Generator SCORE!!!

[SparkDr]

Been wanting to pick up a an inverter generator to have around the house for a while now. Learned about a week ago that we would not have power for set up weekend at the CG due to flooding, so decided it was finally time. Went so far as to put a nice little Champion 2k on a Home Depot deal into my cart while I mulled over buying just one or 2. The next day, I mentioned the impending purchase to my uncle who quickly said...”why don’t you just buy mine since I’m moving south next month anyways”. Long story short, he gave me a super deal. I am now the proud owner of a beastly Yamaha EF4500ISE with a brand new battery and 200 hours on the clock for less money than I would have spent on a pair of 2k Champs and a parallel kit. It take 2 strong men to get it up into the truck though, but I only dry camp at the races once or twice a year or less. I’m already scoping out a remote start / stop kit for it even though I’m sure I’ll probably sell it off in favor of the more portables soon enough. Very pleased!

[Chum_lee]

Good score! Always have a mental list of desirable items. Then keep your eyes open and your ears to the ground. With a little patience, it's amazing what just seems to . . . . . . show up . . . . . . sometimes seemingly out of nowhere.

Chum lee

[profdant139]

I wonder if you could rig up a small cargo crane on the truck bed to load and unload the Beast? A small winch and some pulleys and you are good to go.

Congratulations on getting such a fine deal!

[SparkDr]

wa8yxm wrote:
One suggestion: with that much generator on hand (Well two suggestions)

First: have and electrician install a proper GENERATOR TRANSFER panel on your hose with a proper INLET outside the house. and make up an extension cord "Generator to inlet" so that you can park the generator at some distance (Near a tree or post you can chain it to when power fails.

I found my house needs less than that genny can crank out most of the time (Winter I drew as I recall about 3500 watts total.. Summer I run Central Air. that was NOT on the transfer panel. Heck it was not on the main panel it had its own fuse box off the meter)

Two. Run it every month 1/2 hour or more 1/2 load or more (Space heaters work well you'd need two)

Normally both good points, but a couple of clarifications should be made.

#1 - I am an electrician...see SparkDr username. Wink.

#2 - This particular generator does not offer traditional 120/240v output. It is targeted specifically towards the RV market and outputs a 4500 watt continuous load through a NEMA L5-30 30amp / 125v locking output.

Could it be wired through a manual transfer switch to provide emergency power to a home? Sure, but depending on the design of the transfer switch itself, it would require a custom cable (a pre-made one may exist but I haven’t looked) or minor re-wire within the switch to put all 120v loads within the switch onto the same phase and no 240v loads within the home could be supported by this generator. I just don’t see the value in going this route and it would not be using any of these components as intended in doing so.
.
#3 - I couldn’t agree more about putting this or any genset under a load on a regular basis. I won’t expound on why. A quick Google search will educate anyone who cares to know but you are 100% correct in that observation.

[wa8yxm]

One suggestion: with that much generator on hand (Well two suggestions)

First: have and electrician install a proper GENERATOR TRANSFER panel on your hose with a proper INLET outside the house. and make up an extension cord "Generator to inlet" so that you can park the generator at some distance (Near a tree or post you can chain it to when power fails.

I found my house needs less than that genny can crank out most of the time (Winter I drew as I recall about 3500 watts total.. Summer I run Central Air. that was NOT on the transfer panel. Heck it was not on the main panel it had its own fuse box off the meter)

Two. Run it every month 1/2 hour or more 1/2 load or more (Space heaters work well you'd need two)

[pianotuna]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Wireless remote?

Yes, wireless remote. It is well done--and leaves access to manual starting (choke).

They have two remotes--one for close by and one that may work up to one mile away.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Wireless remote?

[pianotuna]

Pinella's sells a remote start kit.

The only issue is that the remote requires the key to be "on". That can drain the starter battery on the genny. DAHMIK

[Lwiddis]

Chain it down and enjoy!

[Moderator]

Moved from ATC