# What type of generator do you use?



## SurvivingMike (Apr 9, 2015)

Hey everyone I'm looking at getting a generator this year before storm season kicks in. I've went back and forth a lot on what kind to get, how big, etc. I think I found what I'm looking for finally:

Amazon.com : DuroMax XP4400EH 7 HP Dual Fuel Propane/Gas Powered Portable Electric Start Generator, 4400-Watt : Patio, Lawn & Garden

I like that it can run on gasoline or propane because we have a 420lbs (120gallon) propane tank for the indoor fireplace, and I keep a spare 100lbs tank in the garage in addition to the 20lbs tank on the grill. That's a lot of back up fuel! Also I've noticed that during gas fire crises it's usually more expensive but not impossible to find propane in my area.

Does anyone know what kind of hoses and connectors I would need to hook the generator up to the 120 gallon tank? Anyone have experience with dual fuel generators?


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

I have both an older 5500watt Coleman & a new Champion 3500watt. Both gasoline & both large enough in 240V to operate my well pump.


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## MaterielGeneral (Jan 27, 2015)

I have a Cabelas brand made by Champion 3500 watt electric start generator and I just bought a Harbor Freight 2 cycle 800 watt generator. Now I need to buy a transfer switch for my fuse box.

Getting an electric start generator is a smart move.


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## Moonshinedave (Mar 28, 2013)

I have a Briggs & Stratton 8kv it is gasoline only, but can be converted to duel fuel, I just haven't gotten around to it yet.


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## Piratesailor (Nov 9, 2012)

I have a 10kw tri fuel genset at my house. I have it hooked to the main house natural gas line. In a hurricane or major storm, the last to go out is natural gas unless there are major leaks in the area. So between the 3 fuels and my storage capacity I like the coveraage. 10kw will run the entire house except for startup of the main AC unit. I have spare window units if needed. I also run my genset once a month to make sure it's in working order.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Need to buy new one, but up north in Illinois, I used a Generac 3500W, gas engine unit. 
Had it for 17 years. Put about 100-200 hours on it per year. Exercised it per the
instructions religiously every month. Only problem was had to replace 2 oil pressure sensors. 
But was able to jump wire it to make it run when I needed it.


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## cgilbert (Jun 13, 2014)

Anybody know anything on powerland brand generators? I'm also looking into purchasing one.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

SurvivingMike said:


> Hey everyone I'm looking at getting a generator this year before storm season kicks in. I've went back and forth a lot on what kind to get, how big, etc. I think I found what I'm looking for finally:
> 
> Amazon.com : DuroMax XP4400EH 7 HP Dual Fuel Propane/Gas Powered Portable Electric Start Generator, 4400-Watt : Patio, Lawn & Garden
> Does anyone know what kind of hoses and connectors I would need to hook the generator up to the 120 gallon tank? Anyone have experience with dual fuel generators?


I HAVE THAT EXACT SAME GENERATOR, I HAVE IT HOOKED UP TO TWO HUNDRED POUNDERS WITH AN AUTO TRANSFER REGULATOR.
YOU NEED A POL CONNECTOR FOR THE 100 GOING INTO A REGULATOR, TAKE THE QUICK CONNECT OFF THE GENERATOR HOSE AND USE APPROPRIATE HARDWARE TO ADAPT/CONNECT TO REGULATOR. YOU CAN USE A BBQ REGULATOR WITHOUT THE QUICK CONNECT, OR END FEED WITH POL FEMALE.
YOU CAN FIND ALL THE NEEDED HARDWARE AT THE URL LISTED. IT DOES NOT GO STRAIGHT TO HOME PAGE, BUT YOU CAN NAVIGATE. 
I AM STILL SETUP FOR BUYING SPARES AND MANIFOLDING MY SUPPLY FOR MY HOME STANDBY HEATER, TOTAL OF SIX, HUNDRED POUNDERS.
YOU CAN GET A "T" FITTING AND THE REST IF YOU WANT TO GO INTO THE 120 GALLON THAT ALREADY HAS A REGULATOR

.Copper Propane Pigtail, POL x Inv. Flare - PropaneKing.com


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## whoppo (Nov 9, 2012)

A Generac and a handful of Champions. Very happy with both brands.


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## PatriotFlamethrower (Jan 10, 2015)

I would never buy a gas-powered generator. I've had them before, and most of them are junk, and the fact they use gasoline should set off all kinds of safety alarms.

Diesel power is the ONLY way to go. Diesel fuel is much safer to store, the "shelf life" is a lot longer than gasoline, and you can buy a 275 gallon, or larger, storage tank, fill it up, and you've got hundreds of hours of run time safely stored in your garage or basement. You can't do that with gasoline.

Gasoline will also be the most difficult fuel to obtain WTSHTF. 

Also, a good diesel generator will run and run and run, just like diesel engines in vehicles. 

They cost at least twice as much as gas generators, but the advantages are huge.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

If it dont say Onan or Honda wrote on the side. I aint buying one.


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## SDF880 (Mar 28, 2013)

I have 2 older Coleman 5500 watt gens. I run them every now and then and have used them a handful of times of the last 10 years. We had a good test back in 07
when we lost power for just shy of 9 days and the gens worked just fine for us. I only use one at a time this way I'll never have to fuel a hot gen. As one is getting low on fuel I fire the other up and transfer
over the load. I do have a transfer switch on my breaker box but it is a little over 100 feet from where I run the gens to the box. I do have a cord that will reach the box but other than testing it I have not used it yet and just runs cords
from the gen into the main level of the house and power limited items. I keep about plenty of gas on hand and cycle it thru the cars to keep fresh supply. We may get a whole home gen down the road still looking at options.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

bigwheel said:


> if it dont say onan or honda wrote on the side. I aint buying one.


Both are great.
I have a Coleman 7k watt that i have had for 24 years. 
I have bought the Duromax for the electric start and dual fuel features. 
My shoulder and generator location won't allow me to pull it over anymore.
I have a Onan military 12k job that is for my shop if ever needed to drive a 10 hp rotary phase converter in a SHTF situation.
I also have one other 5k gas commercial job, no need to run more than needed, why waste fuel???


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Sounds like you are fixed up Sir. The only generator I ever been around was the 2k? Onan which come in my Class C wannabe roach coach. It worked good and run anything you want short of an electric chair or something. Burned up a half gallon of gas per hour and a quart of oil each 12 hours or so. Had 15 folks piled in there under the AC when the skeeters went on a feeding frenzy and got after the outdoorsy types one dark night. I like Hondas because they are quieter than most. Wished Toyota made them things..lol I am also waiting for a Toyota Motorcycle.


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## rjd25 (Nov 27, 2014)

I have a Generac 5500kw gas genney. I am looking into the LP/NG kit for it.


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## alterego (Jan 27, 2013)

I have a 5000 watt generator we back feed the house with. It is a handy em5000s?
It will almost run everything if you get carried away it will trim the 30 amp breaker. My brother has the 6500 watt and it will run everything. I would like to get a newer one. The unit I have is 16 years old now. I will get an inverter rated 7000 for my next one.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Makes a bunch more sense than trying to store up gasoline for it. Smart thinking. Kindly let us know how it turns out..if you decide to go that route. Thanks.


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## rjd25 (Nov 27, 2014)

alterego said:


> I have a 5000 watt generator we back feed the house with. It is a handy em5000s?
> It will almost run everything if you get carried away it will trim the 30 amp breaker. My brother has the 6500 watt and it will run everything. I would like to get a newer one. The unit I have is 16 years old now. I will get an inverter rated 7000 for my next one.


careful with the inverter. not only will you pay through the ass for it, it most likely will be useless in an EMP event. Genny's that use RPM to set hertz should work fine.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Bigwheel,
during the summer I don't for the most part run ac. Just have to power a refrigerator and freezer.
For the most part it remains cool here by the lake and the home is completely shaded with 100 foot tall trees.
During the winter just add two oil burners.
I have standby propane heat that requires no electricity, have fuel for 120 days if need be. Run same off of 20# tanks for supplimental heat when it gets to 10 or below.
Main tanks are held in reserve for emergencies.
Shop alternate is a large wood stove with five cord of oak in reserve.
On the norm we loose power once during the winter and once during summer storms each year, most from downed trees along the main lines.


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## Salt-N-Pepper (Aug 18, 2014)

I use a 1999 Ford Taurus, a 2-gauge wiring harness and a Xantrex PROwatt SW 2000 pure sine wave inverter.

The car, at idle, burns about a gallon of gas every 3 hours, it's extremely quiet, liquid cooled and I can take it anywhere I want to go. Literally.


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## rjd25 (Nov 27, 2014)

This is what I am looking at getting for my Generac.

Generac Generator Tri Fuel Conversion Kits to Propane And Natural Gas


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Great link. Thanks. I had some chums who had some pretty fancy diesel pusher MH's which come equipped with LP powered generators cuz they was too tight to spring for the diesel model..as best as I can tell. Diesel generators must be muy beuno and expensive.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

MEP-16D

3kW 120/240/208 V (underrated at 3 kW), diesel Yanmar engine, pull start (no batt needed), aux fuel pump so can run from a truck tank , 55-gal barrel, or home fuel tank.


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## Medic33 (Mar 29, 2015)

lister.


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## Dubyagee (Nov 9, 2012)

I have a 10k homemade genny. Its a kubota NA diesel. I wish I had a Lister


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## shootbrownelk (Jul 9, 2014)

bigwheel said:


> Sounds like you are fixed up Sir. The only generator I ever been around was the 2k? Onan which come in my Class C wannabe roach coach. It worked good and run anything you want short of an electric chair or something. Burned up a half gallon of gas per hour and a quart of oil each 12 hours or so. Had 15 folks piled in there under the AC when the skeeters went on a feeding frenzy and got after the outdoorsy types one dark night. I like Hondas because they are quieter than most. Wished Toyota made them things..lol I am also waiting for a Toyota Motorcycle.


Wheel, Yamaha makes a quiet 2000 w. generator. Priced about the same as the Honda.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Salt-N-Pepper, very interesting thought. Welding cable or just stranded wire #2.


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## Salt-N-Pepper (Aug 18, 2014)

paraquack said:


> Salt-N-Pepper, very interesting thought. Welding cable or just stranded wire #2.


Standard #2 wire.


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## alterego (Jan 27, 2013)

Salt-N-Pepper said:


> I use a 1999 Ford Taurus, a 2-gauge wiring harness and a Xantrex PROwatt SW 2000 pure sine wave inverter.
> 
> The car, at idle, burns about a gallon of gas every 3 hours, it's extremely quiet, liquid cooled and I can take it anywhere I want to go. Literally.


This is a fantastic eye opener for a 12 volt inverter system. Get post. Take pics of it rigged up so everyone can see it. I understand but a pic is worth a thousand words.


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## rjd25 (Nov 27, 2014)

alterego said:


> This is a fantastic eye opener for a 12 volt inverter system. Get post. Take pics of it rigged up so everyone can see it. I understand but a pic is worth a thousand words.


Here is a good article and diagram if you are interested in doing this.

How to Turn Your Truck Into a Generator


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## SGT E (Feb 25, 2015)

6500 watt Briggs made by Troy Built and a switchbox for the house...Since I dont use it for anything but to run occasionally to keep the fridge and freezer cold until we use up whats in them (25 gallons of gas is all I need)..I have a small 1000 watt inverter generator for running battery charger to a bank of batteries if it gets cloudy for weeks...have some solar power otherwise and getting some more soon as well . I have 4 deep cycle batteries to run radio's...small digital TV if there is any tv.

Dont need generators for lights...heat or communications really....So guess its just a temp backup till I use my cold foods in the house.

We did have an 8 hour power outage last summer...I fired up the big generator and plugged it in and switched it all over within 10 minutes just to try it....Worked flawlessly and other than the electric stove...clothes dryer and water heater everything worked fine...TOOOOOO FINE! Landscape lighting.....lights in house and my big screen TV playing a movie with my Sat TV receiver drew a little too much attention from a lot of passers by!...some kept driving by.....Some almost wrecked wondering why there wasn't another light in a totally pitch black neighborhood! After it was all said and done I did a little rewiring to keep the outside outlets off the generator circuts.....and noticed two of my closest neighbors now have generators!


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## I'd_last_a_day (May 12, 2015)

PatriotFlamethrower said:


> I would never buy a gas-powered generator. I've had them before, and most of them are junk, and the fact they use gasoline should set off all kinds of safety alarms.
> 
> Diesel power is the ONLY way to go. Diesel fuel is much safer to store, the "shelf life" is a lot longer than gasoline, and you can buy a 275 gallon, or larger, storage tank, fill it up, and you've got hundreds of hours of run time safely stored in your garage or basement. You can't do that with gasoline.
> 
> ...


I hit a wall in every direction. I totally agree that diesel is way better than gas in so many ways but for my situation simply too noisy. The Honda EU inverter generator with fuel injection is everything I want in a generator...except that it's crappy gasoline. I'm not a millionaire so solar is out, it'd love to see the solar generator price tag to match the Honda EU7000is!!

Ok you have these tri-fuel converter Honda EUs that at first I thought was the answer but I'm second guessing that now. Why do you buy Honda? Why would you pay $4,000 for a 7KW generator? Because it is Honda quality. And Honda quality means that that thing was engineered to perfection...FOR GASOLINE. Engineered for the ingnition temperature of gasoline.

I would only buy a Honda tri-fuel if and when Honda makes it themselves. I would also love it if Honda came out with a straight inverter diesel or straight inverter propane!! If I was forced to make a decision and buy a generator today I suppose I would buy the Honda EU7000 tri-fuel and refuse to run it on anything other than gasoline YET keep propane on hand should the day ever arrive where I can't get gasoline, and then and only then would I fuel it with propane or natural gas (but it would still make me cringe to run a different fuel on what the super expensive generator was designed for)


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## just mike (Jun 25, 2014)

Porter-Cable 5000 that has been thru a couple of hurricanes in the 12 years that I have had it and a Honda eu2000i that is used all the time. In the summer I take it to the range to power 2 large fan that blow thru the firingline, the breeze really make a difference and only uses bout a gallon for all day.


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## slewfoot (Nov 6, 2013)

Briggs & Stratton 5550 watts,8550 starting watts.


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## James m (Mar 11, 2014)

I think mine has a Briggs and Stratton and makes 4,000 watts 120 volts. Its a few years old now. The last time it was running was during hurricane sandy, there is never enough of a hicup to warrant using it.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Generac 7500E.


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## 1skrewsloose (Jun 3, 2013)

I don't own one, but think some manufacturers of these, reverse engineer to obtain close to the same output. Hard to argue with a briggs. Been reading threads to decide what to buy. Unless it's winter, won't have to run very much to supply your needs.  jmo. P.S. Its on my wish list!


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