I have been looking into generators for the past few days because I need one for when the power goes out and for when I am outside. I read reviews on the New York Times Wirecutter, Consumer Reports and Popular Mechanics and the Westinghouse WGen9500DF Portable Generator and the Honda EU2200i Portable Inverter Generator are always near the top.
I am having a time figuring out which portable generator is best for me so I would like to get some advice from someone who knows what they are talking about.
At my house I need to use a generator to power my refrigerator, my television, the lights, the water pump, two room heaters, two air conditioners and small things, like my iron and my chargers when the power is out. I want a generator that is reliable does not use too much fuel is strong and is not too hard to take care of.
So which generator do you think I should get for my situation? If you have any thoughts or ideas I would really like to hear them.
We have 3 parks in CA that are subject to Fire Danger outages. We get outages from 1 hour to 7 days due to high winds and dry conditions.
I suggest buying the biggest (KW) generator you can reasonably afford. I also HIGHLY recommend getting a dual- or tri-fuel model. DO NOT get a gasoline-only generator.
Then go get yourself a large propane tank.
Propane lasts forever. Gas will degrade. Also, most portable generators only hold about 4-6 hours’ worth of fuel. If you use a 50-gallon propane tank, it will last days! Also, in most parts of the country, you do not need a permit for a 50-gallon propane tank. Just check with your local building department.
Also, with a 50-gallon tank, you can order additional propane delivery if needed.
Electrician / Powerplant Engineer here (I manage a 2.5 megawatt powerplant at a distillery in the Caribbean).
You want to load a generator to 50 percent or more load, constantly. Otherwise you will end up with cylinder washdown.
Generators generally operate at their best efficiency at around 80 percent load.
Tri fuel generators are great. Keep in mind, LPG and LNG will go through more fuel than gas or diesel. But, when you don’t have lights, who cares! Tri fuel is the way to go.
Myself, I have a generator that backs up my solar inverter and 35 kw of lithium batteries. Uninterrupted power that is primarily provided by the sun. The generator is backup and the utility remains disconnected most times.
But, get something that will load up at least 50 percent and your generator will last a lot longer, your pocketbook will appreciate it and youll end up with less issues.
And believe it or not, Harbor Freight has some really decent generators. Their Predator line is what I recommend to people stateside, and is what I use at my house back home.