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Science & Technology
The Best Portable Generators to Keep Your Home Running
2021-02-24
[Popular Mechanics] With extreme weather events becoming more frequent, portable generators have become fairly common. Anyone who lives in a suburban area often hit with power outages after storms is familiar with the sound of dozens of generators humming throughout the neighborhood. But emergency power backup isn’t their only use. Portable generators are often used on construction sites, for tailgating and camping, and at barbecues and other events such as 5k runs, parades, fairs, or anyplace that can’t be reached by an extension cord. And with prices coming down, portable generators are becoming more attainable for just about anyone who wants to keep one handy.

Take a quick look at our five top options or scroll down to find out what you need to know about generators and the full reviews.
Posted by:Besoeker

#15  I was working at a hospital once when the town had a power failure. The hospital's back up generator started up with a roar, lights came up again for 20 minutes and then the back up generator died too. Interesting times for the staff. Some got caught in stairwells in total darkness -- there were no battery-power emergency lights or glow in the dark paint markings there. The OR went totally dark while surgery was ongoing. Fortunately the key OR equipment had either back up batteries or was powered by compressed gasses. There were only 2 telephone lines that still worked in the entire hospital, one in the ER and one in the CEO's office. No battery backup for the phone system even though the city phone system continued to run just fine. Nursing staff had to send runners back & forth, many many times. Many other interesting things discovered.
By the way, do all Rantburgers have 12 VDC / 110 VAC inverters pre-installed in their vehicles, ready to go at a moment's notice?
Posted by: Thineger Sproing6704   2021-02-24 19:54  

#14  Can a Tesla battery be used for non-Tesla use (assuming you don't have a Tesla?) Can it be charged with solar?
Posted by: rjschwarz   2021-02-24 18:09  

#13   Lemme guess - these guys (P.M.) are now full-blown woke lefties

Back when systems were robust and had plenty of extra capacity, rare extreme weather events caused little down time. Now that they are optimized to run at near maximum capacity under normal conditions with no thought to outlier possibilities, even the slightest variation from average is labelled an extreme weather event.

It seems to me that something that happens once a century might be extreme. Something that happened only a decade ago is normal and may well be cyclical.
Posted by: trailing wife   2021-02-24 15:15  

#12  are now full-blown woke lefties

Propagandular Mischanics
Posted by: M. Murcek   2021-02-24 13:14  

#11  ^ or due to excess CO2 emissions, you're only allowed to run 10 mins /day. Need it for O2 generation for your afflicted kid? Tell them to breathe slower...
Posted by: Warthog   2021-02-24 13:12  

#10  Frank - just wait until CA requires your Daughter to 'share' her generated electricity with her neighbors or perhaps that low-income housing unit down the street. And she's only allowed enough to charge her cell phone - every other day.
After all planning ahead is racist.
Posted by: CrazyFool   2021-02-24 12:39  

#9  

If you need a lot of power for a short time Northern Generator Power House has many 120V plugs and 1 220V plug. Have seen building contractors run it all day for months. Around $1200 but stumble on one in a pawn shop that was like new for $350 and it is a monster.
Posted by: Ebbomoger Speaking for Boskone4589   2021-02-24 12:30  

#8  I've got a propane-fueled Generac - Gott sei dank!

During our ice storms the last 2 or so weeks, my entire house kept running thanks to the generator: heat, lights, computer, hot water, etc. It was glorious.

The propane company is coming some time in the next couple of weeks to refill the tanks (the combined tanks went from about 85% full to about 65% full or a little less.

Best investment I EVER made. :-D
Posted by: Barbara   2021-02-24 12:24  

#7  #1 - bought a pair of same for daughter's housewarming (she's in a rural San Diego neighborhood that SDG&E regular shuts off due to fire/Santa Ana's). Good thing is they can be paired up to run the whole house
Posted by: Frank G   2021-02-24 11:38  

#6  Just like Sci-Am.
Posted by: swksvolFF   2021-02-24 11:30  

#5  With extreme weather events becoming more frequent...

Lemme guess - these guys (P.M.) are now full-blown woke lefties like the Economist and other formerly respectable and non-partisan publications?
Posted by: Raj   2021-02-24 11:05  

#4  as we know but bad for OpSec with the noise and inherent light pollution

If I were in Big City, TX last week with a generator I would have left the lights off, blackout curtains (space heaters are brighter than you think), and hopefully had some sort of noise baffler or re-direction.

Its OK to love your neighbor. It is also OK to be invisible. Bragging up your generator at the BBQ could get you everyone there, up to their cousins and dogs, showing up at your house.

I was talking with a then-friend after Greensburg Tornado about my tornado room. He said that if S ever HTF, he was coming (from Overyonder City, KS) to our place. I just sipped my beer and thought of all the ways that wasn't going to happen, even if he made the journey.

I understand battery technology is now at a point where that is an option. Obviously the more expensive option, but much more discrete - no noise or smell give you away.
Posted by: swksvolFF   2021-02-24 10:50  

#3  Not a bad article. Costco has a tri-fuel (Gasoline/Propane/Nat. Gas) that looks good. Pair this with an interlock on your panel and you're good to go. Bit different than a transfer switch. More flexible and much cheaper to install. Gennies can be life-savers as we know but bad for OpSec with the noise and inherent light pollution in a grid down situation. Nat Gas is nice in that you don't have to go fuel hunting. Just keep plenty of 10-30 oil on hand for changing every 100 hrs. or so.

https://www.costco.com/generators.html?fuel-type=tri-fuel&refine=%7C%7CFuel_Type_attr-Tri%2BFuel
Posted by: Warthog   2021-02-24 10:00  

#2  ..that's like a fire department. Most of the time its not used for what it exists for. Don't have one? When you need it and have to get one, its too late.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2021-02-24 06:48  

#1  Bought the earlier model of the Honda (2000 model, not the 2200 shown in the article) about 15 years ago. No complaints though I haven't had to use it much.
Posted by: Mercutio   2021-02-24 06:44  

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