09-08-2014, 11:53 PM
Having spent about 30 years off the grid (20 of them in Kapoho), I've gone through a few generators. So, for what it's worth, here's my two cents on the topic.
If you live on the grid and expect to use a generator only for relatively short duration emergencies, go ahead and buy a 5000 watt to 7500 watt generator for under $1000. Just remember that there is only one upside to your purchase, and that is the price itself. (Well, if you buy the dual-fuel model from Costco, then I guess there is a second upside.)
If you expect that you may be cut off for a longer period and would need to use the generator every day for an extended period, I would suggest that the only generator to buy is a Honda.
Given the current uncertainty facing the community, it could be that a lot of people who are used to living on the grid may soon find themselves off the grid for who-knows-how-long. For people who live permanently off the grid, it's not such a difficult decision to lay out the big bucks for a good generator; but when someone doesn't really know how long they'll need the generator, the price definitely becomes a big issue.
There has been some talk about the relative merits of using either Propane or Gasoline to run a generator. I once owned an Onan generator that was converted to use Propane, and it was a beautiful machine; but Onans are expensive and there is no dealer or authorized service center in Hilo any longer. Propane is, no doubt, cleaner and will extend the life of the machine somewhat. It not only burns cleaner, but you don't have to get gas all over your hands when you fill the generator--plus it's easier to screw on the gas hose than it is to up end a heavy five gallon gas can every day.
However, I'd still choose a gasoline model because, over the years, we have faced several interruptions in propane deliveries to the Big Island--but never for gasoline. (I don't have any experience with the multi-fuel model that others have mentioned in this thread.) I've stored gas for many months without even adding a stabilizer to it, and I've never had any trouble with it going bad on me. With the addition of a stabilizer, it will definitely be good for many months; however if the need for your generator tails off, and you have unused gas sitting around for more than a month, you can always just dump it into your vehicle and fill your can with fresh gasoline.
If you choose to buy the cheaper Costco generator that runs on either fuel, then you have more flexibility. But if you choose to buy a Honda, then you would have to use gasoline (I'm not aware of any conversion kits available for Hondas). So here's why I would advise buying one of the Honda EU Series if you can afford it.
1. You can run a Honda for 18 hours a day, seven days a week for years without doing anything but changing the oil every couple of months. It's the Eveready bunny of generators.
2. Honda's have a two or three year, no-questions-asked warranty, and there is an authorized service center right in Hilo--Steve's Honda. And Steve is a great guy who charges very little for service or repair even after the generator is out of warranty. Plus any parts (spark plugs, air filters, etc.) you need are readily available from him at cheap prices.
3. Honda's are super quiet. You can park them right in your carport, and you will barely hear them. No need for you (or your neighbors) to put up with a noisy generator or to have to build a shed away from your house.
4. Honda's produce a pure sine wave electrical output that is not harmful to computers and other sensitive electronics. Most cheaper generators produce a modified sine wave current that is not commercial quality.
5. The inverter technology in Hondas produces a consistent electrical output with no surges or dropouts, and they run at a variable RPM depending on how much electrical draw is placed on them. That means, when you use less electricity, they automatically run quieter and use less gas.
6. All Hondas have a low oil cutoff switch, so you can never burn up your generator if the oil level drops too low.
7. Hondas also have a 12 volt output, so you can also charge deep cycle batteries directly from them if necessary.
8. You can connect two of the same size Hondas (1000's, 2000's, or 3000's) together to double the electrical output. So if you buy one and find that you need more output (watts), you can buy another one to double your output.
So, the bad news. The Honda EU1000 watt generator costs about $700. (Almost the same as the 7500 watt generator from Costco). It definitely cannot run a house or even most 120 Volt water pumps.
The Honda EU2000 watt costs about $1000 to $1200 and is still not enough to run a normal house that is designed to be on the grid. (Two together would put out 4000 watts but would cost nearly $2500. Maybe enough for a low use, on-the-grid house.)
The new EU7000 watt costs a whopping $4000 but is beefy enough to run a normal on-the-grid house with a 120 volt water pump, a refrigerator, and all the rest.
If the lava actually cuts off Highway 130 and it results in major electric outages, I'll post my suggestions on how an on-the-grid household could put together a small alternative electrical system (no solar panels) for about $2000. It would require swapping out the 120 volt water pump for a 12 volt pump and downsizing from a normal refrigerator to a minifridge, but it could for an extended period of time if necessary and would provide all the lights, T.V.s, computers, etc that people are used to.
Hopefully, the lava flow will peter out before it gets to the highway, and most of this thread will become irrelevant.
If you live on the grid and expect to use a generator only for relatively short duration emergencies, go ahead and buy a 5000 watt to 7500 watt generator for under $1000. Just remember that there is only one upside to your purchase, and that is the price itself. (Well, if you buy the dual-fuel model from Costco, then I guess there is a second upside.)
If you expect that you may be cut off for a longer period and would need to use the generator every day for an extended period, I would suggest that the only generator to buy is a Honda.
Given the current uncertainty facing the community, it could be that a lot of people who are used to living on the grid may soon find themselves off the grid for who-knows-how-long. For people who live permanently off the grid, it's not such a difficult decision to lay out the big bucks for a good generator; but when someone doesn't really know how long they'll need the generator, the price definitely becomes a big issue.
There has been some talk about the relative merits of using either Propane or Gasoline to run a generator. I once owned an Onan generator that was converted to use Propane, and it was a beautiful machine; but Onans are expensive and there is no dealer or authorized service center in Hilo any longer. Propane is, no doubt, cleaner and will extend the life of the machine somewhat. It not only burns cleaner, but you don't have to get gas all over your hands when you fill the generator--plus it's easier to screw on the gas hose than it is to up end a heavy five gallon gas can every day.
However, I'd still choose a gasoline model because, over the years, we have faced several interruptions in propane deliveries to the Big Island--but never for gasoline. (I don't have any experience with the multi-fuel model that others have mentioned in this thread.) I've stored gas for many months without even adding a stabilizer to it, and I've never had any trouble with it going bad on me. With the addition of a stabilizer, it will definitely be good for many months; however if the need for your generator tails off, and you have unused gas sitting around for more than a month, you can always just dump it into your vehicle and fill your can with fresh gasoline.
If you choose to buy the cheaper Costco generator that runs on either fuel, then you have more flexibility. But if you choose to buy a Honda, then you would have to use gasoline (I'm not aware of any conversion kits available for Hondas). So here's why I would advise buying one of the Honda EU Series if you can afford it.
1. You can run a Honda for 18 hours a day, seven days a week for years without doing anything but changing the oil every couple of months. It's the Eveready bunny of generators.
2. Honda's have a two or three year, no-questions-asked warranty, and there is an authorized service center right in Hilo--Steve's Honda. And Steve is a great guy who charges very little for service or repair even after the generator is out of warranty. Plus any parts (spark plugs, air filters, etc.) you need are readily available from him at cheap prices.
3. Honda's are super quiet. You can park them right in your carport, and you will barely hear them. No need for you (or your neighbors) to put up with a noisy generator or to have to build a shed away from your house.
4. Honda's produce a pure sine wave electrical output that is not harmful to computers and other sensitive electronics. Most cheaper generators produce a modified sine wave current that is not commercial quality.
5. The inverter technology in Hondas produces a consistent electrical output with no surges or dropouts, and they run at a variable RPM depending on how much electrical draw is placed on them. That means, when you use less electricity, they automatically run quieter and use less gas.
6. All Hondas have a low oil cutoff switch, so you can never burn up your generator if the oil level drops too low.
7. Hondas also have a 12 volt output, so you can also charge deep cycle batteries directly from them if necessary.
8. You can connect two of the same size Hondas (1000's, 2000's, or 3000's) together to double the electrical output. So if you buy one and find that you need more output (watts), you can buy another one to double your output.
So, the bad news. The Honda EU1000 watt generator costs about $700. (Almost the same as the 7500 watt generator from Costco). It definitely cannot run a house or even most 120 Volt water pumps.
The Honda EU2000 watt costs about $1000 to $1200 and is still not enough to run a normal house that is designed to be on the grid. (Two together would put out 4000 watts but would cost nearly $2500. Maybe enough for a low use, on-the-grid house.)
The new EU7000 watt costs a whopping $4000 but is beefy enough to run a normal on-the-grid house with a 120 volt water pump, a refrigerator, and all the rest.
If the lava actually cuts off Highway 130 and it results in major electric outages, I'll post my suggestions on how an on-the-grid household could put together a small alternative electrical system (no solar panels) for about $2000. It would require swapping out the 120 volt water pump for a 12 volt pump and downsizing from a normal refrigerator to a minifridge, but it could for an extended period of time if necessary and would provide all the lights, T.V.s, computers, etc that people are used to.
Hopefully, the lava flow will peter out before it gets to the highway, and most of this thread will become irrelevant.