Generator Fire! Replacement?

Check your local craigs-list and if you find something that looks like a good deal ask if you can bring some gas and an electric heater to run it to see that it works before you buy it. Don't forget to check the oil before you start it. Sometimes they are new in the box and have never been ran. And sometimes they were ran without oil. You can find everything from a sweet deal to an abused piece of junk so you have to test them carefully. It might be a good idea to also bring oil, just in case it is new and never used.
 
While I love the inverter units, and I own a Honda EU2000is, they are expensive when they fail. And, they do fail.

I always suggest a conventional 'open-frame' generator, with a quality engine and a separate, high quality generator head. They are easy to service, easy to repair, and incredibly reliable.
 
While I love the inverter units, and I own a Honda EU2000is, they are expensive when they fail. And, they do fail.

I always suggest a conventional 'open-frame' generator, with a quality engine and a separate, high quality generator head. They are easy to service, easy to repair, and incredibly reliable.

If I lived in a place where the power was unreliable due to storms, I’d do that, or just go with a proper diesel like we use in the Caribbean.

For my situation, I bought the Robin in 2006, and have NEVER run it due to an outage. Seriously. Just haven’t had one, even in Sandy. I have to knock on wood a bunch of times.... but that’s the reality. I’ve used it for other offsite power occasionally... and lent it to others once.

So I have no real need to have a giant, loud machine taking up storage space, which, when I put it into use, is much less efficient, right at the time when due logistics is the bigggest issue.

Trust me, in places where loss of power is assumed, 100 gallons of diesel and a proper genset is the answer. At my primary residence, stealth, quiet, and efficiency is the set of attributes I’m looking for.

Just hoping to do a little better on longevity this time.
 
So I have no real need to have a giant, loud machine taking up storage space, which, when I put it into use, is much less efficient, right at the time when due logistics is the bigggest issue.

Something like this is neither huge, inefficient or loud. Furthermore it is stone reliable. Here in South Florida, the generator 'thing' is pretty well refined. It's also good to know that inverter generators are not more efficient. They consume less fuel when there are low or no-load conditions. When tasked with producing real power, at best, inverter units match the efficiency of conventional units, like the link below.


 
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Something like this is neither huge, inefficient or loud. Furthermore it is stone reliable. Here in South Florida, the generator 'thing' is pretty well refined. It's also good to know that inverter generators are not more efficient. They consume less fuel when there are low or no-load conditions. When tasked with producing real power, at best, inverter units match the efficiency of conventional units, like the link below.



My buddy recently picked up an absolutely gorgeous Honda diesel genset. It's quiet, but quite the weight! Made in Japan, not sure what it would have cost new, but he paid a fair bit for it used. It's a fully enclosed unit, unlike the lighter duty ones. Not the most portable thing in the world but extremely capable.
 
Something like this is neither huge, inefficient or loud. Furthermore it is stone reliable. Here in South Florida, the generator 'thing' is pretty well refined. It's also good to know that inverter generators are not more efficient. They consume less fuel when there are low or no-load conditions. When tasked with producing real power, at best, inverter units match the efficiency of conventional units, like the link below.



Trust me, we have the generator thing figured out in the Virgin Islands too. Which is why diesels are used. The power is unreliable and the storms are severe. I want to say we put 2000 hours on the diesel down there after Irma/Maria, and it was half a year before main power was restored to the house.

The framed gensets certainly are larger, and louder than the inverter units. I get it. If I was going to use it for any real amount of time, or trulyrely upon it due to unreliable power or storms, I’d be thinking along those lines too... if not a diesel.

Different tools in the toolbox for different reasons.

For me the inverter works fine for standby duty that may never happen. And with a 3500 starting watt unit, I can start
Totally agree that under load, the SFC is about the same. But there’s a bunch of underlying assumptions about continuous loading built into that.
 
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not real sure if inverter styles are being pushed for the $$$$ or CLEAN power is really necessary BUT my inverter welder wants CLEAN power + theres a spec for it which offhand i dont know + other electronics are mentioned as well!! buyer beware!!!
 
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