After 5 hour power outage I went and found the cheapest generator I could

[tang named junkyard]

Temp got down to 74 in the reef last week. I decided to go out and find the generator I could. I didn't realize I have 15 plugs. I put it to the test plus a swamp cooler. At least I won't be freaking out when the power goes out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0r0PivSYoiE

[cody6766]

Best to do it at 74 instead of 55. We had a nasty ice storm in November that killed my power for a few days. My back up 'suitcase' generator that I used for camping crapped the bed at the worst time.

The house and tank dropped into the 50s, killing everything in the tank. I lost about 2 years of mature growth and fish in my 60 cube. I had to drive to Texas to get a generator, then the power came on 2 hours after I hooked it up.

No worries next time. I have a 10KW generator in the garage ready to roll.

[Dan.]

We've had a portable one for years, having a whole house unit installed this year.

[billdogg]

Although we don't lose power often, and then usually less than 24 hours, it is a royal PIA. A whole-house generator is coming fairly soon.

[Joe]

Thanks for this great review. A word of caution, though. I would strongly recommend you use ONLY real gas in any small engine. No ethanol blended gas, ever, unless you're going to empty the generator tank every time you're not using it. Non-ethanol gas is the only gas I use in any small engines I have. I even use only real gas in my vehicles. Using any gas with any ethanol in it, if left sitting long periods of time, will eat away, and dissolve, small metal parts in the carburetor.

Joe

[Anemone]

Originally Posted by Joe

Thanks for this great review. A word of caution, though. I would strongly recommend you use ONLY real gas in any small engine. No ethanol blended gas, ever, unless you're going to empty the generator tank every time you're not using it. Non-ethanol gas is the only gas I use in any small engines I have. I even use only real gas in my vehicles. Using any gas with any ethanol in it, if left sitting long periods of time, will eat away, and dissolve, small metal parts in the carburetor.

Joe

That's good info. I have a small emergency generator that I test run every two months for about 15 minutes. I don't know if the gas I bought contains ethanol or not, but I run the generator engine dry every time (the generator has a fuel cut off switch that I turn off while the generator is still running). Makes it more difficult to start up again (a few more pulls), but I don't have to worry about gas corroding anything!

Kevin

[Joe]

That's a great way to do it, Kevin. I, unfortunately, learned the hard way.......

Joe

[Looper121]

Originally Posted by cody6766

Best to do it at 74 instead of 55. We had a nasty ice storm in November that killed my power for a few days. My back up 'suitcase' generator that I used for camping crapped the bed at the worst time.

The house and tank dropped into the 50s, killing everything in the tank. I lost about 2 years of mature growth and fish in my 60 cube. I had to drive to Texas to get a generator, then the power came on 2 hours after I hooked it up.

No worries next time. I have a 10KW generator in the garage ready to roll.

This is depressing and exactly why you should dismantle your reef tank.

[Anemone]

Originally Posted by Joe

That's a great way to do it, Kevin. I, unfortunately, learned the hard way.......

Joe

Unfortunately, me too. Had a Generac 4500 for years. Used it to run lights at nighttime soccer practices. Then, didn't run it for several years. Went to try and start it up and gasoline leaked from just about everywhere!

Kevin

[cody6766]

This is depressing and exactly why you should dismantle your reef tank.

Wow, I never thought of it that way. You know, I've been enjoying this hobby since 2007, but you've made a convincing argument. I'm just going to bail on the whole ordeal. I'm sure your posts will continue to win hearts and minds and topple the reef industry in short order. Thank you SO much for your contribution to the world. Maybe you can take on the ManBearPig issue once you solve the reef crisis?

Unfortunately, me too. Had a Generac 4500 for years. Used it to run lights at nighttime soccer practices. Then, didn't run it for several years. Went to try and start it up and gasoline leaked from just about everywhere!

That sucks! I'll dump E10 into my wife's daily driver when I have to, but it's only pure gas in all of my small engines, boat, generator, and Trans Am (garage queen). Luckily, there are sever gas stations near me that have 100% gas.

[kfisc]

This is what finally drove me out of the hobby. Our patch of rural New England has crummy power companies doing battle to see who can more convincingly pretend it's not really they're fault when the power goes out for a week or more every hurricane season. Or any time it rains. Or if the wind blows more than 20 mph.

Even getting gas for a generator eventually means waiting in line for hours for stations to close when their pumps run dry.

Rant over, thanks for listening.

[Johnic]

This made me order a generator. The chances of a power outage for me are slim but if it does happen the tank would be over. It’s good insurance.

[cody6766]

They're good for other stuff too. Mine runs the furnace in the winter (gas) and will keep the refrigerators, deep freeze, the TV and a bunch of other stuff up and running when the power dies. It's a pain running cables, but I'll have it tied directly into the house before winter. Then it's as easy as flipping the start switch and flipping the isolation switch on the panel.