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freedive10
-Global Mod-, Caballoloco
I paid $899 when it came out and still don’t regret it. Very quiet, portable, fuel efficient, and inverter for charging phones and laptops. Currently use it for travel ball for multiple fans, speakers, heaters, and pitching machine.
You can also double up two of the same and get more power with the connector sole separately.
freedive10
-Global Mod-, Caballoloco
I tend to stay away from WEN. Cheaply made crap. Save your money.
I've had good luck with my WEN 56203i. Bought it in 2020 for $300.00 (it was the Amazon deal of the day ) and try to run it each month so it's not sitting up too long. I can run a window unit, fridge/freezer, chest freezer, a couple of lamps, charge the cell phones, and the dehumidifier for the safe for 8 hours on one gallon of gas. There's probably better out there, but I'm happy with it
Good morning -love to provide my advice and experience with genset and hurricane preparedness.
For your application and budget I'd suggest the Generac Model #7680 as it's got the power for the list you provided and will likely last a lifetime with regular oil changes and good fuel (I still have my Katrina portable genset and run it monthly).
If you're a fella that has basic understanding of how electricity works then backfeeding your main electrical panel using an interlock device as the safety would be an excellent and cost effective way to avoid any hassles during an outage. Typically, you'd use 10/4 SO cable with 30A connectors, a 30A inlet, and a 30A backfed breaker at the panel. This setup is easiest to install on a "main breaker load center" (see photo).
Folks (like me) that have "backfed the panel" for many years and for several friends without an interlock device, are ALWAYS running a risk of damage, failure, injury and yes death to self or others. The reason for this is there are a number of steps that you gotta respect when energizing an electrical panel using an alternate energy source. One missed step could result in any or all of the bad conditions mentioned. Because I have a couple meter socket covers, my old way of doing things would have been to shut off my main breaker and pull my meter, install the socket cover to protect the utility company from anything I do. These days folks (plenty here) would blow a gasket on that suggestion, but it's the way many of us have handled long term outages.
Times and people have changed.
Most folks don't have meter safety covers, lockout/tag out clips, dielectric grease, 50ft of 8/4 SO cord, etc. etc. hanging around just waiting for a storm. I do and a few others here will. That doesn't mean I should suggest you do what I do. Actually it means I suggest you DO NOT, unless you have a lot of experience. The fellas that backfeed using a dryer socket are running a risk -no manner of ego or histpry of success can zero the risk. It's there. I suggest matching the risk level to your lowest level of ability cause during an "event" your head's usually on fire and your back side is catching.
Lastly, I now have a natty gas gensest set high upon an armored platform with an auto switch that runs my house when Entergy goes down. I see most folks place a $10-15k genset (installed) out in the yard on a metal stand and call themselves protected. I know better and built to some known outage conditions. Add to that I've passed the age where lugging my 6500w tri fuel genset out during an outage is something I'd put myself through.
I'd rather help others around me and that's what I do.
Get some good gear and get ready -hope any of this helps!
For your application and budget I'd suggest the Generac Model #7680 as it's got the power for the list you provided and will likely last a lifetime with regular oil changes and good fuel (I still have my Katrina portable genset and run it monthly).
If you're a fella that has basic understanding of how electricity works then backfeeding your main electrical panel using an interlock device as the safety would be an excellent and cost effective way to avoid any hassles during an outage. Typically, you'd use 10/4 SO cable with 30A connectors, a 30A inlet, and a 30A backfed breaker at the panel. This setup is easiest to install on a "main breaker load center" (see photo).
Folks (like me) that have "backfed the panel" for many years and for several friends without an interlock device, are ALWAYS running a risk of damage, failure, injury and yes death to self or others. The reason for this is there are a number of steps that you gotta respect when energizing an electrical panel using an alternate energy source. One missed step could result in any or all of the bad conditions mentioned. Because I have a couple meter socket covers, my old way of doing things would have been to shut off my main breaker and pull my meter, install the socket cover to protect the utility company from anything I do. These days folks (plenty here) would blow a gasket on that suggestion, but it's the way many of us have handled long term outages.
Times and people have changed.
Most folks don't have meter safety covers, lockout/tag out clips, dielectric grease, 50ft of 8/4 SO cord, etc. etc. hanging around just waiting for a storm. I do and a few others here will. That doesn't mean I should suggest you do what I do. Actually it means I suggest you DO NOT, unless you have a lot of experience. The fellas that backfeed using a dryer socket are running a risk -no manner of ego or histpry of success can zero the risk. It's there. I suggest matching the risk level to your lowest level of ability cause during an "event" your head's usually on fire and your back side is catching.
Lastly, I now have a natty gas gensest set high upon an armored platform with an auto switch that runs my house when Entergy goes down. I see most folks place a $10-15k genset (installed) out in the yard on a metal stand and call themselves protected. I know better and built to some known outage conditions. Add to that I've passed the age where lugging my 6500w tri fuel genset out during an outage is something I'd put myself through.
I'd rather help others around me and that's what I do.
Get some good gear and get ready -hope any of this helps!
Attachments
That's not been my experience but I'm sure it's possible, even likely in some situations /municipalities. YMMV
If you're friends with the Serviceman in your area you might be able to call him up and get the meter resealed " under the radar " . Seen it many times .
SVT Bansheeman
No more laughing dog
We went with a portable 7500ish on wheels with a Briggs and Stratton that ran on gasoline. After Ida we got it converted to run on natural gas and gasoline due to the insane PITA of getting gasoline. The only negative aspect I've seen was it runs WOT which drinks gas. I wish the engine would run only as fast as the power it needed to produce. We can run microwave, toaster oven, bunch of fans and lights, one a/c unit on wheels etc. Our tankless hot water heater runs on natural gas so that is not too relevant to the power draw since once it ignites, it is fine. We cool one room off at night and all sleep in that room. We put 180ish hours on it for Ida.
The reason we did not go with a stand alone was the extreme initial cost and possibility it would get damaged in the storm. That does not even factor in the money it cost to have it maintienced as some require. There were a lot of people who had damage on their stand alone or it failed and could not get parts for weeks after it failed. I do understand the reason for most failture could be lack of maintenance on the home owners fault, not the equipment. At worse, we go spend $800-$1000 on a new portable unit and we are back in action. We run our refrigerator, ac and fans all night and 2-3 hours around 1-3pm. It works fine. Most stand alones need to cool down but people ran them 24/7 and had major issues. Go figure. While very convenient and very reliable to some, I have no reason to get a standalone.
We had our home breaker panel modified as seen in the picture on post #27. That way we can not back feed the neighborhood. We had a 5 prong plug wired into our house under the carport so we can feed the house from our generator. That way it's plug and play once we roll the generator out.
I keep ours filled to the top (7-8 gallons) with non ethonal gas and Sta-bil. Every year, I will use that gas for my truck then go fill the generator back up to the top with non-e gas and Sta-bil. If you leave the tank empty, the tank will rust. I also keep the carburetor dry so it does not get gummed up with old fuel.
With that said, If we had money to blow, id have a standalone and keep the portable for back up.
The reason we did not go with a stand alone was the extreme initial cost and possibility it would get damaged in the storm. That does not even factor in the money it cost to have it maintienced as some require. There were a lot of people who had damage on their stand alone or it failed and could not get parts for weeks after it failed. I do understand the reason for most failture could be lack of maintenance on the home owners fault, not the equipment. At worse, we go spend $800-$1000 on a new portable unit and we are back in action. We run our refrigerator, ac and fans all night and 2-3 hours around 1-3pm. It works fine. Most stand alones need to cool down but people ran them 24/7 and had major issues. Go figure. While very convenient and very reliable to some, I have no reason to get a standalone.
We had our home breaker panel modified as seen in the picture on post #27. That way we can not back feed the neighborhood. We had a 5 prong plug wired into our house under the carport so we can feed the house from our generator. That way it's plug and play once we roll the generator out.
I keep ours filled to the top (7-8 gallons) with non ethonal gas and Sta-bil. Every year, I will use that gas for my truck then go fill the generator back up to the top with non-e gas and Sta-bil. If you leave the tank empty, the tank will rust. I also keep the carburetor dry so it does not get gummed up with old fuel.
With that said, If we had money to blow, id have a standalone and keep the portable for back up.
Yeah , it doesn't work that way . Your portable generator needs to run at 3600 rpm to produce the necessary 60 hz frequency .
SVT Bansheeman
No more laughing dog
I thought some honda generators dont run wot all the time. I guesss I thought wrong.
A lot of them throttle back if there is no load . My Generac does that . ECO mode or something like that .
My EMT instructor told us a story of the generator under the eaves. Exhaust went up the soffit vent and filled the house. Husband came home to find everyone dead.
One other consideration is protecting your sensitive electronics - computers, smart TV, etc. Look for an"inverter generator" or some such similar label like "constant wave" power. This keeps the 60Hz frequency stable and a pure wave. Without that, you run the risk of damaging the electronic device you are powering.
Every single year man, never fails it seems some family or families fall victim to this. Like you said it’s a cheap $20 insurance that’s could save your life.
It happens that easily and people don’t realize it.
