Making yer own backup generator?

Existential Angst · 2012-07-12T13:55:17+00:00

Awl -- The online big-box for generators appears to be I was seriously looking at Generacs, woulda bought one some time ago if the lead time wasn't MONTHS, after all that weather bullshit in the northeast.Then I started hearing some dicey stuff about the Generac engine AND their crappy service, and they weren't nearly as quiet as one is led to believe (some youtube vids).So ahm still poking around, cuz I really need a backup, and I found these guys (in Maine), put together their own generator systems, using nat gas Honda engines.Now, here's the Q:Is this something a half-baked diy-er can do, or is it best left to people who, well, actually do this? As I understand it, any gasoline engine can be pretty straightforwardly converted to nat gas, and all's you need is the generator motor and an automatic voltage regulator -- or so I think.Or is it the case where it's not so hard to do, put procuring the parts at an economical price is the difficult part?Such as where they're asking $12-1300 for the Honda motor itself.... which is already a substantial fraction of what generatorsales is asking....Generator sales has a 13,750 W jobbie (double the net wattage of the low-end Generac), for a few more dollars, and a much simpler (read: reliable?) system it seems -- ballpark $2,000. Plus you can *talk* to these guys in Maine, without all the big-box bullshit.Next Q: Can these things be made substantially quieter with an automotive-type muffler? An enclosure?Any other companies making affordable nat gas gensets?

Jul 12, 2012 82 Replies

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grmiller 14 years ago

In order to accomplish my four day work schedule, I worked 7:30 AM till 6:00 PM. The air handling unit shut down at 5:00 and BOY did that place get stuffy in a hurry!

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