After 81 hours without power hurrah for Honda

[Coldshooter]

The winter snow left us without power for 81 hours. During that time my Honda EM7000iS ran continuously. It averaged 6 gallons per 24 hours. We have an oil fired boiler two refrigerators one large freezer a 220v well and all LED lighting. The Eco setting works well the inverter power is clean and constant, fuel use excellent. It is ten years old and has been used most winters. It will produce 220V direct from the generator. They are not inexpensive but the upfront cost has been well worth it.

BTW no riots, no looting, no FEMA.

 

[lonejacklarry]

I think Honda engines cannot be beaten. We have a Coleman Powermate 11000 (13.5 kw surge) and it has performed flawlessly through two extended power outages.

The long one was a little over 7 days after an ice storm. It did not get the gas mileage that some smaller ones get but it did perform.

All I did was shut it off every morning and change the oil and filter and fire it back up. We have a heat pump system and the power demands are way greater than what a 11 kw generator can handle. It will handle multiple small electric heaters, lights, and a couple of refrigerators and a hair dryer so my wife was happy.

Yes, I'd recommend a Honda powered generator to anyone.

As an aside, I use 91 octane gasoline with no ethanol. The gas lasts a really long time as compared to the stuff they peddle that supposedly is good for the environment. No worries about bad gas after a couple of months.

 

[Coldshooter]

I had not thought of 91 octane but ethanol is not marketed here so there there may not be the same issues.

 

[DWalt]

I'd often considered that a small genset (<5 KW) might be good insurance against a prolonged power outage, at least to keep food in the refrigerator and freezer cold avoiding spoilage and to keep a few lights on. In 25 years we've not had any really long outages, but we did have one for about 4 hours last week - a rare occurrence.

 

[Bugkiller99]

I got a Honda generator in '04 before one of the three hurricanes that hit us. We were without power for more than 3 weeks total.
Power it with ethanol free gas, pull it out every 2-3 weeks and let it run. Cranks on the first pull almost everytime. Runs like a top.

Well worth the money.

 

[DWalt]

There are generators can be hooked up to natural gas, which would be more feasible in anticipation of extremely long power outages. But I think they are quite expensive. Would work only if your home has a natural gas supply.

 

[hoc9sw]

I bought a Honda car, then a Honda outboard for a sailboat, then a Honda generator, all back about '82. All performed beyond expectations.

 

[Bat Guano]

There are generators can be hooked up to natural gas, which would be more feasible in anticipation of extremely long power outages. But I think they are quite expensive. Would work only if your home has a natural gas supply.

I had a Honda 6500 watt "clean power" inverter for a few years, but decided that what I really wanted was a standby unit, running on NG. Had a 14 Kw Generac installed. Generator cost about 4K, and a talented friend did the complete installation for a couple of guns in barter. I have heard that installation can run about $2500. Other than a fuse blowing in the battery charger, zero problems. Great peace of mind, and I figure to recoup my costs if and when I sell. Better return on my 6.5K than a fancier pickup...

 

[Brian41]

Not a Honda but had a Coleman and then a Generac generator for power failures. Twice I've been without power for a week and ran on generator. The last time I was low on gas and did find a gas station that had power but no credit machine line so was cash only. Fortunately I keep some cash in my safe or I'd have been searching elsewhere.
My main concerns were two freezers, two refrigerators and a very active sump pump with a battery backup but will flood my basement if power is off long enough.
Since my ex-wife just took my generator as part of our settlement I may spring for a Honda next time as expensive as they are. Any other Honda equipment I've had has been excellent.

 

[redlevel]

I bought a Honda powered Sam's Club "Black Max" 8500 starting watts genset a few years back. It has performed flawlessly, powering table saws, planers, drills, skill saws, etc. has nearly 200 hours on the meter. Cost a fraction ($999.00 plus tax) of what a Honda brand genset of that size would. We don't have extended outages like we used to. Flint EMC and Georgia Power do an excellent job of keeping limbs cut back from the lines. I intend to purchase a Honda 2000 inverter type soon. Uses much less gas than the big set, is much quieter, and would be perfect to power my wife's CPAP and a light or two. Could use the big set to keep freezer/fridge charged, and to power the well.

 

[Arik]

BTW no riots, no looting, no FEMA.

No fun

A guy at work has some fancy one. It's installed in the basement and runs on natural gas...I think. When power goes out this thing instantly kicks in by itself in a split second and powers the whole house like the was no outage. You can leave everything on and wouldn't know the difference. I know he paid a ton of money for it

 

[sw282]

l retired in July and decided l needed a ''retirement lawnmower ''...l was weary of replacing B&S powered mowers every couple years.. So l got a Honda powered Husqvarna...l hope it will last longer than my retirement... l asked around the lawn care guys what they used.. Almost all use Honda powered Husqis... l have a 10yo Honda powered pressure washer that cranks every time after sitting a year or more at a time...Not on the first pull, but on the third or fourth..

btw.. always no ethinal gas and drain tank... Honda small engines are ''American Made'' too