GManBart
Elite Member
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2012
- Messages
- 4,967
- Location
- Detroit, Michigan
- Tractor
- Massey Ferguson 241, Kubota SVL90-2
Thats why you have various priority circuits.
And it sounds like you must have an auto transfer switch.. something else that adds considerably to the cost. No doubt it makes life easier, but that convenience, like having a genny sized for a whole house adds considerable expense when the number of uses are factored in.
Guys are throwing out suggestions for 20kw gensets. The OP himself said he calculated a load of 10KW. What most reasonable people here are saying is that he likely could get buy with LESS than even his 10kw calculation if he takes the work on to balance his usage. That lowers his costs considerably, and it sounds like he's on a budget.
Yes, we have an auto-transfer switch. Again, we're not always home, and wouldn't want to come back to a flooded basement (two sump pumps) because the power went out when we were out of town. An ATS can be more expensive, but not always.
Right now, the generator we bought is listed on Amazon (where we bought ours) for $4,497 with the whole-house 200A ATS, and $4,759 without!
I haven't seen anybody suggest a 20KW system for the OP. The only mention has been that there are several of us with systems that large, for "normal" houses.
I didn't see anything where the OP said he was on a tight budget, just that he noted a big price jump between certain sizes.
I'm shopping for a portable generator to use on a construction site, and as backup for my outbuilding in the future, but I'm not sure I'll be able to justify diesel....other than that I'm going to have a large diesel tank on site.