Thread: Petrol Generator Advice Required

Originally Posted by zimmer

I've got a Honda EU22I. I bought it because I was sick of all the power cuts we were getting. Since I've had it I think we have only had one power cut, a scheduled maintenance of 6 hours.
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Same situation though I got its big brother (7000i) so it would be safe with electronics. Had the house built with dedicated input sockets/switchover. The Honda is pretty quiet given its power capabilities

Dads got the same generator as you looking at his will run pump fridge & freezes tv no worries but wont run his or mine belt driven compressor

Compressor is oil-less...low energy I think. Good to know thanks.

Originally Posted by zimmer

I've got a Honda EU22I. I bought it because I was sick of all the power cuts we were getting. Since I've had it I think we have only had one power cut, a scheduled maintenance of 6 hours.
No power for me means no house pump. No shower if that time of the day. Dunnies we can fill by carting water in buckets from the tanks but that's a pain.

I wanted an inverter gene so I could run TV etc. If you don't wish to run sensitive electronics one of the cheap larger capacity Chinese one would do. Good luck with some of them if they develop a fault.

Obviously with my Honda I cannot power up the whole house but I don't need to in an outage, just some essentials.

For hot water I bought a 230v travel jug (4.8 amps). My house pump draws 6 amps start/2.24 amps run.
Freezer (largish) 3.74 amps start/0.47 amps run. Fridge, never tested but rated at 0.7 amps run.

Freezers aren't an issue unless you experience a real long outage plus just don't open them.

I've run smaller skill saws, disk grinders, 1/2 " drills no trouble.

One thing to watch for is some genes are optimistically (or just plain fraulentally) rated with with actual max output only being 80% of nametag/claimed rating.

The Hondas are usually true to their claimed rating.

Exactly right. I have a chinese one rated at 3kw but it's lucky to churn out 2.5 kw.

Another vote for a Honda 20 or 22. If if only for emergency/backup use that's all you need. Sure the 30 or 70 would be awesome but adapt your behaviour slightly during those few hours and you'll save thousands! More to spend on toys :-)

Re clone generators, DON'T! For our off grid bach I made the mistake of initially buying a clone. As the main supply for lights, radio and water pump is solar & batteries I thought it'd be ok for occasional use with vaccuum cleaner, power tools, etc. And it was for about 5hrs of running then it failed. Start and run fine, even power things.....if air temp was less than 10degs. Above that no output. Fan, vents etc all ok. Controls all encapsulated and no parts available. Brought a Honda EU20i

FYI there's likely still a few old stock 20's around vs the new 22. Go for either but if you want to know more this might be useful https://www.mygenerator.com.au/blog/...s-honda-eu20i/

Originally Posted by uk_exile

FYI there's likely still a few old stock 20's around vs the new 22. Go for either but if you want to know more this might be useful https://www.mygenerator.com.au/blog/...s-honda-eu20i/

Yeah the Yamaha mentioned in the link was another one I looked at and it is worth considering. Has longer run time than Honda. No local agents for Yamaha in my neck of the woods so Honda won on that.

Not sure where the Yamaha is made. Honda is Thailand.

Honda has a good feature of a run dry position on the fuel valve. I run mine dry once finished using it to prevent damage to the carb etc from the crap petrol that nowadays goes off in as little as 3 months.
I also use a fuel conditioner which helps a little with the fuel remaining in the tank. Just top it up with fresh fuel before starting.

Lots of stuff on Youtube.

One problem with running petrol generators is the storage of fuel, how much do you think you will need during a prolonged power outage?...having plentiful fuel on hand is great for thieves, and there is the insurance question of how much one can store in proximity to houses, and then what about fuel deteriorating in storage...no good thinking one can just nip off to the servo for a few litres as they may not have power to run the pump and the till, and of course the reason for outage maybe a blocked road between you and servo.

This was helpful...https://youtu.be/pme32XMvLsQ

The inverter generators always win over the basic cage generators except on price and I understand sometimes engine life. Extra purchase price would likely be compensated by less fuel used though. The engine life difference a non issue if load varies (some inverter engines have glazed from idling too much)

Originally Posted by Tikka7mm08

Yes in same boat if power out then no water pump. Sounds like freezers aok if kept shut so compressor and water pump...Honda EU22i sounds the ticket.

We are on tank water too, and have been looking for a small (1500L) tank to put up hill from the house, and pump our tank water up and into it. Then the house can have a gravity feed water supply (got a decent hill right next to the house)
Would only cost a bit of alcathene and a cheap second hand tank (when one finally turns up)

If you want to have petrol hanging around for an emergency such as a week without power, 20-40 L should do you. Store in a STEEL container: either those old square ones kero came in or a steel jerry can. Petrol will not deteriorate if air cannot get to it to begin the oxidisation process. All plastic ones, even the fancy ones, will permit O2 through the plastics molecular structure, and the volitiles will work their way out of the container, and O2 will work its way in.

I have a 205 full of petrol that's 2 years old. When I decanted it I put it into steel 20L containers. It smells the same as it went in, and it starts and runs the quad, generator and 2 wheeler just like the stuff purchased last week from the petrol station.

You can only store 49L of petrol before things get really difficult. 50L requires: be further than 15m away from a building, containers have to show the UN number for petrol, and have to have a fire extinguisher nearby, have a folder with the Material Safety Data sheet in it. There's more, but you get the gist of it.

Originally Posted by XR500

If you want to have petrol hanging around for an emergency such as a week without power, 20-40 L should do you. Store in a STEEL container: either those old square ones kero came in or a steel jerry can. Petrol will not deteriorate if air cannot get to it to begin the oxidisation process. All plastic ones, even the fancy ones, will permit O2 through the plastics molecular structure, and the volitiles will work their way out of the container, and O2 will work its way in.

I have a 205 full of petrol that's 2 years old. When I decanted it I put it into steel 20L containers. It smells the same as it went in, and it starts and runs the quad, generator and 2 wheeler just like the stuff purchased last week from the petrol station.

You can only store 49L of petrol before things get really difficult. 50L requires: be further than 15m away from a building, containers have to show the UN number for petrol, and have to have a fire extinguisher nearby, have a folder with the Material Safety Data sheet in it. There's more, but you get the gist of it.

Is there not a problem with condensation with petrol in steel tanks, more so if only partially full?

Yes there can be. Steel containers when full are fine. You have to be careful once opened, for sure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyPRkAUhJN4

Originally Posted by mimms2

The other advantages are that diesel is non-volatile. And works well as a GP lube/oil.
The engines will run on kero, JP8, A1, biodiesel, vegetable oil,...Unless you're in town your fleet should be mostly diesel already, so simplifies logistics.

If running long term on the lighter oils, I'd cut em with 2toke oil for a bit of injector/uppercylinder lube.

Our woolshed is off grid and runs off a generator. I thought diesel till after talking with the agents. It would be run 5 to 7 days pretty continuous per year over shearing about 60 hours, otherwise just short runs of maybe 10 to 30 minutes depending if power was needed or not or sit idle. They recommended petrol instead and 7,5kv plenty of over capacity for 4 stands, lights, stereo, kettle, etc. The reason was using a diesel for short runs really kills them as most wear is start up also servicing costs are higher, they are also heavier. Went petrol and use maybe 10 litres per full running day.
So I'd say that it's the better bet for intermittent use.