Thread: Petrol Generator Advice Required

Looking at getting a back-up generator for home. Run a couple of fridge/freezers in the garage in a power-cut, and be good to use with a portable compressor.

What size do I need, eg a Honda 2200 or will that be too small for a couple of fridges?

You want 5.5kv preferably 7.5 kv to run a house at least. An electric jug will make that Honda struggle but if you limit yourself to just the freezers and the compressor isn't a direct drive one you might get away with it. Personally I would go 3.5 kv.

bigger is better.

Ok great, good to know.

I have had a Honda 20i for 20 years
Use it a lot for work
It easily does the tasks you listed
You don't need to run The freezers all the time it all at once
Brilliant generator
Very fuel efficient

The Honda 220i is even better and the exact same size

Main thing is it big enough to run the espresso coffee machine ?

Most important item in the house

Yeah just thinking I need to be able to shift it (lift) rather than a static generator. I need 2.

Originally Posted by akaroa1

Main thing is it big enough to run the espresso coffee machine ?

Most important item in the house

That's the one!

i know of a mate in canterbury who bought a petrol 3 phase generator and it was cheaper to buy it and ship it from auckland than buy local. so shop around.

Originally Posted by akaroa1

I have had a Honda 20i for 20 years
Use it a lot for work
It easily does the tasks you listed
You don't need to run The freezers all the time it all at once
Brilliant generator
Very fuel efficient

The Honda 220i is even better and the exact same size

Yes exact same as @akaroa1 states above - had one 15 years - had the 30i Honda last 5 years
But the 20i will do freeze and fridge and not cost a lot in fuel
Boil jugs a no no with any alternate powere soure
Gas ring with kettel or pot if need be

add up the watts consumption of your gear, buy once cry once genies like gt power split the rating between all plugs so you might find one plug wont have the power needed and running ac welders can make them trip on overload

I've got a Honda EU22I. I bought it because I was sick of all the power cuts we were getting. Since I've had it I think we have only had one power cut, a scheduled maintenance of 6 hours.
No power for me means no house pump. No shower if that time of the day. Dunnies we can fill by carting water in buckets from the tanks but that's a pain.

I wanted an inverter gene so I could run TV etc. If you don't wish to run sensitive electronics one of the cheap larger capacity Chinese one would do. Good luck with some of them if they develop a fault.

Obviously with my Honda I cannot power up the whole house but I don't need to in an outage, just some essentials.

For hot water I bought a 230v travel jug (4.8 amps). My house pump draws 6 amps start/2.24 amps run.
Freezer (largish) 3.74 amps start/0.47 amps run. Fridge, never tested but rated at 0.7 amps run.

Freezers aren't an issue unless you experience a real long outage plus just don't open them.

I've run smaller skill saws, disk grinders, 1/2 " drills no trouble.

One thing to watch for is some genes are optimistically (or just plain fraulentally) rated with with actual max output only being 80% of nametag/claimed rating.

The Hondas are usually true to their claimed rating.

This is a guide although my fridge and freezer don't draw anywhere near what the chart suggests.

Yes in same boat if power out then no water pump. Sounds like freezers aok if kept shut so compressor and water pump...Honda EU22i sounds the ticket.

To put the icing on the cake...i installed a change over switch in my switchboard. Basically, if the power goes out u just plug the cable from the generator into said plug on side of your house, turn the switch over to “generator” from “mains” and just carry on as normal. Depending on the size of your generator you may have to careful not to run the kettle and oven at the same time but other than that it’s business as usual. Saves running bloody cords everywhere, I’ve got multiple freezers, water pump etc