I recently purchased a 6,500 watt Champion generator on sale for $699 CAD which I thought for emergency backup power was very reasonable. I opted to turn the generator into a tri fuel with the US Carburation motor snorkel for $185 which I can't say enough about. Simple half hour install, only because I am all thumbs with mechanics and motors. Fuel storage is a big concern with emergency backup generators. So long as I have natural gas, I am good to go. I also have a few propane tanks in reserve, just in case. Simple quick disconnect to switch between natural gas and propane and I can still fall back to normal gas with no fiddling around. Another thing to think about before getting a backup generator is preparing your house. If your house does not have LED lights throughout, do yourself a favor and do so. You will save money and reduce your generator power requirements and or allow the running of more devices at a time.
To get the best from your generator, you need to really go through the owners manual and understand what you are reading. A generator is a great machine to own, BUT it does work on gasoline and produces the kind of power you get in your home. If you purchase a CPE or Champion gen, read the manual, if you do not understand a part of it, their great customer service will help you to understand the part you are hung up with. When done using, unplug from the generator but let run to cool off the engine for say 15 minutes if it is hot out. THEN turn off the gas valve and allow generator to run out of gas. this is the right way to shut down. Then turn off the engine run switch. Gas will not be left in the carb to gum up or to leave deposits in needle valves, jets, emulsion tubes that can clog up and pretty much leave YOU in the dark. Treat gas with SeaFoam, every three months start up the generator warm it up and put a load of at least half the Gen's rated continuous output, say you have a 3500 watt gen. plug in a blowdryer or space heater. this helps the generator maintain its residual magnetic field to produce power. witha weak magnetic field spinning in the stator, a small a.c. voltage is made, sent through the AVR and turned to d.c. that goes to the rotor by means of carbon brushes held against copper slip rings which in turn send current to windings on the rotor, causing the rotor to turn into an electro-magnet. This is when you start to get some real power, when that powerful magnetic rotor spins inside all those windings on an iron laminated core. DO NOT ALLOW generator to run out of gas with a load on it, that can kill the magnetic field needed to start producing power and might burn out the AVR.
Two years ago, we had a bad storm here in rural Maine, lost power for a week, all the generators were sold and taken. Stopped at the John Deere place, they had a bunch of Honda generators coming in that afternoon. The salesman picked out the one I should get, a Honda EM4000SX, the price was over $2000, it did everything I needed it to do and saved all the food in my deep freezer. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do.
We've had more power outages this year in the US than any other, and as someone from Texas, I don't ever want my elderly family members to go through another winter blackout again. :'( Thank you so much for the great video!
Texas has a terrible electrical grid because it’s been privatized ( companies maximize profits does mean customers suffer ) and Elon Musk companies drain on the system. Look it up
I'm a few years late on the video; its exactly what i need. I'm moving to an area of my state with a significantly higher probability of power outages compared to my old area - and my property is much more off-grid than I was previously in my former home. Wanted to add a transfer switch and generator to my home and this answered most my questions. Thanks.
I own a champion 9000/7000 and other than the battery being dead for the electric start its been good. Twice as loud as a Honda but about a 1/4 of the price. Its running my house rite now, been running for 3 days due to a nasty storm.
Hello. Great video. Many emergency gas generators has a run time of 9 hours according to it's specs. Will it run for another 9 hours if I refill it with gas? Will it run for 3 days if I keep refilling it with gas? Power outages during blizzards can last for days. Thanks
one thing that should be mentioned is that for using a large portable generator say 7-9kw, to the max efficiency is to hook up the 30 amp to a transfer switch. In this case you only have 30 amps to work with. With the larger portable generators they might supply 50 amps via the NEMA twist lock.
I own 3 generators. One is a 1200 watt I use for camping or short 1 to 2 hour power outages. The 2nd is champion 3000watt that I have to give to family or friends that need it in an emergency. The 3rd is firman duel fuel 9400 watt for home. It runs on gasoline or propane. It's for a long term emergency power outage.
I just got a Champion 4500/3900 dual fuel inverter generator (model 200988) from Amazon. For just under $1000 you get an inverter machine that can also run on propane, which lets you have a fuel that doesnt break down and gum up the fuel system during long term storage. When the power goes out, start the genny on propane and then go buy fresh gas or more propane as needed. Gas stabilizer only works for about a year tops.
In the summer of 2021 I bought a Champion Model 100573 4000W open frame inverter generator- It runs great always starts on the 1st pull however there is hardly any RPM difference between zero load & full load.
A generator is a must have here in South Africa. Our only power company Eskom may or may not leave the whole of South Africa without power for two weeks, maybe now in May, maybe in June or July. In the middle of our dry freezing Winter. And most people can't even think of buying a generator because it costs usually about 2 months paychecks with usually no way of paying off. Since you know so much about generators, do you know where I can buy a generator that will power my fridge, box freezer, WiFi router, tv box and tv? For two weeks? I've got the lights covered, and cooking. But I need a generator that can run from 6pm till 9pm every evening for 2 weeks. And maybe one that runs on diesel and costs about R1 000 or less. Rand, not dollar.
Thank you so much for taking the time to explain. This information was detailed and allowed me the opportunity to understand fully about generators and which ones to get.
No mention of diesel? Ok, they are heavy and noisy but they use maybe 50% fuel than a gas gen, and they are extremely long lasting if you change the oil on schedule. Here in the Philippines we get a lot of outages and my 6kVa diesel comfortably runs my pool pump, shower, well pump and one split AC. Noise IS the issue though, and lack of portability, I have the enclosed silent type and it is bloody heavy at around 180kg. Thanks for the video though because I intend to get a water pump and a dedicated gas gen that I can move around easily. We were within minutes of getting flooded out last rainy season before the rain miraculously stopped for 24 hours.
Thanks for the info! I have a house without natural gas or propane. Is there a way to install a stand by generator or ami limited to an Open frame generator?
I need to be able to charge about 5 electric scooters at a time on a power strip. They would possibly have (2) 1600w motors (3200w) in them. Can this be done by a generator? If so, what size do i need? Whst would be the largest amount of scooters to be safely charged at one time? Thx for any help. I dont know much.
This is a good video. I use a generator often, as a whole house backup when power fails. I had tried many many different models of open-frame inverter units. I think most people buy generators that are too big. A 10kW genset, where only a fraction of that is usually needed, burns one _heck_ of a lot of fuel needlessly and is really loudddd. However, you do need a generator that is burly enough to start motors like your sump pump or refrigerator. If you can deal with the louder noise produced, a traditional alternator-style open frame generator will have quite a bit more "overhead" -- meaning the ability to produce higher power for a few seconds, to get electric motors started. Of all the gensets I have tried, I have settled on a rather small unit, but with a couple of interesting capabilities: a Honda EM3500SX that I have converted to natural gas operation by swapping in a new carburetor. My house typically requires no more than 2000W to operate everything except the central A/C. I attached a 120/240v inlet to the outside of the house, and wired it back to the main panel through a 30A breaker that is interlocked with the house mains switch. The main electric motors it has to contend with are two refigerators and a sump pump. The unit has plenty of headroom so that starting these motors is not a problem. It's about medium-loud: not quiet, but not nearly as loud as many of the larger units. A couple other things I like about that particular Honda: Ground and Neutral aren't bonded, and it has a very accurate voltage regulator. Additionally, most brands don't recharge their starter batteries when running; Hondas do. As with all alternator-based gensets, you have to accurately calibrate RPM so that you get exactly 60hz frequency power, but that's easy.
Hi Bailey what type of generator would you recommend if I was to go with two heating elements that each Recommends 250 Voltage, if you got the time to reply if not I completely understand, thank you so much for your hard work support on sharing RUclips videos 👍🏽
I would totally agree with you that both Champion and Honda are likely the two best options for people to buy. I own both, a small 2000 watt Champion inverter for casual use ($500)and a larger Honda EU6500is inverter for home backup($5000). However, one of the things that is important that most people seem to forget is the need to generate clean power (less than 5% Harmonic Distortion) to protect anything with a microprocessor being powered by the generator. Expensive office electronics IMO should ONLY be powered by an inverter generator that provides this clean power. It makes no sense to buy too cheaply and have the generator power destroy sensitive electronics. Do yourself a favour and check this before buying any generator
Yes and no to clean power. A non invertor generator, will not fry your sensative electronics, if It's set up and used correctly. You need to check the voltage/frequency, before placing a load on the generator and with at least 50% load. As long as the voltage is between 115 to 125 volts and 59 to 62 hertz, you will be fine. Also, use surge protected power strips, with sensative electronics. Using a manual transfer switch is a great option too. We have a 9000/7250 watts Predator non-invertor generator that can run our entire house. (Including our 3 ton AC with a hard start kit) We have two manual transfer switches, 10 and 6 circuit. With over 70 hrs. run time, we haven't had any issues with our sensative electronics.
@@Pk3_Garage It is my understanding that it is not so much the voltage or frequency as it is the THD (total harmonic distortion) of the power itself which does the damage..in other words how close to a true sine wave that the generator produces. A lot of regular generators produce dirty power while most inverters convert it to a truer modified sine wave which is of a more pure variety. However, if your situation is working well, that's what should matter most. As to the specifics of what you say, I will reserve judgment based on what I know to be scientific and true
Yes, but you have to define as to what "noisy" means to you. Our generator is noisy, but when in the house with the doors and windows closed, you can't hear it. Also, the higher the voltage loud, the louder it gets.
@@TOURMANBOB Power supplies used in "sensitive electronics" have rectifiers, capacitors, and resistors that significantly "clean up" over 98% of the ripple caused by power anomalies. We run massive facilities, including the IT rooms with generators that output similar shaped sine waves as these cheap portables, verified by using oscilloscopes at home and at work to measure them. What you "know to be scientific and true" may differ from others. With that said, this is not meant to convince you. You do you!
I'm on the fence, picked up a 9kw running gas generator at costco but i'm thinking about returning. seems like a lot of hassle, maintenance, potential fuel going bad and the day I need it it may be wet outisde or below -15C (champion says operate above -15C). in Canada, very possible that i would need to run it at -20 or -25C (eastern canada winter), and in the prairies forget about it, average -30sC for a couple of months. This brings up the storage issue. I'm not going to store it in the garage (no room in there with a car) and then drag it over the frozen or snowed in driveway and would need to keep that path clear as well as the actual area where the gen will be used which gets snow also (against garage outside wall side of house). So this leaves the options: 1. store outside with some kind of cover, start it every couple of weeks to make sure it works. Or do i need to bring it into the garage (again dragging across potential snow bank) to warm it up then drag back out to run it, and if i drag it through snow then it possibly gets wet underneath (is that a problem?). Or build an open makeshitft "roof" area off the shed and keep it outside so it can run without getting snow or rain on top of it. 2. Then there,s the panel hookup - i intended to get my electrician to install an interlock on the main panel (not to code in Canada but still is a relaticely safe option if done right and his preferred solution the transfer subpanel is way too complicated, i have a 200 main and a 100 panel across the garage, circuits are all mixed up fridges and some lighting etc.) to isolate the right circuits into a transfer panel would take many hours i would guess and rerouting wires). 3. Then there's fuel. If it takes a tank every 8 hours i would need to store minimum 3 or 4 / 5-gallon jugs of gas to get me through a day or a day and half. Is that safe to keep in a shed? Also with stabilizer, good for a year tops probably. Come spring can I dump that fuel into my car? Can my car engine burn stabilized fuel? The best solution would be propane as a fuel, with a big tank rental with a 500 litre tank and pay that upfront cost, but at least i could go for days (assuming the gen will run for days uninterrupted and that neighbors dont come around with pitchforks). I could potentially use it for my bbq but tank would be 60 feet away so prob not.) The last week long power outage here was the 1998 ice storm, winters if outage usually 12-15 hours after a storm. I'm in large urban area, not in the middle of nowhere, Hydro quebec is fairly efficient, so i'd say we get a few sub 8 hours outages a year, maybe a 15 hour one in winter depending on storms. 4. Then there's the actual operation in case of emergency power needed: a) assuming winter, will gen run if -20C (like -10C + windchill), b) if I have a day's worth of gas on hand, and roads (unlikely here) or gas stations out of commission due no power, and it lasts several days, then i'm going to all that trouble for a 24 hour outage, after that i need more fuel, i'm not planning to add 5 gallon canisters and store in shed that just increases danger and quanityt of fuel that has to be recycled every 6 months. c) Inside the house, before firing up gen, I need to go around with my checklist and flashlight and turn off all but my emergency breakers will be marked with labels of course (this will a be a bit of work to figure out THE LIST as things are mixed up on 2 panels) , i.e. some wall circuits for led lights and a couple of space heaters at medium setting (1kw) , 2 fridges, toaster + microwave + maybe 1 stove top burner (remove the other 4 knobs on stove to prevent use) to be run one by one, shut off water heater and central heat sub panels/breakers, that's about it. If I had a propane unit and a big tank, I could see this being a lot easier than gasoline. If I stick with gasoline gen, it looks like a lot of hassle and fuel/equipment maintenance for short outages, and if a major catastrophe, not sure how easy to go to gas station every 18 hours. Any advice appreciated.
First let me say, if you can afford to keep the generator and maintain it, keep it. You can convert any gasoline generator to a Tri-fuel, so it can run on gasoline, liquid propane and natural gas. Buy a 3 kWh power station/solar generator works great with any generator and will extend your fuel usage. I'll try to answer your questions with short answers. 1) A generator can be stored in an enclosed space, but never run in an enclosed space. Personally, I would store it in the garage until needed, if you have the space. Don't worry about the bottom getting wet from pulling through the snow. Hopefully you would have shoveled a path, so this wouldn't be an issue. 2) Actually, a Manual Transfer Switch is better and safer then an Interlock Switch. The only benefits of a Interlock Switch would be they are cheaper and you can select any circuits to turn on and off. With a Manual Transfer Switch, you are limited to the number of circuits you can use, depending on the Transfer Switch. Once you select the circuits, it's plug and play. No need to really balance the loads, because they are already balanced with the initial set up. Also, most Transfer Switches come with watt meters for both legs of the generator for load balancing. A Transfer Switch connects to the same circuit that is in your main control panel, it's just rewired to go through the transfer switch instead. (Watch some Transfer Switch RUclips videos to get a better understanding how they work) 3) The rated fuel consumption on generators are normally rated at either 25% load for smaller generators and 50% load on larger generators like yours. With your generator size and lets say you use around 1kWh, on a tank of gas, you should be able to easily go an entire day. Remember, it depends on the load. 4) I run fully synthetic 5W-30, all year round in our generator. I've started and run our generator around 0 degrees F on natural gas. Sometimes it might not start right away, but it will start as long I start it every month for about an hour. (This is a small price to pay, then being without power in the winter) I forgot to mention that with fuel storage, use some type of fuel stabilizer. Rotate your gas every three months, by putting the old gas in your gas vehicles. When you go to fill up, take those empty cans with you to re-fill. (Put the stabilizer in the empty gas can first) Number each gas can and record the date of fuel purchase. (I use a dry eraser white board)
e020443 why the hate? I choose and installed a Champion standby gas generator because the technician who install mine who has installed over 300 units already told me from his personal experience that this brand was the more reliable of all, including the Generac, Honeywell and the Kohler, perhaps my local dealer told me he has a couple customers with close to 2,000 hours in theirs and are still working flawlessly.
People are really being hurt by our educational system. They now think its wrong, or a trick, to endorse a product. Is that part of the "Must hate all Corporations" class?
How long does the rubber tubing for fuel lines etc. last? I aw a vid of a guy who left his out in a partially enclosed shed for nearly a near and the tubing didn't hold up.I need mine for the TX coast and will keep it in the garage.
So pretty much this is a infomercial for champion without saying it? I mean you did give us some useful information but at the end you try to sell us champion in a discreet way.
@@MaxCruise73 good question furnace motor electronic control modules get fried even when power is on, but i presume you'Re talking about AC, because you probably wont want to run central heat on a portable gen. my furnace backup heat strips can use 20 kw (although im only running on 15), and the highest power portable gens are less than 10kw.
The size of the generator depends how great are your house power demand. For example In my case I live in the carribean Puerto Rico and since here we don’t have winter we don’t need a house heater, I don’t have a pool, my a/c is a 18,000 btu mini split inverter unit, my water heater is solar our dryer works with propane gas with my relative small 8.5kw Champion standby gas generator model #100177 I can power the whole house. This is including all the lights that are led, my electric cook top, washing machine, my 46” TV, wifi rauter, Satellite system, my two fridges, microwave oven my two garages electric doors and my 1,000 galons water cistern 3/4 hp water pump, and my house has 4,000 square feets of construction, but during a power outage I take the precautions to not use all the appliances at the same time. Also even the specs says it consumes only 1 galon/hour at half load and 1.5 galons/hour at full load this is not the case with mine, since i can use my generator for close to 115 hours at half load with my 100 galons single gas tank, 👍😊.
Only 1 question that nobody has an answer to. Where on earth are the dang oil filters on my champion and firman generators? I can't find one on them. Any help would be most appreciated. 🇺🇸
Cooperation request: Hi dear Mr.Bailey Line Road, could you tell me how to contact you, we want to cooperate with you. Look forward to your reply. Thanks and best regards!
We have used the ruclips.net/user/postUgkxOTeIs0vv4_9B5hsmnLsk9r930uDQLu_Y for probably 30 hours with our camper and it’s been great! The noise level is really only noticeable when running the AC and other appliances like the microwave, hair dryer, or coffee pot. It’s not huge like other ones and it has wheels so even at 90lbs, I can move it!
I installed a ground anchor, under the generator, and use a Vulcan case harden 5/16 inch x 6 ft. security chain with a Viro 2 independent rod lock. I loop it under the generator tight, so you can't move the generator to cut the lock under it. Also, use two cables and locks to a secure surface. So, if they want our generator, they will have to really work for it.
I waited almost 40-minutes on-hold before talking to a human being. My new dual-fuel will not run on propane unless fully choked. He directed me to a video on how to rebuild the carburetor. You need to update your endorsement, based on current conditions.
Good question. Gasoline portable generators are by far the most common, and I wouldn't use anything else. They're easier starting than diesels, they're less expensive, and good ones last a long time. Drop by my website baileylineroad.com for a visit sometime. You'll find lots of stuff there, including tool giveaways, articles and videos of interest to hands-on, how-to people. I have a generator giveaway happening right now, in fact. Bye for now and thanks for watching! Steve
I live in GA, we can get severe weather some winters but after the mess in TX I've realized I need to invest in a generator for my home. Very informative video. Thank you.
Hi Wayne! Sorry to hear you've had trouble. Please email me with the operating system and version you're using, and the browser type and version and I'll do some troubleshooting to see what the issue is. My address is steve@stevemaxwell.ca. Bye for now, Steve
I have same problem with Brig/ strat lawn mower. Try using "Seafoam for several fill ups I was pleased with results.....was told its the gas we are sold today?
3000 watts? I just ordered a 12000 watt generator and I don't think it's big enough. I know my 4000 watt generator wasn't enough for the first night in the Texas snowstorm.
You have to know what your energy usage is now and what you want to power in an emergency. Most people just buy a generator, not even considering what I just said, and see they either have to much power or two little power.
NOT MENTIONED... THD... almost all appliances now have logic boards which are sensitive to dirty power. Your video does not live up to the heading ...CHOOSING WISELY... You roped me in for watch because I thought such a title would include a short discussion on THD... but no, it was a sales pitch for Champion...
My younger brother is Solar powered but for our winter here in Québec, he bought a big 15,000 watts diezel Champion generator. . .It started right off when he needed it it ran 4 hours than seized. . .As for quality, , , Champion is not my reference. . .
I don't think that I can handle these fuel generators. I know nothing about engines and don't have the strength to pull on the cord. For me it's best to have a solar generator.
Well come on.....he did state that he had used several differen ones.........personllaly I like to hear from anyone thats used several...........they been there done that! I do agree about the China thing. One of the first things I always ask is getting parts. I try to question the folks that typically do work on them......you know at a repair shop, they will be truthful
I’m learning about generators & this and this was the first comment😬 so now I’m concerned lol Idk what kinda Generator to get. It’s such a big purchase I don’t wanna mess this up
![How Many Watts Does Your Generator Need![POWER YOUR HOME]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/WxNFiLour3E/mqdefault.jpg)
![How Many Watts Does Your Generator Need![POWER YOUR HOME]](/img/tr.png)
I recently purchased a 6,500 watt Champion generator on sale for $699 CAD which I thought for emergency backup power was very reasonable. I opted to turn the generator into a tri fuel with the US Carburation motor snorkel for $185 which I can't say enough about. Simple half hour install, only because I am all thumbs with mechanics and motors. Fuel storage is a big concern with emergency backup generators. So long as I have natural gas, I am good to go. I also have a few propane tanks in reserve, just in case. Simple quick disconnect to switch between natural gas and propane and I can still fall back to normal gas with no fiddling around. Another thing to think about before getting a backup generator is preparing your house. If your house does not have LED lights throughout, do yourself a favor and do so. You will save money and reduce your generator power requirements and or allow the running of more devices at a time.
You go boy! 👍👍👍👍
Couldnt have said it better!
Here after the TX storm
Here after the storm this week in Castroville!!!
Somerset tx snow day
Same here
Texas here
Austin Texas winter storm brought me here
This is HANDS DOWN the BEST video I have seen about what kind of generator to buy, its uses and how to start a generator! FANTASTIC!!
To get the best from your generator, you need to really go through the owners manual and understand what you are reading. A generator is a great machine to own, BUT it does work
on gasoline and produces the kind of power you get in your home. If you purchase a CPE
or Champion gen, read the manual, if you do not understand a part of it, their great customer
service will help you to understand the part you are hung up with.
When done using, unplug from the generator but let run to cool off the engine for
say 15 minutes if it is hot out. THEN turn off the gas valve and allow generator to run out
of gas. this is the right way to shut down. Then turn off the engine run switch.
Gas will not be left in the carb to gum up or to leave deposits in needle valves, jets, emulsion
tubes that can clog up and pretty much leave YOU in the dark. Treat gas with SeaFoam,
every three months start up the generator warm it up and put a load of at least half the Gen's
rated continuous output, say you have a 3500 watt gen. plug in a blowdryer or space heater.
this helps the generator maintain its residual magnetic field to produce power. witha weak
magnetic field spinning in the stator, a small a.c. voltage is made, sent through the AVR and
turned to d.c. that goes to the rotor by means of carbon brushes held against copper slip
rings which in turn send current to windings on the rotor, causing the rotor to turn into an
electro-magnet. This is when you start to get some real power, when that powerful magnetic
rotor spins inside all those windings on an iron laminated core.
DO NOT ALLOW generator to run out of gas with a load on it, that can kill the magnetic
field needed to start producing power and might burn out the AVR.
Two years ago, we had a bad storm here in rural Maine, lost power for a week, all the generators were sold and taken. Stopped at the John Deere place, they had a bunch of Honda generators coming in that afternoon. The salesman picked out the one I should get, a Honda EM4000SX, the price was over $2000, it did everything I needed it to do and saved all the food in my deep freezer. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do.
You paid over $2000 to save your food in a freezer?…..hilarious! )))
@@nvg57 those without generators lost all their refrigerated and frozen food. The generator is a better idea.
Geez. That's a lot. But I bet it is a good gen.
We've had more power outages this year in the US than any other, and as someone from Texas, I don't ever want my elderly family members to go through another winter blackout again. :'( Thank you so much for the great video!
Texas has a terrible electrical grid because it’s been privatized ( companies maximize profits does mean customers suffer ) and Elon Musk companies drain on the system. Look it up
I'm a few years late on the video; its exactly what i need. I'm moving to an area of my state with a significantly higher probability of power outages compared to my old area - and my property is much more off-grid than I was previously in my former home. Wanted to add a transfer switch and generator to my home and this answered most my questions. Thanks.
I own a champion 9000/7000 and other than the battery being dead for the electric start its been good. Twice as loud as a Honda but about a 1/4 of the price. Its running my house rite now, been running for 3 days due to a nasty storm.
Hello. Great video. Many emergency gas generators has a run time of 9 hours according to it's specs. Will it run for another 9 hours if I refill it with gas? Will it run for 3 days if I keep refilling it with gas? Power outages during blizzards can last for days. Thanks
one thing that should be mentioned is that for using a large portable generator say 7-9kw, to the max efficiency is to hook up the 30 amp to a transfer switch. In this case you only have 30 amps to work with. With the larger portable generators they might supply 50 amps via the NEMA twist lock.
Thanks you…may be a silly question but generators are to be always outside never inside home?
I own 3 generators. One is a 1200 watt I use for camping or short 1 to 2 hour power outages. The 2nd is champion 3000watt that I have to give to family or friends that need it in an emergency. The 3rd is firman duel fuel 9400 watt for home. It runs on gasoline or propane. It's for a long term emergency power outage.
And I thought I was prepared...
Hows the 9400? Looking to get one soon for my home
We are trying to determine the size we need for our home in Austin!
I just got a Champion 4500/3900 dual fuel inverter generator (model 200988) from Amazon.
For just under $1000 you get an inverter machine that can also run on propane, which lets you have a fuel that doesnt break down and gum up the fuel system during long term storage. When the power goes out, start the genny on propane and then go buy fresh gas or more propane as needed. Gas stabilizer only works for about a year tops.
In the summer of 2021 I bought a Champion Model 100573 4000W open frame inverter generator- It runs great always starts on the 1st pull however there is hardly any RPM difference between zero load & full load.
i think that's what the guy is saying, engine runs at constant rate no matter the output used vs inverter, runs at different rates
Great voice and content. VERY happy with my new Honda 2200i!!!!
I have not heard anyone comlpain about the Honda generator whether lawn mower or generator, especially when is comes to starting after winter time
A generator is a must have here in South Africa. Our only power company Eskom may or may not leave the whole of South Africa without power for two weeks, maybe now in May, maybe in June or July. In the middle of our dry freezing Winter. And most people can't even think of buying a generator because it costs usually about 2 months paychecks with usually no way of paying off. Since you know so much about generators, do you know where I can buy a generator that will power my fridge, box freezer, WiFi router, tv box and tv? For two weeks? I've got the lights covered, and cooking. But I need a generator that can run from 6pm till 9pm every evening for 2 weeks. And maybe one that runs on diesel and costs about R1 000 or less. Rand, not dollar.
Thank you so much for taking the time to explain. This information was detailed and allowed me the opportunity to understand fully about generators and which ones to get.
Good learning objectives at the start of the video which aids in enhanced instructional.
You did a really great job on this video, thank you
No mention of diesel? Ok, they are heavy and noisy but they use maybe 50% fuel than a gas gen, and they are extremely long lasting if you change the oil on schedule. Here in the Philippines we get a lot of outages and my 6kVa diesel comfortably runs my pool pump, shower, well pump and one split AC. Noise IS the issue though, and lack of portability, I have the enclosed silent type and it is bloody heavy at around 180kg. Thanks for the video though because I intend to get a water pump and a dedicated gas gen that I can move around easily. We were within minutes of getting flooded out last rainy season before the rain miraculously stopped for 24 hours.
Thanks for the info! I have a house without natural gas or propane. Is there a way to install a stand by generator or ami limited to an Open frame generator?
how much watts a generator need? if i want to run a mini fridge with 80w input
Solid advice. Thanks for the in depth tour for first time buyers!
Really useful information. You explain things so clearly. Im going to return to this channel for sure. You are great!
I need to be able to charge about 5 electric scooters at a time on a power strip. They would possibly have (2) 1600w motors (3200w) in them. Can this be done by a generator? If so, what size do i need?
Whst would be the largest amount of scooters to be safely charged at one time? Thx for any help. I dont know much.
This is a good video. I use a generator often, as a whole house backup when power fails. I had tried many many different models of open-frame inverter units. I think most people buy generators that are too big. A 10kW genset, where only a fraction of that is usually needed, burns one _heck_ of a lot of fuel needlessly and is really loudddd. However, you do need a generator that is burly enough to start motors like your sump pump or refrigerator. If you can deal with the louder noise produced, a traditional alternator-style open frame generator will have quite a bit more "overhead" -- meaning the ability to produce higher power for a few seconds, to get electric motors started.
Of all the gensets I have tried, I have settled on a rather small unit, but with a couple of interesting capabilities: a Honda EM3500SX that I have converted to natural gas operation by swapping in a new carburetor. My house typically requires no more than 2000W to operate everything except the central A/C. I attached a 120/240v inlet to the outside of the house, and wired it back to the main panel through a 30A breaker that is interlocked with the house mains switch. The main electric motors it has to contend with are two refigerators and a sump pump. The unit has plenty of headroom so that starting these motors is not a problem. It's about medium-loud: not quiet, but not nearly as loud as many of the larger units.
A couple other things I like about that particular Honda: Ground and Neutral aren't bonded, and it has a very accurate voltage regulator. Additionally, most brands don't recharge their starter batteries when running; Hondas do. As with all alternator-based gensets, you have to accurately calibrate RPM so that you get exactly 60hz frequency power, but that's easy.
Hi Bailey what type of generator would you recommend if I was to go with two heating elements that each Recommends 250 Voltage, if you got the time to reply if not I completely understand, thank you so much for your hard work support on sharing RUclips videos 👍🏽
I would totally agree with you that both Champion and Honda are likely the two best options for people to buy. I own both, a small 2000 watt Champion inverter for casual use ($500)and a larger Honda EU6500is inverter for home backup($5000). However, one of the things that is important that most people seem to forget is the need to generate clean power (less than 5% Harmonic Distortion) to protect anything with a microprocessor being powered by the generator. Expensive office electronics IMO should ONLY be powered by an inverter generator that provides this clean power.
It makes no sense to buy too cheaply and have the generator power destroy sensitive electronics. Do yourself a favour and check this before buying any generator
Yes and no to clean power. A non invertor generator, will not fry your sensative electronics, if It's set up and used correctly. You need to check the voltage/frequency, before placing a load on the generator and with at least 50% load. As long as the voltage is between 115 to 125 volts and 59 to 62 hertz, you will be fine. Also, use surge protected power strips, with sensative electronics. Using a manual transfer switch is a great option too.
We have a 9000/7250 watts Predator non-invertor generator that can run our entire house. (Including our 3 ton AC with a hard start kit) We have two manual transfer switches, 10 and 6 circuit. With over 70 hrs. run time, we haven't had any issues with our sensative electronics.
@@Pk3_Garage It is my understanding that it is not so much the voltage or frequency as it is the THD (total harmonic distortion) of the power itself which does the damage..in other words how close to a true sine wave that the generator produces. A lot of regular generators produce dirty power while most inverters convert it to a truer modified sine wave which is of a more pure variety. However, if your situation is working well, that's what should matter most. As to the specifics of what you say, I will reserve judgment based on what I know to be scientific and true
Are the generators noisy?
Yes, but you have to define as to what "noisy" means to you. Our generator is noisy, but when in the house with the doors and windows closed, you can't hear it. Also, the higher the voltage loud, the louder it gets.
@@TOURMANBOB Power supplies used in "sensitive electronics" have rectifiers, capacitors, and resistors that significantly "clean up" over 98% of the ripple caused by power anomalies. We run massive facilities, including the IT rooms with generators that output similar shaped sine waves as these cheap portables, verified by using oscilloscopes at home and at work to measure them. What you "know to be scientific and true" may differ from others. With that said, this is not meant to convince you. You do you!
Got me through just fine..champion got it done
Would you also recommend ‘Champion’ noise-wise? Great video by the way. Thanks 🙏
I'm on the fence, picked up a 9kw running gas generator at costco but i'm thinking about returning. seems like a lot of hassle, maintenance, potential fuel going bad and the day I need it it may be wet outisde or below -15C (champion says operate above -15C). in Canada, very possible that i would need to run it at -20 or -25C (eastern canada winter), and in the prairies forget about it, average -30sC for a couple of months. This brings up the storage issue. I'm not going to store it in the garage (no room in there with a car) and then drag it over the frozen or snowed in driveway and would need to keep that path clear as well as the actual area where the gen will be used which gets snow also (against garage outside wall side of house). So this leaves the options: 1. store outside with some kind of cover, start it every couple of weeks to make sure it works. Or do i need to bring it into the garage (again dragging across potential snow bank) to warm it up then drag back out to run it, and if i drag it through snow then it possibly gets wet underneath (is that a problem?). Or build an open makeshitft "roof" area off the shed and keep it outside so it can run without getting snow or rain on top of it. 2. Then there,s the panel hookup - i intended to get my electrician to install an interlock on the main panel (not to code in Canada but still is a relaticely safe option if done right and his preferred solution the transfer subpanel is way too complicated, i have a 200 main and a 100 panel across the garage, circuits are all mixed up fridges and some lighting etc.) to isolate the right circuits into a transfer panel would take many hours i would guess and rerouting wires). 3. Then there's fuel. If it takes a tank every 8 hours i would need to store minimum 3 or 4 / 5-gallon jugs of gas to get me through a day or a day and half. Is that safe to keep in a shed? Also with stabilizer, good for a year tops probably. Come spring can I dump that fuel into my car? Can my car engine burn stabilized fuel? The best solution would be propane as a fuel, with a big tank rental with a 500 litre tank and pay that upfront cost, but at least i could go for days (assuming the gen will run for days uninterrupted and that neighbors dont come around with pitchforks). I could potentially use it for my bbq but tank would be 60 feet away so prob not.) The last week long power outage here was the 1998 ice storm, winters if outage usually 12-15 hours after a storm. I'm in large urban area, not in the middle of nowhere, Hydro quebec is fairly efficient, so i'd say we get a few sub 8 hours outages a year, maybe a 15 hour one in winter depending on storms. 4. Then there's the actual operation in case of emergency power needed: a) assuming winter, will gen run if -20C (like -10C + windchill), b) if I have a day's worth of gas on hand, and roads (unlikely here) or gas stations out of commission due no power, and it lasts several days, then i'm going to all that trouble for a 24 hour outage, after that i need more fuel, i'm not planning to add 5 gallon canisters and store in shed that just increases danger and quanityt of fuel that has to be recycled every 6 months. c) Inside the house, before firing up gen, I need to go around with my checklist and flashlight and turn off all but my emergency breakers will be marked with labels of course (this will a be a bit of work to figure out THE LIST as things are mixed up on 2 panels) , i.e. some wall circuits for led lights and a couple of space heaters at medium setting (1kw) , 2 fridges, toaster + microwave + maybe 1 stove top burner (remove the other 4 knobs on stove to prevent use) to be run one by one, shut off water heater and central heat sub panels/breakers, that's about it. If I had a propane unit and a big tank, I could see this being a lot easier than gasoline. If I stick with gasoline gen, it looks like a lot of hassle and fuel/equipment maintenance for short outages, and if a major catastrophe, not sure how easy to go to gas station every 18 hours. Any advice appreciated.
First let me say, if you can afford to keep the generator and maintain it, keep it. You can convert any gasoline generator to a Tri-fuel, so it can run on gasoline, liquid propane and natural gas. Buy a 3 kWh power station/solar generator works great with any generator and will extend your fuel usage.
I'll try to answer your questions with short answers.
1) A generator can be stored in an enclosed space, but never run in an enclosed space. Personally, I would store it in the garage until needed, if you have the space. Don't worry about the bottom getting wet from pulling through the snow. Hopefully you would have shoveled a path, so this wouldn't be an issue.
2) Actually, a Manual Transfer Switch is better and safer then an Interlock Switch. The only benefits of a Interlock Switch would be they are cheaper and you can select any circuits to turn on and off. With a Manual Transfer Switch, you are limited to the number of circuits you can use, depending on the Transfer Switch. Once you select the circuits, it's plug and play. No need to really balance the loads, because they are already balanced with the initial set up. Also, most Transfer Switches come with watt meters for both legs of the generator for load balancing. A Transfer Switch connects to the same circuit that is in your main control panel, it's just rewired to go through the transfer switch instead. (Watch some Transfer Switch RUclips videos to get a better understanding how they work)
3) The rated fuel consumption on generators are normally rated at either 25% load for smaller generators and 50% load on larger generators like yours. With your generator size and lets say you use around 1kWh, on a tank of gas, you should be able to easily go an entire day. Remember, it depends on the load.
4) I run fully synthetic 5W-30, all year round in our generator. I've started and run our generator around 0 degrees F on natural gas. Sometimes it might not start right away, but it will start as long I start it every month for about an hour. (This is a small price to pay, then being without power in the winter)
I forgot to mention that with fuel storage, use some type of fuel stabilizer. Rotate your gas every three months, by putting the old gas in your gas vehicles. When you go to fill up, take those empty cans with you to re-fill. (Put the stabilizer in the empty gas can first) Number each gas can and record the date of fuel purchase. (I use a dry eraser white board)
Excellent ad for Champion.
Not sure how ur brain works but this is 95% generator info and 5% ad. He literally didn't say the word Champion till 5:30 of a 6:50 video
e020443 why the hate? I choose and installed a Champion standby gas generator because the technician who install mine who has installed over 300 units already told me from his personal experience that this brand was the more reliable of all, including the Generac, Honeywell and the Kohler, perhaps my local dealer told me he has a couple customers with close to 2,000 hours in theirs and are still working flawlessly.
@@HazyIPA15 he also didn't mention any other brand but champion. Nice, but obvious trick.
People are really being hurt by our educational system. They now think its wrong, or a trick, to endorse a product. Is that part of the "Must hate all Corporations" class?
thank you so much for this, we really appreciate the advice
Should told us about ones can carry by hand is there one good one.
Waiting for my ford lightning 👍
Excellent video thank you
Good advice & tips, thanks for spending your time to help with this product support
Getting one since I can’t trust government reliance anymore
Exactly
If I can get a couple of generators, and enough fuel, I wouldn’t need the government power
Never could, but it's good you're waking up to that.
The link to the ‘selector’ tool appears to be broken
How long does the rubber tubing for fuel lines etc. last? I aw a vid of a guy who left his out in a partially enclosed shed for nearly a near and the tubing didn't hold up.I need mine for the TX coast and will keep it in the garage.
Great help.... Take care
thanks so much for the chance to win this as this would be a year round use at my house
Awsome advice 🙏thanks from everyone here
Thank you for your help
Is there anyway to utilize the Volt and amps Max labeled on the breaker box to determine the size of generator?
So pretty much this is a infomercial for champion without saying it? I mean you did give us some useful information but at the end you try to sell us champion in a discreet way.
Very helpful video!
Question: Do new freezers require an inverter generator?
@Dale Hammond, I wish to know if an inverter generator is required/recommended to protect the computers in my HVAC system.
@@MaxCruise73 good question furnace motor electronic control modules get fried even when power is on, but i presume you'Re talking about AC, because you probably wont want to run central heat on a portable gen. my furnace backup heat strips can use 20 kw (although im only running on 15), and the highest power portable gens are less than 10kw.
Thank you, grate help.
Great information
The size of the generator depends how great are your house power demand. For example In my case I live in the carribean Puerto Rico and since here we don’t have winter we don’t need a house heater, I don’t have a pool, my a/c is a 18,000 btu mini split inverter unit, my water heater is solar our dryer works with propane gas with my relative small 8.5kw Champion standby gas generator model #100177 I can power the whole house. This is including all the lights that are led, my electric cook top, washing machine, my 46” TV, wifi rauter, Satellite system, my two fridges, microwave oven my two garages electric doors and my 1,000 galons water cistern 3/4 hp water pump, and my house has 4,000 square feets of construction, but during a power outage I take the precautions to not use all the appliances at the same time. Also even the specs says it consumes only 1 galon/hour at half load and 1.5 galons/hour at full load this is not the case with mine, since i can use my generator for close to 115 hours at half load with my 100 galons single gas tank, 👍😊.
We want to see .2o22 . Generators
I’m subscribing my gosh finally thank you man wow and a like!
That website doesnt seem to work.
Well said Sr.
Good video!
This is the most Canadian man on earth.
Here after Beryl just hit Houston.
Thank you man
Thanks for getting right to the point
Only 1 question that nobody has an answer to. Where on earth are the dang oil filters on my champion and firman generators? I can't find one on them. Any help would be most appreciated. 🇺🇸
Probably doesn't have one.
Cooperation request:
Hi dear Mr.Bailey Line Road, could you tell me how to contact you, we want to cooperate with you.
Look forward to your reply.
Thanks and best regards!
good description
We have used the ruclips.net/user/postUgkxOTeIs0vv4_9B5hsmnLsk9r930uDQLu_Y for probably 30 hours with our camper and it’s been great! The noise level is really only noticeable when running the AC and other appliances like the microwave, hair dryer, or coffee pot. It’s not huge like other ones and it has wheels so even at 90lbs, I can move it!
How do you safely secure it from being stolen. Someone can easily walk up and take it.
I was just thinking about that
A cable with a good lock around a structural part of the house would be idea and maybe a camera pointed at it.
Move….
I installed a ground anchor, under the generator, and use a Vulcan case harden 5/16 inch x 6 ft. security chain with a Viro 2 independent rod lock. I loop it under the generator tight, so you can't move the generator to cut the lock under it. Also, use two cables and locks to a secure surface. So, if they want our generator, they will have to really work for it.
I waited almost 40-minutes on-hold before talking to a human being. My new dual-fuel will not run on propane unless fully choked. He directed me to a video on how to rebuild the carburetor. You need to update your endorsement, based on current conditions.
Open frame and inverter is like comparing apples and oranges. Completely different things.
Diesel or petrol?
Good question. Gasoline portable generators are by far the most common, and I wouldn't use anything else. They're easier starting than diesels, they're less expensive, and good ones last a long time.
Drop by my website baileylineroad.com for a visit sometime. You'll find lots of stuff there, including tool giveaways, articles and videos of interest to hands-on, how-to people. I have a generator giveaway happening right now, in fact.
Bye for now and thanks for watching!
Steve
I live in GA, we can get severe weather some winters but after the mess in TX I've realized I need to invest in a generator for my home. Very informative video. Thank you.
Look at the Westinghouse w3600. You can get them for about $350.
Size/type/quality. How much power you need (size).
Could not enter from the click to enter.
Hi Wayne!
Sorry to hear you've had trouble. Please email me with the operating system and version you're using, and the browser type and version and I'll do some troubleshooting to see what the issue is. My address is steve@stevemaxwell.ca.
Bye for now,
Steve
I had a Honda generator. It was an absolute piece of junk. I might look into one of those Champion generators.
ok this is a commertial
I've got a new one that has been used maybe all of 5 minutes and can't get it to start again
Somebody probably left old gas in ti
Rule number one-
If you live in a typical neighborhood and run a loud open frame generator (especially at night) your neighbors all hate you.
Especially if you have lights on during an outage and they don't.
We have a Champion 7500W portable and the carburetor keeps clogging, even with fuel additive.
I have same problem with Brig/ strat lawn mower. Try using "Seafoam for several fill ups I was pleased with results.....was told its the gas we are sold today?
@@stephenlokey6711 Thanks for the advice.
@@stephenlokey6711 Thanks for the advice.
Here after Hurricane Ian
3000 watts? I just ordered a 12000 watt generator and I don't think it's big enough. I know my 4000 watt generator wasn't enough for the first night in the Texas snowstorm.
Mine is 3600 and I doubt I'll ever use it all.
You have to know what your energy usage is now and what you want to power in an emergency. Most people just buy a generator, not even considering what I just said, and see they either have to much power or two little power.
What I want is a generator that can keep adleast my freezer , and adleast on lamp ,recharge my phones , two tablets and a fan for adleast 5 days ?
NOT MENTIONED... THD... almost all appliances now have logic boards which are sensitive to dirty power. Your video does not live up to the heading ...CHOOSING WISELY... You roped me in for watch because I thought such a title would include a short discussion on THD... but no, it was a sales pitch for Champion...
All Champion gens now come with Volt Guard which is basically a voltage regulator that ensures
My Genny is both . open frame and an inverter generator 🤨
alqq
Nice until it became a Champion ad.
may the guy was only sharing his experience, isnt that what were looking for? but I agree about China stuff
My younger brother is Solar powered but for our winter here in Québec, he bought a big 15,000 watts diezel Champion generator. . .It started right off when he needed it it ran 4 hours than seized. . .As for quality, , , Champion is not my reference. . .
Bought my first generator after the Texans ice storm.
Where? What brand
You jumped from 3500 to 9k and didn’t mention anything about 6k watt generators
Aa4
LIke it!
Commercial for Champion. No mention of THD whatsoever....
They are so loud 🔊 l hate that part about a generators
I don't think that I can handle these fuel generators. I know nothing about engines and don't have the strength to pull on the cord. For me it's best to have a solar generator.
So, basically a Champion commercial. 👎
Well come on.....he did state that he had used several differen ones.........personllaly I like to hear from anyone thats used several...........they been there done that! I do agree about the China thing. One of the first things I always ask is getting parts. I try to question the folks that typically do work on them......you know at a repair shop, they will be truthful
SO this is a Champion commercial. SMH
Need help do not buy champion or generac.
Great info. Just try to not have so much spit in your mouth while recording. Jeeeez
Say it don’t spray it 😅
Junk
Don't buy one of these pieces of shit. You will be ass out on the deal with a busted generator
I’m learning about generators & this and this was the first comment😬 so now I’m concerned lol Idk what kinda Generator to get. It’s such a big purchase I don’t wanna mess this up
Poor presentation….