Home sized generators??????????

Just looking around to see if there are any biomass generators for home use. Looking into the costs, etc.

X-No-archive: yes On Sun, 11 Dec 2005 11:22:30 -0500, "Johnny" <.com> used recycled pixels to say:

Just looking around to see if there are any biomass generators for home use. Looking into the costs, etc.

I'd like to expand your question and ask how to size up a generator for the home?
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The Alien wrote:

X-No-archive: yes On Sun, 11 Dec 2005 11:22:30 -0500, "Johnny" <.com used recycled pixels to say:
Just looking around to see if there are any biomass generators for home use. Looking into the costs, etc.

I'd like to expand your question and ask how to size up a generator for the home?
------------------------------------------------ Autobot This Spammers! A HREF="mailto:postmaster@[127.0.0.1]"></A mailto:postmaster@127.0.0.1 (to reply to actual address, dispense the dots before and after sirname.

You need to take an inventory of the loads that the generator will need to carry. Add up the number of watts that each thing needs to run. Were the label does not give watts you must multiply the voltage times the amps to get watts. Take the largest motor load you wish to run and multiply by three prior to adding it into the total. That is the smallest wattage generator that will run those loads based on it's continuous output wattage. A generator twice that size will last a lot longer. -- Tom Horne
"This alternating current stuff is just a fad. It is much too dangerous for general use." Thomas Alva Edison

"Tom Horne, Electrician" wrote in message ..

-- Tom Horne
"This alternating current stuff is just a fad. It is much too dangerous for general use." Thomas Alva Edison

He tried to prove it by employing a certain Dr. Brown, who was fond of electrocuting household pets in public to "prove" how dangerous AC current was. He selected the cutest and most adorable dogs and cats for the maximum psychological effect. At one point he electrocuted an adult elephant in public.
He was also the first to facilitate using AC current to electrocute condemned criminals. By all accounts by the witnesses present, this first attempt was like slow-roasting a person to death. He was still alive, half-burnt and writhing in agony after 20 minutes. Edison is said to have been pleased with the results, perhaps proving once and for all that AC current was a dangerous and undesirable form of power, compared to his own commercial product, DC power.

X-No-archive: yes On Sun, 11 Dec 2005 18:57:00 GMT, "Tom Horne, Electrician" used recycled pixels to say:

The Alien wrote: X-No-archive: yes On Sun, 11 Dec 2005 11:22:30 -0500, "Johnny" <.com used recycled pixels to say:
Just looking around to see if there are any biomass generators for home use. Looking into the costs, etc.

I'd like to expand your question and ask how to size up a generator for the home?
------------------------------------------------ Autobot This Spammers! A HREF="mailto:postmaster@[127.0.0.1]"></A mailto:postmaster@127.0.0.1 (to reply to actual address, dispense the dots before and after sirname.
You need to take an inventory of the loads that the generator will need to carry. Add up the number of watts that each thing needs to run. Were the label does not give watts you must multiply the voltage times the amps to get watts. Take the largest motor load you wish to run and multiply by three prior to adding it into the total. That is the smallest wattage generator that will run those loads based on it's continuous output wattage. A generator twice that size will last a lot longer.

Thank you! :)
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The Alien wrote:

I'd like to expand your question and ask how to size up a generator for the home?

In general, somewhere between 5 and 10 KW will run most homes, though there will always be exceptions. Unless you've got a giant or tiny house, or {all,no}-electric appliances, anything in the 7.5-10KW range is probably fine.
You probably want to invest in a clamp-on ammeter, so you can measure the actual load in your actual home. Nameplate numbers tend to be higher than actual, and you don't want to run everything at the same time, and starting loads aren't always specified or easily calculated.
For instance, my 8.2KW generator can't start my _smallest_ AC unit, though it starts and runs the other two just fine.
You will want to do some manual load management while running on your generator anyway, for instance don't run the clothes dryer while using the electric stove, turn off the AC while microwaving dinner, etc.

Honda and others have sites for figuring loads, but best is your own audit. Motors take 2.5-9x times Surge and need to be figured in run load of gen. Not Surge load. So a 300w motor easily needs 1000 watts, but old equipment can need much more. Also dont strain the unit running 25-50% power will give many times longer life. Just because a gen is rated 5000w doesnt with cheap units mean it gives 5000w. Consumer Repots tested a Generac 4000Exl a 900$ unit that failed load tests.

"William P.N. Smith" wrote in message

The Alien wrote: I'd like to expand your question and ask how to size up a generator for the home?
In general, somewhere between 5 and 10 KW will run most homes, though there will always be exceptions. Unless you've got a giant or tiny house, or {all,no}-electric appliances, anything in the 7.5-10KW range is probably fine.
You probably want to invest in a clamp-on ammeter, so you can measure the actual load in your actual home. Nameplate numbers tend to be higher than actual, and you don't want to run everything at the same time, and starting loads aren't always specified or easily calculated.
For instance, my 8.2KW generator can't start my _smallest_ AC unit, though it starts and runs the other two just fine.
You will want to do some manual load management while running on your generator anyway, for instance don't run the clothes dryer while using the electric stove, turn off the AC while microwaving dinner, etc.

All these years I have been relying on voltage drop and engine sound to determine load. I guess I was wrong.

"m Ransley" wrote in message

Honda and others have sites for figuring loads, but best is your own audit. Motors take 2.5-9x times Surge and need to be figured in run load of gen. Not Surge load. So a 300w motor easily needs 1000 watts, but old equipment can need much more. Also dont strain the unit running 25-50% power will give many times longer life. Just because a gen is rated 5000w doesnt with cheap units mean it gives 5000w. Consumer Repots tested a Generac 4000Exl a 900$ unit that failed load tests.

About 20 years ago, our camp was having trouble with our water pump causing the generator to trip out every time it started up. I fixed the problem by taking the centrifugal switch apart in the pump motor. I stretched the coil springs so that the centrifugal weights on the starter circuit switched off the started circuit much sooner and at a lower speed while starting up. This had no negative effect because the pump was a centrifugal type and started under virtually no load anyway. It worked perfectly after that.

"JoeSP" wrote:

All these years I have been relying on voltage drop and engine sound to determine load. I guess I was wrong.

Why, what's wrong with that? The initial sizing might want to be a bit more scientific, or just a swag at 7.5-10KW, but for load management that's fine. I can't hear my generator most of the time, but I can watch the lights dim...

m Ransley wrote:

...Motors take 2.5-9x times Surge and need to be figured in run load of gen. Not Surge load. So a 300w motor easily needs 1000 watts...

.... for a few seconds, but I've read that should be in the surge vs run load, that we only need to handle the run load plus the largest single surge load.
Nick

No Nick you read wrong because there is then over loading potential , and possible damage to the gen if continued. Manufactures of cheap home units specify this, even Honda. Commercial equipment may be different, it made better

nicksanspam@ece.villanova.edu wrote:

m Ransley wrote:
...Motors take 2.5-9x times Surge and need to be figured in run load of gen. Not Surge load. So a 300w motor easily needs 1000 watts...
... for a few seconds, but I've read that should be in the surge vs run load, that we only need to handle the run load plus the largest single surge load.
Nick

It depends a lot on generator. A 6 HP generator that weighs 150 lbs will not be a able to handle as large a surge for as long a time as a 6 HP generator that weighs 1500 lbs. But they will have the same continuous output, if the HP of both engines are honestly measured. _____________ Andre' B.

m Ransley errs again:

No Nick you read wrong...

Nonono. YOU are wrong!

... there is then over loading potential and possible damage to the gen if continued. Manufactures of cheap home units specify this, even Honda.

.... who recommend the sizing method I suggested, with a 1600 W continuous load, derated from 2 kW for 30 minutes, for an EU2000.
Nick

Your an idiot nick ol senile ol boy, a baffoon. Talk of Honda, go read their site since you refer to Honda , you moron.