DuroMax XP4400E Review – Should You Buy This Portable Generator?




If you are planning to make your home off the grid by using mainly renewable energy source such as solar energy, here’s a suggestion, get yourself a gasoline powered generator set!

I know it is counter intuitive to living a green lifestyle, but you’ll thank me when there is a technical problem with your home solar power system. The idea of having a generator set is for backup during times when you have no power left on your battery bank or due to any kind of emergency situation.

The Type Of Gasoline Powered Generator You’ll Need

You would require a generator that would generate enough power to run your refrigerator, maybe a small portable air conditioner, a few lights, a small TV, charge your cell phones and at times charge laptop batteries also.

As a quick thumb rule, you will need approximately 3,000 watts continuous rating and a surge rating of 4,000 watts. There are many generators sold by hardware chains like Lowe’s, Home Depot etc. that will match your specification, but the prices will be around $600 – $700.

I did some research on the internet and determined that the DuroMax XP4400E would meet your requirements as well as budget best. This is a short DuroMax XP4400E review and my first impression when I got the generator from Amazon.com/.

DuroMax XP4400E Review – Portable Generator For Your Home

The DuroMax model that I chose had battery powered electric starter instead of the one with rip-cord. This is a useful feature because I don’t like getting myself sweaty trying to get the generator started.

I received my order in about a week’s time after I made my purchase on Amazon. Though the external cardboard box displayed signs of rough handling, the generator packed in foam was intact without any damage.

The total weight of the package was 130 lbs. As the Fedex driver wheeled the box right into our garage, I was relieved of a lot of trouble.

It took me about 20 minutes to unpack the generator since it took me a little while to remove the shipping braces that supported the engine.

After unpacking the generator, I turned it upside-down on a mat to install the wheel-kit. Tools are provided with the generator to fix the wheels and handles. At the time of shipping itself, the tires were inflated to bear the weight of the generator.

I filled the DuroMax XP4400E generator set with SAE30 oil after putting it in the right position. I used 10W30 since we lived in a relatively warm weather condition. If you want to use generator oil, you need to select the oil suitable for a four-stroke engine.

As the oil-fill tube is placed in an uncomfortable position, I had to use a funnel with a tube that I had to avoid spillage of oil. You need about 20 oz of oil. In order to condition the engine, my suggestion is to change oil after the generator runs for 6 hours, twice after 8 hours and every 20 – 30 hours after that.

I also filled up gasoline through the mesh fuel filter below the gas cap. I then opened the fuel valve and started the generator. The engine turned, but it did not start. The mistake was on my side. I misunderstood the on position of the choke valve to be the off position.

Once this was set right, the engine started up immediately! Till the choke was opened, it sputtered and emitted a lot of smoke. After that it ran smoothly without any visible smoke from the exhaust.

I am not sure of the noise level generated when it is running. It is low and does not bother me when the generator is running outside and I am inside the house.

The control panel of the generator is provided with two 120V, 20 Amp, outlets and one 30 Amp outlet that can be switched between 120V and 240V, a 12V outlet to charge a car battery, a circuit breaker and a voltmeter.

The output voltage remained steady at 115 volts when I tested the generator with loads ranging from 60 watts to 2400 watts. I have not tested the performance of the generator at higher loads.

I found the DuroMax XP4400E to be well engineered and less polluting than the expensive Honda, Subaru, and Yamaha units sold at the hardware chains.

Finally, here is a small tip – ensure that you mix the fuel with some anti-oxidant like Stabil before putting it in the tank for small engines that are not run frequently. Gas mixed with anti-oxidant should last for about one year.

There you have it, a short DuroMax XP4400E review and my experience using the generator for the first time. If you are thinking to get yourself a gasoline powered generator, click on the button on the right to get the XP4400E from Amazon.com and have it shipped to your home right now.

Solar Panel Wiring – How To Choose The Right Wiring For PV Panels




Before you start doing even the simplest electrical wiring job, it is vital that you ask yourself a few very important questions.

Is this something I’m knowledgeable about? How safe is this? Would it be better to ask for a professionals help?

If this is a DIY home solar panel project, it’s necessary that you understand what’s going on, or you may be putting yourself in danger and breaking your insurance policies. If you are thinking of attempting a homemade Photovoltaic (PV) system project on your own, you really should get an all-encompassing DIY solar guide to that type of project.

Even though solar panels themselves are not too difficult to build, for your project to be successful you need to be aware of some technical aspects and other practical points. Depending on a number of things, such as panels, your controller, the storage, and how far your cabling will have to run, you will need to be certain that your cables are of the correct thickness or gauge.

It’s important that the wiring inside the panel and the wiring that leads to the storage system has been done correctly. Also, it’s necessary for the cable to be the right gauge when you connect the solar panel array to your storage system.

An easy rule of thumb, is when buying electrical wire, the smaller the gauge, the thicker the wire will be. To do a proper install on any solar project, you need to ascertain the proper gauge and amperage on each of your wires.

When you run your cables, you will have to find out the power rating of the solar panel and how far the cables will be running to the storage system or the controller. No matter what the electrical wire is made of, it will have some resistance to it.

This resistance will increase as the diameter wire becomes smaller, and as the length of the wire increases. So using the right diameter of wire is vital to your projects success. Otherwise you will suffer dramatic drops in voltage as the electricity travels to the storage unit.

To avoid this, ensure the correct size of wire is used. This is especially true if the run is over 50 feet. Then you will want to use an even lower gauge or thicker wire, in contrast to the wire used in shorter runs.

Another side-effect of using the wrong gauge is that the wires will heat up because of all of the resistance and this will further lessen the voltage that will reach your storage unit. This can also be a severe safety concern. If you suddenly over-load you are at risk of a short out, and a possible fire hazard.

Make certain that you know the distance that the cables will be running, and the size of the load that they will be handling, and you will have much more success.

Tips To Locate A Faulty Blocking Diode On A Home Solar Power System




Although solar power systems are generally reliable, small issues do crop up at times. The problems may be a slow and unexpected decline in power output and you may not be able to locate the actual problem.

You may feel that the batteries are not generating enough power despite good sunshine. In order to investigate the problem, you will require a multimeter. If you do not know to use one, you may have to seek the help of an expert.

Since you are dealing with electricity, it is always better to call a professional if you are not sure of what you have to do. Poor connection due to corrosion is the most common problem that is generally encountered.

The problem could also be because of a defective blocking diode. When the panel is not generating electricity, a blocking diode prevents a backward flow of current from your batteries and protects them from getting drained. The blocking diode works like a cut-off valve.

One blocking diode has to be installed for each solar panel. If the diode is defective, there can be a lot of problems, especially during low-light times like morning, evening, or a cloudy day. After checking for any obvious problems, you can start checking the panels.

The panels have to be disconnected from the system before you start panel inspection. This can be done either by removing the battery terminals or by operating the isolation switch to your batteries.

Test the output of each panel. If the panels are not driving power at the anticipated rate in full sunshine, it means that the connections are bad due to corrosion or some cells are defective or the diode is faulty.

To identify problems due to corrosion, visually check connections. A problematic cell can be identified by checking whether the cells are hotter than the ones near them. If there is no corrosion problem or cell problem identified, go ahead and test the blocking diode.

Actually, the blocking diode has to be installed with the silver ring facing the opposite side of the panel toward the output connection. Some diodes come with an arrow mark, indicating the direction of current flow.

Ensure that the diode is installed properly. When you use the multimeter to check the diode, the black lead is to be connected into the socket marked COM, abbreviation for common.

Set the multimeter to read OHMS. Keep the COM probe on the end away from the ring-end of the diode and the other probe at the ring-end. The multimeter must show a zero or a low reading.

If the multimeter reading is high, it indicates a diode problem. Verify the result by doing another test. You can now reverse the probes. After attaching the COM probe on the ring-side of the diode, check the multimeter reading.

If it does not exhibit a high-resistance reading, then the diode is faulty. You can replace the diode to solve the problem. It is always better to correctly install only one blocking diode.

If you connect many small diodes in parallel to cut costs, you may get into problems. This is because diodes are never equally matched and hence the weakest one will take the entire load and fail. Then the next one will take the entire load and the problem will repeat.

You can prevent small problems from becoming big ones by doing periodic checks on the system. A Do It Yourself (DIY) solar panel provides a cost-effective way to produce electricity. While installing the panels, diligently follow the instruction guide and keep the system in good shape.