Right Sizing a Generator

[randallhilton]

Step one of my solar plan is to set up enough power to keep essentials running (fridge, lights, laptop etc.) even if the grid disappears for a long long time. To fill in the dark days, I have a 7KW nat gas / lp genny. Fuel gas has to be purchased, of course, so I want it to last as long as possible.

A 7KW power plant, in my opinion, is major overkill since its biggest role would be to keep the battery bank (golf cart type) topped off during cloudy weather. So the question is: To get the most efficiency out of the run time, should I invest in enough chargers - maybe even commerical golf cart chargers - so that I can boost all the batteries at once.

Or . . . :-/

Should I sell the 7KW genny to someone who needs it worse than I and get a smaller, supposedly more fuel efficient model, which is more closely matched to the load.

NOTE: I do have a wire welder that pretty much dictates no less than 3KW gen power ??? :-/. I can't give up my wire welder, she's just too handy.

[DM]

I've owned quite a few generators over the years, and from what i've seen, you need a lot bigger generator set than you think to run a welder...

I doesn't seem to work out that you use a gen. that puts out what the welder says it needs... That's just what i've read many times in the past on forums where guys were doing it...

I don't think ANY genset will run cheap enough to use very much, so my vote is to keep what you have, and use it at little as possible!

DM