Quote:
Originally Posted by Rapewta
Do we like it? No. Why? The design of an inexpensive generator is real noisy. It is not the exhaust system. It is in the design of the crankcase. When I run it, everyone within 10 miles can hear it.
If you live in a housing community like me, get a real expensive Honda. They are quiet.
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That's very true. Having lived in FL after many hurricanes and in Calif during the third-world-utility power outages, I can confirm that most cheap powerful generators are loud as hell and aren't making you new friends... If you want to run it after hours, the hondas are fantastic.
My Honda 2000i is more limited in what it can run, but it still will run a fridge/freezer, TV, microwave and a few lights - quietly... Ok the microwave not so quietly, that thing is a power suck and takes it right out of eco-throttle in a hurry, but the rest, you can run as long as the gas will last (6-8 hours), without pissing off the neighborhood. That counts for something...
Is there a full house generator that will run (on what?) for a week on fuel that doesn't go bad, quietly ??? This might be the way to go!
Funny story re: last outages due to Kincade fire last week, my 2000i is just good enough for my house. My annoying neighbor had no generator and begged for a line to his freezer so we obliged (and therefore could not run 1/2 our stuff). Day 2 or 3 of the outage, I unplugged him for a few minutes so my wife could make herself warm coffee with MY generator. Neighbor sneaked into my backyard and replugged himself (and popped all our home devices with his freezer)... I was gonna have a serious chat with him that involved trespassing but next time I saw him he'd bought himself one of those loud generators and made sure to point out his was 3x more powerful (and loud!!!)... F#$ckwit. Last time I help him out.
I've looked at the price of the big ones, of solar, powerwalls, honestly $1000 for a quiet honda plus an electrician to setup a connection to a few chosen circuits sounds way cheaper... My power cords solution this time was not optimal... I'd love solar plus powerwalls but that also triggers a roof rebuild, and adds up to $40K in my case, vs $2000 for a quiet generator + an electrician / switch.