# Any suggestions for purchasing a Gen?



## adrianp (Jul 28, 2015)

Hello,

I'm currently looking for a quiet generator that can provide up to 2500 watts of electricity.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to which brand/make/model I should be looking into?

I have a budget of about 300-400$ and it must be quiet enough so I can hear people talking to me. (Generator can only be about 8 ft away)

Thanks for all your help.

Best,
AdrianP


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## Dan N. (Jul 23, 2015)

For that budget and the watts you want, I don't think your going find a quite one. All portables are loud, some more than others, your going to have to talk pretty loud reguardless.  
this link will give a lot of protables to view.
Recreational Generators @ Electric Generators Direct

Here are a couple quiter ones.
Take a look at the sound chart and pair your generator with it.
http://www.reviewportablegenerators.com/quiet-portable-generators/


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## adrianp (Jul 28, 2015)

Dan N. said:


> For that budget and the watts you want, I don't think your going find a quite one. All portables are loud, some more than others, your going to have to talk pretty loud reguardless.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Dang.. do you think its worth buying the first generator on your last link? 600 for 3000 watts, I couldnt locate how loud it is though. Thanks for the info by the way!


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## Dan N. (Jul 23, 2015)

Depends on ones needs, if you want it only 8' and quite, your going to have to pay for that. I would not pay that, no.
I would just put it further away and buy longer extention cords. They are much cheaper!


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## adrianp (Jul 28, 2015)

Dan N. said:


> Depends on ones needs, if you want it only 8' and quite, your going to have to pay for that. I would not pay that, no.
> I would just put it further away and buy longer extention cords. They are much cheaper!


I need it for a farmers market hot food stand, so im unsure how far id be able to leave the generator. Probably 10 ft at max. 
All ive been seeing on craigslist is the briggs brand but theyre extremely loud.

How do you feel about this generator? http://www.amazon.com/XP4850EH-Portable-Electric-Generator-4850-watt/dp/B00J7V5ENG


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## aandpdan (Oct 8, 2012)

You're looking for an inverter generator on a non-inverter budget.

The one in your link will be LOUD.


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## adrianp (Jul 28, 2015)

aandpdan said:


> You're looking for an inverter generator on a non-inverter budget.
> 
> The one in your link will be LOUD.


If im able to put out maybe 600, would you think its possible? The person who posted the link told me its 69 dbs. Is that too loud still? Or is it just not true?


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## aandpdan (Oct 8, 2012)

I think you're looking at $1000 or more for an inverter gen.

I can't see that running at 69bd but then again, how far away were they when they tested it?


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## adrianp (Jul 28, 2015)

aandpdan said:


> I think you're looking at $1000 or more for an inverter gen.
> 
> I can't see that running at 69bd but then again, how far away were they when they tested it?


Hm, im unsure. Is there a chart somewhere to tell me how to measure how loud a generator is? I feel like there is one laying around the forums. Ill do the searching later tonight. Thanks for your input thus far.


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## Dan N. (Jul 23, 2015)

69 bd at how many feet, that would be like 30feet or the average of 23feet? Most portables being within 8 feet is like a lawn mower about 90db that close. That one you posted from amazon is going to be very loud, i agree wtih aandpdan. For a quite one your going to have to up your budget to adrianp's point. 
Then you can also get a generator encloser to help lower the sound. If your handy enough i've seen these at a few houses that people use for ther back up generator when the power goes out, it also helps keep rain and snow directly off the generator. But this one is a bit fancy. Good work on his part. Should patten it!





 
This one is more of my type of around the home do it yourself project.





 

Decibels and examples are given below:

140 Deafening, Jet aircraft, Artillery fire
130 Deafening, Threshold of pain, Causes immediate ear damage
120 Extremely Loud, Thunder, Diesel engine room, Car Horn at 3 feet
110 Extremely Loud, Close to a train, Cain Saw
100 Very Loud, Wood saw, Home lawn mower, car horn @ 16 ft.
90 Very Loud, Symphony, Truck without muffler, mower
80 Loud Car noise @ high speed, Police whistle
70 Loud Normal street noise, Average radio, Vacuum Cleaner
60 Moderate Normal conversation
50 Moderate Normal office noise
40 Faint Residential area without vehicle traffic
30 Faint Quiet conversation
20 Very Faint Whisper, Ticking of a watch
10 Totally Quiet Soundproof room, Threshold of hearing


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## DPGBG (Jul 23, 2015)

*Some info*

Something to think about. A lot of these small portable generators have misleading ratings. Some say 3200 watts and 4000 watts surge, however they should say 1600 watts 2000 watts surge x2. If you buy one of these thinking you will be able to plug one cord in and draw 3200 watts it's not going to happen. Just some info for you.

Also, Next time your at a fair take a walk around and see what people are using. If you get the brand you can look up the sound ratings on internet to have an idea what level your hearing. 

As everyone else said.. If you want quiet you have to pay for the inverter type. My dad has the Honda 3000 and you can have it sitting right next to you and still have a normal conversation. but again.. $2000 for that unit.


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## adrianp (Jul 28, 2015)

Dan N. said:


> 69 bd at how many feet, that would be like 30feet or the average of 23feet? Most portables being within 8 feet is like a lawn mower about 90db that close. That one you posted from amazon is going to be very loud, i agree wtih aandpdan. For a quite one your going to have to up your budget to adrianp's point.
> Then you can also get a generator encloser to help lower the sound. If your handy enough i've seen these at a few houses that people use for ther back up generator when the power goes out, it also helps keep rain and snow directly off the generator. But this one is a bit fancy. Good work on his part. Should patten it!
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ytx0M8fDpGo
> ...


Those sound boxes are freaking amazing. Wow! How much do you think the sound is actually brought down by? I hear the difference in the video, but I fear it's still louder in real life. Being that close and being able to talk/record your voice seems pretty fitting for me. Wonder if he sells the one with the fan? Haha, I'd love to purchase one.


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## adrianp (Jul 28, 2015)

DPGBG said:


> Something to think about. A lot of these small portable generators have misleading ratings. Some say 3200 watts and 4000 watts surge, however they should say 1600 watts 2000 watts surge x2. If you buy one of these thinking you will be able to plug one cord in and draw 3200 watts it's not going to happen. Just some info for you.
> 
> Also, Next time your at a fair take a walk around and see what people are using. If you get the brand you can look up the sound ratings on internet to have an idea what level your hearing.
> 
> As everyone else said.. If you want quiet you have to pay for the inverter type. My dad has the Honda 3000 and you can have it sitting right next to you and still have a normal conversation. but again.. $2000 for that unit.



Woah, that's scary. I havn't really seen any generators in person just yet. Browsing Craigslists for now - but, how do I know for certain (the amount of watts) I can run X amount for each outlet? "Surge x2" is the key?


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## adrianp (Jul 28, 2015)

Dan N. said:


> 69 bd at how many feet, that would be like 30feet or the average of 23feet? Most portables being within 8 feet is like a lawn mower about 90db that close. That one you posted from amazon is going to be very loud, i agree wtih aandpdan. For a quite one your going to have to up your budget to adrianp's point.
> Then you can also get a generator encloser to help lower the sound. If your handy enough i've seen these at a few houses that people use for ther back up generator when the power goes out, it also helps keep rain and snow directly off the generator. But this one is a bit fancy. Good work on his part. Should patten it!
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ytx0M8fDpGo
> ...



UST - GG5500 - 5,500 Watt Power Generator | Sears Outlet

Is that accurate? 72 DBA rating?


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## Dan N. (Jul 23, 2015)

I would say 72 dba at 23 feet. That generator is the standard and would have to be even louder than a lawn mower engine at 5 feet or so. DPGBG has a good idea, to look around at a fair or a food truck and see what they got going on. But the reality is that you either need a inverter type as mentioned by DPGBG or make a sound box, and yes I’d have to say they do work, my neighbor uses that type in power outages and puts it in his shed and that alone cuts the sound down over half, and that’s with no insulation in the shed. Just ensrue it get proper air flow so it doesn’t over heat itself.


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## DPGBG (Jul 23, 2015)

As for the ratings.. take a look at the fuses. I just bought a Harbor Freight Genny and although very surprised at the quality for the money, it claims 3200/4000. But it has 13 amp fuses. So that is a pretty good sign that there is no way you can get 3200 watts out of one plug that's fused 13 amps. There is a sticker right on the front that says balance the load. Another hint. Also, any of the smaller 240 volt generators are wired this way unless they have a switch to convert them to 120 only operation. The champion RV generators are wired with this switch. Flip the switch when you use an RV plug and it gives you 120 volt only at the full rated power. 

FYI.. I think the UTS is wired at half load (series). If it is and you understand that then your ok. Say your gonna run a bunch of extension cords on different plugs. Then you're ok. BUT.. if your food stand is like a trailer with one feed and all the plugs wired inside. then you might want something that is 120v volt only or has the switch. 

Hope that helps.


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## DPGBG (Jul 23, 2015)

To add to DanP's statement about boxes. I have a portable that fits in my RV compartment, well I proceeded to test it that way worrying about the temp. So It ran for about an hour inside the compartment and it started chocking and flooded out and stalled. When I walked around to check it, it was pretty hot but not like things were melting. So I pulled it out of the RV compartment and noticed a hissing sound??? I then took the gas lid off and there was a ton of pressure. HMMMMMM. I never thought of the gas heating up. if it didn't stall the metal tank could have exploded or split and leaked and that would have been really bad. So make sure.. double sure you have adequate ventilation. The box with the temp gage is a great idea. A fan is a must have. Whatever you do, remember not just the generator but the fuel that's in the tank. A generator will run at 150 degrees or higher, but gas at high temps is a completely different animal. Ever leave your gas can in the sun...exactly..

Hope that helps a bit. For me.. lesson learned. Will not try to run genny in RV compartment..

Also, Sound is directional. Sometimes just a three sided box will push the sound in a direction away from you.


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## Dan N. (Jul 23, 2015)

There are two ways to power blenders and televisions at a tail gate party or campsite.

Power inverters plug directly into the cigarette lighter in your car. They basically convert the DC electricity from your car battery into useful AC power.

If used too long, however, power inverters are also great at draining your car battery, resulting in a jump start after the big game.

If you plan on partying for an extended period, you should get an inverter generator instead. Inverter generators basically come in three sizes:










*Compact Inverter Generators*
Compact inverter generators produce 800 - 1,000 watts of power -- just enough electricity to power one or two appliances simultaneously.

The keyword is "simultaneously." If you simply want to brew a cup of coffee in the morning, a compact generator will suffice. You can always unplug the coffee maker then plug in the toaster to toast your bagel.

*Small Inverter Generators*
On the other hand, you may not want to hear the angry roar of fellow tailgaters when you unplug the television in order to start the blender.

Small inverter generators generate 1,400-2,400 watts of juice and are designed to power multiple appliances simultaneously.

If you need to power multiple appliances at once or a high-demand appliance, these larger - yet, still relatively small - inverter generators will do the trick.

*Medium Inverter Generators*
Sometimes, the great outdoors gets the best of us, and we demand the creature comforts of home.

Medium inverter generators produce enough power to start a roof-top RV air conditioner while simultaneously running a microwave.

They're ideal for travel trailers and pop-up campers. If you have a motor home or fifth-wheel trailer with a prepped compartment, you should consider an RV generator instead.


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## RonJ (Aug 5, 2015)

If this is your first generator, then buying from Craig's List is really risky....IMHO. Since this is going to be used in a business, and I have to presume on a regular basis, the Inverter Models are the way to go. If you look at at as an investment, then invest in the best, not a used one - remember, somebody is getting rid of it for a reason. If money for buying a new Inverter is problematic, you might think of getting a Credit Card for Contractors at Lowe's or Home Depot, put down what you have....pay it off quickly; oftentimes these places allow six-months interest free on purchases over a couple of hundred bucks - put down the minimum...make the first payment with the money you were going to use to buy that Craig's List genny - you won't regret it. Ron


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## davevans (Apr 14, 2017)

*Finding the best generator for your needs*

Hey Adrian, I know I am a little late to the conversation but hopefully this helps someone out there.

As far as purchasing a generator is concerned, there are two main factors to consider. The first is how much power you will require and the second is noise emissions. 

POWER: Since you know your power requirements, I will not go into too much detail here. But for any of you who do not know what size generator you will need I will link to this usage chart which allows you to calculate how much power you will need based on the appliances you intend to use and how much juice each of them will require. 

NOISE: No one wants their campsite to sound like a construction zone. If you are looking for quiet portable power you are in the market for an INVERTER generator (as opposed to a conventional generator). Inverters also produce a "cleaner" power source that is suitable for sensitive electronics such as laptops and smartphones. The inverting process produces a smoother sine wave that will not damage the microprocessors within these electronics. 


Many people swear by Honda's and Yamaha's and they are the industry leaders when it comes to inverter generators BUT there are many alternative companies (ie Champion, WEN, Briggs and Stratton) putting forth very competitive products at a lesser price that merit consideration when shopping around for a generator. 

I found this website to be extremely helpful when deciding which generator best suits your needs;

https://www.quietpowergenerators.com/

The "inverters vs generators" page is very insightful and arms you with the knowledge necessary to make an educated purchase. They also have detailed reviews of the latest and best selling inverter generators on the market. 

I hope this helps! All the best,
Dave


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## FlyFisher (Jun 30, 2018)

DPGBG said:


> There is a sticker right on the front that says balance the load. Another hint. Also, any of the smaller 240 volt generators are wired this way unless they have a switch to convert them to 120 only operation.


That is an interesting point. How does the "switch" work? 

Speaking of the alternator parts and how they create electricity - the alternator is center tapped (think transformer winding). The start and stop of the main winding makes up your 2 legs. The center tap, usually, is drawn to ground (neurtral bonded to frame) and you are left with 2 legs - "above" 0 and "below" 0. 

I quote "above" and "below" because that isn't voltage, think phase (angle) and AC waveform (trough in the sine is below, peak in the waveform is above).

With a 240v alternator wiring both legs of the alternator to a device gives you 240v. Wiring one leg to neutral gives you 120v. 

If you run a conventional generator on 120v only you are loading one leg or the other = you are using only 1/2 of the alternator. 

For a (simple) example - if you have a 2400w generator at 240v that is 10 amps - at 240v. That is the amperage limit through both legs. So if you have a 10 amp limit through one leg - at 120v - that becomes 1200 watts. Note that this is 1/2 the wattage output. 

How do you harness the other 1200 watts in the above example that the example generator is capable of outputting? 

This is where I question the supposed "switch". I don't believe you can simply wire the alternator legs in parallel. L1 and L2 are 180 degrees out of phase. You'll short it out. 

So what does the "switch" "switch in"? What kind of circuit do these units use to do as you suggest? I would be curious to know - having a generator that is spec'd at a particular wattage at 240v is all well and good if you are going to a split phase load center, but does absolutely nothing for single leg loads (either individual or through a load bank - such as that on a boat or RV) that are all 120v. 

Is there any such "combiner" that can be used to phase L1 and L2 together so that a generator that does not have the supposed "switch" can run its whole wattage through 120v? I suppose one could use a 240v to 120v transformer - but then you are loosing power in the transformer. For example, the big transformer in my big welder draws 6.5 amps at idle but it has a low voltage secondary for running a cooling fan (I think it is around 120v, will have to measure). Thats 1300 watts of consumed lost power doing essentially nothing.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

honda eu7000is inverter gens changes the rules.
they allow you to have 125 vac at rated.


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## FlyFisher (Jun 30, 2018)

iowagold said:


> honda eu7000is inverter gens changes the rules.
> they allow you to have 125 vac at rated.


Interesting! 

Though, you are dealing with an inverter generator - not a rotary generator. The difference is the alternator spinning at a fixed RPM isn't required for 60hz AC with an inverter. The power going in to the "inverter" is DC. Then the computer in the unit modulates transistors in the "inverter" to generate the 60hz power.

So with that "basic" theory out there - DC being converted by switching transistors to create the AC power - I can see it being possible to get the power you state. Though, I would be curious how that is done on the EU7000.

Typically inverters use banks of transistors. In a split phase inverter you drive half the transistors in phase and half the transistors out of phase, where the base is neutral and the peak of each respective banks' power is either the peak or trough of the 240v side, if you are running 240v. 

What would make sense - if you can do as you state and pull the full power capacity from the EU7000 on ~120v - is that the banks of transistors could be modulated in-phase and their outputs paralleled. Speaking of the total power - to the transistors it doesn't matter if the output is 120v or 240v. 

The question, in either case, is do you have the DC input power available to get the output power you are drawing? In that case, it still doesn't matter what the output is - to the alternator run off the engine it makes no difference.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

nope!


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## Masterpower Generators (Jun 2, 2021)

Well depends on your usage. But an average 4 person family apartment consumes 10kW per day. So 15kVA of a diesel generator would definetely work on your case.


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