Portable generators

[ErrolFlynn]

There will be several things on my list when deciding on a generator to buy. I expect to be buying something larger than my current unit, some time in the future. My recent experience has put a new item on the list of must-haves. Namely, good access to the spark plug. That notion will also apply to other things like the air filter, oil filler cap, etc.

I recently bought a second-hand generator. It’s my first ever experience. It’s an Atomic 700 w (800 w max) inverter generator and cost me $150. The full designation is AI700x. Does anyone else have one? Perhaps we can compare notes. I’ve been using it for a little while and am mostly pleased with it, and the TV and laptop don’t seem to mind it.

It started to sound a bit odd the other day with the revs increasing and decreasing, rather than running at a constant speed. Like it was starving for fuel. "Hunting" I think is the technical term. I decided to give it a tune-up. Basic things. First up being a new spark plug. Well, that’s as far as I got.

I bought a spark plug spanner specifically for my new toy, but access was restricted by the carburettor and other bits. My new plug socket was able to loosen the plug but there was no way I was going to be able to tighten the new plug. I only had a few degrees of rotational movement. I had to cut the spanner handle and weld it in a new position, then the handle had to be bent to allow access in a way that it didn’t fowl on anything.

What should have been a 5-minute job turned out to be a 5-hour job. I’m just mentioning this because it’s all very well to buy a generator that meets your technical requirements, but if it’s difficult to service then maybe you need to keep looking.

[ian]

I have to ask why you are buying petrol gensets?

For people who live in bush fire prone areas -- like your farm -- it would be more appropriate to rely on diesel as a fuel.

[truckjohn]

The best time to do your research on portable generators is when you don't need one. Once you're in the catastrophe, you either go without or buy what ever they're selling.

An extremely important consideration is: What are you powering?

Consider a few things:
*Wattage required for your minimum "Must have power" list.
*Noise levels
*Fuel consumption. This goes up real fast as generators get bigger. An 8k may well consume 30 gallons of petrol a day, which adds up to big money quick.
*Type of fuel and availability. Some cheapies take mix gas or even require ethanol free gas or else their fuel lines rot. Can you get a propane or natural gas conversion?
*Brand reputation and warranty. Remember a warranty is only as good as your ability to collect. A no name brand may list a great warranty, then vanish 3-months later, leaving you high and dry.
*Parts and service availability. Many "No name" knockoffs have zero parts availability. You will have to do all your own research and testing to locate "compatible" parts. This sounds easy, but they never break when you don't need them.
*Service requirements. Often cheapies have very short oil change intervals and spark plug lives. 40 hours between oil changes sounds like a long time. That could be a year on a lawn mower, but it's less than 2-days continuous running. Same for spark plugs.
*Weight and your ability to store it. A 2200w unit can run 20kg. An 8,000w unit 150kg+. Can you move that? Can you store it?

I went with a Honda suitcase 2200w. It runs both of my refrigerators, my stand up freezer, and still has some capacity left. It's been great. Very low fuel consumption - like 3-5 gallons per day. Very reliable. Sure, a knock off runs 1/3 to 1/2 the price, but what's that worth if it fries the electronics in your refrigerator or you can't get parts outside of Alibaba?

Best of luck on your hunt

[Beardy]

What is the purpose of the generator, short term power outages or long term use?

Honda or Yamaha are the go to brands but another option to consider is setting up a portable lithium battery with inverter and solar panel input. The cost is similar and no maintenance
I have wired my house to plug in a generator at the switchboard but considering changing that to a battery

[ErrolFlynn]

A solar system is the ultimate goal, but was thinking that was a long way off. I’m surprised you mention the cost being similar to a generator. You’ve certainly got me thinking.

I bought this generator because it was cheap and seemed in good condition. It was still in the box. I bought it for lighting but was pleasantly surprised when it could power some electronics without hurting them.

My next generator will have to power my welder.

Ian, I have to admit to considering a petrol over a diesel-fuelled generator because diesel exhaust is dirty and stinks. Nothing more. I can see that petrol is more volatile than diesel. Explosive vs flammable. Both are dangerous. Diesels tend to leak fuel. It’s the pressure to the injectors that causes that. Just about every diesel vehicle leaves its tell-tale signs on the ground.

Interesting note you make about fuel consumption, TJ. Actually, you make a lot of good points. Thanks for taking the time to do so. Most appreciated. Though, a fuel consumption of 30 gallons a day seems much more than I would have expected. That would put it up with or greater than what a car uses if driven all day. Though, I gather inverter generators can adapt to the load. Less load less fuel usage. I will be looking around for something around 10KW. Though, most of what I’ve seen only goes to 8 or 9KW, then there’s a jump to something huge. It needs to be mobile.

As mentioned, solar is the ultimate goal. The generator will be the transition to that. I also need a portable power source and it needs to power a welder. The welder will run on 7KW (I’ve been told), but advice from various sources would suggest that a generator approaching 10KW would guarantee trouble-free welding. It would get heavy usage whilst welding, but that would only be for very short periods. Most of the time it would be idling or switched off.

[ian]

My next generator will have to power my welder.

Ian, I have to admit to considering a petrol over a diesel-fuelled generator because diesel exhaust is dirty and stinks. Nothing more. I can see that petrol is more volatile than diesel. Explosive vs flammable. Both are dangerous. Diesels tend to leak fuel. It’s the pressure to the injectors that causes that. Just about every diesel vehicle leaves its tell-tale signs on the ground.

the reason I mentioned a diesel generator in the context of bushfires is that the heat from a bushfire is likely to cause vapor lock in a petrol powered generator -- at the time when you will most need the generator to keep working and powering your fire fighting appliances, including most importantly the pump supplying fire fighting water.

[Beardy]

A solar system is the ultimate goal, but was thinking that was a long way off. I’m surprised you mention the cost being similar to a generator. You’ve certainly got me thinking.
.

I am not talking about a domestic system but one that they typically fit in caravans and motorhomes. A system at the more budget end of the scale from someone like Kings ( who get very good reviews on their batteries and inverters) could be had for under 2k with say a 3000watt inverter, 300amps of lithium battery and solar panels

Might work for your situation?

[ErrolFlynn]

Yes, worth investigating.

Turnstiles was recently telling of his solar set up in his thread: Southern Tablelands Shipping Container Build

"$12,900 WITH a lithium Ion battery! Needless to say I went with them!! The package came with: 8 X 400W panels, inverter, battery."