I Love Bein' Prepared

[Griff]

Electricity went off this afternoon. So... 'about dark I went out to the garage and fired up the little Honda 5K gen. Viola! Lights, TV, internet and refrigerator! Finally back on the grid. Man, but that thing burns some gasoline! But worth it! Neighbors called... "Why ain't your 'lectricity off?" Wife said, "...Honda." 23 years and this happens 'bout 2-3 times a year, and they ain't learned yet... Yep, you can lead a horse to water...

[jkbrea]

Happens to me a few times a year also. Sometimes for several hours. I have 2 Honda 2000 that I can run together. I usually hook one to my fridge and freezer in my garage. The other will run my TV, computer, fan and a couple small items. And quiet to boot. Those little guys will run about 6 hours on a gallon of gas.

[2X22]

Yep, Honda gennies are the cats meow, that is for certain. Problem is as you found out, they are thirsty when trying to muscle through and power a normal house with standard appliances.

We went off grid about 8 years ago and have never looked back. We powered our home for the first few years with just a EU2000i generator, we went with propane refrigeration/freezer, tankless hot water, propane cook stove and also an Amish made flame view wood cook stove.

But now we have a 4000w pure sinewave inverter, a single 24v industrial battery, a few solar panels, but a EU3000i generator that we run for a few hours once a week to top the battery off and we're good for a week or even longer, depending on how much the wife wants to watch TV!

Only our lights, computer, TV, washing machine and the usual kitchen items like my coffee pot and blender use any AC electricity.

And life is good!

[Griff]

Gotta admit, I'm reluctant to find out what it would take to go off grid in TX with a 2400sf home, AC demands, etc.

AND PLEASE DON'T TELL ME IF YOU KNOW!!!!

[2X22]

Gotta admit, I'm reluctant to find out what it would take to go off grid in TX with a 2400sf home, AC demands, etc.

AND PLEASE DON'T TELL ME IF YOU KNOW!!!!

I do...

And you're right, you don't want to know!

[JohndeFresno]

Good on you, Griff.

As for me, I carry my own power source.

[octagon]

Griff, a friend who is WAY off the grid fired up a straight six (GM) on blocks in his shop, and runs his whole place on one quart of fuel a day. He is no newcomer to off grid living, been out in the sticks since Nixon. His place has modern amenities.

[horsesoldier03]

The last time I pulled my generator out and got it hooked up, the lights came back on!

One of these days I need to spend the money on getting it hard wired into the house.

[Catshooter]

2X22,

Did you know that in Wa. state the state electrical inspector, if he has any reason to suspect out of code wiring he can enter your utility served premises? If you refuse, he goes and gets the county sheriff and he can force you to allow entry. No warrant needed.

Unless you;re not served by grid power. I would imagine most states have the same or similar laws.

But you've foiled them all!!!


Cat

[Tristan]

Griff, a friend who is WAY off the grid fired up a straight six (GM) on blocks in his shop, and runs his whole place on one quart of fuel a day. He is no newcomer to off grid living, been out in the sticks since Nixon. His place has modern amenities.

A quart a day? Amazing...

[Barcelona Rick]

Griff, a friend who is WAY off the grid fired up a straight six (GM) on blocks in his shop, and runs his whole place on one quart of fuel a day. He is no newcomer to off grid living, been out in the sticks since Nixon. His place has modern amenities.

A quart a day? Amazing...

My 1960 Inline 6 Chevy could run on a quart a day...a quart of re-refined 40 wt oil...

rick

[Griff]

Griff, a friend who is WAY off the grid fired up a straight six (GM) on blocks in his shop, and runs his whole place on one quart of fuel a day. He is no newcomer to off grid living, been out in the sticks since Nixon. His place has modern amenities.

A quart a day? Amazing...

My 1960 Inline 6 Chevy could run on a quart a day...a quart of re-refined 40 wt oil...
rick

[GonnePhishin]

Octagon said

Griff, a friend who is WAY off the grid fired up a straight six (GM) on blocks in his shop, and runs his whole place on one quart of fuel a day. He is no newcomer to off grid living, been out in the sticks since Nixon. His place has modern amenities.

How in God's green earth can it run all day on only a quart of fuel? When I was a kid we had a 68 Chevelle with a 230 cu in straight six
(Dad wouldn't buy the 396 or 327 ha ha ) and while it got great gas mileage, I can't imagine it running a full electrical load all day on one quart of fuel. Not being critical just wonderin'.

[Griff]

Octagon said

Griff, a friend who is WAY off the grid fired up a straight six (GM) on blocks in his shop, and runs his whole place on one quart of fuel a day. He is no newcomer to off grid living, been out in the sticks since Nixon. His place has modern amenities.

How in God's green earth can it run all day on only a quart of fuel? When I was a kid we had a 68 Chevelle with a 230 cu in straight six
(Dad wouldn't buy the 396 or 327 ha ha ) and while it got great gas mileage, I can't imagine it running a full electrical load all day on one quart of fuel. Not being critical just wonderin'.

I suspect there's some battery power and the genset just charges the batteries... no need to run 24hrs if it's set up right.

[Old Ironsights]

Octagon said

Griff, a friend who is WAY off the grid fired up a straight six (GM) on blocks in his shop, and runs his whole place on one quart of fuel a day. He is no newcomer to off grid living, been out in the sticks since Nixon. His place has modern amenities.

How in God's green earth can it run all day on only a quart of fuel? When I was a kid we had a 68 Chevelle with a 230 cu in straight six
(Dad wouldn't buy the 396 or 327 ha ha ) and while it got great gas mileage, I can't imagine it running a full electrical load all day on one quart of fuel. Not being critical just wonderin'.

I suspect there's some battery power and the genset just charges the batteries... no need to run 24hrs if it's set up right.

This. I have a writeup somewhere from an Off Grid Guy who supplements his PV/Wind system with nothing but a 100amp alternator run by a little 5(?) HP Yanmar engine. Heck, if all you are doing is topping off your battery bank just about ANY motor would work. (Got an old Hit & Miss laying around?)

I like the idea of using an old VW engine set up as a Compressor - 2 cylinders set up to fill your compressor tank 2 cylinders to Fire and the Drive running your regen alternator.

That's a win, win.

[octagon]

Uncle Buck, These guys are right, my Buddy uses the inline to top off the charge on a bank of batteries. The refrigerators are propane, further reducing the drain on the batteries. There is additionally a seasonal crick diverted to a concrete trough, with chevy alternator with big fins inverted into the trough. The crick is pretty high up, and has a good head of steam up by the time it gets to the bottom and the water spins the hell out of the alternator, further charging the battery bank.

This is not a stock alternator, he has done some simple rewiring to it to make it serve his purpose, besides the bigger fins.
Solar panels are connected to a solar tracker, that follows the sun, and provides hot water.
He lives in comfort, good sized house with computers, tv's, three kids, a good looking wife, and NO utility bills. The only thing you see, is a meter outside the battery closet that shows the charge.

[Ben_Rumson]

Yep me & wifey..We love our Honda liquid cooled 5.5kw (lectric start) All day on less than 6 gal of fuel... lights TVs refrigerator... I turn something off if I want to run the microwave or whatever...

[hfcable]

our house on the lake ' out in the valley' out away from anchorage is on the grid but weather including high winds can knock out power sometimes for days and in the winter. accordingly we had a good sized natural gas powered generator installed . it comes on automatically whenever power goes off and powers everything until power comes on. very nice peace of mind. no wirry about freeze ups etc