I saw a Honda EU Model# EU2000I1A1 for sale for a grand. But what about a deep cycle battery? This would certainly be cheaper but how long and how well can you run your stove on that? Just curious before I decied on spending a grand on a generator.
Best/most economical way to run stove during power outage?
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batteries run will depend on it's amp/hour rating, and the actual use. They also shouldn't be stored or charged inside, and outside in the cold, they drain fast unless you have the expensive AGM type as the lead type leech gases that can be kept safely inside.. At the least, you'll need the battery, a way to charge it (charge controller) and a way to power it up to ac (invertor) pure sine preferred.
its an easy G in stuff if you do it right and not through harbor freight. and the generator costs that much too and will ultimately run forever (provided fuel is on hand). where as the battery won't without a way to re-charge it (like, a solar panel, or a hamster wheel and yaks :D )
its an easy G in stuff if you do it right and not through harbor freight. and the generator costs that much too and will ultimately run forever (provided fuel is on hand). where as the battery won't without a way to re-charge it (like, a solar panel, or a hamster wheel and yaks :D )
Also, 1000 bucks isn't exactly a good price for that either.... they are 899 on some websites. shop around.
What about this http://www.homedepot.com/p/Generac-...ter-Generator-5793/202185891#customer_reviews
Anybody tried this one? Looks like a knock off on the honda generator
Anybody tried this one? Looks like a knock off on the honda generator
A UPS (what I use) with two big car size batteries can run a stove for some 10 - 15 hours (only the stove). Once the batteries are depleted.. that's it. Very difficult to recharge them with no power. A small generator will run a stove and a few lights if you can get gas. You can't get gas and store it for 10 months... The small generator will power the UPS so it'll keep the stove going when you shut it off for refiling.
I'm looking at a LP gas generator... no gas problems (bad gas) and you can get 3 or 4 twenty five pound cans and keep them for years. I'm in NJ and usually every few years we get a 20 min to 4 hour outage. We were without power for 7 days during Sandy... after 3 days without power we stayed for 3 days near our son's house in South Jersey that never lost power.
I'm looking at a LP gas generator... no gas problems (bad gas) and you can get 3 or 4 twenty five pound cans and keep them for years. I'm in NJ and usually every few years we get a 20 min to 4 hour outage. We were without power for 7 days during Sandy... after 3 days without power we stayed for 3 days near our son's house in South Jersey that never lost power.
It all depends if you need uninterrupted power source or not! I have both but my battery back-up is my most important as i am gone to work and want a cozy home when i get home. Then i can use the generator when i'm home and to power other things for more comfort....
Make an extended visit to a friend/family that has power and a stove (and beer). 
J/K all of above are good suggestions.
---Nailer---
J/K all of above are good suggestions.
---Nailer---
I have a ups on the stove and it runs it for about an hour without power on medium. This covers 90% of power failures in my area. Thunderstorms, idiot hits a pole, etc etc... usually power is restored with an hour. If i'm home, it beeps at me, and I get a 10 min warning to shut it down manually to let the fire die, and get the smoke out, before the ups is completely depleted.
I'm looking into getting a 2nd BIG marine agm type battery in the garage and charge it with a trickle charger/tender once a week or so (i'm in the garage once a week messing around/cleaning/fixing/etc anyway, so it will just be part of my weekend process). I haven't looked at the logistics of hooking this up yet, and it will void all warranties on the ups. Mainly, the charge controller on it shouldn't be used. So, this should never be plugged in when there's street power. So, i'm still not 100% on that idea either.
For the other 10% of the time, like in the case of Sandy/October snowpocolypse... power is out for days, if not weeks.
In all these times, fuel was basically impossible to find. Gas lines were miles long. Short of rotating gas into your car and filling 5 gal cans at the gas station all the time, it's hard to keep it long term even with fuel stabilizers. Not to mention the smells and epa hippie stuff of spills, doing it, getting a funnel that will stay in and hold down the gas pin, and so on. .... it's a 2-person job when you're holding 5 gal of fuel to boot.
I think even if I had a generator, its usefulness would have run its course in a day or two before the fuel ran out. Sure, you can be better at this than I, and even rotate in or syphon from cars (tricky these days), but ultimately, YOU end up being the point of failure because you put the gas in your snowblower last week and haven't replaced it when the power goes out.
I like the idea of propane/NG, but it's not at the street here. LP tanks makes the most sense.
But finidng a tri-carb machine is hard.... at least for a reasonable price. I think the Honda one has an add-on carb for $250 on top of it to get the lp hooked up.
LP is pretty easy to get and fill, and having it on hand for the grill serves double duty for cooking in the outage. Ultimately, this is the way I think i'm going to end up going. keeping the ups for 90%, and getting an LP powered generator, sub panel, etc put in and get the dual link gen cable to run 2 (for 4000 watts) so I can run most of my house stuff like fridge, stove, lights, etc.
and $2750 later..... lol
I'm looking into getting a 2nd BIG marine agm type battery in the garage and charge it with a trickle charger/tender once a week or so (i'm in the garage once a week messing around/cleaning/fixing/etc anyway, so it will just be part of my weekend process). I haven't looked at the logistics of hooking this up yet, and it will void all warranties on the ups. Mainly, the charge controller on it shouldn't be used. So, this should never be plugged in when there's street power. So, i'm still not 100% on that idea either.
For the other 10% of the time, like in the case of Sandy/October snowpocolypse... power is out for days, if not weeks.
In all these times, fuel was basically impossible to find. Gas lines were miles long. Short of rotating gas into your car and filling 5 gal cans at the gas station all the time, it's hard to keep it long term even with fuel stabilizers. Not to mention the smells and epa hippie stuff of spills, doing it, getting a funnel that will stay in and hold down the gas pin, and so on. .... it's a 2-person job when you're holding 5 gal of fuel to boot.
I think even if I had a generator, its usefulness would have run its course in a day or two before the fuel ran out. Sure, you can be better at this than I, and even rotate in or syphon from cars (tricky these days), but ultimately, YOU end up being the point of failure because you put the gas in your snowblower last week and haven't replaced it when the power goes out.
I like the idea of propane/NG, but it's not at the street here. LP tanks makes the most sense.
But finidng a tri-carb machine is hard.... at least for a reasonable price. I think the Honda one has an add-on carb for $250 on top of it to get the lp hooked up.
LP is pretty easy to get and fill, and having it on hand for the grill serves double duty for cooking in the outage. Ultimately, this is the way I think i'm going to end up going. keeping the ups for 90%, and getting an LP powered generator, sub panel, etc put in and get the dual link gen cable to run 2 (for 4000 watts) so I can run most of my house stuff like fridge, stove, lights, etc.
and $2750 later..... lol
dhall28
Burning Hunk
x2 for propane if going with a generator. during the off season and when i'm not busy with stoves i help fix small engine equipment and the gasoline today is horrible. if you dont like the idea of having to plan on running your generator every month to every other month and rotating stabilized gas every six months to a year id get a propane generator. propane has a shelf life that will out last a human when stored correctly.
kmapsrule
Member
While its been very rare that we get a power outage that lasts more than 2 hours,
we use an inverter that plugs into the cigarette lighter in the car.
I'd prefer a generator, but the inverter does the trick for short intervals.
we use an inverter that plugs into the cigarette lighter in the car.
I'd prefer a generator, but the inverter does the trick for short intervals.
LP for generators is fine, so long as you're not trying to power a big generator in freezing temps. LP fuel delivery gear does not like extreme cold and big demands will freeze up a 20lb cylinder in no time.
PoolGuyinCT
Feeling the Heat
Stored is not great, but probably won't kill you.
CHARGING is where the gases get released from the lead acid type.
If its AGM, you're ok.... but venting is still a good idea.
if not, it should be in a battery 'case' sealed, and vented outside.
here's a few images I pulled off google for some homemade solutions.
![[Hearth.com] Best/most economical way to run stove during power outage?](/talk/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.altwindpower.com%2Fimages%2Fbatterybox%2Fbattery-box-2.JPG&hash=85af51afa4dd886595570ecb38ff60ce "[Hearth.com] Best/most economical way to run stove during power outage?")
And that's for a bank. again, 1 probably won't kill you.
Just if you can, charge it in the garage, not inside and you should be fine.
CHARGING is where the gases get released from the lead acid type.
If its AGM, you're ok.... but venting is still a good idea.
if not, it should be in a battery 'case' sealed, and vented outside.
here's a few images I pulled off google for some homemade solutions.
And that's for a bank. again, 1 probably won't kill you.
Just if you can, charge it in the garage, not inside and you should be fine.
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