Does anyone have experience with Portable Generators for emergency back-up? I have narrowed the choices to a Generac XG6500 (410cc engine) and a Powermate 6800 (12hp yamaha). Does anyone have insight on either of these models? Thanks for the help!
Portable Generator choice
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JTK
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Per specs & pics they both look like nice machines. I suspect the Yamaha engine is an outsourced "Chonda", but don't know for sure. I've heard good and bad about Generac.
My take on portable generators is go small. I know when I need them, it's during times when it's tough to source gasoline.
Joel
My take on portable generators is go small. I know when I need them, it's during times when it's tough to source gasoline.
Joel
Originally Posted By: JTK
Per specs & pics they both look like nice machines. I suspect the Yamaha engine is an outsourced "Chonda", but don't know for sure. I've heard good and bad about Generac.
My take on portable generators is go small. I know when I need them, it's during times when it's tough to source gasoline.
Joel
True that!
Remember that a larger generator will have a higher fixed overhead fuel requirement, that is, an 8kW generator making 3kW will burn more fuel than a 4kW generator making 3kW. And as you correctly noted, the times when you need a generator tend to be the times when sourcing fuel is difficult. So, unless you're going to store a lot of fuel, or you're going to go for a natural gas generator, consider your most likely power requirements and size your generator accordingly. Extra kWs of generation sound good in theory, until you find that you're burning through fuel faster than you can replenish it.
Per specs & pics they both look like nice machines. I suspect the Yamaha engine is an outsourced "Chonda", but don't know for sure. I've heard good and bad about Generac.
My take on portable generators is go small. I know when I need them, it's during times when it's tough to source gasoline.
Joel
True that!
Remember that a larger generator will have a higher fixed overhead fuel requirement, that is, an 8kW generator making 3kW will burn more fuel than a 4kW generator making 3kW. And as you correctly noted, the times when you need a generator tend to be the times when sourcing fuel is difficult. So, unless you're going to store a lot of fuel, or you're going to go for a natural gas generator, consider your most likely power requirements and size your generator accordingly. Extra kWs of generation sound good in theory, until you find that you're burning through fuel faster than you can replenish it.
Not sure what price range you're looking at, but if you can afford it, I would recommend a portable generator that is, well, very portable! Something like the Honda EU-2000i or Yamaha EF-2000i inverter generators. One of these will weigh roughly 50 or 55 lb or so and use little gas. We have an EU-2000i and we used a total of a little over 3 gallons of gas during the 4 day power outage we had in north AL after the tornado outbreak of April 27, 2011. That was for roughly 32 hours run time, so roughly 10 hours per gallon of gasoline to run the refrigerator, computer and sometimes a light.
While these inverter generators are more expensive to purchase new (figure on roughly $1000 or a little less depending on where you buy them), they generally use a lot less gas, last longer and are much quieter than the Powermate or Generac you mentioned. Many EU-2000i's have run over 10,000 hours and are still going strong, not sure about the Yamahas but I'm sure they will last also. I am amazed at how quiet our EU-2000i is; we could barely hear it when standing next in the kitchen with the refrigerator running.
If you can afford it, and if you're willing to just run the bare necessities during a power outage, the inverter generators are the way to go, IMO.
While these inverter generators are more expensive to purchase new (figure on roughly $1000 or a little less depending on where you buy them), they generally use a lot less gas, last longer and are much quieter than the Powermate or Generac you mentioned. Many EU-2000i's have run over 10,000 hours and are still going strong, not sure about the Yamahas but I'm sure they will last also. I am amazed at how quiet our EU-2000i is; we could barely hear it when standing next in the kitchen with the refrigerator running.
If you can afford it, and if you're willing to just run the bare necessities during a power outage, the inverter generators are the way to go, IMO.
Another thing to remember is using properly sized extension cords. go for the 10, 12, or 14ga ones. Don't automatically go for the longest either (unless you need it)
I have seen dozens of people complaining of their new Ginormous genset not being able to run a window unit because they have it hooked up via 100ft of 16ga.
I have seen dozens of people complaining of their new Ginormous genset not being able to run a window unit because they have it hooked up via 100ft of 16ga.
I have a Coleman powermate 6250 Watt surge / 5000 Watt rated with 10 HP Tecumseh HM-100 engine, and a Generac iX 2000.
The Coleman burns almost a gallon per hour, and if no other items are connected can run the whole house AC. The Coleman is so loud you have to wear ear protection, and even with that you do not want to be around it.
I added a car muffler to the Colelman, and it does make it much quieter for people in the house, but if you are outside, it is still too loud. Also added an inline fuel filter just before the carb. BTW, you have to run these under about 1/2 load every few months or the residual magnetism will be lost, and you will have to use a battery to get it to initialize and begin producing power. Electric heaters are a good load to use. Also it is best to store them in a protected environment. You do not want the temperature they are stored in to be below freezing. There is a capacitor in them and it will be damaged by storing it below freezing.
The Generac iX 2000 is made in China, and while it is an inverter type with the better fuel economy of that design, and much lower noise, it is of lower quality than the Honda, or Yamaha. It will run the furnace, a couple of lights, and a small TV. I have also rigged a DPDT 30 AMP contact relay on the circuit for the fridge so that power to the fridge is interrupted when the furnace blower motor is on, when this relay is enabled when using the Generac iX 2000 to power the furnace. This enables the iX 2000 to power the fridge when the furnace is not running. The IX 2000 gets about 4 and 1/2 hours per gallon at 1/2 load.
I use GC oil in both, but keep two quarts of M1 V twin 20W-50 for the Coleman for days when ambient is 85 F or more.
Also be sure to use fuel preserver. I use Sta-Bil Marine.
After you run the generator, run it out of gas, and remove the carb bowl to get the last bit of gas out of it.
Another good idea is to spray WD-40 into the little hole in the carburetor just after the throttle plate. That little hole is for the idle, and it will clog over time if you do not give it some special treatment like WD-40.
The Coleman burns almost a gallon per hour, and if no other items are connected can run the whole house AC. The Coleman is so loud you have to wear ear protection, and even with that you do not want to be around it.
I added a car muffler to the Colelman, and it does make it much quieter for people in the house, but if you are outside, it is still too loud. Also added an inline fuel filter just before the carb. BTW, you have to run these under about 1/2 load every few months or the residual magnetism will be lost, and you will have to use a battery to get it to initialize and begin producing power. Electric heaters are a good load to use. Also it is best to store them in a protected environment. You do not want the temperature they are stored in to be below freezing. There is a capacitor in them and it will be damaged by storing it below freezing.
The Generac iX 2000 is made in China, and while it is an inverter type with the better fuel economy of that design, and much lower noise, it is of lower quality than the Honda, or Yamaha. It will run the furnace, a couple of lights, and a small TV. I have also rigged a DPDT 30 AMP contact relay on the circuit for the fridge so that power to the fridge is interrupted when the furnace blower motor is on, when this relay is enabled when using the Generac iX 2000 to power the furnace. This enables the iX 2000 to power the fridge when the furnace is not running. The IX 2000 gets about 4 and 1/2 hours per gallon at 1/2 load.
I use GC oil in both, but keep two quarts of M1 V twin 20W-50 for the Coleman for days when ambient is 85 F or more.
Also be sure to use fuel preserver. I use Sta-Bil Marine.
After you run the generator, run it out of gas, and remove the carb bowl to get the last bit of gas out of it.
Another good idea is to spray WD-40 into the little hole in the carburetor just after the throttle plate. That little hole is for the idle, and it will clog over time if you do not give it some special treatment like WD-40.
another vote for the 2kw inverter gensets, honda or yamaha.
we have a 1 year old samsung fridge. energy star, etc... well in 1 hour the insides go up 10 deg F. So... during the AL storms we ran a honda eu2000i pretty much around the clock.
I could not even hear my own generator when the neighbors had their running. silence is golden.
but the fuel burn is a big, big deal. I needed 3 gallons per day running my fridge, neighbor's freezer, a few lights and fans. You could drive 2 hours of out town and wait 90 minutes for fuel-- gas was hard to come by.
The honda is quiet, thrifty of fuel and requires a 100hour maintenance interval. I saw one new, locally listed for $950 in a sales flier.
a 50lb genset is also a lot easier to manhandle, tailgate with, camp with, etc.. Highly suggest getting as small as you can live with.
now, that said, I actually just upgraded to a 3kw inverter, and yes, it cost, but we've used the eu2000 a lot and I was willing to wait a while and save for more capacity, while staying with something quiet and not having to store much more fuel.
M
we have a 1 year old samsung fridge. energy star, etc... well in 1 hour the insides go up 10 deg F. So... during the AL storms we ran a honda eu2000i pretty much around the clock.
I could not even hear my own generator when the neighbors had their running. silence is golden.
but the fuel burn is a big, big deal. I needed 3 gallons per day running my fridge, neighbor's freezer, a few lights and fans. You could drive 2 hours of out town and wait 90 minutes for fuel-- gas was hard to come by.
The honda is quiet, thrifty of fuel and requires a 100hour maintenance interval. I saw one new, locally listed for $950 in a sales flier.
a 50lb genset is also a lot easier to manhandle, tailgate with, camp with, etc.. Highly suggest getting as small as you can live with.
now, that said, I actually just upgraded to a 3kw inverter, and yes, it cost, but we've used the eu2000 a lot and I was willing to wait a while and save for more capacity, while staying with something quiet and not having to store much more fuel.
M
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A few years ago I went online and found a kit to convert my generator to LP gas. It still will run on gasoline if I want. Seems like the kit was under $100. I believe I looked up "LP gas conversion for generators". Mine is an older Coleman 10HP Techcumsah (sp). It runs great on LP and since I have a 500 gallon LP tank I have a lot of fuel as long as the tank has plenty of course. Kits for natural gas as probably avilabe also. The Gernerac site lists the gasoline burn rates for their gas generators. A friend of mine bought one and I looked it up. His model will burn 6 five gallon cans of gas a day or 42 five gallon cans a week and we have power outages that long. He bought the generator to keep his wife happy. Inagine when the generator runs out or gas.
I'm well over 300 hours on my Champion genset. Something has finally broken.
It's the little plastic lever that allows you to set the choke from the recoil side of the generator. You can still set the choke, you just have to go around to the other side to do it.
That's all. Everything else works.
I thought it had developed a class one leak, but then I noticed that I had accidentally pulled the crankcase pressure hose out while fiddling with that choke in the dark. Since cleaning off the dirt and oil, it's been clean and dry.
Individually, the parts look a lot like the other cheap Chinese generators that you get at PepBoys, Harbor Freight or wherever But it's different when you look at the details. It has a car size muffler on it that runs 3/4ths the length of the unit. The PepBoys genset muffler is a fraction of that size. The wiring is much more tidy. More attention was paid where it was welded. Like Champion is actually paying attention to quality control.
I was really conflicted. I didn't want to buy a Chinese genset but it almost quite literally 1/3rd the price of the "domestic" unit.
And it has performed flawlessly. Except for that cheesy little choke lever extension.
I run a little SeaFoam and regular 87 gas for...like 6 years now. Change the oil a little more often than recommended (100 hrs...I change around 60-70 hours) Check the valve clearance every once in awhile. Changed the plug once. (note to self: get new plug on way home)
I'm not so certain that I really want a "better" unit now. It hate to admit it, but I like this one
It's the little plastic lever that allows you to set the choke from the recoil side of the generator. You can still set the choke, you just have to go around to the other side to do it.
That's all. Everything else works.
I thought it had developed a class one leak, but then I noticed that I had accidentally pulled the crankcase pressure hose out while fiddling with that choke in the dark. Since cleaning off the dirt and oil, it's been clean and dry.
Individually, the parts look a lot like the other cheap Chinese generators that you get at PepBoys, Harbor Freight or wherever But it's different when you look at the details. It has a car size muffler on it that runs 3/4ths the length of the unit. The PepBoys genset muffler is a fraction of that size. The wiring is much more tidy. More attention was paid where it was welded. Like Champion is actually paying attention to quality control.
I was really conflicted. I didn't want to buy a Chinese genset but it almost quite literally 1/3rd the price of the "domestic" unit.
And it has performed flawlessly. Except for that cheesy little choke lever extension.
I run a little SeaFoam and regular 87 gas for...like 6 years now. Change the oil a little more often than recommended (100 hrs...I change around 60-70 hours) Check the valve clearance every once in awhile. Changed the plug once. (note to self: get new plug on way home)
I'm not so certain that I really want a "better" unit now. It hate to admit it, but I like this one
For emergency purposes, I like the typical 5500 watt, 11HP, Honda powered, construction site style gensets. They are powerful enough to run a water heater, or well pump, furnace, multiple window air conditioners and will even run some electric dryers and heaters.
The open frame construction makes it much easier to maintain. A big factor when you have a genset problem during an emergency. (remember, this is BITOG, so you will do oil changes every 2 days) Open frame FTW!
During the 3 Florida hurricanes, my Robin/Subaru 5500W unit put in major hours. Thousands of dollars of gas (gas costs matter not during an emergency) and kept my family 100% happy. A less powerful unit would have been a real problem.
The open frame construction makes it much easier to maintain. A big factor when you have a genset problem during an emergency. (remember, this is BITOG, so you will do oil changes every 2 days) Open frame FTW!
During the 3 Florida hurricanes, my Robin/Subaru 5500W unit put in major hours. Thousands of dollars of gas (gas costs matter not during an emergency) and kept my family 100% happy. A less powerful unit would have been a real problem.
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Thank you for the excellent information everyone. Here is the list of things I would like to run with the emergency generator (in running watts)
Refrigerator: 1000
Freezer: 500
Water Well Pump: 1000
Boiler: dedicated 15amp circuit
Lights: 300
Microwave: 625
Based on the approximate running watts I thought a 6500 watt unit would be appropriate. I looked at the Yamaha inverter and it was around $4000. From a cost perspective I would prefer to be around $1000. Thanks again.
Refrigerator: 1000
Freezer: 500
Water Well Pump: 1000
Boiler: dedicated 15amp circuit
Lights: 300
Microwave: 625
Based on the approximate running watts I thought a 6500 watt unit would be appropriate. I looked at the Yamaha inverter and it was around $4000. From a cost perspective I would prefer to be around $1000. Thanks again.
I compared the fuel use of the Generac iX 2000 to the Honda eu2000i on a per watt basis (strictly by the specks, not by running them). The Generac uses a little less fuel.
The Generac uses a Chinese engine, and the voltage regulation with some items might not be as good as the Honda. One web forum had a post that said if you use a good ground the Generac works well, but if not grounded the regulaton can be a problem.
I have always used a good ground tied to the ground lug on the front, and have never had any problem with my Generac iX 2000.
I would expect the Honda would run for thousands of hours if properly maintained. The Generac is too new of a design to know about, but probably will not last as many hours as a Honda. So one of the things you have to consider is how many hours you will end up using it, if you are looking at a 2000 watt inverter generator.
The Generac uses a Chinese engine, and the voltage regulation with some items might not be as good as the Honda. One web forum had a post that said if you use a good ground the Generac works well, but if not grounded the regulaton can be a problem.
I have always used a good ground tied to the ground lug on the front, and have never had any problem with my Generac iX 2000.
I would expect the Honda would run for thousands of hours if properly maintained. The Generac is too new of a design to know about, but probably will not last as many hours as a Honda. So one of the things you have to consider is how many hours you will end up using it, if you are looking at a 2000 watt inverter generator.
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BTW, microwaves have a VERY HIGH initial surge current. I used a current transformer and a digital storage scope to look at the current draw when our standard (not large) size microwave started up. For the first half cycle the current draw was over ONE-HUNDRED AMPS. There is a large capacitor and a hefty bridge rectifier to feed it. Every time the microwave starts that large rush of current must charge the large capacitor.
While your refrigerator might draw 1000 watts during start, unless it is very old, it probably only draws about 100 to 140 watts when running, and maybe another 25 to 40 watts for the bulb when the door is open.
While your refrigerator might draw 1000 watts during start, unless it is very old, it probably only draws about 100 to 140 watts when running, and maybe another 25 to 40 watts for the bulb when the door is open.
The age of a freezer is a real big deal when it comes to how much power it will use. We have a freezer that is over 60 years old and it draws 13 amps on start.
Also, keep in mind that the stuff you're running with the generator aren't necessarily all on at the same time. I used the microwave to heat up leftovers during the AL storm outage, and disconnected the fridge for the few minutes that took. Also, as JimPgh said, your running wattage for the fridge would most likely be less than 150 W, and I suspect the same for the water well pump. Also, if you use fluorescent or LED lighting, you can get the needed light wattage way down.
You should try for potability and minimum fuel consumption as much as possible with a generator - believe me, both of those make a huge difference in a power outage situation. There were long lines at gas stations during the AL storm outages back in April, and I never had to stand in them because my generator used so little fuel (only about 3 gallons or so over 4 days).
You should try for potability and minimum fuel consumption as much as possible with a generator - believe me, both of those make a huge difference in a power outage situation. There were long lines at gas stations during the AL storm outages back in April, and I never had to stand in them because my generator used so little fuel (only about 3 gallons or so over 4 days).
Originally Posted By: opepat
Thank you for the excellent information everyone. Here is the list of things I would like to run with the emergency generator (in running watts)
Refrigerator: 1000
Freezer: 500
Water Well Pump: 1000
Boiler: dedicated 15amp circuit
Lights: 300
Microwave: 625
Based on the approximate running watts I thought a 6500 watt unit would be appropriate. I looked at the Yamaha inverter and it was around $4000. From a cost perspective I would prefer to be around $1000. Thanks again.
Your microwave power looks low (most these days are 900W unless they are an older unit or a small counter top microwave), and your refrigerator looks high. I think that your 1000W for your refrigerator must be the starting power, not the running power. This is an important figure, and how important it is depends on the type of generator you have. The regular old generators that run an alternator at a constant speed are pretty tolerant of the short duration startup current demands. Inverter-generators that make a low voltage (12VDC usually), rectify it, and then use a solid state inverter to make 120VAC are less tolerant of supplying short duration startup power demands. This is their only downside aside from cost. Their upside is that the engine no longer has to run at constant RPMs regardless of load demand, so they are considerably more efficient when lightly loaded.
I'd revisit the power requirement for your refrigerator, it should be similar to your freezer if it is a standalone. On the flip side, you do need to consider the startup requirements, particularly if you want to go with an inverter generator.
Also, remember that you don't have to run everything at one time. This is a matter of convenience for you basically. For instance, a freezer will typically do fine just running it several hours a day. Also, you don't have to run the microwave at the same time some as of your higher load demands. It's all up to you. If you go to a smaller generator obviously you're going to have to manage the loads and make sure that not everything runs at once. This will be more fuel efficient (especially if you go with a traditional generator), but it's more hassle on your part.
If money were no object I'd have a natural gas powered 20kW standby generator. I could pretty much just run the house as normal and I wouldn't have to worry about fuel. I looked on the web and saw prices in the $4k range but that seemed low compared to the last time I checked. If those prices are real I'd go that route rather than a $4k portable inverter generator.
Thank you for the excellent information everyone. Here is the list of things I would like to run with the emergency generator (in running watts)
Refrigerator: 1000
Freezer: 500
Water Well Pump: 1000
Boiler: dedicated 15amp circuit
Lights: 300
Microwave: 625
Based on the approximate running watts I thought a 6500 watt unit would be appropriate. I looked at the Yamaha inverter and it was around $4000. From a cost perspective I would prefer to be around $1000. Thanks again.
Your microwave power looks low (most these days are 900W unless they are an older unit or a small counter top microwave), and your refrigerator looks high. I think that your 1000W for your refrigerator must be the starting power, not the running power. This is an important figure, and how important it is depends on the type of generator you have. The regular old generators that run an alternator at a constant speed are pretty tolerant of the short duration startup current demands. Inverter-generators that make a low voltage (12VDC usually), rectify it, and then use a solid state inverter to make 120VAC are less tolerant of supplying short duration startup power demands. This is their only downside aside from cost. Their upside is that the engine no longer has to run at constant RPMs regardless of load demand, so they are considerably more efficient when lightly loaded.
I'd revisit the power requirement for your refrigerator, it should be similar to your freezer if it is a standalone. On the flip side, you do need to consider the startup requirements, particularly if you want to go with an inverter generator.
Also, remember that you don't have to run everything at one time. This is a matter of convenience for you basically. For instance, a freezer will typically do fine just running it several hours a day. Also, you don't have to run the microwave at the same time some as of your higher load demands. It's all up to you. If you go to a smaller generator obviously you're going to have to manage the loads and make sure that not everything runs at once. This will be more fuel efficient (especially if you go with a traditional generator), but it's more hassle on your part.
If money were no object I'd have a natural gas powered 20kW standby generator. I could pretty much just run the house as normal and I wouldn't have to worry about fuel. I looked on the web and saw prices in the $4k range but that seemed low compared to the last time I checked. If those prices are real I'd go that route rather than a $4k portable inverter generator.
Originally Posted By: opepat
Thank you for the excellent information everyone. Here is the list of things I would like to run with the emergency generator (in running watts)
Refrigerator: 1000
Freezer: 500
Water Well Pump: 1000
Boiler: dedicated 15amp circuit
Lights: 300
Microwave: 625
Based on the approximate running watts I thought a 6500 watt unit would be appropriate. I looked at the Yamaha inverter and it was around $4000. From a cost perspective I would prefer to be around $1000. Thanks again.
My suggestion stands. You can easily get an 11HP genset with these capabilities for well under $1000. Costco has a slightly larger 13HP Honda powered unit for $800. It won't let you down.
And again, the conventional generators are repairable in the field. Inverter ones are not.
My boss' electronic control board fried during the first power outage. It was an all out effort to get one to him quickly. It took a week.
My generator lost a rectifier. I installed 4ea. 5A diodes from Radio Shack (from a previous project). I was up and running in about an hour.
Thank you for the excellent information everyone. Here is the list of things I would like to run with the emergency generator (in running watts)
Refrigerator: 1000
Freezer: 500
Water Well Pump: 1000
Boiler: dedicated 15amp circuit
Lights: 300
Microwave: 625
Based on the approximate running watts I thought a 6500 watt unit would be appropriate. I looked at the Yamaha inverter and it was around $4000. From a cost perspective I would prefer to be around $1000. Thanks again.
My suggestion stands. You can easily get an 11HP genset with these capabilities for well under $1000. Costco has a slightly larger 13HP Honda powered unit for $800. It won't let you down.
And again, the conventional generators are repairable in the field. Inverter ones are not.
My boss' electronic control board fried during the first power outage. It was an all out effort to get one to him quickly. It took a week.
My generator lost a rectifier. I installed 4ea. 5A diodes from Radio Shack (from a previous project). I was up and running in about an hour.
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Originally Posted By: Cujet
Originally Posted By: opepat
Thank you for the excellent information everyone. Here is the list of things I would like to run with the emergency generator (in running watts)
Refrigerator: 1000
Freezer: 500
Water Well Pump: 1000
Boiler: dedicated 15amp circuit
Lights: 300
Microwave: 625
Based on the approximate running watts I thought a 6500 watt unit would be appropriate. I looked at the Yamaha inverter and it was around $4000. From a cost perspective I would prefer to be around $1000. Thanks again.
My suggestion stands. You can easily get an 11HP genset with these capabilities for well under $1000. Costco has a slightly larger 13HP Honda powered unit for $800. It won't let you down.
And again, the conventional generators are repairable in the field. Inverter ones are not.
My boss' electronic control board fried during the first power outage. It was an all out effort to get one to him quickly. It took a week.
My generator lost a rectifier. I installed 4ea. 5A diodes from Radio Shack (from a previous project). I was up and running in about an hour.
There's definitely a cost for the added complexity of an inverter generator. To me the only application that they make a lot of sense for is if you are highly fuel efficiency conscious (i.e. some application where you can't carry much or can't replenish reasonably your fuel supply), or if you truly intend to run them a significant amount of time at significantly below their max rated output (where their efficiency really shines), or if you truly believe that you have equipment that is highly intolerant of non-standard line frequency or voltage. In this last application they do excel at keeping their frequency at 60Hz (where a traditional generator will vary somewhat as the governor catches up on a load increase or decrease) and they won't output a voltage outside of spec (they'll shutdown first). However, this last attribute makes them a little fussy with loads that have high startup currents (not typically inrush currents, but real starting current for a motor starting under load). They will frustrate some users with cutting out on compressor starts, depending on how their overcurrent protect was designed.
If you're going to be running your generator at 50% max load or greater most of the time, you aren't going to see most of the efficiency improvement, and there's definitely something to be said for the simplicity of a traditional generator.
Originally Posted By: opepat
Thank you for the excellent information everyone. Here is the list of things I would like to run with the emergency generator (in running watts)
Refrigerator: 1000
Freezer: 500
Water Well Pump: 1000
Boiler: dedicated 15amp circuit
Lights: 300
Microwave: 625
Based on the approximate running watts I thought a 6500 watt unit would be appropriate. I looked at the Yamaha inverter and it was around $4000. From a cost perspective I would prefer to be around $1000. Thanks again.
My suggestion stands. You can easily get an 11HP genset with these capabilities for well under $1000. Costco has a slightly larger 13HP Honda powered unit for $800. It won't let you down.
And again, the conventional generators are repairable in the field. Inverter ones are not.
My boss' electronic control board fried during the first power outage. It was an all out effort to get one to him quickly. It took a week.
My generator lost a rectifier. I installed 4ea. 5A diodes from Radio Shack (from a previous project). I was up and running in about an hour.
There's definitely a cost for the added complexity of an inverter generator. To me the only application that they make a lot of sense for is if you are highly fuel efficiency conscious (i.e. some application where you can't carry much or can't replenish reasonably your fuel supply), or if you truly intend to run them a significant amount of time at significantly below their max rated output (where their efficiency really shines), or if you truly believe that you have equipment that is highly intolerant of non-standard line frequency or voltage. In this last application they do excel at keeping their frequency at 60Hz (where a traditional generator will vary somewhat as the governor catches up on a load increase or decrease) and they won't output a voltage outside of spec (they'll shutdown first). However, this last attribute makes them a little fussy with loads that have high startup currents (not typically inrush currents, but real starting current for a motor starting under load). They will frustrate some users with cutting out on compressor starts, depending on how their overcurrent protect was designed.
If you're going to be running your generator at 50% max load or greater most of the time, you aren't going to see most of the efficiency improvement, and there's definitely something to be said for the simplicity of a traditional generator.
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