Learn me: Good used generator for emergencies.

I know NOTHING about generators. With a bunch of recent long-term storm related power outages affecting family members, I'm thinking a used one would be a good investment. Can I score a decent whole-house used one for under $1k or is that laughable?

I have one of these: http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/RD6800-Generator/EN/index.htm

It will run 2 race car trailers with AC, air compressors and so on with no trouble. I have also run a 220v Miller welder off it.

I have not put in a switch yet at home - but we did use it during an outage by just parking it out back and running extension cords to the fridge, well pump, and HW heater. The only drawback is that it is not "camping quiet". It is meant for contracting jobs - but it would not be hard to add a bigger muffler considering it is $1000 brand new and crushes the typical $$$ Honda camping stuff on output power.

poopshovel wrote: I know NOTHING about generators. With a bunch of recent long-term storm related power outages affecting family members, I'm thinking a used one would be a good investment. Can I score a decent whole-house used one for under $1k or is that laughable?

For a whole house generator, plus a transfer switch and all the related wiring - no, you're not going to do it for less than a grand.

However, you can probably get a smaller generator that's sized for the essentials (furnace, well, a few lights and outlets) along with a transfer switch and related wiring in that price range.

Look at municipal auctions or sales. I have a friend that wanted a generator to run his restaurant. The local water/sewage dept had bought a new efficient generator to run the sewage part of the system. They sold the old one for less than a thousand dollars. It is a military 440 volt unit run by a Detroit diesel mounted on a 2 axle trailer. It was originally used to run a hospital.

Do you really need a whole house generator? Seriously. Or would you actually be just fine with a far cheaper and smaller unit that you run a few things to with an extension cord or two?

I have also seen the diesel ones that hook to giant stick welders pulled on trailers for sale with the welder for under a grand. You could remove the welder, part it out, add a breaker box and outlet panel... (probably already has one)

The best part is it is already in an enclosure designed to be parked outside. OK, that isn't the best part - the best part is that it is a ridiculously awesome thing to have a diesel generator on a trailer as backup power.

How big is a Whole House? I bought a 7.xKW Honduh Powered black max or something at Sam's brand new for one large. That will run everything I need except the AC's. I bought a 200 amp whole house transfer switch at HF. I talked to a guy buying parts at O'Reilley's once. He bought, refurbished and sold big generators that used Ford inline 6 motors. I forget the power, but I think in the 40KW range. I think he sold them in the 3-5K range.

Sitting in the dark for a week gets you thinking about these things.

Just get something with an adjustable carburetor if its gas. You DO NOT want to be sitting outside in a blizzard trying to scrub an EPA emissions carb spotless so the engine will run right. On the older equipment you solve the problem of a little varnish in the jets by backing the main needle out a hair. Marine grade fuel stabilizers seem to help too.

I want A/C / heat, cell phone chargers, and a lamp. Couldn't care less about hot water or dumping $100 worth of groceries, as long as I'm cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Hell, I don't even mind being cold. Hot, however, and mama starts worrying that the White House will turn into the Overlook Hotel, and for good reason. Option B: We have a window unit that rules, so extension cords + smaller generator may be the answer. @ Hess: 1500 square feet of living space + 1500 square feet of un-heated basement/drive-under garage. We have a fireplace and plenty of wood for the winter. Sitting in the dark for a week gets you thinking about these things.

Yeah. Trying to be proactive. During the hurricanes a few years ago, I had to drive to NC to find a generator for my brother. The place had 1 left. Brother did a turn-around trip from Tampa to my house (north georgia) and back. Used the generator till they got power back. Sold it and bought a whole-house unit, which sounds like it's out of my price range even used though.

Dr. Hess wrote: Sitting in the dark for a week gets you thinking about these things.

I'd like to throw in an "Amen". A project like this is on my "One Day" list.

I'm working on my dream system a little at a time. I now have the 7.xKW (8.x "surge") Honduh unit and the whole house switch mounted in a metal generator shack by the power pole, which has a slab and sidewalk (6 yards of concrete).

I have ~500 watts of solar cells (mix of Amazon and HF) and a HF Charge controller, and a HF 1.5KW/3KW inverter. I need some batteries, which I've sourced at Sam's but haven't got to yet, and haven't got to installing the solar cells either. My goal here is to have enough solar power to run the refrigerator at night when the generator is off, and also at night run things like a portable TV, small battery charger, LED lights, radio, etc. Eventually, I want an extra switch panel in the house so I can switch between Mains (and the Honduh generator) and the battery bank/inverter on individual circuits like the Computer room, MBR, etc.

Small steps, and with my generator and whole house switch, that's a big step towards my end goals.

You people in major cities, I anticipate a "long hot summer" next year, like the phun times of the 60's, regardless of how November turns out. I don't see any way out of the coming trap. Ya'll need a week's worth of food and water (minimum of 1 liter/person/day for survival, more if you want to be comfortable) and a camp stove. We're not talking much. A 5 gallon water bottle and some boxes dinners isn't going to cost you much, plus a inexpensive white gas or propane stove with fuel. Aim for 2K calories/person/day. Just put the stuff up in the closet and forget about it.

As for used ones, check out RV generators. You might be able to pick them up for a decent price and most have fairly high ratings along with being on the quiet side. They aren't cheap new, but quite a few used RVs out there you could get one from.

I've got a brand new (never been used, but 10 years old) tri-fuel unit that will do what you need to do that I'll sell for $1K.

It's a good unit. Worth nearly $2K. I've just never had a use for it.

Dr. Hess wrote: I'm working on my dream system a little at a time. I now have the 7.xKW (8.x "surge") Honduh unit and the whole house switch mounted in a metal generator shack by the power pole, which has a slab and sidewalk (6 yards of concrete). I have ~500 watts of solar cells (mix of Amazon and HF) and a HF Charge controller, and a HF 1.5KW/3KW inverter. I need some batteries, which I've sourced at Sam's but haven't got to yet, and haven't got to installing the solar cells either. My goal here is to have enough solar power to run the refrigerator at night when the generator is off, and also at night run things like a portable TV, small battery charger, LED lights, radio, etc. Eventually, I want an extra switch panel in the house so I can switch between Mains (and the Honduh generator) and the battery bank/inverter on individual circuits like the Computer room, MBR, etc. Small steps, and with my generator and whole house switch, that's a big step towards my end goals. You people in major cities, I anticipate a "long hot summer" next year, like the phun times of the 60's, regardless of how November turns out. I don't see any way out of the coming trap. Ya'll need a week's worth of food and water (minimum of 1 liter/person/day for survival, more if you want to be comfortable) and a camp stove. We're not talking much. A 5 gallon water bottle and some boxes dinners isn't going to cost you much, plus a inexpensive white gas or propane stove with fuel. Aim for 2K calories/person/day. Just put the stuff up in the closet and forget about it.

Shut up you and your good ideas.

I've always thought Mormons had this part right. A year's worth of food on hand always, just in case.

Checked CL here, SoFla, better known as hurricane central. Decent used units are selling for under 300.00. Until the first system is sighted off Africa. Price will go up then.

I have pondered using an industrial Air Cooled VW engine with a generator. Figure it would be quieter, more powerful, and less maintance than most storebought generators

I may need to pick up some of those solar panels

http://www.cbc.ca/news/offbeat/story/2012/07/05/wdr-solar-panel-beer-fridge.html

Michael Schneider may have been without power in the wake of some fierce storms that ripped through Windsor, Ont. But he wasn’t without ice cold beer.

Schneider, a sales associate at a local solar panel company, rushed to work Wednesday to pick up a mobile solar unit he used to power, what else, his beer fridge, when the power went out.

Schneider ran a cord from the unit in his driveway to the fridge in his house.

“There’s probably a little envy factor,” he said of the neighbours. “I’m the only guy on the block who has cold beer in the fridge.”

The “off-grid system” he is using is primarily designed for cottages. His company recently developed the system to power a TV, lights and fridge at a cottage.

“It really came in handy [Wednesday] night,” said Schneider, who was told he would be without power until Thursday evening.

“I’m not too worried about it at this point,” he said.

Didn't want to start a new thread and I know some were asking about this so I thought I would bump this:

http://slickdeals.net/f/5615606-Champion-Generator-4000w-max-weekender-pkg-309-shipped