Generator Advice

bigoltool

Registered
We have been getting hammered the last few weeks out here in the good old northwest (weather wise) so I decided to look into a small portable digital Generator. Obviously the Honda/Yamaha Generators are top flight, but I have been looking at the Kipor Generators from China. Anyone had any experience with them? I think they are Reverse engineered Honda Generators. I read a few reviews and a friend bought one last year and most people rave about em. I want a small, quiet, portable Generator capable of running my small tent trailer in the summer and also capable of running my (1)furnace, (2)Septic pump and (3)fridge should the need arise. I am looking at the 2000 or 3000 watt ones.
http://www.kiporgeneratorsonline.com/kipor2000.htm


Next question is what is the best way to get said power to these select few items in case of emergency/inconvenience. I am a complete neophyte in this case and I looked at transfer switches just not sure what I am looking for or at?
 
Stay far away from anything with a China made gas engine in it! Read up on all those Chinese made scooters and dirt bikes with the "Honda Clone" engines.

Few years back I picked up a Homelite LRX5600 by John Deere at Menards for an insane low price. Think I paid $380 for it. Everybody else including online dealers wanted $900+ for the exact same model. Price was so good a bunch of my friends and co-workers ran out and bought one when I told them about it.

It has a kickass 11½ Subaru engine. The side has a complete control panel with multiple GFI protected 120 volt outlets, a twist lock 240 volt outlet, hour meter and volt meter. It also features low oil shutdown and a fuel saver option that drops the idle way down when it doesn't dectect any power consumption. That option can be turned off with a switch on the control panel.
Gas tank is also huge, she'll run over 9 hours on one tank.

Downside is you won't be taking it on any camping trips as it's VERY heavy. I put pneumatic tires on mine just to wheel it out of the garage. The muffler is really low tone but it's not super quiet. As long as it's on the side of my attached garage I don't really hear it in my house.

Upside is that it'll power anything you throw at it. I can run my lights, TV, fridge, furnace and 240 volt well pump all at the same time. Buy some piece of crap with 2K watts and you'll be constantly turning everything off each time you want to run your septic pump. Furthermore, what voltage is your septic pump? Do you also have a sump pump and well pump? Many of those compact generators are only 120 volt. If any of your pumps are 240 it'll be completely worthless.

As far as hookup goes, you can run extension cords or get a power distribution box installed on the side of your house. Plug your 240 twist lock into it and power your entire house. It'll be fail safe so you can't backfeed into the mains and kill a linesman up on a telephone pole. Never backfeed through a 240 outlet even with the main breaker off.
For items hardwired in like a septic pump and furnace, you can just convert them to properly rated electrical outlets IF it doesn't violate your local code.

This is exactly the model I bought except mine doesn't have the electric start option.

link
lrxe5600.jpg
 
(PDBusa @ Dec. 18 2006,17:48) T-Torch, you in Lake County by any chance?
I'm in Porter County but only about a mile away from Lake County. Grew up in Hobart (still work there) which is in Lake.
 
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