DIYbanter - View Single Post - Emergency power system for one perosn: Generator or battery system?

zxcvbob

wrote:
I live in north Missouri where ice storms can readily
happen..... and knock power out

I also live alone and in rented duplex....so my needs
for power are smaller and require more portability than
others.

Having said that... I'm wondering if buying a small
Honda generator and 120 volt devices is better than say
getting jump start batteries and using them with 12volt
devices (lights, etc)

How are you going to run the furnace since you rent? It's not like you
can rewire it for operation from an extension cord. Or are you going to
use the kitchen stove for heat? (hopefully it's gas)

I just tried out my little Yamaha generator (inverter, 2000W continuous)
today for the first time feeding the house. It will power my fridge and
furnace and a few lights all at once with no problems -- but it will not
power the fridge and both freezers at once if they are all starting at
the same time.

I actually replaced a few of the compact fluorescents with 100W
incandescent bulbs because the generator was not happy with all the
inductive loads I had initially. It kept idling down and then surging.
The Honda EU2000i might have handled everything better even though
it's only rated 1600W because you can disable the "Smart Throttle" on
it. (It's on all the time on the Yamaha) OTOH, maybe I just need to set
the idle a little faster on the Yamaha.

But I don't need to run both freezers at the same time, and in an
emergency in the winter, could just put all the food in big cardboard
boxes out in the garage and leave the freezers unplugged (and open so
they don't stink.)

Bob