New generator suggestions?

[Highland Mule]

This is what mate bought was £480 last year…

Makita EG5550A 4-Stroke Petrol Generator 5500W

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It seems if you ask an electrician they seem to tally up all the loads in your house and you end up with a massive generator with a huge spinning reserve in case you switch the oven and kettle etc on at same time.

I would imagine that brown outs will be the exception rather than rule so having a massive generator running at low loads is not efficient and expensive to do.

A bit of thought in how you do things and essentials like lighting, refrigeration and heating can be catered for without having a mini power station. Internet and modern TVs don’t use much power nowadays so can have most modern comforts.
Ovens and kettles pull massive loads which makes a camping stove look suprisingly good value over a bigger generator.

If you have any sensitive electronics in house may need to get recommendations/generator tested by an electrician as some generators produce ‘dirty’ power that can cause damage. The more expensive inverter gen sets have much more stable power production but you pay for that.

Other thing to consider is where you are siting generator and noise. Quite a difference in noise levels between generators.

Also important to keep generator warm and dry when storing and give it a run up every couple of months putting a bit of load on it.

My experience with this is based on 9 days without mains power after Storm Arwen using 3.5kw generator.
My central heating boiler is 750 w fridge freezer is 350w, assumed 100w for led lights, used microwave (900w)or ninja multi cooker (1.7kw) to cook with. Turned heating off while cooking or boiling kettle so as not to overload genny ( would prob have been ok but would have been skirting near max load potentially).
You need to work out what is essential for you to run and there rated loads then tally up and see what generator fits your home. You will get away with a smaller generator if you sequence things so not drawing current all at same time and will use less fuel.

I kept the house going here through Arwen with this gennie.

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1200W was enough to power the freezers in sequence - half an hour each, every day - and keep the oil boiler going for heat and hot water. Cooking and boiling water was on a £20 camping stove.

Would have been better with a bigger gennie but that was enough.

 

[bobk]

I kept the house going here through Arwen with this gennie.

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1200W was enough to power the freezers in sequence - half an hour each, every day - and keep the oil boiler going for heat and hot water. Cooking and boiling water was on a £20 camping stove.

Would have been better with a bigger gennie but that was enough.

How much petrol were you getting through a day

 

[Highland Mule]

How much petrol were you getting through a day

Less than a gallon for the four days that power was off. I only run it when it was needed, not all the time. It's amazing how little we can manage with.

 

[fermerboy]

We have a 2.5kva Honda and that will power lights, fridge/freezer, central heating, and a good few lights, light appliances.
Thats it though, forget the microwave, cooker, kettle, washing machine, dishwasher and hoover.
We have a portable gas camping type ring which can heat water, soup, boil potatoes etc.

We also have a 10va tractor powered one which my old folks have, it will rattle on driving the whole house as normal, once inside the house you'd wouldn't know any difference.
For occasional use, powering a house, a 7-8kva petrol would be ok, diesel better, a little tractor driven one would also be fine if you have a tractor. We run ours on an old IH on the 1000rpm shaft so tractor is just ticking away.

Was bloody glad of the both of the gennys after last years storms when we were off for weeks at a time.

 

[bobk]

Less than a gallon for the four days that power was off. I only run it when it was needed, not all the time. It's amazing how little we can manage with.

Very frugal of you .

 

[Highland Mule]

Very frugal of you .

Getting in some practice for the cost of living crisis. You know what they say about us Scots.

 

[bobk]

Getting in some practice for the cost of living crisis. You know what they say about us Scots.

You need one these

Pulling energy out of the sky

A company in Norway has developed an innovative "kite" that turns wind into electricity.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Highland Mule]

You need one these

Pulling energy out of the sky

A company in Norway has developed an innovative "kite" that turns wind into electricity.

www.bbc.co.uk

I had thought about a turbine, but not sure they make economic sense unless you go big, and no chance of one of those here.

 

[Y Fan Wen]

I've got one of these, powers the house including oven, central heating, and lights (all led), only downside is the battery is a bit too small and struggles to start, if I've not used it for a while it needs jump starting.

Connect a trickle charger from the mains to the battery to keep it warm and topped up.

 

[Kidds]

Connect a trickle charger from the mains to the battery to keep it warm and topped up.

Or fit a better battery.