Generators

[Rockwood]

The receptacle under the panel is actually a male; and its in a waterproof outdoor box they are commercially available. So my power cord is std male/female

You give it a kiss every once in a while when the power’s on?

 

[Sausage450r]

You give it a kiss every once in a while when the power’s on?

I’ll hold the breaker if you wanna give it a try

 

[Rorschach]

Easy but dangerous as F--K! What happens if one of those vice grips comes off and now you have a live cable floating around in there. Not to mention you have to leave the box open. If you're gonna do that at least throw a spare breaker on the bus and hook your bare wires to that and backfeed through the breaker.

Lol. My middle name is "dangerous as F--K".
Visegrips coming off? Throw them away! I have no use for vise grips that come off.
That panel's cover has been off for 18 years.
Welder has it's own breakers.

I really don't like to back feed the wrong way through breakers.
Sometimes if I'm feeling really safety conscious I'll put my hardhat on (yes it's expired) and pull the main breaker out before I vise into the panel tho

 

[Dockmaster]

Lol. My middle name is "dangerous as F--K".
Visegrips coming off? Throw them away! I have no use for vise grips that come off.
That panel's cover has been off for 18 years.
Welder has it's own breakers.

I really don't like to back feed the wrong way through breakers.
Sometimes if I'm feeling really safety conscious I'll put my hardhat on (yes it's expired) and pull the main breaker out before I vise into the panel tho

and what size is that wire you're vice gripping in? Looks like maybe #10? Which is only good for 30 amp max. Might as well violate every code and exceed all limits while you're at it

 

[Rorschach]

and what size is that wire you're vice gripping in? Looks like maybe #10? Which is only good for 30 amp max. Might as well violate every code and exceed all limits while you're at it

I do my besT
Just kidding... it's obvious that I don't, huh?
10 is pretty small tho
It's probably closer to 2 or 1

 

[L.R.S.]

Went to Harbor Freight today to use my discount and buy a Predator 9k invertor. Dude at the counter says uh, yeah, so, hmm, we don't have this in stock. I say huh? There's one on display and here's the pull tag? He says they can't sell them in California now. Wait, what? He says they have the 8750k, 9500k and a few 2ks in stock.

Eff this state. I'll grab one when I'm in Havasu tomorrow.

 

[Kraut_n_Rice]

When talking with the mechanic at home depot that services/repairs their rentals, he said the newer honda gx390 motors are garbage. Stick valves left and right.

The company I used to work for sold equipment with the vertical shaft version, GXV390. It would run at 100% load 100% of the time. So much so that we had to cheat the monitored test to get is certified by Honda for the application. It would just barely overheat the oil.

Never one stuck valve.

Change the oil regularly.....

 

[Sausage450r]

The company I used to work for sold equipment with the vertical shaft version, GXV390. It would run at 100% load 100% of the time. So much so that we had to cheat the monitored test to get is certified by Honda for the application. It would just barely overheat the oil.

Never one stuck valve.

Change the oil regularly.....

Yeah mine made it 13 years. I’ll have to check the hr meter tomorrow and see what it says

 

[Spize909]

I had a generator connection installed at my house and run my Honda 6500 to owner everything. Being Glamis season I really need my 6500 in camp. My Honda 3k trips constantly.

I was at Harbor Freight today looking at their options. I'm going to buy the Predaror 9000 this weekend. DGAF if it's loud, I'll be in my house warm and cozy.

if anyone wants anything from Harbor Freight let me know. I transport equipment for them, and they give me a 25% off anything in my basket a few times a year. I have one that expires 12/15.

Also, I have Honda generators shipped to Kevin McMullen's shop and bring them into California for clients. Just picked up 6 last week.

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Do you worry about all of your electronic stuff with a "non-inverter" generator? Computers, TVs, refers, washers, dryers........all have sensitive stuff in them. I have a HF 4500 that I backfeed the house with but unplug my computer and am kinda worried about all of the other stuff.

 

[Sausage450r]

Do you worry about all of your electronic stuff with a "non-inverter" generator? Computers, TVs, refers, washers, dryers........all have sensitive stuff in them. I have a HF 4500 that I backfeed the house with but unplug my computer and am kinda worried about all of the other stuff.

Sdge turning power on/off is just as likely to ruin these items. I had a freezer take a crap about 7/8 years ago after a very short power off. When they were replacing the poles they were shutting off power daily for a few minutes to a few hrs at a time over a period of months. Peoples appliances were failing left and right. Put a surge protector on your computer. Should me fine.

 

[RideSand]

Dang that’s seems easy!

Seems sketch. Usually I would be in but this scares me so Im out. Used to have an old Lincoln SA-250 that I feel would be great for this. Its been sold for some time now, but wish I still had it.

Is there a diagram out there that shows where the death currents are in a box, where they come from, where they are going, and how I can stop them or turn them off?

 

[Rorschach]

Seems sketch. Usually I would be in but this scares me so Im out. Used to have an old Lincoln SA-250 that I feel would be great for this. Its been sold for some time now, but wish I still had it.

Is there a diagram out there that shows where the death currents are in a box, where they come from, where they are going, and how I can stop them or turn them off?

I know my method is sketchy but it's halfway there. It's just something I threw together after about 6 hours of the power not getting restored. Ended up being out for like a day and a half. IDK WTF happened that time. Usually don't get power failures here and on the rare occasion it does happen it's usually no more than a couple minutes to a couple hours at most. To make mine complete and safer I'd just need to put a 50 amp female plug on the wall that's connected to my panel and put another male plug on the end of my rolled wire bundle. Like I said B4 the two big lines coming in at the top are the hot lines (110/120 each) and the white off to the side is neutral/ground. If you shut down your main breaker and remove it then you'll get a clear picture of the pathways the hot lines take. It looks pretty much like a diagram under the breaker. Just beware of making any contact with those two big hot lines and you're good. Tying into the panel with that big breaker shut off and removed is perfectly safe because you're no longer connected to the pole. If it makes you feel better you can probe with a volt meter to make sure you're de-energized. Or do what I do when I'm not sure and flick it with your finger to see if you get zapped.

 

[Rockwood]

Do you worry about all of your electronic stuff with a "non-inverter" generator? Computers, TVs, refers, washers, dryers........all have sensitive stuff in them. I have a HF 4500 that I backfeed the house with but unplug my computer and am kinda worried about all of the other stuff.

Laptop is probably fine.

The other stuff, less so. Power conditioner helps, but I can usually run 2 fridges, TV, stereo, internet, couple lights and phone chargers off of my suitcase inverter generator, so I just do that instead.

 

[MWB]

Seems sketch. Usually I would be in but this scares me so Im out. Used to have an old Lincoln SA-250 that I feel would be great for this. Its been sold for some time now, but wish I still had it.

Is there a diagram out there that shows where the death currents are in a box, where they come from, where they are going, and how I can stop them or turn them off?

If it seems sketch to you don't do it, you can hurt yourself, burn your house down or kill a lineman who happens to be trying to turn your power back on.
Just because something works just fine for years and years doesn't mean its fine and safe as a matter of fact not one of the connections mentioned in this thread is up to code, so if somebody does get hurt its all on you.

And yes, it will work just fine until it doesn't

 

[zilla68]

Who makes a decent generator? I got a “Powerstroke” 8k watt running generator about 14 years ago. It has been great. Powers my whole house when the power is out. We even run the heater and do laundry. Transfer panel it runs off of with a 50 amp plug. Well 30 minutes into this power outage it stuck a valve. I’ve never had a single issue its never failed never had to clean the carb, only replaced the starter battery once in all this time. I want another genny like this one. I cant seem to find the same unit new.
When this generator failed; i found the lone 8k watt dewalt generator for sale new in all of san diego and rushed to buy it ($1k). Got it home; set it up. The “electric start generator doesnt have an electric starter, great we get to pull start a 400cc 4 stroke. Ran it for 2 hrs, ran well and powered everything well. Shut it off for the night. Next morning wouldnt start. Has fuel, has spark, wont run. No replacement in the county to buy. Home depot said i cant return it if i take it apart. At this point after pulling it 5,000 times i no longer want anything but electric start. Reading online seems all these new CARB compliant generators with CO2 detectors fail. The chips on the co2 board cant take all the vibration.

What is out there “new” that you have had good luck with. I will go out of state to buy. No budget. Only needs are 8k watt (running) minimum. Gas/propane, would prefer portable vs stand alone

i bought the harbor freight inverter generator and immediately had the issue with co2 detector. googled it, wired around it and its ran fine since. i see alot of rv generators for sale on market place, would one of them work?

 

[zilla68]

I had a generator connection installed at my house and run my Honda 6500 to owner everything. Being Glamis season I really need my 6500 in camp. My Honda 3k trips constantly.

I was at Harbor Freight today looking at their options. I'm going to buy the Predaror 9000 this weekend. DGAF if it's loud, I'll be in my house warm and cozy.

if anyone wants anything from Harbor Freight let me know. I transport equipment for them, and they give me a 25% off anything in my basket a few times a year. I have one that expires 12/15.

Also, I have Honda generators shipped to Kevin McMullen's shop and bring them into California for clients. Just picked up 6 last week.

View attachment 132127

25% off is a sweet deal

 

[Sausage450r]

i bought the harbor freight inverter generator and immediately had the issue with co2 detector. googled it, wired around it and its ran fine since. i see alot of rv generators for sale on market place, would one of them work?

I will have to bypass the co2 protect because i poured a pad and plan to build a generator enclosure to store it/keep it out of the elements. And provide a little bit of sound deadening (yes i’ve considered air flow and cooling into the design. It will be 3 walls with intake vents a sloped open/raised roof. I will also build an exhaust extension. That will vent at the roofline of the house)

They swapped me out for this 8k watt unit. Its branded dewalt but everything on it is labeled “generac”

 

[L.R.S.]

Do you worry about all of your electronic stuff with a "non-inverter" generator? Computers, TVs, refers, washers, dryers........all have sensitive stuff in them. I have a HF 4500 that I backfeed the house with but unplug my computer and am kinda worried about all of the other stuff.

I don't worry about that stuff. I have a legit generator breaker set up in my house panel.
I was in Havasu yesterday and grabbed a Harbor Freight 9k. Got it set up this morning and I'm running it with two halogen lights for load. I'll give it a 30 minute break in.

What they don't tell you- the display model has wheels, but it doesn't come with wheels. Also, no engine oil, but there's a sticker saying to add oil. I put a full quart in it. EDIT to add- it also doesn't come with a battery. Took two pulls and it fired right up. I'll get a battery eventually.

$799 down to $599 with my 25% discount.

It's LOUD as fuck. Way louder than my Honda 6500. But it's for the house so I can build a small enclosure I suppose.

 

[Sausage450r]

I don't worry about that stuff. I have a legit generator breaker set up in my house panel.
I was in Havasu yesterday and grabbed a Harbor Freight 9k. Got it set up this morning and I'm running it with two halogen lights for load. I'll give it a 30 minute break in.

What they don't tell you- the display model has wheels, but it doesn't come with wheels. Also, no engine oil, but there's a sticker saying to add oil. I put a full quart in it. EDIT to add- it also doesn't come with a battery. Took two pulls and it fired right up. I'll get a battery eventually.

$799 down to $599 with my 25% discount.

It's LOUD as fuck. Way louder than my Honda 6500. But it's for the house so I can build a small enclosure I suppose.



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Motor looks identical to the generac/dewalt. When the power is out in my neighborhood all you hear is generators so how loud it is really isnt a concern

 

[Crusty]

I don't worry about that stuff. I have a legit generator breaker set up in my house panel.
I was in Havasu yesterday and grabbed a Harbor Freight 9k. Got it set up this morning and I'm running it with two halogen lights for load. I'll give it a 30 minute break in.

What they don't tell you- the display model has wheels, but it doesn't come with wheels. Also, no engine oil, but there's a sticker saying to add oil. I put a full quart in it. EDIT to add- it also doesn't come with a battery. Took two pulls and it fired right up. I'll get a battery eventually.

$799 down to $599 with my 25% discount.

It's LOUD as fuck. Way louder than my Honda 6500. But it's for the house so I can build a small enclosure I suppose.



View attachment 132492


View attachment 132493

Emergency situations and not out camping where people will complain on FB pages...lol

Happy it worked out, now go on Pintrest and find a badass way to enclosed it that looks tits.

Cheers Bro....Loud and proud man