Posted: 9/1/2016 12:08:10 PM EDT
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I have never owned a generator. My business was out of power for 12 hours due to a storm last week. I see harbor freight (flame away) has a 4000 watts portable generator for $274.99. In 18 years of business, we've only been out of power for a max of 30 minutes. I guess I'm buying this for a similar failure, or for use at home in the event of power failure. I understand this won't run my whole house or my whole business, but it definitely can bring back some creature comforts. Thinking we could runs some computers and phones at a minimum.
I've heard great things about the predator 212cc motors (maybe Honda clones?), but I know nothing about generators. Is this an ok $300 expenditure? Or, should I be spending my money elsewhere? If so, where? Harbor Freight Predator Generator |
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Quoted:
I have never owned a generator. My business was out of power for 12 hours due to a storm last week. I see harbor freight (flame away) has a 4000 watts portable generator for $274.99. In 18 years of business, we've only been out of power for a max of 30 minutes. I guess I'm buying this for a similar failure, or for use at home in the event of power failure. I understand this won't run my whole house or my whole business, but it definitely can bring back some creature comforts. Thinking we could runs some computers and phones at a minimum. I've heard great things about the predator 212cc motors (maybe Honda clones?), but I know nothing about generators. Is this an ok $300 expenditure? Or, should I be spending my money elsewhere? If so, where? Harbor Freight Predator Generator What is your business? What is the impact of not having power? Cash-only? Closed for the duration? Everyone on cell phones instead of desktops to do email and calls? You're spending $300 to run "creature comforts" (your words). If its just to be comfortable, consider a stash the $300 for the next power outage. When the next outage hits take that $300 out and go spend it on something that makes you comfortable. A generator to run only creature comforts is spending $300 to maybe keep you comfortable for 30 minutes to a day, *maybe* because it might not work *and* you gotta maintain it. Versus having $300 set back which you can definitely use to be comfortable. Get the idea? Now if there is really something that needs protected, like keeping a fridge of food or drugs going or keeping your business going then its $300 vs $cost to be offline. Different ballgame there. Are you in town or out in the sticks? Why was there a 12 hour wait this time? Exceptional problem or new normal? |
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Quoted:
I have never owned a generator. My business was out of power for 12 hours due to a storm last week. I see harbor freight (flame away) has a 4000 watts portable generator for $274.99. In 18 years of business, we've only been out of power for a max of 30 minutes. I guess I'm buying this for a similar failure, or for use at home in the event of power failure. I understand this won't run my whole house or my whole business, but it definitely can bring back some creature comforts. Thinking we could runs some computers and phones at a minimum. I've heard great things about the predator 212cc motors (maybe Honda clones?), but I know nothing about generators. Is this an ok $300 expenditure? Or, should I be spending my money elsewhere? If so, where? Harbor Freight Predator Generator Get a really long extension cord so you can move that noisy genset away from you - but probably piss off your neighbors. |
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Quoted:
What is your business? What is the impact of not having power? Cash-only? Closed for the duration? Everyone on cell phones instead of desktops to do email and calls? You're spending $300 to run "creature comforts" (your words). If its just to be comfortable, consider a stash the $300 for the next power outage. When the next outage hits take that $300 out and go spend it on something that makes you comfortable. A generator to run only creature comforts is spending $300 to maybe keep you comfortable for 30 minutes to a day, *maybe* because it might not work *and* you gotta maintain it. Versus having $300 set back which you can definitely use to be comfortable. Get the idea? Now if there is really something that needs protected, like keeping a fridge of food or drugs going or keeping your business going then its $300 vs $cost to be offline. Different ballgame there. Are you in town or out in the sticks? Why was there a 12 hour wait this time? Exceptional problem or new normal? small retail food establishment. we were able to use cell phones and square processing for credit cards. Not looking to run our refrigeration. We have 2 servers that went down (and took out another remote location). File server and phone server are both on location. It would be nice to be able to charge phones too when you all of a sudden use them a lot more. My cell phone battery charger quickly was being used by 3 people. We didn't have that much of a loss outside of some refrigerated stuff. I guess it's more to keep the other store up and operating their computers (and phones). IP phones have a failsafe that directs all calls to a cell phone (which is nice, but also a PITA). We are in town. It was an unusual wind storm that took out a lot of trees. Just trying to be more prepared than I was last week. Thought this might be a step in the right direction. |
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Quoted: small retail food establishment. we were able to use cell phones and square processing for credit cards. Not looking to run our refrigeration. We have 2 servers that went down (and took out another remote location). File server and phone server are both on location. It would be nice to be able to charge phones too when you all of a sudden use them a lot more. My cell phone battery charger quickly was being used by 3 people. We didn't have that much of a loss outside of some refrigerated stuff. I guess it's more to keep the other store up and operating their computers (and phones). IP phones have a failsafe that directs all calls to a cell phone (which is nice, but also a PITA). We are in town. It was an unusual wind storm that took out a lot of trees. Just trying to be more prepared than I was last week. Thought this might be a step in the right direction. Quoted: Quoted: What is your business? What is the impact of not having power? Cash-only? Closed for the duration? Everyone on cell phones instead of desktops to do email and calls? You're spending $300 to run "creature comforts" (your words). If its just to be comfortable, consider a stash the $300 for the next power outage. When the next outage hits take that $300 out and go spend it on something that makes you comfortable. A generator to run only creature comforts is spending $300 to maybe keep you comfortable for 30 minutes to a day, *maybe* because it might not work *and* you gotta maintain it. Versus having $300 set back which you can definitely use to be comfortable. Get the idea? Now if there is really something that needs protected, like keeping a fridge of food or drugs going or keeping your business going then its $300 vs $cost to be offline. Different ballgame there. Are you in town or out in the sticks? Why was there a 12 hour wait this time? Exceptional problem or new normal? small retail food establishment. we were able to use cell phones and square processing for credit cards. Not looking to run our refrigeration. We have 2 servers that went down (and took out another remote location). File server and phone server are both on location. It would be nice to be able to charge phones too when you all of a sudden use them a lot more. My cell phone battery charger quickly was being used by 3 people. We didn't have that much of a loss outside of some refrigerated stuff. I guess it's more to keep the other store up and operating their computers (and phones). IP phones have a failsafe that directs all calls to a cell phone (which is nice, but also a PITA). We are in town. It was an unusual wind storm that took out a lot of trees. Just trying to be more prepared than I was last week. Thought this might be a step in the right direction. Sounds like a good UPS for the servers might better suite you than a small generator. If you go the generator route, as others have said, get an inverter. Electronics are not a fan of dirty power. |
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Buy a Honda or Yamaha. They hold their value, can be serviced, are not loud. With a 3k you can probably run 2 major appliances plus lights.
2 - 2k's can be paralleled for more juice. After months of reading about generators, I am hoping to close the deal tonight on 2 used Yamaha 2k's for $1200.00. |
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Quoted:
Sounds like a good UPS for the servers might better suite you than a small generator. If you go the generator route, as others have said, get an inverter. Electronics are not a fan of dirty power. I've got a small one for each server and they lasted no more than 20 minutes. They are ok for the twice a year, 5 minute outages. Not good for anything longer. |