring, make sure to shut off the main breaker. If you don’t you risk backfeeding the line out to the street.

Wind/Solar don’t seem like a real good idea for what you want, namely a reliable backup to grid power. They’re cool if you want to cut your energy use though and use the grid for the backup to your wind/solar. Generally the time you’d need a backup for the grid is in the middle of a bad snow/ice storm, which isn’t going to be real good for wind/solar. A bad ice storm could crush your windmill, and it’s going to be cloudy during the storm.

8

http://www.propane-generators.com/

i have one from this place! and it is nice. tri fuel it the way to go.

9

Thanks, this is all great info so far, keep it coming guys.
I am considering alternative power supplies including wind and solar.
There is SOOOO much to learn about this stuff and it is costly so I want to make the right choices.
As far as the generator goes, my main goal was back-up but maybe with propane or diesel it could be more than just back up.
I have got a few catalogues that have many, many products including a BIO-DIESEL PROCESSOR that processes 43.5 gallons per operator hour!!!
http://www.gaiam.com/retail/product/63-0015_MSTR
I have even looked into hydro power but my stream is way too small.:biglaugh:
It would be great to be self sustaining and not be dependant on public utilities.
The cost of getting utlilities way back in the woods to my house is staggering so I even considered using the money to create my own power/gas/etc. but, I don’t think I could get a c of o (certificate of occupancy) from the town without public utilities.:biglaugh:

10

i have a coleman powermate 3500 extended run runs my whole house no sweat cost 389 at home depot highlt recomended they also have a larger version for like 500$ has 5250 wats or something awesome generator

i think the honda and the other brand name ones are overpriced units

11

OMG that Yamaha tri fuel is awesome! Natural gas/propane/gasoline
It can literally switch fuels on-the-fly!
And its pretty sexy looking for a generator.:biglaugh:
http://www.yamaha-propane-natural-gas-generators.com/images/EF30iSE/ef30ise.JPG

12

That does sound like a good deal.:tup:

13

EF6600DEC, that is the one i have,

14

i sell generac generators at work… may be a bit too pricey for what you want though

15

:gotme: Where does the pricing start? Where do you work?

16

I guess I suck at google…

I can’t find a way to generate electricity from a wood burning stove.
There has got to be a way!!!
Help ?

17

here is a home model… My pricing is a little bit better than what that buble says.

http://www.generac.com/industrial/products/RLC_Series.asp

I work for rexel electric. www.rexelusa.com

pm me for more info :slight_smile:

18

We just bought five of these.

http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?prod_id=100466723&cm_mmc=1hd.com2froogle--product_feed--D25X-_-100466723

I know he is taking one, his brother, me and another worker. I’ll ask him about the last one. And we got them fucking cheap. Not cheap, fucking cheap.

And… don’t buy a portable one. I am a Natural Gas hater. Trust me though, I sell NG products and alternative fuels all day. But an NG model is the way to go.

However, if a problem ever occured with NG, I am sorry lol. But lay a pad down and hook it up. Best way until something REALLY bad happens. And hell, with something even close to this, you will be posting on NYSPEED during a national outage.

19

Some great info there. Can you be more specific about what you’d recommend for:
4 computers
1 good sized electric space heater
and probably 2 20amp circuits worth of lighting and small items

I’ve been hesitating to get one because I figured it would damage the computers. I’m not trying to run the 220V compressor or the water heater or anything…just some essentials. I’m guessing 8000 watts would be safe.

Thanks!

PS: I wonder how many of you smarties got generators when you made this thread. :slight_smile:

-Mike

20

I wish i had a generator because i would have sold it for a huge markup to some old lady without power. I would have no problem doing that. There was a guy selling them for 1000 dollars cash only out of the back of a truck in east amherst… That guy was fucking smart. :tup: