Harbor Freight 800 Watt Generator - $80 - during the Oct 7 - 9 parking lot sale

[RAV2]

This is a must buy!

I have 2 and may buy another.

http://www.harborfreight.com/engines...tor-66619.html

During the New England hurricane a few weeks ago, several friends ran this for multiple days to keep refrigerators running.

(sorry for the quality of the scan)

[chopnhack]

Really?! The specs say only 7 amps out and I would think that they need to be powered down for a time to cool off, no? I thought most fridges (21cu ft) were in the 10-15a range.

[LCHIEN]

curiously looking at 21 cu ft refrige spec online i could not find one that said how many peak running amps they took.
Most recommended a dedicated 15A or 20A circuit for the fridge probably to prevent popping the circuit with some other device and losing your load of food.
All fridges boast a energy guide which run around 300-500KWH per year to run the fridge which if you work it back its averaging 52 watts per hour average which tells you the average current of about .43Amps but this takes into account that the compressor cycles on and off and does not indicate the peak current.

so off to the Kill-a-watt meter and it looks like my 21 cu ft fridge pulls about .20Amps running and I saw briefly .5 and .8Amps when the light was on and the door open. That seems low compared to the energy guides.

Still, a 800W genset should be able to run a 21 cu ft fridge, it doesn't look anywhere near 15Amps peak.

[Woodshark]

I've been thinking about buying one of these for a long time. After reading the reviews at HF I think you just pushed me over the edge. I'm picking one up today.

[dbhost]

Great price, but too small to be useful for me. I know I need a Generator though, after Ike power was gone for quite a while, things like the fridge, and even if we could just run a window AC in one room to sleep in... Nothing worse than having to deal with the hurricane disaster and not be able to sleep...

[phrog]

Really?! The specs say only 7 amps out and I would think that they need to be powered down for a time to cool off, no? I thought most fridges (21cu ft) were in the 10-15a range.

Am I looking in the wrong place? I see "Output Amps" as 20 under the "Specs" tab. But I know little about electricity and maybe looking at the wrong thing.

[pelligrini]

Am I looking in the wrong place? I see "Output Amps" as 20 under the "Specs" tab. But I know little about electricity and maybe looking at the wrong thing.

The Specs tab does say 20, but at 800w at 120v it can't be.
800/120=6.66

[jnesmith]

I read a few of the reviews, and was confused by this comment:

"I turned off the breaker to the bedroom and plugged in my power cord to a wall outlet. I had power for lights, clock radio, and 26 inch TV"

What is he describing? It sounds like he somehow hooked the generator up to the circuit for his bedroom just by plugging it into a bedroom outlet. Somehow.

I've never had a generator, but I did not think something like that was possible. I thought you either plugged items into the generator (via an extension cord) or hard-wired it in to the breaker box.

[sweensdv]

I read a few of the reviews, and was confused by this comment:

"I turned off the breaker to the bedroom and plugged in my power cord to a wall outlet. I had power for lights, clock radio, and 26 inch TV"

What is he describing? It sounds like he somehow hooked the generator up to the circuit for his bedroom just by plugging it into a bedroom outlet. Somehow.

I've never had a generator, but I did not think something like that was possible. I thought you either plugged items into the generator (via an extension cord) or hard-wired it in to the breaker box.

I can't say for sure this is what he did but it sounds like he rigged up a double male end extension cord plugging one end into the generator and the other into a wall socket. I once inquired about doing that exact thing at one of the Electrical Forums and was advised that it would be a very dangerous and stupid to do it. I took their advice and didn't do it.

[phrog]

The Specs tab does say 20, but at 800w at 120v it can't be.
800/120=6.66

Thanks for clarifying that for me. That's why I said that "I know little about electricity." All I could do was read the specs HF stated and well ..... we all know that it ain't necessarily so. Again, thanks.

PS Addition: 6.66 And I was ready to buy one?!.

[phrog]

After the discussion about fridges and amps, I'm wondering if I could run a 21 cu. ft. fridge and a computer modem and router or the fridge and a small tv on the same generator? Basically, if the power goes off after a tornado (as happened for 24 hrs here back in April) will I be able to keep the fridge going and get info from the outside world off one gen? As I mentioned in an earlier post, I know nothing about electricity. Thanks.

[LCHIEN]

i agree with SweensDV that the poster probably did what is called a backfeed.
You disconnect a branch circuit by flipping the circuit breaker off, then use a double male cord (this in itself is a dangerous thing to have laying around - misapplied can cause injury and death and equipment damage) to connect the generator to the branch circuit.

A live male plug is sure to give someone a shock - that's why male plugs are only used to plug into sources and the live end is recessed female receptacles.

So once he's got this kluge working there's more dangers in wait. Suppose someone sees a breaker box open and a breaker tripped off. Human nature is to want to turn the breaker back on. Two things can happen:
If the mains power if off then you'll backfeed into the house feed and transformer, you can possibly electrocute a linesman working to repair your line with thousands of volts (reverse fed thru a transformer).
Or if the power has been restored, the your generator will probably explode. and your equipment on the branch circuit will fry as the generator and mains voltages alternately add and cancel.

The risks of doing this are high and the damage potential high. Its never recommended to do it but its simplicity is very tempting because the alternative is an expensive to install transfer switch.

[LCHIEN]

After the discussion about fridges and amps, I'm wondering if I could run a 21 cu. ft. fridge and a computer modem and router or the fridge and a small tv on the same generator? Basically, if the power goes off after a tornado (as happened for 24 hrs here back in April) will I be able to keep the fridge going and get info from the outside world off one gen? As I mentioned in an earlier post, I know nothing about electricity. Thanks.

Off the cuff, a 21 cu ft fridge would draw about 2-3 amps peak. A small TV about an amp, a modem /router about 0.1 amp and a desktop computer or plugged in laptop would draw around an amp. THat totals maybe five amps peak so it would be within the range of that generator. a tank of gas would last around 2-1/2 hours to 4 hours depending upon how many beers you went to the fridge for (opening the door causes loss of cold air each time so the fridge runs more).

[phrog]

Thanks, Loring. Think I may spring for one.

[pelligrini]

PS Addition: 6.66 And I was ready to buy one?!.

800 Watts isn't too bad for a little generator. I'm thinking about getting one too. It should do my fridge and my fishtanks as long as I leave the lights and heaters off.