PTO generator vs. Stand Alone
- Thread starter CurlyDave
- Start date
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I use a 3800 watt/5200 surge no bells or whistles gas generator just to run the fridges and freezers when the power goes out which isn't all that often. The longest outage we ever had was 40 hours. The issue for me is keeping enough fresh fuel around to keep it running if we ever had an extended power cut as I don't use a lot of gas. I think if I ever had to do it again I would get a bigger generator with a tri-fuel kit so it can use gasoline, natural gas or propane. We have natural gas at the house so there would be no fuel storage problem and I could still keep the gasoline to use it away from the house. I actually costed out such a system with a transfer panel and it wasn't too bad but I couldn't really justify it because our outages are so few and so short (so far). I think Bob Skurka installed such a system at his place and was very happy with it. )</font>
Great idea! Who makes a tri-fuel genny?
Bob
Great idea! Who makes a tri-fuel genny?
Bob
CharlesP
New member
Dave,
Perhaps instead of trying to match a generator to such a power-hungry well pump, you might be able to find a dc/solar powered well pump that would meet your needs.
You indicated that your water system will include an above-ground storage tank so your well pump would not need a constantly high flow-rate. I haven't researched dc well pumps for a while, but I seem to remember that some models can accept any variety of power inputs (solar panels, batteries, grid power, or generators). Those pumps are designed to work with whatever level of power input you can supply it (less power simply yields lower flowrate).
I am not sure if this would be cost effective, but it might be worth looking into.
Charles P
Perhaps instead of trying to match a generator to such a power-hungry well pump, you might be able to find a dc/solar powered well pump that would meet your needs.
You indicated that your water system will include an above-ground storage tank so your well pump would not need a constantly high flow-rate. I haven't researched dc well pumps for a while, but I seem to remember that some models can accept any variety of power inputs (solar panels, batteries, grid power, or generators). Those pumps are designed to work with whatever level of power input you can supply it (less power simply yields lower flowrate).
I am not sure if this would be cost effective, but it might be worth looking into.
Charles P
OP
CurlyDave
Elite Member
That is an intersting possibility.
Any idea how much one costs? Not just the pump, but the solar panels, batteries, etc. The whole enchilada.
When I bought the motorhome two years ago I talked the salesman into throwing in 200 watts of solar panels. The manager signed the deal without looking at the 200 watt figure and then nearly had a heart attack when he started telling me that he would give me 10 or 20 watts worth of solar, and I pointed out the 200 watts clearly written on the sheet. They said that was $1800 worth of solar panels, and a little research on the internet confirmed it.
The pump we are going with produces a maximum of 1600 feet of head. The best the solar ones do is apparently about half of that.
If I had a more shallow well, in a location without power already installed, I might try one of the solar ones.
Any idea how much one costs? Not just the pump, but the solar panels, batteries, etc. The whole enchilada.
When I bought the motorhome two years ago I talked the salesman into throwing in 200 watts of solar panels. The manager signed the deal without looking at the 200 watt figure and then nearly had a heart attack when he started telling me that he would give me 10 or 20 watts worth of solar, and I pointed out the 200 watts clearly written on the sheet. They said that was $1800 worth of solar panels, and a little research on the internet confirmed it.
The pump we are going with produces a maximum of 1600 feet of head. The best the solar ones do is apparently about half of that.
If I had a more shallow well, in a location without power already installed, I might try one of the solar ones.
v8dave
Platinum Member
At our house in the California Sierra Nevada mountains, we have three to four power outages per year, usually one of which lasts more than 6 hours. I chose to throw the whole house onto standby power rather than have some things work and some not.
I decided that a Diesel was right for me. When I had my shop put in I hired an electrical firm that specialized in stand-by gensets wire in a Zenith-GE automatic transfer switch that I had bought on-line.
The genset I selected and installed was a Kubota GL-11000, 11KW. More Kubota genset info here.
This guy here on eBay at EngineCom sells these at a fairly good price. I found my local Kubota dealer would come very close in price and chose to buy locally. But Enginecom is a good barometer for generator prices.
I built a shed to enclose the Generator set and quiet it down even more. Not shown here is the insulation I installed after the picture was taken.
Waste heat was a problem and I installed two attic fans blowing the heat out of the shed. I simply plugged the fan motors into the genset. No complicated switches or thermostats, they come on when the generator starts putting out power.
This wasn't an inexpensive solution. But, it is reliable. I'm on the road a lot with my job and the system has worked perfectly for my wife several times now.
Here is a picture of the Genset.
I decided that a Diesel was right for me. When I had my shop put in I hired an electrical firm that specialized in stand-by gensets wire in a Zenith-GE automatic transfer switch that I had bought on-line.
The genset I selected and installed was a Kubota GL-11000, 11KW. More Kubota genset info here.
This guy here on eBay at EngineCom sells these at a fairly good price. I found my local Kubota dealer would come very close in price and chose to buy locally. But Enginecom is a good barometer for generator prices.
I built a shed to enclose the Generator set and quiet it down even more. Not shown here is the insulation I installed after the picture was taken.
Waste heat was a problem and I installed two attic fans blowing the heat out of the shed. I simply plugged the fan motors into the genset. No complicated switches or thermostats, they come on when the generator starts putting out power.
This wasn't an inexpensive solution. But, it is reliable. I'm on the road a lot with my job and the system has worked perfectly for my wife several times now.
Here is a picture of the Genset.
Attachments
v8dave
Platinum Member
OP
CurlyDave
Elite Member
... we have three to four power outages per year, usually one of which lasts more than 6 hours. I chose to throw the whole house onto standby power rather than have some things work and some not
This is just about the service I am thinking of.
I decided that a Diesel was right for me.
For reasons of cost, I am probably going to go with gas during the construction phase, and then buy a conversion kit to use LP after it is used for standby. The kits are available for $300-500 and it will be able to run off the big propane tank for the house.
I think I am going to spend just a little more and go with a 15 KW Generac. This should run almost the whole house if I compromise on running only one of two heat pumps. Total cost from Lowes is under $2200.
I really like your shed and will probably do something just like it.
You certainly have set up a very nice system.
This is just about the service I am thinking of.
I decided that a Diesel was right for me.
For reasons of cost, I am probably going to go with gas during the construction phase, and then buy a conversion kit to use LP after it is used for standby. The kits are available for $300-500 and it will be able to run off the big propane tank for the house.
I think I am going to spend just a little more and go with a 15 KW Generac. This should run almost the whole house if I compromise on running only one of two heat pumps. Total cost from Lowes is under $2200.
I really like your shed and will probably do something just like it.
You certainly have set up a very nice system.
scesnick
Veteran Member
Had the exact same problem with my P.O.S. portable gas generator. I am partly to blame because i went the cheap route and bought a Lowes special. It left me without power this past winter in a brutal blizzard !! I did the whole check spark, clean bowl routine also. I finally pulled so long that the starter rope broke and i was really out of luck then. I since got it fixed but I am in the market for a PTO genny for sure.
If I am at work and a storm is coming i will simply hook up the genny to the tractor and the wife can just fire up the tractor and plug it in if she needs it.
If I am at work and a storm is coming i will simply hook up the genny to the tractor and the wife can just fire up the tractor and plug it in if she needs it.
OP
CurlyDave
Elite Member
Well, after much consideration, I finally ordered the 15 Kw Generac generator today.
A big problem I ran into is that most companies want you to be home for delivery and we are just not in Grants Pass for extended periods, and won't be for another year.
Lowes would deliver one to their store, about 30 miles away, but it takes 14-17 days to get it there, and the cost was just under $2200.
I found out that Home Depot will deliver to a home for free, in 5-7 days, and their on-line price was only $1995, with free delivery.
As I was ordering it, there was a place to enter a promotion code, so I opened a new browser window and did a search for "home depot promotion". Well, what came up but a code for 10% off an entire order.
So, I got it for a hair under $1800 and it will be delivered between May 29 and May 31. We are planning to be on the land in the motorhome during that time, so things look good right now.
Somehow I think $1800 is a real deal for that generator.
A big problem I ran into is that most companies want you to be home for delivery and we are just not in Grants Pass for extended periods, and won't be for another year.
Lowes would deliver one to their store, about 30 miles away, but it takes 14-17 days to get it there, and the cost was just under $2200.
I found out that Home Depot will deliver to a home for free, in 5-7 days, and their on-line price was only $1995, with free delivery.
As I was ordering it, there was a place to enter a promotion code, so I opened a new browser window and did a search for "home depot promotion". Well, what came up but a code for 10% off an entire order.
So, I got it for a hair under $1800 and it will be delivered between May 29 and May 31. We are planning to be on the land in the motorhome during that time, so things look good right now.
Somehow I think $1800 is a real deal for that generator.
OP
CurlyDave
Elite Member
Well, after much consideration, I finally ordered the 15 Kw Generac generator today.
A big problem I ran into is that most companies want you to be home for delivery and we are just not in Grants Pass for extended periods, and won't be for another year.
Lowes would deliver one to their store, about 30 miles away, but it takes 14-17 days to get it there, and the cost was just under $2200.
I found out that Home Depot will deliver to a home for free, in 5-7 days, and their on-line price was only $1995, with free delivery.
As I was ordering it, there was a place to enter a promotion code, so I opened a new browser window and did a search for "home depot promotion". Well, what came up but a code for 10% off an entire order.
So, I got it for a hair under $1800 and it will be delivered between May 29 and May 31. We are planning to be on the land in the motorhome during that time, so things look good right now.
Somehow I think $1800 is a real deal for that generator.
A big problem I ran into is that most companies want you to be home for delivery and we are just not in Grants Pass for extended periods, and won't be for another year.
Lowes would deliver one to their store, about 30 miles away, but it takes 14-17 days to get it there, and the cost was just under $2200.
I found out that Home Depot will deliver to a home for free, in 5-7 days, and their on-line price was only $1995, with free delivery.
As I was ordering it, there was a place to enter a promotion code, so I opened a new browser window and did a search for "home depot promotion". Well, what came up but a code for 10% off an entire order.
So, I got it for a hair under $1800 and it will be delivered between May 29 and May 31. We are planning to be on the land in the motorhome during that time, so things look good right now.
Somehow I think $1800 is a real deal for that generator.