Generators

[BoosTT]

I have a private garage with my apt, but the garage has no power outlets. It has power to the electric opener, but I don't have acess to the circuit breaker or anything for it. I had an outlet rigged up for a bit, but it's a PITA to disconnect all of that stuff if the garage door breaks and the the landloard needs to fix it. Plus if I trip the breaker during this I'm focked. I can't install an outlet, because I don't pay for this electricity.

Anyway, I am thinking of buying a generator. Any suggestions? I'm looking at a coleman 1850watt that is like a honda, but louder and cheeper ($200 used). I would like to run a bunch of lights, maybe a electric heater on low and air compressor once and a while. Not everything at the same time ofcourse.

Also- how many watts do you think a really old crappy 1/3hp, 15gal air compressor is?

[SSLEVO]

Check on the air compressor and see how many watts it draws. There should be a tag on the motor. The minimum electric heater draws 1500 watts and that would take a half day to warm the garage, trust me i know this, lol. Buy a propane heater if you want heat. It seems like that 2000 watt unit should work with one item at a time, it never hurts to go bigger though.

[BoosTT]

Oh, yeah, I have a propane heater too. Just figred more heat the better.

[wrath]

1hp = 746watts. So 1/3rd hp is roughly 250 watts. It probably takes 800-900 watts to start it if there isn't a giant capacitor and/or it has a pressure relief for when it starts.

A loud generator is going to bring undue attention.

Sometimes you can get a 700watt continuous/1400 peak power inverter.

Use a propane heater and a 20lb cylinder to heat it. You can heat a pretty good size room with one and it's nearly no noise.

[SSLEVO]

1hp = 746watts. So 1/3rd hp is roughly 250 watts. It probably takes 800-900 watts to start it if there isn't a giant capacitor and/or it has a pressure relief for when it starts.

A loud generator is going to bring undue attention.

Sometimes you can get a 700watt continuous/1400 peak power inverter.

Use a propane heater and a 20lb cylinder to heat it. You can heat a pretty good size room with one and it's nearly no noise.

You can't exactly use that conversion in this application. We are talking about mechanical power(hp) in the motor and electrical power driving it. Your best bet would be to look on the actual motor plate.

[shoooo32]

I would install an outlet. If you get caught just say it was there when you moved in.:D

[deuceWI]

Math time, oh boy.

Something to consider. 1850W generator / 120V output = 15 Amps available (about the same as a single circuit in your home)

Is that peak? Sustained? Most generators when worked at their maximum will be louder, running harder, and less efficient.

How steady is the output, and can your equipment handle fluctuations? I used a generator to run a circle saw and some other power tools last year. The hard peak current draw was not making the generator happy. The way the voltage seemed to be jumping around there is no way I would plug any electronics into it.

[wrath]

You can't exactly use that conversion in this application. We are talking about mechanical power(hp) in the motor and electrical power driving it. Your best bet would be to look on the actual motor plate.

Even a junk electric motor is 80% efficient. Most built in the last ten years are in the 90s.

The motor plate is a guess anyway. It's relying on a perfect power factor and a perfect sine wave held steady at the frequency and voltage on the plate.

It'd be different if it was an electric motor from the 30s poorly wound with an iron core... with buckets of slip.

It's probably pretty close. It's not the junk universal electric motor in your shop vac.