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Look at the mounted "standby" generators with big enclosures.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maple47
I am thinking about a portable generator of 5000 to 7500 range, and I understand, they are noisy.
Are there more quiet items, than the other?
Are you looking at gasoline, propane, or natural gas?
In gasoline, the $5K Honda EU7000iS is 58 dB(A) at 7 meters.
For compressed gas, consider going with a 7.5kW "standby" generator in an enclosure instead of a large roll-around. For example, a smaller Kohler residential generator intended to run on LP/NG is rated 72dB at 7m.
Inverter generators are generally rated much quieter than conventional. For big ones like you're talking, I don't know much more than that. I just bought a 3000W Honda.
Inverter generators are generally rated much quieter than conventional. For big ones like you're talking, I don't know much more than that. I just bought a 3000W Honda.
Anything that consumes below 3000W total. So you need to do your math. Also, keep in mind, rating always shows peak power, not running power.
Also, if you have modern electronics you want to power off generator, be aware that they require true sine AC to operate. Not many generators do that. Unless you go solid standby generators.
For short blackouts, look into solar back up generators. If you want to run for days, look at Db rating. You can easily build a noise reducing box, btw, if you are in a sub and worried about noise complaints.
I am thinking about a portable generator of 5000 to 7500 range, and I understand, they are noisy.
Are there more quiet items, than the other?
I second Nonesuch’s reply about the Honda 7K geney. 5-grand is totally outrageous for a regular 7K gas generator but that Honda Model is super quiet. We have 3,000 watt Inverter quiet Honda (Costs nearly 2-grand) and it’s awesome. So quiet. We Roll the geney outside during a power outage and We hook it into a generac transfer switch we had installed on the back of our house. Can power fridge, basement freezer, router/tv, bedroom lights, microwave off of it, not all at once, but easy to select what we need. Anyway, quiet Honda’s cost a lot but they’re really quiet and super reliable.
Solar generators are not generators, that is a weird marketing term for a box of batteries
Quote:
Originally Posted by ukrkoz
if you have modern electronics you want to power off generator, be aware that they require true sine AC to operate
Very few devices require "true sine AC" to operate. With very few exceptions (one being the "Active PFC" power supplies in some desktop computers) electronic devices work fine with the more common "modified sine" generators. Generators with a THD rating of 6% or below produce clean enough power for "modern electronics".
Specifically, the common AC-to-DC adaptor used for laptop computers, cellphone chargers, the like will work just fine without "true sine AC". If you have extremely expensive electronics which you are concerned about, then you probably don't want to run them directly off a generator. For example, business servers generally run via a generator-rated "online double-conversion" UPS which always runs the incoming power through a battery-backed inverter.
Very few devices require "true sine AC" to operate. With very few exceptions (one being the "Active PFC" power supplies in some desktop computers) electronic devices work fine with the more common "modified sine" generators. Generators with a THD rating of 6% or below produce clean enough power for "modern electronics".
Specifically, the common AC-to-DC adaptor used for laptop computers, cellphone chargers, the like will work just fine without "true sine AC". If you have extremely expensive electronics which you are concerned about, then you probably don't want to run them directly off a generator. For example, business servers generally run via a generator-rated "online double-conversion" UPS which always runs the incoming power through a battery-backed inverter.
All pretty accurate. One monkey wrench is that many LED lights can be HORRIBLY fussy about power. I have one shop light that does not like to work on the same circuit as my clothes iron - go figure! CFLs were bad enough, but the support electronics in LEDs can be crap.
THD is "total harmonic distortion." I take it as a euphemism for cutting edges on a sawtooth waveform. Try to run mod sine power into quality surge protectors that use more than an MOV and you can toast them. BTDT.
I use a cheapie generator for corded power tools and incandescent light. Anything else these days gets the sine of my inverter generator. Voltage sag is bad enough for appliances to have to deal with on generator power.
Honda EU3000ISIAN 3000W 120v GAS POWER $2289 is super quiet
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Look at the mounted "standby" generators with big enclosures.
Solar generators are not generators, that is a weird marketing term for a box of batteries
