Home generator
- Thread starter PeterJ
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quikdraw67
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Kohler, nice.
We put in an Eaton 20K after Super Storm Sandy in 2013. And then PPL improved their grid in our area. Cut back a lot of trees and added substations.
I think it came on about 6 times. 2 weather related, 3 because someone hit a pole nearby, and once when a house on our street caught fire and the power was shut down.
Congrats, better to have and not need than not have and need.
We put in an Eaton 20K after Super Storm Sandy in 2013. And then PPL improved their grid in our area. Cut back a lot of trees and added substations.
I think it came on about 6 times. 2 weather related, 3 because someone hit a pole nearby, and once when a house on our street caught fire and the power was shut down.
Congrats, better to have and not need than not have and need.
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Now if your generator time is like ours the potential is power will go out during the coldest, snowiest, nasty s times of the year. Sometimes for days or week.(Northern NY) Hardly ever goes out for more than a couple hours in the warmer weather months.
Our generator is on Propane and when the problem is over or has lasted a long time we (as instructed) call the propane delivery so they can update their auto delivery schedule to keep us comfortable
Edit -ours is a Generac!
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I don’t care if I never use it, wouldn’t leave home without it.
URIT
Member
I have a Kohler. It's a nice unit. I hope I won't need it but...
I got a propane delivery two days ago. 49.3 gallons @ $4.30/Gal plus fees and taxes brought the total to $246.52.
I'd opt for natural gas, but they don't have a line in front of my house. I'm not paying them $7K to put one in.
I got a propane delivery two days ago. 49.3 gallons @ $4.30/Gal plus fees and taxes brought the total to $246.52.
I'd opt for natural gas, but they don't have a line in front of my house. I'm not paying them $7K to put one in.
bigwheelzip
Absent Comrade
Our builder made a small development nearby called Trailside. They are high-performance net-zero homes with grid-connected solar.
We were talking to one of the buyers, and he added a battery to his system for handling utility outages.
Pays nothing for electric since moving in.
Sent from my motorola one 5G using Tapatalk
We were talking to one of the buyers, and he added a battery to his system for handling utility outages.
Pays nothing for electric since moving in.
Sent from my motorola one 5G using Tapatalk
Here's our new generator, a 20kw Cummins that was installed two weeks ago. Initially, we had a nice, neat, close-to-the-house installation like those pictured above, but our city has a "unique" building code, so ours had to be relocated ten feet from an openable window, but at least four feet from the property line. It barely fit. The code also required a new screening fence so that our next-door neighbors would not be horrified by the sight of an ugly generator. (BTW, screening fences are not needed for far more beautiful A/C compressor units.)
After last year's failure of Texas' tinkertoy third-world power grid during below-zero temperatures, I'll never be without backup power again.
After last year's failure of Texas' tinkertoy third-world power grid during below-zero temperatures, I'll never be without backup power again.
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Walter Rego
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My new home had a Generac 16kw propane fueled generator installed onto a pad and hard wired into the main panel when I bought it. And I am glad that the previous owner had the foresight to do it. I live in the Southern California mountains which is a very high fire danger zone. And Southern California Edison shuts off the power frequently during windy or other conditions that they deem as hazardous. I have had my power out for as much as 14 hours, with 8-9 hours at a time being frequent. It sure is nice to have the Generac kick in immediately. I have plenty of firewood for the winter months but around here I lose power mainly during the warmer weather.
They do require some maintenance like oil changes, air filter changes and keeping the area around the pad clear but not a big deal. And mine is noisy, it's something like 998 CC's and a V twin if I recall so sounds about like a Harley when it is running although it's not at a high RPM.
They do require some maintenance like oil changes, air filter changes and keeping the area around the pad clear but not a big deal. And mine is noisy, it's something like 998 CC's and a V twin if I recall so sounds about like a Harley when it is running although it's not at a high RPM.
Yep, Kohler here, too. Natural gas. I ordered it last summer after we hit 114° and the power went off for a couple of hours. Never again!
(I was gonna put in a back-up 500 gal propane tank, too, but the wife worried it would scare the neighbors.)
I, too, am fine if it never turns on other than for weekly maintenance, but... I bet it does. Lotta wacky weather out there of late.
(I was gonna put in a back-up 500 gal propane tank, too, but the wife worried it would scare the neighbors.)
I, too, am fine if it never turns on other than for weekly maintenance, but... I bet it does. Lotta wacky weather out there of late.
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I have a MobileLink app on my phone. I can, and my electrician can, monitor the status of the unit from anywhere.
If it fails to run during a power failure, or if it needs service, we both know. If I’m away, he comes and takes care of business.
Unit runs once a week automatically and sends a report, oil level, maintenance issue, etc.
If it fails to run during a power failure, or if it needs service, we both know. If I’m away, he comes and takes care of business.
Unit runs once a week automatically and sends a report, oil level, maintenance issue, etc.
Yep. Me, too.
DeplorabusUnum
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That is a nice feature. What brand, if you don't mind?
GypsmJim
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In 1999 I was talking to a friend and wondering if I needed a genny for Y2K. He said..."NO". You need a genny, period.
I bought a portable. Never needed it. Then, we had a storm and the power went out and I got it running, but the gas stations had no power so I had no gas. Had to suck out the 2 car's tanks.
That fall I bought a whole house genny. Have had 3 storms since then. OMG, why didn't I do this years earlier...
I bought a portable. Never needed it. Then, we had a storm and the power went out and I got it running, but the gas stations had no power so I had no gas. Had to suck out the 2 car's tanks.
That fall I bought a whole house genny. Have had 3 storms since then. OMG, why didn't I do this years earlier...
We had a major storm front move through a few hours ago and knock out power to much of the area. More storms later tonight too.
Generac kicked on and we have not missed a beat. They are just like a good sidearm—Better to have and not need, that need it and not have!
Generac kicked on and we have not missed a beat. They are just like a good sidearm—Better to have and not need, that need it and not have!
I have a Generac, the app is downloaded from the Apple store, free. I access through a cellular device attached to the generator, and pay a yearly fee for its use.
You can use your home Wi-Fi, but I opted for cellular.
Yeah, I had a gasoline powered generator during Sandy. I wasn’t one to store more than 5 gallons.
All the gas stations nearby were closed. I had to go to Danbury CT to get scalped for fuel.
Never again will I ever use gasoline.
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Re cellular link, what I did was attach a back up battery to my wifi router and to the gizmo in the garage where the optical fiber comes in, figuring that if utility power is out, and the generator fails, the back up batteries will have me covered. That cellular link is a good idea, though.I have a Generac, the app is downloaded from the Apple store, free. I access through a cellular device attached to the generator, and pay a yearly fee for its use.
You can use your home Wi-Fi, but I opted for cellular.
What device are you using for the cell connection, and what is the yearly fee?
Some “city” folk are unaware. If you are on well water you need power to run the pump.
Without water you may find it a bit difficult to potty.
Without water you may find it a bit difficult to potty.
Arlo, not sure what the device is re Brand, maker? Something with 4 lights on it.
I can take a look tomorrow.
The fee is $69.99 for twelve months. I need to check that too
. We have had cellular for the past 6 years. As of this coming Dec the towers will no longer support 3G so we switched the device to a 5G compatible.Ill check it out tomorrow and advise.
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I'm going on 5 1/2 years with my 22K Generac generator. Our power outages are infrequent but it's nice to know if the power goes out the generator will kick in within 13 seconds.
oldbrownhat
Member
LOL. I have a modest battery backup system for the house (with 4 x L16 SLA batteries) that will keep lights etc. and NG boiler on for about 5-6 hrs., and a c.1960 Onan 6kW diesel genny (fed from a 20 gallon tank) to recharge the batteries & run the house- and also the well pump and other heavy loads like microwave. Haven't needed it recently but we had an ice storm and a wind storm a few years ago, one of which knocked out the power for 84 hours. I was a happy camper. Neighbours came over to have a shower!Some “city” folk are unaware. If you are on well water you need power to run the pump.
Without water you may find it a bit difficult to potty.
Last October my gf in Bellingham WA had a 25-hr outage courtesy of some idiot who took out a power pole. She had a 13kW Generac NG put in in Feb. Hasn't needed it since but like home insurance, when you need it, you need it.
IAM Rand
Member
Westinghouse Gas/Propane portable generator here. Already had to use it when our neighbor's tree shed a branch on our utility box. I can leave home with it. I was able to power the whole house thanks to a connection in our system. To be nice to the neighbors, we would run it up to 10pm and then shut it down for the night. Start it up again in the morning to make sure the fridge was good. Best investment we ever made.
prairieviper
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Our 22kW Generac that we just had installed this year. Our house is all electric, so I had to have a propane tank brought in and hooked up for the generator. Previously, we had used a portable generator during power outages to run some basics, but it wasn't capable of running the entire house. We still did ok, since we have a wood stove for supplemental heat.
Our utility provider has done a lot of work these past few years upgrading equipment and cutting away tree limbs that could impact power lines, which has helped a lot to prevent power outages. Still, I see this as a good investment to enable us to stay at home during our senior years and besides, my wife could never deal with a portable generator if she were left alone. That in itself is peace of mind for me.
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Our generator gets the most use when our local utility and it’s contractors are clearing the power-line easements. Because most of what they cut seems to fall on the lines and snap them and/or take the poles down! One of my friends watched them cut down a big pine, it fell the wrong way, snapped all the power lines and took down two poles and crashed his neighbors house dead center. Then the whole mess burst into flames!
oldbrownhat
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prairieviper
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So far, that has not been an issue here in cornfields and cows country. Storms and farm equipment account for a big share of power outages in our neck of the woods.
LOL. Now we know where your utility company gets its people
Google “Tree Fails and Idiots With Chainsaws.” I can watch the videos all day! Our local contractors could fill an entire channel with content.
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