Running Generator Inside Garage or Basement

AllanJ

Is it considered acceptable to run a portable generator inside a garage or basement when the exhaust is piped to the outside?

Car repair shops often run cars in the closed building with the car exhaust piped through a small hole in the garage door to the outside.

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SD515

I wouldn’t without a forced air-blower system. Something that’s sealed and provides a positive air flow to the outside.

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Kyle

Just because you can, doesn't always mean you should

AandPDan

Most cars aren't run for very long in the shop like that. Certainly not for hours on end.

Small engines usually create much more CO than do cars with emission controls.

It's a bad idea all around. Just put some plywood over it.

biggles

sure it is... make it as short as possible on the connection from the muffler to the vent. use that aluminum dryer vent flex duct to extend it up keep it above the genny(heat rising) maybe even a dryer vent with a flap on it screw the vent in place.basement might be a little riskeeee with gasoline and a spark running inside...

carmusic

cars shop have open windows or do not close completely doors to get fresh air enter the shop

biggles

like this... and this treat yourself to some emergency lighting over the genny beats holding a flashlight in your mouth... goes for 90 minutes and shuts off when the genny comes up....might consider a couple inside the house to paint the ceiling with light and hallways with lights till you do the flip keep the troops calm.... http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/LIT...LE3?Pid=search called the maker of mine and they don't want the exhaust piped out just let it rise up into something like i do thinking it might back up into the muffler if hard piped

Auger01

A few CO alarms installed around the house might not be a bad idea if you set the genny up like that. Might want to take a life insurance policy too

jbfan

unbelievable!!!

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gregzoll

Allan, when it is done in structures, the gensets are contained in concrete rooms, with a fire suppression system, that is also tied into the fuel cutoff. The noise alone would be more than someone could endure for more than 15 to 30 min's though.

Best bet, is to get one of the outdoor units, that no one would really notice outside, unless they were really looking for it. Would be no more obtrusive than a outdoor a/c unit. As for dirty power, hook up a power conditioner isolation transformer on those circuits that would be critical to possible issues with the dirty power.

Also, if you have a tractor with a PTO, you can get one of the gensets, that could be located in a structure, such as a shed or garage, and use the tractor's pto to power it. Secure the vehicle to the ground, it is outside, and the genset is indoors.

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biggles

relax guys.........that is in a detached garage 25' into the back yard from the house....the cat that hangs in there while i run it snoozes away to the sound haven't lost her yet i leave the garage door open with a back window for cross vent so my neighbors can listen to it during a hit as IRENE was...ran 24/7 3 days straight except shutdowns for oil and gas refills..NOTE do not ever try to fill a generator while it is running.....

jimmy21

You asked for our opinion if it is safe or not and we gave our opinion. I don't think i would consider that safe at all. Another thing to consider when comparing to cars is that cars have catalytic converters, that cut down like 99% of carbon monoxide. In an enclosed space, a modern car would take like 2 hours to kill you and the fumes would be unbearable. A machine like that, the carbon monoxide could kill you in a few minutes in an enclosed space. If your exhaust was leaking at all it could cause a serious threat. If it were me, i would build some sort of shed on the side of the garage, using non combustible materials and a fan, and still vent the exhaust outside

i would also be using something better than dryer duct. I would be building an exhaust out of automotive muffler tubing, that is welded together

frenchelectrican

I just don't know why the photo I have see it that really is a poor set up that is not even safe at any means.

I do have slow speed diesel generator that is enclosed in seperated room and this engine is pretty loud when it running full load if you stand inside that generator room it will sound like pile driver going off at pretty high rate speed the engine itself run 600 T/min ( RPM ) but close the door it pretty quite you don't hear it much however.,,

If you want enclose the generator do the right thing from start.

Oh alum dryer vent are not good for exhaust purpose two thing will happend viberatons will shake it apart and exhaust heat can actually deforum the alum if hot enough { the gaz generator exhaust temp useally run from 800° to 1300°F basically the same tempture range as Automovite engine is and Diesel unit exhaust tempture are much lower than gaz }

That is the reason why #1 item the building inspectors go nuts when they see bad set up like that.

I have work on many differnt generators from small one to monster sized units so I know exactally will happend with it.

Merci,
Marc

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Speedy Petey

The fact that you are saying this, and then it took three posts to tell us your is in a detached garage is irresponsible at best and stupid at worst!

It is NEVER OK to run a genny in a basement. NEVER!!!
It is quite risky running one in an attached garage. Several precautions MUST be taken.
It is not really risky running one in a detached garage with the thing running somewhere near the door.

The Rube Goldberg setup in that picture is scary! At least for everyone except the owner.

SD515

Speedy, you like the missing switch cover plate on the 2-gang switches?

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Kyle

Just because you can, doesn't always mean you should

biggles

then if the genny craps out ....i switch over to the 2000 watt inverter off my 4 X 4 battery