| Author | Message | ||
     Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 461 Registered: 02-2002 |
Hello, I was considering buying a generator, for back-up home use and for occasional travel needs, amongst other cool-toy needs. I was looking at the Hondas, and was maybe thinking about the EU3000. But I also saw the yamahas. My requirements are: 1. Quiet, so I can run it at night an not annoy the neighbors. 2. At least 3KW, preferably 5-6KW but with some kind of idle control when its not using much. 3. Real commercial quality build / warrantee. If anys of you guys have used a great generator could you please advise. I once bought the Generac XL4000 since it was supposed to be "whisper quiet" according to the manufacturer, but that has to be the single most rediculous statement ever created by man. TIA Dean | ||
| Jaime (Blueboy) Senior Member Username: Blueboy Post Number: 524 Registered: 02-2002 |
Honda Industrial/Commercial Generators might fit the bill for you. see http://www.greenlinepower.com/products/honda/generators/industrial.cfm just as a FYI, all the National Parks I've camped in have a time when generators must be turned off. Jaime | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 463 Registered: 02-2002 |
Yeah I was just wondering if yamaha or honda or some other make was preferred by some. | ||
| KJ (Karen) Senior member Username: Karen Post Number: 56 Registered: 02-2002 |
Dean, This is the one we have for the house, and it's WONDERFUL: http://www.greenlinepower.com/products/honda/generators/EB12dag.cfm It's as quiet as you can get, which is to say it's a generator, but not like a little one, which is noisier. It runs the entire house with zero trouble, we don't have to worry at all about how much we run at the same time. We also have a smaller Kawasaki that can run the barn if we are selective about what to turn on at any given time. We have LOADS of lightbulbs, so it really can cause drag on a smaller generator. The Kawasaki was wired to run the house, with selectivity of operations, until we got the big one. Really nice not having to worry about heat, water, internet access....  Karen | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 480 Registered: 02-2002 |
Karen, Very nice! I bet that thing will go forever! Have you got that one set up to cut in when there's a black-out? Or do you use it lots? And where do you keep it? The sound level says 72 dB, which I used to think was F*^$%& noisy, but that's kind of a pure guess since my previous Generac didn't state sound levels. What would you compare the sound level to? TIA Dean | ||
| KJ (Karen) Senior member Username: Karen Post Number: 63 Registered: 02-2002 |
Dean, David and I had a chat about how to answer this noise level question, and we really can't. Since it's in a housing, it's less noisy when the front door is closed, but it does have substantial sound despite being "noiseless" (whatever THAT's supposed to mean!). We have it wired so we turn it on and off through switching boxes mounted to the side of our house. It's safe so there's no chance it will back-feed and shock any line men working. It's HUGE, so it's nothing you are going to take camping. It weighs about 750 pounds, but we can roll it around with some hefting. Sometimes we keep it in the barn, and sometimes we position it near our back door. We have had it for a few years, but have never formalized a space for it. They are designed for continuous use, so they are supposed to go forever, and in fact are supposed to be exercised with a load to keep them in shape. These units are very expensive, but when you need them they feel priceless. I love it and have never regretted spending the dough. We got it at 30% off retail because a D.C. television station (WJLA as I recall, for you D.C. folks) ordered two, and reneged on paying for the second unit. It sat on the showroom floor for 11 months until we came along. The day after we bought it, and before it was delivered, there was a huge hurricane and the Puerto Rican government wanted it. It was the only available unit in the U.S. at that time, but I'd had the dealership sign a contract so they couldn't sell it to anyone but us, pending my electrician's approval. We'd been looking at machines for about six months, never happy with what we found until we saw this one. The dealership could have jacked the price WAY past retail if they could get us to drop the deal. I said "No", and that was the end of it. I was told that these machines are used as back-ups to many municipal phone networks, but I never verified that. Hope this helps, though remember, this is not something you're going to take away on the weekends with you. As for noise, if you have water and electricity, and the neighbors don't, they won't mind the noise because they'll be visiting to take hot showers at your house! Oh, and we looked at Generacs, too, but I was put off by a few factors. And now I must go pitch some more snow, yippee. Karen | ||
| Dean Brown (Deanbrown3d) Senior Member Username: Deanbrown3d Post Number: 482 Registered: 02-2002 |
Well that is a great generator - the kind I would buy if I wasn't married;) But alas since we only get a couple of black-outs a year here, I just need something smaller and cheaper, and quieter, so that I can keep the well pump running and the TV on, you know, the important things. I've got three big deep cycle batteries now and an inverter, and that keeps a light and a TV on for a day or two, but not the well. And of course every time we have a blackout its either freaking cold (ice damage) or freakin hot (over-usage), either way its nice to have water! This is the one I was thinking of getting: honda eu3000 Thanks for the help Dean |
