Generators

Anybody more hurricane experienced than me have any advice on what kind of generator I should look for as me and Louisiana brace for Ike to pile on top of Gustav?

I need to be able to run a small fridge, a fan, TV/DVD combo and a light or two.

 

A generator won't do you any good unless you home is wired to work off one. If it is, get a Briggs & Stratton generator because the good folks who still make them in the U.S. need the work.

 

A Honda generator won't steer you wrong, though you might want one lighter than the one we had. Not only was that thing so heavy that a person of relatively average strength had little chance to pull-start the engine, but also the unit took at least two people to lug it any significant distance.

But it paid off during a couple of wicked storms in my corner of the world. Good luck in Louisiana ... and beware of price-gouging by the hardware stores.

 

My Honda 2500 is ultra quiet (can run during the night without disturbing) and powers my fridge, a hot plate and a couple lights.

 

Sure it will.

With a one-to-three extention cord:


Make sure the cord is three-pronged so it is grounded. Outdoor quality, rubber insulated.
From the generator, you can run three to five units. The TV and fridge are bigger draws.



As mentioned above, the Briggs will serve you well. Comparing the Briggs and the Honda of similar horsepower you will find a couple of things. 1. The Briggs generator is more affordable. By a longshot. 2. The Honda has a better spec rating and is a much quieter operator. The Honda can be further insulated with a vented casing which makes it even more quiet.
Any more questions or help for you guys affected by the hurricanes, let me know.
Unfortunately, am an old pro at making do.

 

Furthermore, at all cord meetings, make sure the meetings are wrapped in insulated duct tape and an outdoor grade insultated tape (i.e. RV tape).
And, if your television is hooked up to the generator, make sure it is surge protected. The juice flow from the generator may not always be consistent.

 

That goes for the computer, too.

 

Not as critical for the computer if you use a DC converter to power it. But for a desktop, definitely.

 

any generator will get you what you need.. hondas are extremely quiet which actually matters if you're sitting there all day and its running outside your house....but they are expensive and if you get one, invest in a quality chain/lock set up so you can secure to something.. don't by one that's too big... my husband is an electrician and can hook up the house, which runs everything but the oven and the air conditioner. That means hot water, small appliances including microwave and TVs, computers, lights... you get the idea... we have a Honda 3000 and it runs our 2,000 square foot house and sips gas like a dainty little lady.. .if you're just plugging a few things in, you don't need much. Although I would suggest moving somewhere else!

 

depending on the amount of time you'll need to use it, you might also use a power inverter that enables you to run small tv, computer, microwave, etc. from a car or marine battery. a lot less expensive than a gas generator and bunch smaller. use mine on camping trips to power a tv/vcr combo, large fans and lights.

 

Thanks for all the great input.

One thing, though, what wattage or ampage should I look for? I have heard at least 5000-5500 for what I need. Does that sound about right?

 

read my post again.. we have a 3000 and it runs our whole house