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Every house on my private road has a genset for backup.

The $1.5M house at the end of the road has an automatic backup system that kicks in when the power goes down with the battery providing power until the genset can pickup the load.

When I retire, I plan to move and build a house. It will have solar with batteries and those will provide backup should line power go down. Right now it isn't really practical for me to add solar to my current property - too many trees.

Most of our outages are either from wind or ice/snow knocking down trees and/or limbs. Occasionally we have a car wreck take out a power pole. During widespread outages we are usually last to get the power restored as we are a small number of customers and out in the boonies.

The price of living in the "outback" so to speak :)
I would VERY much love to have a place far off the beaten path so to speak some day. One of those whole house gen sets would be fantastic since I like all the creature comforts along with no one living near me :)
 
which reminds me - I need to get my genset and x-fer switch working.

A couple of years ago we lost power for several days so on the second day I decided to hookup the genset to the x-fer switch. Every time I plugged it in the genset died, even though the switch was not turned on. Not sure why. Either the switch or the genset or both.

I also need to figure out whether the well pump is on the house switch or not - I suspect it isn't. I may need to get a transfer switch on the power box instead of the house breaker box. The main things I want is to run the well and the fridge and the lights. I have battery lights throughout the house, but they won't last more than a day or so.

Probably need to get an electrician out here to look at the setup. Not going to get too much into it as I want to start from scratch in a year or two. Been too busy working the day job and other property tasks.
 
For Christmas last year I asked the wife to get me an Emergancy Jump Start battery. I asked for this one:

https://www.amazon.com/TACKLIFE-Car...way&sprefix=jump+start+battery,aps,217&sr=8-8

I use the thing to charge my phone when on trips I use it to test circuits in the Willys Jeep I am building. I'll use it in the Willys as a Back up battery for the CB and HAM radios as well as an emergency Jump start battery. For about what a replacement battery for a drill costs.

I can charge it at home or from a vehicle via the Power port/lighter

I also have a smaller one I got when I joined NRA but it can't charge my new phone as it dosen't do USB2 So I keep it with my emergency phone by the bed
 
How much power do you think you need to run a C-Pap ?
Extrapolate for power outages like CA has had (5 nights)


I was thinking of something like this Honda



Or do I need to think of one with a different fuel supply for that situation?

Clearly my longer term plan is to be able to run my fridge/freezer etc but that is budget and save up for, and i need something for this winter.




TIA
 
How much power do you think you need to run a C-Pap ?
Extrapolate for power outages like CA has had (5 nights)


I was thinking of something like this Honda



Or do I need to think of one with a different fuel supply for that situation?

Clearly my longer term plan is to be able to run my fridge/freezer etc but that is budget and save up for, and i need something for this winter.




TIA

That's freaking sweet! Added to the list!
 
Small generators -run on a fuel like gasoline.


Big batteries -





Generator 1000 Watt starts at about $350
 
So had my third power outage in three weeks.

First one the power was out, but back by 9 AM while I was in town.

Then a few days later we had 4 inches of rain in one day plus some wind - power was out for 23 hours. I had to go work at my daughter's house (I have a contract gig, self-employed now) - didn't get much work done, but it was nice having over 100 mbps internet instead of 6 mbps here.

So I got a new laptop that sips power and will run on the battery for about 10 hours (Lenovo says 20, but after today I think more like 10) - enough to get work done - if I have internet. I also bought a 1500VA UPS (APC). I have the laptop, one of two monitors and the routers plugged into it.

Then this morning power went out again at about 230 AM. I didn't know it until 330 AM, but then I went in and shut down everything so it wouldn't sit there trying to keep the router going, the laptop sleeping/charging and the monitor on standby. Started working at 7AM with only router consuming power (laptop using its own battery, no monitor, just laptop display), and kept going until power restored at 1130AM. Charged phone a couple of times. Still had maybe 1-2 hours of power left.

Learned charging phone took a LOT more juice than I thought it should/would. Not sure why, but I know UPS battery outputting thru an inverter, then thru a USB back to DC from AC, is not efficient.

Going to get the Kill-A-Watt meter from the shop and figure out what is consuming power and how much. I had hoped UPS would run router and charge phone for a much longer time. Can't believe that routers would take more than 10-20 watts (there are technically two routers - mine and the one in the WiFi planar antenna on the roof that is powered by a little POE dongle - which shouldn't take more than 15-30 watts as that is the limit for POE).

My daughter's 600 VA UPS has a USB port for charging stuff - I would assume it runs directly off the battery in the UPS.

I need to get an inverter generator. Fortunately, this will all be tax deductible.
 
Been shopping for a generator.

Noticed the Generacs seem nice, but also have a number of problems - usually due to quality. Thought about buying the 8.5KW transportable and conventional genset vs. the 3.5 KW portable inverter setup (former weighs about 200#, latter about 110#) - the 8.5 KW being about $100 more than the 3.5 KW inverter.

Thought about Hondas, but they are 2-3X more $ than the Generac, so even if the Generac doesn't last, then I could just go buy another.

The plan is when I move (if I ever do) is to have solar with a battery bank as a backup for grid power.

I don't plan of having to use the generator a lot.

I am going to try to get my Honda running this weekend and if that doesn't work then I will buy a new genset - probably a Generac.
 
Been shopping for a generator.

Noticed the Generacs seem nice, but also have a number of problems - usually due to quality. Thought about buying the 8.5KW transportable and conventional genset vs. the 3.5 KW portable inverter setup (former weighs about 200#, latter about 110#) - the 8.5 KW being about $100 more than the 3.5 KW inverter.

Thought about Hondas, but they are 2-3X more $ than the Generac, so even if the Generac doesn't last, then I could just go buy another.

The plan is when I move (if I ever do) is to have solar with a battery bank as a backup for grid power.

I don't plan of having to use the generator a lot.

I am going to try to get my Honda running this weekend and if that doesn't work then I will buy a new genset - probably a Generac.

Problem with larger generators is increased fuel consumption.

3.5Kw vs 8.5 would probably be a very large difference.

Now, may be no big deal for folks whom have on site fuel stowage. Bit of a big deal for folks whom do not.
 
I've had portable jump starter/box as insurance against dead car battery or smartphone last few years. My latest one is this one:


Little simplistic for my taste, but it seems to do the job. This one was $95 on eBay, and these things may charge your smartphone couple of times. Overpriced as a phone charger, but jump starter capability's nice.
 
Im disappointed in myself that I did not think of this before. Adapter to use your power tool batteries for emergency phone charging. getting ready for hurricane season here

View attachment 582170
I have a bunch of ryobi 4amp 18volt lithium batteries and I wish they offered a better inverter for it. My ideal inverter would have usb ports, 12volt port, charging system that would accept solar, 12volt or 120v input. Capability to hook up multiple batteries and most of all pure sine wave output. Instead my choice is this:


 
Problem with larger generators is increased fuel consumption.

3.5Kw vs 8.5 would probably be a very large difference.

Now, may be no big deal for folks whom have on site fuel stowage. Bit of a big deal for folks whom do not.
There is an alternative to using gasoline. I've converted our Honda Super Quiet generator and my dad's generator to run off propane. Both are setup with manual transfer switches.

Check the product linked below. You can tie the modified gen into a residential Natural Gas system or, if like us in a rural setting, run it off the propane system. For the gens, I added a gasoline shutoff valve in the fuel line so we still have the option of running gasoline if desired. The MotorSnorkel kit is very easy to install and works perfectly. The regulator has an adjustment to dial in for propane or NG since they work under different pressures.

 
There is an alternative to using gasoline. I've converted our Honda Super Quiet generator and my dad's generator to run off propane. Both are setup with manual transfer switches.

Check the product linked below. You can tie the modified gen into a residential Natural Gas system or, if like us in a rural setting, run it off the propane system. For the gens, I added a gasoline shutoff valve in the fuel line so we still have the option of running gasoline if desired. The MotorSnorkel kit is very easy to install and works perfectly. The regulator has an adjustment to dial in for propane or NG since they work under different pressures.


Good idea! Lower maintenance/cleaner burning off of LP/Natural Gas (or so I've read).
 
Problem with larger generators is increased fuel consumption.

3.5Kw vs 8.5 would probably be a very large difference.

Now, may be no big deal for folks whom have on site fuel stowage. Bit of a big deal for folks whom do not.

55 gallon barrel full of treated fuel in the shop plus three 5 gallon metal safety cans that are usually full.

I plan to get a smaller inverter genset too; the shop is on a different connection (PGE requires that) and my large chest freezer is in there, plus it is handy to have a second small genset that a person could easily haul around (I plan to convert my flatbed into an RV).

Longest power outage I had was roughly three days last year when I had to evacuate due to the wildfire - came back after 2 days and it took much of the third day for them to restore power. The freezer did ok, but 3 days was kind of its limit; some things were starting to thaw. Lost some meat in the fridge (should have put it in the freezer before I left but I was in a hurry as we only had five minutes notice to evacuate) and the ice cream had melted.

I need a genset to be able to keep earning $; I am self-employed and if I don't work I don't get paid. Clients are not impressed by the excuse that the power went out - especially when it is three times in three weeks. I bought a UPS but that only lasts a few hours.
 
Natural gas via an NG line will last a while, then a person could switch to propane or gasoline when the pumps stop (some pumps run on NG, some are electric). Also, if we get hit by an earthquake, most of the NG supply will probably be affected, probably severely.

The genset I am thinking of buying is EFI, and other gensets are increasingly going to EFI too, so not sure a simple snorkel conversion would work on those.
 
Another handy thing to get are these little USB led lights. They're small and will even fit in a wallet. Put it in the end of a USB cable and you have an instant snake light. On amazon about ten for ten bucks.

IMG_20210130_104201_781.jpg IMG_20210130_104140_576.jpg
 
Considering this one now:


Dual fuel (gas & propane), 3400/3100 surge watts on gas/propane, electric start, parallel ready, 12V socket, decent reviews (so far that I have found).

I got the Kill-A-Watt from the shop and my full computer setup only uses about 250 watts (router, 2 large monitors, UPS, laptop, etc.) so a 3KW inverter setup would work for that and some lights easily.

I need a full house backup genset, but I think this portable would work for short outages and for the shop. I need two gensets.
 

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