Home generator set up ideas

[pullmytrigger]

Anytime the power goes out I wonder if its going to be another "big one"......a week or so ago an area 3/4hr away from here was down for 3 days.....gives me the creeps so Im looking into buying one........ but its one thing to have one and another thing to be able to hook it up quickly and get the show on the road in the dark.....

the boat sits in the shop with practically a full tank of gas that I could get out with a drill pump and battery drill so i think i got that covered.......Obviously Im going to need the furnace to run and I have an electric hot water tank.......anyone go down this road?? any ideas on wattages?

 

[JFM]

I have a 20KW doing my house, auto transfer, so when the power goes out I don't even move. It runs off of propane or natural gas. I wouldn't go anything under a 10KW. JMO.

 

[JupiterSunsation]

You can buy cheap used ones on ebay, some even mounted on trailers. I have a stand-by unit 15KW that runs on natural gas and runs the whole house but can't run both a/c's at the same time.

If I didn't have natural gas I would buy a diesel unit that sits on a trailer but storage/theft could be an issue for some.

 

[buck]

I set my house up for this when I built it. I just throw a switch on the loop out front and change it from the power company to generator, plug in the generator and I'm good.

The up front cost for me was around $900. My partner has multiple Miller generators in his shop that I can take my pick of.

I say do it if it's cost effective.

Buck

 

[t500hps]

Is the furnace electric? Probably not. I have a 8,000 watt portable genset that came from Home Depot for less than $1,000. It runs the fans in my furnace (natural gas) and will supply power for 2 frig's, lights, 2 TV's, etc. Not sure if this one will run one of my AC's yet since I haven't needed it in the summer yet. My hot water heater is gas so not sure how much power your would take.

BTW: I used an extra 30amp shorepower cord from a boat to feed power into the panel box.

 

[RebarBox]

I set my house up for this when I built it. I just throw a switch on the loop out front and change it from the power company to generator, plug in the generator and I'm good.

The up front cost for me was around $900. My partner has multiple Miller generators in his shop that I can take my pick of.

I say do it if it's cost effective.

Buck

I like your thinking.

I could be using tomarrow if the forecast holds.:ack2:

 

[pullmytrigger]

its a gas furnace......

 

[Chris]

A 10K portable will run the essentials. You can buy a switch for $500 that will allow you to manually drop circuits and switch them to gen feed. I see 10K gens for $500 all the time. If you wanted fixed, 20K will run the average 4 bed houyse as long as you don't turn every light in the house on or try to run your air compressor, furnace, fridge, etc. I would opt for propane/natural gas unit and the auto switch if I were going that direction. You're probably going to be close to $5k into that installed.

 

[Audiofn]

The auto units are nice. If you loose power often then I would go that route. If you are just worried then I would go the manual set ups like Chris and Buck are talking about. What ever you do PLEASE get a PROPER transfer switch. People hook these things up wrong all the time and you can kill a guy working on the poll by back feeding the system if you are not carefull.

 

[t500hps]

The auto units are nice. If you loose power often then I would go that route. If you are just worried then I would go the manual set ups like Chris and Buck are talking about. What ever you do PLEASE get a PROPER transfer switch. People hook these things up wrong all the time and you can kill a guy working on the poll by back feeding the system if you are not carefull.

Yep, My neighbor's best friend is a lineman for the power co. Said he got zapped working on a line where someone was backfeeding a panel box (I do it too, but shut off the main first). He found the house that was backfeeding the line and removed their meter from the side of the house.....he said they will have to call us now to discuss this won't they!!!

 

[Knot 4 Me]

Last July, I installed a 8KW Generac stand-by natural gas gen. $3,500 for everything installed. I should have done this years ago as I have 3 sump pumps in my basement and battery back-ups don't stand a chance against my water intake if I lose power. The 8KW gives you 8 circuits. It covers my 2 refrigerators, furnace blower motor, 3 sump pumps, garage lights/door openers, master bedroom and bath and my entire family room. I thought about a 20KW to do the entire house but the up charge was just too great and the 8KW handles all my basic needs and essential systems. The installed price for the 20KW was more than double the price of the 8KW. Plus, you run a 20KW for a few days living like you normally would if you had power and your gas bill will be quite painfull!

 

[BY U BOY]

Alot of people are using these around here. http://www.guardiangenerators.com/Default.aspx

 

[Knot 4 Me]

Alot of people are using these around here. http://www.guardiangenerators.com/Default.aspx

Yup. That is what I have and love it. The new ones are very quiet.

 

[buck]

I like your thinking.

I could be using tomarrow if the forecast holds.:ack2:

That's exactly what I will be using if the weather comes too. I hope it doesn't happen, I'm leaving here at 3pm for Tulsa to watch AC/DC. This could be a long night. Oh well, at least Casey is going too. :ack2:

Buck

 

[Pachanga]

I have also been thinking about going this route. Figured I would install an underground propane tank. How much propane does a 20K or 25K generator normally use if it's being worked near capacity?

 

[insanity]

Definitely install a transfer switch if you want to run your panel via generator. There is a less expensive one you can install in the box itself, it locks out the generator breaker while the main is on and vice versa. I also saw a box at Lowes that you can install to run about 6 different breakers, but it was only like 4 15-amp and 2 20-amp and the install didn't look all that slick.

Best way is a transfer switch that completely disconnects the line coming in when you switch it to generator. As mentioned above you can get in deep sheit if you backfeed the lines and hurt/kill somebody.

 

[Chris]

I have also been thinking about going this route. Figured I would install an underground propane tank. How much propane does a 20K or 25K generator normally use if it's being worked near capacity?

I don't believe they'll allow propane underground. You could go to diesel, which is much less expensive and you'll need much less since it contains more BTU per gallon. Getting an underground tank permit could be tough.

 

[Spicy]

I don't believe they'll allow propane underground. You could go to diesel, which is much less expensive and you'll need much less since it contains more BTU per gallon. Getting an underground tank permit could be tough.

I have a 500 lb propane tank buried in my back yard, just had it topped of today actually....

 

[Spicy]

On the sizing of the gennie, the most bang for your buck go with the Lowes/Home Depot Generac or Guardian 16KW models, it will run "most" of your house on a Single family application and you dont even need to get off the couch during an outage, count to 8 and listen for the ATS to transfer and your back in business.... when Utility is restored it will transfer back automatically and then the gennie will run for 10 minutes or so to cool down....
I'm the Service Manager for a Large Electrical in Washington DC, i have bought a few for neighbors and my last house I built, even with my supply houses giving me a great deal I was only $200 cheaper then Home Depot.. not alot of mark up in them from what I have seen...

 

[MacGyver]

And remember to always hire a licensed electrician