Home Improvement → Generator Time!!!

The ones we had that came with the house were going off, false alarm in the middle of the night, no smoke to trip them off.

As some may know, I just picked up a 7500 Watt generator and when I first started it up I plugged in one lamp and it keep flickering. I let it run for 5+min and kept on flickering. I Tried different lamps, bulbs, etc. Thoughts?

what was the lamp? CFL? being 7500W a small lamp is hardly a load, however I noticed most CFL's will flicker with on a generator, I did not have the right meter with me but I guess it's the AC cycle and if it's not a inverter generator that would be the case as well, but it's nothing to cry over.

Instead of cfl's, I took the LED bulbs out of the hanging light in the kitchen and used them in a torch lamp during the outage. They were stead, bright, and drew very little wattage. I'm sold on the Philips LED bulbs - just have to get the cost down a bit ...

They here at HD not just philips they really expanded the LED section a bit, I haven't looked at them but I will be soon because I want to replace the recessed light with an LED because the current Cree recessed light I have is a bit too big.

I use CFL's and they don't flicker but it could be the design of the alternator.

could be

It probably will smooth out with a heavier load.

Its one of those new light bulbs

That happens with CFLs on (non-inverter) generators. I've seen several of my neighbors with small portable generators have flickering CFLs.

My post was in reference to your remark about CO detectors.
I am fully aware of the "10 year" smoke detector, but in the past 18 years of working in the life safety industry, I have never seen one last beyond 6 or 7. Smoke detectors (not smoke alarms) last far longer then 10 years, and with proper cleaning will be trouble free.
CO detectors have been on the market for quite some time, but for the most part it is a fairley new technology. In 2008 when they 1st started to be produced at a consumer grade level, they only had a life span of 3 years or so. Now they max out at 7.
The CO detectors we sell and installed are manufactured by System Sensor. They have a complete resource page for any quesstions you might have about these devices. www.systemsensor.com
As for kiddie products,they have a broad line of detectors for many different types of applications. Thier warranty aslo varies with each model. The warranty ranges from 5 to 7 years. I do not have any in my home and nor would I recommend them. The type I have use and recommend are not purchased at your local box store or home improvement center.