Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - generator size
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stic
11-30-07, 08:33 AM
how big of a generator do you need to buy to for emergenacy situations or limited use for camping i dont need it to run my furance i have a gas fireplace and hot water heater. Thanks for the help!
core
11-30-07, 10:31 AM
That question is really impossible to answer without details on what you'd like to power. Refrigerator? Do you have a deep freeze? Do you have a well and need the pump powered for drinking water? Do you want the sump pump on backup power?
As for the camping, unless you're doing the RV thing or are planning one heck of a large scale camping trip I don't think I'd lug along a generator. Inconvenient, and I wouldn't like the noise, no matter how "quiet" they are. If you take along a deep cycle battery and a cheapo 750W Wal-Mart inverter you can power just about anything you need, camping-wise.
As for the camping, unless you're doing the RV thing or are planning one heck of a large scale camping trip I don't think I'd lug along a generator. Inconvenient, and I wouldn't like the noise, no matter how "quiet" they are. If you take along a deep cycle battery and a cheapo 750W Wal-Mart inverter you can power just about anything you need, camping-wise.
stic
11-30-07, 10:45 AM
i understand for camping thanks. for home i would want it to be use for a fridge, a light or two, tv since i have dish not worried about down lines, and small appliancies(coffee maker,small microwave) for time to time i wouldn't be trying to do all at once
cheese
11-30-07, 10:30 PM
Sounds like a smallish 4000 to 5000 watt generator would be all you need. To be sure, check the power requirements of all things you want to run, combine the items that you might want to run at the same time, and buy a generator with at least 25% more capacity than that. Step two would be to buy a decent one and have a good place to store it, because many generators that are in storage for "emergencies" will never be any good when that emergency occurrs. This is mainly because of improper storage practice (namely gas left in the carb to gum up, water getting in the fuel, and mouse nests under the shrouds).
core
12-01-07, 12:13 AM
combine the items that you might want to run at the same time, and buy a generator with at least 25% more capacity than that.
The only tricky part with all of this is the refrigerator. I don't think 25% will be enough there.
(But don't ask me what the rule of thumb should be... I've never been able to discern one -- always just trial and error.)
The only tricky part with all of this is the refrigerator. I don't think 25% will be enough there.
(But don't ask me what the rule of thumb should be... I've never been able to discern one -- always just trial and error.)
logcabincook
12-01-07, 08:51 AM
Add up all the wattages of the items you want to run and compute based on what you will be running at once. Ironically coffee makers and microwaves can draw a BUNCH of watts. Older TVs can too. We are shooting for 7kW or higher but we will be running a well pump and fridge only - the two highest draws in the house (next to the hot tub, but that is not on the "essential items" list), OR running essential electronic equipment in the studio in the event we have a session going on (we lose power frequently in the spring).