Home Generator

[Cowcatcher]

I’ve actually got two. If it ever rains I’ll have no choice but to put it in the garage. But I am gonna run a pipe for the exhaust and I have two windows I can open. I know that ain’t smart but I can’t get it wet. Unless they make a cover I can put on it to protect it while it runs.

I've got one that spent a week outside running in crappy weather that is still reliable 15yrs later. I'd say the gas tank acts as a roof and the engine running keeps everything pretty dry. A couple posts and a tarp would make a decent tent and they wouldn't take up much room in the garage for storage.

 

[Cowcatcher]

Did you run that new mochine enough to get an idea of fuel consumption yet? I've got a Cummins onan 5k and I had a McCullough 6k. The Onan would run twice as long as the Mc with the same fuel capacity and under same load.

 

[DRC458]

I’ve actually got two. If it ever rains I’ll have no choice but to put it in the garage. But I am gonna run a pipe for the exhaust and I have two windows I can open. I know that ain’t smart but I can’t get it wet. Unless they make a cover I can put on it to protect it while it runs.

Be careful. Be very, very careful. I have a friend and former co-worker who did something similar during one of our ice storms. Sent the rest of his family to a motel while he stayed home to keep the generator running to service things like refrigerator and freezer. Well, it went on for days, you can't stay awake forever, and he thought he had 'adequate' ventilation for the generator. NOT! Damn near killed him, and he suffered permanent brain damage. AFAIK he is still alive, but has not been the same since. Please ... be very careful. My plan is, I've got a heavy-duty 50 foot extension cord which will run from inside my garage (heating unit and fuse panel) to my generator which will be on a covered patio. If I have to, I will run other extension cords for lighter duty stuff, like refrigerator and lights.

 

[Fredkrueger100]

Be careful. Be very, very careful. I have a friend and former co-worker who did something similar during one of our ice storms. Sent the rest of his family to a motel while he stayed home to keep the generator running to service things like refrigerator and freezer. Well, it went on for days, you can't stay awake forever, and he thought he had 'adequate' ventilation for the generator. NOT! Damn near killed him, and he suffered permanent brain damage. AFAIK he is still alive, but has not been the same since. Please ... be very careful. My plan is, I've got a heavy-duty 50 foot extension cord which will run from inside my garage (heating unit and fuse panel) to my generator which will be on a covered patio. If I have to, I will run other extension cords for lighter duty stuff, like refrigerator and lights.

I am gonna look for something I can put over it to protect it. My manual says to NOT allow it to be in rain or anything like that so I want to follow their rules. I don’t want to end up dead or anymore brain dead than I already am. Lol. If I do end up doing it I doubt I would be running it very long and I will stick my sensor next to the garage to make sure I don’t get poisoning.

 

[elwoodtrix]

I am gonna look for something I can put over it to protect it. My manual says to NOT allow it to be in rain or anything like that so I want to follow their rules. I don’t want to end up dead or anymore brain dead than I already am. Lol. If I do end up doing it I doubt I would be running it very long and I will stick my sensor next to the garage to make sure I don’t get poisoning.

This is for a pool filter/pump. Looks like you could make or buy something similar!

 

[DRC458]

This is for a pool filter/pump. Looks like you could make or buy something similar!

That's an idea! Or, what about one of those poly doghouses or storage buildings? I know you can get some pretty big dog houses and pretty small storage units!

 

[Timmy59]

I am gonna look for something I can put over it to protect it. My manual says to NOT allow it to be in rain or anything like that so I want to follow their rules. I don’t want to end up dead or anymore brain dead than I already am. Lol. If I do end up doing it I doubt I would be running it very long and I will stick my sensor next to the garage to make sure I don’t get poisoning.

1 or 2 pieces of sheet metal and a couple few 2x4s should build a protective hut for it.. Dog house for the genny, couple conduit clamps and some rebar should anchor it in place..

 

[Shadowrider]

Be careful. Be very, very careful. I have a friend and former co-worker who did something similar during one of our ice storms. Sent the rest of his family to a motel while he stayed home to keep the generator running to service things like refrigerator and freezer. Well, it went on for days, you can't stay awake forever, and he thought he had 'adequate' ventilation for the generator. NOT! Damn near killed him, and he suffered permanent brain damage. AFAIK he is still alive, but has not been the same since. Please ... be very careful. My plan is, I've got a heavy-duty 50 foot extension cord which will run from inside my garage (heating unit and fuse panel) to my generator which will be on a covered patio. If I have to, I will run other extension cords for lighter duty stuff, like refrigerator and lights.

Be careful with any cover that's part of your house. Heard on the news of a family that was killed and theirs was outside too. Seems the soffit vents allowed the CO in and it permeated the house killing them. This was in OKC a few years back.

 

[Okie4570]

Be careful with any cover that's part of your house. Heard on the news of a family that was killed and theirs was outside too. Seems the soffit vents allowed the CO in and it permeated the house killing them. This was in OKC a few years back.

During the 2015 Thanksgiving and Christmas ice storms, most of my area was out from anywhere from 3-15 days. We ran on several calls with CO detectors triggered due to on demand generators that were close to the home, and the exhaust wasn't routed above the eave of the house. CO filled the attic spaces through the soffit vents. Most were new, large homes.

 

[SoonerP226]

Be careful with any cover that's part of your house. Heard on the news of a family that was killed and theirs was outside too. Seems the soffit vents allowed the CO in and it permeated the house killing them. This was in OKC a few years back.

I had a coworker who had a "professionally" installed permanent gennie, and they discovered that the "professional" wasn't all that great when he and his entire family ended up in the hospital with CO poisoning. It has been a few years, but I seem to recall the problem being that it had been placed too closely to a fresh air intake, but it could've been an "in through the soffits" situation.