Looks awesome - excellent post, With a setup like this you are officially a hard core prepper. I really enjoy these kind of videos as they give me ideas for my own needs.
Thank you, thank you, thank you - you're the FIRST one to have a gen-shed video that at least I've seen to get the inlet installed on the outside of your house right! (although you referred to it as an outlet and I know from experience that these cost about double what a box and an actual outlet goes for) So many others use an outlet for a 50 amp RV or dryer and that's wrong - they would have a live lead from the generator if they were to connect the cord to the generator and then plug it into their house - again thank you for doing things right with regard to the inlet!
Great setup. Looks like you have it well thought out and are prepared. It's good to be prepared these days. I like your generator. Especially the remote start. I have one just like it but without. Thank You for the video.
Jim I have to say, This is the best video on portable generator sheds that I've seen so far. Some of the others are very good, but the reasonable detail you put into your project is excellent. The one thing that was very helpful to me was using the hardie backer on the exhaust. Until I viewed your video's I didn't know what to do. Since viewing your video I have put together a shed for my Generac GP 7500E and used some of your ideas and it works great. So once again Thanks for the ideas.
Thank you for your feedback. I spent a lot of time trying to come up with some practical ideas. We had several power outages back in February and I must say the generator set-up worked flawlessly. Nothing that I would change at this point. I do plan to add a grounding rod for some added protection. I am also considering converting to natural gas and running a line from my gas meter. Best of luck to you! Jim
+Jim McGovern If you are running a gas line over to the generator if I was you I would run a 3/4 inch pvc pipe from your current inlet box outside and make that a junction box and place your inlet in the shed. Run four #10's and have the wiring hardwired. Absolutely no need to ever run out a SO cable again. I'm a Licensed Journeyman Electrician. Thanks and you made a great video.
One thing that I learned as a firefighter regarding airflow. You want to have the outflow approximately twice the size of the inflow openings when you are using a forced exhaust system like this. It creates more of a suction which strengthens the airflow through the room, or in this case the shed. Before becoming a firefighter I would have thought the complete opposite would be true, but that is one of the first things we learn and it is used to quickly clear smoke from a room or building. Just something to keep in mind if you ever decide to redo the generator shed later.
Hey Jim,got my La Crosse temp receiver and two sensors one for generator enclosure and one for the front porch, worked out very well,Thanks for the idea Al
Bob, I used drywall screws to attach the 2 x 4 frame to the shed. I screwed through the shed into the 2 x 4 frame, and in my situation, screwed down into my base platform. I did position the shutter first and then built the frame for the fan. You don't have too much flexibility in where to mount the shutter, and then you can center the fan over the shutter. I remember that I needed the 2 x 4 frame because of the depth of the fan. Good luck, sounds like your almost there.
Bob- I was able to use the same size grill for each of the front doors. I remember that the logo made for a tight fit but I trimmed it with a utility knife. I think the plastic shutter came with the fan, which is sold as an gable exhaust fan. I had had no issues with the shutter and have ran it for about 24 hours. I did not need to use any grommets to mount the fan, it is very smooth and it works fine screwed to the 2 x 4 frame I made to mount it. The magnets from Amazon were rare earth magnets and were inexpensive. They are about the size of a dine and come in a pack of ten or so. They are brittle and break easily, so be careful when mounting them. Best of luck to you and I hope you never have to use your emergency generator during a power outage, but plan for the worse!
Jim - thanks for the quick response and the information. The one thing I'm struggling with though is the need for a separate exhaust for fumes. I'm planning on placing the shed/generator right along the outside back wall of my garage so there's not a heck of a lot of room to have a vent sticking out the back and since the fan takes up quite a bit of space on the right wall I'm not sure that the vent would fit on that side either. Then I was thinking, with that high a CFM do you really need a separate exhaust? I've got a Westinghouse WH7500E generator that comes with a massive muffler that exits to a spark arrestor that is only about 0.75" in diameter. What's the approximate diameter of your generator's exhaust and how did it end up being 3" before the step up 4" for the vent?
+Bob Wenz you need to do whatever works for your situation. I wanted to get as much of the heat out of the shed as possible, it the fan may be sufficient. In my case the exhaust faces the woods, so that helps with dissipating sound. My muffler is covered by the spark arrester and a shroud, which has a 3" diameter opening. The vent fits perfectly over the opening. good luck!
Jim - thanks for the feedback. I've got the return vents installed and picked up the other hardware. Just wondering how you secured the 2x4 frame for the fan to the inside of the shed.
I like your generator platform - with the solar trickle and vents. Nice detail. Its a similar Champion that I have and did videos of its testing for my channel, and it connection to my house. They are noisy but it handles the load very well, put over 10,000W of loading on a max 9000 W generator and though it bogged it kept going for some seconds, long enough certainly to handle start up loads. These Champions are good little generators. Your lockout is very similar to mine. Cool -- thanks for the video.
very nice do it yourself setup well done we know the neighbors will be knocking when a storm knocks the power out on your street i just got me 2 generators and small 1000w one for my boat for fishing and bowfishing and running big floods on boat and the other is a small 1800w just to run fridge and fans in house if power goes out but i already have a 1.1kw off grid solar system with 16 220ahr batteries that run internet tvs some lights charge cell phones and runs my water heater in my house so all i needed was something that can power fridge and some fans not if but when grid power goes out and i have gas heat all ready that doesn't require power and runs off propane plus we do have a fireplace if we get desperate and allot of trees around the place even with just my off grid solar system i did not realise we lost power 2 months ago because my internet and TVs all worked when i got out of bed and the sun was up so i did not hit light switch because it was a sunday morning and i went to kitchen and i was hay no power hum :-) so placed call and kicked back watched movie and took care of some housework and 9 hrs later they replaced the transformer on my pole that was struck by lightning night befor but all of my tvs and computers are connected to my solar grid so no damage to any electronics in the house it is a good feeling knowing you have backups and can take care of your own needs if have too
If you can use two portable generators anyway, when you need a replacement look into the Yamaha inverter generators. They produce a clean sine wave (better for sensitive electronics), are waaaay quieter than non-inverter types, and they have "twintech" which means you can take two units and plug them both together with a special cable they give you for double the output.
Sorry I think I deleted my last comment; still getting used to this Google+ rubbish! Thanks for letting me know about the 220V power coming in, that's very fascinating! I had no idea that US run 220V across the lines. Cheers!
Rocky, I placed the fan on the opposite end of the generator to pull the air over it. the louvers open fully when the fan is on. you need a draft to get the louvers to work, they would not work on a bench. good luck and let me know if I can answer any other questions.
Chain by 2X6 smart. See in MN my Craftsman manual says there can be issues with freezing at carburetor in winter. They recommend using the box it came in. Keep carb from freezing up.
Good work. Strange, I have the "same" genny, champion, 9375/7500 watts with one less 240 volt outlet on it. Weird. Great job on the build. I'm doing a similar type thing with mine. I bought mine used with 41 hours and new battery and all the service receipts where it was worked on. Subscribed. Cool!
Steven, I just purchased that same generator new. How do you like it? What do you run on it? I was thinking about some lights, my fridge, and my well. Not sure how much it can handle. I have a friend that is an electrician that will be installing it to the house.
Robert, I bolted three angle brackets onto the dryer vent and then glues the magnets onto the angle brackets so they would connect to the muffler. You may have to adapt to fit your situation but it worked well for me. Hope this helps.
I like the setup. It's not as elaborate as some, but that is what I like about it. Where did you locate the bulk wire to make the 65' cord. A video on that and you trickle charger setup would be a great help.
I would like to know why is your generator so far from the house? Why not put the generator up close to the house next to the 240V generator plug? If you keep it in the shed, the noise will be kept to a minimum while running.
Good question. 6' is the minimum safe distance that the generator must be from the house. I have flooding issues from time to time and wanted to store it on an elevated platform facing the woods on our side yard. I have a cord that reaches the house. It works well for my situation. Other people may want it closer to their house.
I purchased the 10/4 flexible wire at a local electrical supply store. I also purchased the plugs there as well. The trickle charger I found on Amazon and you can easily connect to the battery with the alligator clips that come with it. Hope that helps.
Question: I have done something similar with a dog house. I like the use of the Hardyback, I will re-work mine to include that. Can you provide more detail on the angle iron magnet combination you used to anchor the dryer vent to the muffler? Fantastic idea I wish I had seen this before I invested in the dog house. I have a smaller in line duct vent fan that on a 90 deg day still kept my temp at 100 inside the shelter. I went low tech with a simple thermometer. The emergency light in the garage beats the flashlight I will still have to feel for. Thanks.
Looks good, but have you tested generator running for extended periods of time to monitor heat and whether resin shed will hold up. What is your experience for the past five years? I bought the same shed, built a raised deck and secured the chain around one of the posts embedded in concrete and then fed up through the back of the shed. My plan was to merely leave the doors propped open when running with the top down in place. My 7500W is 210# so it's not really portable for me which is why I decided to store it where I wanted to operate it and merely use the shed as storage protection. Several folks I know who set up their resin enclosures to be closed when running each found the buildup of CO2 and heat was huge in their enclosure as well as melting on back wall when generator was running for extended periods. Both have removed resin enclosures and built a larger enclosure out of metal/wood. They each had large generators 7000W like yours and a 7500W.
How do you like that Champion generator? I use Stabil in my generator too. I keep it in the generator for about 6 months and then drain it and run it in my truck and then put fresh gas with Stabil back in the generator. Pretty nice the way you have that set up.
Hi. Looks great. Good job. Congratulations. I have one Champion generator and I want to make a shed and I'm looking for Exhaust Fan. What is the size and the CFM of the fan? Thanks for your help.
Jim great setup, trying to put something together now simular to yours. Got a Champion 7000 too with the remote starter and a Suncast shed but iI think I need to get a larger one which I'm working on that now. I hope you could help me with some questions that I have. With the solar battery tender connected can you leave your generator switch in the on position so that you can start it from the remote? What size is your Suncast shed? The exhaust has nothing to clamp to and you used earth magnets, are they attached to the muffler or the box that covers the exhaust system, and were did you get the magnets? Thanks for the video and the great ideas.
Great job! I have the same generator with remote. I would like to know if you keep the ignition and power switch on 24/7. I also see that the solar panel should keep the battery from going dead due to the switches being on 24/7. Please let me know
I do not leave the power switch on. I just turn it when needed. The solar panel helps charge the battery, but I have also added a small trickle charger that I leave plugged in over the winter months. Have used it twice this winter and was a lifesaver. Good luck with yours!
Jim why did'nt you put the fan on the other end it seems that more heat is there? Is it better to center gen,so more air circulates? I bench tested the fan and sat the lovers over it and they do not open up does it have to be in closed to work right ? THANKS I THINK YOUR VIDEO IS GREAT BUT ALOT HARDER TO DO WHEN TO COLD OUTSIDE
Impressive Jim. I’ve been following your build and others for my own project. I used just a return vent on the exhaust fan side as well. I do not have the automatic shutter. Do you find there are more advantages to the automatic shutter? Should I be concerned of a cross breeze spinning the fan blade when not in use since it doesn’t have a shutter closed protecting it? I’ve already installed the fan and vent so I hope there isn’t too many disadvantages.
rmastria3 I think you should be fine and would not worry about a cross breeze. You basically want to whatever you can to keep it from over heating. I would run it for a while and see how it runs. Good luck with your build!
Hello Jim, great job i have watched this video several time, I just completed mine and need to set up the temp gauge, how did you mount the sensor in the enclosure just ordered mine from Amazon and it looks like in has a stand ? Thanks Al
Al, I built a 2" x 4" frame for the exhaust fan and mounted the temperature sensor to the frame with a drywall screw. We had to use the generator for several hours back in February and it worked very well. Powered everything in the house we needed. We forgot the power was out! Best of luck to you with your project. Jim
Since the fan motor is cooled by the cool air flowing over it in normal operation, I wonder why almost everyone puts their fan as an exhaust sucking cold air in, rather than as an intake blowing cool air in. Seems better for fan longevity to have it sucking in cold air, and it should then just blow out the opposite side. If worried about water intrusion, installing a large hood cover over both the intake and exhaust will prevent that, and as an added benefit will deflect the noise pulses into the ground. Doing that, you shouldn't even need a separate exhaust, if your generator has an exhaust pointing out the side.
Hi Jim good job. What size fan did you use, and where do i get one. I'm working on my shed for the generator and need to find a cooling fan for an area of about 100 cubic feet. So far can't find one. It gets as hot as 117 here in the shade and as cold as 20 in the winter.
The gable vent fan was purchased at Lowe's: www.lowes.com/pd_62506-228-53319_0__?productId=3143421&Ntt=gable+vent+fan&pl=1¤tURL=%3FNtt%3Dgable%2Bvent%2Bfan&facetInfo. The fan has a thermostat that you can adjust. It works great. I build a quick 2" x 4" frame to mount the fan to.
Corey, please see my related video. I show some details on how I hooked up the exhaust. I basically used a 4" to 3" heater exhaust piece and connected "L" brackets and magnets to it.
Nice set up Jim...Jim I didn't see a Transfer Switch in your house wiring. Is it not required in your area?...The power company told me I needed one to avoid shocking the workers for the power company, when they go to repair the line. The Solar Trickle Charger is an excellent idea...Thanks for the post Jim.
Gary Jac yes there is a manual transfer switch in the main panel. It is a lock-out switch so that it is not possible to back feed the grid. Check out a video that compares Interlock vs. Transfer Switch.
How long do you think that tiny 30 amp generator will LAST when it accidentally back feeds power to the street to feed 10+ homes...??? The power company here did a demonstration on how long a 30 amp 240V generator will last once its back fed into the community providing power for 10+ houses.... How long do you think it lasted once it received its power load from 10+ houses...?? Once the main breaker was CLOSED, the generator bogged down and popped the breaker within 2 seconds
Pay attention. He's got an interlock in his panel that prevents the incoming 30A breaker from being on at the same time his main is on. I'm glad you paid attention to you power company's demonstration, but you need to pay attention to what he's done here too. If this makes no sense to you please hire an electrician to do your work.
Jim - Great video! I've got the same shed which I'm looking to convert as an enclosure for my generator as well. Do you recall whether you were able to use the same size grills for the two doors? I picked up two 8"x14" grills but the logo on the right door looks like it's going to make it a bit snug. I was also wondering whether you were having any problems using a plastic shutter for the exiting vent.
+Bob Wenz Jim - Two other questions. I was wondering whether you used any rubber grommets to deaden the vibration form the fan. Also, do you have any details on the magnets you ordered on Amazon?
Chad, I bought mine at my local electrical supply house but you can also find them online. Make sure it is for your specific breaker panel, they are very specific. You can also check Lowes/Home Depot. If they sell your make/model panel they may sell the lockout kit.
Hello again Jim, what is the small panel that you used to mount the generator plug onto on the house wall, it's looks like about 6" X 10 " , did you make that or buy it Thanks Al
Al, I bought it at Lowes. It is the Reliance 30-amp Generator Power Inlet Box. Around $54.00 at my local Lowes. If your local store doesn't carry it they have it online.
Yes, but there is 75' of woods between us. I did discuss it with him first and he is fine with the location. He is also welcome to tie into the generator.
mkerjo It is not necessary but I wanted to vent the exhaust out away from my house into the woods for noise dissipation. The fan is sufficient enough to vent the heat and the exhaust, but in my situation I preferred to vent it out the back. Thank you for your interest and your question. I have since added an electric trickle charger to maintain the battery. I plan to run a conduit under ground, but for winter I just ran an extension cord.
I have been very impressed with the quality of the Champion generator. It is made in the US and got high reports in Consumer Reports. I have had no issues or problems with the genset. I have seen it on sale at Costco for around $599. If the price is right I would not hesitate.
Jim McGovern 7000w = 9000 peak on sale at costco for 649$ www.costco.com/Champion-7000W-Running--9000W-Peak-DUAL-FUEL-Generator-wElectric-Start.product.100220385.html
Hate 2 say it bud but a lock cutter and 10 seconds that Generator is gone!!! And you're right next to a main street, Easy Access!!! I would fence in for privacy and protection!!! No need for all that work to end up vandalized!!! Word 2 the wise, they'll never make anything that can't be stolen!!! Ask the Federal Government!!!
Danny, the cord to my house is about 50'. It is longer than I need but wanted to have some slack. Works fine, it is heavy duty so there is no drop in current. Good luck!
I have run the generator for several hours with no issues. The shed has been in service now for about 4 years with no issues, other than some minor algae due to a rainy summer.
Looks awesome - excellent post, With a setup like this you are officially a hard core prepper. I really enjoy these kind of videos as they give me ideas for my own needs.
Thank you, thank you, thank you - you're the FIRST one to have a gen-shed video that at least I've seen to get the inlet installed on the outside of your house right! (although you referred to it as an outlet and I know from experience that these cost about double what a box and an actual outlet goes for) So many others use an outlet for a 50 amp RV or dryer and that's wrong - they would have a live lead from the generator if they were to connect the cord to the generator and then plug it into their house - again thank you for doing things right with regard to the inlet!
Thanks!
Great setup. Looks like you have it well thought out and are prepared. It's good to be prepared these days. I like your generator. Especially the remote start. I have one just like it but without. Thank You for the video.
My pleasure. Our power was out for 10 hours the other day and it worked flawlessly.
Best job I've seen yet!
Good job on the panel 👍
Thank you.
Nice video. I really like the detail you provided for your family using the colored decals. Optional circuits versus necessary items. Good job!
Awesome Videos. I am going to follow your build as much as I can. Thanks for taking the time to post!
Jim I have to say, This is the best video on portable generator sheds that I've seen so far. Some of the others are very good, but the reasonable detail you put into your project is excellent. The one thing that was very helpful to me was using the hardie backer on the exhaust. Until I viewed your video's I didn't know what to do. Since viewing your video I have put together a shed for my Generac GP 7500E and used some of your ideas and it works great. So once again Thanks for the ideas.
Thank you for your feedback. I spent a lot of time trying to come up with some practical ideas. We had several power outages back in February and I must say the generator set-up worked flawlessly. Nothing that I would change at this point. I do plan to add a grounding rod for some added protection. I am also considering converting to natural gas and running a line from my gas meter. Best of luck to you!
Jim
+Jim McGovern If you are running a gas line over to the generator if I was you I would run a 3/4 inch pvc pipe from your current inlet box outside and make that a junction box and place your inlet in the shed. Run four #10's and have the wiring hardwired. Absolutely no need to ever run out a SO cable again. I'm a Licensed Journeyman Electrician. Thanks and you made a great video.
Thank you for the suggestion.
Well done, that's a serious gen shed and set-up 👍🏽
Thank you. It gets the job done.
Very nice set up. Would have like to watch a video of your build for it.
One thing that I learned as a firefighter regarding airflow. You want to have the outflow approximately twice the size of the inflow openings when you are using a forced exhaust system like this. It creates more of a suction which strengthens the airflow through the room, or in this case the shed. Before becoming a firefighter I would have thought the complete opposite would be true, but that is one of the first things we learn and it is used to quickly clear smoke from a room or building. Just something to keep in mind if you ever decide to redo the generator shed later.
Thank you, will keep that in mind. Good advice.
Hey Jim,got my La Crosse temp receiver and two sensors one for generator enclosure and one for the front porch, worked out very well,Thanks for the idea
Al
Hope it works well for you. Best of luck.
Hope it works well for you. Best of luck.
Outstanding video! Very professional and neat install.
Steven Meyer thank you!
Bob, I used drywall screws to attach the 2 x 4 frame to the shed. I screwed through the shed into the 2 x 4 frame, and in my situation, screwed down into my base platform. I did position the shutter first and then built the frame for the fan. You don't have too much flexibility in where to mount the shutter, and then you can center the fan over the shutter. I remember that I needed the 2 x 4 frame because of the depth of the fan. Good luck, sounds like your almost there.
Bob- I was able to use the same size grill for each of the front doors. I remember that the logo made for a tight fit but I trimmed it with a utility knife. I think the plastic shutter came with the fan, which is sold as an gable exhaust fan. I had had no issues with the shutter and have ran it for about 24 hours. I did not need to use any grommets to mount the fan, it is very smooth and it works fine screwed to the 2 x 4 frame I made to mount it. The magnets from Amazon were rare earth magnets and were inexpensive. They are about the size of a dine and come in a pack of ten or so. They are brittle and break easily, so be careful when mounting them. Best of luck to you and I hope you never have to use your emergency generator during a power outage, but plan for the worse!
Jim - thanks for the quick response and the information. The one thing I'm struggling with though is the need for a separate exhaust for fumes. I'm planning on placing the shed/generator right along the outside back wall of my garage so there's not a heck of a lot of room to have a vent sticking out the back and since the fan takes up quite a bit of space on the right wall I'm not sure that the vent would fit on that side either. Then I was thinking, with that high a CFM do you really need a separate exhaust? I've got a Westinghouse WH7500E generator that comes with a massive muffler that exits to a spark arrestor that is only about 0.75" in diameter. What's the approximate diameter of your generator's exhaust and how did it end up being 3" before the step up 4" for the vent?
+Bob Wenz you need to do whatever works for your situation. I wanted to get as much of the heat out of the shed as possible, it the fan may be sufficient. In my case the exhaust faces the woods, so that helps with dissipating sound. My muffler is covered by the spark arrester and a shroud, which has a 3" diameter opening. The vent fits perfectly over the opening. good luck!
Jim - thanks for the feedback. I've got the return vents installed and picked up the other hardware. Just wondering how you secured the 2x4 frame for the fan to the inside of the shed.
Jim - Also, did you position the exhaust shutter first and then build the fan frame based upon the opening for the shutter?
I like your generator platform - with the solar trickle and vents. Nice detail.
Its a similar Champion that I have and did videos of its testing for my channel, and it connection to my house. They are noisy but it handles the load very well, put over 10,000W of loading on a max 9000 W generator and though it bogged it kept going for some seconds, long enough certainly to handle start up loads. These Champions are good little generators.
Your lockout is very similar to mine. Cool -- thanks for the video.
RelentlessHomesteading thank you. best of luck with your setup.
Very well done. Thanks for the post!
Thank you John. Hope it was helpful. It works great when we need it.
very nice do it yourself setup well done we know the neighbors will be knocking when a storm knocks the power out on your street
i just got me 2 generators and small 1000w one for my boat for fishing and bowfishing and running big floods on boat
and the other is a small 1800w just to run fridge and fans in house if power goes out
but i already have a 1.1kw off grid solar system with 16 220ahr batteries that run internet tvs some lights charge cell phones and runs my water heater in my house
so all i needed was something that can power fridge and some fans not if but when grid power goes out and i have gas heat all ready that doesn't require power and runs off propane plus we do have a fireplace if we get desperate and allot of trees around the place
even with just my off grid solar system i did not realise we lost power 2 months ago because my internet and TVs all worked when i got out of bed and the sun was up so i did not hit light switch because it was a sunday morning and i went to kitchen and i was hay no power hum :-) so placed call and kicked back watched movie and took care of some housework and 9 hrs later they replaced the transformer on my pole that was struck by lightning night befor
but all of my tvs and computers are connected to my solar grid so no damage to any electronics in the house
it is a good feeling knowing you have backups and can take care of your own needs if have too
dexter2433 9th
If you can use two portable generators anyway, when you need a replacement look into the Yamaha inverter generators. They produce a clean sine wave (better for sensitive electronics), are waaaay quieter than non-inverter types, and they have "twintech" which means you can take two units and plug them both together with a special cable they give you for double the output.
Sorry I think I deleted my last comment; still getting used to this Google+ rubbish! Thanks for letting me know about the 220V power coming in, that's very fascinating! I had no idea that US run 220V across the lines. Cheers!
NICE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE EXACTLY HOW YOU DID YOU'RE EXHAUST> IF THATS POSSIBLE. THANKS.
I described it below in the comments. Each generator is different and you will need to "design-build" for your unit.
Rocky, I placed the fan on the opposite end of the generator to pull the air over it. the louvers open fully when the fan is on. you need a draft to get the louvers to work, they would not work on a bench. good luck and let me know if I can answer any other questions.
Chain by 2X6 smart. See in MN my Craftsman manual says there can be issues with freezing at carburetor in winter. They recommend using the box it came in. Keep carb from freezing up.
Good work. Strange, I have the "same" genny, champion, 9375/7500 watts with one less 240 volt outlet on it. Weird. Great job on the build. I'm doing a similar type thing with mine. I bought mine used with 41 hours and new battery and all the service receipts where it was worked on. Subscribed. Cool!
Steven, I just purchased that same generator new. How do you like it? What do you run on it? I was thinking about some lights, my fridge, and my well. Not sure how much it can handle. I have a friend that is an electrician that will be installing it to the house.
Robert, I bolted three angle brackets onto the dryer vent and then glues the magnets onto the angle brackets so they would connect to the muffler. You may have to adapt to fit your situation but it worked well for me. Hope this helps.
Thanks I will try that, I appreciate your response very much!
Thanks Jim, I was showing a friend of mine your enclosure and I noticed that panel,and thanks for the info and getting back to me
Al
I like the setup. It's not as elaborate as some, but that is what I like about it. Where did you locate the bulk wire to make the 65' cord. A video on that and you trickle charger setup would be a great help.
I would like to know why is your generator so far from the house? Why not put the generator up close to the house next to the 240V generator plug? If you keep it in the shed, the noise will be kept to a minimum while running.
Good question. 6' is the minimum safe distance that the generator must be from the house. I have flooding issues from time to time and wanted to store it on an elevated platform facing the woods on our side yard. I have a cord that reaches the house. It works well for my situation. Other people may want it closer to their house.
Very professional, good info! Thanks
Dan Roy thank you Dan, it works very well. Thankfully we have not had to use it much.
I thought solar panel was an iPad for a minute! I was like damn this dude even got an iPad for his generator, he is awesome!
DrMario Pepper lol, that is funny. I have since switched to an electric trickle charger which I leave plugged in to keep the battery charged.
I purchased the 10/4 flexible wire at a local electrical supply store. I also purchased the plugs there as well. The trickle charger I found on Amazon and you can easily connect to the battery with the alligator clips that come with it. Hope that helps.
Boom!!!
Brian, I use Stabil fuel stabilizer to help keep the carb clean and from freezing in winter.
Very nice but did you make an outlet for exhaust and grounding ?
Thanks for your comment. I did cut out an outlet for the exhaust. I did not add a ground.
@@jdmac62 Thanks, just got a small Duromax 5500 entry level unit.
I think it is a great generator for the price. so far I have had no issues with it.
Question: I have done something similar with a dog house. I like the use of the Hardyback, I will re-work mine to include that. Can you provide more detail on the angle iron magnet combination you used to anchor the dryer vent to the muffler? Fantastic idea I wish I had seen this before I invested in the dog house. I have a smaller in line duct vent fan that on a 90 deg day still kept my temp at 100 inside the shelter. I went low tech with a simple thermometer. The emergency light in the garage beats the flashlight I will still have to feel for. Thanks.
Looks good, but have you tested generator running for extended periods of time to monitor heat and whether resin shed will hold up. What is your experience for the past five years? I bought the same shed, built a raised deck and secured the chain around one of the posts embedded in concrete and then fed up through the back of the shed. My plan was to merely leave the doors propped open when running with the top down in place. My 7500W is 210# so it's not really portable for me which is why I decided to store it where I wanted to operate it and merely use the shed as storage protection. Several folks I know who set up their resin enclosures to be closed when running each found the buildup of CO2 and heat was huge in their enclosure as well as melting on back wall when generator was running for extended periods. Both have removed resin enclosures and built a larger enclosure out of metal/wood. They each had large generators 7000W like yours and a 7500W.
How do you like that Champion generator? I use Stabil in my generator too. I keep it in the generator for about 6 months and then drain it and run it in my truck and then put fresh gas with Stabil back in the generator. Pretty nice the way you have that set up.
Very nice I have an 8,000 generic on the same setup as you,r how long is you,r cord mine is 25 feet would like to have it a little longer.
Hi. Looks great. Good job. Congratulations. I have one Champion generator and I want to make a shed and I'm looking for Exhaust Fan. What is the size and the CFM of the fan?
Thanks for your help.
Jim great setup, trying to put something together now simular to yours. Got a Champion 7000 too with the remote starter and a Suncast shed but iI think I need to get a larger one which I'm working on that now. I hope you could help me with some questions that I have. With the solar battery tender connected can you leave your generator switch in the on position so that you can start it from the remote? What size is your Suncast shed? The exhaust has nothing to clamp to and you used earth magnets, are they attached to the muffler or the box that covers the exhaust system, and were did you get the magnets? Thanks for the video and the great ideas.
Great job! I have the same generator with remote. I would like to know if you keep the ignition and power switch on 24/7. I also see that the solar panel should keep the battery from going dead due to the switches being on 24/7. Please let me know
I do not leave the power switch on. I just turn it when needed. The solar panel helps charge the battery, but I have also added a small trickle charger that I leave plugged in over the winter months. Have used it twice this winter and was a lifesaver. Good luck with yours!
Jim why did'nt you put the fan on the other end it seems that more heat is there? Is it better to center gen,so more air circulates? I bench tested the fan and sat the lovers over it and they do not open up does it have to be in closed to work right ? THANKS I THINK YOUR VIDEO IS GREAT BUT ALOT HARDER TO DO WHEN TO COLD OUTSIDE
Impressive Jim. I’ve been following your build and others for my own project. I used just a return vent on the exhaust fan side as well. I do not have the automatic shutter. Do you find there are more advantages to the automatic shutter? Should I be concerned of a cross breeze spinning the fan blade when not in use since it doesn’t have a shutter closed protecting it? I’ve already installed the fan and vent so I hope there isn’t too many disadvantages.
rmastria3 I think you should be fine and would not worry about a cross breeze. You basically want to whatever you can to keep it from over heating. I would run it for a while and see how it runs. Good luck with your build!
thank you Rafael.
Where did you get the solar charger? Great video I am trying to put one together, THANKS
Hello Jim, great job i have watched this video several time, I just completed mine and need to set up the temp gauge, how did you mount the sensor in the enclosure
just ordered mine from Amazon and it looks like in has a stand ?
Thanks Al
Al, I built a 2" x 4" frame for the exhaust fan and mounted the temperature sensor to the frame with a drywall screw. We had to use the generator for several hours back in February and it worked very well. Powered everything in the house we needed. We forgot the power was out! Best of luck to you with your project. Jim
Since the fan motor is cooled by the cool air flowing over it in normal operation, I wonder why almost everyone puts their fan as an exhaust sucking cold air in, rather than as an intake blowing cool air in. Seems better for fan longevity to have it sucking in cold air, and it should then just blow out the opposite side. If worried about water intrusion, installing a large hood cover over both the intake and exhaust will prevent that, and as an added benefit will deflect the noise pulses into the ground. Doing that, you shouldn't even need a separate exhaust, if your generator has an exhaust pointing out the side.
DumbDuck44 thanks, good idea.
thank you.
you are welcome Bill.
Hi Jim good job.
What size fan did you use, and where do i get one.
I'm working on my shed for the generator and need to find a cooling fan for an area of about 100 cubic feet. So far can't find one. It gets as hot as 117 here in the shade and as cold as 20 in the winter.
The gable vent fan was purchased at Lowe's: www.lowes.com/pd_62506-228-53319_0__?productId=3143421&Ntt=gable+vent+fan&pl=1¤tURL=%3FNtt%3Dgable%2Bvent%2Bfan&facetInfo. The fan has a thermostat that you can adjust. It works great. I build a quick 2" x 4" frame to mount the fan to.
Corey, please see my related video. I show some details on how I hooked up the exhaust. I basically used a 4" to 3" heater exhaust piece and connected "L" brackets and magnets to it.
Nice set up Jim...Jim I didn't see a Transfer Switch in your house wiring. Is it not required in your area?...The power company told me I needed one to avoid shocking the workers for the power company, when they go to repair the line. The Solar Trickle Charger is an excellent idea...Thanks for the post Jim.
Gary Jac yes there is a manual transfer switch in the main panel. It is a lock-out switch so that it is not possible to back feed the grid. Check out a video that compares Interlock vs. Transfer Switch.
at 5:37 it shows the lock- out switch.
How long do you think that tiny 30 amp generator will LAST when it accidentally back feeds power to the street to feed 10+ homes...???
The power company here did a demonstration on how long a 30 amp 240V generator will last once its back fed into the community providing power for 10+ houses.... How long do you think it lasted once it received its power load from 10+ houses...?? Once the main breaker was CLOSED, the generator bogged down and popped the breaker within 2 seconds
It is not possible - he has installed a manual transfer switch!
Pay attention. He's got an interlock in his panel that prevents the incoming 30A breaker from being on at the same time his main is on. I'm glad you paid attention to you power company's demonstration, but you need to pay attention to what he's done here too. If this makes no sense to you please hire an electrician to do your work.
Jim, greeting from Venezuela. I would like to know what is the solar that you used in this project? can you provide more details about it?
Jim - Great video! I've got the same shed which I'm looking to convert as an enclosure for my generator as well. Do you recall whether you were able to use the same size grills for the two doors? I picked up two 8"x14" grills but the logo on the right door looks like it's going to make it a bit snug. I was also wondering whether you were having any problems using a plastic shutter for the exiting vent.
+Bob Wenz Jim - Two other questions. I was wondering whether you used any rubber grommets to deaden the vibration form the fan. Also, do you have any details on the magnets you ordered on Amazon?
Hello Jim, Yea I know what that is but I mean the plate behind the power inlet plug
It is from Lowe's. They are in the vinyl siding section. They did not have one that matched my siding so I just went with white.
Where did you come up with the breaker transfer lock?
Chad, I bought mine at my local electrical supply house but you can also find them online. Make sure it is for your specific breaker panel, they are very specific. You can also check Lowes/Home Depot. If they sell your make/model panel they may sell the lockout kit.
Hello again Jim, what is the small panel that you used to mount the generator plug onto on the house wall, it's looks like about 6" X 10 " , did you make that or buy it
Thanks Al
Al, I bought it at Lowes. It is the Reliance 30-amp Generator Power Inlet Box. Around $54.00 at my local Lowes. If your local store doesn't carry it they have it online.
Was that your neighbors house behind the generator?
Yes, but there is 75' of woods between us. I did discuss it with him first and he is fine with the location. He is also welcome to tie into the generator.
Jim, being plastic, can I assume this is a garbage can shed?
It is a multi purpose shed, used for trash cans, pool supplies, etc. It has held up well over the last few years.
Do you need the exhaust vent? You have a large intake vent and an exhaust fan. Won't that do the job of venting the exhaust too?
mkerjo It is not necessary but I wanted to vent the exhaust out away from my house into the woods for noise dissipation. The fan is sufficient enough to vent the heat and the exhaust, but in my situation I preferred to vent it out the back. Thank you for your interest and your question. I have since added an electric trickle charger to maintain the battery. I plan to run a conduit under ground, but for winter I just ran an extension cord.
Nice
Cool
What's your opinion of the generator itself? I'm looking at buying one with 32 hours on it but am unsure of the quality.
I have been very impressed with the quality of the Champion generator. It is made in the US and got high reports in Consumer Reports. I have had no issues or problems with the genset. I have seen it on sale at Costco for around $599. If the price is right I would not hesitate.
Jim McGovern 7000w = 9000 peak on sale at costco for 649$ www.costco.com/Champion-7000W-Running--9000W-Peak-DUAL-FUEL-Generator-wElectric-Start.product.100220385.html
found it on Amazon.
Hate 2 say it bud but a lock cutter and 10 seconds that Generator is gone!!! And you're right next to a main street, Easy Access!!! I would fence in for privacy and protection!!! No need for all that work to end up vandalized!!! Word 2 the wise, they'll never make anything that can't be stolen!!! Ask the Federal Government!!!
Flooding is for fish ducks and creepy crawlers... move.
Danny, the cord to my house is about 50'. It is longer than I need but wanted to have some slack. Works fine, it is heavy duty so there is no drop in current. Good luck!
I have run the generator for several hours with no issues. The shed has been in service now for about 4 years with no issues, other than some minor algae due to a rainy summer.
thanks Brian.