Will this generator work?

[Lucky Lefty]

http://m.harborfreight.com/900-Peak7...OTA1NyJ9%0D%0A

I had a friend who bought this generator when Hurricane Sandy hit to save his fish tank.
Ever since I setup my tank I've been considering buying it for emergency situations.
it's only a 800 watt generator, but I don't know much about electricity and wattage and volts and all that jazz.
I don't want to run this and harm my equipment or have the generator cranking at full capacity nonstop.
I would really just use it for my little giant return, wp40, and heaters (maybe plug in the fridge too), just the necessary equipment for survival.
I was going to go buy it today, but wanted to get some opinions. I want to get a backup sooner than later, just don't want to waste money on something that may not get the job done.
my buddy only used it fo a short period, and got rid of his tank right after sandy, seemed to work for him though.

[JOEYRM7]

If you have electronic components (ie lighting, pumps, heater//) you need a generator with an inverter or you risk burning them out.

[reelredfish]

I have used the cheaper gens sets over the years but if you want something you wont have to worry about get a Honda and be done with it....look for a used one if you want to save some coin.

just my two cents

[Lucky Lefty]

Originally Posted by JOEYRM7

If you have electronic components (ie lighting, pumps, heater//) you need a generator with an inverter or you risk burning them out.

Thanks for the tip.
Not sure what an inverter is/does... but I'm assuming you saw that this generator does not have one?
If it does not have one, I may pass this up.
Thanks.

[Lucky Lefty]

Originally Posted by reelredfish

I have used the cheaper gens sets over the years but if you want something you wont have to worry about get a Honda and be done with it....look for a used one if you want to save some coin.

just my two cents

Thanks. I've heard great things about the Honda generators.
perhaps I'll start looking for one on CL.

[slief]

Originally Posted by Lucky Lefty

Thanks. I've heard great things about the Honda generators.
perhaps I'll start looking for one on CL.

I keep a Honda EU2000 on hand for just such an occasion. I got it several years ago for my boat but it's since be relagated to my storage here for back up power. I bought it off Craigslist. These generators are bullet proof. If you can find a good deal on a used one, that would be the way I would go.

The key to the Honda EU series is that they have a Sinewave output which is a noise filtering for clean power. This is very important with electronic devices and without it, you can fry them. It is why Joey was mentioning the inverter although typically the inverter converts the 110v to Sinewave filtered 12v for DC applications. The Honda has Sinewave output on both the AC and DC circuit. The Honda's are also one of the quietest of all these portable generators and sip fuel.

[JOEYRM7]

See below. I tried a regular generator on some electronic equipment and they wouldn't work however a generator/inverter did.


nverter generators are a relatively recent development, made possible by advanced electronic circuitry and high-tech magnets. These are generally 3-phase generators that output AC current like most traditional generators, but that current is then converted to DC, and then “inverted” back to clean AC power that maintains a single phase, pure sine wave at the required voltage and frequency.

[Lucky Lefty]

Thanks a lot for the info guys!!
May have talked me out of a bad buy.. Honda seems to be the buy once, cry once way to go

[drew2007]

The best thing I did was buy a large generator for my whole house and had a house hookup for it directly to my panel. This way I can flip on breakers to power what I need. The Honda generators from what I hear are great and not very loud. I have a Briggs and Stratton it's loud but after losing my whole tank to sandy I made sure that will never happen again. Living in the the northeast has been brutal the passed 5 years. I'd seriously consider dropping some extra coin and doing a whole house hookup. Find the right electrician to do it for u for a good price. Cost me $1000 for parts and labor. Generator cost me $1100. Worth every penny for the piece of mind.

[mordibv]

Honda is the way to go .Clean power, unlike the others on the market . Another plus is they run much quieter than others . U will thank yourself in the long run. Your neighbors will appreciate too .

[fizzlefish]

I have had that HF generator for over a year and ran it several times since. For the price it isnt bad. I would love to get a Honda but it is expensive. To anyone that ends up getting that little thing i would advise to replace the spark plug. The one that comes with it is the cheapest thing they can throw in it. I replaced mine with a NGK and i also built a box to put this in to quiet it down. I can barely hear it when it is running on my porch now. Hate that it is a 2 cycle though. Mixing oil and petrol sucks.

[d2mini]

Originally Posted by drew2007

The best thing I did was buy a large generator for my whole house and had a house hookup for it directly to my panel. This way I can flip on breakers to power what I need. The Honda generators from what I hear are great and not very loud. I have a Briggs and Stratton it's loud but after losing my whole tank to sandy I made sure that will never happen again. Living in the the northeast has been brutal the passed 5 years. I'd seriously consider dropping some extra coin and doing a whole house hookup. Find the right electrician to do it for u for a good price. Cost me $1000 for parts and labor. Generator cost me $1100. Worth every penny for the piece of mind.

I've got family on the island... you guys are getting slammed. Not as bad as boston but for the island... that's some craziness.

[Hitch08]

Yamaha makes some great inverter genny's as well. For me, it would be a toss up between Honda and Yamaha.

[drew2007]

Originally Posted by d2mini

I've got family on the island... you guys are getting slammed. Not as bad as boston but for the island... that's some craziness.

Yea I feel bad for Boston they are just getting annihilated at this point. We're getting some snow every week but not anything like north of where I am. but the cold temps we are having now it's just relentless. It hasn't been this cold on Long Island in 20 years.

[Fishmommy]

We're getting wicked killed up heah!