[okieduc104]

My 50 gallon 220 volt 2 element water heater uses BOTH elements if the water temp get's low from full use of two showers and the washer, or if you turn it off when gone on a trip, then turn it on when you get home. It pulls a bunch of amps, also when the central resistance heat kicks on at the same time.
I decided to put the generator connection in a small storage building that is within 4' of my main disconnect box on the electric service from the meter. The disconnect is mounted on the highline pole that the meter is on and is in reality a double 200 amp breaker. The generator will sit outside the storage shed.

 

[Tractor Bob]

We just got through 8 days without power here in northeast Oklahoma. I forgot all about having an aerobic septic system installed a few years ago until it suddenly hit me two days into the power outage with my son, daughter in law and two grandkids living with us. They were without power too and we have a fireplace insert that does a great job of heating the main house. By the time I got around to checking the aerobic system, it was close to overflowing. I bought a generator and wired it directly to the system and it worked perfectly. If anyone else has one of these systems, I would suggest turning off the airator during a power outage and just running the pumping system. The air pump seems to pull a lot of power and really isn't necessary in an emergency.

Bob

 

[dd85]

Lasr Febuary when we had so much Ice and no elecicty for 10 days I bought a Ranger 10 Welder/generator. I always wanted a portable welder.
It runs the whole house, (except the electric furance), well, cook stove, WH, and 5 plug in electric heaters.
One thing I do is always have a burner on on the cookstove to help stablize the voltage. I figure that way the load is more bal;anced.
Any ideas on this?

 

[yukaputz]

I'm right there with ya on the septic pump. Our septic system is a sand mound type that pumps the effluent up into the side of our hill. I had two sets of breakers for 220 volt appliances on the cut over panel and pondered for a moment what fantastic device i could run in my house that that spare 220 volt set. Hot Tub? Air Conditioning?

It's at these moments when I am reminded in the higher power because I think god himself spoke to me saying "If your going to add water to the septic system with the well pump, you had better be able remove the water with the septic pump my son". I'm not used to making huge connective thoughts like this and they are few and far between.

So both the 220 volt hooks up are in use.

I'm sorry to hear that so many of you were without power for so much longer than me. Glad to hear things are getting back to normal for ya.

 

[wraight]

nice gen i have the same one, but and this very importent dont forget shut your main off you dont want to zap the lineman

 

[Upper5Percent]

Yup, it will fit though I would never run the generator in my basement. I'm just storing it there. My basement spans my entire house with a walk out and it's not finished yet. The cord was 20 ft, the width of my basement is 30 feet so I put another 15 ft extension on on so I could get the cord out the slide door and have the generator sitting on a concrete pad in open air away from underhangs and such.

Use the calculator to determine draw...

http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm

 

[DenRS]

We moved into our new house April of 2005 and that summer we lost power at least twice a week for about 2 months. Every thunder storm, we lost power. I ended up getting a Briggs 10000 watt generator. I have a well, a oil furnace with two separate air handlers, two fridges to run, and it thought it would be nice to run a few lights and the tv or computer. The only things not wired are the stove and central air since they draw alot of power. I can live without the central air for a few days etc, but no heat or water is not fun especially when it can get into the single digits in the winter. I picked this one for the mainly for the 50amp outlet and voltage regulator. I had my buddy who is an electrician come over and wire up a 50amp transfer switch. I think we lost power maybe two times since I've had this generator for a couple of hours each time. Still think it was a good investment even though all I do is plug a halogan floor light into it and run it every couple of months for maintainence.