Subject: Re: Generators

From: Chris Conlan <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 2 Dec 1996 19:50:39 -0800

If you are going to have to lug around the generator for any type of
distance then weight is definitely going to be a consideration (unless, of
course, you can hire a sherpa).  The Honda 350 is only about 18 pounds and
easy to cary around (the next sizes up start getting considerably
heavier!).  It can only handle about 300 watts of light though.  For two
merc vapor setups, you might have some trouble.  It might work better if
you started one light and then waited for 10 minutes or so before you start
the other one so the initial draw of power is not so high (Can't say for
sure as I have never tried running two merc setups off mine).  The running
time is rather short (~2 hours or a little less) but this is easily
overcome by buying an extra gas cap, punching a hole in it and running some
tubing to a gas can.  Make sure the tubing is tightly fitted to both the
gas can and generator cap and then mount the gas can higher than the
generator to create a gravity feed situation.  A good friend of mine
designed a setup like this for me (thanks Steve) and it works great.  You
can email me if you need more details.
Chris
[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (David H. Ahrenholz)
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 1996 15:02:15 -0600

I> The running time is 
> rather short (~2 hours or a little less) but this is easily overcome 
> by buying an extra gas cap, punching a hole in it and running some 
> tubing to a gas can.  Make sure the tubing is tightly fitted to both 
> the gas can and generator cap and then mount the gas can higher than 
> the generator to create a gravity feed situation.
Please be *very* careful with this setup.  Gasoline and its invisible vapors 
are explosive.  Aout 40% of the patients in my burn center each year have 
misadventures with gasoline.  

David Ahrenholz, MD
Burn Center Office
640 Jackson Street
St. Paul, MN 55101-2595
[email-masked]
Fax (612) 221-4359
Work(612) 221-2881