Another tip, buy a 4' yard/earth anchor and cement it in the ground with 2 bags of quickrete. This gives you a solid anchor point to security chain the generator to deter thieves.
LiFePO4 batteries and solar panels are getting cheaper over time. Combine that with a small backup generator that you can keep loaded up to 75%+ while charging the battery for peak fuel efficiency and you have a quite good hybrid setup that is very efficient with fuel usage and batteries that will last a long time.
- and if you "happen to" save a few $$ a day in power bills, that sucker looks even more attractive when storm season comes back around... (I have a small pile of LFP batteries for various uses.)
Batteries have to be maintained at a optimal temperature to work properly and must be slow charges or it shortens their life. Storing must be outside in a shed and not in the house cause of fire. You can't put out a battery fire as they don't require oxygen to burn.
@@denisturcott5131 LiFePO4 is one of the safest and most resilient available battery chemistries, and are essentially maintenance free when compared to either lead acid or more traditional lithium battery chemistries. Don't charge them below freezing and try to keep them below 175F and the chances of catastrophic damage are quite low with modern integrated BMSs.
@@LaurenLagarde , indeed, if living in s cold place, an insulated boxcwith a low power heat blanket should be able to keep the chill off (ventilate in sumer with a 30 watt fan when it gets hot.) Same type of maintenance as a small greenhouse (ie use the same type of climate regulator) or at the limit reverse cycle aircondition the unit.
I was going to suggest this also. I have no experience running generators without changing the oil as recommended. Does anyone or even Matt have any experience not changing the oil, any problems or did your lack of maintenance pay off.
@Tom Bixby it'll probably run for a while, but it'll start being less efficient, it'll start to eat oil, and it will have worse smelling exhaust before it dies on you when you need it.
I just checked, and the spec for the champion 4500 shown in this video is an oil change every 100 running hours under light load, and every 50 hours under "heavy" load or when run in hot environments.
Excellent tip, also, check the battery level and make sure the maintenance is up to date. In general, one of the biggest consumer complaints is that they do not know how to start the generator when the emergency hits, or, the system will not start because the battery is dead or carburetor is clogged.
i ran my eu30i for 6 days straight , with eco throttle on and on propane. the oil was not as bad as i was expecting. it was still clean even after 150hours even tho the manual asks for 100hr oil change. i suppose that is due to running on propane as that is a much cleaner burning fuel with lot less carbon and it does not mix in the oil or wash the cylinders. also honda quality is top notch. i got the generator for 300$ with a gas tank full of rotten fuel and carb full of tar. they left the fuel on for 4 years and flooded the engine. had to replace every bit of the fuel path and clean the carb for a week. honda oem parts are easy and cheap to find. i got a whole box of gaskets and filters kit from honda dealership for 20$ , that set goes for 1200$ new here. so i saved quite a bit.
Consider adding a generator inlet port. Makes powering the house much simpler. There are automatic transfer switches available, but a manual setup with a simple breaker panel interlock is perfectly functional and relatively inexpensive. It's not as convenient as an automatic system, sure, but it's functional, reliable, and far less costly to implement. I have a Champion 8750 inverter model with a manual inlet port on a 50A breaker. I can power the entire house no prob, though I am limited to one high draw device at a time (A/C, oven, or dryer). Iron Box even makes a 30A/50A adapter cable so I was able to set up the inlet box with a 50A connector. The circuit's capacity far exceeds my generator's power production, but the setup gives me plenty of headroom and the ability to easily upgrade to a larger generator without the need for wiring revisions. My total investment, including the generator, is a smidge under $2000. A side benefit of going this route is having a semi-portable generator to use for other things.
Take note: The generally available standard (not inverter) portable generators produce horrible power; THD (total harmonic distortion) bad enough to cause damage to electronics. They're still marketed for home backup (with a transfer switch) but what home doesn't include electronics? Pretty much every appliance and HVAC system now have sensitive electronics. I purchased the Tri-Fuel Champion generator and couldn't use it because all of my battery backup UPSs were complaining about the power and wouldn't recharge. Oddly enough, I own a 20+ year old Troy Built generator that provides power with a significantly lower THD. I've since discovered that The Generator Bible does a good job of evaluating and reviewing generators and gives a THD measurement for each.
Thanks for the "The Generator Bible " tip, Michigunder. As a EE, I understand the implications of modified sine vs. pure sine, or even a sinewave at the wrong freq. Currently have a whole house Generac, but toying around with a 'plan B'. Might even just do a 12V sinewave inverter, given the relatively low cost.
Thank you so much for that, I was wondering how good the power from those things was. In particular to power a heat pump - you definitely don't want your expensive heat pump killed by a cheap generator.
I've often wondered why they don't simply filter off the harmonic content (i.e. what causes the THD) in order leave the fundamental (60Hz). I do that all the time in high power RF design.
I'm in a NE Austin suburb and made it through both of the major power outages in the last three years with my solar system and two Tesla PowerWalls - they back up the full house and in the winter will last me 3+ days (plus whatever sunshine I might get to recharge the batteries). I was up an running through the whole period of both outages with no issues. I had central heat, my freezer/refrigerator worked, my lights worked, my TV worked and most of the time my internet (except when all the cell towers and the cable TV/Internet backup system of the provider failed). Best purchase I made in the last 10 years, plus my electric bill for last year was around $200 dollars - for the whole year. Minor outages during storms or other events are also bridged easily by the battery backup system. No need to buy fuel, maintain the equipment or switch anything on - it's seamless and automatic and maintenance free.
Dang! That’s fantastic! Only downside is initial cost (if you’re able to afford it that’s awesome) and the other downside is battery longevity. Will they degrade in a decade? Definitely agree this is the future
Be sure to check the manufacture date stamped on the tank. After 5(?) years they can't be refilled unless they are re-certified, which in my experience has been pretty close to the cost of a new tank. If you buy a tank that is four(?) years old you just doubled your cost of the tank in one year. Can't recall the recertification duration but I bought a new grill from Home Depot once that only had a year before it not refillable.
Good info! I have a basic generator and also a portable butane burner to cook on. I bought a case of the cans of butane and combined were under $50. Have a great week!
You certainly don’t ‘need’ an electrician if you know how to do it yourself. If you live in a region that requires a permit you can also pull that yourself.
Better to use a breaker interlock kit instead of a transfer switch. So much cheaper and gives you access to serve more breakers in the house (only restricted to your generator size more or less).
Project Farm did some testing on stabilizers, and the best of them were still pretty bad on carburetors. Additionally, gas just doesn't last over the sort of timescales a generator is used on, ethanol-free or not. I think like you I'd go with propane on a dual-fuel.
If you're going to store fuel for LONG periods of time, diesel is the best way to go, but if you must have gasoline, treat it with PRI-G. That stuff is what the military and government use to treat their reserves, but they use PRI-D. The "D" is for DIESEL, and the "G" is for GASOLINE. They say each treatment will keep the fuel fresh for 6 to 10 years. A pint of it treats 250 gallons of fuel. You can buy it in 55 gallon drums and that treats over 110,000 gallons of fuel. Back in the last 90's before Y2K, I stocked up on diesel. I bought 3,500 gallons for my 33kWh diesel gen set, and I still have the same exact fuel in those tanks, and I paid $0.63 a gallon for off road farm use fuel. Get that fuel, for gen sets in either gasoline or diesel, because you don't pay any tax on it, and it's died pink. I have only treated it ONCE and it is still the exact same shade of pick and brand new fuel. I buy new every couple years to do a comparison when I check on it, and you can't tell the difference. Keep up the great work.
Taryl fixes all did an extended test. He found that regular pump gas with ethanol is good for over a year in a sealed container. I still run ethanol free because the tanks on my equipment aren't sealed.
@@hughbrackett343 Yes. I too have found that the most important variable in keeping gasoline long term is an air tight container. Ethanol is hygroscopic and will absorb water out of the air. Additionally, the lighter compounds will evaporate and leave behind the heavier components. I routinely go 2 years on stored fuel before rotating.
I have close to the same generators. I would add another second Champion just like the dual fuel one. 2 is one, one is none. I have a 12000, 2- Champion inverters and 2 Predator inverters. During outage I have family that have needed in the past. Nice seeing you do this video.
I've heard that in Puerto Rico after the Hurricaine, people who had generators would wake up the next day with their generator gone, and a lawn mower, still running, in it's place. Kinda funny, but the lesson is: If you have something others want/need, then you need to lock it down if you want to keep it.
Sealed Nato gas cans are best for long term fuel storage. I also find that my fuel will store safely in the metal cans for 2+ years when I use a combination of Stabil fuel stabilizer AND Sea Foam treatment.
With regard to fuel, I can easily stretch my E10 gas a year with stabilizer. Wouldn't even blink. I would probably do 2 years without much of a concern. I will say a neighbor was moving and gave me an old 5 gal can she had around. She claimed it was 2 years old, non-stabilized and, yes, E10 gas. I have been running it in my lawn tractor with ZERO issues. I think the key is modern, sealed gas cans. Nothing wrong with having fresh fuel around (and yes I know about the seasonal blend differences, never seems to matter, even in my small engines with carbs), but you do NOT need to stress about it and "manage" your fuel reserves like this. I had about 23 gallons and with that new 5 gal can I guess I have 28 now. For generators I like the WEN GN875i open frame inverter at 7000W continuous.
You can get a 500-1000 gallon tank set at your home and not have to worry for a Very long time. You can rent them by the year for about $75. Or Buy one for around $900.
Great video, I have had great luck with my Champion 2500 dual fuel and my Firman 3650 for the bigger jobs. Once you have this all squared away, work on getting a Bluetti AC200 (or similar) and portable solar panels so you can have continuous power without running the Gen constantly. Or go a step further and get an off-grid solar/battery inverter setup like EG4, more bang for the buck even though it's obviously more expensive and more initial work.
Can't agree more with the dual fuel. They have tri-fuel models now too. As for Propane, the best saying is : "Propane doesn't have a shelf life, it has a half life". Great for long term preparedness.
A tip from Canada, spend the extra few bucks and start BIG. You will not save any money by cheaping out only to discover that you can not run - - - , and now you have to by a bigger unit, ask me how I know x3
we were out for three days because of a storm. bought a $300 generator online and have thankfully not been forced to use it. I would advise people to buy the invertor version being that electronics could be damaged from using power from a standard generator. Thinking about upgrading to a bigger system and that dual fuel is definitely on my mind , possibly 200-300 gallons of propane. 👍
I put 20 gallons of stabilized gas in my shed when winter starts for the generator - just in case, then I use what is left in my riding mower in the spring. The next winter I repeat the process. Has worked great for me for over a decade.
A tip for gasoline or diesel is to get a Mr. Funnel fuel filter to filter out dirt and water. I pour my fuel from the fuel container through the Mr. Funnel into the generator fuel tank to filter out any water that the ethanol attracts. I also use it for filtering diesel fuel into my camper’s parking heater - dirt and grit are hard on the fuel pump.
@@ppainterco (it filters the free water - in droplet form - from the fuel (that water usually remains in the bottom of a can - or the sump of a tank - ie aircraft wings) - not that which attached to the ethanol (hydrogen bonds) )
@@kadmow I always keep an empty fuel tank on my generator and only add fuel from fuel storage containers. So far, even older fuel still works well when filtered. Either the filter works or I’ve been lucky.
We keep five - 5 gallon cans of stabilized gas in our shed. I numbered the cans and use that to rotate the gas. I dump older gas in our car. I've found that stabilized gas in sealed cans is find for a year-ish. We can expect week long power outages due to winter ice storms here in NH. That is enough gas to get us through with intermittent use. I built a DIY UPS to keep our home network/internet alive when the generator is not running. Our internet and landline phone use fiber so require power on our side. That is something to keep in mind as cell service may not be available during an extended outage. Something to keep in mind about propane, here in the rustbelt. Propane is stored as liquid so it needs to vaporize to be burned .This reduces temperature and with smaller tanks reduces draw rate and in some cases will actually cause it to freeze. Not something you want to happen during an outage. Totally agree about having a shelter that allows the genie to be run in bad weather: rain or snow. I built a generator shed and hinged the access door at the top so it acts as a poor mans roof in bad weather.
HD and Lowes only fill those 20LB tanks with 15lbs so they only weigh 31LBS. You have to go to a dedicated propane fill location to get the full 20lbs in the tank.. For my long term storage, i also got brass plugs for all my tanks, just in case the tank valve has a small leak..
I purchased a generator years ago and since then we haven't had a power outage long enough to make it worth firing it up. It was the best money I've ever spent. 🤣 I just do the regular maintenance to make sure it stays ready so those power outages stay away.
I have 27 Gal of gas on standby for the generator. I had a Generac 5500 xl which when run 4 hr in morning, 4 hours at night would use about 2.5 gal per day. This would cover a week of keeping the fridge/freezer cold and the house warm in NY state. That has covered all power outages in our area which usually last about 4 days. Hurricane Sandy was the only exception so far. The fuel is ethanol free, stabilized and rotated in March and September. I added a Firman inverter 3600 and I do not know the fuel consumption, but it should be less than the Generac.
I have 80 gallons on hand and get the ethanol free like Matt said. The ethanol free is more expensive and I have to go out of my way to get it but because I use the gas on my lawn and in all my gas powered tools It never has the chance to go bad. Here is the benefits, in the winter I know I have enough gas to get through any power outage and if I need to I can fill up at home if I need. Here's the big one, my gas powered tools work like champs because of that good gas, they don't get gummed up and that saves me real money and hassle every year. I have never ran ethanol in my mowers, saws, trimmers, hedgers, etc. and they are clean because of it. Little note to landscapers, don't scrimp on the gas you use in your rigs, it pays back in spades. :)
@@mitchdenner9743 It's nice piece of mind. I want to get a tap to fill small tanks off my propane cylinder, my neighbors would love me in a power outage. :)
One thing not mentioned that I found out in my own research (wife is making me get a standby generator for our new house in central new york) is that diesel generators do not work well, or even crank, if temps are too low. So if a blizzard hits and it is single digit temps and you're planning to use diesel, you're going to be screwed. I've always hated the aesthetic of the giant (#250?) propane tanks that rural America has so many of, but since propane doesn't go bad I'm thinking for getting one of those so we'll be set for a week if there is truly a terrible blizzard.
I honestly believe in being prepared, etc. But Im also in the field of the less you own the less you need to maintain, fix and repair. Have to worry about gas going bad, running it monthly, etc, etc. Sold mine 5 years ago due to none use and just another thing to own and break down. See if it bites me in the ass in the future.
Love my Generac whole house standby unit. Before I had it, I would always wait to turn the gas powered on because it's a PITA to get everything connected to it and you always assume power won't be out long and keep delaying getting it out and running.
90 gallons of diesel and a 7500 watt motorhome generator on standby, always. Have 15kWh of battery and 13kW of inverter as well, coupled woth (eventually) the 7500 watts of solar panels i have yet to install 😅. Be ready indeed!
Good video! 👍 This is a bit of an aside, but I stumbled upon and got a car already previously converted to run propane. It holds between 22-23 gals (a bit bigger than that but won't let you put in more as it must leave room for expansion). I can switch back and forth and despite it being supposedly slightly less efficient, my math says I get virtually the same range (within 2/10ths of a mile per gallon), but I'm paying well under $2/gal for it! Filled up on both gasoline and propane, I have over 700 mi range without a need to stop. And it runs super clean, supposed to be great for the engine. Access can be a problem elsewhere and pricing can be all over the place, but I have 24/7 access to a pump from my source that is not too out of my way on the daily commute. Most U-Haul locations have it but mark it up drastically in many cases. One right by my house is unfortunately like this. A few others are reasonable. I think it's a good idea to not rely on electrically-powered transportation that isn't ready for prime time and has significant vulnerabilities. Someone is going to figure out hydrogen and I think that's where it's at. Oh, and it's an E85-ready car too, but that IS much less efficient and so even when it was much cheaper you broke even at best.
What i like about LFP batteries is they can provide a service 24/7 vs generators that just sit and wait for their, albeit critical, average of ~2 days a year?? In my area, MN, it’s more like 3hrs a year average. If you sign up for ‘time of use’ instead of 12 cents a kWh it’s 4 cents at night and 21 cents during the day. so if you charge at night you only pay 4 cents. that arbitrage can pay for the system in 5-8 years and pay you money back after-till the batteries die which may be 30+ years with reduced capacity. this is all before any solar. There are some gotchas to what i describe, for instance, the payback would be longer if you wanted a battery large enough for several days especially with no solar. but then the battery bank would last as long as you live, assuming you only cycle through 20% daily. Everyone’s situation is different but we’re at a point where it’s definitely worth considering.
For portable generators, you really unlock its usefulness by getting either a transfer switch or an interlock kit. This allows you to plug the generator straight into the house and you don't have to worry about running extension cords. And while gas is fine, find the biggest propane tank you can and use that. Preferably those 250 or 500 gallon tanks. Something that can keep your generator running for a week or three. It is truly PITA to constantly have to refill the generator tank or worse, first having to go to the gas station to get gas. Transporting gas in your car isn't fun and things can get even worse if your local gas station has no gas.
For someone that doesn't have a truck or trailer that can keep a 100lb propane tank upright during transit for refilling there are also 100lb propane tanks designed to be used and transported either vertical or horizontal and include wheels to make it even easier. They of course cost more but otherwise I'd need to use a smaller tank.
Whole house generator is the way to go. I have a general with Honda quiet run engine. It runs entire house. We used the natural gas setup for generator. We also have 80 gallon water heater and gas logs in the fireplace that are heat generating logs( no glass cover) and both are on natural gas. HVAC also on natural gas. Total cost with transfer switch and install was 16 thousand and worth every penny. Our power grid is horrible where we live and a horse fly could fart next to powerline and power goes out.
I would love to be your company's painter/finisher journey man. I just got this as a resource and see you have no painter, or finisher. Ie special floors, epoxy, custom carpentry, ship laps, custom work. I think I could be a huge benefit to your team down the line as I am growing my own following .
If you've ever had to replace all the cold food in your house, you know back up power is worth the investment. We have a 250 gal propane tank (for the house) that I'm exploring getting a connection for our generator.
There are propane conversion kits for most gas generators that will make them duel fuel. So the more silent Honda generators would be nice. Just expect to pay for it.
Hi Build Show, Personally, 20 gallons is not enough for me & my family. I store 100 gallons in my shed with Star Tron fuel enzyme & Stabil marine grade mixed in the fuel. I find I get better than a year of storage time with my fuel that is regular 10% ethanol gasoline. That amount of fuel buys me 7-10 days of no power. I run an inverter generator that is fuel injected & with eco mode I’m able to save fuel in low usage hours. I fill up both of my trucks before the storm hits. I have a pony tank on my genny I’m able to squeeze 22-28 hours of run time @ 1/2 load. I’m no prep-per but it seems that way in how much fuel I have on stand by. I keep my genny in an enclosure that is fire proof & vented on 2 sides. It stays outside year round. No one needs to go outside to start it. It has a wired remote. I have a trickle charger for it. It’s wired in to my panel & with a few simple switch moves I’m able to restore power to my entire house in a couple of minutes. The same goes for my central air as well. Try that with a Champion? I didn’t think so. 😮
I just got done installing a transformer that creates another 120v leg out of phase to supply 240v to my panel from my Cummins 120v p4500 inverter, works like cats ass. Just got to wire up my parallel cord so I can run both my 4500's if needed. 3.3 gallons last like 22 hours with low consumption and are extremely quiet.
Living in Texas for the last several years I'm sure you developed a basic understanding of what you might need to survive a power outage or some other localized natural disaster. Given that the climate in Texas is not too cold I'll bet you didn't really focus too much on severely low temperatures for prolonged periods of time - and then that storm hit a couple of years back and Texas was subjected to severe weather that lasted over a week. How have the design and construction of your houses changed in the last two years given the fallout from that storm, or have they?.
Dont think it was much a change in designs than a change in mindset. We were lights out for around three days and had others that were out for a week. The sell of generators was crazy around that time and unfortunately people were paying upwards of $1,000 for higher end models since it was the only models available. Personally, i bought one online and have just kept it knowing how bad those three days were.
Hey Matt how are you having those 100lb tanks filled? Can you transport them in the back of a truck? I’ve never owned propane tanks that big but would love to have this setup for my parents in AZ.
Most places have regulations, and/or stations have their own policies that require a 100lb tank be transported in a upright position, not inside a vehicle - commonly upright in a pickup truck or small trailer. That said, there are places that do fill just about anything however it's brought, but on the safety whole, that's basically the way to go. Just remember that you're looking at a pretty heavy tank once filled so hefting it up into the truck could be a pain for some.
I'm not sure how often you check a watt meter when running gear. A fridge is about 120-200W (modern) when running, same thing with freezers. I have a chest (24') and upright and the three run at 550W when all running at once. Starting load is 1200+, so you have to stagger them starting, but a 2k W generator runs at 25% load with just these bare essentials connected.
My family has been protected for almost 50 years with generators and outside cooking. It is always good to be smart and prepare for the worst. I have 500 litres of propane as well for heat plus smaller tanks for BBQ too. Best thing to store the generator is on a small shed big enough for the generator with wing doors for air and cooling. Close it up when done and locked in place. Last thing you want is your gear or fuel stolen when the lights go out.
Curious with this sort of prep how you feel about solar and batteries? It would seem to me that it would be a good first layer to extend that 500 liters even farther, although you'd need to switch to electric as your base fuel source which adds cost. After 50 years clearly what you're doing has worked.
@@JS_.- Solar is a waste of time and money. By the time you buy the panels, inverters, batteries wiring and cost of set up it is way more expensive. By the way if you have a twister or hurricane most of those panels are damaged and are useless. I honestly think that these new batteries are dangerous and should never be near your home. Always check with your insurance companies cause most won't cover you with those things or a EV in the garage due to fire. Knowing how much it costs to put a system in a camper van (9,000 bucks) and you only get a day out of it without starting the engine. How many generators can you buy with that money? I have two cars with at least 50 gallons of fresh gasoline and several jerry cans full that I rotate when the price of gas goes down. I have lived through a few long power failures and never went without. I had neighbours that thought the power was back on as my home was lit up and was watching TV.
@@denisturcott5131 my experience with solar has not matched what you're saying, but everyone has their own opinions. Happy your setup has proven resilient for you!
@@JS_.- I look at the total dollars for a solar set up without any grants or pay back from the electrical company. I a sure a battery system for your camper or work truck is fine but 2,000 watt inverters and batteries are convenient for for small stuff. I had entire system on my motor home and it was not as good as a generator that goes on automatically when the battery bank goes down. I had that system for 5.5 years and got rid of it. Nobody looks at the cost of replacing a roof and having to remove the panels and reinstall them either. Long term most people I know has had more problems than they are worth. I look long long term when I invest in any system. I have owned many high efficiency homes and have an extensive science background. Each to their own.Good talking to you!
I live near Galveston Texas. I want a 100 lb propane tank for a dual fuel generator. Okay, you understand being in Austin. The damn ice storm was crazy. My mom was on oxygen and we were running around trying to charge batteries.
Matt, what did your whole house setup with Generator and multiple propane bottles cost? Given that you need to replace the bottles after a few years what do you think your ongoing costs will be over the next 10 years? What would the costs be for just hooking up NG for that time too?
for housing a generator - a medium sized dog kennel works (make the roof "liftable"- -people toss them out from time to time.. nobody will know what hides beneath.
As someone who has survived direct hits from 3 major hurricanes, portable generators are for amateurs. You can only store so much fuel and then you fly through it very quickly, even if you're just running a portable AC and a refrigerator. Then what? You have to drive all over town looking for a gas station or propane cylinder exchange that has power, is open, and doesn't have a long line? No, no, that's stupid. Here's the way the pros do hurricanes; Evacuate. No matter what. Hurricanes are no fun. They're terrifying. You can be injured or killed. Don't check out of your hotel until power comes back on at home. Where I live now, we get power outages, primarily in the winter. I have propane for heat and a battery bank for refrigeration and whatever minor 120v usage. And a fleet of milwaukee m18 lanterns that light up the place for days. You can wait to do the laundry. Hot water stays hot for about 2 days. Take very quick showers. Portable generators are just one more thing that has to be maintained. And you have to run them periodically. Who's got time for that? Also go solar if you've got the budget for it. Then you can laugh at all this generator silliness.
As far as the fuel, you can go a couple ways, if your gen will use diesel, that lasts a lot longer than gas, and without needing additives. Or, if you need to use gas, use Jack Spirko's method of rotating. Each time you fill up, fill a jerry can or whatever you use, and like you do, date it & then as it gets @ 4-5-6 mos old, whatever your comfort level, when you need to fill up again, just dump the aging jerry can contents into your car and repeat the process. That way you have a 6 month self sustaining supply with no need for sta-bil or other additives. Also when the odd time gas is lower in price, you can stock up, and if not used in 6 mos just put it in your cars. Depending on your home insurance, fire risk, etc. you could have a 6 month driving supply if you so desired. also when locating the genny make sure you're away from any cold air intakes for garages, homes etc. CO can migrate in that way as well, and might be as visible as a door, window, etc. Keep up with the prepping content, Matt!!
Is it really that important to keep a portable generator from getting rained on? We store ours in a shed until needed, then just drag it out into the yard for use. The plug outlet is sealed well enough that rain falling straight down can't get into it, and I don't see how a tent or small solid cover would do anything to prevent wind-driven rain or snow from getting where it ain't supposed to be. Also have doubts how well either of those options would stick around through a high wind. Completely agree about the handiness of a portable generator, and share this guy's preference for LPG over liquid fuel for running them.
I bought that exact generator recently and it made a mini-nightmare for me since the darn CO safety function kept me from using it more than 5 minutes at a time for the last 3 power outages. Not sure if you haven't had same issues or why I ended up with a lemon. When I called their customer service I it took me 6 hours on the phone over two days with a promise of a call back that never came. While there are an assortment of RUclips videos that describe two different ways to bypass CO safety functions - which is extremely inadvisable - neither of them work for this unit. I found that the Predator 3500 is very similar internally, except for the CO product design of this Champion 4650. After finally communicating with a highly intelligent Electrician friend, I was lead to a solution, super simple, that shouldn't have to be made, but all I could do to make the thing work. Please let me know where to purchase the flat extension chord if possible...? Champion's own site doesn't have any seller options...great company that.
I lived through 7 hurricane here in Florida (Ian was the worst). We went 7 days without electricity and 9 without internet, yeah it sucked. My suggestions #1. gas stove to cook and boil water #2 Am/Fm BATTERY radio for sanity. The lines at the gas station were epic for those who needed electric 24/7, forget about it.
@mattrisinger Ever noticed that Pop Francis looks like Prigozhian? I thought that a mockery of Progozhian was being done or something. On another note I try to give the benefit of the doubt when it comes to interviews. Some people need to practice more in their interviewing sessions. Learn to listen more than they speak. And quit shivering. You maje the guest nervous! I might go to the beach that I found on a humbug yesterday. It's as good as any to see the response. Especially since I haven't told many people about it. I still say that s full blown military exercise for 1 full week would do good for the people. I'm talking incorporating the citizens into it. Going door to door looking for suspects, insurgents, and terrorist cells. Pay a few nationwide to act out on camera an apprehension of a suspect. Pull out a load of weapons from their house. Mock fights in the streets. Fighter jet activity turned into dog fights in the sky overhead. Pay a couple farmers to use their land for an actual crash landing. Complete with a pilot ejection. The pilot of both friendly and enemy crashed jets making their way through the country to safety. Rescue missions. All done during a 1 week nationwide black out. That symbolizes an EMP effect. I'm talking handing out rations through the week on a daily basis. Martial law enacted. This is what I wrote and spoke to The President and Vice President about doing a few weeks ago. Not only would it prep the people for the actual possibility of it happening, but it would show the people their responsibility during an actual invasion. Stay out of it. Be like those middle eastern citizens watching us troop through their towns. Watching everything as neutral beings in war. That way should the grid down shtf take place people won't be shooting at the paratroopers. Let the military handle everything. Yes, I asked for paratroopers too. Everywhere else in the world has done military drills, but North America. We're the only unprepared civilians in the world. My goal is to prep the people for the perceived upcoming disaster that we preppers call WW3 or total grid down scenario. My guess is that this could be the deal Obama tried to work out wit Putin years ago. Disarmament of nuclear weapons globally. It was to introduce a new class of weapons. Namely the laser technology. The nukes won't make it passed the laser technology. Rather thanvdetonating on the ground as full blown nukes, they'll be blown up in the sky all over the place turning them into EMP devices with nuclear fallout. Just imagine all of the mushroom clouds in the sky all over the place. That is why I told a certain set or class of people to take at least one if their vehicles and fully disconnect their battery. Cover both the posts and terminals with electric tape. Completely wrap them up. This way no electricity will be in the system. Nor allowed to travel through it. Not everybody has a secondary vehicle they can take offline like that. So it wouldn't be feasible to tell everyone to do this. I did make it understood to choose their vehicle wisely. Choose one big enough to comfortably live out of. Then get one of those Autowits for their to go kits. It carries no electricity. However, it can use the little electricity in the battery left should it have been sitting for such a long time that it will start the vehicle up. You might be traveling around and find a vehicle that you can start up that way. Then there is this zombie apocalypse situation. Everybody thinks that it's going to be some sort of disease. How many thought about the electricity running through their own body? Both your brain and heart has electricity running through them like batteries. What would the electrical wiring damage be like in a human brain or heart? Were talking the possibility of retarding the hell out of everyone in the vicinity. After they wake up from being rendered unconscious because their brains and hearts short circuited. Imagine going outside and EVERYBODY is down right retarded? Only a handful here and there saved themselves because they thought beyond appliances, cars, tractors, and TV. They completely wrapped themselves in EMP protection. Just because those people are retarded doesn't mean they lost their humanity. They just can't no longer care for themselves. They'll after time be standing, hungry, and based on the society we built to this point, horny. You'll be running for your life because all they smell is fresh food. They're not going to desire stanking flesh. They want fresh meat. They don't want to screw something as stanking as them. They want clean smelling sex. You'll be running from either the desire to not be eaten alive or raped.
Champion has a great size selector on their website. Check the boxes of what you want to run and it’ll tell you the size. I like this one because it’s big enough to run my RV, small enough to load easily, and mid-sized enough to help a neighbor in an outage. I’ve got a standby Champion 14kw for my house
I like propane for camping, where the generator might be close to you for a long time. For power outages, gas is the way to go. Propane is pricey to run compared to gas. I keep 50 gallons of gas and use cycle it through the cars and refill my tanks every few months. Big propane tanks are a pain to get refilled. :(
@@FullSendPrecision Of course you do, everyone who uses gasoline as a back up does that. And I'm not knocking it, i just rather the 1 and done approach.
been seeing some generators get recalls on their dual fuel generators not sure if I have much confidence in buying that version compared to just gasoline. do like the fact you can go "off grid" longer without having to refuel compared to using gasoline. would those tanks need to be protected from inclement weather???
The only reason I would need a generator is if we are in a war and the war is in my hometown and I need to communicate. That being said, I'll charge my phone off my car battery and walk to where i need to go. If it's a storm and I need light, I'll use a candle. If it's cold I'll use more blankets. If aliens attack we are all doomed so happy probing.
As an Aussie, we have an integrated power-grid, across multiple states, with minimal short outages, except for extreme and very localised weather events. I'm sorry, but the idea that politicians have constrained electrical security due to grid operater profits and ideology? Just insane and so sad.
Texas is the only state that has its own power grid. The rest of the USA is integrated together. And maybe we have larger "local" weather events. 100,000 to 200,000 people without power due to ice storms in the Midwest states is unusual but not unheard of.
@Ryan Martin yeh, our weather events are not as bad with only cyclones, floods and a few small fires every year. :) To not have interstate grid connections is pretty dumb/corrupt/incompetent (?) in the modern era. Given that there are what 4 states adjoining texas, grid connectivity is too complex an undertaking?
@@michaelingram7844 Well you can either have more independence with less reliance on others. Or more "security" requiring more dependence on others. For example, when the economy collapses and liberal states become inoperable, Texas will still have the ability to sustain itself. But that won't work in the other direction. Just like with people, the more reliance you have on others, the more will they can impose on you.
@@mhods4457 Thanks, this is a wonderful example of ideology over proved fact. Even the example you gave is a refutation of your point. Ok, the ideology of independence you gave is what the right-wing republicans in texas sought by isolating the texas grid, and when the sheet hit the fan, the grid failed and scores of people died. Exactly opposite of what you claim. Yet, when communities and governments interact, they grow stronger and more resilient. Think the EU, NATO, Ukraine and most western nations, right down to local communities and then friendship group. Independence in the face of community divides and weakens. Texas did not strengthen with an independent electrical grid. It failed and killed its own people.
@@michaelingram7844 It appears that you may be watching a little too much of the mainstream propaganda news networks. They have a visceral hatred of Texas because Texas does not conform to the liberal/left wing/communism of the mentally ill and deranged leftists. What you are describing is a once in a multi-decade event. It happens so infrequently and is such a rarity, especially for Texas that it's hard to predict and prepared for. Texas learned, and now it's infrastructure is even more robust than it was before. The example you gave of the EU/NATO/Ukraine are horrible. Ukraine is one of the most corrupt countries on Earth, the money laundering and child trafficking hub of the Planet. Not to mention houses many illegal bio-labs that have now been exposed. In the EU, you get thrown into jail or have the cops called because you said something mean on Facebook. Australia had literal covid camps people were trying to escape from. Your information is highly flawed, because your biases do not allow you to see the real truth.
I’m saying it’ll last at least two days. I suspect if you’re running at 50% you’re able to run for several days on a big tank. Maybe more. No specs for that online so I’ll need to test it.
Nope. But, Can you run your solar when it has 6” of snow on the Panels and it’s treacherous to get on the roof to clear them? Your expensive batteries need a recharge daily to stay alive.
@@buildshow I don't have batteries at this point, but curious what the plan is beyond two days with this 100lb tank. Seriously, if we consider a time when stuff has really hit the fan what happens after day 2? With solar and batteries I assume I can modulate my usage based on solar production.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 King James Version 13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Another tip, buy a 4' yard/earth anchor and cement it in the ground with 2 bags of quickrete. This gives you a solid anchor point to security chain the generator to deter thieves.
LiFePO4 batteries and solar panels are getting cheaper over time. Combine that with a small backup generator that you can keep loaded up to 75%+ while charging the battery for peak fuel efficiency and you have a quite good hybrid setup that is very efficient with fuel usage and batteries that will last a long time.
- and if you "happen to" save a few $$ a day in power bills, that sucker looks even more attractive when storm season comes back around... (I have a small pile of LFP batteries for various uses.)
Now that's belt and suspenders! 👍
Batteries have to be maintained at a optimal temperature to work properly and must be slow charges or it shortens their life. Storing must be outside in a shed and not in the house cause of fire. You can't put out a battery fire as they don't require oxygen to burn.
@@denisturcott5131 LiFePO4 is one of the safest and most resilient available battery chemistries, and are essentially maintenance free when compared to either lead acid or more traditional lithium battery chemistries.
Don't charge them below freezing and try to keep them below 175F and the chances of catastrophic damage are quite low with modern integrated BMSs.
@@LaurenLagarde , indeed, if living in s cold place, an insulated boxcwith a low power heat blanket should be able to keep the chill off (ventilate in sumer with a 30 watt fan when it gets hot.)
Same type of maintenance as a small greenhouse (ie use the same type of climate regulator) or at the limit reverse cycle aircondition the unit.
Great tips all around! Another protip would be to stock up on oil and filters. Some of these units spec an oil change every 24-48 running hours.
I was going to suggest this also. I have no experience running generators without changing the oil as recommended.
Does anyone or even Matt have any experience not changing the oil, any problems or did your lack of maintenance pay off.
@Tom Bixby it'll probably run for a while, but it'll start being less efficient, it'll start to eat oil, and it will have worse smelling exhaust before it dies on you when you need it.
I just checked, and the spec for the champion 4500 shown in this video is an oil change every 100 running hours under light load, and every 50 hours under "heavy" load or when run in hot environments.
Excellent tip, also, check the battery level and make sure the maintenance is up to date.
In general, one of the biggest consumer complaints is that they do not know how to start the generator when the emergency hits, or, the system will not start because the battery is dead or carburetor is clogged.
i ran my eu30i for 6 days straight , with eco throttle on and on propane. the oil was not as bad as i was expecting. it was still clean even after 150hours even tho the manual asks for 100hr oil change. i suppose that is due to running on propane as that is a much cleaner burning fuel with lot less carbon and it does not mix in the oil or wash the cylinders. also honda quality is top notch. i got the generator for 300$ with a gas tank full of rotten fuel and carb full of tar. they left the fuel on for 4 years and flooded the engine. had to replace every bit of the fuel path and clean the carb for a week. honda oem parts are easy and cheap to find. i got a whole box of gaskets and filters kit from honda dealership for 20$ , that set goes for 1200$ new here. so i saved quite a bit.
Consider adding a generator inlet port. Makes powering the house much simpler. There are automatic transfer switches available, but a manual setup with a simple breaker panel interlock is perfectly functional and relatively inexpensive. It's not as convenient as an automatic system, sure, but it's functional, reliable, and far less costly to implement.
I have a Champion 8750 inverter model with a manual inlet port on a 50A breaker. I can power the entire house no prob, though I am limited to one high draw device at a time (A/C, oven, or dryer). Iron Box even makes a 30A/50A adapter cable so I was able to set up the inlet box with a 50A connector. The circuit's capacity far exceeds my generator's power production, but the setup gives me plenty of headroom and the ability to easily upgrade to a larger generator without the need for wiring revisions. My total investment, including the generator, is a smidge under $2000. A side benefit of going this route is having a semi-portable generator to use for other things.
You're not supposed to back feed a panel so a proper transfer switch should be installed.
I do home generator installs for champion on the side.
@@evictioncarpentry2628 Read my comment again. Look carefully for the phrases "generator inlet port" and "panel interlock".
Take note: The generally available standard (not inverter) portable generators produce horrible power; THD (total harmonic distortion) bad enough to cause damage to electronics. They're still marketed for home backup (with a transfer switch) but what home doesn't include electronics? Pretty much every appliance and HVAC system now have sensitive electronics. I purchased the Tri-Fuel Champion generator and couldn't use it because all of my battery backup UPSs were complaining about the power and wouldn't recharge. Oddly enough, I own a 20+ year old Troy Built generator that provides power with a significantly lower THD. I've since discovered that The Generator Bible does a good job of evaluating and reviewing generators and gives a THD measurement for each.
Honda inverters for the win. they are expensive but so are electronics. smallest THD out there
Thanks for the "The Generator Bible " tip, Michigunder. As a EE, I understand the implications of modified sine vs. pure sine, or even a sinewave at the wrong freq. Currently have a whole house Generac, but toying around with a 'plan B'. Might even just do a 12V sinewave inverter, given the relatively low cost.
Thank you so much for that, I was wondering how good the power from those things was. In particular to power a heat pump - you definitely don't want your expensive heat pump killed by a cheap generator.
I've often wondered why they don't simply filter off the harmonic content (i.e. what causes the THD) in order leave the fundamental (60Hz). I do that all the time in high power RF design.
Matt won't tell you this because Champion is his sponsor.
I'm in a NE Austin suburb and made it through both of the major power outages in the last three years with my solar system and two Tesla PowerWalls - they back up the full house and in the winter will last me 3+ days (plus whatever sunshine I might get to recharge the batteries). I was up an running through the whole period of both outages with no issues. I had central heat, my freezer/refrigerator worked, my lights worked, my TV worked and most of the time my internet (except when all the cell towers and the cable TV/Internet backup system of the provider failed).
Best purchase I made in the last 10 years, plus my electric bill for last year was around $200 dollars - for the whole year.
Minor outages during storms or other events are also bridged easily by the battery backup system. No need to buy fuel, maintain the equipment or switch anything on - it's seamless and automatic and maintenance free.
Dang! That’s fantastic! Only downside is initial cost (if you’re able to afford it that’s awesome) and the other downside is battery longevity. Will they degrade in a decade? Definitely agree this is the future
Be sure to check the manufacture date stamped on the tank. After 5(?) years they can't be refilled unless they are re-certified, which in my experience has been pretty close to the cost of a new tank. If you buy a tank that is four(?) years old you just doubled your cost of the tank in one year. Can't recall the recertification duration but I bought a new grill from Home Depot once that only had a year before it not refillable.
Where I live we rent the large tanks and the company replaces them every ten years at no cost to us. 100 pound and up are rent only in Canada.
10 years in Australia, but with swap and go they don't even check so it is basically free.
Good info! I have a basic generator and also a portable butane burner to cook on. I bought a case of the cans of butane and combined were under $50. Have a great week!
Wish you would have talked about transfer switches
Great way to help the community. Need to save up some money
you can get some good deals online. i bought one for $300 and have already had it for two years and no complaints.
Don't forget about getting a transfer switch installed so you can just plug in to that outside the house. Need an electrician to do the hook up.
You certainly don’t ‘need’ an electrician if you know how to do it yourself. If you live in a region that requires a permit you can also pull that yourself.
Better to use a breaker interlock kit instead of a transfer switch. So much cheaper and gives you access to serve more breakers in the house (only restricted to your generator size more or less).
Project Farm did some testing on stabilizers, and the best of them were still pretty bad on carburetors. Additionally, gas just doesn't last over the sort of timescales a generator is used on, ethanol-free or not. I think like you I'd go with propane on a dual-fuel.
Interesting. I typically use non-ethanol gas and skip the stabilizer.
If you're going to store fuel for LONG periods of time, diesel is the best way to go, but if you must have gasoline, treat it with PRI-G. That stuff is what the military and government use to treat their reserves, but they use PRI-D. The "D" is for DIESEL, and the "G" is for GASOLINE. They say each treatment will keep the fuel fresh for 6 to 10 years. A pint of it treats 250 gallons of fuel. You can buy it in 55 gallon drums and that treats over 110,000 gallons of fuel.
Back in the last 90's before Y2K, I stocked up on diesel. I bought 3,500 gallons for my 33kWh diesel gen set, and I still have the same exact fuel in those tanks, and I paid $0.63 a gallon for off road farm use fuel. Get that fuel, for gen sets in either gasoline or diesel, because you don't pay any tax on it, and it's died pink. I have only treated it ONCE and it is still the exact same shade of pick and brand new fuel. I buy new every couple years to do a comparison when I check on it, and you can't tell the difference. Keep up the great work.
Taryl fixes all did an extended test. He found that regular pump gas with ethanol is good for over a year in a sealed container. I still run ethanol free because the tanks on my equipment aren't sealed.
@@hughbrackett343 Yes. I too have found that the most important variable in keeping gasoline long term is an air tight container. Ethanol is hygroscopic and will absorb water out of the air. Additionally, the lighter compounds will evaporate and leave behind the heavier components. I routinely go 2 years on stored fuel before rotating.
Awesome video
The last big freeze had my MIL out of power for 3 days.
The combination of battery storage and a generator kept things going
Like your tip on putting fill date on a post it note. 👍 thanks
I have close to the same generators. I would add another second Champion just like the dual fuel one. 2 is one, one is none. I have a 12000, 2- Champion inverters and 2 Predator inverters. During outage I have family that have needed in the past. Nice seeing you do this video.
Thanks for the tip about the flat cord. I’d never seen those in my area. Shall have to go shopping! 💸
Good generator made my #1 in my top ten generator test list. 👍🏼
I've heard that in Puerto Rico after the Hurricaine, people who had generators would wake up the next day with their generator gone, and a lawn mower, still running, in it's place.
Kinda funny, but the lesson is: If you have something others want/need, then you need to lock it down if you want to keep it.
Sealed Nato gas cans are best for long term fuel storage. I also find that my fuel will store safely in the metal cans for 2+ years when I use a combination of Stabil fuel stabilizer AND Sea Foam treatment.
You're talking about the quality ones based on WW2 German design, right? Those are nice
With regard to fuel, I can easily stretch my E10 gas a year with stabilizer. Wouldn't even blink. I would probably do 2 years without much of a concern. I will say a neighbor was moving and gave me an old 5 gal can she had around. She claimed it was 2 years old, non-stabilized and, yes, E10 gas. I have been running it in my lawn tractor with ZERO issues. I think the key is modern, sealed gas cans. Nothing wrong with having fresh fuel around (and yes I know about the seasonal blend differences, never seems to matter, even in my small engines with carbs), but you do NOT need to stress about it and "manage" your fuel reserves like this. I had about 23 gallons and with that new 5 gal can I guess I have 28 now. For generators I like the WEN GN875i open frame inverter at 7000W continuous.
You can get a 500-1000 gallon tank set at your home and not have to worry for a Very long time. You can rent them by the year for about $75. Or Buy one for around $900.
Great video, I have had great luck with my Champion 2500 dual fuel and my Firman 3650 for the bigger jobs.
Once you have this all squared away, work on getting a Bluetti AC200 (or similar) and portable solar panels so you can have continuous power without running the Gen constantly. Or go a step further and get an off-grid solar/battery inverter setup like EG4, more bang for the buck even though it's obviously more expensive and more initial work.
Thanks Matt!
Can't agree more with the dual fuel. They have tri-fuel models now too.
As for Propane, the best saying is : "Propane doesn't have a shelf life, it has a half life". Great for long term preparedness.
Good morning Preppers.
Stay alert.
And Brace for September.
Matt. You need to look at Tesla tile roofing and powerwalls. Infinite supply, no fuel, 250 year life tiles
A tip from Canada, spend the extra few bucks and start BIG. You will not save any money by cheaping out only to discover that you can not run - - - , and now you have to by a bigger unit, ask me how I know x3
we were out for three days because of a storm. bought a $300 generator online and have thankfully not been forced to use it. I would advise people to buy the invertor version being that electronics could be damaged from using power from a standard generator. Thinking about upgrading to a bigger system and that dual fuel is definitely on my mind , possibly 200-300 gallons of propane. 👍
I put 20 gallons of stabilized gas in my shed when winter starts for the generator - just in case, then I use what is left in my riding mower in the spring. The next winter I repeat the process. Has worked great for me for over a decade.
A tip for gasoline or diesel is to get a Mr. Funnel fuel filter to filter out dirt and water. I pour my fuel from the fuel container through the Mr. Funnel into the generator fuel tank to filter out any water that the ethanol attracts.
I also use it for filtering diesel fuel into my camper’s parking heater - dirt and grit are hard on the fuel pump.
You can't filter water out of ethanol.
@@bobbygetsbanned6049 ethanol is hydrophilic and attracts water. Filtering the fuel removes the water.
@@ppainterco (it filters the free water - in droplet form - from the fuel (that water usually remains in the bottom of a can - or the sump of a tank - ie aircraft wings) - not that which attached to the ethanol (hydrogen bonds) )
@@kadmow I always keep an empty fuel tank on my generator and only add fuel from fuel storage containers. So far, even older fuel still works well when filtered. Either the filter works or I’ve been lucky.
The worst outage i ever experienced was 15 minutes. That was like 2 decades ago. The European power grid is rock solid.
We keep five - 5 gallon cans of stabilized gas in our shed. I numbered the cans and use that to rotate the gas. I dump older gas in our car. I've found that stabilized gas in sealed cans is find for a year-ish. We can expect week long power outages due to winter ice storms here in NH. That is enough gas to get us through with intermittent use. I built a DIY UPS to keep our home network/internet alive when the generator is not running. Our internet and landline phone use fiber so require power on our side. That is something to keep in mind as cell service may not be available during an extended outage. Something to keep in mind about propane, here in the rustbelt. Propane is stored as liquid so it needs to vaporize to be burned .This reduces temperature and with smaller tanks reduces draw rate and in some cases will actually cause it to freeze. Not something you want to happen during an outage.
Totally agree about having a shelter that allows the genie to be run in bad weather: rain or snow. I built a generator shed and hinged the access door at the top so it acts as a poor mans roof in bad weather.
HD and Lowes only fill those 20LB tanks with 15lbs so they only weigh 31LBS. You have to go to a dedicated propane fill location to get the full 20lbs in the tank.. For my long term storage, i also got brass plugs for all my tanks, just in case the tank valve has a small leak..
I purchased a generator years ago and since then we haven't had a power outage long enough to make it worth firing it up. It was the best money I've ever spent. 🤣 I just do the regular maintenance to make sure it stays ready so those power outages stay away.
I have 27 Gal of gas on standby for the generator. I had a Generac 5500 xl which when run 4 hr in morning, 4 hours at night would use about 2.5 gal per day. This would cover a week of keeping the fridge/freezer cold and the house warm in NY state. That has covered all power outages in our area which usually last about 4 days. Hurricane Sandy was the only exception so far. The fuel is ethanol free, stabilized and rotated in March and September. I added a Firman inverter 3600 and I do not know the fuel consumption, but it should be less than the Generac.
I have 80 gallons on hand and get the ethanol free like Matt said. The ethanol free is more expensive and I have to go out of my way to get it but because I use the gas on my lawn and in all my gas powered tools It never has the chance to go bad. Here is the benefits, in the winter I know I have enough gas to get through any power outage and if I need to I can fill up at home if I need. Here's the big one, my gas powered tools work like champs because of that good gas, they don't get gummed up and that saves me real money and hassle every year. I have never ran ethanol in my mowers, saws, trimmers, hedgers, etc. and they are clean because of it. Little note to landscapers, don't scrimp on the gas you use in your rigs, it pays back in spades. :)
100% agree! We do the same and it’s totally worth it. 👍🏻
@@buildshow 😄
I got 80 gallons too had to drive two hours into pa to get it.
@@mitchdenner9743 It's nice piece of mind. I want to get a tap to fill small tanks off my propane cylinder, my neighbors would love me in a power outage. :)
One thing not mentioned that I found out in my own research (wife is making me get a standby generator for our new house in central new york) is that diesel generators do not work well, or even crank, if temps are too low. So if a blizzard hits and it is single digit temps and you're planning to use diesel, you're going to be screwed. I've always hated the aesthetic of the giant (#250?) propane tanks that rural America has so many of, but since propane doesn't go bad I'm thinking for getting one of those so we'll be set for a week if there is truly a terrible blizzard.
I honestly believe in being prepared, etc. But Im also in the field of the less you own the less you need to maintain, fix and repair. Have to worry about gas going bad, running it monthly, etc, etc. Sold mine 5 years ago due to none use and just another thing to own and break down. See if it bites me in the ass in the future.
Love my Generac whole house standby unit. Before I had it, I would always wait to turn the gas powered on because it's a PITA to get everything connected to it and you always assume power won't be out long and keep delaying getting it out and running.
WELL SAID
Nice GearTie on the flat extension cord to keep it rolled up.
90 gallons of diesel and a 7500 watt motorhome generator on standby, always. Have 15kWh of battery and 13kW of inverter as well, coupled woth (eventually) the 7500 watts of solar panels i have yet to install 😅. Be ready indeed!
Good video! 👍 This is a bit of an aside, but I stumbled upon and got a car already previously converted to run propane. It holds between 22-23 gals (a bit bigger than that but won't let you put in more as it must leave room for expansion). I can switch back and forth and despite it being supposedly slightly less efficient, my math says I get virtually the same range (within 2/10ths of a mile per gallon), but I'm paying well under $2/gal for it! Filled up on both gasoline and propane, I have over 700 mi range without a need to stop. And it runs super clean, supposed to be great for the engine. Access can be a problem elsewhere and pricing can be all over the place, but I have 24/7 access to a pump from my source that is not too out of my way on the daily commute. Most U-Haul locations have it but mark it up drastically in many cases. One right by my house is unfortunately like this. A few others are reasonable. I think it's a good idea to not rely on electrically-powered transportation that isn't ready for prime time and has significant vulnerabilities. Someone is going to figure out hydrogen and I think that's where it's at. Oh, and it's an E85-ready car too, but that IS much less efficient and so even when it was much cheaper you broke even at best.
What i like about LFP batteries is they can provide a service 24/7 vs generators that just sit and wait for their, albeit critical, average of ~2 days a year?? In my area, MN, it’s more like 3hrs a year average.
If you sign up for ‘time of use’ instead of 12 cents a kWh it’s 4 cents at night and 21 cents during the day. so if you charge at night you only pay 4 cents. that arbitrage can pay for the system in 5-8 years and pay you money back after-till the batteries die which may be 30+ years with reduced capacity. this is all before any solar.
There are some gotchas to what i describe, for instance, the payback would be longer if you wanted a battery large enough for several days especially with no solar. but then the battery bank would last as long as you live, assuming you only cycle through 20% daily. Everyone’s situation is different but we’re at a point where it’s definitely worth considering.
For portable generators, you really unlock its usefulness by getting either a transfer switch or an interlock kit. This allows you to plug the generator straight into the house and you don't have to worry about running extension cords. And while gas is fine, find the biggest propane tank you can and use that. Preferably those 250 or 500 gallon tanks. Something that can keep your generator running for a week or three. It is truly PITA to constantly have to refill the generator tank or worse, first having to go to the gas station to get gas. Transporting gas in your car isn't fun and things can get even worse if your local gas station has no gas.
For someone that doesn't have a truck or trailer that can keep a 100lb propane tank upright during transit for refilling there are also 100lb propane tanks designed to be used and transported either vertical or horizontal and include wheels to make it even easier. They of course cost more but otherwise I'd need to use a smaller tank.
Whole house generator is the way to go. I have a general with Honda quiet run engine. It runs entire house. We used the natural gas setup for generator. We also have 80 gallon water heater and gas logs in the fireplace that are heat generating logs( no glass cover) and both are on natural gas. HVAC also on natural gas. Total cost with transfer switch and install was 16 thousand and worth every penny. Our power grid is horrible where we live and a horse fly could fart next to powerline and power goes out.
Matt,
You need to research and do a video on the APC transfer switch from Schneider. I just installed my second one in my second house.
DJH
Acquired a NG fueled whole-house, auto-switch over generator, then acquired a contingency back-up unit that can be used in a pinch
I would love to be your company's painter/finisher journey man. I just got this as a resource and see you have no painter, or finisher. Ie special floors, epoxy, custom carpentry, ship laps, custom work. I think I could be a huge benefit to your team down the line as I am growing my own following .
If you've ever had to replace all the cold food in your house, you know back up power is worth the investment. We have a 250 gal propane tank (for the house) that I'm exploring getting a connection for our generator.
There are propane conversion kits for most gas generators that will make them duel fuel. So the more silent Honda generators would be nice. Just expect to pay for it.
Hi Build Show,
Personally, 20 gallons is not enough for me & my family. I store 100 gallons in my shed with Star Tron fuel enzyme & Stabil marine grade mixed in the fuel. I find I get better than a year of storage time with my fuel that is regular 10% ethanol gasoline. That amount of fuel buys me 7-10 days of no power. I run an inverter generator that is fuel injected & with eco mode I’m able to save fuel in low usage hours. I fill up both of my trucks before the storm hits. I have a pony tank on my genny I’m able to squeeze 22-28 hours of run time @ 1/2 load.
I’m no prep-per but it seems that way in how much fuel I have on stand by. I keep my genny in an enclosure that is fire proof & vented on 2 sides. It stays outside year round. No one needs to go outside to start it. It has a wired remote. I have a trickle charger for it. It’s wired in to my panel & with a few simple switch moves I’m able to restore power to my entire house in a couple of minutes. The same goes for my central air as well. Try that with a Champion? I didn’t think so. 😮
If you are on a well, you may need a 240 volt generator to run it. Many of the smaller inverter generator like this one do not produce 240 volts.
I just got done installing a transformer that creates another 120v leg out of phase to supply 240v to my panel from my Cummins 120v p4500 inverter, works like cats ass. Just got to wire up my parallel cord so I can run both my 4500's if needed. 3.3 gallons last like 22 hours with low consumption and are extremely quiet.
Living in Texas for the last several years I'm sure you developed a basic understanding of what you might need to survive a power outage or some other localized natural disaster. Given that the climate in Texas is not too cold I'll bet you didn't really focus too much on severely low temperatures for prolonged periods of time - and then that storm hit a couple of years back and Texas was subjected to severe weather that lasted over a week.
How have the design and construction of your houses changed in the last two years given the fallout from that storm, or have they?.
Dont think it was much a change in designs than a change in mindset. We were lights out for around three days and had others that were out for a week. The sell of generators was crazy around that time and unfortunately people were paying upwards of $1,000 for higher end models since it was the only models available. Personally, i bought one online and have just kept it knowing how bad those three days were.
Hey Matt how are you having those 100lb tanks filled? Can you transport them in the back of a truck? I’ve never owned propane tanks that big but would love to have this setup for my parents in AZ.
Most places have regulations, and/or stations have their own policies that require a 100lb tank be transported in a upright position, not inside a vehicle - commonly upright in a pickup truck or small trailer. That said, there are places that do fill just about anything however it's brought, but on the safety whole, that's basically the way to go. Just remember that you're looking at a pretty heavy tank once filled so hefting it up into the truck could be a pain for some.
We're a farming community and many of the local stores do exchanges on 100lb tanks just like the smaller ones, even our grocery store.
@@CharlesOlcott thanks for this!
@@jamesbridges7750 thanks for this!
I'm not sure how often you check a watt meter when running gear. A fridge is about 120-200W (modern) when running, same thing with freezers. I have a chest (24') and upright and the three run at 550W when all running at once. Starting load is 1200+, so you have to stagger them starting, but a 2k W generator runs at 25% load with just these bare essentials connected.
My family has been protected for almost 50 years with generators and outside cooking. It is always good to be smart and prepare for the worst. I have 500 litres of propane as well for heat plus smaller tanks for BBQ too. Best thing to store the generator is on a small shed big enough for the generator with wing doors for air and cooling. Close it up when done and locked in place. Last thing you want is your gear or fuel stolen when the lights go out.
Curious with this sort of prep how you feel about solar and batteries? It would seem to me that it would be a good first layer to extend that 500 liters even farther, although you'd need to switch to electric as your base fuel source which adds cost. After 50 years clearly what you're doing has worked.
@@JS_.- Solar is a waste of time and money. By the time you buy the panels, inverters, batteries wiring and cost of set up it is way more expensive. By the way if you have a twister or hurricane most of those panels are damaged and are useless. I honestly think that these new batteries are dangerous and should never be near your home. Always check with your insurance companies cause most won't cover you with those things or a EV in the garage due to fire. Knowing how much it costs to put a system in a camper van (9,000 bucks) and you only get a day out of it without starting the engine. How many generators can you buy with that money? I have two cars with at least 50 gallons of fresh gasoline and several jerry cans full that I rotate when the price of gas goes down. I have lived through a few long power failures and never went without. I had neighbours that thought the power was back on as my home was lit up and was watching TV.
@@denisturcott5131 my experience with solar has not matched what you're saying, but everyone has their own opinions. Happy your setup has proven resilient for you!
@@JS_.- I look at the total dollars for a solar set up without any grants or pay back from the electrical company. I a sure a battery system for your camper or work truck is fine but 2,000 watt inverters and batteries are convenient for for small stuff. I had entire system on my motor home and it was not as good as a generator that goes on automatically when the battery bank goes down. I had that system for 5.5 years and got rid of it. Nobody looks at the cost of replacing a roof and having to remove the panels and reinstall them either. Long term most people I know has had more problems than they are worth. I look long long term when I invest in any system. I have owned many high efficiency homes and have an extensive science background. Each to their own.Good talking to you!
I live near Galveston Texas. I want a 100 lb propane tank for a dual fuel generator. Okay, you understand being in Austin. The damn ice storm was crazy. My mom was on oxygen and we were running around trying to charge batteries.
they now have a Tri-fuel. I have a duel , looking to get the tri fuel
Matt, what did your whole house setup with Generator and multiple propane bottles cost? Given that you need to replace the bottles after a few years what do you think your ongoing costs will be over the next 10 years? What would the costs be for just hooking up NG for that time too?
How did your prepping change after the freeze?
for housing a generator - a medium sized dog kennel works (make the roof "liftable"- -people toss them out from time to time.. nobody will know what hides beneath.
As someone who has survived direct hits from 3 major hurricanes, portable generators are for amateurs. You can only store so much fuel and then you fly through it very quickly, even if you're just running a portable AC and a refrigerator. Then what? You have to drive all over town looking for a gas station or propane cylinder exchange that has power, is open, and doesn't have a long line? No, no, that's stupid. Here's the way the pros do hurricanes; Evacuate. No matter what. Hurricanes are no fun. They're terrifying. You can be injured or killed. Don't check out of your hotel until power comes back on at home.
Where I live now, we get power outages, primarily in the winter. I have propane for heat and a battery bank for refrigeration and whatever minor 120v usage. And a fleet of milwaukee m18 lanterns that light up the place for days. You can wait to do the laundry. Hot water stays hot for about 2 days. Take very quick showers. Portable generators are just one more thing that has to be maintained. And you have to run them periodically. Who's got time for that? Also go solar if you've got the budget for it. Then you can laugh at all this generator silliness.
I'm not a full-on prepper either. I refer to myself as "prep-ish". 😀
As far as the fuel, you can go a couple ways, if your gen will use diesel, that lasts a lot longer than gas, and without needing additives. Or, if you need to use gas, use Jack Spirko's method of rotating. Each time you fill up, fill a jerry can or whatever you use, and like you do, date it & then as it gets @ 4-5-6 mos old, whatever your comfort level, when you need to fill up again, just dump the aging jerry can contents into your car and repeat the process. That way you have a 6 month self sustaining supply with no need for sta-bil or other additives. Also when the odd time gas is lower in price, you can stock up, and if not used in 6 mos just put it in your cars. Depending on your home insurance, fire risk, etc. you could have a 6 month driving supply if you so desired.
also when locating the genny make sure you're away from any cold air intakes for garages, homes etc. CO can migrate in that way as well, and might be as visible as a door, window, etc. Keep up with the prepping content, Matt!!
Using this gas generator to charge a small battery bank like Bluetti AC500 make this experience WAY easier and you save a lot of gas.
Is it really that important to keep a portable generator from getting rained on? We store ours in a shed until needed, then just drag it out into the yard for use. The plug outlet is sealed well enough that rain falling straight down can't get into it, and I don't see how a tent or small solid cover would do anything to prevent wind-driven rain or snow from getting where it ain't supposed to be. Also have doubts how well either of those options would stick around through a high wind. Completely agree about the handiness of a portable generator, and share this guy's preference for LPG over liquid fuel for running them.
The only good time to deal with an emergency is before it happens.
If you need a generator, it is highly likely that so does your entire city.
I bought that exact generator recently and it made a mini-nightmare for me since the darn CO safety function kept me from using it more than 5 minutes at a time for the last 3 power outages. Not sure if you haven't had same issues or why I ended up with a lemon. When I called their customer service I it took me 6 hours on the phone over two days with a promise of a call back that never came. While there are an assortment of RUclips videos that describe two different ways to bypass CO safety functions - which is extremely inadvisable - neither of them work for this unit. I found that the Predator 3500 is very similar internally, except for the CO product design of this Champion 4650. After finally communicating with a highly intelligent Electrician friend, I was lead to a solution, super simple, that shouldn't have to be made, but all I could do to make the thing work.
Please let me know where to purchase the flat extension chord if possible...? Champion's own site doesn't have any seller options...great company that.
I lived through 7 hurricane here in Florida (Ian was the worst). We went 7 days without electricity and 9 without internet, yeah it sucked. My suggestions #1. gas stove to cook and boil water #2 Am/Fm BATTERY radio for sanity. The lines at the gas station were epic for those who needed electric 24/7, forget about it.
How do the gas station pumps work without electricity?
@@JS_.- They don't, that's why you need it ahead of time.
@@D2O2 curious how many of those 7 days were sunny? FM radio seems like a must
@@JS_.- NY passed a law after Sandy that all gas stations need back up generators
@@JS_.- Not everybody lost power, so a few stations had 1/2 mile lines.
Link for the bigger tank adapter?
Isn't a gas manifold required in the larger tanks?
You grab one of these on the monthly payments too?
Ever seen those generators labeled " Not for sale in california". Glad I don't live there, never did. Lol
@mattrisinger Ever noticed that Pop Francis looks like Prigozhian? I thought that a mockery of Progozhian was being done or something. On another note I try to give the benefit of the doubt when it comes to interviews. Some people need to practice more in their interviewing sessions. Learn to listen more than they speak. And quit shivering. You maje the guest nervous! I might go to the beach that I found on a humbug yesterday. It's as good as any to see the response. Especially since I haven't told many people about it. I still say that s full blown military exercise for 1 full week would do good for the people. I'm talking incorporating the citizens into it. Going door to door looking for suspects, insurgents, and terrorist cells. Pay a few nationwide to act out on camera an apprehension of a suspect. Pull out a load of weapons from their house. Mock fights in the streets. Fighter jet activity turned into dog fights in the sky overhead. Pay a couple farmers to use their land for an actual crash landing. Complete with a pilot ejection. The pilot of both friendly and enemy crashed jets making their way through the country to safety. Rescue missions. All done during a 1 week nationwide black out. That symbolizes an EMP effect. I'm talking handing out rations through the week on a daily basis. Martial law enacted. This is what I wrote and spoke to The President and Vice President about doing a few weeks ago. Not only would it prep the people for the actual possibility of it happening, but it would show the people their responsibility during an actual invasion. Stay out of it. Be like those middle eastern citizens watching us troop through their towns. Watching everything as neutral beings in war. That way should the grid down shtf take place people won't be shooting at the paratroopers. Let the military handle everything. Yes, I asked for paratroopers too. Everywhere else in the world has done military drills, but North America. We're the only unprepared civilians in the world. My goal is to prep the people for the perceived upcoming disaster that we preppers call WW3 or total grid down scenario. My guess is that this could be the deal Obama tried to work out wit Putin years ago. Disarmament of nuclear weapons globally. It was to introduce a new class of weapons. Namely the laser technology. The nukes won't make it passed the laser technology. Rather thanvdetonating on the ground as full blown nukes, they'll be blown up in the sky all over the place turning them into EMP devices with nuclear fallout. Just imagine all of the mushroom clouds in the sky all over the place. That is why I told a certain set or class of people to take at least one if their vehicles and fully disconnect their battery. Cover both the posts and terminals with electric tape. Completely wrap them up. This way no electricity will be in the system. Nor allowed to travel through it. Not everybody has a secondary vehicle they can take offline like that. So it wouldn't be feasible to tell everyone to do this. I did make it understood to choose their vehicle wisely. Choose one big enough to comfortably live out of. Then get one of those Autowits for their to go kits. It carries no electricity. However, it can use the little electricity in the battery left should it have been sitting for such a long time that it will start the vehicle up. You might be traveling around and find a vehicle that you can start up that way. Then there is this zombie apocalypse situation. Everybody thinks that it's going to be some sort of disease. How many thought about the electricity running through their own body? Both your brain and heart has electricity running through them like batteries. What would the electrical wiring damage be like in a human brain or heart? Were talking the possibility of retarding the hell out of everyone in the vicinity. After they wake up from being rendered unconscious because their brains and hearts short circuited. Imagine going outside and EVERYBODY is down right retarded? Only a handful here and there saved themselves because they thought beyond appliances, cars, tractors, and TV. They completely wrapped themselves in EMP protection. Just because those people are retarded doesn't mean they lost their humanity. They just can't no longer care for themselves. They'll after time be standing, hungry, and based on the society we built to this point, horny. You'll be running for your life because all they smell is fresh food. They're not going to desire stanking flesh. They want fresh meat. They don't want to screw something as stanking as them. They want clean smelling sex. You'll be running from either the desire to not be eaten alive or raped.
How close are you to a sub station and foot above sea level Matt.
How do I determine the generator size needed?
Champion has a great size selector on their website. Check the boxes of what you want to run and it’ll tell you the size. I like this one because it’s big enough to run my RV, small enough to load easily, and mid-sized enough to help a neighbor in an outage. I’ve got a standby Champion 14kw for my house
@@buildshow thanks, I'll check it out!
Best gas can to store???
I like propane for camping, where the generator might be close to you for a long time. For power outages, gas is the way to go. Propane is pricey to run compared to gas. I keep 50 gallons of gas and use cycle it through the cars and refill my tanks every few months. Big propane tanks are a pain to get refilled. :(
That's true, except, propane never goes bad, so you never need to refill it..
@@fredrelay1052 I burn gas in my vehicles. So I just fill them with my “supply” of tanks and then refill them at the corner gas station.
@@FullSendPrecision Of course you do, everyone who uses gasoline as a back up does that. And I'm not knocking it, i just rather the 1 and done approach.
I only have one Sun worth of energy…will it be enough?
matt what about facing off against the zombies?
I might have a Texas Solution standing by…🤫
😃👍🏻👊🏻
been seeing some generators get recalls on their dual fuel generators not sure if I have much confidence in buying that version compared to just gasoline. do like the fact you can go "off grid" longer without having to refuel compared to using gasoline. would those tanks need to be protected from inclement weather???
Gen tent, lol
The only reason I would need a generator is if we are in a war and the war is in my hometown and I need to communicate. That being said, I'll charge my phone off my car battery and walk to where i need to go. If it's a storm and I need light, I'll use a candle. If it's cold I'll use more blankets. If aliens attack we are all doomed so happy probing.
Get a natural gas powered generator, never run outof fuel, never have to rotate fuel
Fridges not refridges, let's abbreviate properly.
With propane, no carbon monoxide.
As an Aussie, we have an integrated power-grid, across multiple states, with minimal short outages, except for extreme and very localised weather events.
I'm sorry, but the idea that politicians have constrained electrical security due to grid operater profits and ideology? Just insane and so sad.
Texas is the only state that has its own power grid. The rest of the USA is integrated together. And maybe we have larger "local" weather events. 100,000 to 200,000 people without power due to ice storms in the Midwest states is unusual but not unheard of.
@Ryan Martin yeh, our weather events are not as bad with only cyclones, floods and a few small fires every year. :)
To not have interstate grid connections is pretty dumb/corrupt/incompetent (?) in the modern era. Given that there are what 4 states adjoining texas, grid connectivity is too complex an undertaking?
@@michaelingram7844 Well you can either have more independence with less reliance on others. Or more "security" requiring more dependence on others. For example, when the economy collapses and liberal states become inoperable, Texas will still have the ability to sustain itself. But that won't work in the other direction. Just like with people, the more reliance you have on others, the more will they can impose on you.
@@mhods4457 Thanks, this is a wonderful example of ideology over proved fact. Even the example you gave is a refutation of your point.
Ok, the ideology of independence you gave is what the right-wing republicans in texas sought by isolating the texas grid, and when the sheet hit the fan, the grid failed and scores of people died. Exactly opposite of what you claim.
Yet, when communities and governments interact, they grow stronger and more resilient. Think the EU, NATO, Ukraine and most western nations, right down to local communities and then friendship group.
Independence in the face of community divides and weakens. Texas did not strengthen with an independent electrical grid. It failed and killed its own people.
@@michaelingram7844 It appears that you may be watching a little too much of the mainstream propaganda news networks. They have a visceral hatred of Texas because Texas does not conform to the liberal/left wing/communism of the mentally ill and deranged leftists. What you are describing is a once in a multi-decade event. It happens so infrequently and is such a rarity, especially for Texas that it's hard to predict and prepared for. Texas learned, and now it's infrastructure is even more robust than it was before.
The example you gave of the EU/NATO/Ukraine are horrible. Ukraine is one of the most corrupt countries on Earth, the money laundering and child trafficking hub of the Planet. Not to mention houses many illegal bio-labs that have now been exposed. In the EU, you get thrown into jail or have the cops called because you said something mean on Facebook. Australia had literal covid camps people were trying to escape from. Your information is highly flawed, because your biases do not allow you to see the real truth.
100lb propane bottle gets just over 2days of real-world runtime? Yikes!!! What does that cost? 25 gallons @ $3/gal = $75?!?
I’m saying it’ll last at least two days. I suspect if you’re running at 50% you’re able to run for several days on a big tank. Maybe more. No specs for that online so I’ll need to test it.
lol, the generator cost over $1000, So I'm not going to complain about the $75 worth of fuel. I also like not freezing to death..
@@fredrelay1052 but will you be able to get someone to fill you in an outage when everyone else is competing for the same scarce resource?
@@JS_.- no, of course not. That's why you have to have 3-4 days of fuel on hand..
Can you refill that 100lb tank from the sun?
Nope. But, Can you run your solar when it has 6” of snow on the Panels and it’s treacherous to get on the roof to clear them? Your expensive batteries need a recharge daily to stay alive.
The sun is helium and hydrogen. It's also inconveniently far to go to fill up.
@@buildshow I don't have batteries at this point, but curious what the plan is beyond two days with this 100lb tank. Seriously, if we consider a time when stuff has really hit the fan what happens after day 2? With solar and batteries I assume I can modulate my usage based on solar production.
Solar battery, nuff said.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17
King James Version
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.