On Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:09:03 -0500, zxcvbob wrote:
In alt.energy.homepower Neon John wrote:
Yes, that's a honda thing. If your needs fit an inverter generator
(most people's don't), I recommend the Yamaha line, partially because
of the honda thing. The Yamahas are actually better units and Yamaha
doesn't have that same price-fixing attitude of honda.
I want to be able to run my furnace blower, gas oven ignitors,
refrigerator, TV, laptop computer, and a few fluorescent lights during
an extended power outage during the winter. Or during the summer, the
same thing except a 8000 BTU (11 EER) window A/C instead of the furnace.
I also have a couple of freezers that might need to be plugged in a
couple of hours each day, but I could unplug the fridge when I do that.
I think I could get by OK with a generator rated for 110V 1600W
continuous power. I could certainly get by with it a lot better than I
could with no generator at all.
The Honda is also a nice size to throw in the back of a truck to take to
a job site to run 110V power tools, like various electric saws or lighting.
Your parents' experience with the gas hog is one reason why I asked the
question. Far too many people find out the hard way about how much fuel it
takes to keep a 4 or 5kW generator running.
Unless you go for the very high dollar 3 or 4kW versions, an inverter
generator isn't a good match for your load mix. The reason is that they have
no surge reserve. That is, no motor starting reserve.
For instance, the EU2000 has a continuous rating of 1,600 VA (nice little fib
there in the model number) but a peak of only 2000 VA. A momentary load, say,
starting the compressor of the AC, of even a tiny bit over 2000 VA and the
inverter shuts down, requiring an engine stop and restart.
A conventional generator, OTOH, may slow down a little and dip the voltage but
it will supply much more surge current than its nominal full load rating. In
isolation, an EU2000 or Yamaha equivalent would probably run any of the items
you mentioned (minor question on the AC) The problem is trying to run several
loads at once.
For instance, you might have the lights, a PC and the refrigerator running
when the little AC tries to start. There simply isn't enough headroom left to
do the job.
Yamaha has addressed this problem with their "boost" technology that uses the
cranking battery to supply surge current
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/outdoor/.../444/home.aspx
But this is a high dollar generator.
What I recommend is to get two different generators: a little 1kW unit to run
your lights, PC and other light loads and a larger one, say 2500 watts, for
the AC, furnace blower and perhaps the refrigerator. (depending on the fridge,
it might run on the 1kW unit.)
The 1 kW unit which just sips fuel, can be run all the time. The larger
generator can either be started and stopped as needed or can use the no-load
idle-down feature that almost all constant-speed generators have to return to
idle when no load is applied.
Buying chicom generators, you can get two for less than the price of one big
name inverter generator. The 1kW 2-stroke unit that Northern Tool and others
sell for as little as $99 does a fine job. I have two of 'em. One of those
will start and run my electric lawn mower, something my 2,500 watt inverter
will not do. A 4-stroke version is about double that price but, IMO, not
worth it. The 2-stroke version is fairly quiet and with "no smoke" oil like
Northern Tool sells, emits almost no fumes.
Harbor Freight, Pep Boys and many other similar places sell a nice little 2500
watt generator in the $300 range. Some versions use a honda clone engine
manufactured under license from Honda. (I know the Pep Boys one does, not
sure about the rest) Here's Harbor Freight's version:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=92456
If you dedicate the 2500 watt unit to the AC, furnace fan and perhaps the
refrigerator then it can idle down when there is no load, further conserving
fuel.
If you really just want 1 generator then I'd go with something in the 2500
watt class.
John
I keep putting off buying a generator because the power here in town is
so reliable. But my parents down in East Texas near Houston have been
living off a cheap 5000W generator for a week now and it's scary how
fast it burns up the gasoline they had stored. One gas station just
opened up for business again a couple of days ago (all the other
stations are still closed because they don't have power) and you have to
wait for hours in line at the one Exxon station and hope they don't run
out before you get to the front of the line. We don't get hurricanes up
here, but we do get tornadoes and ice storms (usually not at the same time)
That's why the tri-fuel conversion looks mighty good.
Bob
--
John De Armond
See my website for my current email address
http://www.neon-john.com
http://www.johndearmond.com -- best little blog on the net!
Tellico Plains, Occupied TN
Vegetarian - Indian word for "poor hunter".