Generators.. Who is/has used one?

[bergerbuddy]

I want to run 2400 watt off a generator... I don't want the thing running at full load even half load.. I would think 1/4 load would be good, quiet, and do able....

I want to be able to fill up the tank no more than once every 3 days.. and I want it to fully automate the 2400 watts.. i.e. I want it running a timer 24/7 and automating control of 4 600.

Most of the generators I've seen at like Homedepot, have small gas/deisel tanks that prby would only last 48hrs running at 1/4 load, maybe even less.

How about propane??

Lastly noise IS AN ISSUE, I would need something that ran semi-quietly. I have seen a grow running on a 10k gen.. pumping 8 lights... the damn thing could be heard 1/8 mile away.... ALL THE TIME>. That wouldn't work for me..

Thanks for all your ideas in advance!!

PEACE

 

[Yummybud]

I've never seen a quiet generator, maybe you can have it somwhere where you can put a lot of insulation around the place to prevent the noise from getting out.

 

[bergerbuddy]

I have acerage with an outbuilding on it... THe generator would be located within the outbuilding...however I would not want the noise thrashing throughout the woods...

 

[Guest]

honda makes whisper quiet generators

http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/gensup.asp

 

[Yummybud]

still you can buy sound deadening material and insulate the outbuilding or wahtever, like cover all the walls with sound deadening material.

 

[Guest]

still you can buy sound deadening material and insulate the outbuilding or wahtever, like cover all the walls with sound deadening material.

I knew someone who tried that and it did not do such a good job, those honda ones run at 48-db which is the same as a 6" vortex inline fan or lower than the average speaking voice of a human (50-db).

 

[thedarkknight]

do you really need a generator for 2400 watts? Can't you be cheap around the house... like storing your hot coffee so you don't have to restart it, or cooking many meals at once, heating house with exhaust, etc?

anyway, you could try burying it since you already have the outbuilding. Just dig a hole, cement it, stick the generator in, cover with some good type of material with some holes in it for exhaust, leave a little door/latch so you can fix/fill it, and exhaust threw roof. Quiet and servicable.

i don't think a generator is worth the trouble for 2400 watts... those are for 20k+ shows

 

[Guest]

maybe he could get some solar panels or maybe a wind turbine

SOLAR PANEL'S

WIND TURBINE'S

 

[bergerbuddy]

do you really need a generator for 2400 watts? Can't you be cheap around the house... like storing your hot coffee so you don't have to restart it, or cooking many meals at once, heating house with exhaust, etc?

anyway, you could try burying it since you already have the outbuilding. Just dig a hole, cement it, stick the generator in, cover with some good type of material with some holes in it for exhaust, leave a little door/latch so you can fix/fill it, and exhaust threw roof. Quiet and servicable.

i don't think a generator is worth the trouble for 2400 watts... those are for 20k+ shows

See I knew someone wuz gonna say this....

I figure I need to KNOCK OFF 2400 watts.... thats what I got to do or shut em down.... So running 2400k off a gen should be easy.... and help me BIGGER garden, look like not so big... 500 a month for power is unacceptable.

peace

Thanks for the advice on the Honda.... I will check it out

P.S.s.s. 2400k is what some people would pay 20k every two mo... so I don't think its chicken feed... and certainly worth the hassle...

 

[NserUame]

I think in the long run getting some solar panels or a wind turbine like someone mentioned would be cheaper and quieter. Have you seen those tiny turbines that you mount on your roof? Hardly visible, quiet, and there's no fuel to keep dumping into it every few days.

 

[sonoma]

I've done some generator grows, and all of these ideas are great, but don't put a generator in a shed unless it's concrete or some other non-combustible material. The generator can burn a shed down easily. Also, make sure you get a generator that has the housing included. they're cheaper without it, but spend the extra on the housing.

Honda is the quietest.

This shed was on a deisel generator, but it burned down, as well as the generator shed.



however, this shed did just fine, and continues to produce. This one was totally off grid, so generator noise is necessary to live out there.

 

[robobond]

Also please to god make sure you have ventilation. Cant tell you how many people have died from carbon monoxide poisoning by running the damn things inside. And I do believe all generators of significant power have quite a lot of noise.

 

[Guest]

the honda EU6500is is rated at 6,500 watts and only 60-db

 

[bergerbuddy]

Guys thank you very much, Sonoma, nice lookin rooms. I will look into the 6500 watt honda and consider the fire proofing you suggested Sonoma.

Perhaps the thing to do is just use the damn thing for a crop or two a yr.. say spring.. and maybe fall.. looks like it might be more of a hassle than I expected.

The windmill thing is cool however Having a big windmill on site would be about the same as having a big electric bill onsite. Unless of course one was "off the grid" and using no electricity for a power company.

Peace

Atv

 

[Guest]

A very, Very, VERY, wise gardener told me once:

A organized, thought out "small" garden would out perform a larger more crouded garden any day of the week. I didnt believe them when they said this, cause i had a large crouded garden lol. But i scaled it back a little and the Old fart was right! I had more with less!
What i'm trying to say is, maybe the 2400 extra watts are not needed.. I dont know your personal history or your fiscal ends, but scaling back a bit help me..
The cost of Diesel fuel around here is 3.19usd per gallon, reg. unleaded is 2.70usd per gallon. and generators dont just "sip" gas with a load either, so expect to be filling that tank up often. If your going to "rig" up a larger tank, make sure its correct for fuels.
Also, some electrical devices wont work on generator electrical current. Might be an issue if your using electronic ballasts. blah! i'm rambling!.. the generator seems like a last resort (power outages) to me.. but to each their own i say

Cannabismavin,

P.S. i too think 500.00 is too much to pay for electricity.. but i do dont steal it, they will be able to catch you soon enough..

 

[Guest]

I planned on doing the generator thing also. I bought one of those Honda EU3000 whisper quiet generators for $1800. It is good for 3000 watts and I was going to run my (2) 1000 watt hps lights on it. With the cost of fuel now-a-days so high and the danger of having a generator running while I was gone, and the suspicion of neighbors wondering what a generator was being used for, or the meter reading guy hearing it, I decided not to use it and have plugged my lights into the outlets. The electric way is alot cheaper than buying all that gas anyways. I just cut down on power throughout the house by buying lower watt bulbs. Instead of the 60 watts bulbs I changed them to the 15 watt through the house. With the colder temps that I have been getting around me lately I even unplugged my refrigerator for a month, keeping my food on the back patio in a cooler. lol

I use the local laundry mat to wash/dry my clothes now to avoid running those larger appliances here. Like someone mentioned earlier, try cooking bigger meals at once so you dont have to fire up the stove for an hour each day or use the grill outside more, I actually buy alot of food that is good cold like lunch meat and bread. I havent turned on my stove in about a month saving alot of money.

Turn off your water heater if you dont use alot of hot water. I run mine for an hour or 2 before I go to bed the night before and its nice and warm yet in the morning for a shower and do some dishes. This saves alot of money by not heating it all day long. This only works if you dont have a women at home usually. lol

If I ran (10) 60 watt bulbs at my house, 2 on garage, lamps, kitchen/bedroom/bathroom lights, etc I would be using 600 watts. Now if I ran that same amount with those 15 watters thats 150 watters saving me 400 watts in power. All these little things I did around the house saved me alot of energy and my bills are not even $200 dollars. I run about 2500 watts with my lights, fans, etc.

I Veg my plants with flourescent bulbs which are cheap to run and when the plants are in Flower I am using the 2 big watt HPS but they are only running for 12 hours per day which is like running 1000 watts continuously

Run your lights at 240 volt instead of 120 saving even more money on electricity.

I only turn on my tv when my shows I like are on. I have a big screen tv and by doing this instead of running it all day long saves me another 30 dollars a month.