generator

by inthecolumbiagorge Fri Aug 16, 2019 9:06 am

I have read that quite a few folks have generators for power outages etc. but wondered do most people purchase them in Mexico or bring them from NOB? After looking at online options I have not found many choices. We will be wanting a dual fuel (gas and propane) model and wondered if we should bring one from the US or if we will have reasonable options in Guadalahara? It would seem that such a large city would have such things available and I probably just need to wait until I get there to find them?

by ferret Fri Aug 16, 2019 9:44 am

I don't have a generator and I don't know a lot of people who do have generators. It will depend a lot on where you will be living and your individual lifestyle.
There certainly are generators available here but your dual fuel wish will limit availability. My wish would be strictly a propane model (gas does go bad), with an inverter AND a push button ignition. That's available but only NOB. Pricey too for something that I would have only needed for 10 hours in the past year (one power failure in Riberas).
When we bought a Honda 2000i in 2004 (for moving to the coast) in San Miguel, they were only available at the HONDA dealership that sold motorcycles. Go figure.
Here's what's available at Costco Mexico and Amazon Mexico... I didn't look on Mercado Libre.
https://www.costco.com.mx/search/?text=generadores
https://www.amazon.com.mx/s?k=generadores&__mk_es_MX=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

by inthecolumbiagorge Fri Aug 16, 2019 10:05 am

Thank you Ferret.....I had checked Costco and Amazon Mexico as well as Home Depot and Mercado Libre. Not nearly the selection as NOB and a few hundred us dollars more on most of them. Lots easier than bringing one from NOB however since they take quite a bit of room for the drive down. Will just wait until we arrive and get settled before we worry about it too much I guess. Thanks for the advice:-)

by ferret Fri Aug 16, 2019 10:46 am

I believe that the extreme's of weather are the reason that they are so popular NOB. Electricity outages in the extreme heat or extreme cold of some areas is life threatening... coupled with the results of hurricanes and/or tornadoes.
None of those extremes exist here in Central Mexico. My biggest beef about a power outage is the resulting no water. A tinaco is perfect for that and was one of the things on my wish list when I bought this little house. YMMV.

by Dave W. Fri Aug 16, 2019 11:11 am

I bought a generator down here and ordered a propane conversion kit from the States. Easily done and works like a charm. The only thing you have to do is run some gasoline through it for whatever time was given in the instructions. Then I drained the gasoline out of the tank and have only used propane since. Runs off our big propane tank. The tank already has a regulator that worked. I've only had to use the generator twice in 7 years, but still worth it when we lost power during hurricane Patricia for 5 days.

by ferret Fri Aug 16, 2019 11:53 am

Dave W., where are you located now and where were you located when Hurricane Patricia hit the west coast of Mexico?

by Canmex 87 Fri Aug 16, 2019 12:34 pm

There is a local company installing Gererac generators which run on propane.

Generac is an American company

We are having one installed next week.

Their contact information is:

Stephen Drummond
Americas Consulting
stephen.americasconsulting@gmail.com
3325888343

by Dave W. Fri Aug 16, 2019 2:39 pm

Ferret: We're in La Manzanilla and sat out the hurricane halfway up the stairs with a couple cold cervezas. We head your way every year to take a break from the heat and humidity. 2 weeks to go.

by RVGRINGO Fri Aug 16, 2019 3:11 pm

You are on a 'lakeside' web board, with the focus on the Lake Chapala area. In 13 years living there, we never found a need for a generator, and cannot recall meeting anyone who did. Most outages are quite brief, the climate is not a danger to health in either winter or summer, and food will fenerally last in an unopened refrigerator for 24 hours. Probably half of what is in your refrigerator really doesn't need to be there anyway.
By the time you light a few candles and start a good book, the power will return. However, if you are deep into a good TV program, Mr. Murphy will turn it off again.

by Canmex 87 Fri Aug 16, 2019 4:15 pm

RVGRINGO wrote:You are on a 'lakeside' web board, with the focus on the Lake Chapala area. In 13 years living there, we never found a need for a generator, and cannot recall meeting anyone who did. Most outages are quite brief, the climate is not a danger to health in either winter or summer, and food will fenerally last in an unopened refrigerator for 24 hours. Probably half of what is in your refrigerator really doesn't need to be there anyway.
By the time you light a few candles and start a good book, the power will return. However, if you are deep into a good TV program, Mr. Murphy will turn it off again.

Its changed since you left Lakeside.
We had our 6th outage this month today.
Most are just a few hours but the occasional one is longer.

by ferret Fri Aug 16, 2019 4:54 pm

I stand firmly with RVGringo on this issue. I am in Riberas where new poles and new wires were strung last summer. THAT was annoying but CFE did warn us what days and there were many of them. Interestingly, the power "fix" caused the power to be out more times than in the previous two years. Since those upgrades, my power has gone out once in the last year.
Where are you Canmex 87 that you have had six outages this month alone and how long were they each?
Having a generator on the coast is a no brainer. A very necessary expense.

by Carry Bean Fri Aug 16, 2019 5:43 pm

It has been excellent in lower Riberas where I am in the whole 9 years I have lived here. I’m grateful because I get really twitchy when the power goes out after being without for 3 months after a hurricane in the Virgin Islands. Other areas don’t fare as well unfortunately.

by ferret Fri Aug 16, 2019 6:22 pm

Thanks Carry Bean. You live around the corner from me but I could only comment on the time that I have lived in Riberas.
Before that I was in La Huerta for four years and the power rarely went out.
Before that I was in Riviera Alta... and the power went out more times in that one year than the previous 15 years living in Mexico (9 years in San Miguel de Allende and 6 years in San Pancho.)
So, it DEPENDS on where you live. The WHY is another story.

by Canmex 87 Fri Aug 16, 2019 7:30 pm

ferret wrote:I stand firmly with RVGringo on this issue. I am in Riberas where new poles and new wires were strung last summer. THAT was annoying but CFE did warn us what days and there were many of them. Interestingly, the power "fix" caused the power to be out more times than in the previous two years. Since those upgrades, my power has gone out once in the last year.
Where are you Canmex 87 that you have had six outages this month alone and how long were they each?
Having a generator on the coast is a no brainer. A very necessary expense.

We are in Vista Del Lago.

by ferret Fri Aug 16, 2019 7:54 pm

Then having a generator makes good sense.

by Carry Bean Fri Aug 16, 2019 8:20 pm

ferret wrote:Thanks Carry Bean. You live around the corner from me but I could only comment on the time that I have lived in Riberas.
Before that I was in La Huerta for four years and the power rarely went out.
Before that I was in Riviera Alta... and the power went out more times in that one year than the previous 15 years living in Mexico (9 years in San Miguel de Allende and 6 years in San Pancho.)
So, it DEPENDS on where you live. The WHY is another story.

You’re so right. I wonder if they ever fixed the issue in Riviera Alta. The brownouts are worse than outages IMO.

by ferret Fri Aug 16, 2019 8:31 pm

Carry Bean wrote:
ferret wrote:Thanks Carry Bean. You live around the corner from me but I could only comment on the time that I have lived in Riberas.
Before that I was in La Huerta for four years and the power rarely went out.
Before that I was in Riviera Alta... and the power went out more times in that one year than the previous 15 years living in Mexico (9 years in San Miguel de Allende and 6 years in San Pancho.)
So, it DEPENDS on where you live. The WHY is another story.

You’re so right. I wonder if they ever fixed the issue in Riviera Alta. The brownouts are worse than outages IMO.

I don't know because we only lived there from May of 2011 to May of 2012. It was a horrible year for us. Having a sick hubby with almost constant diarrhea, it was not a place that was working for me. No electricity meant no water, meant no flushing. I had 24 five litre bottles of water on a constant rotation to fill the tank for flushing purposes. Yay to the old fashioned gravity fed tinaco!!! which were not allowed there for "aesthetic" reasons.

by Carry Bean Fri Aug 16, 2019 9:55 pm

True about tinacos. Rosa was fishing out water from the ajilbe during that long outage.

by CanuckBob Fri Aug 16, 2019 10:25 pm

I don't have a generator and have never felt the need to get one. If i did get one I would ensure it could run on propane.

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