Standby Generator

[TheMan419]

I have never heard anyone say they regret having a generator installed. We only have a portable unit but I sleep well knowing I can fire it up and have the basic necessities met.

 

[grsthegreat]

Last winter i installed a 22 kw for a customer and their power failed that evening for 3-4 hours due to a fire at the sub station. They called me the next day and asked me how i did that...

So far ive never had anyone tell me that wish they hadn't install one.

 

[WVBill]

While my house was being built we were in a rental nearby. The power went out for 4 days. No backup in rental. I called the builder and told him to have the electrician install a transfer switch and the plumber to plumb the propane to a quick disconnect near the generator plug. Bought a 7.5 KW generator. Runs everything in the house except the electric hot water.

We have 2 x 100 Gal house propane tanks so can run gen for about 6-8 days. I have no other fuel-powered equipment so it would be a pain dealing with keeping Gas fresh for a standby generator.

 

[BAP]

What size propane tanks are you using for your standby generators in colder climates. Trying to figure what I would need.

 

[Wakey]

When the crew showed up to install the generator, I jokingly said to them that now that I spent all of this money, the power would never go off again. The reply was, "you are paying to never be without power again. You will either have it from the utility or the generator! And, for sure, that is the goal.

We installed a 22KW last spring. I told my neighbors as a result, we would never lose power again . I asked for contribution for our shared expense :laughing:

It's come on 3 times for a total of 2.5 hours or so.

We buried a 500 gallon tank since central Georgia does not get too cold, not for long anyway. It runs the genny and the kitchen stove.

 

[RalphVa]

We started off with a 4 kw generator and a small input box that was already there, as this house had a propane generator (removed by seller) when we bought it. This was just after Isabel in 2004. Had the input system improved a bit 2 or 3 years later. It operated the basics but required turning everything off to repressurize the water tank every so often. Operation on this small generator gave me lots of data to figure out how much we needed for a whole house unit.

About 7 years ago, we installed a 12.5 kw Isuzu diesel generator from the Maine diesel people. A friend of ours is a licenced electrician. My neighbor helped sit the generator in place with his bigger tractor and fork lift. My friend put in a completely new 200 amp panel to replace one of the 2 we had plus the little generator panel from Generac: ending up with 2 panels at 200 amps each, one on generator one off. The Generac has 4 or 6 (think it's 6) special circuit breakers that only allow themselves to be on if there's room on the generator. Well, we've NEVER had a problem running anything on the 200 amp panel, including the clothes dryer during a power failure (and quite a few of them lasting generally 4 to 8 hours). One of our electric water heaters is on it and about 3 or so Tiny Titan heaters at the use points.

The main 4 ton heat pump is not on the 200 amp Generac panel, but the 2 ton upstairs unit and the smaller ductless units for the basement are on the Generac. Our old 2.5 ton upstairs unit was put on it initially. My electrician friend put in a special circuit to take the backup heat coil out when the generator was on. The new 2 ton heat pump has its backup coil out via its thermostat. The ductless unit has no backup coil.

The Isuzu is about the sweetest, quietest diesel that I've experienced. Absolutely NO diesel clatter and usually no smoke on startup. Uses a whopping 0.2 gph of diesel. This is over at least 130 hours so far. I did the 50 hour oil change. Other than that, I just clean it up a couple times/yr and keep tabs on the diesel in its 60 gallon tank. Occasionally, I'll pump out of it for the tractor.

Ralph

 

[drssg]

I’m glad to read the positive reviews on Generac. That’s the only brand I’ve seen advertised. I’ll try to get moving on that before winter.

 

[grsthegreat]

I tell he customers a 250 gal is minimum, but i generally install 22 kw units. My own generac 22 is fed from our 1000 gal buried tank. My entire house is propane.

A 22 runs in the 2.5-3.9 gal per hour depending on load.

Mine powers a 3900sf house and the barn, as i need the heated horse waterers protected. Also keeps hot tub hot if power is out in winter here in north idaho

 

[jaydee325]

I upgraded from a 330 gallon to a 500 gallon at the recommendation of my installer/dealer.

What size propane tanks are you using for your standby generators in colder climates. Trying to figure what I would need.

 

[oosik]

Interesting - - been out here in the pucker weeds 36+ years. I will get 1 or 2 announced outages a year. Local Co-Op utility upgrading their equipment - usually two hour outage. Otherwise its normal to go 6 to 8 even ten years with no outages. In all the years out here - one major outage and it lasted 27 hours.

Our Co-Op electric utility is recognized in the industry as one of the very best in the business and, also, with one of the lowest electric rates.

I spent my "allocated standby generator funds" on a new and bigger rear blade - thank you.