Looking for advice on Generator

[Domenic Barbero]

Need some odd location power. So wanting to buy a generator. Something that may be 3000w but at least 2k watts. The more quiet the better. Anyone have any advice or experience with some small gennys? could you point me to a great make and model?

Thanks in advance.

 

[David W. Jones]

Depending on your budget, both are able to link two units together.
Here is a Honda
http://powerequipment.honda.com/generators/models/eu2000i-companion
and here is a cheaper unit
http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/product.jsp?productId=prod4170021

 

[Domenic Barbero]

Thanks david. Ive been looking at the honda one. could safely run a 1.2k hmi and my camera if needed. i like.

 

[Michael Notar]

i believe some of the quietest ones are the honda EU series, inverter type, near perfect sine wave. thing with a generator is you got to look at the plug and configuration for each model. i had a 3200w genny, it had one 14A 240v plug or 2- 14A regular outlets. couldnt run my 1200w HMI off it, it uses just over 14A. so a 1k/2k genny is fine if you want to run a camera/monitor etc size loads or small lights, under 500w. for lighting i would reccomend a min of a 4500w genny, preferably as big as you can afford. 4000w/4500w will give you just 2-20A circuits.

 

[Clint Lealos]

Hey Domenic, you can't go wrong with Honda generators. I would also point out the benefits to using certain lamps with small portable generators. Without going into too much detail, if you use lamps that are Power Factor Corrected (PFC) you will be able to use the power more efficiently and therefore, power more lamps than if they were not PFC. If you are looking for more detail about why this is and what it all means please refer to Guy Holt's article: http://www.screenlightandgrip.com/html/emailnewsletter_generators.html
He can explain it much better than I ever could, because I still don't fully understand everything he is saying. My knowledge on the subject is still a limiting factor. However, he basically says to use Joker Bugs, ARRI M18, KIno Parabeams, and a couple other PFC lamps that I can't recall at the moment, and you will get the most out of your generator. Even if you don't own any PFC lamps, I still think the Honda is your best bet Good luck!

 

[Michael Notar]

the PFC lights are just a bit more effecient. i have some older lights, they pull prob 25% more power than a new PFC ballast would, but still work just as good.

 

[Domenic Barbero]

thanks guys you rock. my budget is around 2k hopefully

 

[Peter Berger]

the PFC lights are just a bit more effecient. i have some older lights, they pull prob 25% more power than a new PFC ballast would, but still work just as good.

Power Factor Corrected (PFC) HMI ballasts can be considerably more efficient than non-PFC ballasts. Take the Joker 400 for example. If we look at the technical specifications for the Joker 400, the electronic ballast they offered until about a year ago has a Power Factor of .54. What that means is that it draws 6.2 Amps rather than the 3.3 Amps you would think using Ohm’s Law (W=VA.) The difference between the actual current drawn by the bulb, 6.2 Amps, and the 3.3 Amps a 400W bulb should draw using Ohm’s Law (W=VxA), is the difference between what is called “Apparent Power” and “True Power.”

This greater Apparent Power is not the only consideration when using these lights on portable generators. What makes the non-PFC Joker ballast not “work just as good” is that they kick Harmonic Noise back into the power stream that can have a severe adverse effect on the power waveform of some generators. The poor Power Factor and Harmonic Noise of magnetic and non-Power Factor Corrected electronic ballasts (HMI, Kino, CFL, & LED incld.) make sizing a portable generator very complicated. There is a good article on the companion website to Harry Box’s 4[SUP]th[/SUP] Edition of the “Set Lighting Technician’s Handbook” on how to size portable generators for lighting loads. You can log onto the site at http://booksite.focalpress.com/box/setlighting/ with the pass-code "setlighting."

Peter Berger

 

[Johnny Friday]

Here's another ++ for Honda EU series...i use them often and there is an options plug to put them in series...the EU 1000 is around $799 when found a good deal. The EU2000 i think around $1400 to 1700.

 

[Ketch Rossi]

Honda Super quiet EU2000 and EU3000 are the only ones I use.

 

[Domenic Barbero]

Thanks Ketch, Sounds like honda is the way to go

 

[Dr. Sassi]

Perhaps you check with the light rental house if the HMI needs a Generator with a Crystal Sync in it. (Motion Picture and Video Lighting 2nd edition, Blain Brown, page 153). I'm certain the book that Peter Berger suggested might be more on the point about such things. (My next investment, Edit: ordered )

 

[Taj Jackson]

Is Honda much better than the Yamaha ones. Does anyone have any experience with them?
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/outdoor/products/modelhome/669/0/home.aspx

Here's a video from Yamaha vs the competition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=ZNiQIu5M6VM

Was dead set on getting the Honda... Now I'm confused..lol

 

[Jeff Zueger]

Own to Honda EU2000s and they are great.

 

[Peter Berger]

Perhaps you check with the light rental house if the HMI needs a Generator with a Crystal Sync in it.

Inverter generators do not require crystal governors to operate HMI ballasts “flicker free” (even the older magnetic ballasts) because they run at precisely 60Hz (+/- .01 Hz). Which makes magnetic ballasts a cost effective alternative to dirty non-PFC electronic ballasts – they even draw less power than the non-PFC electronic ballasts.

Motion Picture and Video Lighting 2nd edition, Blain Brown… I'm certain the book that Peter Berger suggested might be more on the point about such things. (My next investment, Edit: ordered )

You don’t need to fork out the thirty plus bucks for Harry Box’s 4[SUP]th[/SUP] Edition of the “Set Lighting Technician’s Handbook”. There is a good article on the companion website on how to size portable generators for different lighting loads. You can log onto the site at http://booksite.focalpress.com/box/setlighting/ with the pass-code "setlighting."

Is Honda much better than the Yamaha ones. Does anyone have any experience with them? …Was dead set on getting the Honda... Now I'm confused..lol

Go with the Honda. It is actually a 8000W generator marketed in this country as a 6500W generator because of our National Electrical Code (there is a company that modifies them to get 7500W in a single 60A/120V circuit but you need a transformer/distro to use it.) Whereas, the Yamaha 6500 is actually a 5500W generator – the 6500W capacity is only for brief inrush currents like what you get off compressors. The continuous load rating is only 5500W. With the modification you can get 7500W continuous with the Honda EU6500is.

Peter Berger