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Generators

wct097

NPD Club President 2021-2022
Staff member
Super Moderator
VIP
So now that the power is back on and more and more generators are hitting Craigslist, what should I be looking for? I'm thinking in general terms, that I'd like a newer (as in, purchased for this outage) 5500w or bigger portable generator with the wheel kit. I'm thinking that I should set my price range at about $500, since this is not a tool I expect to use an awful lot.

Any particular brands to look for? Any particular brands to avoid? I'm thinking that Honda is probably pretty nice, but unlikely to find used in the $500 range. At this point, I can afford to be picky.

Given that some people may have been using them for the better part of 4+ days straight, anything I buy is going to need an oil change. I think I read on one site that portable units have maintenance intervals of about 50 hours on the low end.
 

wct097

NPD Club President 2021-2022
Staff member
Super Moderator
VIP
build your own EXTREME generator
I would build my own if I had a spare small engine laying around. I'd probably do something less efficient like strapping an alternator or two to an engine to charge a couple 12v batteries, then power a large inverter from the batteries. Would suffice for small loads.
 

wct097

NPD Club President 2021-2022
Staff member
Super Moderator
VIP
Bought a 3y/o Generac 5500w (8300w surge) with a Briggs & Stratton 10hp engine for $375 from a cool older fellow who had just purchased a new 5500w Honda for ~$3k (that he now has buyer's remorse over). Has about 100 hours on it, mainly from this week.

Started on the first pull. Will go back out and pick it up tonight.

The guy is a motorcycle geek and started it monthly and swapped out stabilized fuel yearly (to run in his motorcycles).
 

tink

My Fawking leg hurts
VIP
thread hijack

I am still working on setting up the creeper van to camp out of and had a thought. I have my Aux batteries isolated and charging via the Alt., what I want to know is if a computer power supply could be made to charge the Aux battery when the van is plugged into shore power? I understand some put out around 400 watts so how would that compare to a similar input from a solar panel? I am also looking at small gensets for boondocking use.
 

Hubjeep

:hub: :hub2:
Ultra-Premium
thread hijack
I am still working on setting up the creeper van to camp out of and had a thought. I have my Aux batteries isolated and charging via the Alt., what I want to know is if a computer power supply could be made to charge the Aux battery when the van is plugged into shore power? I understand some put out around 400 watts so how would that compare to a similar input from a solar panel?
You do not want to try charging batteries with a computer power supply, it will over-charge them. Go with an onboard charger like this one, here are ones to charge 1-3 banks.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Boat...-inverters/_/N-1100565&WTz_l=SEO;cat104465880

That charger puts out 5A.
This panel kit puts out 3.5A.
45 Watt Solar Panel Kit
 
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