# Generator Area!?



## MikeyPrepper (Nov 29, 2012)

Hey everyone, good morning. I have a new generator and was wondering if its ok to run it in a shed with open doors about 50 ft from the house? Are there concerns or anything i should worry about?


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## hawgrider (Oct 24, 2014)

MikeyPrepper said:


> Hey everyone, good morning. I have a new generator and was wondering if its ok to run it in a shed with open doors about 50 ft from the house? Are there concerns or anything i should worry about?


Been running mine like that( 8x10 shed with no doors) for over 20 years. Keep it dry let it breath. Take any other fuel sources out of he shed while running (other gas cans etc.) Keep the exhaust muffler close to the opening of the open doors of the shed. Use the appropriate size electric cord from the generator to the house connection. I use #8 gauge wire from the generator 220V outlet to run my whole house.


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## MikeyPrepper (Nov 29, 2012)

Awesome, thank for the info. I think thats what ill do.


hawgrider said:


> Been running mine like that( 8x10 shed with no doors) for over 20 years. Keep it dry let it breath. Take any other fuel sources out of he shed while running (other gas cans etc.) Keep the exhaust muffler close to the opening of the open doors of the shed. Use the appropriate size electric cord from the generator to the house connection. I use #8 gauge wire from the generator 220V outlet to run my whole house.


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

MikeyPrepper said:


> Hey everyone, good morning. I have a new generator and was wondering if its ok to run it in a shed with open doors about 50 ft from the house? Are there concerns or anything i should worry about?


get it stolen ..... better have a big ole chain and smashproof padlock


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

dupl ****


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## hawgrider (Oct 24, 2014)

Illini Warrior said:


> get it stolen ..... better have a big ole chain and smashproof padlock


Locks and chains only keep honast people honast. 
Where do you recommend he runs it... in his garage with the door closed?


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## Dubyagee (Nov 9, 2012)

Cut vents in the shed and lock it.


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## Flabbergasted (Mar 21, 2017)

If you'll be using the generator a lot, I'm with Dubyagee, cut two vents and maybe stick a little fan in one.
If it's only for power outages then you're fine, just have the exhaust face the opening and make sure you get combustibles out of the shed while it's running. Mine is an outage-only thing and I just roll it partway out of the shed (all of 8' from my house) when I need it.

In either case, at least use a padlock to stop opportunistic thieves. That said, I have yet to find a padlock I can't pick inside 30 seconds, so if theft is a serious concern use two or three _different_ padlocks.


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

hawgrider said:


> Locks and chains only keep honast people honast.
> Where do you recommend he runs it... in his garage with the door closed?


and what's your problem with locking things up and chaining things down?? - "business" obstacles for you?

your generator should be tied down in storage - big theft item from garage burglaries - even bigger target during a natural disaster - whole other issue when it's a life & death SHTF ....


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## MikeyPrepper (Nov 29, 2012)

I agree, when we had hurricane sandy here in NJ people were stealing genertaors


Illini Warrior said:


> and what's your problem with locking things up and chaining things down?? - "business" obstacles for you?
> 
> your generator should be tied down in storage - big theft item from garage burglaries - even bigger target during a natural disaster - whole other issue when it's a life & death SHTF ....


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## Moonshinedave (Mar 28, 2013)

I heard this story around here a couple years ago, not sure if it's not an old wife's tale but here goes:
during a power outage this guy was running his portable generator, set up on his porch. He and his family went to bed leaving the generator running. The next morning he woke up to find no electricity, but could still hear the generator running. Once he got outside to check on it, he found a thief had stole his lawn mower, set beside his generator, started it then took his generator, the homeowner hearing the lawnmower thinking it was his generator safely running outside.
I agree with locking up the generator the best you can, but I also agree with Hawgrider, that at best it will only slow a thief. Boltcutters can be purchased pretty much anywhere these days.


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## hawgrider (Oct 24, 2014)

Illini Warrior said:


> and what's your problem with locking things up and chaining things down?? - "business" obstacles for you?
> 
> your generator should be tied down in storage - big theft item from garage burglaries - even bigger target during a natural disaster - whole other issue when it's a life & death SHTF ....


Must be where you live then. Ive never had to chain mine down. Maybe you should move? Chain wont stop a thief anyway you ever hear of bolt cutters?


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## hawgrider (Oct 24, 2014)

Flabbergasted said:


> If you'll be using the generator a lot, I'm with Dubyagee, cut two vents and maybe stick a little fan in one.
> If it's only for power outages then you're fine, just have the exhaust face the opening and make sure you get combustibles out of the shed while it's running. Mine is an outage-only thing and I just roll it partway out of the shed (all of 8' from my house) when I need it.
> 
> In either case, at least use a padlock to stop opportunistic thieves. That said, I have yet to find a padlock I can't pick inside 30 seconds, so if theft is a serious concern use two or three _different_ padlocks.


Might want to rethink the closed in area for the generator (heat kills). A couple of small vents and a little fan will not dissipate the heat of a generator especially in the warm months.


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## Moonshinedave (Mar 28, 2013)

hawgrider said:


> Must be where you live then. Ive never had to chain mine down. Maybe you should move? Chain wont stop a thief anyway you ever hear of bolt cutters?


I've never had anyone mess with mine either, but there damn sure are a lot stolen around here during power outages. Agreed chains and locks won't stop a thief with a bolt cutter, but sometimes it makes it harder, for a thief, and thats enough because there are more easy pickens elsewhere. And not every Meth head is smart enough to operate or otherwise own a boltcutter.


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## hawgrider (Oct 24, 2014)

Moonshinedave said:


> I've never had anyone mess with mine either, but there damn sure are a lot stolen around here during power outages. Agreed chains and locks won't stop a thief with a bolt cutter, but sometimes it makes it harder, for a thief, and thats enough because there are more easy pickens elsewhere. And not every Meth head is smart enough to operate or otherwise own a boltcutter.


Mine lives in the backyard during a outage which is fenced. I also live in a suburban area where folks own many guns. We don't have to much of a thief problem in my area. But I understand the concern. I just think its funny how some think a 5 dollar master lock and a hardware store chain is going to insure that nothing gets stolen.


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## MaterielGeneral (Jan 27, 2015)

hawgrider said:


> Might want to rethink the closed in area for the generator (heat kills). A couple of small vents and a little fan will not dissipate the heat of a generator especially in the warm months.


I agree, air cooled is air cooled for a reason. Buy or make one of those security doors for the front door that's made like a cage door??? I don't know what you call it. Add that to the inside as a security door and then you have your regular door that you leave open while in use.

Here are a couple of examples.
36 x 80 in. 16 Gauge Steel Black Security Door Spanish Lace Design | eBay

UNIQUE HOME Steel Security Door 36" x 80" Outswing White 5SH202WHITE36 d174 NEW | eBay

36" x 80" Security Door Black

If you look on YouTube you can find videos where tubing was attached to the exhaust and then to a tractor muffler and then more tubing to outside. Just another way to vent and the muffler is supposed to help with the loudness but I never noticed much of a difference.


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## MikeyPrepper (Nov 29, 2012)

Great, thanks for the info


MaterielGeneral said:


> I agree, air cooled is air cooled for a reason. Buy or make one of those security doors for the front door that's made like a cage door??? I don't know what you call it. Add that to the inside as a security door and then you have your regular door that you leave open while in use.
> 
> Here are a couple of examples.
> 36 x 80 in. 16 Gauge Steel Black Security Door Spanish Lace Design | eBay
> ...


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## Brettny (Apr 26, 2017)

If your generator has wheels and you live in a suburban area i would defenatly chain it down. A trail camera could be extra insurance.
My generator lives outside behind my garage. Its 850lbs and has no wheels so im really not worried about it. When i had a consumer grade generator i never locked it up. We dont live in that kind of area. Also i didnt leave it running for hours on end while i slept or watched tv or anything of the sort.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

Mines on wheels, lives in the pole barn. It wheels outside for use. If rain, well the barn door stays open . 
Then the guard dog watches over in a sniper position


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

I have never had a chain on my generator. I have had it running outside after a storm knocked power out. It was there was there for days. 

I guess if you live in the city - maybe... But I doubt where i live anybody is going to steal it


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## Medic33 (Mar 29, 2015)

I have had a genny stolen it wasn't a expensive one but still kind of pissed me off at myself for being naïve and trusting stupid. i had a piece of property for around 2 years only used for fishing had a nice lake on it wasn't huge only 10 acres but the lake was 7 of them, so i dropped a pop up camper that i didn't care much about, that i picked up back in the y2k days cheap and hook a generator to it for power on the really hot days temps would be up there with high humidity and the place was in the south as in Mississippi I chained the generator and a old atv to a huge tree with a stupid silly heavy duty pad lock and a decent chain for all summer it worked out great then when i went down to close it up for winter bam someone took the chain,lock,generator,half the tree,and stripped the atv i mean they even took the duck taped ripped up seat but left the frame axles and engine( why not just take the ATV? ugghh!) anyway they left the camper alone lessen put that stuff in a shed and lock it up -since i sold that property (probably to the airbisquite that robbed me).
so i would say dude your ok keeping it in the shed and the vents (if you choose to put them in) need to be on both sides of the center beam and out the roof -heat rises even in the summer and so dues some of the exhaust -if worried about noisy then take a pipe and garden hose and fit it to the gen exhaust runt the hose into a large (as in 5 gallons or bigger) bucket filled with water it will cut the noise down in half or so.


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## Orphwitz (Sep 4, 2017)

My wife's amish grandparents had a generator in the backyard shed. It was something their community permitted to run businesses. The generator was quite large, and the exhaust was piped outside. I think they ran it with the shed door open. 
I would fence off the generator area anyway. Anything to deter potential interlopers.


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

hawgrider said:


> Must be where you live then. Ive never had to chain mine down. Maybe you should move? Chain wont stop a thief anyway you ever hear of bolt cutters?


keep advice to yourself - guarantee it's a whole lot safer here than your neck of the swamp ....

if someone is stupid enough to use materials that can just sizzored thru - they deserve to lose their property ....


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

I hate chains; I love monster motorcycle cables with hardened shackle giant size padlocks. 
If I could, I'd add a reverse acting land mine under the generator as a surprise. I'm just 
about ready to drop the hammer on a new inverter style genset. I still have the cable and 
padlock from the old genset. Still looking for a reverse acting land mine. 

Seriously tho, you might want to pipe the exhaust directly outside. Some gensets use a 
pipe thread muffler so you could just add a food of pipe. But don't get carried away with
length of pipe and a bunch of elbows. Might restrict the exhaust too much and damage the 
genset.


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