need help purchasing a power generator

hey wats up RIU, havent been on here for a while now,
winter is coming and i want to start my grow again, i finally got my med card

i am using 2 1000 watt hps lamps for flowering, my electric bill skyrocketed last time i used both of these lamps,

i want to approach this differently this time, i was wondering what is a GOOD power generator. i just want it to be able to run both of my 1000 watt hps for 12 hrs a day,

how much maintanence do these generators require?

im planning on buying 1 within 2 weeks but havent really researched whats my best option,

i just want a basic generator nothing 2 fancy just so it gets the job done,

if any of you have any links or models that your recomend let me know.

maybe some first hand experience?

thanks in advance for any replies

and HAPPY THANKSGIVING RIU!

would something as basic as this work?
http://www.walmart.com/ip/All-Power-America-2000W-Generator-Open-Frame/13115742

FreddieMercury said:

would something as basic as this work?
http://www.walmart.com/ip/All-Power-America-2000W-Generator-Open-Frame/13115742

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This says right on the item description that it is only 2000 watt peak, 1400 watt rated. (IMO) If you want to actually have it start every day plan to pay at least 4 x that amount. I wouldn't recommend anything lower than a 3000 watt rated, dont forget you have to power your ballasts also. This unit you would have to pull start every day, you may try pull starting a generator some time before purchasing, not like a lawn mower. Properly done you could wire a generator with a starter to a timer to start its self. If you plan on using a generator, you should probably get one that will last at least 3 months of 12 hour a day use. You really need to do your research on these and plan to spend, not to go to harbor freight and buy the cheapest one they have, but for all i know it could work, hell i run 2 fans from them 12+ hours a day for months now without a hiccup. Also generators are loud. just something else to consider.

yeah like i said, i havent really gotten around to really research many of the models,
i just want some feedback from someone who has experience growing with 1,

and yeah i saw that honda has some whisper series generators that are very silent,
like the honda eu2000i generator,

i know some cheaper models wont be as good or efficient, but all i really need is something to power both 1000 watt hps lamps/ballasts.

i also dont want to buy something 2 crazy that would be overkill.

thanks for the replies

Honda wants way too much for their generators, i wouldn't ride another brand of motorcycle, but as far as generator you could get a much nicer one cheaper. Noise should be your first question, how loud can it be? Base everything on that and (IMO) a 3000 watt running (not peak) generator, that is what i would do. I have never grown with one, work with them alot and know how much of a pain it would be to fire it up everyday at the same time, a timer and starter would be much (infinitely) easier. How much did it cost a month to run your lights? Another thing to consider is number of hours per gallon of fuel.

Yeah the Honda 1 is expensive like 800$,
It says that it's at 59db just below normal human speech,

I will be running 2 1000 watt hps lamps at 12 hrs/day

My bill used to always be 500$+/month, pretty brutal.

Since I stopped growing my bill is down to 80$ haha ,

I think your looking at 1500+$ for a gen that will do that day after day, so add the fuel you need and do the math or switch to 600's. By the way I have 2 generators Honda 3500 and Yamaha 1000is. The 1000 is good for 1 small thing and the Honda will run my furnace, fridge, TV and sat system, and a lite or 2. Smaller one needed to be filled every 4 hrs and the Honda very 6 to 8. If your running electronic ballast you should have a model that produces clean regulated power and that adds $$$.

Something is wrong there then, i would look into what it really costs pet Kwh (kilowatt hour), at .12 it should be only like $95 a month, hardly enough to justify a generator and gas. They may charge for anything above 500 a higher rate, you are about 800 (in 30 days). I would get out the bills and do some math, then if you need to call them and tell them you are putting in a fish tank. I have an all electric house and i have only seen $500 once in 2 years now my lights are my heat.

Woods is right. I think i would get on the phone with the power company. Everyone uses electricity and hot tubs, fish tanks, etc take a lot of power, 2000w is not a lot. Also odds are they do not know you run 2000 watts for 12 hours, it could be 1000 for 24 for all they know, so even a "small" fish tank can take that.

Gas generators you'd just have to rig the exhaust out a window or such ..
Id also build an enclosure to muffle the sound ..

You also have to make sure it doesn't run out of gas .. Id get an industrial one since the others advertise 8 hrs max.

I'm still looking around for the right generator,
To make it simple I want to power 2 1000 watt hps lamps for 12 hrs/day,

What is a unit that could do that day in and day out?

Buy a decent generator and buy a solar panel. then connect the solar panel to the generator. and have forever energy. unless you live by a volcano and plan on not getting sun for a few months .


google info and directions.

tafbang said:

Buy a decent generator and buy a solar panel. then connect the solar panel to the generator. and have forever energy. unless you live by a volcano and plan on not getting sun for a few months .


google info and directions.

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I agree with buying solar panel, not sure why you'd buy both.

I currently run one solar panel. When I buy some acreage, I'm going 100% solar and wind.

Right now I'm running a home made DIY panel, running to a charge controller. Then to 4 optima red tops. Those are connected to an inverter (like for your car since your going from 12v to 120v).

It's simple and you can get REALLY nice solar cells on ebay for cheap.

You would be better off just paying for the hydro. Generators require fuel and maintenance. A cheap generator won't last.

a portable generator wont last, period.

sooner or later, it will fail.

now solar, thats an idea... except that to pull 2.2kw for 12 hours a day, every day your flowering, and then for a min 18 hours a day for veg... thats one HELLUVA battery bank.
i mean a room full of the heavy bastards... and that is a very serious hazard in itself...

math says you would need about 54 12v, DEEP CYCLE 10ah batteries

I think you would spend more on a generator and fuel than on electricity. I wouldn't even consider a generator for a personal grow. You can offset electric costs by growing outdoors when the seasons are right since you're legal now. Gratz on the med card.

IAm5toned said:

a portable generator wont last, period.

sooner or later, it will fail.

now solar, thats an idea... except that to pull 2.2kw for 12 hours a day, every day your flowering, and then for a min 18 hours a day for veg... thats one HELLUVA battery bank.
i mean a room full of the heavy bastards... and that is a very serious hazard in itself...

math says you would need about 54 12v, DEEP CYCLE 10ah batteries

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True but you don't have to use solar 100% of the time. You can easily use the solar coming in to power the grow (if you have enough panels and good charge controller and inverter) then at night switch over to your house electricity. This will cut your electric bill significantly.

All and all if you can't afford (or just don't want to pay) high electric bills, you should downsize your grow a bit.

Why is he complaining/hating on free energy? If solar power was a bad idea, it wouldn't have been invented or implented in almost everything new and innovative today.

ok, first thing, if you want a generator that can do what you'll ask it it'll prob have to be diesel powered and industrial grade. anything else will be designed to power a fridge or two for a few hours while the power comes back. and in the US the power goes out for 5-6 hours and it's front page news. the small generators that are sold are designed to hold up for those types of outages.

i've lived in parts of the world where the weather could knock the power out for 10-30 hours at a time, 6-10 times a year and ppl used those small generators to power their fridge long enough to get cold, then they turn em off.... a few hours at a time, not 12 hours every day for 3 months.

you want something more heavy duty.

and solar power might be free, but harnessing the energy and transforming it into electricity is far from free. i knew a guy who wanted to power his 3,000 sqr foot home with solar power. panels, batteries and maintenance were going to run him 20-30 grand over the next 15 years, assuming that almost nothing went wrong. so yeah. solar power is free, using it to power your house, not so much.....

yeah, solar panels are severely over priced due to popularity. That's why you build them.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Photovoltaic-Solar-Panels-Cost-Does-Not-Have-to-Be-an-Issue&id=4861465


Thats too solar power your house....building one just to light up your plants will be 80% less work and very resourceful.....

redivider said:

and solar power might be free, but harnessing the energy and transforming it into electricity is far from free. i knew a guy who wanted to power his 3,000 sqr foot home with solar power. panels, batteries and maintenance were going to run him 20-30 grand over the next 15 years, assuming that almost nothing went wrong. so yeah. solar power is free, using it to power your house, not so much.....

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I built a 1000w panel for about $250. Battery bank cost me ~$300-350 (can't remember). $100 for charge controller and inverter. Maintenance is easy as hell but the solar companies charge out the ass for it.