koreaon, the real function of a generator is to power up the inversor. then you switch it off. someone may correct me but i think a small generator burns something like 150 pesos of fuel per hour. and you need some space for it: the generator plus tank need room; they also need ventilation and they are better placed outside of the house altogether because they make hell of a noise and produce hell lot of fumes.
- Thread starter lisagauss
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Storm coming....is a generator necessary?
Great advice. Maybe an extra 4 batteries may be a better buy than a generator? Generators Ive seen online are going for nearly $20K pesos, 5KW gasoline ones. Im pretty sure this time of the year generator prices are higher than normal. Any suggestions on where to buy a generator for a good price?
An extra 4 batts will definitely help keep you going longer but keep in mind, you're electricity usage will go up since you have to use double to electricity now to charge your battery bank. Also, it will take twice as long to charge.
As Tonto said, a generator is a backup for the inverter. When your batteries go dead (if youre frugal you can stretch the use of 8 batts up to 4-5 days with no heavy appliances running) and the electricity hasnt been restored, you'll need a generator. A small gen will not charge 8 batteries. You will need a decent 4-5 kilowatt generator to charge the batteries up without damaging them, the inverter or the generator. Diesel generators are recommended for longevity of use and price of usage per hour. They are much more expensive though. A gasoline generator will do for the couple times a year you might need it.
BTW, generators need to placed a good distance from any open windows or doors. No where near the inside of a home. It will kill you otherwise.
An extra 4 batts will definitely help keep you going longer but keep in mind, you're electricity usage will go up since you have to use double to electricity now to charge your battery bank.
Is that true? I would imagine you will be paying for the electricity you are going to have that normally you wouldn't have when your four batteries ran out, but once charged I suppose they will be only need to be recharged with the used charge after a blackout. While in most cases a blackout doesn't take that long to completely discharge 4 batteries I would expect the charging time and cost not be that different. It would be different if in your situation a blackout causes your 4 batteries to ran out, charging 8 will than cost you more but also give you more electricity.
Is that true? I would imagine you will be paying for the electricity you are going to have that normally you wouldn't have when your four batteries ran out, but once charged I suppose they will be only need to be recharged with the used charge after a blackout. While in most cases a blackout doesn't take that long to completely discharge 4 batteries I would expect the charging time and cost not be that different. It would be different if in your situation a blackout causes your 4 batteries to ran out, charging 8 will than cost you more but also give you more electricity.
Read this a few times and just couldnt figure out what you meant.
Charging a bank of 8 batteries will cost you roughly twice as much as charging a bank of 4 batteries. If the power outage doesnt completely discharge them, then of course, it will not be as expensive to charge them back up.
What I was trying to say was that, dont be surprised if your electricity bill goes up a little more when you have frequent power outages (almost sounds like bs, but its true) if you double the amount of batteries.
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The best ides is not to prepare for this storm, but to BE Prepared for All Storms!
I have been through two full blown hurricanes here, and a ton of smaller blows.
The power has gone out for up to 10 days.We are prepared!
Always!
20 , 5 gallon water bottles, food for at least two months, 3 tanks of propane.
A cistern full of water, a "Tinaco" full of water, and you can fill all your bath tubs if a storm is imminent.
Candles, batteries, buckets, tarps, you name it, we got it!
It serves for all disasters, even the Man made kinds!
And "Dog & Cat food too!
"Bring It On"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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A huge generator with fuel to run 10 hours a day for a few weeks helps too!
I have been through two full blown hurricanes here, and a ton of smaller blows.
The power has gone out for up to 10 days.We are prepared!
Always!
20 , 5 gallon water bottles, food for at least two months, 3 tanks of propane.
A cistern full of water, a "Tinaco" full of water, and you can fill all your bath tubs if a storm is imminent.
Candles, batteries, buckets, tarps, you name it, we got it!
It serves for all disasters, even the Man made kinds!
And "Dog & Cat food too!
"Bring It On"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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A huge generator with fuel to run 10 hours a day for a few weeks helps too!
koreaon, the real function of a generator is to power up the inversor. then you switch it off. someone may correct me but i think a small generator burns something like 150 pesos of fuel per hour. and you need some space for it: the generator plus tank need room; they also need ventilation and they are better placed outside of the house altogether because they make hell of a noise and produce hell lot of fumes.
dv8...
I do know it have to be running outside, because we are not looking into smelling all the fumes and get sick or die from it. If I do buy a generator, I would probably make a small cage outside. So rest assured it will be placed somewhere outside. Noise factor will be in concerning but it will be only used in emergency and probably running it with in tolerable hour time of lets say 8AM to 10PM if DR somehow experience power outage for days or even weeks.
Amazon.com : Stanley 3250-Watt 173cc 6.5 HP OHV Portable Generator with Bonus 25-Feet Heavy Duty Cord : Patio, Lawn & Garden
i thought running something like the above in a emergency would be great to save all the foods and do some browsing/calling people to let them know that we are okay.
Amazon.com : Yamaha EF2000iS 2, 000 Watt 79cc OHV 4-Stroke Gas Powered Portable Inverter Generator (CARB Compliant) : Patio, Lawn & Garden
I read the review on above unit and it's very compact and make very little noise so although it's expensive I am considering it.
Running few energy efficient appliances on emergency can't be this difficult and require bigger units can it?
Lisa,
With a 3.5 Kw Invertor 8 Batteries would give you more than twice the time with the same items running. You say 6-8 hours so you would probaly get 14 to 18 hours out of 8 batteries. The reason for this is each battery is being discharged at a lower rate and in this situation has a "higher" appearent capacity. It is more efficient discharging at a lower rate.
With regard to adding batteries to an existing 4 batteries - if they are less than about 2 years old you should have no problem. Just add them in Parallel. Deviate(DV8) -I have been doing a test on this issue for the last five years and the findings are interesting. Windeyguy doesn't agree with me but you can add new batteries in a new string next to old batteries and it doesn't "kill" them.
NV_ It is really the efficiency you are talking about and yes you will loose a little more if you have more batteries. The overall system is only about 80% efficient so each time you charge 4 batteries you put inabout 5 Kwh and get out about 4Kwh. So with 8 batteries you put in 10 Kwh and get out 8 ! But this is not really significnat when you compare to the overall usage unless as in the bad old days it was off every day.
In the last 8 years , the longest outage was after TS Jeane and it lasted for 5 days here on the North Coast - at least where the team is situated. The other longest was 19 hours when those American Kids hit the High voltage pole on the corner above the Sosua Beach, then we had about 16 hours when the Cement truck hit the same pole.
Generally planned or schedule outages last about 7-8 hours max in our area including Cabarete where I think you are living !
If you buy four batteries to add to your existing ones you will probably get a longer usage out of them for the same load, you will also probably get a longer life too as the batteries will be less stressed. That at current prices will cost you 20,000 RD$ for four batteries and a small increase in you consumption.
We have a generator and have only used once out of necessity for TS Jeane.
If you check Mike Fishers thread it give you a good indication of what is comming.
HTH
Olly and the Team
With a 3.5 Kw Invertor 8 Batteries would give you more than twice the time with the same items running. You say 6-8 hours so you would probaly get 14 to 18 hours out of 8 batteries. The reason for this is each battery is being discharged at a lower rate and in this situation has a "higher" appearent capacity. It is more efficient discharging at a lower rate.
With regard to adding batteries to an existing 4 batteries - if they are less than about 2 years old you should have no problem. Just add them in Parallel. Deviate(DV8) -I have been doing a test on this issue for the last five years and the findings are interesting. Windeyguy doesn't agree with me but you can add new batteries in a new string next to old batteries and it doesn't "kill" them.
NV_ It is really the efficiency you are talking about and yes you will loose a little more if you have more batteries. The overall system is only about 80% efficient so each time you charge 4 batteries you put inabout 5 Kwh and get out about 4Kwh. So with 8 batteries you put in 10 Kwh and get out 8 ! But this is not really significnat when you compare to the overall usage unless as in the bad old days it was off every day.
In the last 8 years , the longest outage was after TS Jeane and it lasted for 5 days here on the North Coast - at least where the team is situated. The other longest was 19 hours when those American Kids hit the High voltage pole on the corner above the Sosua Beach, then we had about 16 hours when the Cement truck hit the same pole.
Generally planned or schedule outages last about 7-8 hours max in our area including Cabarete where I think you are living !
If you buy four batteries to add to your existing ones you will probably get a longer usage out of them for the same load, you will also probably get a longer life too as the batteries will be less stressed. That at current prices will cost you 20,000 RD$ for four batteries and a small increase in you consumption.
We have a generator and have only used once out of necessity for TS Jeane.
If you check Mike Fishers thread it give you a good indication of what is comming.
HTH
Olly and the Team
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Koreano, "Price Mart" has a lot of generators, of different sizes.
Cost more than USA, but immediate delivery, and no shipping costs.
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Cost more than USA, but immediate delivery, and no shipping costs.
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I will check them out.Koreano, "Price Mart" has a lot of generators, of different sizes.
Cost more than USA, but immediate delivery, and no shipping costs.
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If we survive Chantal.
LOL...
I doubt you will see much more than a little rain in Santiago.
Good day to run errands, since the Dominicans will all be indoors.
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Good day to run errands, since the Dominicans will all be indoors.
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I would love to get some free time but the life at free zone means no time for anything.I doubt you will see much more than a little rain in Santiago.
Good day to run errands, since the Dominicans will all be indoors.
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I would love to get some free time but the life at free zone means no time for anything.
Damn, I was just in Price"Smart" today picking up some pampers. Forgot to check the prices on the generators. People stormed the supermarkets last night, lucky thing I went early Tuesday morning to do my emergency shopping.
Update on the thread - looks like this storm may only bring lots of rain to Santiago so Ill hold off on buying that generator.
Update on the thread - looks like this storm may only bring lots of rain to Santiago so Ill hold off on buying that generator.
I think that's all Santiago ever has - lots of rain and maybe a bit of wind, - being protected by surrounding mountains.
I went to migracion today. Last time I went the place was packed, today it was empty. Unfortunately I forgot to ask my wife to sign a paper I needed to deposit, so I have to go again tomorrow. Hopefully it rains again.I doubt you will see much more than a little rain in Santiago.
Good day to run errands, since the Dominicans will all be indoors.
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