Need advice on a generator

[Jtarm]

I bought some rural property and won’t have electricity anytime in the near future.

I’m going to need a generator for construction of a cabin, running no more than 2-3 portable power tools at a time, and later powering lights plus a room air conditioner in a structure no more than 256 sq ft.

Any guidance? I know it’s going to be like a gun safe, nobody ever said “why didn’t I buy a smaller one?”

Thanks!

[Petrol & Powder]

Add up the wattage you will need, including the maximum surge wattage needed to start an electric motor (like the compressor of that AC unit).

Quiet is good. If you're going to run it for long periods of time, durability and fuel consumption becomes an issue.

If you need 220 VAC for that AC, plan for that. Some of the smaller units only have 110 outlets.

If gasoline will be your fuel, Honda is hard to beat.

Don't immediately discard the idea of diesel. Those units cost more but burn less fuel and are very durable.

If it's going to be a portable setup, get a big enough cord ! I like using SJ cord with my own ends installed. Keep the cord as big [FAT] (large gauge wire) and as short (overall length) as possible.

If you only need to run lights at night, consider a solar panel, a charge controller and a small battery bank. It doesn't replace the need for a generator but it sure is quieter, sunlight is free and it gives you a little redundancy.

[Pipefitter]

If you are going to sink a well I would get at least a 6500-7000 watt unit. Figure 2.5X the full load amps for starting current.

[Petrol & Powder]

If you are going to sink a well I would get at least a 6500-7000 watt unit. Figure 2.5X the full load amps for starting current.

Agreed.

It takes a lot of wattage to start a pump and the deeper the well and bigger the motor - the more you will need. You don't want to burn up a pump due to low voltage. It's cheaper to buy a bigger generator than to replace a pump. (not to mention that you will be out of water during the time the pump is out of service and it's a lot of work).

[dangitgriff]

A dual-fuel in the 7-9kW range would be a more affordable alternative to the diesel-powered models, if you’re watching the budget. Runs on gasoline or propane. A propane pig set up on the property with access for a propane truck to refill it would be ideal. So would a diesel tank with a diesel generator.
If money isn’t a great concern,
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190614/1251aa5577b0dc6cc65d1cd53777447e.jpg
Sell it when you’re done using it.
Good luck,
—Griff

[Moleman-]

On the portable units, pay particular attention to it's rating and what it actually puts out. Many of the generators out there have a down right false rating. We have a TrueLife 10K running, 12K start diesel generator that we bought used. It will put out 110V or 220V but not both at the same time. The original breaker on the 220V 30 amp outlet was 23 amps and would trip at 26.5 amps. Using the volts x amps = Watts formula the max our generator would actually put out is 5830 watts which is a far cry from 10K/12K watts that the stickers and owners manual says it puts out. That breaker went bad and was replaced with one that trips at 30 amps, so right now it still only will put out 6600 watts. The diesel engine bogs down pretty well before the 30amp breaker trips so I don't imagine we'd be able to replace the breaker and outlet with a 40amp at 8800 watts or a 50 amp breaker/outlet at 11000 watts which is close to what it is supposed to put out. We're looking at switching over to an automatic water cooled unit that runs off of natural gas and is rated for (actual) 15K-20K watts or a water cooled diesel unit. We loose power several times a year from a few hours to a few days and are on a well so the generator comes in handy.

[Hossfly]

Portable gen are sometimes too portable when it comes to thieves. I would get one rated at least 10KW it will run your a/c just fine but might be a little too heavy to lift in and out of truck by yourself. Depends on how rural you will be.

[Petrol & Powder]

I love propane as a fuel; it stores well, burns clean (less maintenance), isn't as effected by cold weather and the BIG plus is you can use it for other tasks. Cooking, heating, lights (yep - lights !), water heating and fueling engines. The down sides are the need for a large tank, the need for some way to fill it (take the tank to the fill station or bring a truck to the tank), the expense, the limited number of sources to purchase from, the reliance on a third party and the fact that it produces fewer BTU's per gallon.

Generally speaking I think the pros outweigh the cons, particularly if you are also cooking and heating with propane.

I'm unclear on what the OP's needs are. If he just needs a generator to construct the cabin and then to run some lights and a small A/C, he doesn't need a lot. If he needs to run a well pump, lights, A/C and refrigerator.... he needs a lot more wattage.

If it's 90 degrees at night with stifling humidity - I get wanting to run an A/C.
But getting away from it all in a cabin is a bit ruined if you have to listen to a generator run 24/7.

So I think we need a little more info.

[Jtarm]

No well anytime soon. If the day comes when I can afford that, I’ll get a bigger generator.

AC will mostly be for escaping the heat of the day. This is Texas.

[georgerkahn]

I recently completed (...alllmost ;) ) the gutting to remodeling of a RV travel trailer -- now on blocks -- some great distance from all utilities. I ended up with TWO generators. The Honda 2000i has proved to be awesome. Heeding advice given to me when I purchased it, I ONLY use alcohol-free gasoline, to which I add Sta-bil at the rate of one ounce per two and one-half gallons of petrol; and, SeaFoam -- which I add at the rate of one ounce per gallon of petrol. Even after a lonnng winter of un-use, and with almost 400 hours on it -- it started last Sunday on the 2nd pull. While remodeling, I came across a Generac XL3450 unit -- obviously having the power to enable operation of a table saw and other tools requiring more amperage than I wished to subject the Honda to. It -- using similar fuel "mix" -- starts and runs well, but it very much noisier and consumes greater fuel than the Honda. With its electronic throttle control -- which automatically governs speed dependent upon load -- most of the time the generator running but 15 feet from the trailer can barely be heard. Its quietness turned to be a GREAT "plus" for this unit. I was able to get mine on-line from a place which purveys generators only, and thrown in was a cover and wheel kit. I haven't used the cover, as it's kept in a shed -- but the wheel cart (not necessary as the generator weighs so little) IS a real nice addition.
Obviously -- from what you've read thus far -- the Honda has proven to be a most wise choice to me. Annnd, while I not have one, or the need, Honda sells a "parallel kit" where one may hook a 2nd 2000i generator to it, to run -- when needed -- large amperage demands -- e.g., a large air conditioner, etc.
Good Luck!
geo

[NSB]

It sounds like you're making a small building to work out of. I can tell you what I did, and I'm satisfied with it, but you might want something different. I'm in a location where I have no utilities at all. In fact, I have no cell service either. I bought a Yamaha EFI2400iSHC generator to use while I was building my camp, and use now. It powered every tool I needed to use to build the place and will run a small window AC unit with no problem. It's also extremely quiet. It was a toss up between the Honda 2000 or the Yamaha 2400. Honda now makes a larger unit. The features on the Yamaha that I like are the fuel shut-off, lower drain plug, and enough power to run the AC. Note: I really like Honda equipment, but the Yamaha was rated as good and had some better features at the time. I suggest you get some good battery powered hand tools and you can use them by charging the batteries while you're working. It's amazing how long they last and how powerful they are. For something like a table saw you can run right off the generator. Put up a solar cell and get some good batteries and LED lights. You can use the LED's at night and never run them dry....and they're really bright. I've had my place six years now and the Yamaha has never missed a beat. It always starts on one pull even in below zero weather. I can run eight hours on a tank full of gas and it's so quiet you pay no attention to it at night. If some day you need something bigger, it will make an outstanding back up generator.

[Tracy]

Champion sells a decent generator that will do what you need. Has electric start, runs on gasoline or propane interchangeably, comes with a 3 year warranty, and it's affordable. Lot of good reviews, too. Check it out here: https://amzn.to/2WCWQ6B

[dangitgriff]

Don’t forget the wheel kit.

[Paper Puncher]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?382966-quiet-rv-generators&p=4662264#post4662264

Link to earlier Generator discussion

You can't go wrong with a Honda. It's small enough to transport back and forth and QUITE.

[Tracy]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?382966-quiet-rv-generators&p=4662264#post4662264

Link to earlier Generator discussion

You can't go wrong with a Honda. It's small enough to transport back and forth and QUITE.

And costs over $2,000 for a 3000 watt generator. Even a 2000 watt (which is not enough to run a decent size air conditioner; not that the 3000 will run much of one either) costs over $1,000. And, if the inverter goes out on any of the inverter generators, it costs hundreds to fix it.
It's quite, alright: quite expensive. You can find a decent used 5-10 KW diesel genset for the price of the 3 KW Honda. In fact the going price for a military surplus MEP-002A diesel generator is right around $1500.

[NSB]

How big of an AC unit do you think you need for 256 sq.ft.? With any insulation in the building it won't take much to cool it off. A diesel generator to run an AC this size is like putting air brakes on a turtle.

[Tracy]

How big of an AC unit do you think you need for 256 sq.ft.? With any insulation in the building it won't take much to cool it off. A diesel generator to run an AC this size is like putting air brakes on a turtle.

Well, I have a 5200 btu in my 160 square foot shop (not in Texas) and you can almost tell it's running a few hours after the sun goes down. So I would want 12,000 btu, minimum.
The MEP-002a I mentioned is not "air brakes on a turtle," either. It's 5 KW. And my little diesel genset is 7.5 KW. Even with it I have to ration my loads.

Did I mention that I used to live offgrid with generator power?

[NSB]

I built AC units for a living for forty years. AC Delco and Fedders. The number doesn't mean much if it's not working right or there is a lack of insulation. That's why they call them "heat exchangers". Again, the guy's talking about a very small building.

[RED BEAR]

I bought a 3500 watt generator when power was out for more than 10 days paid way to much $650 for it but it was only one i could find in a 40 mile radius . It turned out to be a great investment. Our power went out for long periods ( days not hours ) once every couple years. This 3500 watt will run what i need. It does 2 refrigerators a deep freezer a 5000 btu air conditioning unit in a den thats 288 sq ft a 5000 window unit in bed room but not both air conditioners at once coffee pots microwave tv cable box dvd and stero also computer and moniter and most lights all except air at once. I have other mexas of heating and cooking. But no hot water. And i know this is not how its supposed to be done before the electricians give me grief. But i just turn off main breaker and plug from the 220 outlet on gen to house 220 plug. With a heavy duty extension cord. No muss no fuss no bill from electrician. My brother who worked for power company gave me the devil about it but it has worked since 2003 and i imagine it will work till i am gone.and the one i bought runns about 4 hours on a gallon of gas my neighbor has a 10000 watt that he fills a bigger tank twice for one of my fill ups.

[Lloyd Smale]

we built our camp and ran it for 5 years with a 3500 watt honda. Ive got a 5000 watt cheap coleman at home and in an outage it will run my house including water pump and furnace and a normal load with 2 freezers. Sure you can spend a fortune if you have it and have a auto starting diesel that will run half the town but if you have furnace a water pump and a fridge and two freezers its going to be awful rare that any two are starting up at the same time. Ive yet to see mine trip a breaker. keep in mind that 250 square feet is half the size of a 2 car garage. Hes not building a 3 story split level mansion. a 5k unit will do anything you need. If you want to spend money instead of going bigger go better. A 5k honda will last about forever reliably and is good on gas, we can run it on gas or propane and it is relatively quiet. Its what runs our camp today. Even has remote start so you don't have to walk outside and pull a rope. To be honest it isn't ran very often. We also have a 2k honda that runs about steady and the only time anymore we use the big one is if were doing construction or are using the water pump. By the way before I retired I was a lineman. We put power into a home way back in the sticks. Guy built a 3 bed ranch and ran the total electric load for 5 years off a 5k honda gen that was started each morning and shut off at a bed time. He said all he ever did was put a couple plugs in it and changed the oil. He said it still ran like new and never used a drop of oil.

[Petrol & Powder]

If you are using a cord with two male ends, you're asking for an electrocution.

Spend the money for an A-B transfer switch and a recessed socket with a male 220 plug. It's a one time expense and you're done with it.

[6bg6ga]

If your planning a back up generator for your home you need a transfer switch. I would suggest getting something larger than what your current draw is going to be. Diesel is best followed by propane if you have a tank and lastly being gasoline. Buy a good brand instead of something second hand at a farm sale.

[RED BEAR]

I do realize you must turn off the main breaker manually. I feel i am smart enough to do that. Do you have any idea just what it cost to buy and have a transfer switch installed. I know it is fine to say its a onetime expense but if you don't have the money what are you going to do wait or the electrician fairy to come by and do it. Well i am still waiting. When he shows up i will stop using a cord with 2 male plugs.my little 3500 runs everything i need until power comes back on and most important i can actually afford to run it. It is for emergency situations .

[Mal Paso]

And costs over $2,000 for a 3000 watt generator. Even a 2000 watt (which is not enough to run a decent size air conditioner; not that the 3000 will run much of one either) costs over $1,000. And, if the inverter goes out on any of the inverter generators, it costs hundreds to fix it.
It's quite, alright: quite expensive. You can find a decent used 5-10 KW diesel genset for the price of the 3 KW Honda. In fact the going price for a military surplus MEP-002A diesel generator is right around $1500.

I googled MEP-002A and the generator displayed had "Hearing Protection Required Within 13 Feet" stenciled across the side.

I watched a neighbor abuse a Honda 3000 every day for 5 years and it was still running when she left. Honda IS MIL-SPEC without the noise.

Fuel economy has to go to my Lister-Petter LS1 with a Lima alternator but you can hear it running for miles.

[Petrol & Powder]

I do realize you must turn off the main breaker manually. I feel i am smart enough to do that. Do you have any idea just what it cost to buy and have a transfer switch installed. I know it is fine to say its a onetime expense but if you don't have the money what are you going to do wait or the electrician fairy to come by and do it. Well i am still waiting. When he shows up i will stop using a cord with 2 male plugs.my little 3500 runs everything i need until power comes back on and most important i can actually afford to run it. It is for emergency situations .

I hear you but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and spend the money.

On a few occasions (one in the aftermath of a hurricane) I turned the main breaker off and fed the bus bars in the breaker box by hardwiring the cord to the bus bars. Even with some knowledge about what I doing it still made me nervous.

Sometimes you do things because you have no choice and sometimes you have a choice and do the wrong thing.

I later got a large propane powered generator and an automatic transfer switch. I'm much more comfortable with the proper set up.

Many years ago, I was with a friend when the clutch cable broke on his Pinto [yea, ...I know......]. We didn't have money for a tow truck and needed to get home. I put the shifter in first gear, started the engine with the transmission in gear and shifted through the gears relying on the synchronizers. When I needed to stop I just used the brakes to stall it out and put it back in first and started the engine again. Not the safest thing and very hard on the starter and gearbox, but we had no money. That was doing something because we had no choice. Today I would just call a tow truck.

[Tracy]

a 5k unit will do anything you need.

Sure it will, Lloyd... in the Michigan Upper Peninsula. I've had to use a heater in July in Herman, which is not far from Munising. But a 5K air conditioner won't even efficiently cool a bedroom in Texas, nor in Alabama where I am.

The OP should look at the states the advice downplaying the size of air conditioner that will be needed is coming from: upper Michigan, New York, even central Virginia. That does not translate to what is needed in Texas.

Even a small camper usually comes with at least a 13.5K air conditioner. That can be less than 100 square feet, and insulated.

[Tracy]

Honda IS MIL-SPEC without the noise.



Oh, is it? I'm curious to hear which military units use it.

[Mal Paso]

Oh, is it? I'm curious to hear which military units use it.

LOL Mine

.

[RED BEAR]

I really don't care where your at temperatures over 100 are over 100 when you throw in high humidity in the 90% + range are hot. My den faces south and without air is absolutely unbearable but a 5000 btu cools it nicely you ain't chilling watermelons but it is comfortable. This is a 288 sq ft room with a 12 ft ceiling. When i say comfortable i mean in the neighborhood of 73 or 74.

[jonp]

Buy 1.5x the size you think you might need and get a conversion kit for a few hundred bucks that will let you run both propane and gas in it. If you in Texas consider solar and wind to power your cabin as primary or backup

[white eagle]

the beauty of an RV is you can tow it to any state in the union
from sea to shining sea

[Finster101]

Honda EU-2000 or EU-3000. Super quiet and fuel efficient.

[pworley1]

I built a house over the course of 5 years just working when I could. I used an older model of one of these243666. I loaded it an air compressor a table saw a 12 inch miter saw and several assorted saws and drills on a trailer and pulled it to and from the site. I never had any trouble or need for more power.

[Tracy]

Well I just bit the bullet and bought one of the dual-fuel Champions I linked earlier. I have a generator I had been using for my RV, and a diesel generator for home backup. But the new Champion will be better for my RV because it has higher output, electric start and the ability to run on propane. All good things. Especially since with the smaller genny I had to do some creative breaker switching and run the fridge and water heater on gas, in order to have enough power to run the air conditioner.

[DougGuy]

I bought a NIB Generac 6500 running watts for hurricane prep, and ended up giving it to my son in Florida b/c it would have used 8gals of fuel per 10hr running, I looked at my fuel storage abilities and decided it would use too much. After a hurricane, if you get hit hard enough, gas stations may be out of power and or fuel for maybe 2 or 3 weeks, and that made my fuel storage too small to last that long. I wouldn't want to have to haul 40gals of fuel every 5 days. That's *IF* the station near me had gas and wasn't rationing it. They often do this after a hurricane if supplies are slim.

Wouldn't you know that as soon as I brought the new generator home, I pulled the fuel bowl off the old one and discovered trash in the jet which I dislodged with a hypodermic needle and now it runs like a top. For free. This was given to me. I doubt I would get over about 3k out of it but mostly if it would run a fridge and a small deep freeze with intermittent breaks for making coffee and using the microwave, it would do just fine.

[RED BEAR]

Fuel consumption is a big concern. Even if i bought a bigger one i couldn't fuel it.

[Tracy]

That's a big part of the reason diesel generators are better; they use less fuel. Under average load, my 1800 rpm diesel 8K genny uses about a quart of fuel per hour.
Also, during the tornado crisis of 2011 I was able to zip right past all the lines at the gasoline pumps and pull up to the diesel pump with no waiting.

[dangitgriff]

Fuel consumption is a big concern. Even if i bought a bigger one i couldn't fuel it.

Right on.

[dangitgriff]

That's a big part of the reason diesel generators are better; they use less fuel. Under average load, my 1800 rpm diesel 8K genny uses about a quart of fuel per hour.
Also, during the tornado crisis of 2011 I was able to zip right past all the lines at the gasoline pumps and pull up to the diesel pump with no waiting.

Good point.
Very good point.
And diesel stores longer, too.

[Lloyd Smale]

I 5000 btu ac doesn't come close to drawing 5000w. a 5000 btu ac uses about 550 watts. Less then a microwave or toaster. biggest draw in your home is your water pump. Most have 3/4 hp motors. and one hp = 746 watts A building the size hes talking if insulated properly could be easily cooled by a 10000 btu ac unit. so now weve used 1100 watts out of the 5000. Add a water pump drawing about 600 a fridge and your about half way to using up that 5kw and that's if the ac, waterpump and fridge all are cycling at the same time. Still leaves 2500 watts. Yup the advice to downsize the ac come from people up north. People that years ago figured out that 6 inch walls and r30 in the attic space is standard operation procedure. Because keeping a home warm in -30 takes at least as much energy as keeping one cool in texas. Peal apart one of those campers that you refer to one day and youll find just how well they are insulated. My guess is youll find there isn't even 4 inches of insulation anywhere in one. by the way a 100 square foot trailer is going to be like 10 or 12 feet long. My guess is a 5k btu ac will freeze you out of any insulated 100 square foot space. that's about like the size of two king sized beds. By the way alothough it might not stay over a 100 for weeks on end up here it does get that hot. I doubt theres been a summer in my lifetime that didn't have at least a couple days pushing a 100 or even over that and when its that hot here its Alabama hot. 100 percent humidity living a few hundred yards from lake superior. Not the dry heat that most of texas Az ect sees. you can run to menards and spend 500-1000 bucks on a 5000-6500 watt gen or do like my brother in law who has money did and have a company come in and set up a 15k gen set that's auto start auto stop and runs on propane. He had over 15000 bucks into it. Even if I had to shut off the ac for a few minutes while I showered or did dishes it isn't much of an inconvenience for a weekend shack to save 10 thousand bucks. Some here must have a lot more money then me. I cant afford to buy a 75k diesel truck either because once a year I need to haul something.
Sure it will, Lloyd... in the Michigan Upper Peninsula. I've had to use a heater in July in Herman, which is not far from Munising. But a 5K air conditioner won't even efficiently cool a bedroom in Texas, nor in Alabama where I am.

The OP should look at the states the advice downplaying the size of air conditioner that will be needed is coming from: upper Michigan, New York, even central Virginia. That does not translate to what is needed in Texas.

Even a small camper usually comes with at least a 13.5K air conditioner. That can be less than 100 square feet, and insulated.

[jonp]

Good point.
Very good point.
And diesel stores longer, too.

Not longer than propane. If you are really serious get a tri fuel or a conversion kit then bury a 500gal propane tank in your yard. If things go way south, a/c will be the least of your worries. That much propane will run your fridge, freezers and a cook stove for a few months easy