Generators, home security.

[Twigg]

WW, that's pretty much just a battery in a box with an inverter mounted on wheels. You'd need a way to charge it and attempting to recharge it through the cigarette light of a vehicle would take hours.

If you need short term portable power, yeah that'd work.

You'd be better off with a bank of several deep cycle marine batteries with at least two different means of recharging.

 

[matt]

What do you guys think of something like this in a pinch?

http://www.batteriesareus.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=25&products_id=113

not much... get a small 1500W generator instead. You can keep adding gas at least.

 

[SemiAutoSam]

Correct a smaller generator is best to start with and a larger one in reserve.

The main reason for the smaller one is fuel consumption and it makes less noise as compared to the larger one hence easier to keep quiet.

You say why am I concerned about a generator making noise ?

If you broadcast to the world that you have power when the majority does not you will draw attention to yourself and your family and the wolves will seek you out to take what you have.

not much... get a small 1500W generator instead. You can keep adding gas at least.

 

[doobie]

If you broadcast to the world that you have power when the majority does not you will draw attention to yourself and your family and the wolves will seek you out to take what you have.

Glad I can see someone coming and make head shots and 3 times the distance.

 

[matt]

You say why am I concerned about a generator making noise ?

If you broadcast to the world that you have power when the majority does not you will draw attention to yourself and your family and the wolves will seek you out to take what you have.

+1

I need to put a muffler on my gen set. I'm thinking something from a small car should be sufficient.

 

[Domenic]

I'm pretty sure that within the next 18 months we will all be considering security shutters for our homes.

I'm loading up on batteries when I see a good price. Also bought a steri pen and water purification tablets and particulate filters if we have to be away from home for a while. I really don't know what to expect, but I do not trust the lunatics at the helm of the FED and Treasury,

The people who are preaching a depression are much more articulate than the people who are predicting a 2009 turnaround.

What do you guys think of something like this in a pinch?

http://www.batteriesareus.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=25&products_id=113

Dont geta steri pen (i think this is the little mini water purifier like the old steri-straw idea) consider something like a standard backpacker pump filter. Can get more water thatway, and really is more of a proper filter. Something about thoe little pens just screams "compromise", but if youre not har up for a filter you should just drop into EMS and grab a nice filter

 

[matt]

Back on the topic of generators:

I've been wondering about alternate fuel sources to run my generator. I haven't found much... this appears to be the only one out there (eta: ok, maybe a few): http://www.propane-generators.com/

Does anyone know anything about them? Sounds like for <$200 you can get a conversion kit and hardware to connect to a protable propane tank. This would allow you to run gas OR propane interchangably - I'm thinking this could be a nice advantage in a case where gas may need to be conserved to the car/truck.

I may order a kit to try it...

Matt

ETA: here's another source: http://www.propanecarbs.com/small_engines.html
ETA2: another: http://www.hendrixsystems.com/how.html

 

[hikerlt]

this company has had some good reviews ( was mentioned on SUrvivalblog.com )...I never bought anything from them...they are in Maine:

Central Maine Diesel

here is link to a small tri-fuel generator there:

http://01856bc.netsolhost.com/order/03352.asp?page=3352

*****************

As an update, for my own home preparedness, I just bought a " used for 5 hours " gasoline 5.5kw generator, via Craigs list. I bought it from a guy who lives 1 mile from me, and he's retired and buys, fixes, resells small moter equipment on Craigs list. This generator I purchased looks new, he was selling it for a friend who just updated to a whole house system. The price was right ( IMHO) at $350, and it got me a backup solution just in case the power goes out.

I do currently have a backup for the Pellet stove, consisting of a deep cycle battery and a inverter/charger unit...but in a multi-day power outage, this would not last ( I have yet to test it out to see the extended battery life run time when powering the pellet stove). The addition of this 5.5kw generator will allow me a power source to recharge that backup battery, and provide power for the refridgerator, etc. .

Now the next steps are to get a manual transfer switch ( preferably a 6 to 10 circuit) and either find a trustworthy ELectrician to wire up the transfer panel ( seeing as how the main circuit breaker box is in my gun room ) or do the transfer box wiring myself. This way I can use the generator as a 240v souce to the transfer panel, and use 2 circuit for the 240v well pump, and 4 circuits for selected rooms in the house.

Long term goal would be to get a Diesel Lister type generator setup and/or a solar panel and deep cycle battery setup.

But I feel a bit better just having the generator now sitting there in the garage, even if I would have to use extension cords into the house when it would be running outside....

 

[Domenic]

If you could get a biodiesel Engine you could go a step further and make your own fuels

http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_make.html

 

[hikerlt]

If you could get a biodiesel Engine you could go a step further and make your own fuels

http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_make.html

the lister engines will do Biodiesel.....do a search under "lister" on craigslist for connecticut....there is a guy in NE connecticut selling them