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Wannabefree

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Found a Honda EB3800X generator today, a year old, for $300. I think I stole it :D The guy had only used it a year, and only to run a welder "sometimes" and was just looking to get it gone and out of his way! It cranked on the first pull and he said it hadn't been cranked in about 6 months...which coulda been a fib, but...it does look pretty well new, barely has a scratch or anything on it. It sure will come in handy for a lot of things around here!
 

baymule

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Wow! What a great deal you got!! WHOO-HOO!!! My mind immediately goes to hurricane ready supplies. After hurricane Ike, we ran ours. We had no power for three weeks. But the down side is that thing drank gas to the tune of $30-$40 a day and gas was hard to find.
 

Wannabefree

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This one is supposed to get about 5-6 hours to the gallon, which is high, but so's losing a freezer full of meat!!
 

baymule

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Wannabefree said:
This one is supposed to get about 5-6 hours to the gallon, which is high, but so's losing a freezer full of meat!!
That's what I'm talking about!
 

ORChick

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I've never been in the position of having to run a generator to keep the freezer from defrosting (and, with luck, I never will be ;)), but I have read that it isn't necessary to run it all the time. I don't know the numbers off hand, but a web search should tell you. I think it was something like run the generator for an hour every 6 or 8 hours. I suppose that would also depend on how high the temperature is where you have your freezer, and whether or not it is full.
 

Emerald

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ORChick said:
I've never been in the position of having to run a generator to keep the freezer from defrosting (and, with luck, I never will be ;)), but I have read that it isn't necessary to run it all the time. I don't know the numbers off hand, but a web search should tell you. I think it was something like run the generator for an hour every 6 or 8 hours. I suppose that would also depend on how high the temperature is where you have your freezer, and whether or not it is full.
I have to say that living here in almost rural Michigan I have had the necessity of borrowing a genny for a few hours every other day before and have been totally been thinking of getting one big enuf to run the water and fridge and freezer for a few hours each day. I do have a cousin for a neighbor and he is a big contractor and for a few bucks for the diesel to run it he will pull it over with his lawn mower and let you charge your fridge and freezer for hours.. and not for just me either.. all the neighbors in turn.. we are a small little town and most times can't stand one another ;) but when disaster hits we all pull together and make coffee for one another and either cut wood and make sure that the older ones are okay while waiting for the storms to pass or the ice storm to melt. Then a few weeks later back to gossiping about one another! :lol:

Also we have found the old adage true-Keep your freezers full.. even if it is just two liter soda bottles with water in them-doe keep the freezer from turning on as often. also keeps it cold longer.. adding quilts and extra blankets all round and not opening it! :)
 

Denim Deb

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Couple I know lost their electric in the one of storms we had and had no electric for at least a week. They borrowed a generator, and only had to run it a bit everyday to keep the freezer and fridge cold. They didn't lose a thing.

When we lose power, if hubby's home, he wants to run it basically 24/7. Personally, I'd run it for an hour or 2 in the morning, then again in the evening. I figure that should keep everything cold and not cost a fortune.
 
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