Recommend a Small Generator for that once a year power outage.

[hotdrop]

I need something that can generate 200W of power for pump and heater for about 48hrs, looking to get about 10 hours of run time between refills. What would you guys recommend? Should I shell out big bucks (500ish) for a used honda i1000/2000 or are there some cheaper options out there for generators that start and run reliably. I dont really know much about whats out there so not sure how old/new or what to look for (except that oil has been changed and that it starts and runs). Also they appear to be finicky about storage so any advice is recommended. In my ideal world I'd get something small and cheap ($200) but thats probably not realistic. Please help a reefer out.

Also planning to get a echotech battery backup to bridge the gap for flow but ill need heat in the winter if the power goes out or everything will die within 24hrs as the house cools (everything is electric sadly).

 

[acbaldwin]

I'd either go dirt cheap (harbor freight) or go with a small used honda. Fired mine up last month after not using for a few years... started perfect, ran perfect!

 

[Ktran350]

I got one of these when it was on sale at Home Depot. Used it once. Worked great. https://www.homedepot.com/p/LIFAN-E...MIhNv6zKXU4wIVeCCtBh0rfQOpEAQYCiABEgLzpfD_BwE

 

[Opus]

Maybe consider one like this that will run off gas or propane.

Sportsman 2,200/1,800-watt Dual Fuel LPG/Gasoline Powered Recoil Start Portable Inverter Generator with Parallel Capacity 803044 - The Home Depot

For power when you need it, look to the Sportsman 2,200/1,800-watt Gasoline Powered Portable Generator. Sine waves produce clean and reliable power to operate your sensitive devices like your phone, computer,

www.homedepot.com

 

[Jay Z]

Those honda units are real nice. Very quiet and light weight. You can't go wrong with the one you were looking at.
$500 is a good price for one.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

I purchased a 1000w inverter which will basically let me use my car as a generator. Not sure if that would work for you. I don’t know about you but every spring one of my lawn tools won’t start so one less combustion engine to take care of is a plus for me. I’m sure the generator wouldn’t start when I actually needed it after sitting for a year or more.

 

[Aardvark1134]

https://www.costco.com/Firman-1050W-Running--1300W-Peak-Gasoline-Powered-Generator.product.100367461.html

Firman 1050W Running / 1300W Peak Gasoline Powered Generator
Your Price
169.99

 

[lion king]

This is the one, trust me, I run a mobile business that uses generators, for the price and reliabilty, you just can't beat it. Harbor freight also has a great warranty and service. They have larger ones also priced so low, I'd go with a larger one.

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!

www.harborfreight.com

 

[hotdrop]

This is the one, trust me, I run a mobile business that uses generators, for the price and reliabilty, you just can't beat it. Harbor freight also has a great warranty and service. They have larger ones also priced so low, I'd go with a larger one.

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!

www.harborfreight.com

500 seems kind of pricy for anything harbor freight. Maybe if you stack coupons it comes out as a good deal thoug

 

[lion king]

500 seems kind of pricy for anything harbor freight. Maybe if you stack coupons it comes out as a good deal thoug

Any comparable generator is twice that price without the warranty that harbor freight offers, oh well.

 

[hotdrop]

Any comparable generator is twice that price without the warranty that harbor freight offers, oh well.

Do you buy the 2 year extended warranty or something? Harbor freight warranty on power tools in 90 days

 

[AZMSGT]

Never buy off brand on generators. Harbor Freight is cheap Chinese Junk and wouldn’t trust it. Sure some people have them and they work for them. But trusting all those lives in your tank to something should make you more willing to buy quality. Also, how much money do you have tied up in your electronics on your tank? Cheap generators will ruin expensive electronics.
In order of least expensive to most. Champion, generac, Yamaha and Honda. The main differences are typically noise and some features.

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

Costco is selling Yamaha's for 545, nice thing about them they have a fuel shut off valve, get an inverter not generator.

 

[lion king]

Do you buy the 2 year extended warranty or something? Harbor freight warranty on power tools in 90 days

We used the run the cheaper ones as a work generator 8 hours a day 7 days a week in as high as 113 degrees, they had 100% exchange for the 1st year then another year on service. This is an inverter style generator, that's like half as quite as your normal generator. You can get their normal generators for like a $150 or more less, they are just louder. For your use it will last a lifetime.

Hate to break it to you, everything is chinese junk, the generators that say otherwise, are just assembled elsewhere, with the same chinese parts.

Yeah Honda and then Yamaha are going to be heads above the rest, but so is the price tag. We ran all the others; Champion, Generac, all equal crap to the Harbor Freight. It's in my budget now to buy what ever I what as an emergency backup generator for my work van, because of how I'm going to use it, I bought the 3500w Inverter Harbor Freight, I'll never have to buy another one. The Honda would have cost me $1000 more. My full time generator Is a fuel injected 7000w Onan plumbed into my van. My home backup is the 3500w HF that I had to use once for about 6 hours a couple of years ago. It's all relative to budget and use, there is no perfect answer.

If You can get a Yamaha, similar powered for just a bit more than the HF; I would definitely chose the Yamaha.

 

[hotdrop]

https://www.costco.com/A-iPower-160...red-Inverter-Generator.product.100343958.html. I think I’d be hard pressed to find a better value for 450

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

^^^^ That is the one, thanks for posting the link, and it is even cheaper than I thought it was.