Just got a 5500 watt generator with a 7 gallon tank and a 10 hour at half load run time. What can i run on this?? Fridge lights a old tv??

Most of your house minus central air, 220 dryers etc. Your manual should have somewhere in it an approximate use of most appliances, but yours may very. Make sure you have lots of cords, you don't want to plug it into the house and backfeed power into the lines.

more than that

http://www.ehow.com/list_7566811_household-appliances-5500watt-generator-run.html

heres a chart with some basics and there power consumption http://www.vmisales.com/voltmaster/appchart.html

When you set up your transfer switch, good idea to light up one bathroom.

You could run the whole house on that. But only if you use basic household appliances. Don't run the dishwasher and the microwave while watching the TV and surfing the net. A few lights, Refrigerator, sump pump, one outlet for the TV and internet is all you need.

Really wow!! Ok not going nuts. gotta conserve fuel not sure if gas stations will be open. But ok ill be running a fridge and lights a few hours a day.. while thats going charge the phones and what not

If your not hooking it up directly to the electric panel, if it has 220v service (most at that wattage do), think of it as 2-20amp circuits in your house and hook appliances, etc. up carefully. Big killers are refrigerators (need a lot of starting current, coffee pots and toaster ovens (high wattage appliances). Read the label on all electric appliances for wattage used. Divide that number by 120 (volts), answer is amps. When you get up to about 16 amps in total that circuit is full. The biggest problems are with cheap extension cords overheating. Be very careful using them. Wire size becomes very important here. I have seen cheap cords running way over their ratings. If you limit access to the refrigerator, you can keep food cold by running on generator for 8 hours day. I would not run generator when not home, nor went going to bed. Generator noises bring strange people with sticky fingers to your neighborhood. Be mindful of your neighbors, too!

Good Luck and Be careful.

You still have time. Figure 5-7 gallons a day. Last year both storms knocked out power for 8 days. I have two houses that I maintain. Fuel cost close to $350.00 each time. Get some cash tomorrow. No electric, no telephone, then no gas. If your lucky enough to find a station open may not be able to process credit cards. Cash talks. Get extra motor oil. New units burn more in the beginning while brealing in. As soon as this event is over change to oil. If storing gas in the tank, use a fuel stabalizer. I use high test in units. More money but they start when you need them and run smoother.

 

My town's EMS co-ordinator has already received notice from JCP&L that any significant storm like last year, figure up to 10 days without power.

Yea im setting up for running a couple days for about 5-8 hours a day. I have a shed close to the house i will be storing it in when its not running. 5 hours a day should be fine. Gunna run an old tv to for info along with a radio. And the blower in my fire place. Im set though got a few indoor propane heaters my father in law has to use also

Don't know if your on city water or well. If city water store some starting Monday. If pumping station goes down your out. If well, that unit will run most well pumps up to 1 hp. depending on depth (350 ft). if on Natural gas or oil, unit will run boiler / burner on one circuit w/o much problem. Again, staggerd starts with highest draws first.

I keep a rolling 5 cases of bottled water at all times.. extra baby formula and toilet paper. I have a gas stove so ill be doing good

If you have a basement with a sump system, you might consider that a priority for your generator as well.

Here is my tip as I have a 9KW generator. Keep it simple and basic. The only thing I run with mine are...

 

1. Refrigerator

2. Sump Pump

3. 3 Lights

4. Radio

5. Heating (I have gas boiler with steam so all I power is the thermostat)

 

Can it run more? Hell Yeah but why its an emergency. By running the bare minimum the gas lasts longer.

It's probably 5500 surge and 4400 watts continous. Correct? That means you have 36-37amps of continous power. You most likely have a 100amp service at at any giving time are probably only pulling 30 amps. You have plenty to power refrigerator, sump pump, heating, lights, and tv. Refrain from from using microwave, hair dryers, electric stoves, electric dryers, electric heat, and air conditioners.

 

 

I have a 8500 watt (surge) 7200 watt continuous portable generator that will deliver a constant 60amps to my house. It's enough to run my whole house - furnace, sump, 2 fridges, lights, tv's, etc. I can even run my 3.5ton AC univt if needed (25amps).

 

It is a poor man's setup. No auto transfer switch. I put a 240v 30amp twist lock inlet on my house. 10/3romex to panel. 30amp 240v breaker in the panel (30 amps a leg). All I have to do is plug the generator into the inlet, turn off the main, and flip on the 30amp genny breaker. My whole house is up. Materials about $150. Genny about $650.

 

Everyone seems to be worried about feeding back into the grid. Turn off your main (main breaker in the panel) usually at the top of the panel (marked 60, 100, 200, etc). Thats all that is needed. Your genny will not backfeed into the grid thru the nuetral, the nuetral is bonded with the ground at the street, so this will not happen.

I wont have time to do all that but im gunna ask my buddy if we can do that. Would be easy to run ur house at that point

Good topic. New question. Do you continually keep power to the frig all day? Do you cycle it on and off, say every other hour or so? I'm just thinking about saving more gas, especially day time when lights aren't needed.

I think running it 30 min every 2h should be fine for the fridge. Stuff the freezer and fridge full of water bottles now and let them freeze for extra heat mass, plus they run more efficiently when full. Refrain from opening it more then you need to, and WHEN NOT RUNNING, throw some heavy blankets over it because extra insulation always helps, but remove them when running it.

I just installed a transfer switch yesterday for my portable genny. It took me about 4 hours.

 

240v to well pump

120v to fridge

120v to furnace fan

120v to sump pump

120v to TV / lights

 

Unfortunately, my basement is prone to flooding because when the house was built in the 50's, the foundation drainage system most likely wasn't installed correctly. So that means I need to run the genny 24-7 to keep the sump pump going.

I just installed a transfer switch yesterday for my portable genny. It took me about 4 hours.

 

240v to well pump

120v to fridge

120v to furnace fan

120v to sump pump

120v to TV / lights

 

Unfortunately, my basement is prone to flooding because when the house was built in the 50's, the foundation drainage system most likely wasn't installed correctly. So that means I need to run the genny 24-7 to keep the sump pump going.

 

rightisright,

Have you thought about getting a small dedicated genny just to run the sump pump? I have seen some small Honda and Yamaha generators that would use a lot less fuel than running the big unit.