be careful with portable genererators

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
CGC4200

CGC4200

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
Sep 10, 2009
Messages
2,174
Location
mid-south
After 2009 ice storm, several people died from generator exhaust
into their homes. They are handy if you don't have electricity, but
CO, carbon monoxide from exhaust will kill if not vented properly.
 
Slamm

Slamm

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
Jan 31, 2007
Messages
3,127
Location
Western Kentucky
I was heavily involved in Kentucky during the Ice storm and there were several incidents where idiots literally had the generators running inside their house ....... as in right in their living rooms.

All I can say is ...... well ....right then and there, dumb people were eliminated from the gene pool.

I can see a deadly whoopsy by leaving it in the garage, but not your very living quarters.

Oh well, there are lots of ways of dying, hope I get a good one,

Sam
 
Slamm

Slamm

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
Jan 31, 2007
Messages
3,127
Location
Western Kentucky
Why do people insist on running these things either in their house or in their attached garage. I find it amazing that people who think they are smart do things that are so stupid.:dizzy:

Put the generator OUTSIDE and close the doors.

One reason is they get stolen outside. Chaining them to a tree is about useless, because that is just a bolt cutter away from stolen. I have heard of theives quickly adding a very long extention cord to the generator. The homeowner doesn't realize the short loss of power. Then the theives just start to carry the generator off and its in the truck before the homeowner can "get them".

A shotgun and shovel would really help with a lot of these cases. Especially since the law enforcement services are already maxed out, they can't investigate every loud BOOM, that gets reported. One or two graves in the back yard will go mostly unoticed if flowers are quickly planted in the spring.

Just here to help,

Sam
 
pioneerguy600

pioneerguy600

Lost in Space
Staff member
Moderator
. AS Supporting Member.
Joined
Dec 23, 2007
Messages
43,873
Location
N.S. Canada
We lost a very well known salesman here this winter from carbonmonoxide poisioning , running a generator in an attached garage during a poweroutage.
This fellow was an avid vintage car restorer so he would have known the dangers, unfortunately I guess he thought he was safe.
Pioneerguy600
 
autobaun70

autobaun70

ArboristSite Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2010
Messages
84
Location
sc
one more reason to have QUIET generators, and put them in the back yard out of site. I love my little EU2000i's. Hardly make any noise at all, and use very little fuel.
 
Gypo Logger

Gypo Logger

Timber Baron
Joined
Dec 8, 2001
Messages
16,788
Location
Yukon Territory
We don't have conventional power here, so I run a 1200 watt generator. I keep it in the outhouse to help subdue the noise. It also helps keep the toilet seat a bit warmer as well. Can't be too careful.
John
 
labrax

labrax

ArboristSite Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2010
Messages
68
Location
Massachusetts
We had the CO detectors go off....

During the ice storm of 2008 we lost power for 5 days. The first morning I set it out back of the walk out for the basement - not directly behind the door, but over by the connection to the house. About 1.5 hours later the CO detectors are going off. I had the back door to the basement opened or cracked for a good part of that time, but did not think that where it was located would have set the detectors off in the living part of the house (1st level) where the detectors are. The area where it was was in a slight 'U' formed by a deck and the bump-out for the basement - it was also a still morning, so maybe that contributed to the build-up??? Ran it the remaining time much further from the back door and made sure to keep that door shut.
 
ropensaddle

ropensaddle

Feel Lucky
Joined
Feb 12, 2007
Messages
22,259
Location
Hot Springs Arkansas
I was heavily involved in Kentucky during the Ice storm and there were several incidents where idiots literally had the generators running inside their house ....... as in right in their living rooms.

All I can say is ...... well ....right then and there, dumb people were eliminated from the gene pool.

I can see a deadly whoopsy by leaving it in the garage, but not your very living quarters.

Oh well, there are lots of ways of dying, hope I get a good one,

Sam

Hmmmmmm theoretically exhaust could be led out by metal ducting this has me<a href="http://www.sweetim.com/s.asp?im=gen&lpver=3&ref=11" target="_blank"><img src="http://content.sweetim.com/sim/cpie/emoticons/0002014F.gif" border="0" title="Click to get more." ></a>
 
Bubbles Up

Bubbles Up

ArboristSite Operative
Joined
Oct 10, 2009
Messages
323
Location
Fraser Valley Canada EH!
My buddy has a noisy generator the we take to hunt/fish/camp power outages etc.He lag bolts it to his deck and puts an insulated box over it lagged to the deck . The box is 1 inch ply with 2 inches of hi dense Styrofoam with an access door for oil and fuel .There is a exhaust pipe that slides over the muffler out let to extract and re muffle the exhaust, the fresh air intake has a snorkel type thing.It is fairly quiet that at huntingin camp we let it run all night and we sleep right thru it,and I am a light sleeper.
 
yooper
Joined
Feb 19, 2006
Messages
17,825
Location
Western upper peninsula
We don't have conventional power here, so I run a 1200 watt generator. I keep it in the outhouse to help subdue the noise. It also helps keep the toilet seat a bit warmer as well. Can't be too careful.
John

John, do you use Dow Bord or equivalent for a seat in your out house? I have to other wise my ass just cant take the frost in the mornen!!:) Its hard for me to poop when my ass is numb.
 
yooper
Joined
Feb 19, 2006
Messages
17,825
Location
Western upper peninsula
My buddy has a noisy generator the we take to hunt/fish/camp power outages etc.He lag bolts it to his deck and puts an insulated box over it lagged to the deck . The box is 1 inch ply with 2 inches of hi dense Styrofoam with an access door for oil and fuel .There is a exhaust pipe that slides over the muffler out let to extract and re muffle the exhaust, the fresh air intake has a snorkel type thing.It is fairly quiet that at huntingin camp we let it run all night and we sleep right thru it,and I am a light sleeper.

why do you let it run all night?
 
yooper
Joined
Feb 19, 2006
Messages
17,825
Location
Western upper peninsula
To run the 1500W heater,when it is -20. it is a nice comfort, also those of us that are 40+ need to go for a short walk in the night, we turn on the camp light
outside.

I kinda figured it was for a heater of some sort, or blower. was just curious. I run a 12 volt system with solar and wind charger out at camp for lights and such. with generator backup. otherwise its all wood heat.
 
PasoRoblesJimmy
Joined
Jan 10, 2009
Messages
16,392
Location
Telemetry Group, Range Commanders Council, JCS
We don't have conventional power here, so I run a 1200 watt generator. I keep it in the outhouse to help subdue the noise. It also helps keep the toilet seat a bit warmer as well. Can't be too careful.
John

My uncle had an outhouse. During the winter an icy draft came up from underneath the seat. I got on and off that outhouse seat in a hurry.
 
Last edited:
PasoRoblesJimmy
Joined
Jan 10, 2009
Messages
16,392
Location
Telemetry Group, Range Commanders Council, JCS
Carbon Monoxide is a silent killer. Be careful of where you locate your portable generators. People have died in their sleep in 5th wheel travel trailers from portable generators running outside underneath the gooseneck. They died from Carbon Monoxide gas rising from the generator and drifting into the front bedroom of the 5th wheel trailer.
 
Rftreeman

Rftreeman

Addicted to ArboristSite
Joined
Apr 11, 2007
Messages
3,317
Location
huntsville al
mine stays in the shed if it's being used or not, shed is pretty close to the back of the house so my 3 heavy duty 50ft cords run everything, it's also bolted down to keep it from moving around.......

we had some people here killed by burning a charcoal grill for heat INSIDE the house once when the power was off....
 

Latest posts

Top