I’m moving to a rural area next month and want to be prepared for winter power outages due to snow and ice. Last winter an ice storm knocked the power out for several days in metro Portland, OR, with outages lasting 10+ days in rural surrounding communities, one of which I am moving to. I asked a neighbor what to expect and she said “be ready to not have power for an average of 3 weeks every winter.” That’s not three consecutive weeks, mind you, but I want to at least be prepared for the possibility of another major storm and long outage.
I am renting so not able to make modifications like adding a transfer switch or interlock kit.
The home is single level @ 1,100sq/ft, heated by a Whitfield pellet stove.
I want a generator that can power:
The covered workshed where I can house the generator and gas or propane is probably 70-80 ft from any window. Is this too far away, given what’s on the market for appropriate extension cords and the load they can carry from point A to point B? Can I park this thing that far away and simply run a heavy duty extension cord from the unit into the home (through a window) and then plug a 4 outlet surge protector into that? I don’t imagine I would need more than 4 outlets to coast by, having minimal needs met.
The pellet stove is something I’m really trying to plan safely for. I think I will buy a Surefire 512 stove sentry and marine battery, to interface between the stove and the wall outlet, so that it kicks on the moment the power goes out. I have read a lot about the dangers of back puff and why you don’t EVER want your stove to be running when the power goes out. Makes sense. No power to the motor = no fan turning = nothing to move the smoke up and out. So the pellets continue to smolder and your home fills up with smoke. Yikes! Does anyone here have any experience with backup power and pellet stoves? Would love to know what your set up is!
In summary, I’m looking for brand and size/technical recommendations for a reliable generator that can be run like a bit of a workhorse, given the potential of a long term outage and the need to keep the stove going. It doesn’t need to power a ton of stuff, it just needs to be able to reliably run.
I realize I have a lot to think about and I’m looking forward to the conversations here. I’ve read through a lot on the forums and have tried to do my own research on Google and YouTube, but I’m not electrically or mechanically inclined and I’m finding it difficult to grasp any foundation of understanding, even of the basics. I apologize if I sound clueless… I am only barely one step ahead of that. A lot of the information I come across goes way over my head or requires tools I do not have or modifications to a home I cannot do (because of it being a rental). So yes, a bit of a barrier-to-entry for me, in terms of understanding these things, but I really do want to learn. Many thanks to anyone that takes the time to reply to me here!
I am renting so not able to make modifications like adding a transfer switch or interlock kit.
The home is single level @ 1,100sq/ft, heated by a Whitfield pellet stove.
I want a generator that can power:
After some initial research, it sounds like a Champion duel fuel inverter might be a good option, perhaps connected to propane since if I do wind up needing it it will likely be for several days at a time. Sounds like propane is more stable than gasoline, and there is a large work shed on the property I could store it in. Is it correct to be concerned about the propane freezing? I am trying to take in and make sense of everything I am reading on the internet, but this is admittedly outside of my wheelhouse so please bear with me. I have seen a lot of discussion along the lines of “as long as your propane tank is big enough, it won’t freeze,” but no real details about what “big enough” means.
The covered workshed where I can house the generator and gas or propane is probably 70-80 ft from any window. Is this too far away, given what’s on the market for appropriate extension cords and the load they can carry from point A to point B? Can I park this thing that far away and simply run a heavy duty extension cord from the unit into the home (through a window) and then plug a 4 outlet surge protector into that? I don’t imagine I would need more than 4 outlets to coast by, having minimal needs met.
The pellet stove is something I’m really trying to plan safely for. I think I will buy a Surefire 512 stove sentry and marine battery, to interface between the stove and the wall outlet, so that it kicks on the moment the power goes out. I have read a lot about the dangers of back puff and why you don’t EVER want your stove to be running when the power goes out. Makes sense. No power to the motor = no fan turning = nothing to move the smoke up and out. So the pellets continue to smolder and your home fills up with smoke. Yikes! Does anyone here have any experience with backup power and pellet stoves? Would love to know what your set up is!
In summary, I’m looking for brand and size/technical recommendations for a reliable generator that can be run like a bit of a workhorse, given the potential of a long term outage and the need to keep the stove going. It doesn’t need to power a ton of stuff, it just needs to be able to reliably run.
I realize I have a lot to think about and I’m looking forward to the conversations here. I’ve read through a lot on the forums and have tried to do my own research on Google and YouTube, but I’m not electrically or mechanically inclined and I’m finding it difficult to grasp any foundation of understanding, even of the basics. I apologize if I sound clueless… I am only barely one step ahead of that. A lot of the information I come across goes way over my head or requires tools I do not have or modifications to a home I cannot do (because of it being a rental). So yes, a bit of a barrier-to-entry for me, in terms of understanding these things, but I really do want to learn. Many thanks to anyone that takes the time to reply to me here!