# cheap generator?



## Will2 (Mar 20, 2013)

Does anyone have recommendations on a cheap generator --- propane fed.. although dual or more mode is ok, but must take 20-25lb cyclinders of propane.

I've been seeing 2000 and 4000 watt there abouts units selling for about $500-$600 when shipping is taken in consideration to Canada.

Anyone have comments or suggestions on this?

I am using propane for heat, and in the event of a furnace failure it would be nice to be able to do emergency heating on electric. Also I have wind and solar but my batteries are going down in terms of usefulness on year 4 and they got frozen this winter while in use...

I am also looking for the cheapest possible capacitor bank around.. as I'd like to cap banks due to the cold weather up here for 8 months of the year.

None the less, anyone know the cheapest source for lp generators out there?


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## James m (Mar 11, 2014)

I just saw two online for 250 for 2000 watts and 350 for 4000 watts fueled by propane. 
I only have a gas generator thats 120 volts. And 4000 watts.
You can convert a gas to propane. Might be cheaper but maybe less reliable.
http://www.amazon.com/s?rh=n:348967011,p_n_power_source_browse-bin:4619671011
Sportsman series


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## jro1 (Mar 3, 2014)

Remember the terms, "you get what you pay for" I would consider maybe saving a little more dough and buying something that will be more reliable! I went the budget route on a generator before! you know what it's like pull starting a lawn mower that will just not start?!?! Same thing with a cheap generator! nothing worse than a POS! that won't start when you need it most! The Honda 2000 is well worth the buy, good on fuel and very quiet when you need to be as quiet as possible. It's a purchase you will never regret if you spend the extra cash......Not sure about propane generators but I'm sure the same rule applies


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## Ripon (Dec 22, 2012)

Harbor Freight sales cheap, and it's cheap. To rely on it should mean regular service and some extra parts, but the Westinghouse I saw on a recent email was a decent buy at 8k watts for about$500 but it wasn't propane. 

A member of our church group starting off prepping bought a nice "cheap" one off a craigslist add last fall. He used it this winter no problems and is out $300 for a 6400 watt unit. I don't think it's great to depend on but for those that have nothing it's better than that.


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## Will2 (Mar 20, 2013)

I ended up going with the sportsman 2000 watt from wayfair.com , they had a sale for 45% off thier retail plus 10% off. Shipping to canada was like $100 though. The unit itself after the 10%discount was about $225 with taxes I think it was about $360 or so. I opted for the smaller generator as I think the larger the rating the more fuel it uses. The same unit from amazon.ca was about $70+ more
http://www.amazon.ca/Sportsman-GEN2000LP-Propane-Portable-Generator/dp/B004BKI0M0?tag=chrome0f-20

It is still quite expensive electricity though at about $4 an hour. I figure that the unit might also generate some heat while running too though, which is a good thing.

Overall it should insure electrical supply if there is no wind or sun on any given day. It will also let me charge my batteries if the weather is going south, which is what trapped me this year,... as I lost charge when the weather was down.. not sure if my agm batteries will come back to life...

I need the electricity for the odd cooking appliance, the furnace, soldering related stuff, emac, laptop keyboard, router, maybe some LEDs and the odd tool etc... nothing should eat up over 1200watts, and I can probably get more out of it by using my inverter for my battery bank if I do need more power.

http://www.wayfairsupply.com/Sportsman-2-000-Watt-LP-Propane-Gas-Generator-XBJ1004.html

does anyone know the deal with the oil I need for it?


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## jro1 (Mar 3, 2014)

sounds weird, but I use a synthetic 10w-40 for my generator when it's under heavy loads!


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

Will said:


> Sportsman 2,000 Watt LP Propane Gas Generator - GEN2000LP | Wayfair Supply
> 
> does anyone know the deal with the oil I need for it?


It's on the spec's sheet on that page.

Recommended Oil Type: SAE 10W-30


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## Will2 (Mar 20, 2013)

good catch


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## Tennessee (Feb 1, 2014)

My son's and I picked up a Smarter tools 3500w generator at Castco for $299 a few weeks ago. It still my be on sale.


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## bad (Feb 22, 2014)

You are not going to do much electric heating with a 5000 watt unit. 

We had to run a house on a generator by plugging in the LP furnace to the generator. It only takes a several hundred watts to get the furnace to start and then maybe 200-300 to keep it going. 

What you don't want to do is to plug your generator into your house wiring without have a disconnect circuit between your house and the grid. 

When I had installed the high efficiency furnace about 10 years ago I put in an outlet on the side of the furnace. Instead of running romex from the furnace I used a pig tail with a plug on it. Normally it just plugs into the outlet but it has the ability to just be plugged into an extension cord. 

We went for 4 days with intermittent generator power. 

When we bought our farmstead we new we could sacrifice the electric grid. It has wood heat which we have kept after we got electricity.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

LP ones are not as reliable and the engines do not last as long. For a small one like that I think you are better off with gas. Just add treatment to the fuel and they store pretty good. LP has a lot of water in it. They can also be a problem in real cold weather.


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## alterego (Jan 27, 2013)

I would not buy a cheap generator. I am not spouting piased platatudes. You get what you pay for. The only reason you get a generator is for an emergency backup. Ever been in the dark with a during flash light in your mouth during an ice storm trying to figure out why the cheap generator won't start. I have. Get a Honda. I hate to advertise any thing that is not USA made but to my experience there is no better generator made.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Made in the US all shapes and sizes priced right
Generac Generators and Transfer Switches at GSI ? Standby Generac Generators


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## StarPD45 (Nov 13, 2012)

@Will - 'quote' - I figure that the unit might also generate some heat while running too though, which is a good thing. 'quote'

OK I'm going to ask.
You aren't planning on using the generator inside, are you? I hope not. The heat it generates might be the last thing you feel.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

As long as the exhaust pipe goes well outside the house the heat is good.


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## Montana Rancher (Mar 4, 2013)

Will said:


> Does anyone have recommendations on a cheap generator --- propane fed.. although dual or more mode is ok, but must take 20-25lb cyclinders of propane.
> 
> I've been seeing 2000 and 4000 watt there abouts units selling for about $500-$600 when shipping is taken in consideration to Canada.
> 
> ...


I don't know what you have th charge your batteries but when it comes to batteries here is my suggestion

DEKA Flooded L16 - 6V 370aH Battery - 8L16LTP-DEKA *
$343.00

I picked these up locally for $215 each WITH deposit althought they Are obey 1 yea ear old, from my research they will last another 10 years

IMO get.a good battery. The up front costs are more and then you win


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## Will2 (Mar 20, 2013)

Smitty901 said:


> LP ones are not as reliable and the engines do not last as long. For a small one like that I think you are better off with gas. Just add treatment to the fuel and they store pretty good. LP has a lot of water in it. They can also be a problem in real cold weather.


gas freezes much quicker even a risk of the propane freezing up here.... in winter.
It pretty much has to be low freezing point....

gas wont work year round.. gas probably wouldn't work half the year...

Of course lifespan is a thing to watch... got to figure out what goes on them so just that part can be fixed

weather is on par to alaska up in Longlac

https://www.uaf.edu/files/ces/publications-db/catalog/eeh/EEM-04955.pdf

still forecast to be -18f on wednesday..

I think I can keep the propane warmer than -44 f...

I could probably use the car engine as a gas generator if needed.

i have a 12vdc to 120vac inverter for my solar and wind... of course finding a way to make it more efficient is another matter.

having a capbank battery pack will probably provide cold start to the car engine... if it were working... its been sitting for a few years now gas is probably totally dead in the tank.

I've been keeping the wheels moving now and then by pushing it every 6 months or so but it needs a total tune up big time. it is being moded very slowly. long term project. other topic though.

http://cr4.globalspec.com/thread/25640/How-to-Build-a-Generator-from-a-Car-Engine?from_rss=1

food for thought...

I think what I need to do is create an automation time to bypass the accelorator to time it to 50 or 60hz.

http://www.instructables.com/answers/How-powerful-of-a-motor-do-you-need-to-run-an-alte/

scary to think but at full throttle 170hp is 130kW!!!!

http://www.survivalistboards.com/showthread.php?t=217258 (checkout post #6)

PS only one gas station in 40km around this place the last one before a 200km jump on a major transportation route...
gas is also quite high up here - highest in ontario perhaps..(err or rather Canada, or rather - North America 

http://www.ontariogasprices.com/Map_Gas_Prices.aspx


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## Will2 (Mar 20, 2013)

Also if you have a gas generator do you also have gas enhancer fluid?

I've read gas has a safe shelf life of about 30-60 days before it starts decomposing.

Of course any problem lasting that long is pretty ridiculous.

However there appears to be a bunch of retro kits to run propane in gas generators.


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## bad (Feb 22, 2014)

Automobiles make very poor power sources. Very inefficient running a multi cylinder 2 liter engine to make 1000w (14x70). If your car has been sitting 6 months particularly under adverse conditions. It probably won't run without the fuel system being cleaned out. The mice nests in the air box, the wiring replaced where needed by rodent infestation. 

Honda and other companies make smaller inverter run generators. They don't run at a constant rpm like my older unit. They regulate their rpm based on the AC or DC power required. At partial load they are more efficient. You turn on the generator and when your furnace turns on the generator speeds up to make the required power. 

Service of the generator becomes important. On a new unit you should change the oil after 10 hours or less of running. After that, change the oil every 50 hours or so. You have to be prepared for this and have plenty of motor oil on hand. Last winter I found autozone was selling Mobil 1 5w-40 diesel truck oil on sale for $14 a gallon and purchased 10 gallons of it. I use the oil in all my 4 stroke engines. 

We keep our generator in it's motor room. I welded on a stub exhaust pipe on the muffler and it is piped outside in some 1"conduit. The motor room adjoins the house with a common wall and we leave the sliding door cracked open when it runs. Our generator is a Coleman 5000w. It has a Subaru Robin motor on it. Starts and runs well. I think it cost about $500. When running our house it would run about a half to 3/4ths of a gallon an hour. One of our routines was to go out in the morning to start the generator. 

If you have a large battery pack you will need lots of electricity to keep it charged. 

I am sure your have considered these aspects of living off the grid.

Rather than rely on gas for heat, have you considered something like wood heat? We chain saw our wood about a year or two in advance of when we are going to use it. Split it with our mauls.


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