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B112
USA
5230 Posts |
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skunkhome
USA
12827 Posts |
 Posted - 12/30/2008 : 23:02:24
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| Well, Michael, My first thought was $800 is a powerful lot of money to house a $700. generator. I was thinking of building an out house for mine if I don't break down and get a whole house unit. |
  Phil
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither safety nor liberty."
Benjamin Franklin |
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B112
USA
5230 Posts |
Posted - 12/30/2008 : 23:29:41
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| Phil, I feel the $800 is too much also; read the second link because that solution got blasted and defended in the same article. There are a lot of issues to consider. My major issue is how far away from the house the generator shed should be to avoid burning the house down. I just bought a small Generac generator (a DYI model) and I'm looking at some options. |
Michael |
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skunkhome
USA
12827 Posts |
Posted - 12/31/2008 : 00:19:44
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Michael, I too have a small 5500W generatio I bought after Gustav. Right now it is
sitting in my tractor shed (on room) as I don't have anything better. It's location makes it hard to do a test run each month. |
Phil
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither safety nor liberty."
Benjamin Franklin |
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B112
USA
5230 Posts |
Posted - 12/31/2008 : 08:34:32
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| That's the same problem I have. My generator is proped between my truck and car, just right so we don't hit the doors. I need a generator shed. I found the plastic shed which was $749-800, felt it was high in price for what it was and then found the article where the president of that company argued back. I think the steel encased Generacs are the right solution. I saw a control box with electronic routing equipment for video cameras (homeland security stuff) and it housed some really expensive routing equipment. I observed as workers were maintaining the equipment and asked some basic questions. I found they had environmental monitoring in the box, fans and heaters. Basically the steel box kept the elements out, temps/humidity right, and was quite compact. The solution may just be getting a metal box for a generator. Perhaps a Jobsite box and vent it? |
Michael |
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B112
USA
5230 Posts |
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haykarenhardy
USA
199 Posts |
Posted - 12/31/2008 : 12:17:53
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Generators are an interesting subject and confusing one. Since I have lots of time off until Jan 5 ? I will add my two cents. I purchased a porter cable 5500 watt with B & S vanguard commercial engine 9 hp in 05. I put a propane conversion kit on it and run it off two 20 pound tanks and two 30 pound tanks. We have no natural gas and at the time no 500 gallon propane tank like I have now. Never used it much except ran it every month like recommended. Until September 08 and ran it three days using the generator about 35 hours. Ran refrigerator, water pump freezer, and lights at 2.4 pounds per hour. I have it in a garage far enough from the home we should be safe. Yes I have a transfer switch set up and can move the generator outside my garage if I want. They make a lot of heat, also have flex pipe to run exhaust outside. I know of two outside unites that were used at this time, one was fine and the other had a dead battery and needed jumped to start it. Also back in the 70's an Ice storm went through Ohio, several farmers who had tractor driven units outside were burnt up due to ice covering the cooling vents on the generator. I wanted something simple that worked. I never found an answer for all the trouble mother nature drops on us from time to time.
Stan
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olcowhand
USA
5115 Posts |
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B112
USA
5230 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2009 : 21:58:59
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Here's a writeup on an accident in a home storing gas in the garage using a 5 gallon can. Water heater in the garage. I know someone who has a water heater in their garage and I don't think it's 18" off the floor. Note, the usage in this article is for running a generater due to the hurricanes knocking out power.
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/09/29/Northpinellas/Stored_gas_in_sealed_.shtml
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jimmyj
Canada
1081 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2009 : 08:02:50
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The small shed is great Daniel. We have a 6500watt (surge) portable unit we use a couple of times a year. I could never justify the $4000+ cost for a permanent standby unit. I think the guy in the post is very smart to keep a fire extinguisher beside the genny. I will do that too from now on.
Note: We keep the gen in the shop, about 70 feet from the house and drag it over when we need it. No shed. I think the shed in the post is great and if it was on wheels it could be towed over. |
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skunkhome
USA
12827 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2009 : 09:07:30
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| I have been toying with building a fence like enclosure lined with corrugated roofing or hardyboard. For you boaters it would look like a dock box. 84 page paper on storage shed? Probably has to use the ole reminder "lefty, loosey; righty, tighty" |
Phil
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither safety nor liberty."
Benjamin Franklin |
Edited by - skunkhome on 01/05/2009 11:36:08 |
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B112
USA
5230 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2009 : 11:37:07
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I like the example Dan showed us. That example I believe they run the generator with the sides down and in the protection of the overhang roof. I have an overhang roof, but it will not provide enough protection from the elements. Nice box though. I had an electrician run a 30amp line to my garage so I can put a generator plug in the garage and a transfer switch in the basement. You'll be finding me posting a lot of safety research and installation notes on generators as I've purchased a second Generac system for my VT properties. So I have one standby generator and one emergency generator. Lots of work ahead still...
Phil, keep us in the loop on what you construct. 84 page paper? |
Michael |
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skunkhome
USA
12827 Posts |
Posted - 09/14/2011 : 21:23:16
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This is my new generator box in use. It is far from perfect but it does work and is a start.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7KDaTYIBXA |
Phil
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither safety nor liberty."
Benjamin Franklin |
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olcowhand
USA
5115 Posts |
Posted - 09/14/2011 : 22:45:19
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| I think it looks fine Phil. I might be a bit worried about the fan dying on me & not knowing in time though. Maybe having 2 fans would be the ticket. |
Daniel in Ky -- So much to do, so little time!
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K1dan
USA
140 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2011 : 08:02:08
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| Phil, I am very concerned about the proximity to your building. I couldn't see where your exhaust discharges, but it in my opinion it is much too close. I will have mine at least 20 feet from the building and the exhaust directed away. |
Together we can do anything.. The impossible just takes longer!
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haykarenhardy
USA
199 Posts |
Posted - 09/17/2011 : 08:16:49
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Phil
I think olcowhand is right, you could use another fan in your shed. If you have a indoor outdoor thermometer put the out door probe in the shed and see how hot is gets in there.
Stan |
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Topic |
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Generator Shed Projects
