Generator for hurricane purposes?
Question:This is just for those living in hurricane country.
For household purposes, what brand and size of generator did you get to be prepared? How much did it cost and where did you get it? I need to power tv, some fans, and some basic appliances only. I would also like to make coffee, lol. I can live without air for a while.
Answers:
Depends on the load you want to put on the generator. Add up the current requirements of everything you want to run at one time and multiply by 120( 10 amps is 1200 watts). This will give you the load in watts. Add another 20% to that number and that will give you how large a generator to purchase (running at 80% of capacity). Most jurisdictions require that you install a transfer switch when using a generator to power home circuits. This switch isolates the generator from the local hydro system so that you are not sending 240 volts outside through your hydro connection. Chances are that you will need at least 5000 to 6000 watt generator.
I would recommend a Honda 1000i, 1,000 watt generator for your needs. This is a good little generator that is very reliable and easy to start. Some good pointers are that it is good on gas, which we know can be a hard to come by resource. It is also very quiet, so you won't disturb your neighbors (who might not have one) or bring unwanted attention to your home. Lets face it, everyone wants to have a generator after a major storm and many are willing to steal yours to get one. It is also light weight, so anyone in your family can set it up and start it.
I always kept a small window AC unit for such occasions and have a 3000 watt generator to keep a couple of rooms lit, the refer going, the TV/radio, and the AC Unit. The AC isn't a necessity, but after two weeks of no power, it sure feels good to settle down at night in a cool room. I hung heavy blankets in the hallways and shut the doors to one or two rooms to cool. There is no way my little AC unit could cool the whole house.
I would also recommend keeping extra gas cans on hand, oil for the generator and a heavy duty chain and lock to secure it while it is outside running.
A nice upgrade would be the Honda 2000i.
I read other answers about the transfer switch, and that is great if you are going to plug your generator right into your home. Most of us who have been through a hurricane are happy just to run an extension cord into our house and run a few items. And, I believe that is what you are looking for in your question. After a storm like Katrina getting enough gas to keep a 5,000-6,000 watt generator running, for any length of time would be a full time job. Keep it simple.
My dad (Hurricane Charley, Ivan, & Jeanne Alum) has a honda. He has a few thousand watts one, but I can't remember how much. He got it at Home Depot. He used it for the general stuff - fridge, fans, coffee and TV for 1 hour a day. They really didn't use it for kitchen appliances. Most cooking was done on the grill for a few weeks. He checked Consumer Reports for his purchase.
I purchased one when we had the bad ice storms here in the midwest. I bought a 6500 watt w/ a 8500 surge, It will run almost everything in my house except for the 5 ton heat/air unit. It cost me around $850. It is a Power Train brand, you can find it on line from serveral places. Good luck!
pep boys has them cheap ( from china ) i've seen fence builder & form setters use this brand & in broken english they said they're good.
plan on a small window unit & your frig/freezer& 1 compact florscent bulb...buy the smallest to acomplish this task ( most fuel effecient ) you can un plug & make coffee in the morning
I swear by Honda and at least get min 2000Watts, a 15A circuit is roughly 1440 Watts.
I do have tell you to install a manual transfer switch at your main panel if you get a genny. Factor the cost of this in. In most places it is law and part of your home insurance. If the local power company sees you with a genny and no switch, they may give you problems for this reason. A transformer outside changes the voltage from High Voltage (4160V to 25,000V) down to your 120V/220V in your house. If a genny is connected incorrectly, you can send energy up the wire and transform the power back up and possbly kill powerline workers or anyone near a downed line during and outage, as seen during the large ice storms 10 years ago, or damage transformers or sub-stations trough a back feed.
I got a Coleman 6250 at Home Depot..last year..it was around 450.00..and Fema helped with the cost when the hurriciane came which was great! I ran my fridge, 2 fans and lights with it..could run a small a/c too. Its great and very easy to crank ..even a girl can do it! LOL I just tested it last night..of course i always run the gas out of it..but it cranked right up hadnt been run for 3 months. I love it.The oil is easy to change also.
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