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generator people step in here


kirks5oh

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guys, my wife is freaking out about this tropical storm approaching tampa, and i'm going to use it to my advantage. i've convinced her we should get a generator. what should i look for, as far as power output/etc. i won't need anything more than a very basic model, and i'm sure she won't let me go nuts, so let me know what i would need.

 

thanks

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Figure out what all you want to run with it. Then figure out the wattage required to run said things. Buy generator.

 

Ingersoll Rand makes quite a few nice ones. I'm pretty sure they even have a generic caculator to make it simple to decide which you need. Check their webpage.

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Do you want a small portable generator that would just power the basics? This can aslo attend Tailgates. ;)

 

Or do you want a built in that automatically kicks on the instant power goes out?

 

KillJoy

 

PS - My Father is VERY happy w/ his Honda Generator, and the ones he uses for work.

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guys, my wife is freaking out about this tropical storm approaching tampa, and i'm going to use it to my advantage. i've convinced her we should get a generator. what should i look for, as far as power output/etc. i won't need anything more than a very basic model, and i'm sure she won't let me go nuts, so let me know what i would need.

 

thanks

 

you paint such a lovely picture of marriage

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you paint such a lovely picture of marriage

 

 

its all about negotiating. i could afford to go completely nuts with my car, my other toys, etc. but my wife/kids come first. if i want something out of the blue, that i completely do not need--i can convince my wife--but its a lot easier if she thinks we need it.

 

i'm just looking for a generator that i can run some extension cords to. it doesn't have to plug into my home's power grid

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It's really hard to go too big. If you want to keep it portable go as big as your budget allows. You will always find something else you want to plug in. As far as brands go, anything with a briggs&straton or honda engine should work fine, which is most of them anyway, parts are cheaper and a little easier to get for a briggs. Just my 2 cents.
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We sell Subaru/Robin generators at work. Nothing but excellent things to say about them. A Honda won't let you down either.

 

Like others have said, add up the amount of watts/amps you want to run, and find a generator that suits you.

 

Also, don't get caught up in peak output numbers. A lot of cheaper generators tout big wattage numbers, but they simply can't sustain that kind of load for anything more than a spike. They might be able to tag it for a second, but you'll generally find that their sustained load numbers are much, much lower.

 

BTW, who's suggesting Briggs and Stratton? I personally would avoid B&S at all costs. That is, unless you enjoy pulling the starting rope until your arm is ready to fall off. Robin or Hondas will start first or second pull, everytime. I garauntee. Not to mention they're much quieter.

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Also, don't get caught up in peak output numbers. A lot of cheaper generators tout big wattage numbers, but they simply can't sustain that kind of load for anything more than a spike. They might be able to tag it for a second, but you'll generally find that their sustained load numbers are much, much lower.

 

BTW, who's suggesting Briggs and Stratton? I personally would avoid B&S at all costs. That is, unless you enjoy pulling the starting rope until your arm is ready to fall off. Robin or Hondas will start first or second pull, everytime. I garauntee. Not to mention they're much quieter.

I agree that you get what you pay for, cheaper generator=less sustained load compared to peak output. However, Briggs & Stratton engines work fine, they just require more maintance than a Honda, hence why they are cheaper.

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Do you have a house or condo? If you have multiple bathrooms, fill up a bathtub with water. It sucks when the water has a bacteria alert after hurricane flooding and you need to boil/bottle your water.

 

If you avoid the generator purchase, and then the power goes out, you'll get a FEMA certificate for a free generator. If Fay is a puss, then you won't even be without power for long...generator will have been an unnecessary expense. I went through Wilma in 2005, we were without power for 4 days. My wife and I would go to my office (Fifth Third Bank) to watch TV and surf the internet...emergency generators FTW. No hot water was a rough one, though...

 

Now, I've got a condo and my shutters are down...hope for the best. Path is tracking further west every hour...

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