# Recommend a generator.



## chopsteeks (Jul 23, 2013)

As our investment into the hobby has risen the past few years, time and effort and specially the well being of the fish, considering investing in a generator. Hearing one to many folks having the misfortune of enduring hours of no electricity ---- this is tough.

How many watts is sufficient to power 2-125 gallon tanks, 2-75 gallon tanks, 3-55 gallon tank and in the next few months..a 240 gallon tank ?

Right now, each 125 gallons has 2 250w Aqueon Pro heaters, the 75 has each 200w Aqueon Pro heaters and the 55's has 150w heaters. One 125s has Aquatop cf500uv and 2 Aqueon 110 filters. The other 125 has Fluval FX6 and Rena XP4. The 75's each has Fluval 406 plus Marineland Penguin 350B (hob). The 55's each has Fluval 306s and Aquaclear 70.

I live in Colorado where winter can get quite cold.

Thanks.


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## Ronzo (Sep 8, 2013)

If you are considering a generator, in order to keep your tanks running normally, you'll probably want to size it to run your entire house normally...(it would seem silly to have only the aquarium room running and the rest of the house cold and dark...just saying...)...to calculate the total Wattage you will need, total up the Wattage requirements for all aquarium equipment (found on each item's rating tag), add that to your Rest-of-House minimum (this will vary obviously with your particular house/mansion/castle... but you wont add certain loads...for example, you wont want to use, or include the 6000W drier...biggest load in the house!, but you will want to include whatever your heating system needs, the fridge, freezer (if present), and a few hundred Watts for lights, clocks and occasional use items) ...if you come up to, for instance 4000W (typical), I'd by a 6000W generator...this is a typical size which will allow a modest house (with tanks) to keep running normally...not cheap, but I expect that should safely cover most requirements. Newer generators with sinusoidal outputs will supply the best quality output, which will stress equipment the least. Have a qualified electrician install an A/B switch for safety. Cheers from Connecticut!


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## jeffkro (Feb 13, 2014)

Cant you just run an airstone off a battery to get you through a few hours of power outage? I'm thinking just use one of those designed for computers.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

I agree with Ronzo's suggestions for deciding whether to purchase a portable generator or a whole house model. Obviously a portable generator is less money but you will need to have enough gasoline on hand to operate it for the duration of the power outage and you will be limited on the number of items you can run. You will also need to use heavy duty extension cords and figure out how to get the power from the generator outside to the aquariums indoor without letting the cold air into the home plus you need to be at home during a power loss to get everything up and running.

We used a portable generator a couple years ago during a winter storm for a few aquariums we had at the time and it was a real pain to fill the gas tank every couple hours for 2 days. We also were not able to power the refrigerator, microwave or the well pump which is for our water supply. After this experience, we opted to have a whole house generator installed that automatically switches over when the electric company power is lost. I don't regret having spent a large chunk of money to having it installed and we seem to average a couple events a year where the power is off for more than 8 hours.


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## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

jeffkro said:


> Cant you just run an airstone off a battery to get you through a few hours of power outage? I'm thinking just use one of those designed for computers.


In summer, maybe. In winter, assume that heating becomes an issue, and you've moved into generator territory.


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## Ronzo (Sep 8, 2013)

Dee; I you have a permanently installed, nat-gas fueled, auto-start, auto switchover, you're very well set now obviously, but I expect you plunked down north of 10K$...that's a whole lot of bucks for something intended for very occasional use...then again, the grid is becoming less reliable, weather more extreme, and one can understand you not wanting to loose all your stock in the event of an event. Everyone has their own level of comfort and risk which they need to consider and calculate ...

A couple of years ago, when we had the big October storm which knocked out power in the much of Connecticut for a week, I connected a small generator and ran skeleton loads only to keep operational, but I am given to understand that Puppy Center (a state institution for 30 years) lost a almost all stock, and this was a major contributor to their going out of business a year later...

A generator sized to run the entire house can still be "portable", it just wont be a one man lift off a tailgate of a pickup truck size...it will likely be a wheeled thing that needs to be rolled off the truck by two strong hombres. On the other hand, the generator which needed to be refueled every couple of hours might be one of those oversized lunchbox types, which your daughter can easily lift and put on the floor behind the seat of her Honda. That's rather both ends of the size/Wattage/weight/fueling convenience scale.

Cheers from Connecticut!


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## atreis (Jan 15, 2013)

If you don't go the whole house route, install a transfer switch that has switches for separate circuits and put the circuits that have your tanks on it. Also install an outside inlet (reverse of a outlet) that you can plug the generator into. For a portable generator the transfer switch doesn't have to be automatic since setting up the generator itself isn't automatic. All of this stuff is for both convenience and safety - not just yours, also the lineman repairing the outage's safety. You don't want to have to run power extension cords all over the place during an outage, and hooking a generator into your household electrical system in any other way is illegal and dangerous (for the lineman).

Sizing: Add up the wattage of all of the stuff that is necessary to keep the tanks running. Don't forget the heaters. For outages of a day or so powering the lights isn't usually necessary, but it could be a pain to NOT power them (running around turning them all off). If you also want it to run your fridge, freezer, some household lights, TV add the wattage for those things in too. If you want it to run a well pump, you'll need to know if yours is 120 or 240. The latter would mean buying a split-phase generator.

Are you going to use it for anything else? (Camping, and the like?) If so: you want a quiet one. If not, this likely doesn't matter. Also look at the half-load run time, and the size of the fuel tank to see how long a 5 gallon jug of gas will last you. This varies A LOT from generator to generator. For power outages I use a 4000 watt split-phase generator that will run for 10 hours at half load on a 1.5 gallon tank. For power outages, you really want one that will run for 8-10 hours so that you don't have to get up in the middle of the night to gas it up and restart it.

My experience:

I live in a relatively remote location and am the last house on the power run (meaning if the break in the line is near me, I end up at the bottom of the priority list for repairs). I have at least one outage a year that's 3-4 days in duration, and the longest outage I've had was 10 days (Hurricane Ike). I have a multi-stage backups for my tanks so that I don't have to rush home from work if the power goes out. I use a computer UPS (pure sine-wave) for keeping things going for 2-3 hours during the short outages, Vortech pumps with the battery backup to keep the water moving long enough to keep things alive after the UPS fails, and then the generator. I also have a device that calls me and leaves a message if the power has been out for 2 hours.

Brands (portable, I've no experience with whole-house generators):

Honda - Generally recognized as The Best. Honda inverter generators are the quietest made and good for camping too. Honda contractor-grade generators are not quiet. In general, Honda are the most expensive, and all are very reliable with excellent customer service and parts availability.
Yamaha - Generally recognized as Second Best (some say best) - very close in quality to Honda. The Inverter generators are also very quiet and good for camping.
Kipor - High quality Chinese knockoff of Hondas. Generally have the same advantages - not quite as quiet (but still quiet) and not quite as reliable (but still reliable).

Champion - Very loud, not good for camping, but generally recognized as the best of the inexpensive contractor-grade generators. Good for keeping your tanks going, but not for camping.
Other - Nearly everything else (including recognizable brands like Generac, Coleman, etc...) is made by a couple of companies in China - one that makes cheap inverter generators, such as the Generac inverter generator (not quiet, not good for camping), and one that makes cheap contractor-grade (noisy) generators - are all roughly the same (different features between models, etc... but similar quality). All are likely good enough for an occasional power outage if you maintain them properly.

Maintenance:

1. Change the oil according to the schedule recommended in the manual. (Duh...)
2. Use a fuel stabilizer (SeaFoam or Stabil).
3. Always drain the carburetor after running the generator. On some this can be done simply by closing off the fuel supply and running the generator with no load until it stalls. On some it means removing a screw and letting the carb drain (or running the generator until it's out of gas). This will keep the fuel from enameling the carburetor and make it MUCH easier to start the next time...
4. Exercise the generator periodically. Many people recommend monthly, but I've found every 3 months or so to be fine. I use a hair dryer to provide a load.
5. Never leave the same fuel in the tank for more than a year and burn it all before refilling. If you exercise it regularly this won't be an issue.


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## jeffkro (Feb 13, 2014)

"Honda - Generally recognized as The Best."

Wait for cars, generators, or outboards, oh wait, never mind.


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## atreis (Jan 15, 2013)

jeffkro said:


> "Honda - Generally recognized as The Best."
> 
> Wait for cars, generators, or outboards, oh wait, never mind.


Yes. (And you forgot lawn mowers.  )


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## jeffkro (Feb 13, 2014)

nodima said:


> jeffkro said:
> 
> 
> > Cant you just run an airstone off a battery to get you through a few hours of power outage? I'm thinking just use one of those designed for computers.
> ...


Water holds onto its heat for a while, I would think a few hours would be ok.


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## chopsteeks (Jul 23, 2013)

Thank you.

Lots of helpful information here in our ongoing research to acquire a generator.

I have printed this thread as a point of reference.

We looked at the 2 options --- whole house generator vs the portable one, from a cost standpoint, we decided to focus on the portable one. Another factor that weighed into this decision the number of electrical outage we experienced in the last few years. Usually, most of the power outage in the area where we live happens during the hail and tornado month when weather even becomes more unpredictable. We averaged around 3-4 of having no power per year. The duration of these outages ranged from a few minutes to a day. I can only remember only once when it lasted several days.

Took note of Deeda's comment about refilling the gas tank....hoping future outages will not be lengthy that this becomes a chore !!

Severl folks recommended Honda --- complete agreement on this. From lawn mowers to power washers....we have Honda engines. Heck even my girlfriend drives a Honda --- her 2nd !!

We also calculated the total watts (juicer included  )we will need to keep the essentials running during an outage (including From this number, we have narrowed our research to this model:

http://www.powerstroketools.com/product ... erator.php

Again, really appreciate in taking time to share your advices, recommendations !! Atreis --- nice write up..


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## atreis (Jan 15, 2013)

Looks like a nice generator. Good choice for the home.


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## Ronzo (Sep 8, 2013)

That gen will be able to supply (almost) entire house including the juicer...it's a sizable investment, so some final advise...looks like it's a battery start, so that little charger accessory is a good add-on to keep its battery fully charged...and not to sound like Mr. Disaster Preparedness, BUT...exercise it quarterly (if it doesn't get used in anger before that, or at your brother's etc.), rotate fuel to keep it fresh (only keep enough in tank for the quarterly hour long test run) and _always_ stabilize fuel in it...and I mean _religiously_! Here's hoping you never need it for real...!

Cheers from Connecticut!


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## Bikeman48088 (Nov 13, 2013)

Ronzo said:


> That gen will be able to supply (almost) entire house including the juicer...it's a sizable investment, so some final advise...looks like it's a battery start, so that little charger accessory is a good add-on to keep its battery fully charged...and not to sound like Mr. Disaster Preparedness, BUT...exercise it quarterly (if it doesn't get used in anger before that, or at your brother's etc.), rotate fuel to keep it fresh (only keep enough in tank for the quarterly hour long test run) and _always_ stabilize fuel in it...and I mean _religiously_! Here's hoping you never need it for real...!
> 
> Cheers from Connecticut!


I live in Michigan and we occasionally get power outages caused by fallen trees. I bought a relatively inexpensive gas generator from Harbor Freight that has bailed me out on several occasions. 









The above one is 8750W peak/7000W continuous and runs at 50% load for 12 hours. I keep mine filled with gas with Sta-Bil in it. For $599, it's cheap insurance, IMO.


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## dieselgenerator (Sep 17, 2017)

I purchased a 13,750kw Propane Generator from Central Maine Diesel a few years ago.

20 HP Honda engine, Italian generator head. 
Paid about $2300 plus shipping via Paradise Freight which was a few hundred. 
I see the price is just a bit higher now... But the one I want most is Cummins which i saw from a website.

Recently it blew a capacitor. Central Maine sent me 2 for the price of one even though it is out of warranty. $39 total for two.

I looked at generators on island but a similar Honda at Quality electric was close to $6000 and it wasn't even a 13750kw. More like 8 or 9000kw if I remember right.....

They have many generators at great prices but this is the one I settled for.

Quiet, no smell, propane lasts forever........


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

Any generator with a Honda motor that's strong enough to power what you consider necessary. The Honda motors can't be beat as far as reliability.


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## PfunMo (Jul 30, 2009)

This is a favorite subject with me as I used to work storm crews and restoring power was always a biggie. I used that info from talking to people after the storms to decide what fit for me. The more you understand household power, the better you can fit the genset to what works best. Also take into account what is likely to be the situation for your area. Some areas, the thunderstorm/tornado is the most likely need and that tends to be shorter and less total destruction than hurricanes. You can be more likely to know the hurricane is coming so it requires less full time readiness but it needs to be ready for longer term use. No one perfect answer. 
In the St. Louis area I kept a generator for storms like ice or tornado. That left me using a portable as being more cost and space efficient but big enough to power the essentials. I changed the house wiring to fit the essentials. Essential for me was the tanks, refrig, and furnace but not the air conditioner. 
What do you feel you can do without and for how long? If AC is not critical, dropping that from the list and admitting you can sweat for a day or two can save lots of money. Got a wood stove that can get you by for a short time? Cut the furnace off. Also consider the way you might rotate different equipment to avoid paying the big bucks for a larger genset. 
Fitting the generator to what you need is critical and then keeping it fit to run is second. Whether to run to exercise or not and how to deal with the gasoline will change for different folks. I now live where the hazard will be thunderstorms or tornadoes, so keeping a small generator ready and tested but not gassed or keeping very much gas is right for me. I expect to be able to run for enough time to get more gas and the need is far less, so a simple generator from Harbor Freight is "good enough". Since I may never need to use it, I look at it as a one time item to keep on hand. I gassed and tested, know how to use it, and then cleaned and stored it dry as it will last much better in that way. I can keep a hundred dollar item in case I ever need it but would not invest $5000 up as it is not likely to ever be used.


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