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Posted: 10/9/2018 11:29:17 AM EDT
[#1]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By DVCER:
Always check Arfcom. And waiting to unbox the genset till you need it is a crapshoot. Oh well, you win some you lose some. |
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Posted: 10/9/2018 11:32:10 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Engineer]
[#2]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SparticleBrane:
I panic-bought an Echo Bearcat IG2000 from a local lawn and garden place, for $900 right before Hurricane Florence. It was the only place around that had a generator. After seeing some of the deals in this thread I am pretty upset with the price I paid, especially considering that this place does not take returns. I have not turned on yet. Maybe I can sell it to someone on craigslist and recoup some of the wasted money. Seriously, $170 – $250 for a 2000W inverter generator? That's a damn steal if they work. You'll probably lose your shirt if you sell it now. If you can pick up something cheap and hold off until the next panic you might lessen your losses. Unfortunately, while I trust Echo for chainsaws and lawn equipment, their generators look like Chinese clones. Their 3500W inverter looks to be the same pedigree as the Harbor Freight 3500W and the 2000W inverter is most likely the same. Speaking frankly, they might not be worth the $800 that slapping an Echo name on the product commands. If you had gone with the EB2200i (or EB2000i) you would have had better resale as Honda inverter generators are of known quality. At this point you might as well hold onto it but break it in so that you know it will function properly the next time you need it. |
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Posted: 10/9/2018 12:14:27 PM EDT
[#3]
Update to post of October 2017. Suffered house damage from tree. Lost power for 2 days. Ran predator 2000 continuously for 45 hours. Moved cords to power fans, freezer, refrigerator, and charge phones. Also powered Icom HF radio. Changed oil @ 5 hours and installed good spark plug. Very happy so far. Will check valve adjustment at next oil change. Premium ethanol free gas with stabiliser only.
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Posted: 10/9/2018 12:19:34 PM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By kb6emh:
Update to post of October 2017. Suffered house damage from tree. Lost power for 2 days. Ran predator 2000 continuously for 45 hours. Moved cords to power fans, freezer, refrigerator, and charge phones. Also powered Icom HF radio. Changed oil @ 5 hours and installed good spark plug. Very happy so far. Will check valve adjustment at next oil change. Premium ethanol free gas with stabiliser only. |
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Posted: 10/9/2018 1:38:07 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By mk4dubbin: How big of a PITA is dicking around with extension cords? But I tend to be the type to go through as much trouble as necessary to create incredible ease on the other side.  Now I just throw the transfer switch, plug genny into wall, and start genny .Everything that ran on 120, once again runs on 120 lol (the 240 circuits won't see that voltage so I just leave those breakers on) When power comes back on, turn off genny, unplug and store, throw transfer switch. No extension cables, power strips, ad infinitum, to mess with
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Posted: 10/9/2018 2:01:13 PM EDT
[Last Edit: SparticleBrane]
[#6]
I guess I should have done my generator panic-buying at a grocery store (re: the Aldi generator up above) instead of a lawn and garden place.
Who would have guessed, a grocery store selling generators?! |
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Posted: 10/9/2018 2:10:38 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SparticleBrane:
I guess I should have done my generator panic-buying at a grocery store (re: the Aldi generator up above) instead of a lawn and garden place.
Who would have guessed, a grocery store selling generators?! 
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Posted: 10/9/2018 2:31:38 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SparticleBrane:
I guess I should have done my generator panic-buying at a grocery store (re: the Aldi generator up above) instead of a lawn and garden place.
Who would have guessed, a grocery store selling generators?! Hey, I also got a pack of baby carrots and some cucumbers for the wife while I was out for "nefarious purposes" (as she calls it).
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Posted: 10/9/2018 3:31:56 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Engineer:
Hey, I also got a pack of baby carrots and some cucumbers for the wife while I was out for "nefarious purposes" (as she calls it). |
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USA
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Posted: 10/9/2018 3:59:47 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By mk4dubbin:
How big of a PITA is dicking around with extension cords? When it's pouring rain, or in the middle of an ice storm you don't want to be formulating your plan or trying to buy extension cords. Decide where you're going to position the generator. A place that won't flood your home with CO. How you're going to get the cords into the house. I lay out my cords for the essentials and then plug and play as needed. Better than running cable every time you want to power the Fridge. |
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Posted: 10/9/2018 6:58:32 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By mk4dubbin: How big of a PITA is dicking around with extension cords? |
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AR, USA
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Posted: 10/10/2018 10:47:12 AM EDT
[#12]
A tip I read on here that I think is worth repeating: Place generator outside house, run extension cord into house through the dryer vent. At my house, that gets the power cord into a central location of the house and allows the generator to sit in a good protected location outside.
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USA
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Posted: 10/10/2018 11:09:37 AM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By sdailey5:
A tip I read on here that I think is worth repeating: Place generator outside house, run extension cord into house through the dryer vent. At my house, that gets the power cord into a central location of the house and allows the generator to sit in a good protected location outside. |
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Posted: 10/10/2018 4:19:52 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By sdailey5:
A tip I read on here that I think is worth repeating: Place generator outside house, run extension cord into house through the dryer vent. At my house, that gets the power cord into a central location of the house and allows the generator to sit in a good protected location outside.
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Posted: 10/10/2018 5:47:07 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Skibane: My dryer vents to the roof. |
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Posted: 10/10/2018 7:09:16 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Skibane: My dryer vents to the roof. |
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Posted: 10/10/2018 8:30:54 PM EDT
[#17]
If there are any Northeast Ohio ARFCOM members that want in on the Aldi generator deal, the Willowick Aldi (30960 Lakeshore Blvd) had two priced at $169.99
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Posted: 10/10/2018 8:55:53 PM EDT
[#18]
  
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Posted: 10/10/2018 10:02:45 PM EDT
[Last Edit: danpass]
[#19]
power loss plus tree damage?
otherwise ok? . . Quote Historythat insanity is why I went through the effort to install a genny inlet
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Posted: 10/11/2018 6:29:05 AM EDT
[#20]
Haven't had electricity since about 0130 am. It was too rainy and windy to do anything about it though. I'm fixing to set up the genny before I go to work. Need to be sure someone else is going to be here. Everyone is still sleeping.
Glad I got one when I did. Wish I had gotten another 10 guage extension cord though. |
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CT, USA
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Posted: 10/11/2018 6:54:20 AM EDT
[#21]
People here spend thousands on SHTFantasy guns, optics, and other crap, but won't pony up for a proper generator transfer switch setup.
A suicide cord and extension cords are just as good, right? |
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Posted: 10/11/2018 7:23:56 AM EDT
[#22]
I'm doing fine with extension cords. In the past we managed without even a generator.
Nobody is going to be here in a little while, I don't think I should leave it running with nobody here so I'll have to turn it off and go to work as soon as my fridge and freezer are cool enough to suit me. I'm also making coffee.
There isn't really any room or shelter to put one where my box is. I have it on the patio right now where there is an awning, but not enclosed. The extension cords are easy to run, two of the will reach the entire house. I have been bandying about the idea of a transfer switch though. Only problem is moving the generator across the uneven lawn. Plus it's only a 3500 HF inverter. I'm going to continue thinking about it. Right now I would like to just go to work but I'm not sure about the safety of leaving a running generator with nobody home. My next door neighbor is home and I might go there when he wakes up to see if he needs to plug in. Not everyone is out of electricity, it's patchy here. We see neighbors that have it down the street. Hopefully it won't be long for us. |
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Posted: 10/11/2018 7:50:29 AM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By PhatForrest:
People here spend thousands on SHTFantasy guns, optics, and other crap, but won't pony up for a proper generator transfer switch setup. A suicide cord and extension cords are just as good, right? |
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Posted: 10/11/2018 9:45:56 AM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By danpass:
[miracleshot] one crazy summer [/miracleshot] Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By danpass:
Originally Posted By Skibane: My dryer vents to the roof.
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Posted: 10/11/2018 9:52:13 AM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By PhatForrest:
People here spend thousands on SHTFantasy guns, optics, and other crap, but won't pony up for a proper generator transfer switch setup. A suicide cord and extension cords are just as good, right? |
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Posted: 10/11/2018 10:19:58 AM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Admiral_Crunch:
I understood that reference. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Admiral_Crunch:
Originally Posted By danpass:
Originally Posted By Skibane: My dryer vents to the roof. 'Screw it' *adds fake html tags to post* lol |
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Posted: 10/11/2018 10:38:11 AM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SparticleBrane:
I panic-bought an Echo Bearcat IG2000 from a local lawn and garden place, for $900 right before Hurricane Florence. It was the only place around that had a generator. After seeing some of the deals in this thread I am pretty upset with the price I paid, especially considering that this place does not take returns. I have not turned on yet. Maybe I can sell it to someone on craigslist and recoup some of the wasted money. Seriously, $170 – $250 for a 2000W inverter generator? That's a damn steal if they work. |
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Posted: 10/11/2018 10:50:35 AM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By PhatForrest:
People here spend thousands on SHTFantasy guns, optics, and other crap, but won't pony up for a proper generator transfer switch setup. A suicide cord and extension cords are just as good, right? |
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Posted: 10/11/2018 11:05:41 AM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By gitarmac:
Haven't had electricity since about 0130 am. It was too rainy and windy to do anything about it though. I'm fixing to set up the genny before I go to work. Need to be sure someone else is going to be here. Everyone is still sleeping. Glad I got one when I did. Wish I had gotten another 10 guage extension cord though. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By gitarmac:
Haven't had electricity since about 0130 am. It was too rainy and windy to do anything about it though. I'm fixing to set up the genny before I go to work. Need to be sure someone else is going to be here. Everyone is still sleeping. Glad I got one when I did. Wish I had gotten another 10 guage extension cord though. Originally Posted By gitarmac:
I'm with you OP. I can a lot of meat so the last time there was an outage I canned it. During Matthew I got some dry ice and put in freezer and most of it was still hard when electricity came back on. I did lose some sausage. It wasn't much. I have battery powered fans, lots of lights, music, cook w gas . . . I can keep cell phones charged. The cost of the generator plus having to store and maintain it is more trouble than going without electricity. I guess it depends where you live. I work at a hospital not 2 miles away and can top off my power cells if needed. Originally Posted By gitarmac:
Maybe the OP doesn't need much to be comfortable. When I lived in ft Lauderdale eons ago we just did without. It wasn't that bad although our expectations were different back then. We didn't have AC, nobody I knew did, except for one neighbor that had a window unit. For a group that constantly criticises millennials and other generations for being too soft, y'all sure are soft. Originally Posted By gitarmac:
I've lost power during hurricanes. For some people a generator isn't worth it. I've read this thread and some of it is kind of funny, especially the ones that get a generator to power lights. We have a lot of electrical outages, I always grab a flashlight or headlamp whether I have electricity or not. It's easier than turning lights on and off at night in every room and I use them when I go out in the yard at night. I've got several battery powered fans. Plus chargers for phone. Don't care about TV. I guess AC is a concern for some but I didn't have it most of my life, even when I lived in FLA. Knowing that it will come back on someday is good enough for me. At least it's bearable here during hurricane season. If it were never invented maybe Florida (and here) would still be a nice place to live. I always laugh when people say they love the climate here but never so much as go outside in the heat. Originally Posted By gitarmac:
I choose not to have one. Not everyone needs one. I would miss the money more than a few days of electricity every 5 years or so. We actually used to lose electricity for a few days on a regular basis when we first moved in, lots of trees and other issues. I adapted for that. When I was a kid we had floods and storms and did without power for a couple weeks on more than one occasion. ....
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Posted: 10/11/2018 12:35:42 PM EDT
[Last Edit: gitarmac]
[#30]
I've come full circle.
ETA: also kind of creepy you dug all that up.
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Posted: 10/11/2018 12:47:36 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By gitarmac:
I've come full circle. ETA: also kind of creepy you dug all that up. I remembered your posts, and thinking you'll come around some day
welcome to the inverter generator club 
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Posted: 10/11/2018 1:07:41 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By gitarmac:
I've come full circle. ETA: also kind of creepy you dug all that up. |
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Posted: 10/11/2018 9:03:01 PM EDT
[#33]
I was at harbor freight today and the 2000 predator is going to be priced at $339 over the weekend. I tried to by some but they told me the sale doesn’t start til tomorrow. They said I could pay $30 for a membership and buy it today or could come back tomorrow or even buy it online tomorrow for $339. Their website shows the sale but it isn’t showing the sale price. I guess today members get the early pricing. Worth checking out if your in the market for one.
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Posted: 10/11/2018 9:24:57 PM EDT
[#34]
Our electricity has been out since about 1am!!! It's 8 houses at the end of the street. They've been in people's yards trying to pin it down. Now it's 9pm. We have tv and cable and wifi. Plus some fans. I have a fuck ton of headlamps and stuff so light is never a problem. The little predator is purring away. It seemed to run a little rough earlier but you had to pay attention to notice it. We turned it off and went out to grab a bite to eat and topped off the levels when we got back and cranked it back up. It seems smoother now. At any rate it's working great for what we are using it for. There is still no estimate for when the power will be back on. I felt kind of bad right after I got it because we've always done fine without one and I was wondering if it was worth it. I'm pretty happy now! The extension cords hadn't really been an issue but that's probably because we are just glad to have some juice. This might last a few days. We didn't get hit hard at all, didn't even take down the patio tarp shelter. There are a few pockets of outages around town and on the islands though. Luckily there is no rain in the forecast so I don't have to rig a generator shelter. I plan on working on that though. I don't need anything fancy because it's a portable one and just stays in the mudroom but if the weather were bad I would need it to be raised and to have a top. I have a bunch of spare wood and could make something. I might even put big wheels on it so I could roll it over my yard easily. I want it to be open on the sides and have holes on the bottom for air. The top could flip up for refueling. |
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Posted: 10/11/2018 11:05:34 PM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By boolzi:
I was at harbor freight today and the 2000 predator is going to be priced at $339 over the weekend. I tried to by some but they told me the sale doesn't start til tomorrow. They said I could pay $30 for a membership and buy it today or could come back tomorrow or even buy it online tomorrow for $339. Their website shows the sale but it isn't showing the sale price. I guess today members get the early pricing. Worth checking out if your in the market for one. |
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Posted: 10/11/2018 11:11:58 PM EDT
[#36]
Ok I'm starting to see the appeal of a transfer switch.
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Posted: 10/12/2018 12:35:14 AM EDT
[#37]
^ LOL - You'll have a 25 KW Cummins on order by the end of the week.
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Posted: 10/12/2018 3:54:30 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Miami_JBT]
[#38]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By danpass:
power loss plus tree damage? otherwise ok? . . that insanity is why I went through the effort to install a genny inlet Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By danpass:
power loss plus tree damage? otherwise ok? . . Yeah, we suffered some damage but we're doing fine. That first pic I posted was me working during the storm. Oh what fun. |
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Posted: 10/12/2018 6:28:08 AM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Engineer:
$339 or $439? The weekend flyer I got said the sale price is $439. |
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Posted: 10/12/2018 7:00:58 AM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By boolzi: At the store they were stacked up under a tent with $339 on them. That’s when I started the conversation. I’ll go by there this morning because I’m seeing $439 online. |
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Posted: 10/12/2018 7:01:26 AM EDT
[#41]
Our electricity came back on after 11pm. Almost 24 hours!
Which is nothing compared to what others are facing. We got comparable to a seasonal storm with mediocre rain and brisk wind. I'll change the oil and check the plugs and filter after work, it'll be ready to go again. |
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LA, USA
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Posted: 10/12/2018 7:03:43 AM EDT
[Last Edit: APBullet]
[#42]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By boolzi:
At the store they were stacked up under a tent with $339 on them. That’s when I started the conversation. I’ll go by there this morning because I’m seeing $439 online. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By boolzi:
Originally Posted By Engineer:
$339 or $439? The weekend flyer I got said the sale price is $439. |
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Posted: 10/12/2018 8:02:31 AM EDT
[#43]
Aldi generators were still full price here in NOVA as of last night.
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Posted: 10/12/2018 8:27:05 AM EDT
[#44]
I called, they were stacked under wrong price. Said they fixed it yesterday. The price was actually $349 not $339 and was for another generator they had.
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Posted: 10/12/2018 8:30:24 AM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By GunLvrPHD:
Aldi generators were still full price here in NOVA as of last night. |
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Posted: 10/12/2018 11:29:01 AM EDT
[Last Edit: pdm]
[#46]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By jefflebowski: If you don’t have a generator at all, I’d get the HF 3500. Picked up a Predator parallel kit and now to see if my Workzone 2000 and Quipall 2200 will work with it. Paid $249 and $299 for those two respectively and they suit my purposes well. |
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Posted: 10/12/2018 11:31:30 AM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By jefflebowski:
If you don’t have a generator at all, I’d get the HF 3500. |
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VA, USA
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Posted: 10/12/2018 11:36:31 AM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By gitarmac:
I'm doing fine with extension cords. In the past we managed without even a generator. Nobody is going to be here in a little while, I don't think I should leave it running with nobody here so I'll have to turn it off and go to work as soon as my fridge and freezer are cool enough to suit me. I'm also making coffee.
There isn't really any room or shelter to put one where my box is. I have it on the patio right now where there is an awning, but not enclosed. The extension cords are easy to run, two of the will reach the entire house. I have been bandying about the idea of a transfer switch though. Only problem is moving the generator across the uneven lawn. Plus it's only a 3500 HF inverter. I'm going to continue thinking about it. Right now I would like to just go to work but I'm not sure about the safety of leaving a running generator with nobody home. My next door neighbor is home and I might go there when he wakes up to see if he needs to plug in. Not everyone is out of electricity, it's patchy here. We see neighbors that have it down the street. Hopefully it won't be long for us. |
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Posted: 10/12/2018 11:39:39 AM EDT
[#49]
A small generator is always good sense from the standpoint of practicality. Especially one of those little quiet ones. When the power's out it gets really quiet in the neighborhood. You don't want to advertise you have a nice high dollar piece of gear sitting out in the yard after dark. A small one that will power your furnace or boiler through the night and not call attention to it is a very good thing. Fuel savings are also significant. Then you crank up the beast in the morning to chill off the refrigerator and freezer again and let your wife dry and fix her hair. A happy wife is a happy life in a power outage.
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Posted: 10/12/2018 1:14:18 PM EDT
[#50]
I don't see that the HF inverter generators have s 240v output. Is that correct? Can they be ran in series to get 240v?
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