question about generator

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sharkfin12us

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I need some advice on buying a generator.Purpose i recently had to move my truck and chipper from my resident and pay to park it now.When it is cold i need a generator to plug my chipper and truck to heat engine block.I dont think i need to spend alot of money.Please advise me on what would suite this purpose thanks.
 
Add up the "Watts" of everything you will ever have plugged into the generator at one time, then be sure you get a generator which has more wattage than that.
 
for proper efficiency, double the amount of wattage you need, when picking a unit. fuel consumption is the big factor. noise level is also a big factor in price.
on average, smaller generators (5-8 hp) will burn a gallon of gas every couple hours, at 50% load.
8hp generator running 10 -12 hours = 4-5 gallons @ $4.00 per gallon.:cry:

and the less you spend on a generator, the more you will regret it later.

that's a lot of money, up in smoke. look for a parking area with electricity.

or go in early enough to fire it up before work.
how long do block heaters need anyway? a 100 watt light bulb works here.
 
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You don't really say as to what your usage would be but nonetheless some things are true just the same. Most all of your "name brand" units are capable of good service. However, if they have your standard 'Briggs's engine or techumch engine it will be loud and not the most fuel efficient. But good units just the same. IMO the best of the best are Honda's. Quiet, fuel efficient and last forever. I've also noticed most folks tend to buy too much generator rather then not enough so size it wisely. Lastly I have friends that have bought "box store" units and they are pretty happy with them for occasional use but my biggest concern with them is parts availability. YMMY.
 
generator`

What are you going to do let the generator run all night or get up real early fire up generator a couple hours before work?:)


Yes go there about an hour early or hour and half early and fire generator up
 
generator

You don't really say as to what your usage would be but nonetheless some things are true just the same. Most all of your "name brand" units are capable of good service. However, if they have your standard 'Briggs's engine or techumch engine it will be loud and not the most fuel efficient. But good units just the same. IMO the best of the best are Honda's. Quiet, fuel efficient and last forever. I've also noticed most folks tend to buy too much generator rather then not enough so size it wisely. Lastly I have friends that have bought "box store" units and they are pretty happy with them for occasional use but my biggest concern with them is parts availability. YMMY.

Im using it for my chipper and bucket truck heating blocks so when its cold out side i can go there 1 hour and half early let my engine blocks heat up.Thats it no more then that.By the way thanks for input to every one
 
generator

If you do decide to go with a generator it may be worth your while to get additional block heaters to more closely match total heater amperage draw to the generator's output. It would be a shame to run a generator and not use it's full output. This should also cut down on warm up time.

again good info appreciate that i will try to buy a honda engine not sure about wattage but i will find out thanks
 
Have you considered adding a deep cycle battery and using an inverter. That way you equipment can charge it back up for you.

If its just for the season get a cheapy, or maybe used. Otherwise get a yahama, subaru, or honda. The middle of the road is a generator with only a honda engine, say a coleman unit perhaps.
If you plan on owning it a long time, taking it camping that sort of thing get a Honda Eu series, but it will cost you.:)
 
Last job I had we parked trucks outside and Im guessing block heaters were around 1000 watts.I can remember drivers plugging in too many on one circuit ,blowing breaker, then coming in in morning and trucks not starting well.:)
 
Shark,
Get a Honda generator. I've had one for 21 years, never let me down. Plus with the low oil shutoff, they are hard to beat.
 
Those little Hondas KICK ASS I have one and you wont be dissapointed. Cheap on gas quiet and run forever with basic maintenence.:givebeer: :givebeer: :givebeer: :givebeer:
 
alternatives to power

I believe you could put some quick couplers on the heater core lines of the vehicle you are driving that is already hot and on the heater core lines of the truck you need to start and get it hot in 10 minutes and ready to start by circulating hot antifreeze through the other vehicle....... on the generator idea the block heaters are usually 1500 watts and it takes quite a while to heat the truck enough to start from stone cold. Think of heating an engine block with a hairdryer or hotplate..it's the same draw. Also most generators will not put out the rated output. subtract 20-40 % from the rated output.
 
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generator

I believe you could put some quick couplers on the heater core lines of the vehicle you are driving that is already hot and on the heater core lines of the truck you need to start and get it hot in 10 minutes and ready to start by circulating hot antifreeze through the other vehicle....... on the generator idea the block heaters are usually 1500 watts and it takes quite a while to heat the truck enough to start from stone cold. Think of heating an engine block with a hairdryer or hotplate..it's the same draw. Also most generators will not put out the rated output. subtract 20-40 % from the rated output.
I think i understand what you are saying where do i buy what you are talking about and is it complicated to hook up couplers i mean thanks
 
generator

USE small generator 2000w to run kerosine blower type heater will warm up motor twice as fast as ele, done this alot when i drove big truck..........

why dont i just buy one of those kerosine blowers the ones that are like jet engines they use in garages
 
I defer to experience

I like my idea better because it's mine. However, I would defer to experience if he has run the kerosene type heaters successfully to start trucks. I don't have a particular kit in mind. I believe you could just use some ball valves, hose clamps, hose bibs and quick couplers to do my suggestion. with his idea you could probably use a big inverter instead of an actual generator b/c you are just running a blower motor and a transformer. check the rating of the heater before deciding and don't plan on running an inverter or generator at it's rated capacity. Good Luck!!
 
I like my idea better because it's mine.

Great line! Brutally honest, and it completely captures the thought.

As to the idea of using the warm engine's heat to warm the cold engines, Garfield is correct, this would heat the cold engines much more quickly than electric heaters (water jacket cast into the block runs throughout the block, so you're heating essentially the whole engine at once, as compared to the electric approach, where you're heating one spot and heat has to travel to the rest of the engine via conduction through the cast iron), but there's some additional things to consider to make this work correctly:

1) Of course both of the other engines need to be water cooled. The truck certainly is. Same for chipper?

2) As this approach mixes the cooling fluids between engines, need to be sure that all three cooling systems are using the same coolant/antifreeze, in the same concentration, and all three systems need to be well maintained.

3) Location of connections - Need to have the connections on the source engine located where they aren't isolated from flow if/when the thermostat closes. I suspect that there will be enough cold in the remote engine to cause the source engine's tstat to close when the remote engine's cold fluid makes its way back to the source.

4) Need to have a shutoff valve in between the two connections on the source engine, and this valve has to be closed when you want to heat the remote engines, and care must be taken to remember to open it when you're done
 

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