Which Generator to Buy? Small, Medium, or Large

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[@accwowunu4245]

*100% best **Generater.Systems** I have used. A test for hurricane prep here in Louisiana: three AC units, 5000, 5000 & 8000, 3 fridges, 2 device power setups, 4 flat screens....AND I had 40% of the power meter to spare.*

[@readyplayer2]

One topic not covered when discussing sizing is noise output. If you’re running this at a campsite or have neighbors in close proximity, a quiet generator is a must. Nothing will “generate” rage like a neighbor keeping you awake with some mega generator. It could also attract unwanted attention in a widespread outage / disaster. This was a big factor in choosing a Honda EU2200i. We can keep food from spoiling, run a small space heater, and charge cellphones, all with a compact and extremely quiet generator that I can lift with one hand. Speaking of which, invest in a quality lock and chain to keep your portable generator from walking away late at night.

[@augustreil]

We run our 10,000 watt all day, all night when the power goes out. Built a sound box for it and you can barely hear it and personally I could care less if I didn't have a sound box. I'm not letting all my food go to waste and living in the dark. With a 10K, I can run almost anything in the house and live pretty good !

[@donaldlee6760]

I live in an urban neighborhood and also choose the Honda EU2200i for the same reasons. We live in Oakland, CA so my use case is the annual PG&E wildfire shutdowns and maybe in my lifetime there will be the "big one earthquake". If I upgrade my electric panel I'll likely add the special plug to power my downstairs bathroom sump pit, gas furnace, and a couple outlets for fiber internet and the fridge and freezer. Of course I'll likely have to buy a 2nd EU2200i and run them with a parallel kit.

[@tl9819]

If you opt for a larger, louder unit, be sure to have some 100ft extention cords to run to each of your neighbors!

[@partyshorts]

mine "walked away" last week. Apparently my house catching on fire wasn't enough of a kick in the guts, some ass hat need the generator more than I did. thanks

[@nixaeagle141]

That Honda is 53db the same as the champion .

[@jeffmofo5013]

I appreciate you working on your clarity of sponsorship.

[@dabish2888]

We have the mid-sized unit you featured. It's fantastic! It starts quickly every time, has the dual fuel option, is very quiet, has clean power (it has a pure sine wave inverter) and other great features. I use it for our fifth wheel and for emergency power for our house. For the latter situation, we use a transfer switch and our RV power cable (with a custom 50A plug in the switch input). Although we can't run the house AC, the dryer, or any other 240VAC device, we can run everything else, usually in ECO mode (this really saves fuel and the gen set is even more quiet in this mode). Of course, it helps that our home has a gas range, water heater and heater. Champion products have a 3-year warranty and great customer service. I had a question or two when I bought ours, and they were prompt, courteous and professional. I know this sounds like a commercial, but I get nothing from saying all this. I just really like the company and their products. We looked at Honda, Yamaha and others but saw that we got more value with Champion. I do not regret the move at all. There are great units out there, but as the gentleman in the video suggested, buy at the right time of year. We live in Florida, and hurricane season is not usually the best time to buy. Buy off-season for the best availability and cost.

[@TheToolmanTim]

I bought a Generac RS8000E last year and set it up with a house outlet including an interlock to make sure I don't backfeed the grid. We opted to go with the house outlet because we have a well and if we lose power we lose water. I agree with your recommendations on non-oxy fuel. Additionally, I have a monthly calendar reminder to test run my generator. I did this after watching my neighbor struggle to start his generator that hadn't been used for a very long time.

[@robertthompson3447]

First generator video I've ever watched that actually discussed the output difference with the different fuels.👍

[@westhavenor9513]

I have that midsize one, the 3400 watt. It's running our house right now, for the last 18 hours. I have it hooked to a 10-circuit transfer panel. It's running the furnace and water heater blowers, general lighting, DW & frig, garage door, routers, and coffee maker/toaster no problem. The only thing not hooked up is the A/C, oven, and W/D. Uses very little propane and is super quiet.

[@Matt10Lawrence]

I have a 10kw Champion dual fuel, with an outside hookup and UL interlock on the breaker panel and (2) 100 gallon LPG tanks. Powers my whole house. Based on load and shutting down when not needed, I'm good for weeks! Very happy with the setup.

[@Off-Grid]

Hooked it up the 500 gal tank on our Off-Grid home as a backup. Works well

[@Painfulwhale360]

Do you have a well pump?

[@wes326]

The 145cc 3500-4000 luggage size dual fuel generators are the sweet spot for a lot of uses. Mine serves as house backup and runs a 15k btu camper air conditioner. Thanks for sharing.

[@deandrepenn9686]

I just watched 6 videos prior to finding this video. Thank you so much for taking time to make it and explain everything. Especially the the new tri fuel generator. Your not just getting likes, but helping local TX ppl survive. Thank you again.

[@MarcAndreBlais]

It would have been important to talk about the quality of the different Inverters with these generator models. For example an Inverter with Pure Sine Wave technology will be preferable with certain sensitive electronic devices like Laptop, charging drill battery, TV and more. Nice videos Matt.

[@mpoisot]

Also, pure sine is very important for any electric motor (AC compressors, fans) due to electrical reactance (look it up). Motors run less efficiently and can overheat, possibly damaging some very expensive equipment. Really nobody should use a cheap inverter unless its just to power small loads.

[@ALMX5DP]

Yeah I was surprised no mention of the inverters, which I dont believe the largest one there even had.

[@Off-Grid]

We used one on our Off-Grid home and the frequency is always high casting or clocks to run fast and had messed up some other electronics.

[@rojerww]

Thanks for the reminder to run my generator occasionally - I haven't done that in a while. One thing you failed to touch on is noise levels. I have a large dual fuel champion and a Honda. The Honda Inverter is SOOOO much quieter then the Champion - which seems to run at balls to the wall full time - and the Honda has the switch to run at low RPM until a higher demand requires more umph. But overall a good quick introduction for those of us somewhat new to the need for off-grid power.

[@cedricpomerleau5586]

If it doesn’t have an inverter, it needs to run at 3600RPM* which correspond to 60Hz, no matter the load, that’s why they’re always noisy. *They can be 1800RPM too if there’s a second set of poles. But again it will need to run at a stable 1800RPM.

[@HutchMountain]

As Cédric said, if it is an "inverter" style gen it will be quieter & run at variable RPM rather than the screaming Champion gens you are used to seeing. The Champion 2500 & 3500 are both inverters, but the big 10k Matt showed is a conventional 3600 RPM screamer. Generally speaking inverter gens=quiet & fuel efficient, conventional 3600 RPM=loud & horrible fuel efficiency. The only caution we have is that Champion uses a much smaller engine & kind of cheats the numbers. IE their "2500 watt" generator has a tiny 79cc engine. The Honda 2200 has a larger 121cc engine. At the end of the day, the Champion will not produce the power it claims & the Honda will. At Hutch Mountain this is what we do & we test these generators extensively. Yes rojer, Honda's at the best for many reason!!

[@markseamans4682]

@@HutchMountain My Champion 2500 is rated at 1750 Watts. I ran it in the mountains around a month ago topping off my RV battery system (LiFePO4 bank). It was delivering a solid 1700 watts. With the altitude, I figured it was spot on.

[@KevinSmith-ys3mh]

My son has a Large contractor style Honda 5500 watt rated generator, (its probably 20 yrs old at this time) non-inverter type that has a quiet idle switch. Works great to cut fuel use & noise if your loads are intermittant and not very frequency sensitive - takes 1 to 2 seconds to come up to full 3600rpm speed. Love the small Honda engines for reliability (when serviced properly, they arent B&S or similar lawnmower types) I can see the lineage from the motorcycles I used to work on "back in tha day" every time I get to revive one (because owner manual was tossed or never read!). Considering the cost of large house capable full sine converter systems- I would prefer to build a carefully considered emergency power panel system, with a good (well filtered, like my mil surplus Topaz transformer) conventional generator for high power loads, and for sensitive electronics a seperate circuit with a full sine inverter and DC batterry bank bulk charged with a few used solar panels (why? the engine + fuel are the least reliable components) and maintained by a plugin smart charger. There is a lot of cross-over applications between modern RV power systems and home back-up power thats possible, without going full off-grid $$$$crazy! If you can hook into your RV or boat power, you can extend storage and run times further.

[@BigRonRN18]

I have a Champion dual-fuel generator purchased from Sam’s Club that I purchased primarily for my RV. I had a problem with a floating neutral fault with my trailer. I talked with tech support at Champion and they walked me through the process of bonding neutral to ground internally. When I power my RV, I can plug into a quick-connect propane port to power generator. I DID change out the main propane regulator to handle higher BTU flow.

[@markseamans4682]

There is a plug you can make/buy that joins the ground to the neutral leg in the 110V outlet.

[@GAdirtroad]

Matt was spot on suggesting to help mitigate inrush or surge wattage on your RV or home AC, by installing soft starts on your units. We can run a single Dometic AC on a toyhauler RV using a Honda EU2000i on gasoline and it’s not maxed out. Great video.

[@ocko8011]

A generator is great toward maintaining your piece of mind in many situations. From bad weather, recreation and on job sites, having a good generator is an absolutely essential. Also if you can't get a generator yourself, make friends with your neighbors that do.

[@txkent]

Great video! I actually just bought 2 Champion generators in the past 3 weeks, one 2k watt inverter, and then I got an amazing deal on a 9375 dual fuel portable. I live just north of Austin and am preparing for another power disaster like we had in February.

[@buildshow]

Great move! I suspect they will be hard to find once we get the first cold snap.

[@andrewkennedy9704]

@@buildshow best time to panic buy is when there's no panic.

[@nixaeagle141]

@@buildshow good thing Bucces has non ethanol no one else within 2-3 hours to dfw carries it .

[@ccagrad2002]

Thanks!

[@jkbrown5496]

Not mentioned is the inverter types (two on the table) can run quieter and more fuel efficiently at low loads on eco mode since the AC output is created by the inverter not directly from the engine speed. The larger generators have to maintain speed to keep the frequency and voltage at the right levels. They are more fuel efficient a near full running load. Also, if you get a generator, consider what cords you need/want. A contractor would have lots of extension cords about, but not everyone does. And you'll need cords with the proper plugs to use the round high amp receptacles.

[@geller373]

Previously owned Champion 3500 which was flawless. Champion quality control and customer service had since done a nose dive. I bought a new 5500 dual fuel Champion, first one was dead out of the box. After jumping through Champion customer service hoops, they replaced it. After one year of use, I ran into problems with it running correctly. It was found multiple screws missing from carburetor and electronics. Be aware, Champion is not the same as years ago!

[@jwsystems]

I have made a bunch of money repairing generators that are not maintained properly in my shop. Since generators can be life critical machine, a maintained generator is very important. Ethanol free gas is number one best thing you can do as Matt Risinger pointed out. Second, ALWAYS run the carb dry every time you run it and if you don't plan on running it for 3-6months, drain the fuel tank. Fuel tanks are vented, which can allow water condensate to build up. Since water is heavier than gasoline, the carb will fill full of water which causes corrosion in the carb/fuel tank and the engine will run poorly - if it runs at all. Check the oil, all small engines can use a little bit a oil - over a two day of constant running it can use 1/3 of quart of oil depending on the wear of the engine. Most quality generators have a low oil sensor, so if it just quits running, check the oil as well as the gasoline. Please store generator inside out of the weather. The consumer generators are not designed for long term outdoor storage. Keep a quart of 10w-30 oil on the shelf just in case you need to add some. I have had a few cheaper generators come into the shop with blown engines because the owner ran them out of oil. Lastly, if it is a battery started generator, find out if the generator self charges the battery and if your not going to use it for 3-6months, put the battery on a quality battery maintainer, that way it starts every time. Thanks for the great video Matt!

[@KevinSmith-ys3mh]

Completely agree with all your comments, you know your genny's for sure! I would only amplify your last sentence- since most generators are intermittantly used devices (wall power is MUCH cheaper/convenient, at $4 gallon gas & $4 quart oil, filters, tuning, cleaning etc) the starting LA battery is the weak link, sulfation WILL happen if not actively charged -especially fast in hot climates like Arizona! My dad gets 3yrs life on a battery in Tucson, I get 8+yrs in Tacoma WA. I went with Deltran Battery Tender maintainers for any place that I can run an extension cord, a small 5 watt solar panel wherever that didnt work. So long as you dont screwup and deep-cycle the battery you should have fast reliable starts, and most mid to large gennys dont have a backup pull start, so.....😕

[@jolkraeremeark6949]

Any opinion on Champion dual fuel inverter generators?

[@philliphall5198]

We fix them and they don’t listen 😢😢 They just don’t care until they need it and then expect me to work day and night for a week 😮

[@markseamans4682]

Matt, good video. I agree with the MicroAir, I use that exact same 2500w Champion with my Travel Trailer using the MicroAir. The MicroAir also makes the compressor noise quieter. I also think inverter (pure sinewave) vs normal (modified sinewave) discussion should be addressed. With todays electronics integrated into appliances and such it's a good idea to run an inverter model. This all being said, I picked up a champion yesterday from a sale at Tractor Supply! God Bless Texas!

[@qcc5]

If your generator has electric start, be sure to get a "battery tender" to be sure your battery is always charged, and available.

[@angelaa3312]

Best video I’ve found to help me figure out what we need. And that Champion website tip is great for figuring out our wattage requirements. Thank you!

[@markseamans4682]

Oh, one more thing: Many here in South Central Texas are preparing for this winter. Keeping the wells and pressure pumps is a big deal and you may want to do a project video on this. Personally, I plan to run a 6000W Solar Inverter, with a bank of batteries (240v split phase), since the pump won't run all the time. Then, I'll power up the 240v generator to top off the batteries as needed.

[@robertscherer6343]

I have two Champion 2500 watt inverters that I run on propane only and I parallel them to run my Travel trailer. works great

[@orreng]

I can’t get that image out of my mind! Love it!

[@GregsWorkshopOregon]

I have that Champion Dual Fuel 3400 for my RV, it runs great and is nice and quiet. I also have a “normal” 8kw generator with a tri-fuel conversion kit for the house, it’s louder but puts out much more power. I have a conversion plug to hook the 3400 up to my transfer switch, it won’t run as much of the house but will keep the furnace running overnight and not make so much noise.

[@roBLINDhood]

I’d be interested in seeing you discuss the new crop of solar/battery “generators”.

[@MandoFettOG]

It annoys me that they call them generators.. haha.

[@markseamans4682]

@@MandoFettOG I agree. Solar is great, but if it is a crappy day outside, you need a decent generator or overkill on the solar with good sized battery bank.

[@Off-Grid]

I'm using a champion dual fuel on our Off-Grid solar home.

[@TheFiremanJoe]

I wouldn’t rely on the Natural Gas option for grid down situations. As you found out in February, the Natural Gas grid was over taxed, and not available for residential use! LPG is in my opinion a much better option.

[@Off-Grid]

We hooked ours up to. The 500 gal propane tank on our OffGrid Solar Home

[@thisismagacountry1318]

Will you do a permanent backup generator install for houses like Generac?

[@Chris_at_Home]

I have a Champion 7.5Kw to run the whole house but mainly used it for the pump. . I also put in a sub panel that has a separate generator transfer switch for the fridge, freezer, and lights that I used a 2000 w inverter generator on. I worked places with generator backup and they never wanted to run a generator continuously over 75% of rated load.

[@Off-Grid]

We hooked ours up to the 500 gal propane tank on our OffGrid Solar Home. it is 7500W dual fuel too.

[@scottfromsouthcarolina3185]

I had a Champion 2200 for around 10 years. I didn't use it too often but it powered my refrigerator and a few lights when needed. I would have to spray instant start in the carberator to help start it. I gave it away when I moved.

[@reubengoddard5132]

One important thing that wasn't mentioned. The two smaller generators only run 120 volt. If your house has a well you will need a 240 volt generator for most well pumps. You will need the largest unit to get water. Also, most home ac units require 240 volt.

[@GregsWorkshopOregon]

The link kit for the Champion 2400 generators gives 240V power (each generator provides a 120V phase).

[@jamesk5600]

@@GregsWorkshopOregon Are you sure about that? I don't believe that champion 120V generators and a parallel kit will provide 240V output. I checked their site and none of the parallel kits offered by Champion provide an actual 240V output. Their 50A parallel kit does include a NEMA 14-50R that is typically a 240V receptacle but it is clearly labeled 120V and not for 240V. Although theoretically possible, most commonly available 120V inverter generators cannot be combined to provide 240V output. There may be exceptions, but I am sure there are not many at this time. In order to provide 240V, the two generator outputs would have to be synchronized so that they would be 180 degrees out of phase. To do this there would have to be communication between the two inverters, but the typical parallel kit only has 3 wires (2 conductors & ground). There simply are not enough wires to accomplish the task. I also question whether the inverter itself is equipped for the synchronization required for the task.

[@georgezaid9155]

Agreed. They will only provide 120V even when paralleled together.

[@TJK50014]

Really thinking about a nat gas gen. Something that doesn't require buying tanks of gas, and natural gas service is pretty reliable during a freeze/hurricane.

[@shenmisheshou7002]

I think it depends on the generator size. Even a mid size generator will require a 3/4 inch pipe if it is more than a few feet away from the gas meter. Also, if you are going to put it on the same pipe as a gas furnace, you are not going to get enough gas. If you have a place where you can tap into a 3/4th pipe, then yeah, dual fuel is a good option but one should check the gas delivery requirement.

[@keylargo2001]

In 2008 I Bought my first generator. Which is a 4400/3500 watt. The generator has performed flawlessly since. I recently decided to buy another generator. But I decided to change over from a generator to an inverter .I added up all my wattage that I would need if everything was on at the same time. That number came up to 4300 watts. The closes inverter in that power range is the 6250/5000 which is 15% greater then my total usage need.

[@8894larry]

Pretty good presentation Matt about Champion generators. Just a few mentions. At a altitude above a 1000 FT MSL you have to derate the output by 3-1/2%. Also when you tie it into your house panel you should disconnect the neutral to ground inside the generator. It's located behind the the round yellow cover under the handle on the larger models. Reason why you ask? The main panel already has the neutral to ground connection and you only want this once. If not done, you can get objectionable currents. Some generator manufactures have a tag on the exterior of the generator stating the neutral to ground connection on their generator. Champion's manual mentions this connection, but does not explain the reason why. Good day!

[@KevinSmith-ys3mh]

Excellent points, they should make it clearer and easier to do. Also remember to ground the generator frame whenever possible.

[@8894larry]

@@KevinSmith-ys3mh Better look at Article 250.34 of the 2020 NEC!

[@mariobueno3368]

Thanks Matt for all your content. You sure pack a lot of very useful information for us mere mortals!

[@peterduthie1806]

In your video you said the BBQ size propane tanks hold 25 Lbs. Actually that size tank is designed to hold 20 Lbs and most exchange tanks only come filled with 15 Lbs. Also while your suggestion to run only run ethanol free fuel is good if the generator is not going to be run regularly you will be better off emptying the fuel tank completely because over time moisture will accumulate in the tank and if you have a metal tank it will rust and the rust particles can plug the carburetor's jets. I use a dual fuel Champion and keep enough propane on hand to run it for up to twenty hours so if it is a short term power outage after power is restored I don't have to drain the carb and the fuel tank to prevent fuel system problems.

[@raymondgarafano8604]

Champion has GREAT customer service.

[@alonzosmith6189]

I loved my Champion generator. Living in NJ, my house was 100% electric. Was able to have everything in the house online except my hot water tank.

[@matsler89]

What are your thoughts on solar energy with battery backup storage for a whole home?

[@shenmisheshou7002]

During a recent ice storm in Texas, power was out in my neighborhood for 3.5 days. I have a Champion 5000 watt continuous, 6250 peak inverter generator and have an interlock on my panel. I was able to run my gas furnace, all lights, internet, TV, microwave (or toaster 4 slot toaster, but not both at the same time), fridge, small chest freezer, and mini-fridge. The generator would run about 14 hours on less than 4.4 gallons of gas, so I could fill up at 8 PM and run until 8 AM with zero problem. We ran the washing machine, and we ran an emergency extension to the neighbor so she could run her fridge and start her on demand gas hot water heater. The generator rarely ran over 505 and that is why the gas lasted so long. One neighbor had a 3000 wat generator and could only run a space heater and a few lights and internet, and he used more gas than I did, and his generator was running just about wide open most of the time, and made more noise than my generator. I might have a bit more capacity than I need, but at these sizes, the amount of gas you are going to use is more or less going to be determined by your current draw. Having a 100% over-capacity is to me far better than having the "right" capacity. You just don't have to worry about it and again, if the bigger inverter generator is running at less than half continuous, you will probably get about the same run time per gallon.

[@jshblk]

Great intro!

[@buildshow]

Took a page from Demo Ranch!

[@rigo6156]

He rocks out with his caulk out.

[@noneentered1]

Extended propane or especially ng runtime on a small 3600 rpm unit is going to be oil burn limited for many models. Be sure your unit has a low oil shutoff before running it on a semi continuous basis.

[@condor5635]

Great video. I don’t agree with the ethanol free advice. I’ve had my generator for 10 years and all I do is run it dry - completely dry none in the tank. This also means draining the carburetor bowl as well. Run some low pressure air into the gas tank with a towel over the fuel hole and the fuel bowl bolt removed and that will blow out any residual gas. I run it every 4-6 months and it starts on the first pull every time Just some first hand experience which points me to not needing ethanol, free fuel, or running it every month. Great overview video of the champion products. I was a little confused on the 120 V (?) plug on the large generator (on the far left ) Typically there’s a 230 V 30 amp option (L14-30R) and a 240 V 50 amp option (14-50R) along with 120 duplex outlets.

[@bruce-le-smith]

bruh, this is the Build show intro I subscribed for. seen these generators in my local stores, thanks for the demo

[@robertthompson3447]

Matt's videos on generators is why I subscribed more than a year ago.

[@jayrpyne7067]

Thank you. Very informative. Better than most. Buying two of the ones that do less but cover the main needs have been suggested. That way you cover the NEEDS with a backup unit and have choice of the air-conditioning which maybe wanted but not needed in a REAL CATASTROPHE. As in the case of the small unit ... easier to carry. Does that make any sense? Namaste. Jay

[@ssoffshore5111]

Three things Matt really didn't touch on, which I have found to be VERY important are noise, fuel consumption, and connection. I live in an area which is somewhat prone to long outages (3-10 days typically) due to major storms. Early on I bought a 7500 watt generator so I could easily run my entire house off it. We typically only use around that same 7500 watts over the course of a full day, but figured it would be nice to have the extra capacity. Bad move on my part! Big generators (other than high end diesels) also mean big noise and big fuel consumption! Even with the windows closed and the generator 75' from the house, it's loud. Certainly not ideal for running all night, especially in a residential area. The fuel cost to run this thing for extended periods is also pricy and requires a large supply to keep on hand. Keeping 50+ gal of gas or propane on hand is a PITA, but if you don't have it, you may very well find gas stations without power themselves, but even more likely... out of fuel themselves. Lastly, make sure you have an interlock or a transfer switch installed on your house if you're using it for household back-up power. They can be connected without either, but not wise to do so, especially if you don't know what you're doing! I'm adding a hybrid solar system this spring to replace the dependence on the grid and loud gas guzzling generator. I will sell or lend out my 7500W generator to someone in need during the outage and will be replacing it with a much smaller (quiet) generator, just to have on hand and to recharge batteries in a pinch.

[@ssoffshore5111]

Another thing he didn't touch on is the cleanness of the power output. Inverter generators not only use less fuel and are typically quieter, but also will supply power which is much safer for sensitive electronics (computers, TV's, etc). They are more expensive, but worth the extra money IMO!

[@ssoffshore5111]

@@matt00755 Thanks Matt. I'm installing a 6-8KW solar system with a hybrid inverter and 10-15 KW of batteries. This should cover us for at least a few cloudy days in a pinch and having a small gas generator on hand to recharge the batteries through the inverter will cover us if we need it. I'm doing this to be less dependent on the grid, in effort to be a little more 'green', etc. I'll do it all myself, but the payback will still likely take a long time at our relatively low consumption. But the peace of mind and not having to listen to or pay for the gas generator will be a big plus when SHTF!

[@ssoffshore5111]

@@matt00755 I hear you about spreading out baskets (I've done the same with heating as well). And good suggestion with daylight testing, will do. I'd like to do an even larger battery system, but they aren't exactly cost effective, hopefully price comes down in the not to distant future. I'm over-sizing the panels to not only prepare for future potential demand needs, but also assist on less than sunny days. Looking forward to the project, taking a couple of trees down next month to prep. ;)

[@designeraccess2512]

Great video- question we bought a gasoline generator 5 years ago left it in garage and never used it and when I said let’s see if it runs surprise it was messed up. The likelihood of us ever periodically switching on a generator to keep up maintenance is zero. If we buy the dual fuel with intention of only using propane will I still have same issue? 🤪 Thanks

[@stephanieonlife3657]

I got a charge out of your video tonight. Thanks and I wasn't shocked..Keep up the great work .

[@sunbeam8866]

My 11" X 16" bedroom's window AC is 5000 btu, rated at 515 watts. Don't know the starting watts. I'm in Virginia and till now, I've been lucky. My extended outages have been in the fall, and I didn't need heat or AC - just the fridge & (alternately) the microwave, with a couple CF lights, a fan and the TV. running a 2000 watt (contniuos) generator. This also includes unplugging the fridge and shutting down the generator overnight to save fuel. Before I put it away, I close the fuel-valve and run the generator to get the gas out of the carb. So far, no major issues restarting.

[@C.KenTeri-yaki]

Loved your video. Do you have any thoughts on using a non-inverter generator into your home electronics?

[@jaymin2189]

Matt, why didn’t you go with a solar + battery storage for your home?

[@jaxturner7288]

Same reasons most people don’t.

[@augustreil]

@@jaxturner7288, Junk ! Just my opinion. Some people love it, not me.

[@scottburton414]

I was wondering the same thing. Matt seems to have the latest and greatest technology behind every system in his house. Having a gas/propane/natural gas generator, with all the maintenance/noise etc. seems a bit old school.

[@jaxturner7288]

@@augustreil component quality, long term durability and the inability for repair are definitely valid concerns for potential solar customers. Besides the whole situation of solar power being environmentally dependent the rate at which solar components/batteries become outdated/obsolete and automatically continuously reduce their efficiency as they age and will regularly require replacement weather you are using the system or not. Obviously for a back up power supply, solar gathered into battery cells is the absolute worst way to go. Collecting power from the sun as of now is to slow while storing a useful amount of power in even the very best currently available type of batteries is extremely expensive over the long term. A couple thousand dollars worth of generator + fuel will give your family all the power it needs to get through any natural disaster , it will not get blown away or broken by hail and it will not cost you $1000 a year for maintenance even when it isn’t used at all. In the right locations solar currently can be worth the cost but for now only when it’s used to directly and almost immediately power something needing a small amount of power in a remote location and an ideal geographic area. To slowly gather solar energy in long term power storage (bank of batteries) that’s intended for future yet sporadic use though…. No way. 👎

[@augustreil]

@@jaxturner7288, Agree, thanks.

[@mcintosh.daughter]

Great into brother! Thanks for the laugh. And great content that just keeps becoming more relevant. Outages will probably increase, and gasoline availability will waiver. So consider a duel fuel and keep a tank of propane on hand.

[@zaaz1471]

Great reviews of portable generators -- we went the 'whole house' generac version. When we moved to northwest connecticut, we thought we'd need it frequently.. but of course, not so much. :) if we didn't have it we'd have been without power for weeks at a time lol.

[@KPHVAC]

Every homeowner should have a backup for electricity. I also think everyone should have 2 separate sources for heating and cooling. All HVAC systems will break eventually. You need at least 1 room that has 2 heating and cooling systems in case things go bad. If you are on a budget buy a portable AC and a Big Buddy Heater or something similar. If you live in a cold climate please don't tear out your fireplace or wood stove.

[@mrjoehimself]

Awesome video, love it, thank you! You're almost at 1 mil subscribers....whoa....let's go!!!!!!

[@winstonsmiths2449]

My usage is for emergencies and for partial house power source. I expect to not run my electrical devices as if I were connected to the grid. Fridge/freezer, portable ac unit, fans, microwave, solar battery charging.

[@whattheschmidt]

Those generators are pretty neat, had no idea they had that many features now. I am in the electric vehicle game and going to hold out for an EV with 240V output and have that as backup - enough power for my house for 1-2 weeks in an electric vehicles battery capacity, way more than enough. Just need the ability from more and more EVs!

[@jimb9283]

I see fuel cells as the quicker option for that.

[@whattheschmidt]

@@jimb9283 What do you mean quicker option? A few EVs come out next year with 240V output.

[@UnlikelyToRemember]

On soft-start: A capacitor is basically a temporary store of electrical charge. Your generator (or city power) charges up the capacitor and then when your device (eg your A/C) starts, the needed surge current is supplied by the capacitor dumping its energy back out.

[@HutchMountain]

Well kind of... The EasyStart that Matt purchased from us at Hutch Mountain actually reduces the amount of power sent to the compressor, rather than what you might think a traditional capacitor does by storing energy & slamming the compressor with power. It slowly introduces power (in a very complicated way) & within milliseconds the compressor is up & running. It is better for the compressor & uses between 50-70% energy. Long story, short, it makes it much easier for your air conditioner to start on a generator. Happy to answer any questions or help if you have any Q's, -Your Friends at Hutch Mountain. :)

[@PartTimeYooper]

@@HutchMountain can you provide a link to the product?

[@Off-Grid]

On our Off-Grid home we use a champion dual fuel generator hooked up to the houses propane.

[@benstoth]

If you have a generator which produces more than 30 Amps, and it’s hooked up to the 30 amp receptacle on your RV, can you plug in extension cords to the 110V outlets?

[@woohunter1]

I have a generator interlock mechanism in my main panel, that way I can pick and choose which circuits I want to run. I have a very clearly labeled panel, put a green dot next to the circuits that have to be on.

[@83presidente]

Love the "mas o menos!" I know you have spent some time on-site with the amigos!

[@sjemna]

One more option worth of mention would be quiet diesel. They provide more power and longer run time. Just picked up one, single cylinder, probably as quiet as a gasoline one. I'm also going to build some sort of baffle for noise. I don't want my neighbours to have to listen for that

[@trevorrisley5419]

What brand of diesel genny did you end up buying? And what is the wattage?

[@sjemna]

@@trevorrisley5419 it's a Cub silent diesel 8kw. Only one I could find. Works great, remote start, etc. Still a little noisy, not too much!

[@marilynjernigan4673]

Works great for the camper and no more power outages at the house

[@ThomasMarcotte-jt9od]

Champion is a good brand. I have one of the little guys and love it.

[@NorthCountryOutlaw]

I want one that is big enough to run the furnace and stove in our house during an outage but small and light enough to load in a truck and take to the job site.what size should I get?

[@scorpio6587]

Fantastic opening sequence.

[@loveydovey4u]

I like my old Generac. Only paid 200$ used for it 15 years ago. I push her hard and she just won't quit.

[@JG-gw3up]

When using a non-inverter generator, you need to understand that the typical non-inverter generator puts out a total harmonic distortion (THD) in the 10-25% range. Conversely, inverter generators typically put out less than 3% THD. So, if want to run a high efficency (read computer driven) furnace, tankless hot water heater, smart TV, computer, or UPS, 10-25% THD from a non-inverter generator can reak havoc and sometimes even damage the computer controls of your high efficency furnace or computer driven devices. So, if you want to run sensitive electronics, be sure to get an inverter-generator.

[@ChristianBehnke]

Thanks Matt, I'll never un-see you with a mullet.

[@buildshow]

Ha! More fun intros?

[@billboy7390]

I live in Arizona and we just don’t have the same level of emergency like you, even being in the mountains and snow, and I’m 61 and never lost power longer than 6 hours, I’ll stick with solar and battery but my wife has a small 16’ camper and she bought a 2000 watt inverter but has rarely really needs it but I like her having it but I think we need to look into dual fuel.

[@lofiDigitalArt2]

I like to know how are able use it in winter when your power goes out the box says keep out of cold and keep away from Moist

[@GM-wf6el]

Hello. Great video. Many emergency gas generators has a run time of 9 hours according to it's specs. Will it run for another 9 hours if I refill it with gas? Will it run for 3 days if I keep refilling it with gas? Power outages during blizzards can last for days. Thanks

[@jesussavesanus9790]

Great video, disregard all these gasoline generators though and get diesel generators. I've had a yanmar diesel generator keep my house and water well running throughout that february freeze.

[@chipholland9]

Nice 80's montage!

[@stevekelly7488]

If you add an Micro-Air Easy Start module to your heat pump you can reduce the size of your generator. The easystart reduces the compressor starting current by as much as 70%

[@shadyhill60]

what about harmonic distortion ?

[@shadyhill60]

@@augustreil It should be 60 cycles.

[@scottburton414]

Just curious, why is a slightly lower mains frequency an issue for electronic devices?

[@KevinSmith-ys3mh]

@@scottburton414 Hi Scott : the real details are complicated enough that you should look at Wikipedia, but I will summarize the basics. The power grids (I recall vaguely 3 in USA - Eastern, Western, Texas) in order to function as an inter-connected assembly of 10s of thousands of components (transformers, switches, cables, generators, etc) must run in precise synch with each other (phase) or very bad things will occur rapidly - think bad tempered children fighting a tug of war over a vat of spaghetti. Lots of very expensive equipment overheating , Arcs you could see from space, explosions. Seriously bad. This means keeping the phase at 60hz (or 50hz on other continents) absolutely critical if you want a grid to work. Now since that is a basic given like the speed of sound or the sunrise, you can treat it like a clock or tuning fork to regulate things inside all our electronics, and keep seperate units talking to each other across a circuit board, or building, or state lines. Messing with that stable locked frequency can cause overheating or out of control behaviors in many carefully calculated circuits.

[@scottburton414]

@Kevin Smith: Hi Kevin! Thanks for that insight. I assumed the generator would have to be used with a transfer switch that would isolate it from the grid. In this case the frequency would maybe only affect household clocks relying on the mains frequency to keep time. Most other modern electronics use high-frequency switching power converters that are relatively immune to the 50/60Hz mains frequency. But you're absolutely correct that poorly designed converters can contribute to harmonic distortion on the mains. There's an international standard intended to address this: EN61000-3-2. Great discussion, thanks!

[@gregmadrid3458]

I just picked up the Tri-Fuel in this video. For those wondering, the decibel level running both Nat.Gas or Propane is 76 Decibals, unloaded.

[@nephtaliestrada569]

The capacitor ur talking is called a hard start kit. They make them for anything that has a refrigerant compressor from a refrigerator, deep freezer, mini splits and regular size ac unit for home and RV.

[@cfmeeks]

No sir, the Micro Air is a soft start kit. Much more sophisticated than a hard start kit and much more effective at reducing start-up load on the generator - hence the $300 price tag.

[@Bob_Lob_Law]

7:00 A quick word on fuel usage. If you want to maximize efficiency, run the generator near full load. Generators run constant rpm, and this requires fuel. You will achieve better fuel efficiency with higher load because more of your fuel will be used to generate power compared to the amount required to maintain the RPM.

[@Bob_Lob_Law]

@@augustreil Primarily use the smallest generator you can. And don't run a generator just to charge your phone or something stupid like that.

[@augustreil]

@@Bob_Lob_Law, I have a 3 family house and run a 10K I'm not going to run anything smaller so that it gets strained the whole time it's running. Doesn't make sense.

[@augustreil]

@@Bob_Lob_Law, And I've never heard of running an undersized generator from anyone. Even Matt says not to run them at full load. You're dead wrong on this one, all that will do is wear it out quick and NOT save any fuel.

[@Bob_Lob_Law]

@@augustreil Honestly, I don't care what your situation is, and I'm not looking to solve any of your problems. I'm just merely handing out the a correction regarding load vs fuel efficiency.

[@augustreil]

@@Bob_Lob_Law, But you're way wrong on running the smallest generator so that it runs at full load all the time. You shouldn't be telling people that, that's all I'm saying.

[@bryanhatch6688]

You can't beat a Champion. I'm going to pick one up today

[@zambato9965]

Off topic… but what are your thoughts on steel framing?

[@nixaeagle141]

What’s a transfer switch run installed ? Or should your power Co be adding one at no charge ??

[@robertthompson3447]

Anything after the meter is the responsibility of the home owner. You will need a licensed electrician.

[@baldemarleal4387]

tell us about tradicional & inverters generators. its very interesting

[@pin65371]

You should reach out to Ford and see if they will let you test the new Lightning for a couple days. They are claiming they will power a full crew for a couple days. I'm sure your channel is big enough that they would actually consider it.

[@markbuildstx]

Bought a 6800 Dual Fuel Champion about a month ago. Also prepping for Texas snow freeze or other natural disaster. I’m just curious about what cords I need. Do I need the 30amp in order to plug into a 110?

[@markseamans4682]

I would suggest you grab a local friend that knows a good bit on the topic. It's pretty easy, but with the fact you are asking this question suggests you are uncertain of the concepts and we really don't want you to fry something, or worse, get killed or kill a lineman. Otherwise, research, learn, execute.

[@markbuildstx]

@@markseamans4682 lol. How would I hurt a lineman? You must be one to randomly throw that out there. And me asking is me researching, learning so I can execute.

[@markseamans4682]

@@markbuildstx Some will back feed an outlet in their house without killing the main. This will send the generators voltage to the main feed. Thus, when the utility is working on fixing the outage, they are unaware voltage is coming from the opposite direction. Randomly? Nope. I'm in IT guy that has lots of good real world experience. This is why most city electrical codes ensure there is a transfer switch or an interlock to prevent this.

[@stuartrinker]

Haha! We literally just started our new generator up 20 minutes ago.

[@robertthompson3447]

Used mine for the first time, in more than a year, last week. Ethanol free gasoline in it was still good; started on the second pull.

[@kenmaira]

My wife and I both facepalmed at the same time, I'm impressed at the video :D

[@DeDraconis]

Okay Matt. Guns & Roses, Poison, or Spinal Tap?

[@SnakeAndTurtleQigong]

Thanks so much

[@robertdean9392]

Matt It would be nice if you did a video on whole home stand by generator that you would recommend. Hope you and the family had a good THANKSGIVING. See you on the next video

[@DAllman1]

I think he did one a year or so ago. Check the archives 🍻

[@augustreil]

Get at least 3-4 quotes from generator companies and set them up with a large propane tank that's automatic, you'll never be happier !

[@paulnewman2778]

Hey Matt, what is going on with the build network? Like the channel especially Steve’s view in design. Happy holidays

[@roccosperanza]

I'm really surprised you didn't go with Solar and Battery Storage.

[@Moocowthegreat]

Me watching this whole video knowing in the back of my mind that I can’t even afford a battery

[@Tenspound]

Noice Video like the intro. Fun times!

[@celyl]

are they electric start accessible remotely by wifi?

[@L.Scott_Music]

How easy or difficult is it to switch between fuels?

[@MtyMous]

Mossy Minos. Lol Good video covering the ranges and benefits

[@ccagrad2002]

Thank you, very informative