You never know what life is going to throw your way. Whether your property runs on solar power, wind power, water power, the power company grid, or a combination you should expect something to happen regardless of how well you design your power system or how well the power company has provided power in the past.
That is why you need a backup power system. You don’t want to be without power whether your loss of power is due to strong storms that came through the area or as the result of a major long-term disaster or complete collapse TEOTWAWKI type collapse. Just look at it as another insurance policy.
What should you use? A backup generator provides peace of mind when living off-grid and during emergencies. And today’s generators are lighter, quieter and more efficient than ever.
Why you need a generator
We’ve all seen the stories of people rushing to hardware stores the moment a hurricane or some other natural disaster is on the radar. For many who never pictured a life off-grid, that quickly becomes a reality and they are scrambling.
That is not what you want. When you are homesteading and when you are living off-grid, everything should be outlined, and you should have preparations in place. Preparations in place for ‘what if.’
By purchasing a generator now, it will be ready when you do need it.
How do you choose the right generator
We’ve established that it is in your best interest to have a backup generator. But before you simply go to the store to buy the first generator you see, there are several questions you should ask to make sure you have the right generator for your property. Especially if you are purchasing a generator for the first time.
This is a significant investment, so let’s make sure it’s the right decision.
- Does it provide the power you need?
If you have already constructed your off-grid power system, you should have a pretty good idea of how much power you use. If you haven’t done that yet, this is a great time to start.
But for your generators, you can determine what you need, rather than just want, to keep running. This means the wattage will likely be less than what you are used to with your power system. Go through your house, look at the labels detailing wattage for each item you want to keep running (if they have it). If you can’t locate that information, here is a good chart to help you get started.
When you’ve calculated the wattages, multiply it by 1.5 and that’s what you need. With that information, you can begin looking for a generator that can provide the necessary wattage.
- Is it easy to operate?
I will always prefer easy over hard. And that certainly includes generators. So what makes something easy to use? I would look into how easy it is to maintain with prior knowledge. Is it easy to start with little force? Is it fairly automated? That can be something as simple as a fuel shutoff valve when the engine is low on fuel? it portable and easy to move if necessary?
These are just a few of the questions I would ask in determining how easy (or difficult) a generator is to operate.
- Is it durable?
While we want something that is easy to operate, we can’t sacrifice performance.
The quality of a generator can vary greatly. It often has to do with price, but there are just certain engines you know you can trust. You aren’t just buying a generator to last a few months or maybe a year or two. You want it to last.
Look for a generator that has a strong engine and is built using high-quality materials. Because you don’t want to be wondering if your generator will be there when you need it.
I chose the Honda EU2200i
If you are ready to purchase your generator, I recommend the Honda EU2200i (check current price and availability at Amazon.com) And here’s why.
First, the quality. I want something that I know I can count on. You can trust Honda. The EU2200i is a generator that was introduced in early 2018 and replaced the legendary EU2000i. That’s not always an easy thing to do, but Honda’s generators are better than ever. Between the engine and the build, the quality of this generator is tough to beat.
The engine is 2200 watts, about 10 percent more than the previous model. And one great feature is that you can pair this generator with another EU2200i or the EU2000i model for more power when necessary.
At the same time, you also get Honda’s noise reduction. I know many people think generators are just going to be obnoxiously loud. The EU2200i has a maximum of 57 decibels at full power which is about the normal noise level for conversational speech. So you get the power without the noise.
You will also enjoy great fuel efficiency. It can run for up to nine hours on less than one gallon of fuel.
It has the performance you need and it’s built to last. It has other great qualities that make it easy to use: It is lightweight, weighing less than 47 lbs. so moving it won’t be difficult, and it is pretty small at 20” x 11.4” x 16.7.” These are little things you need to keep in mind.
The engine and durability make the EU2200i or EU2000i. are both great choices. The ease of use, noise reduction, and portability make it even better.
When you are living off-grid, you need to be prepared for life to happen. For the unexpected. But with the right backup generator, you will be ready and what could have been a disaster will just be a small inconvenience at worse…
My big Champion Generator runs on duel fuel, I have only run propane in it. My last generator ran on gas only and always gave me fits about starting when I didn’t put it away properly. the new one never has to be prepped for storage.
However sense I have put in the 200w solar/battery backup system I have not needed my generator. So the two 100lb tanks and the generator set quietly in the corner waiting.
Next will be a stealth solar system that will run the whole house.
LARRY LOLLER,
We’ve gone with propane for nearly every energy need with the exception of a backup heat source with wood. Your generator and those tanks of propane will pretty much last indefinitely with a little care of the tanks. Our oldest propane tank (1000 gallon) is 19 years old, and except for keeping the weeds cut down around it, and keeping any worn paint and rust spots wire brushed and repainted, we’ve never done anything else in the way of maintenance. Gasoline and diesel OTOH have limited storage life, even when treated with additives like Stabil or PRI-G for gasoline or PRI-D for diesel or fuel oil.
IMHO you can never go wrong with propane or natural gas if you have it available.
Does it work well on propane? What was the approximate cost?
Prepared Grammy,
I’m not LARRY LOLLER; but, you can convert just about any generator to propane or natural gas.. Check out: http://uscarb.com/ for products and a ton of good information. I used these folks to convert a genny for a friend about 7 or 8 years ago. Here are some videos:
Portable Generator Conversion to Natural Gas & Propane
A comment 🙂
As some people probably recall, I am an urban apartment dweller and liquid fuel powered generators are a non-starter for me. For that matter, so are any generators. Water and wind power are also in the no-go department. Solar has a use, but only on a limited basis, such as charging battery packs, phones, Kindles, and the like.
I’ve come to accept that in a SHTF situation, or worse, I’m stuck with minimal power availability and have prepared myself for that. Here in Florida, a grid down situation in summer means I’m going to be hot. BTDT, no big deal as long as I have water, I do have a couple of rechargeable battery powered fans to treat myself. In the winter, I won’t have heat. Luckily, in Central Florida, winters are not nearly as brutal as up north, although it has gotten down to 15-degrees at night since I’ve lived here (and I was camping with Scouts when that happened – I was just fine as a former-Michigander I was prepared). Living in a cold apartment is no biggie either. Just put on more clothes and blankets and crack the water valves.
As long as I can get enough solar to recharge my power packs and batteries, I’ll be OK.
Zulu 3-6 ,
That’s the right attitude and layering up for winter even works up here in the sometimes frigid north.
Today’s low so far was 52° and right now it’s 82° and headed to 90+; but, so far the humidity is holding off so I’m still pretty comfortable. Hard to believe that just 3-4 months ago we were seeing actual temps of -20° and we were waiting for heat. I assume that complaining about the heat will begin soon, LOL.
Z36, check into the Kodiak, its a great system and if you use the Canadian Preppers coupon you can get 20% off. You will love it but its not cheap. What’s the saying you get what you pay for……….
i still have my coleman model 1750 generator from 10+years ago. it still runs and it is loud. i mainly use it when go deer hunting and hook to camper for some lighting at night. a generator is a good idea. i would like to have one of the honda’s since they are not so loud running.
I love Honda generators. They are top shelf and last. My new farm has three generators that we have used for so many things. It’s easy to just fire them up and get busy. I have one of these on my little farm truck that I’ve used every day!
Our generators get used mostly with our camping trailer, but are readily removable. We have a Honda 1000 and an ES3000i. Both are amazingly quiet for what they are. We also have a 3500 watt propane generator. I have carried the 1000 every year camping as a backup. For 7+ years, mostly just sitting, it has never failed to start by the 3rd pull (the 3000 is an electric start).
People will tell you that the Honda’s are too expensive. Since I have a bad back, 3-pull starts are VERY important to me! Yep, you can buy ones that are significantly cheaper, but when you NEED a generator, you will get really frustrated with one you have to mess with for 1/2 hour or more to get running.
In the event of an EMP or a CME will these generators work? Or inverters used in solar panels etc.
Dtr, mine will…….The Kodiak is in military grade Faraday bags. Generator and 100w of panels. Solar panels are naturally EMP resistant since they use the sun to charge ,so all of my panels may still work.
Thor1 ,
They are protected when in the bags; but, not necessarily if setup and operational when an EMP occurs. There are however things that can be done to the setup to harden them.
I don’t understand why you think using the sun to create electric energy makes panels resistant to EMP, since the photons striking the panels from the sun and the various energies created in an EMP are significantly different kinds of energy. Not even apples & oranges; but, more like peaches and watermelons.
TOP…….
https://www.backdoorsurvival.com/will-solar-panels-survive-emp/
http://www.askaprepper.com/7-things-that-will-survive-an-emp/
https://mdcreekmore.com/build-your-own-faraday-cage-heres-how-two/
Yes Sir, that is a good article and I did build a Faraday cage for sensitive electronics.
Communications, auto parts, battery chargers, ect….
Thor1,
From your linked article:
This guy doesn’t understand basic physics. The EMP may interact with things; but, it is not attracted and when traveling through any medium except free space, no radiated energy travels at the speed of light. Every transmission medium has a parameter called “velocity factor” which for most communications coaxial cables runs between 60% & 90%
Here he makes assertions with nothing to back him up.
Once again assertions based on nothing. Directly below the explosion dreting the EMP may have less energy, since the EMP is created with the interaction of the atmosphere and the magnetic field lines of the planet in what is known as the Compton Effect..
He does sort of get this one correct:
Then he shows us his lack of understanding again with:
Since the antenna will not be harmed, only the equipment connected to it could potentially be damaged and then it would depend on the type of antenna and equipment.
If all metal warehouses are indeed Faraday enclosures, the no radio will work from within them. That would include AM & FM receivers as well as cell phones and the handy talkies the people use to communicate.
And finally, even the regular visitor’s have a question and an answer in this following dialog:
Next time find a real expert like Dr. Arthur Bradley who has written and posted here.
OP, the you tube video of an EMP test by Sol-arc is the best info out there. Sol-arc makes EMP hardened solar systems. Watch the video and then comment if you wish, but I rest my case…….LOL
Thor1 ,
Unless one has seen all of the tests and has the physics background to understand them, none of us can say what is best.
They run a test in that video but don’t give any real information on the test parameters. As someone who used to run very similar compliance testing, knowing those values is critical.
While looking for that video, I found what I think is a better one here: We EMP Solar Panels, iPhone, PC, & more!
I’ve been saying for years that small equipment just sitting on the table and not connected to outside wiring, would generally be unaffected, and this video pretty much shows that.
In any case, we are not really resting our case if we assume things will work out OK, we are literally potentially betting our lives on it, so good practices & spares are still important.
OP, PS, Dr. Bradley’s last statement……. It’s anyone’s guess…. Pretty much sums it up…LOL
Thor1,
That’s true; but, the uncertainty shouldn’t stop us from using the math and physics that we do know and understand to make the best effort we can muster to mitigate the issue. Otherwise there is no need for faraday enclosures and spares.
TOP, that’s why we are preppers, we look for information, acquire supplies and learn skills. Its all about survival !
TOP, maybe because solar IS radiation…. LOL
Thor1,
Energy from the sun is indeed radiation in dozens of frequencies & spectrums, as are the radio waves in your microwave oven, your local A.M. & F.M. stations and the heat from your campfire. The problem with making false statements and assumptions to a newbie asking a question is that we can pass on bad information that could end up causing someone a problem down the road. The various kinds of steady state radiation from the sun have nothing to do with the type, magnitude, and duration of energy from an Electro Magnetic PULSE.
OP, there is no false information here on my part. Panels may have light damage but should still work. The controller & inverter needs protection or will be fried.
Thor1,
I meant no disrespect with the word false and perhaps should have used unproven or speculative. When dealing with events like an EMP that could potentially take your system down completely, it is always better to err on the side of caution until you can prove the assertion.
If I have a wall I tell you can stop a 30 caliber bullet, do you stand behind it and let me shoot, or do you fire at the wall and determine for yourself if it can actually stop the threat?
The problem with EMP is that while we pretty much understand the physics and can layer in mitigation, we have no real world way to experimentally test the theories other than dropping a real bomb, and making assumptions that our mitigation will work, could turn out to be disastrous when you need it most.
OP, the solar panels will survive if NOT hooked up. The cables are like antennas, so the won’t be harmed if NOT. See below attachment for results from Sol-arc
OP, think of solar panels on satellites or spacecraft, they don’t have the advantage of an electromagnetic shield to protect…….
Thor1 ,
Terrestrial vs. Satellite power systems are not nearly a fair comparison. First of all, the panels on the satellites are very expensive and built with integrated shielding for Cosmic Rays, X-rays, and solar light intensity not achievable on earth and those panels charge highly efficient batteris to power the birds during the solar night. Additionally, the birds can run only on batteries when the solar panels are turned away from the sun during a CME to prevent damage or destruction. NASA’s space weather prediction center watches the sun using SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) and other monitoring equipment, and this information is sent to satellite operators to allow them to take preventive measures to protect the solar panels and other sensitive equipment in and on their birds. Additionally, the particles from a CME that are hitting the panels do not contain as much energy as that of an EM Pulse and the type of energy is significantly different.
You can check this out yourself @ http://spaceweather.com/ and sign up for email alerts. Here’s the latest one I received. Ham operators use these to help predict propagation for working distance stations on HF.
Dtr ,
As is the answer to everything EMP related, “It depends”.
An older generator using a magneto (like a typical Briggs and Stratton lawnmower engine) will most likely suffer no damage, and unless the generators are connected to an antenna, like a long power cord, they are also likely to survive.
I’m in the process of adding some protection to my home, primarily from the power lines into the house, since that’s the most likely path for energy from an EMP to do damage. I’m hoping to document the steps I take and perhaps present an article here; but, since I’ve been waiting for nice weather to start that project and others and it’s finally here, we’ll start moving on it soon.
There are a series of steps you can take and technologies you can install to mitigate EMP; but, then all you can do is your best, and then cross your fingers we never see one.
For solar panels, charge controllers, and inverters, the best thing is to keep all wiring short, and shield all of it. If you take each wire bundle, wrap it with foil tape and connect all of the shields together, you can in effect create a faraday enclosure around all of the wiring while still having it in place and functional. Snapping some ferrites on the wires can also stop the high frequency pulses induced by an EMP from traveling down the wire while allowing DC and low frequency AC to pass undisturbed.
As for CME, if it’s not connected to a power line, telephone line, or other outside long wire like cable TV, these are generally not a problem, regardless of what people say about the Carrington Event on September 1st & 2nd, 1859. Back then the telegraph lines that acted as antennas stretch thousands of miles and had little or no protection against surges like the one generated by that CME.
OP. Here is a professional solar company’s testing.
https://youtu.be/ZbHK6Uqmzog
Living in Hurricane Country (FLORIDA), we’ve got a huge Generac whole-house backup generator that automatically comes on 30 seconds after our power goes out. It runs on propane and we have a 500-gallon propane tank buried right next to the generator. I’d love to bury a second tank, just in case!
Goatlover,
IMHO, your setup is rather ideal and similar to ours. We have a 16KW Generac with auto start and automatic transfer switch with 3 1000 gallon and 1 500 gallon above ground tanks. I personally don’t like the maintenance involved with buried tanks; but, it is most likely a different situation in Florida, where you never really get that deep ground penetrating cold.
Keeping in mind that even a high quality Generac propane generator needs maintenance, you need to ensure you not only have propane on hand; but, also maintenance kits and oil. The standard Generac propane fired generator (8KW to 25KW) requires maintenance every 2 years or 200 running hours. 200 running hours full time (24/7) means 200 hours every 8 days and 8 hours at which point you take the generator offline, change the spark plug, air filter, oil filter and oil. Also any time you run the generator for 24 or more hours straight, you should shut it off for a while to let the oil drain down and check the dipstick, topping it off if it’s a bit low, since any engine running full time can use a bit of oil.
Something else I did prior to having the whole house auto start generator was to put any critical system in the house on computer UPS units. Prior to the Generac these would let us ride out little glitches that might reset computers, DSL modem, or TVs and would actually power these items for quite a while during a power failure, until power was restored or we could get one of the generators hooked up and fired up. We still use these, including a large one powering my communications gear, since when the power goes out, it still takes 20-30 seconds for the generator to start, switch over, and power the house, during which everything other than the well pump just keeps on running.
I also have several normal lamps with LED light bulbs plugged into those same UPS units so even many of the lights don’t flicker during that transition.
A layered approach can keep you going with individual components added to the system as you can afford them.
I have a seldom used Coleman 1850 for emergency backup but with the purpose of regular backup is the Kodiak solar power. Even people living in apartments should check into this system. They have a solar roll panel that can be attached to it however it is not made by Kodiak and is expensive.
Every time I ran the generator a neighbor would say the next day……hey you got a generator over there……
With solar you don’t have that issue and no problem of getting fuel unless there is no sun which is why I kept the gas generator. Two is one and one is none……
The Kodiak also has another plus, it can be charged by AC or DC meaning it can be charged from a car or wall outlet. You can also attach car batteries for additional power. Its a preppers dream.
Those of us storing generators will benefit from storing them with empty fuel tanks.
If your generator has a carburetor float bowl drain the bowl and leave the drain plug out. This will ensure any fuel evaporates and doesn’t gum up the carb.
In the likely event you do not have a drain on the float bowl, follow the line that the fuel on/off lever is on down (away from fuel tank) and remove the line from the inlet to the carburetor.
This will also ensure any fuel left
In the carburetor evaporates..
I’ve stored all my gas powered equipment in this manor for
20+ years. Never had any issues with starting stored equipment.?
Mc, I always drain the tank in the generator and other gas equipment and use the fuel shut off as you stated is the way to go.
We have 3 Honda 2000 generators all with many hundreds of hours on each. One has the conversion to also use propane but the power loss with propane will keep me from using it unless I run out of gas. We run the entire house on one Honda 2000 & long ago learned to live on less power.
The Honda is high quality, quiet & very reliable for those of us living far from the crowds.