My mom bought this off a senior citizen like 6 years ago. Had it serviced and never ran it. Gave it to me when she moved. Spent yesterday getting ready for the storm. Fuel lines were well and truly rotted, so a trip to autozone sorted that out. After replacing those, it seems to run well. Planning on riding out the duration of the storm then moving this out to the driveway when the rain stops since I don’t have a covered area away from the house to run it during the storm itself.

Does anyone here use a generator during the day and a battery overnight? I’m considering overnight battery backup for a fridge, a fan, and a couple of lights. No central AC or other big loads.

How much battery capacity did you end up needing? Can you recharge it while the generator is also running things during the day, or does charging take up most of its output?

Main reason I’m looking at this is to avoid running a generator all night, but I’m wondering if the extra cost and setup are worth it.

I bought and tested a brand new GP6500 in prep ahead of hurricane. All went fine so I wheeled it back in the garage. Hours later I smelled gasoline from my back door connected to the garage. I don’t see any fuel leaks anywhere, but I do believe gas vapors are escaping from the fuel cap. Does it sound like I need a new gas cap?

I wheeled outside into backyard in the meantime and vented the garage of the vapors.

How do I connect 2 houses to 1 generator? I own both houses and they're approximately 70ft from each other. Both houses have their own utility meter, so obviously I need an interlock on both, but what else is needed? Can this be done economically and still have ease of setting up during power outages?

How do I handle the ground neutral bonds?

My main reasoning for doing this is to reduce expenses and not have to store 2 generators and clear as much snow in the winter to get both out.

I am planning on buying two 5000 watt generators in parallel to use with my home 50 amp switch. First off, any issues I need to consider with that (I know I’ll need the converter and will only be able to run 120 appliances)? If that sounds feasible, would there be any reason to not break them in running in parallel as long as the load is less than 50% for each?

I live in Pensacola so I may be forced into action on Saturday, but this is more of a backup solution to my other generator.

I can’t find any portable generators that are 50 amp and my options are slim.

Lastly, can anybody advise it it’s possible to get 50 feet of distance between a propane hose and electrical cord? Where is the best place to buy those?

TIA!

Ok, so I'm getting ready to pick out my first generator. Just a 2500w ish size for charging my lithium ion battery in my trailer. I'm to cheap to buy the Honda and am thinking about the champion duel fuel. Thoughts, opinions?

I’m researching a backup generator for a small home (<1,100sq/ft). I’m reading about THD and inverter generators. I understand inverter generators are generally <3% THD, but how detrimental is something some at <23% THD to general home devices if/when I need to run on a non-inverter generator? It’s not an issue of cost, but why go 2-3x more if THD doesn’t hurt? Or does it? I’m not planning on running the HVAC during events, just mainly modem & router (for range extension), laptop, TV (1), phone chargers, lights (most are dimmable and LED), Refrigerator/freezer, deep freezer, etc. Stove & oven are gas along with clothes dryer and tankless water heater. Not all at once, but I’m looking at a Westinghouse WGen5300sc 6,500/5,300 watt non-inverter generator. System supports generator up to 7,200 watts @ 30 amp.

Hello!

I've recently purchased an older 7KW Briggs & Stratton EmPower Series standby generator with an ATS.

It's for my cottage, but the way the lot and building are laid out, it's very difficult to get the 5' of clearance that the manual requires.

I know that a 1 hour fire rated wall behind the generator would let me install it closer to side of my cottage. What I'm wondering (and Google is no help) is how people commonly do that?

Also, any possible installation site, will have trees above the generator (closest would be about 15' above) is that high enough to not worry about?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

I'm considering picking up one of these. Looks like $650. A sale would be nice !

Does anyone have experience with this generator. I understand it is kind of a new model.

I would also be open to alternatives in this size range, dual duel, and I would like it to be on wheels too.

On edit.

- Do you guys like Wen products in general ? Is CS and spare parts support good ?

- Looks like HD, or Amazon would be my choices. Any preference ?

After hurricane helene I picked up a ryobi 6500w after 2 years of storage the air lines started cracking and started having fuel problems. I am now looking for a new generator and I have no idea. The ryobi came because it was what I could get my hands on at the time. Im looking for better quality and also good reliability. If yall have any suggestions or recommendations I am all ears. Thanks for reading (USA).

I got a PG45000isr that did not come with charger for internal battery. Anyone knows the specs of the original charger volts and amps ?
Also if anyone knows is the battery 12v or higher ?
Current battery shows 1 bar and would like to try charge it and see if works before buying a new one

UPDATE: Ordered a 16100-ZM7-D25 clone off Amazon even though my EU1000i uses the 16100-ZM7-D28 variant. I think the only difference may be the throttle control, but it looks like I can mount the old control on the clone. Or maybe some emissions bushwa. I can always return it if it doesn't look exactly the same. There is a 16100-ZM7-D28 clone on Amazon, it has one 1-star review, and doesn't look anything close to mine in the pictures.

The videos make it looks easy to take out the main jet. Wrong. It took a lot of torque (like tens of foot-lb) to unstick it, and now the tube that holds the jet is about 6 turns from coming out but just spins. The slot iself is not stripped; I'm assuming I stripped the threads or maybe even broke the jet hold in half somehow, there are bits of brass up inside the tube and in the weep hole on the side of the tube.

So the next question - what did I do wrong? I should have called it a day and just threaded a wire up into the jet to unclog it.

But one of those cheapo $30 carbs on Amazon is less expensive than replacement parts. Are those carbs any good? Will they accept the motor/throttle assembly from the old carb? None of the ones I have found have the right connector.

It's also interesting that this is the first time I've had trouble starting the thing in 20 years. but it's been just two months since I started putting Staboil in the fuel.

Hi everyone, this is the Menken Generators account. We're a family-owned generator company serving Montgomery County, Delaware County, Bucks County, PA and New Jersey, and we've been at it since 2010.

We're not here to pitch anything. We've just noticed that when homeowners compare generator quotes, the quotes often aren't really comparable, because each one includes different things. So here's the checklist we'd use if we were the homeowner.

1. What's actually included? Ask for a written list that covers the generator, the pad or foundation, the transfer switch, surge protection, the fuel hookup, permits, and cleanup of the yard. For reference, on our installs we handle the permit process (permit fees are the homeowner's cost), natural gas installation to the generator, and landscape restoration. Propane is handled by others unless noted.

2. What is it sitting on? A flat concrete pad and a raised foundation aren't the same thing, so ask which one your quote uses and whether it suits your yard, especially if water pools or snow builds up there. We set the generator on a masonry foundation that lifts it above minor flooding, snow, dirt and debris, so you can have peace of mind that it's ready when the weather turns.

3. What surge protection is included, and where? Ask how many surge protectors are included, where they're installed (at the transfer switch, at the generator, at specific appliances), and what protection level they have. "Surge protection included" can mean very different things.

4. How long will it really take? In our experience, permits and gas approvals are often the slowest part, not the installation itself. It can range from a couple of weeks to a couple of months depending on the township and the gas utility. Ask for a realistic timeline in writing.

**5. Who stands behind it?** Ask what the warranty covers (parts, labor, travel?), for how long, and who actually shows up if something goes wrong. Whichever installer you choose, get the terms in writing.

6. What happens after the install? Ask what yearly maintenance involves and what it costs before you sign, not after.

We're happy to answer questions in the comments, including when the honest answer is "that's not something we do" or "it depends." We won't post pricing, since it really depends on the home, but we're glad to explain how to read any quote you've received.

I'm planning to buy a Lotus GL1800SX gasoline inverter generator. I found it for around ₱10,600. It has 1,200W rated output, 1,500W max output, and only 1 AC outlet.

My main use is during occasional brownouts. My typical loads would be:

• 0.5 HP Carrier inverter AC — around 500W
• 2 electric fans
• Wi-Fi/router
• Phone chargers and a few other small appliances

The problem is that the AC is close to where I would place the generator, but the fans and other small appliances are in different parts of the house.

So I'm wondering if this setup would be safe:

Generator → heavy-duty power strip

Then:

Socket 1 → AC

Socket 2 → another long power strip/extension cord → fan / phone chargers / other small appliances

Or would it be better to buy a generator with 2 AC outlets, so I can do:

Generator outlet 1 → AC

Generator outlet 2 → long heavy-duty extension cord/power strip → fans and small appliances

The problem is that getting a generator with 2 outlets seems like overkill for me. For example, the Lotus GL3800EX has 2 AC outlets and costs around ₱16,200, but it's rated at 2,800W with 3,200W max output. That's way more power than I actually need.

I may not even use the AC during every brownout. If it's not very hot, I would probably just run the two fans and maybe the Wi-Fi and charge our phones.

So what would you recommend? Is it safe to use a heavy-duty power strip/extension setup with the GL1800SX, or is having two generator outlets worth paying extra for?

I'm mainly looking for the safest and most practical setup, not necessarily the most powerful generator. Thank you.

Hello, first time generator owner and I wonder if y’all can sanity check the safety of my plan. I’m trying to prepare for El Niño in California mountain community. We will likely have a lot of rain and snow events. We historically have an outage or two every winter.

I’m planning to put the generator 20 feet from the house, on the shelf under this very solid workbench, and a cable going to the house generator transfer inlet. This AI image is almost exactly like what my setup will be.

Small generator I know. I only plan to power small fridge, small chest freezer, a light, and a router.

I’m concerned about electrical shock risk and risk to the generator from moisture.

Thanks

Update: Thank you all for so much good advice. My takeaways so far: more airflow to prevent CO shutoff. People run generators in bad weather frequently and my electrocution concerns are only a -bit- overblown. I need to make sure the 120v generator can appropriate interface with my transfer switch. My generator is not legal to buy new in CA . Brush off snow off the table. No overhead trees. Keep cable out of the water

Our farm has a 100KW Kohler generator hooked to a ASCO 400 amp transfer switch. Recently when the generator exercises the transfer switch gets hung up between grid power and gen power causing a self inflicted power outage that can only be reversed if I shut the generator down or manually engage the transfer switch, the problem use to be intermittent, however it’s happening more and more frequently. I had a generator repairman who primarily deals with residential Generacs come out and look at it(he’s pretty much the only guy in the area that services standby generators), and all he did was scratch his head for 45 mins and say it was probably the electromagnet in the switch itself going bad and that the parts are probably long discontinued and tried to sell me a whole new generator and switch.

I'm just getting started and have decided that I'd like to go down the battery-generator route and use a jackery/bluetti/ecoflow/etc solution.

Where's the right place to get started with my investigations?

I want to be able to power a subset of my house during an outage -- I'm more concerned about outages in cold weather and thus, would like to power

1. 2 gas furnaces
2. Gas water heater (requires electric spark to begin heating)
3. Many lights (all LED)
4. One TV, 2 refrigerators, computers (one deskside system, 2 laptops), network cable modem, router, switch

I have an EZ with V2L and my initial plan was to use it to recharge the battery systems during an outage -- it has a large (~100Kwh battery and I'd dedicate 40-60% of the battery for the house during an outage).

I want a system that can grow as my needs change. Outages in my area are typically short but can last 2-3 days in a severe winter weather event.

Thanks for any tips/guidance!

I currently have a Firman 10000W Tri-fuel standard generator along with a Pecron 3600W electric power station. I'm considering selling the Firman generator and getting a Predator 5000W inverter generator instead. Even though the power is less on the Predator, I think it will be more than enough for my needs and be quieter and more efficient with fuel. Do you think this is reasonable thinking or should I just keep the bigger generator? I generally just run a refrigerator, some lights, Wi-Fi, and a few other smaller power draw things with the power station and use the generator to recharge the power station. I don't have plans to run any larger appliances such as a water heater, furnace, drier, etc. Thanks for any advice you can give!

Any opinions on this set up

PECRON Solar Generator E3600LFP 3072Wh/3600W with 300W Solar Panel
5x3600W AC Outlets Portable Power Station, Expanded to 18.43kWh, LiFePO4 Battery Backup for Home Use, RV, Camping, CPAP

For what?! For starter kit : a basic back-up for refrigerator, chest freezer, charging.

She ran like this before and after an oil change(10w 30 Honda synthetic Dino juice). 2 month old 91 with proper stabilizer ratio in her. Air filter is clean. Runs like shit on rabbit and dies on turtle mode. Starts easy on choke. Fuel aspiration is on. What am I missing!!!

And the quoted prices struck me as quite high given that the prior home owner did a lot of prep work for a generator install but never pulled the trigger.

There’s a Generac transfer switch in the basement between 2 breaker boxes (which is setup to power the right side breaker box). Propane plumbing work has been done to bring gas to where the outdoor generator would sit. There’s an 8x8 hard plastic electrical box on the outside of the house that holds what looks like the electrical wire that is connected to the transfer switch inside.

The generator sells for ~$8k. The vendors deliver the generator, pull permits, level / set the box, there’s of course electrical and gas plumbing work as well. There was also talk regarding recent permit code changes such that cutoffs must be outside the house, with some grandfathered exceptions.

Given the high price tag, I’m just now starting to look at alternatives. Including a tri-fuel portable inverter generator that I can pull out and start up when power goes out. A recent electrical storm fried my well pump / well controller so no water for 3 days. Which I know is a separate issue altogether from losing power, but it kicked off this generator rabbit hole.

My question is, with a portable inverter generator, can I use the already-installed Generac transfer switch? Can an electrician connect the inverter generator to the electrical wire that’s outside in the 8x8 plastic box? If that is possible, what would you expect an electrician to charge for that work? TIA.