Generator Time

[johnjk]

Broke down and ordered a generator after we were without power from the April tornados here in Central Ohio. Finally being installed after an 8 wk wait to get on the schedule. Will run off a 500gal propane tank. Wife can finally stop worrying when the power is out. We thought about a smaller portable unit but didn’t want to mess with gas or limited power. Hope we never need it.

 

[GSD-Keegan]

I tell ya what….I was forever losing my hydro…a few storms, car accidents and farmers with implements up…pulling down my line and taking down the pole. Ran extension cords for years. Got tired of it and did as you. Over almost 2 yrs. Ive lost hydro only a couple times. Generator has as many hours doing its maintenance runs as it does powering our house. But the days will come. Tornadoes sneaking up closer to me, like you guys in Ohio.

 

[DustyRusty]

Check with the various propane suppliers around you for the best price per gallon of propane. Last week I paid $1.10 per gallon in NE Connecticut.

 

[mcfarmall]

Possibly in the future I'd like to get a natural gas fired 25kw, 1800 rpm unit. Been seeing some decent used ones on FB marketplace lately with 4 cylinder liquid cooled engines which appeal to me.

 

[PHPaul]

I put one in about 10 years ago. Best money I've ever spent. There have been a half-dozen or so multi-day outages in that time.

 

[johnjk]

Check with the various propane suppliers around you for the best price per gallon of propane. Last week I paid $1.10 per gallon in NE Connecticut.

I’m still living off my pre buy from last summer. Should be up for a renewal in July. Tied to the tank provider here. I can shop around if I want to buy my own tank

 

[S-G-R]

We had a Generac 20kw installed about five years ago. It's been trouble free up until a month ago. The starter won't engage and I suspect the shaft is corroded from the salt air here. Need to pull it off and repair or replace it. Other than that one issue ae gotten good service out of it.

 

[JimDeL]

Got a natural gas powered Generac about twelve years ago. One of the best purchases we've made. Just last March we had a three-day outage, and a week later (Early April) a 22 hour outage. Granted, we've gone months at a time with no outages, but when you need the generator, you NEED it.

 

[Velma]

After our last multiday outage late last summer...I had enough and put in a 26kw generac. 7 months later still waiting for the first outage.

I sure will feel better justifying the $ when it comes on the first time.

A small comfort when I hear it test run weekly....haha.

 

[D2Cat]

Every Monday at 9AM I tell my wife the lawn mower is running!! It's a 20KW Kohler.

 

[DustyRusty]

I’m still living off my pre buy from last summer. Should be up for a renewal in July. Tied to the tank provider here. I can shop around if I want to buy my own tank

I don't own my own tanks, but by shopping around I can find propane suppliers that will want the business and they bring in their own tanks and set the other company's tanks to the side. I call and have them picked up and tell them that I have switched companies. The last company that I had, I notified them that I was going to change if they didn't do something about the pricing. They told me that was my choice. I changed, and then I got our shopping center to also change. The shopping center has 2 one thousand gallon tanks that were filled every other week during the winter. All the stores are heated with propane and the pizza shop uses propane for the pizza oven.

 

[Sidekick]

I have thought about one with our power becoming unreliable lately. I have started getting parts together for a solar backup trailer that is portable. Don't want all the big Lithium batteries in the house because my insurance will drop me so everything will be contained on a 7k equipment trailer with enough batteries for 2 days out without sun and my big generac 15k will be on the trailer also for a fast recharge when no sun. That way it will only need to run 2 hours every 2 days without sun. Just costs too much to keep feeding the generator gas at a gallon an hour for a couple day outage and they are annoying to listen to. With a well you definitely need a backup.

 

[Velma]

I have thought about one with our power becoming unreliable lately. I have started getting parts together for a solar backup trailer that is portable. Don't want all the big Lithium batteries in the house because my insurance will drop me so everything will be contained on a 7k equipment trailer with enough batteries for 2 days out without sun and my big generac 15k will be on the trailer also for a fast recharge when no sun. That way it will only need to run 2 hours every 2 days without sun. Just costs too much to keep feeding the generator gas at a gallon an hour for a couple day outage and they are annoying to listen to. With a well you definitely need a backup.

That sounds like an awesome setup.

 

[johnjk]

I tell ya what….I was forever losing my hydro…a few storms, car accidents and farmers with implements up…pulling down my line and taking down the pole. Ran extension cords for years. Got tired of it and did as you. Over almost 2 yrs. Ive lost hydro only a couple times. Generator has as many hours doing its maintenance runs as it does powering our house. But the days will come. Tornadoes sneaking up closer to me, like you guys in Ohio.

We’ve had three touch down within a few mile is us this spring

I have thought about one with our power becoming unreliable lately. I have started getting parts together for a solar backup trailer that is portable. Don't want all the big Lithium batteries in the house because my insurance will drop me so everything will be contained on a 7k equipment trailer with enough batteries for 2 days out without sun and my big generac 15k will be on the trailer also for a fast recharge when no sun. That way it will only need to run 2 hours every 2 days without sun. Just costs too much to keep feeding the generator gas at a gallon an hour for a couple day outage and they are annoying to listen to. With a well you definitely need a backup.

if I do the solar route it won’t be just for backup. I’d size it to go off grid and have batteries that would give me 24 hrs of backup. Significantly more time, effort and cash. Panels, ground mounts, switch components, batteries, power house construction. Easier now with the whole house transfer switch installed.

 

[fried1765]

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Broke down and ordered a generator after we were without power from the April tornados here in Central Ohio. Finally being installed after an 8 wk wait to get on the schedule. Will run off a 500gal propane tank. Wife can finally stop worrying when the power is out. We thought about a smaller portable unit but didn’t want to mess with gas or limited power. Hope we never need it. View attachment 129704

I prefer the portability idea.
Am considering an electric start DuroMax XP8500EH dual fuel.
I need it only for hurricane backup,..... to run my well pump, and a few other small items.
$849 + tax, from Amazon.
I would also buy a 100# propane tank.
I do have natural gas available, but would prefer propane for portability.
I can back feed 30A from garage or barn.

 

[mcmxi]

I have a Kubota 7kW diesel generator but rarely use it. The power here is reliable with the occasional outage lasting no more than a few hours, maybe because it's mostly generated with hydroelectric. I do need to get the electrical done so that I can run the generator in the garage and have it power specific circuits in the house. 7kW isn't much but all I need is some basic stuff when the power goes out.

We don't have tornadoes or hurricanes up here so little in the way of weather related outages. Forest fires are probably the biggest threat to power transmission.

 

[Sidekick]

We’ve had three touch down within a few mile is us this spring

if I do the solar route it won’t be just for backup. I’d size it to go off grid and have batteries that would give me 24 hrs of backup. Significantly more time, effort and cash. Panels, ground mounts, switch components, batteries, power house construction. Easier now with the whole house transfer switch installed.

I originally was going that way but can't afford homeowners insurance for a permanent system. Ordered the panels this week to beat the tarrifs that will double their cost soon. Have a generator transfer switch now and can just plug it in. Other times it will be used for ev charging and shop power.

 

[William1]

In the 24 years I have been here in Central VA, every year, a outage of a day to several weeks long. For the last 15 years, I had a gasoline fueled, 500 pound 17Kw 'portable' Generac. While it ran everything fine, it sucked having to fill with fuel EVERY day, which is a issue when no one has power and eventually I had to find a gas station. Plus I dreaded rolling it out side, connecting the two big azz cables, firing it up, dealing with the breakers, then watching to see when power was restored. Otherwise, it was shut off, drag inside, go to bed and hope power was on in the AM.
New outbuilding going in. 1,000 gallon propane tank (buying). 26kW Kohler generator with a 400 amp ATS. New heat pump on the first floor (getting rid of the electric strip aux heat) WITH a propane furnace. Sucking it up for 100% comfort. I'll keep the Generac as a back to the Kohler.....

 

[RCW]

John - as you may have seen I just went with a portable 12kw dual fuel. I’ll run it with gasoline for now. Of course, everything to go to the genny power are manual, but a lot better than my previous setup.

Location for the standby generator and propane tank made me go this route for the time being.

I really prefer your avenue. That’s sweet. I may revisit down the road.

 

[CAPT Seabee]

We live near the Canadian border in Idaho. Our electric CoOp does have power outages, usually due to trees fighting power lines. I use a CPAP and power invariably goes down at midnight. Getting up and starting up the portable isn't fun. We installed a 14KW Kohler natural gas and haven't looked back. That said, I do have two gas and one PTO driven 10KW. The later has saved an elderly couple's home in winter. We had a three dayer hit town and the Fire Department was happy to have me down at the local gas station feeding diesel and gas pumps. We're small rural, but take care of each other. Quite a sight with the snow blower up front and a generator in back.