Generator-Update

[Iggy]

I've got a full house generator. Right now it's under a snow drift.

It has been very effective. We used to get power outages frequently before we got the Generac.
We have only had one half hour power outage since we got it 7 years ago.

 

[mooosie]

I have a generac 22 kw that runs on natural gas. Everything people say is true. It is great. I would tell you if you are going to run it on propane put in a big tank. Under full load they do consume a lot of gas. When the power is off and you are running on the generator a propane truck may not be able to get to you to refill your tank.Also be sure to have the tank located where the propane truck can get to it easily.

 

[deadin]

and have a total of 6 20 lb propane tanks.

The house next door just burnt to the ground last week.
After listening to those 20 lb propane explode like artillery rounds, I'm not sure I want any near my house.

 

[terry_tr6]

I have also upgraded my generator situation, even though I didn't go as fancy as you. I already have a 2k generator that I use for camping, that I have had to put into service to running some lights when the power was out at home.

The recent problems in Texas made me wonder what I would do in the same situation. So, I got a dual fuel (gas/LP), 4800 generator, and have a total of 6 20 lb propane tanks. Along with a heavy duty cord, I can power the furnace (natural gas), refrigerator, and lights. If I run out of LP, I can always get gasoline out of the vehicles, since we never let them get below 1/2 tank.

if you have natural gas why didn't you go natural gas instead of propane?

 

[ggibson511960]

I live in Houston and suffered through the February freeze/blackout. Last year I sprung for a 22 kW Generac system with transfer switch. I had labored through a few hurricanes with a 5,500 W gasoline portable and extension cords. There is no comparison. The transfer switch and automated starting system are a convenience beyond description. Best $11k I ever spent. There are a myriad of small issues, but nothing like living without power in squalor. For the cost of three Colt Pythons on GB I relaxed in warm comfort while those around me suffered. The wait list is now six months for a Generac.

 

[Bugkiller99]

Muley Gill, what make/model generator do you have?

 

[NYlakesider]

I live in Houston and suffered through the February freeze/blackout. Last year I sprung for a 22 kW Generac system with transfer switch. I had labored through a few hurricanes with a 5,500 W gasoline portable and extension cords. There is no comparison. The transfer switch and automated starting system are a convenience beyond description. Best $11k I ever spent. There are a myriad of small issues, but nothing like living without power in squalor. For the cost of three Colt Pythons on GB I relaxed in warm comfort while those around me suffered. The wait list is now six months for a Generac.

For sure. Nine out of ten times if you are going to have a long "out" it will be in the coldest snowiest time of the winter. Sure we can have wires down or a blown transformer any time, but in reasonably good weather it gets taken care of in a few hours.

A ice storm or serious winds in the mountains you can be out for hours to days to some times weeks. No natural gas way up here you have to use propane. Our propane delivery company has Generator user in their computer system.

Depending on circumstances they will fill you more often than regular users. We have also been told as they cover a large area if your generator use is heavy to call them and they will expedite a delivery to your house. So far so good!

 

[chief38]

Can't swing that amount right now. The electrician that installed the new power cord and lock-out switch also does Generac installation. He quoted me $6300 for a 10K system. I would also have to get a propane tank installed. Ain't no natural gas lines up here in the mountains. My folks had a Generac generator at their place and it was a nice set-up, just more than what my piggy bank can stand.

I understand - then a portable generator wired correctly will do the trick - at least for the basic needs to be able to stay in the house until the power is restored.

 

[Muley Gil]

Muley Gill, what make/model generator do you have?

I have a 5000w Champion that I bought from Tractor Supply back in 2010. I had a $50 off coupon and my cost that year was $450. It starts on the second pull 99% of the time. I had a 7 day outage in 2011 and it ran almost continuously. I have had to replace the spark plug one time.

I bought one, carried it home and when I unboxed it, it had been dropped. I carried it back and the 2nd one wouldn't run. I carried it back and had them unbox another one and start it there at the store. The third time was the charm!

 

[GypsmJim]

We used to have a portable generator and always kept it in working condition. The only time we needed it all the gas stations had lost power as well, so we had trouble keeping it running.

Being retired, we now like to travel occasionally. If we are out of town and the power goes out out whole-house Generac ensures that when we come home our house will still be intact.

A friend of ours didn't have either and when the power went out for 2 days their basement flooded. The cost to replace carpeting, wall panels, a furnace and hot water tank greatly exceeded the cost of a whole house genny. Not all home insurance policies cover that kind of damage.

 

[Golddollar]

For sure. Nine out of ten times if you are going to have a long "out" it will be in the coldest snowiest time of the winter. Sure we can have wires down or a blown transformer any time, but in reasonably good weather it gets taken care of in a few hours.

A ice storm or serious winds in the mountains you can be out for hours to days to some times weeks. No natural gas way up here you have to use propane. Our propane delivery company has Generator user in their computer system.

You don't have to be up in the mountains for an extended power outage. I remember over around Baltimore either during an ice storm or Hurricane Sandy there were people who were without power for a week.

 

[ggibson511960]

I heard another twist on propane tanks for generator use. If your propane tank is only for a generator the propane distributor will not "give" you a tank as you will not be a consistently heavy consumer of propane. Using propane has a small benefit in that engine/generator capacity is about 10% higher running on propane vs. natural gas. No perfect solutions to any of these measures, but whole house generators certainly are nice, particularly in our current wheeler-dealer power market.

 

[MarkL_01]

I went the whole-house route. The month before I got the generator, the power was out for more than a day three times. In the year after I got it, the power was out twice, for a couple of hours each time.

It's had to work fairly often since then. The power supply is not reliable here and fails several times per year. Most of the homes have generators. An installer commented that the gas company might see a drop in pressure when they all come on at the same time.

-Mark

 

[BigBill]

It cost me $200 for three heavy duty extension cords. We had a October snow storm kill the power for over a week. My welder ran the fridge/freezer, my Coleman 3500 watt ran my Keurig coffee maker. Having wood heat, 15 gallons of fresh water. My son nearby had power, hot showers.

I want to get a welder or generator but how often do you need to run it. At work we had a 12 cylinder CAT generator and they ran it once a week. How long does diesel fuel last?

 

[JohnRippert]

Other than during and after one hurricane for about a week we have not had power issues at our house for pretty much the whole 45 years we have lived here. Other than the occasional 15 minute outage now and then. This makes it very hard for me to think seriously about a whole house natural gas system. For a couple thousand I can get a 7500watt gas generator and a Generlink installed for it. We have natural gas heat, water heater and dryer. The generator can run pretty much everything in the house except the main AC. It should be able to run the smaller PTAC AC in the sunroom if we needed to.

 

[Geno44]

You guys that are talking about getting a propane tank for your whole house generator- make sure you get a big enough tank to last for the duration of a possible outage. A 22,000 watt generator will go ripping through propane like it is free. I'm going to guess you might use 50 gallons or more in a day with constant running. If you want to "tend it" and turn it on and off during the day you can get by with less. A thousand gallon tank will only hold 800 gallons and will go from full to dry in a couple of weeks of running time. If an ice storm hits, you may not be able to get a delivery when you run out of gas.

 

[Igiveup]

We have seriously been thinking of installing a Generac generator for the house and well. The stove is propane, rest of house electricity. Living in the mountains we have experienced outages every year. House heat is wood, with electric back up, but I would feel better if we get the generator. Maybe we can use the stimulus money, as I don't feel comfortable with the political situation and the new "green" energy plans.

 

[wood714]

Can't happen. You HAVE to turn off the main BEFORE you switch on the generator breaker. There is a manual lock-out.

I had the same set up installed at my house a few years ago.

My breaker box is in my garage near the main door, so I had the plug installed inside. I have a 40 foot 220 extension cord.

I've had my generator about 13 years and never needed it yet, just like to be prepared, and I never liked the thought of extension cords running all over my house.

 

[bgrafsr]

We used to have a portable generator and always kept it in working condition. The only time we needed it all the gas stations had lost power as well, so we had trouble keeping it running.

Being retired, we now like to travel occasionally. If we are out of town and the power goes out out whole-house Generac ensures that when we come home our house will still be intact.

A friend of ours didn't have either and when the power went out for 2 days their basement flooded. The cost to replace carpeting, wall panels, a furnace and hot water tank greatly exceeded the cost of a whole house genny. Not all home insurance policies cover that kind of damage.

My brother-in-law and his wife go to Florida for several months a year. Last year while in Florida, the pipes burst in his house, and the basement flooded. When they came home and found what occurred they were not happy. House was full of mold, furnace was ruined along with other appliances, and a lot of the drywall in the home had to be replaced. It's been over a year and they are still dealing with getting the house fixed up.
Why they didn't turn off the water while leaving for several months is beyond my comprehension.

 

[chief38]

My brother-in-law and his wife go to Florida for several months a year. Last year while in Florida, the pipes burst in his house, and the basement flooded. When they came home and found what occurred they were not happy. House was full of mold, furnace was ruined along with other appliances, and a lot of the drywall in the home had to be replaced. It's been over a year and they are still dealing with getting the house fixed up.
Why they didn't turn off the water while leaving for several months is beyond my comprehension.

While I am not a Plumber, I believe that if going away for months at a time, the Automatic Fill Valve must be left operating so it can replenish Boiler Water. Apparently, some water does evaporate - even in a so called closed system. I don't quite get how that happens in a system with no leaks, but that's what I have been told. So the Boiler system must remain on. Yes... one could shut off and drain the domestic potable water lines, but if a leak happens in the heating system lines - a flood will still occur.

The ONLY way to avoid that is to install an automatic valve that is also a leak detector and will shut off the water at the main valve if detected. They are connected to Wi-fi and will notify you on your cell phone.