Solid Gas Generators 7000 Watts and Higher Besides Honda?

Hey everyone. So I need 240v service at my house to run an air compressor, welder etc and I just got a quote of around $1200 to have that woro done to some existing electrical in my greenhouse that I converted to a garage...kinda. Well I also lose power at my house all the time so Im thinking it would be more practical to just buy a generator to run my tools when I need them but ALSO be able to keep power on in my house AND take the genny with me if I go camping or take an extended trip. So to me getting a generator kills 3 bords with 1 stone, making it a much more practical option for the money.

So I talk with my Father about this somewhat frequently and His friend that owned a small engine repair shop for years told Him that a Honda brand generator with Honda engine AND electronics is the only way to go because theyre quiet and their advertised continuous wattage is accurate where no other brand generator is accurate with their claims. Is this true? Is Honda REALLY my only option? That cant be the case. There has got to be other brands out there running a Honda engine or otherwise, that has 7k watts or more continuous, but I dont have any experience with this so I have no idea what generators I can trust. Thats where yall come in.

This forum has got to have tons of experience with gas generators and can point me in the right direction. I would be buying one used and would like to pay no more than $800. $1200 would be the maximum just to keep it justifiable against having electrical work done on my house. So please, share your genny wisdoms and truths with me! I am ready to accept your divine light and obtain total enlightenment. Oh and Im not against diesel or propane, but itd be cool to use the same fuel for my car as my genny so Im not hauling different types of fuel around. Thank you in advance!
 
And I also now realize that using the term "solid" was a poor choice of words as it might seem confusing seemingly asking for something that runs on a solid gas. By solid I mean, very reliable, bulletproof, good to go, built like a brick $#!?house etc etc. Thank you.
 
If I wanted a generator setup that can power large tools, my house when the power goes out AND take with me camping, should I consider buying 2 identical smaller generators rather than 1 large one? This way I could run 2 linked together for my house, 1 or 2 for tools and just take 1 with me camping? Is there even a way to somehow link up both the 220 or 240 outlets on both generators into 1 plug so I could double the wattage or amps or do I sound completely ignorant right now? Thanks.
 

Burb One

Adventurer
I don't know about the ~7000 range and continuous duty models, but I have a Yamaha 4500iSE and it has had no problems over the last 5 years of owning. While I don't run it continuously, I have ran it all day in a box on the front of my trailer in the heat and it's been flawless.

I've had Honda's before, and after this experience I'd look into Yamaha as well.
 

dwh

Tail-End Charlie
Random thoughts...

7kva is way too big for camping. They install those in 40' diesel pusher motorhomes.

You can't link/gang generators - the alternating waves won't sync up. Some of the inverter type generators have inverters that will sync, but it's expensive to build big inverters, so I don't know of any inverter type gens bigger than 3kva.

Gasoline spoils quickly and evaporates quickly. 90% of what small engine repair shops do is rebuilding carbs and cleaning out the varnish left by old gas. Prepping a gen to sit a while means draining the fuel from the carb and tank. It's a PITA but you gotta do it if the gen is gonna sit for a month or more. With a small gen, you just let it run until it runs dry.

Unless you camp in places where there aren't any other people, you will eventually run into tree hugging generator Nazis who will give you crap about the noise. There are two ways to deal with this. If you are old enough, you can stick a funnel in your ear and then just keep yelling "WHAT?" until they give up and go away. The other way to deal with it is to bury their carcass in a secluded spot.



If you are going to rig a backup generator to feed your house, you'll have to call the electrician anyway. So I'd say, pay the electrician to tie in the outbuilding to get power from the house, and while he's there, rig the house panel so you can hook up a generator. Get a large gen for house backup. One that runs on propane so you never have fuel spoilage problems. You can get a 100 gallon propane tank and have fuel delivered.

Then, if you really need it (you probably don't), get a small gen for camping.
 

dwh

Tail-End Charlie
Oops forgot the punchline...

A pair of Honda eu2000s will run you 2 grand, plus the sync kit, and will put out 3200w continuous. Except for the big propane tank, you could do what I suggested for the same price.

Call the electrician.
 

Burb One

Adventurer
Random thoughts...

7kva is way too big for camping. They install those in 40' diesel pusher motorhomes.

You can't link/gang generators - the alternating waves won't sync up. Some of the inverter type generators have inverters that will sync, but it's expensive to build big inverters, so I don't know of any inverter type gens bigger than 3kva.

Gasoline spoils quickly and evaporates quickly. 90% of what small engine repair shops do is rebuilding carbs and cleaning out the varnish left by old gas. Prepping a gen to sit a while means draining the fuel from the carb and tank. It's a PITA but you gotta do it if the gen is gonna sit for a month or more. With a small gen, you just let it run until it runs dry.

Unless you camp in places where there aren't any other people, you will eventually run into tree hugging generator Nazis who will give you crap about the noise. There are two ways to deal with this. If you are old enough, you can stick a funnel in your ear and then just keep yelling "WHAT?" until they give up and go away. The other way to deal with it is to bury their carcass in a secluded spot.



If you are going to rig a backup generator to feed your house, you'll have to call the electrician anyway. So I'd say, pay the electrician to tie in the outbuilding to get power from the house, and while he's there, rig the house panel so you can hook up a generator. Get a large gen for house backup. One that runs on propane so you never have fuel spoilage problems. You can get a 100 gallon propane tank and have fuel delivered.

Then, if you really need it (you probably don't), get a small gen for camping.

Just reread the post, thought it was just for the compressor home use. Ya I agree with dwh 7000 is huge! Without a fullsize trailer it would take a ton of room! One options is I know the Honda and Yamahas can daisy chain in the ~2000 and 3000w models. May be the best bet if you want to take one with you and then tandem them at home when you need the juice.

Seriously, by 4500 for my trailer is huge, much less the 7000's, I couldn't imagine taking it anywhere in my truck, unless you needed the power
 

dwh

Tail-End Charlie
(And...FYI...you can edit the first post and change the thread title if you don't want the word solid in it.)
 

dwh

Tail-End Charlie
Just to clarify and emphasize...

[snip]... can daisy chain in the ~2000 and 3000w models.

Only inverter type gens can do that, and even then, only if they are designed for it.

Normal generators (called synchronous type) can't do it and would probably be ruined by trying it.
 

dwh

Tail-End Charlie
This can work, your house would need two transferswitches.
You would have to determine what loads will apply to a given generator.
But combining outputs is not possible on traditional generators.

Not just two transfer switches...he'd also need to split the branch circuits onto separate breaker panels.

Otherwise, he'd have two gens feeding the same bus bars. :)
 

dwh

Tail-End Charlie
Much like you, I was on superphone & omitted detail.
Anyway, were two of these things installed would do. But splitting hairs, this thing is actually 10 transferswitches in a single enclosure.

https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=DChcSEwi83e6IgtTPAhVQbH4KHWUiAsQYABAH&sig=AOD64_2aSVaqvL4jt7wesGODmBAoxU5Fw&ctype=5&ved=0ahUKEwjIsuuIgtTPAhWDLmMKHZJlBPEQwg8IFA&adurl=

That link doesn't work, but I know what you mean. Lots easier and cheaper to just rig a single transfer switch for the main panel.

And that would work with either one big generator or two smaller ones linked.
 

Buddha.

Finally in expo white.
I borrow my mom's 3000 watt Yamaha for camping and deer hunting. It's reliable and quiet enough but it's awkward and heavy to lift its 180ish pounds into my little truck. Something over twice as big would be a huge hassle.
 
Last edited:

Kerensky97

Xterra101
Hondas are awesome. For portable generators I think the Honda and Yamaha 2000watt inverter generators are the gold standard. Larger generators become quote/un-quote "portable". Yeah they can be moved but you won't want to and it's a chore. Maybe if you and 5 fellow builders are using one at a worksite but not something you want to do by yourself or with your family. If you need more than 2 linked 2000watt Hondas I think a semi-permanent option would be the way to go. If you have a permanent installation you can think about sound deadening and enclosing something bigger than an inverter generator.

I've seen other inverter generators try to copy the Hondas but they never have the promised output, efficiency, or noise levels.
 
7kw Is going to drink some serious gasoline. Most generators perform at best fuel efficiency when at 1/2-3/4 load. I can't imagine trying to run that much load during power outage strictly on gasoline. Check and see if you have natural gas service available. Natural gas will still deliver even during a power outage. The only other option I would consider would be propane. You can store large quantities in a smaller area than gasoline or diesel. Take a look at Champion Power Equipment generators.
 
Thanks for all the input guys. So theres a few things I should clear up after readin eferyones posts.
-I dont have money to buy a generator AND have the electrician run power out to the greenhouse garage. It would have to be one or the other, but a generator to me seems way more practical because "Pay X amount to have power run to the greenhouse+house loses power=cant use anything OR pay same amount for a generator+use it to run an air co pressor, welder etc+power goes out and I can use the generator to power my house=if I get a generator I wont have to go without power and I can still use my tools".

-The generator would NOT be just for running an air compressor. It would also be to power my house when we lose power which happens frequently this time of year.
-Im thinking I obviously need a large generator for the house and that should come first, but then I should get a much smaller genny for when I go camping.
-I need to double check, but my Dad seems to think I have the option for propane or natural gas hookup on my street.

Ill have to go back and read more posts. I just noticed the in depth conversations about transfer switches, bus bars, etc. Thank you all again for your input.
 

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