There is absolutely no need to spend all this money for a generator when you can make a very effective one for less than a hundred bucks! :msp_w00t:Further more this is a green approach and requires little to no gas or fuel.
Ok first thing you will need will be a pedal bike, almost everyone has one of these, but if not can be had for little or nothing as it does not need to be fancy. You can get one with different speeds to help with efficiency of this design. You will need to visit a junk yard to procure a few v belt pulleys, one for the alternator and one for the rear of the pedal bike. Now you need to go down to autozone and pick up a nice high amp chevy alternator and a new v belt. Now all you have to do is make a stand for the rear of the pedal bike so the rear tire is off the ground, and a bracket to mount up the alternator with a way to tension the v belt. The last step is to take the wifes car battery out of her car (THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT STEP, DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP) into the house and place it on a board, hook up some charging wires from the alt to battery, and your almost done. Now hook up a 110 inverter and your in business.
Directions for use: Now that everything is in place and hooked up you are prepared. When the power goes out you tell the wife/gf to "hop" on the bike and start pedaling. This will keep the battery fully charged, and you will have enough power to fire up your computer and get on arboristsite.com. (WARNING; SOME MEMBERS HAVE EXPERIENCED "NOISE" EMANATING FROM THE BIKE EXERCISE POWER MACHINE WHEN IN USE, THIS IS NORMAL, ALTHOUGH IF THIS "NOISE", USUALLY A HIGH PITCH WHINING CONTINUES FOR VERY LONG, YOU MAY WANT TO THINK ABOUT RELOCATION OF BIKE POWER UNIT TO OUTSIDE OF YOUR HOME OR A BASEMENT).
This system has many good features built in besides getting free power. This system uses little to no gas or fuel so good for the earth, the wife/gf will no longer need a gym membership thus saving you 70$ a month, plus you get that "I did it myself feeling" of self-reliance.
The only drawbacks to this system is the noise this system can make when in use, mentioned earlier, and if installed incorrectly MAY CAUSE SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH. Skipping using the wifes/gf's battery will result in tire-tread-ittis, leaving you with a broke down power source and black goodyear tire treads that you bought her on your back, legs, and arms. There is also a slight risk of knuckle-sandwich-ittis, ass-kick-ittis, frying-pan-head-ittis, and in severe cases locked-leg-no-nookie-ittis (meaning your power source has broken down, as well as your alternate heating source, the latter will require many attempts to fix costing much $$$, trips to the flower shop, nights in the dog house, graveling, begging, promising to reform, counseling, church, and access to your bank account for shopping). This is where the system can use a little fuel if things go wrong, either to escape the out of control power engine (wife/gf), or to procure the things needed to get system back online.
All in all could be a great system, if used carefully and wisely. Please install then post your individual results.
opcorn:We will anxiously be waiting!!!