Zombie Box plus generator

[WillBrink]

I seem to be out of storage space to post a pic of the Zombie Box just put up, that contains a Generac GP Series 17500E generator that can run the entire house. A bypass was added at the main panel, so when power goes out, plug in generator to the box, fire up, and GTG. The the box is designed to be mobile and comes in segments, as it's used commercially and needs to be both easy to move, and secure. It can be bolted down for permanent placement. It reduces sound by something like 90%, protects the generator from weather, thieves, etc, and allows generator to be run during a storm if power lost vs having to wait till the storm passes to pull a generator out and run it. Living in FL, worth every penny. So far, quite impressed with the build quality of the Zombie box.

Zombie Box:

https://www.zombie-box.com/

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

Is it just to be polite when the power is out? Seems like a pretty insignificant issue if your power is out? Or is it to help reduce the chances or people knowing you have power (or just steal the generator? I've not lived where generators are common.

[SomeOtherGuy]

Is it just to be polite when the power is out? Seems like a pretty insignificant issue if your power is out? Or is it to help reduce the chances or people knowing you have power (or just steal the generator? I've not lived where generators are common.

When the power is out, all systems stop running, and vehicle traffic is usually way down. This means it's dead quiet and the sound of a generator carries FAR - maybe half a mile in some locations. If you're the only one with a generator running, you will have tons of people aware of this. Some may want to steal, some may beg for help either important (breathing machine for old people) or petty (want to watch favorite TV show), some may start friendly and switch to stealing or threatening. Being quiet and stealthy is a great idea.

The problem with typical generators is that it's not safe or practical to keep enough gasoline on hand to run them for any length of time - beyond 12-24 hours. If you have a propane tank, a propane generator may be an option.

[AKDoug]

Thanks for posting. I've been looking for something like this for some property my wife is converting into a wedding venue. The cost of bringing electricity to it would be in the six figures. This would solve our issues for many years.

[WillBrink]

Is it just to be polite when the power is out? Seems like a pretty insignificant issue if your power is out? Or is it to help reduce the chances or people knowing you have power (or just steal the generator? I've not lived where generators are common.

It's to be all mentioned above, less noisy for everyone (trying to sleep while a generator is running really sucks), secure, able to operate while it's storming out, diffuse the sound so it's hard to find, etc.

When the power is out, all systems stop running, and vehicle traffic is usually way down. This means it's dead quiet and the sound of a generator carries FAR - maybe half a mile in some locations. If you're the only one with a generator running, you will have tons of people aware of this. Some may want to steal, some may beg for help either important (breathing machine for old people) or petty (want to watch favorite TV show), some may start friendly and switch to stealing or threatening. Being quiet and stealthy is a great idea.

The problem with typical generators is that it's not safe or practical to keep enough gasoline on hand to run them for any length of time - beyond 12-24 hours. If you have a propane tank, a propane generator may be an option.

The Generac has a big tank and can also run on natural gas. Between the tank and some cans of gas, 2-3 days is realistic, but longer if we don't run AC which is the big power sucker. If the natural gas option happens, more like a week. It's unlikely we'd go more than a few days without power, but possible of course.

[WillBrink]

Thanks for posting. I've been looking for something like this for some property my wife is converting into a wedding venue. The cost of bringing electricity to it would be in the six figures. This would solve our issues for many years.

That's exactly the type of thing that box as designed for, and is easy to break down or leave perm as needed.

[Averageman]

A friend of mine installed one of these himself over a weekend at his home.
He is very happy with it. He lives in a semi-rural area and I will ask him about the noise levels while running.

[soulezoo]

Very cool! Thanks for sharing...

Just what I need!

[sundance435]

Is it just to be polite when the power is out? Seems like a pretty insignificant issue if your power is out? Or is it to help reduce the chances or people knowing you have power (or just steal the generator? I've not lived where generators are common.

I'd say it's more of a big added bonus along with being able to run the generator outside in inclement weather. Generators aren't real common around me, but this thing seems like it solves quite a few of the ancillary issues with a straight-gas or standalone (e.g. not integrated into or having dedicated ventilation) generator as your primary backup. As others said, you can go propane or NG, but it costs more than just plugging in a regular gas genny.

If you think people aren't dumb enough to run a gasoline generator inside their house, I can introduce you to a few who would disabuse you of that notion.

[GH41]

"The Generac has a big tank and can also run on natural gas. Between the tank and some cans of gas, 2-3 days is realistic, but longer if we don't run AC which is the big power sucker. If the natural gas option happens, more like a week. It's unlikely we'd go more than a few days without power, but possible of course"

According to Generac it'l run 10 hours at 50% load on 16 gallons. That is 115 gallons to run it 24/7 for 3 days. I know you are new to Fla but I'll tell you what we do in coastal SC with a lot less generator. You can do without the water heaters and stove/ovens and other high watt usage appliances. You can cook easily on the grill for a couple of weeks with 2-3 propane bottles. Freezers don't need to run 24-7 either. You can pull them down by running the genset for an hour a couple of times a day. The big one is sleeping without AC. We have double hung windows and can temporarily install a window unit in a bedroom that will run on a smaller genset. Before Mathew 2 years ago I went to Lowes and bought a window unit. Never opened the box. When storm season is over this year I will sell it on CL. Next time a storm threatens I'll get a fresh one. If you haven't already done it.. Have an electrician or AC contractor look at the load your AC requires to start. If it won't start at 50% of what you have the fuel consumption will climb. Only use marine gas that doesn't have alcohol in it. Last.. Don't wait until you need it to see what it will do.