When the grid goes down, as it so often does, having a generator is a simple and effective way to keep your life on track until power is restored. To help decide what size of generator you need, keep reading:
Homeowners can often power most household appliances using between 3000 and 6500 watts.
Appliances usually note their power requirements in amps while generators list their output in watts. It’s easy to convert from one to the other, however.
Watts = Volts x Amps
Amps = Watts/VoltsStarting vs. Running Wattage
Certain appliances require extra power to start up, while on the other hand others maintain the same power requirements continually.
To calculate the size generator you need, you will need to determine the load. (A load is defined as the device that you are powering.) There are two kinds.Resistive Loads
Resistive loads require the same amount of power to both start and run the equipment. A few examples of resistive loads include:
Light bulbs
Coffee maker
ToasterReactive Loads
Reactive loads will have an electric motor, which requires added power to start, in other words, higher watts to start and then reduced wattage to run. You need the higher watts to essentially kick-start the motor. Normally the starting power is 3 times the amount of power needed to run the application. A few examples of reactive loads include:
Refrigerators/freezers
Furnace fans
Well pumps
Air conditioners
Bench grinders
Air compressors
Power toolsIt will take you putting pencil to paper to determine the size generator needed. Things you need to consider include portability, what happens if you have to leave your home, can you take the generator with you, will it fit in the car and fuel requirements, storage, and transportation of the fuel.
You, of course, would eventually run out of fuel if the distribution hubs are down, but with some rationing of fuel, you can maintain one for an extended period if you prioritize your needs.
So, to start, you must first take stock of all of the equipment you will be relying upon when SHTF. For instance, if a lot of your saved food is frozen, you will absolutely want to keep power going to the chest freezer. Making sure you have the amperage necessary is going to be a crucial step in your decision.
However, if most of your food is dehydrated or canned and you have alternative lighting and water sources that don't require the use of power, you may not need a generator at all.
Even then, having access to even a small generator will likely provide peace of mind. Take these things into account when planning your generator purchase and you should have no problem.
This is an extremely helpful topic for the purposes of complete preparation. If you'd like to know more about this topic, you can read more at Prep for SHTF.
No it isnt
If you decide to get one, get one that burns diesel. That way you can stretch your sustainability when you start making your own bio-diesel.
NO !!
Short term, yes.Long term not especially.
And there’s a carburetor conversation for ethanol as well sir.
Cause you can make moonshine so you never run out of fuel.
When in a situation of many best thing is to build a cement shelter to muffle the sound of the generator from others.
And there’s solar as well. But don’t do batteries cause if the economy falls there won’t be any way to replace batteries so you can run 12v ice makers with solar for ice.
And if near a stream you can make a water wheel and connect it to an alternator to run 12v lights and power up other 12v items so that way you are being quiet. It being on a water wheel won’t push the alternator full wattage but it’ll still work
There’s so many
Daniel Biehl OK. Thanx!
If you decide to hunker down in your safe community, it is a real possibility that under Marshall law(for your protection?)the mayor or constable would probably confiscate your generator for central headquarters. All things considered, it is preferable to stay low key and learn to live without electricity on the larger scale. Perhaps smaller things requiring very little power would be advantageous. Food for thought: All of your possessions are wanted by everyone and if you cannot protect them, perhaps you would be best served to keep a low profile and gear yourself to a survival mode for the duration. Your life is most important and should come before anything else. Sit down and prepare a list of what you would like to have. Next, pare that list to what you feel you need. Take that list and cut it down to what you need to survive. Cut that list to what you REALLY need to get by. See, you do not need as much as you thought you needed. After 6 months or so, there will be all sorts of gear abandoned, lost, in need of repair or just laying around for you to pick over to your hearts content. If what they think will happen comes true, you will be one out of ten who has survived. Welcome to the new world of your ancestors who thrived because they were self reliant and needed only, God, rain and sunshine. Read up on the Donner Pass tragedy. Had some not doomed themselves by having such a large amount of items, which only slowed them down, they very well might have made it to safety.
I’m not sure about conversions to Propane ,but the ones made for it Eat the fuel. I worked for an LP company and use tto fil a 120 jug (80 gallons
Not in our plans. We have solar, wind, hydroelectric (water fall), and human (bike) power. Our current systems are about 300% of our max needs with refrigeration and minimal AC. We have tested them for as long as a month in August.
Scott Lawrason Damn. Didn’t know they were that thirsty. Also, you could save the fuel for cooking.
Power inverters help quite a bit if you need 120 AC from a D.C. arrangement.
A solar setup is always a better option. Gas or diesel will run out (unless you have a mass supply)…Solar will be there every DAY!