currently looking for a generator that will be 4000-4500 watts portable and quiet iother than honda , can you guys help?

 

Burpl,

Quiet...NO. Purchased a 5500KW Generac from Lowe's for $568.00. Runs for 12 hrs on one tank of gas. I put it in the back of the truck to use it with my 5th wheel.

Alan

 

Quieter than a Honda - don't think it is possible.

Maybe if you went to an LP-fueled unit but then you are talking $$$$$ and another tank to deal with.

Onan's are pricey but fairly quiet. Anything with a Tecumseh or Briggs engine is going to be hard on the ears. Try a baby Onan before looking at anything else.

http://www.onan.com/onan/portablegen...rdid=prod60017

 

I have a 10KW generac, it has a 4 cylinder liquid cooled engine, whisper quiet!!

 

It seems most generators run at 3600 RPM - really noisy. I know there's some diesel-powered ones out there that run at 1800 RPM, probably much quieter, but not something you're going to find at Home Depot or Lowe's.

 

That's true, go to an RV place or a backup power place.

 

Generac 6500 construction contractor grade here. Noisy but very reliable and easy to start.
Auto idle, forced filtered lubrication too.

 

I have 4 generators that are used for different reasons

1) Generac 7500 watt 15 HP used to put power to my house when the electric fails for a big motor its half ways quiet

2) Onan MicroLite 2500 used to power my Enclosed trailer its quiet

3) Onan MicroQuiet 4000 pulled this one outta my 53ft Enclosed trailer before I sold it.....now used with my 35ft 5th wheel this one is quiet

4) Coleman Sportsman 1850 all around use its lite and EZ to tote around noisy but usefull

 

Generac 7550, 14HP OHV, oil filter. Like pappyman, its somewhat noisy, you would think it would be noisier with the big motor. Very reliable, electric start. $900 at Home Depot.

 

4400 Watt Generac with Honda motor, was under $600 at costco
when I got mine, runs 13.5k BTU roof air no problem.

 

I upgraded from a 5000w Coleman (gasoline) to a 6000w electric start Honda (propane) for emergency backup power at my home. As someone has already said, there is a big difference in cost. The main reason to upgrade to this unit was to avoid all the problems with storing large amounts of gasoline and then trying to keep it from getting stale waiting for the next storm. It is connected to a 500 gallon storage tank which also feeds my house. This eliminates the hazard of refueling a hot generator in the middle of the night. It runs much quieter and can run for weeks without stopping. Electric start means that my wife can start it.

 

What would you guys recommend as a minimum size for emergency backup for the house?
Fridge, and freezer, a few lights....and of course, the computer, and a color tv.

 

The minimum size generator for emergency home backup will vary greatly based on the particular house and what is regarded to be critical services. Since I use propane for all cooking & heating, the biggest critical load is the water pump in my well. Doesn't take a lot to run it but it sure drags a generator down to start it. Other critical loads most folks would want to maintain are: refrigerator, freezer, television, most lighting, furnace circulating fan, computer, cordless telephones, etc. 5000 to 6000 watts should cover these loads (barely). A generator that is much greater than is needed will burn up a lot of fuel. If it uses gasoline then there may be no source for fuel in an extreme situation. My area has gone without any power for a couple of weeks at a time so the homeowner must have an inventory of fuel to get through the crisis.

 

I've got a 5550w Troy bilt w/Briggs that is easy to start(pull), but is pretty noisy, and fairly heavy. I dont move it very often. It stays in the bed of the dually. Just info on another one to help in your decision.

 

Dad has a Homelite 4500W with a Honda engine he bought several years ago from the local Case heavy equipment dealer. It has 10,000 + hours on it and still starts first pull every time.