Run Harman Accentra Insert off generator

[JimmyJackson182]

Hey all,

I have read about 20k posts and can’t get a straight answer, maybe you can help!

Can I run-and how would I hook up-my harman insert from my generator?

Background: my stove is hard wired to its own box in the basement I think, not plugged in. And my generator is a durostsr 4000s.

Thanks!

 

[jackman]

You will need to un-hard wire the stove or have the stove circuit wired to a transfer switch installed near the generator/main power panel. It would be best to hire an electrician if you are not comfortable with DIY electrical wiring.

 

[BigJohnfromCT]

Hey all,

I have read about 20k posts and can’t get a straight answer, maybe you can help!

Can I run-and how would I hook up-my harman insert from my generator?

Background: my stove is hard wired to its own box in the basement I think, not plugged in. And my generator is a durostsr 4000s.

Thanks!

Hire an electrician and have him install an interlock switch on you CB panel. Run what you want, when you want not exceeding load capacity of genny.

 

[Mt Bob]

Lots of cheap generators have nasty output,which can damage the stove.Here is some reading for you.https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/lets-talk-generators.92881/

 

[Tonyray]

Hey all,

I have read about 20k posts and can’t get a straight answer, maybe you can help!

Can I run-and how would I hook up-my harman insert from my generator?

Background: my stove is hard wired to its own box in the basement I think, not plugged in. And my generator is a durostsr 4000s.

Thanks!

with the transfer box installed as shown,[ that big ugly 30 amp plug goes into the generator on one end [male] and into and outlet box[female] outside on our porch and is wired all the way to that box.]

you can run up to 10 circuits of your choosing...[basically it comes in handy for hardwired stuff like a oil furnace, hot water heater, or any thing that does not plug into an outlet..."YOU ARE ENERGIZING INDIVIDULE CIRCUITS".same as electric from the poles.. we just lost power here for 24 hours and our 7500 watt generator ran the pellet stove, oil furnace for hot water, fridge, tv room and all componets, microwave, kitchen stuff and over head lights, whole rooms etc... basically, hotel living during a power outtage, 900.00 for the generac generator, 350.00 for the transfer box..got all this right before Hurricane Sandy 5 yrs ago... well worth it..

 

[Overfireinthehole]

Be sure to use some kind of surge protection and don’t plug anything into the genny until it’s run for a couple minutes in case of surges. If it’s a pure sine wave generator or an actual inverter then your probably safe, but a surge protector doesn’t hurt either way. I hate when I see stoves hardwired in. Makes it a pain to service if it’s on the same circuit as the outlets in the room. I always carry an extension cord for my vac for that very reason.

 

[Tonyray]

Be sure to use some kind of surge protection and don’t plug anything into the genny until it’s run for a couple minutes in case of surges. If it’s a pure sine wave generator or an actual inverter then your probably safe, but a surge protector doesn’t hurt either way. I hate when I see stoves hardwired in. Makes it a pain to service if it’s on the same circuit as the outlets in the room. I always carry an extension cord for my vac for that very reason.

I do have a surge or spike protector on my panel box and for extra added, i have a surger plugged into the outlet then the stove is plugged into it.

 

[Overfireinthehole]

The best protection comes with a warranty. If they aren’t willing to back up the product with some money, it’s probably not that great of a unit.

 

[fmsm]

You need a pure sine wave generator or an inverter. A regular generator produces dirty power that can damage your control board. You CAN”T filter that out with a surge protector.

 

[Ssyko]

Put one of these between your generator and any electronics and go. Weather you have a clean or dirty output.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000512LA/?tag=hearthamazon-20

 

[klincker]

A lot of generators also come with the AVR technology built into the system, but how does AVR compare to an inverter? I only have an old 3550 running my oil furnace and water pump right now. Power has been out here since Friday's storm and we are getting another foot tomorrow.

 

[Ssyko]

AVR takes AC converts it to DC then back to clean AC.
Inverter takes DC and converts to clean AC

 

[BigJohnfromCT]

"You need a pure sine wave generator or an inverter."

I think you are painting with a very broad brush. I have a Generac portable that I've used many times with no problems. It powers my pellet stove, TVs, refrigerator, desktop, etc. All with sensitive electronics/computers on board. Most have surge protectors save the refrigerator.

 

[alternativeheat]

I already posted about the Troybilt 5500 running the/our pellet stove. I also have a Briggs and Stratton Storm Defender 6250 that will do the same thing ( either will run that, the oil heat, hot water, two refrigerators a chest freezer, an outlet or two and half the house lighting and more if I had a big transfer box like Tony has). The 5500 is a little better on gas. We were out for 4 days in all on this last storm, the stove never hick-upped but the generator sucked a piece of plastic wrap in through the vents and cooked the brush pack on the third day ( the voltage regulator and brushes are right there on the end by the vent). So I switched the cable over to the 6250 and was up and running again. In the storm I went online on this computer and ordered a brush set and regulator, it cost me a big $24 and overnight shipping for $8.50. I cleaned up the slip rings the brushes ride on with 400 sand paper and some OOO steel wool, made smooth as silk and that genny is back up and running on the old regulator and new brush pack.

Incidentally the voltage regulator is AVR and in fact the 6250 has digital read outs on it !. I've never fried any electronics in this house from running the generator, all those household units listed above have LCD'S and several have electronic controls on them. The pellet stove though is on a plug in surge protector. FWIW today's generators really don't surge, you're lucky if you can get voltage to fluctuate 1 volt and both generators will do start up from a cold house with all the items on the transfer switch, you just go down and hit one at a time and let it stabilize, Hit the next etc. My first breaker causes a 1000 watt draw because the hot water heater, though gas, is heater element fired plus power vented and the boiler is on the same circuit. So if things are cold that all comes on at once on that first breaker. The generator doesn't break a sweat but you can hear it load up on start up and see it hit about 1300 watts then settle back..

We have another storm tonight with 60mph winds, the winds just started howling a few minutes ago. But this one is not supposed to turn into a monster. That last storm hit 93mph at it's peak next town over and 88 right here. Lost a tree, had to have a tree service remove it, it uprooted and was leaning over the power line hung up in another tree that stopped it from coming on down. The tree guys said the next 40mph storm would have taken it down the rest of the way ( about a 60-70' locust tree).

Edit: I meant to say that the 6250 generator with everything running at once on my 6 circuit transfer switch is running at 23% capacity, that's with all the items mentioned above on at the same time. It runs at about 14% as items come and go otherwise and I've seen it down to 8%. So I intend to get a larger transfer switch, a 10 circuit one and mostly add on lights and another outlet or two ( however the house is wired, the heavy stuff is already on line). Even so we are good this way, we have heat and hot water, freezers and refrigerators, a few lights and two wall plugs as is, so run some cords here or there from them to lamps and such. And that's not even touching the 120 outlets on the generator ( the 5500 has 4, the 6250 has 6), this is all off the 240 plug going to the panel in the basement. Putting in the generator and transfer switch was a rush job about 12 years ago or so and the 6 circuit box is what I found on short notice and actually all I found locally. Going into next winter I intend to upgrade that transfer switch.

 

[klincker]

AVR takes AC converts it to DC then back to clean AC.
Inverter takes DC and converts to clean AC

I think you have that backwards. Inverter Generators take AC, convert to DC, and then back to clean AC with pure sine wave.

A inverter takes DC from a Battery and converts to clean AC.

I believe AVR only attempts to smooth out the AC produced by a traditional generator. could be wrong or missing something.

 

[Ssyko]

Just going buy what i read, it is on the web so its gotta be right lmao
An automatic voltage regulator (AVR) is a electronic device for automatically maintaining generatoroutput terminal voltage at a set value under varying load and operating temperature. It controls output by sensing the voltage Vout at a power-generating coil and comparing it to a stable reference.

Most cheap portable generators have fixed excitation. In such machines, when an alternator is loaded, its terminal voltage drops due to its internal impedance. This impedance is formed of leakage reactance, armature reactance and armature resistance. The Vout also depends on the power factor of the load. That's why to maintain Vout within tighter limits, more expensive models use an AVR. Note that all AVRs are generally slow to respond to fast transient loads. Some high-end models, such as Honda EB10000 use more accurate digital DAVR.