Hello all. I've seen some sales come up on a few entry level, but decent generators. The ones I am looking at are in the $400 to $600 range, and 3000 to 4000 watts. They include models from Wen and Champion. 4000 watts or so would run what I need in an emergency situation. I don't need to run everything in my house when the power is down, just the essentials. That will help with maintaining a reasonable amount of fuel on hand, and a manageable generator.

So, for those that have run their household off a generator for a few days, will a normal generator run electronics well, like a home computer or television if needed? Or is an inverter generator needed to supply "cleaner" power? If I lose power, my priorities are: boiler (in winter), fridge, microwave, a few lights, power tools if needed, and TV / computer (as a luxury if possible). All that can add up to a lot of watts, but if power were down, I'd stagger what I used to keep the load appropriate for the generator.

I see the advantages of the quieter and more fuel efficient inverter generator, but the louder dual/fuel champion model seems like a good choice if the need for "clean" power is overstated. I happen to keep a bunch of 20# propane tanks on hand for my grill and emergency heat (buddy heater), so I have the propane covered.

What are your thoughts on running household electronics on a typical small generator? Any insights appreciated.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/champion-power-equipment-4000w-5000w-dual-fuel-generator-carb-100629-1362156

https://wenproducts.com/products/wen-56380i-super-quiet-3800-watt-portable-inverter-generator-with-fuel-shut-off?variant=31359002837026#shopify-product-reviews

I used to have a relatively cheap basic generator (think it was from Northern Hydraulics),  Briggs engine around 6 HP.  It was not fancy (no inverter) and I had no problem with any electronic equipment in the house.

20# tanks will not perform well some have said. Inverter is my choice for quieter and better fuel usage. Easy to store gas, SF forums has lots of useful information.

the generator you seek

in that price range every brand you look at us going to be the same thing.
china engine/gen
I've not owned a Wen but I have the HFT 3500 invertor and 2 AiPower generators
and I've had a champion also
they're all the same for that money

in the recent dorachio (sp) I ran all 3
my mom had my AiPower 4500watt, ran for 52 hours strait, kinda noisy but not horrible
my dad had my Predator invertor, ran for 36 hours strait, these are quiet, really quiet
I used my 12KW AiPower ran for 28 hours, very noisy,

I'd wait until after hurricane season for some of the sales. I, myself, am looking for an inverter generator. Home Depot had a really great sale on the Champion one last year, something like half price.

just a comment... both my 3500W Honda and 2200W Predator have been adapted to run off a remote 5 or 6 gallon tank, as I don't like to hot fuel the gen sets.. a squeeze bulb siphon system works with the Honda, but the tank has to be elevated... the inverter has a fuel pump so after the line is primed, the pump takes over...

the advantage of the remote fuel... I supplied power alternately to 3 homes during hurricane Irma... the 3500W was placed on a utility trailer and pulled behind the riding mower... that way the homeowners supplied fuel from their own tanks

I have many days running my house on generators.   Most of that was done with the older, mechanical generators and I have not had an issue with any electronics not liking the power from the generator.   To be clear, that included running computers, networking components (ethenet switches, routers, firewalls), LCD TV's, satellite receivers, various types of chargers, and I even had a line conditioner for some of the servers and it may have stepped the voltage up or down a couple of times but it never faulted or alarmed out.  

One question that I would ask though is do you have any 240 Volt appliances that you consider essential during a power outage?   Do you get your water from a well?   That will make a big difference in determining what generators are acceptable.  

My first generator was an 8KW and it wasn't large enough to run our stove or central air.   It would run our well pump though so we never were out of water.  

2HUT8

Thanks all, I appreciate the responses. My biggest concern was if generator power was safe for electronics. I don't want to invent issues, or fix problems that are not there, so I'm interested in what others have learned. If I can reasonably power my house electronics on a typical generator then that is fine with me.

My area has both natural gas and municipal water. Even during local power outages, the water and gas has never been lost, so generally I'm looking mostly to be able to keep my house going in the event of a local issue that knocked out power for a brief period.

For reference, we were impacted significantly last during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. We had no power for 8 or 9 days, but never lost water or natural gas. Mobile phone service was intermittent but generally available if you could find a strong signal for your phone. There were some areas 20 miles away that had power the whole time, but most did not. Gas lines became huge, and I did not have a generator. But I was not far from parts of PA that were unaffected, so I could travel there in 30 minutes and stock up. I basically camped in my house and survived on propane fuel, batteries, and ikea candles for a week. It was not tough at all for a family used to camping in a tent, but if this happened in the middle of winter, it would have been a disaster if we lost heat.

Luckily, that occurred in the fall, and it was never cold enough to need heat. Heat, and refrigeration, is my biggest concern. My stove is gas, and even without it, I could cook for weeks on my propane camping gear. The natural gas boiler needs less than 100 watts to run the circulator pump, and 5 watts for the controller itself. With LED lights today, you could run a few bulbs easily with 100 watts, and even the luxury of a computer or TV would only add another 200 watts or so. So if I get a generator, I don't have a very large power requirement, and I've started to adapt my house with a manual transfer switch so if the need does arise, I can run a small generator in my backyard to energize a few critical circuits.

With the responses I've gotten, I've read a bit about some of the things mentioned. I guess that even if I were concerned about my household electronics, I could run a computer or TV through a power conditioner on that outlet to clean up the power, and most of the other household draws should be fine with a typical generator. I also learned that a computer UPS also can clean up the power supply for electronics, and that is something I already have.

I guess that one of the advantages of the more expensive inverter generators, even if I really don't need one for my "clean power" concern, is simply that they tend to be quieter and use less fuel. So that is a benefit even though it adds some initial cost.

Still interested in any more advice and experience on this. Also, hoping everyone has a good Thanksgiving.

I think an inverter generator would be ideal since you do not need 240 volts.  They are more efficient and quieter running.  They can be converted to run off of propane, but this would probably void the warranty, and with using 20 lb tanks to run a generator there are a few potential issues to consider.

A 20 lb propane tank may work fine to run your generator, depending on the temperature differential between the tank temperature and the out side temperature as well as your wattage demand.  A hot day, and it will be fine.  A very cold winter day, and your liquid propane in a small tank may not evaporate to vapor quick enough to keep up with the demand of the generator, particularly if your propane tank becomes low.  This can be overcome by using multiple tanks, or by warming the tank.  Most people would end up warming a tank by placing it indoors even though it is not recommended.  Wrapping it in a blanket would make the problem worse since the evaporation of the propane in the tank is what is chilling the tank.

I like propane, but storing a 55 gallon drum or two of gas may be a better / easier / cheaper solution for you.

If you are certain the natural gas supply would always be stable, having a tap off of the line would be an easy solution.  It's that always part that is the stumbling block.

Since you have natural gas available it might be worth your while to spend a little more money and buy a tri-fuel generator so that you can run it on natural gas.    In theory, you could run it for a LONG time as long as the natural gas network is intact.   It cannot be your only plan because during the hurricane Sandy aftermath, I remember that there was discussion about shutting down parts of the natural gas network because of the extensive damage done to it.   We had a local issue here last year where the local gas company had some  failures on their network.   This caused them to ration gas at one point during the winter.   Having run a gas generator for days on end I can say that managing fuel during an outage isn’t trivial, despite the fact that I often had fifty gallons on hand just in case.  I recall more than one occasion when we had an outage during the time that I was in the process of rotating my fuel stores.   It isn’t pleasant to find yourself starting your generator at 1AM and seeing that over half of your gas cans are empty.   We used to have a lot of outages in my AO.   Reliability has improved a lot over the last couple of years.  

I have a Honda EU2200i with a Hutch Mountain Conversion kit.   That allows the generator to run gasoline, propane, or natural gas.   I have run gas and propane and it works well.    I haven’t tried natural gas because we don’t have natural gas in my AO.

Edit:   Also, running a loud, non-inverter generator for days on end can wear on your nerves.   I haven’t had an extended (multi-day) outage since I got my inverter generators so I cannot say for certainly that inverters wouldn’t create the same type of situation.

I had a traditional 3500w generator.

I'm a strong person,  but it was inconvenient to move, lift, and use. Loud and used a lot of fuel. Took up too much space too.

I sold it, and haven't missed it. I am currently looking for a smaller inverter generator (or maybe the Wen listed above). I want convenience, portability, and efficiency over power.

I just picked up this Wen generator. It seems to bridge the gap for me- powerful enough to power my camper or get me by if I lose power in my home, but much quieter and more portable than a traditional generator.

https://wenproducts.com/products/wen-56380i-super-quiet-3800-watt-portable-inverter-generator-with-fuel-shut-off?variant=31359002837026#shopify-product-reviews



Hopefully its worth the price. I'll probably add an inline fuel filter and change the spark plug. I have had great luck with the Chinese 212cc engines.

Unless you are disciplined to run Ethanol Free Gas, go Dual-Fuel. LP Gas is cleaner and lasts forever.  I get about 24 hours on my 4400W Dual-Fuel Standard generator.  More on my Inverter generator.
Neither have ever had gasoline in them.  
Inverter Genny's sure are quiet.  
The standard genny hooks up to my transfer switch and the inverter genny gets moved around where and when needed.

The 3500 watt inverter generator at Harbor Freight is one of the best deals for a good generator. I saw a Black Friday circular where they will be on sale for $750 ish this weekend (regularly $799). Northern Tool sells the same one (but blue color) for a similar price. One of those generators and a tri fuel conversion kit and you’ll be set for any power outage.  You just need to add a port for natural gas supply with a quick disconnect and you’ll be all set.

Thanks again for the suggestions. I ordered the Wen 3800 inverter generator for $600. It seemed like the best deal out there, and since I have natural gas to the house, I don't have the power loads of a water pump, heat pump, or electric stove. If the NG grid goes down, I'd have a whole new set of issues, but I could still have the power on with the generator, and keep the house from freezing with a buddy heater and kerosene heater.

Converting any generator to propane / natural gas seems like a great idea. There is no conversion kit for this Wen, but it is basically the same model as the Predator 3500 inverter generator, so a kit for that would likely work, so I'll get one of those and try it. I've learned that most of these generators have very similar engines and components. I ordered a kit from PNG Technologies, since they were one of the very few who carried kits for the Predator.

I did a little research on propane conversions, and found that the concept is pretty simple. Basically all of the kits are introducing propane (or NG) right into the carb. Most kits have a spacer that goes between the carb and the air box. The spacer has a port to connect a 3/8" gas supply hose, and this hose will connect to a regulator between the engine and gas source.

While straight forward in concept, the issue with conversion kits seems to be the limited space available in most generators, and how to have a clear path to pipe in the propane to the carb. The inverter generators are even more tightly packaged, so the adapter kits for these seem to use a low profile carb spacer to supply the propane. These don't move the airbox too far and create issues with clearance and fit. Some propane kits have even required cutting the generator frame, it's just to get the clearance to fit the spacer to supply the propane. If you have an older generator or one with otherwise generous clearances, fitting a carburetor spacer plate should be easy.

The kits that use propane would also seem to run similarly on natural gas. All the kits have a large secondary regulator. It's the aluminum 6" diameter component. This is the low pressure demand regulator that supplies the gas (upon a draw from the engine) into the carb. The propane systems also have the additional familiar small regulator found on the end of all gas grill hoses. This initial regulator is the high pressure regulator that reduces the 150psi propane from the tank down to .5 psi or so, which is then fed into the demand regulator.

The advice and ideas suggested were really helpful, so I read up more on propane/natural gas conversions, and wrote this post. I was somewhat familiar with the general concepts, having plumbed a natural gas stove, helped a buddy convert a champion generator to propane a few years ago, and I've removed and cleaned plenty of gummed up carbs on various pieces of equipment. I'm still no expert, but I have a much better handle on what's involved now.

Here's a good video:

How To Convert Your Generator to Natural Gas or Propane
Repair Geek
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO839Sayci0

One of the reasons why non-inverter generators have a bad reputation for power quality is due to the fact that they don't handle engine problems gracefully.

For example, when an engine starts to run out of gas, it tends to stumble, recover, and then overspeed.

In non-inverter generators, this "hunting" produces wild voltage and frequency swings that can damage sensitive loads.

Conversely, inverter generators are factory-designed to operate the engine over a wide range of speeds, so a momentary change in speed is no big deal.

With a non-inverter model, if you take care to disconnect your AC load before the engine starts to run out of gas, you're a lot less likely to have problems.

For the same reason, you also want to avoid starting or shutting off the engine while your AC load is still connected.

@Brian252

You said that there wasn't a NG conversion kit for this WEN generator but you didn't give a model.   If you are referring to the WEN  56380I (which is 3800 watts and $600.00 as you said above) then there IS a NG/Propane conversion kit for it.   Ref:

https://www.ecrater.com/p/37787577/tri-fuel-propane-natural-gas?gps=1

Disclaimer:   I don't know how well it works or how reliable it is.   If the picture is any indication then I wouldn't be thrilled with the open ended hoses that they are showing but I suppose that when the gas is only between 1PSI and 2PSI then the application really wouldn't require pre-manufactured hoses.      

2HUT8

FWIW, finding ethanol free gas in my AO is a challenge.  The only stores I know of that sell it are 20-30 minutes one way away. This makes it tough to get and stocked up, so I am stuck with corn gas.  I've also had no luck with the fuel stabilizers out there.  Fuel storage is the biggest reason I'm going to buy a tri-fuel kit for out generator.   Also, one of the biggest propane distributors/retailers in the area is a mile away from my house, and I go by it every day, so keeping the propane tanks filled up is very easy to do.

I have noticed that the prices for new, empty propane tanks have jumped up in the last 6 months.  New, empty 20 pound tanks are now $35-36 where they used to be $22-23 at the beginning of the year.  Amazon has them for more.  I still kick myself for not keeping the 5 empty tanks a buddy of mine was getting rid of when he moved.....

@2Hut8
Thanks for finding that source for a propane conversion. That is the generator I have. I had not noticed that manufacturer when I was looking, I guess I did not search enough. From the pictures of it, it looks like a decent setup with quality parts. The regulators are fairly typical for all models, so a lot of the differences come up in how they supply the propane to the carb. I already have one on the way, by a different maker but for a very similar generator, so I hope the one I ordered will work. The company I did order from seems like a good outfit, and they shipped the kit out immediately, so I'll at least have to see it. I'll post back when I get everything together.

I wound up going with the inverter generator since I can run what I need on 3400 running watts, and I'll use less fuel and have a quieter machine. No sense in having a larger generator making power I don't need and being more unmanageable.

When you must use gasoline, the most important thing I have found for all my small engines, is to shut off the fuel and let the motor burn up the gas in the carb. That will go a long way to keeping the machine reliable. You'll still have gas sitting in the tank though, potentially getting stale.

@lasnyder
I noticed the post about hot-fueling and using a remote tank. I store my gas in those metal Nato fuel jerry cans (which I think are the best). Lexington Container sells an adapter that goes on the can in place of a spout that has tubes welded on to it so one could run the generator directly from the jerry can with a separate fuel hose. I've never used something like this, but I guess the concept is that you'd add a T fitting or a long fuel line directly to the carb to supply the gas. In that case, you could run a generator right off the the jerry can, turn off the fuel supply and run the engine dry, and still have all your remaining fuel still in the can, not the generator tank. Then it's easy to burn up any excess fuel from the can in your car or other motor, and not it let is sit in the generator. Probalby not a bad idea for an adapter and a few bucks of extra fuel hoses.
http://lexingtoncontainercompanysonlinestore.mybigcommerce.com/jerry-can-adapter/

fyi, read thru
https://www.ar15.com/forums/outdoors/Sandy-12-days-without-power-what-worked-what-didn-t-/17-661411/

since you have muni water, it's one less major problem.

ar-jedi

My generator shutdown routine is to first drain the tank completely dry or as close as I can get it.  I do that by shutting off the fuel flow petcock, unhooking the fuel line from the petcock to the carburetor, and attaching a clear line to the carb end of the petcock that runs back to the gas can. I turn on the petcock and let gravity do the work of draining the tank.

After that is done, I replace the fuel line, and then restart the generator and let it run until it stops, which is usually a minute at the most.  

I've done that for a while now, and the generator has always started when I needed it.  It is more work, but its what you have to do to keep corn gas from fouling up your gennie.  That's also another reason why I'm going to convert over to propane, and just use gasoline as a backup fuel supply.

I have had this Champion 3400 watt inverter generator at the farm for past 4 years.  It's the best generator I have ever had.  
In the summer it runs my portable A/C, box fan, 2 LED lamps and small refrigerator/freezer.   I just need to time it so the A/C compressor and refrigerator compressor don't start together.  In the cooler months I don't run the A/C.  The small 1.6 gallon fuel tank will run the generator continually for about 6 hours in winter and 7+ hours in summer.  I frequently run the generator for 4-5 days strait without stopping and it has never failed me.  I use about 5 gallon of gas per 24 hours.
Even after sitting for few weeks, it never fails to start on the second pull.  I just change the oil every 100 hours and it's simple process that takes 5 minutes.  
When I'm about to leave I shut off the fuel and let the engine cut out.  I always use non-ethanol gas.  
It runs quietly so it doesn't bother anyone at night even when close.  I keep/run it in a tool shed with door half open and the noise is minimal...A/C noise is louder.  It's the best $620 generator!

https://www.championpowerequipment.com/product/100269-3400-watt-inverter/

I would opt for anything duel fuel. Your lights go out you don't want to be playing with highly flamable liquid.
No gas to go bad means it will start every time and easy to hook up in the dark.