Inverter Generator vs regular

[ChrisfromBrick]

Agree with those who say your current generator is just fine. My only suggestion is that the "new" carburetors have at least two jets that dirty up real fast, more so with ethanol gas. With you living in NJ, we only have ethanol containing gas. So my suggestion is to use a cleaner/ stabilizer in your gas. Sta-bil is the most popular, but I use Star Brite Star Tron. If you don't use it, you'll first notice the engine pulsing while it runs...which is a blocked ideal jet.

I have both a "regular" generator and an inverter.

The regular generator ran for over seven days when Sandy hit NJ...I'm on the coast. It easily ran my entire tank, home boiler, refrigerator, television and a couple lights. I know they talk about these generators having a dirty signal, but I never had an issue.

and yes, I have a fresh quart of Stabil ready to go. I was thinking True-fuel but that would make no sense for a Sandy type of event. That stuff is perfect for my small engines.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

Have you looked at a stand alone inverter to add to the existing genny?

yep!

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

LiFePO4 portable power stations are great if you understand their limitations (you won’t be able to Power a heater) and spec them correctly.

You can get them with ups functionality with automatic cutover to battery in event of an outage, and when power is restored they switch back to AC power for your devices and automatically begin recharging.

I have several of these, my pico can run 60 hours without ac power, and my 75g display can have filtration, flow, and oxygenation for 30+ hours

These are ideal for situations where power outages are short and it’s not worth pulling out the generator, and also for situations where you aren’t home, or need time to get home and setup a generator.

With solar panels you can also recharge in the daytime

You cant power heaters with a LiFePO4, even if 600-1000 watt rated? Is that because of the type of power heaters pull? My heaters would pull exactly 250 watts if used with one.

 

[VintageReefer]

You cant power heaters with a LiFePO4, even if 600-1000 watt rated? Is that because of the type of power heaters pull? My heaters would pull exactly 250 watts if used with one.

There’s two factors

1) the watt capacity of the inverter - watch for terms like surge / boost or running load and understand the difference. If the inverter is rated for 600-1000w then you would be fine with 250 watts of heat

2) the watt hour (wh) capacity of the battery - heaters will drastically eat up battery power, but only when they run. It’s almost impossible for me to calculate because I don’t know how long it comes on for at a time, how many times a day, or what it will need to do in a future power outage.

I will give you worst case scenario

1000wh station like the one I linked will run the return pump for my tank for 30+
Hours

If my heater was 250w

(1000 x .85) / 250 = 3.4 hours

So, that is not including the return pump

With my return pump

(1000 x .85) / 265 = 3.2 hours of run time with the heater on

Since the heater comes on for a few min. Stays off a while. Comes on a few min etc I can’t predict the run time, but it does drastically cut it down when it’s in use

The power station does give a life read out of watts being used, and remaining runtime so you won’t be completely blindsided

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

There’s two factors

1) the watt capacity of the inverter - watch for terms like surge / boost or running load and understand the difference. If the inverter is rated for 600-1000w then you would be fine with 250 watts of heat

2) the watt hour (wh) capacity of the battery - heaters will drastically eat up battery power, but only when they run. It’s almost impossible for me to calculate because I don’t know how long it comes on for at a time, how many times a day, or what it will need to do in a future power outage.

I will give you worst case scenario

1000wh station like the one I linked will run the return pump for my tank for 30+
Hours

If my heater was 250w

(1000 x .85) / 250 = 3.4 hours

So, that is not including the return pump

With my return pump

(1000 x .85) / 265 = 3.2 hours of run time with the heater on

Since the heater comes on for a few min. Stays off a while. Comes on a few min etc I can’t predict the run time, but it does drastically cut it down when it’s in use

The power station does give a life read out of watts being used, and remaining runtime so you won’t be completely blindsided

Tremendously helpful, thank you! I really like the big blue that you linked.

 

[GlassMunky]

Thank you so much! Thats helpful feedback. You aren't too far from me. Maybe we can trade/buy corals one day.

I go to Sayerville a decent amount for shows at starland ballroom.

Can confirm. Had to replace my carb once since I bought it :-/
Thankfully there’s a small engine repair place locally that was able to do it cheap cause I’m not a motor guy

 

[VintageReefer]

Tremendously helpful, thank you! I really like the big blue that you linked.

The big blue brand is my top choice. It’s a lot of battery for the money. They also have a slightly smaller 600watt hour one. These are some of the only models I’ve tested where they battery life exceeds the runtime calculation formula. It seems the circuitry inside the big blue products are slightly more efficient than average. Other companies match the formula prediction. And other companies fall short.

I will add on, I bought a big blue cell powa 600 and after a few months one of the USB ports died. I don’t use the usb, maybe it was broke all along. I admit I didn’t test the usb when I got it. But when I found out, I was outside the Amazon return window. I contacted the company, they asked if I can send a video of the issue. Took a short 10 second video of me plugging in a device to one usb and it working, and a second usb and it not working. Emailed the video. They apologized and sent me a replacement unit for no charge. They also let me keep the original one, which functions perfectly fine for my tank since I don’t use the usb. Just wanted to share this, as I found the warranty and customer service to be excellent

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

The big blue brand is my top choice. It’s a lot of battery for the money. They also have a slightly smaller 600watt hour one. These are some of the only models I’ve tested where they battery life exceeds the runtime calculation formula. It seems the circuitry inside the big blue products are slightly more efficient than average. Other companies match the formula prediction. And other companies fall short.

I will add on, I bought a big blue cell powa 600 and after a few months one of the USB ports died. I don’t use the usb, maybe it was broke all along. I admit I didn’t test the usb when I got it. But when I found out, I was outside the Amazon return window. I contacted the company, they asked if I can send a video of the issue. Took a short 10 second video of me plugging in a device to one usb and it working, and a second usb and it not working. Emailed the video. They apologized and sent me a replacement unit for no charge. They also let me keep the original one, which functions perfectly fine for my tank since I don’t use the usb. Just wanted to share this, as I found the warranty and customer service to be excellent

so it would make sense if i got the 1000, to hook up my mp40, return pump, and maybe my Lights only, so they go right on when power goes off? Then if we go past a day, then run the old 3500 watt gas genny to it all.

The rest of the items like heaters and additional items could just be hooked up to my surge protector?

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

A brand new Honda 2200 generator for 800 is cheap, they are at least 1100 here.

 

[VintageReefer]

so it would make sense if i got the 1000, to hook up my mp40, return pump, and maybe my Lights only, so they go right on when power goes off? Then if we go past a day, then run the old 3500 watt gas genny to it all.

The rest of the items like heaters and additional items could just be hooked up to my surge protector?

How many watts is all that gear pulling?
I would skip the lights.

What size tank is this? What model return pump do you have ? If dc, what percent are you running it at?

 

[alton]

Since you have the regular generator buy a 1500 watt ups to clean the power and provide temporary power while you set up the generator and turn it on, problem fixed. Harbor Freight sells invertor generators for as little as $449 for 1400 watt which will run most tanks or 2000 watt for $600. All have a large sticker that say warranty is void if you do not use a fuel Stabilizer.

 

[VintageReefer]

Since you have the regular generator buy a 1500 watt ups to clean the power and provide temporary power while you set up the generator and turn it on, problem fixed. Harbor Freight sells invertor generators for as little as $449 for 1400 watt which will run most tanks or 2000 watt for $600. All have a large sticker that say warranty is void if you do not use a fuel Stabilizer.

Do not buy a ups their runtimes are terrible. They are are made to save your files and power off a computer. It’s office equipment and tech from the 90’s to save files in a power outage. The batteries don’t even last 5 years. I bought a nice 1500w one and after 3 years when I had a power outage the runtime was 11 minutes.

 

[VintageReefer]

Oh I’m sorry. I see you mean to provide temp power while generator is started and then power the ups from the generator to create cleaner electricity? That would work. But This requires someone to be home when the outage starts, and the generator to be functional and fueled up

Still better option is the portable power station which can buy a full day and chances are high you won’t even need to pull out the generator

 

[Fishgeek88]

Why not just upgrade the current generator? Probably sell your existing one to help offset the cost. I have a WEN 6250 watt invertor generator. Cheaper company I equate to like harbor Freight. Its an open frame so its louder than. I wanted the inverter because of sensitive electronics as well. Its $680 on Amazon...I use a Generac transfer switch but basically runs the entire house (Smaller house).

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

How many watts is all that gear pulling?
I would skip the lights.

What size tank is this? What model return pump do you have ? If dc, what percent are you running it at?

the return pump is a sicce syncra pulling about 30 watts with a dc motor tuned to 80% in a 69g 3feet wide tank. The Mp40 is 35 watts I believe and its only halfway up at about 1500gph in reef crest mode. One Kessil A360x pulls 80 watts but it doesnt go to 100% intensity, so not sure of the full power load on that. Then there is the heaters which equal 250 watts total.

Im thinking of the big blue today. the 1000 watt one.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

Do not buy a ups their runtimes are terrible. They are are made to save your files and power off a computer. It’s office equipment and tech from the 90’s to save files in a power outage. The batteries don’t even last 5 years. I bought a nice 1500w one and after 3 years when I had a power outage the runtime was 11 minutes.

Its interesting that you brought this up because i was looking at those and i saw that they are meant to only not lose data and are supposed to run for 12 minutes!

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

Since you have the regular generator buy a 1500 watt ups to clean the power and provide temporary power while you set up the generator and turn it on, problem fixed. Harbor Freight sells invertor generators for as little as $449 for 1400 watt which will run most tanks or 2000 watt for $600. All have a large sticker that say warranty is void if you do not use a fuel Stabilizer.

Im probably going to get the Big Blue inverter that VintageReefer linked me up to. As he said (and I had no idea) a regular UPS is for computers to not lose data. 400 bucks for that instead of 800 for a honda is a good compromise for me. Thanks for the feedback though!

 

[penguinexdeus]

definately inverter generator if you plan to run anything 'smart' on the tank, or something to help filter (i.e. like a UPS). If you only have a basic pump/ heater/ lights don't worry about it.

I'm in NJ also and have my apex stuff plugged into a large computer UPS and set to sense power failure to kill all non-essential loads (heater, lights, etc) - mainly just keeps flow on. This gives me about 40+ minutes of backup time for those short outages. Once i get close to that or i know it won't be back for a while i set up an small inverter generator i got from harbor freight and plug the UPS into that. Gets everything back to normal and runs 8+ hours without needing a refill to get through the night etc...

 

[BeanAnimal]

Skimmed the thread…

Regular Generator: The alternator produces AC voltage, where the magnitude (voltage) is determined by the windings, and the frequency is directly dependent on the RPMs of the alternator. On most units that anybody here can afford, the RPM is a mechanical governor (think centrifugal spinning weights) that is not very accurate or reliable.


Inverter Generator: The alternator produces AC voltage, which is then converted to DC and fed into an inverter. The inverter generates a consistent sine wave output that is independent of the alternator's RPM, ensuring a stable voltage and frequency.


So the inverter generator can react to load and only use the fuel needed by idling up or down as required. Less noise and better fuel economy.

A regular generator must run at (typically) 3600 RPM to maintain 60Hz. The inverter type (even at full load) can be designed to run at lower rpm for the same output. So smaller engines, less wear, less noise,etc.

Honda: They makes very good engines. They don’t make many other things, Pressure Washers, Go-Karts, Mini Bikes, Log Splitters, Air Compressors, Concrete Mixers, Plate Compactors, Portable Sawmills, etc. those just have Honda engines.

What they do make are portable generators that are easily one of the best power products in their class. The Honda vs the knock offs are not even remotely the same, from engine to electronics. You get what you pay for.

The 2200i and family have fuel pumps and can be hooked to external fuel cells. Amazing little generators that are easy to start.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

Skimmed the thread…

Regular Generator: The alternator produces AC voltage, where the magnitude (voltage) is determined by the windings, and the frequency is directly dependent on the RPMs of the alternator.


Inverter Generator: The alternator produces AC voltage, which is then converted to DC and fed into an inverter. The inverter generates a consistent sine wave output that is independent of the alternator's RPM, ensuring a stable voltage and frequency.


So the inverter generator can react to load and only use the fuel needed by idling up or down as required. Less noise and better fuel economy.

A regular generator must run at (typically) 3600 RPM to maintain 60Hz. The inverter type (even at full load) can be designed to run at lower rpm for the same output. So smaller engines, less wear, less noise,etc.

Honda: They makes very good engines. They don’t make many other things, Pressure Washers, Go-Karts, Mini Bikes, Log Splitters, Air Compressors, Concrete Mixers, Plate Compactors, Portable Sawmills, etc. those just have Honda engines.

What they do make are portable generators that are easily one of the best power products in their class. The Honda vs the knock offs are not even remotely the same, from engine to electronics. You get what you pay for.

The 2200i and family have fuel pumps and can be hooked to external fuel cells. Amazing little generators that are easy to start.

i got the 2200i last week. 800 new