Installing Generator Under Covered Porch?

[HawkinsHollow]

Good idea? Bad Idea?

I understand there would have to be some special concessions made for this to work right, but I think it is possible. I understand the exhaust will have to be piped outside the block wall. Maybe a fan to help move air over the engine to help with cooling

I have a larger generator that I bought to do work at my property because there is no power out there. This original generator is overkill and I have since got another generator from my father when I cleaned out his garage. I was thinking about installing this generator under the porch to keep it out of the elements and muffle the sound if/when we ever need it. I cannot tell you the last time we have had a blackout lasting longer than a couple of hours. But it can and will happen eventually.

I would like the ability to hit the starter and have power without moving this thing out and running cords etc. Is this possible? Is it a good idea or a fools errand? Just doing some preliminary research before I put too much time effort and money into this endeavor.

 

[TractorTYMe]

I have my generator on my back porch, it's a mobile (barely moveable) 12Kwh. But I have the exhaust pointing out of the back porch when set in ready for operation. Has worked for days like that with no problems. I scooch back under a table and cover it up six feet from its position of operations when done.

 

[oosik]

As long as there is adequate air flow - for cooling and removing exhaust - I think this is a great idea. I'm not too sure you will like the noise though. Under the porch might give more noise and vibration than you like.

I would give it a try. You can always move it to a new location if it's too much.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

As long as there is adequate air flow - for cooling and removing exhaust - I think this is a great idea. I'm not too sure you will like the noise though. Under the porch might give more noise and vibration than you like.

I would give it a try. You can always move it to a new location if it's too much.

Yeah I was thinking about that. The porch is exterior but the crawlspace encompasses that entire half of the house. I was also thinking about sound and possibly might need to create a sound deadening housing for it. Then I would definitely need a fan to introduce cooling and combustion air.

 

[5030]

Certainly am thankful I own 2 standby gensets that require only minimal human intervention as in routine maintenance.

I don't ever want to be fiddling with getting the power back on if there is a utility failure and out here, it fails quite often.

I want my backup power to be as 'hands off' as possible.

Between the 32KW diesel powered unit and the 21KW propane fired house unit, I'm covered 100% for 110-1, 220-1, 220-3 and 440-3 power. Not a cheap date by a long shot but very hands off and turnkey.

 

[grsthegreat]

With generac whole house, any wood cover has to be a minimum 6’ above the generator to protect it from heat and exposure to fire if unit was to catch fire. But honestly, if the generator were to catch fire, the house is a goner.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

With generac whole house, any wood cover has to be a minimum 6’ above the generator to protect it from heat and exposure to fire if unit was to catch fire. But honestly, if the generator were to catch fire, the house is a goner.

That is an excellent point!! Doesn't seem worth it in the case of a what if situation like that. As often as we need it (almost never) maybe just rolling it out and plugging it in is the better play.

 

[deserteagle71]

Out here the remote ranches that don't have commercial power keep their generators underground. That is, in storm cellar or root cellar type compartments, either built into a hillside or if on flat ground with several feet of earth heaped over it. Only air intake and exhaust ported to the outside, and a well-insulated entry door. Essentially silent operation, fireproof, and insulated from extreme weather as well.

Just another option to consider.

 

[5030]

Both of mine have their own Generac supplied cabinets, the house unit I just replaced the original steel corroded enclosure with a new powder coated aluminum one to the tune of 5 grand.

The other one (diesel) has the original suppled aluminum and steel enclosure that has never corroded. It has a built in fuel tank in the bottom I've never used as it's directly plumbed into my diesel bulk tank. Has a turbocharged John Deere engine and like a typical Deere product, it just purrs along and has been for over 10 years now.

 

[ning]

Both of mine have their own Generac supplied cabinets, the house unit I just replaced the original steel corroded enclosure with a new powder coated aluminum one to the tune of 5 grand.

I'm about to buy a 20kW generator with an aluminum enclosure for 5k.
What's so special about the enclosure for your 21kW generac that the new enclosure alone cost 5k?

 

[DarkBlack]

 

[5030]

I'm about to buy a 20kW generator with an aluminum enclosure for 5k.
What's so special about the enclosure for your 21kW generac that the new enclosure alone cost 5k?

The newer Generac's cabinet and my replacement enclosure are not at all alike. The replacement enclosure for my older unit is a rectangle and it comes complete with everything required to pull the old components out of the steel enclosure and install them into the new aluminum cabinet.

Again, the new style enclosures and the old style enclosures don't even look alike.

I considered just buying a new unit but my older one functions perfectly so I went the enclosure route.

Lots of older units around here and they are all rusting. I could probably go into business retro fitting them if I wanted to. I don't.

With my new enclosure I don't have to be concerned with corrosion at all.

The new one came very complete, right down to the stick on decals that I tossed in the garbage.

Generac should have NEVER sold them with steel cabinets that are out in the weather. They should all have been sold with aluminum enclosures in the first place.

Other than 'horsing' the engine and genny head on the new base (very heavy), everything else was basically plug and play.

The new enclosure came with all the mounting studs welded in the correct locations and Generac color codes all their wiring so it's a simple matter of just matching colors and plugging in Molex connectors that are individually keyed to their respective sockets. Basically all grunt work and I was the grunt.

One thing I did do was I packed all the Molex connectors with electrical grease as well as the butt connectors. Generac don't but I do simply because I'm not planning on doing it again in my lifetime at least.

Looks like a brand new unit on the outside but again it don't look at all like current models.

 

[5030]

Personally speaking, I'd never even consider buying a stand alone genny and using it for emergency backup and have to go out and start in or fuel it up and then worry about what I plugged in or not. My Generac's handle all that by themselves and have dedicated transfer switches as well so no extension cords to be concerned about. Both are hard wired (Had an electrician do all the wiring to and from the transfer switches)

I do own a small inverter genny I use in the RV but that is it.

The propane unit feeds from 2 500 gallon propane tanks that would run it for weeks, maybe months, I don't know really and the diesel unit runs from my diesel bulk tank so the same applies to that as well.

One less thing I have to be concerned with.

 

[grsthegreat]

5030, were your old generators air cooled or liquid cooled units?

if they are the large liquid cooled, those are a PITA to move into a new cabinet. I also hated the old steel cabinets. glad they swapped out to aluminum cabinets.

 

[grsthegreat]

I'm about to buy a 20kW generator with an aluminum enclosure for 5k.
What's so special about the enclosure for your 21kW generac that the new enclosure alone cost 5k?

his might be a liquid cooled generator.

 

[bigtiller]

This one sets in a insulated building that is about 10x16 ft square. It is the second one to be installed since 2005.

 

[mikester]

I'd try and locate the genny away from buildings. Jack Kevorkian might feel that is being overly cautious.

 

[bcjmmac]

I built a shed around my 20KW propane generator
Couple of reasons
Primary is we get a lot of snow. 12+ feet most winters ( doesn’t always stay) & in blizzards it can get covered/clogged with snow. Happened second year after we built
Secondarily, I don’t normally leave it in auto as we often get temporary power bumps in the middle of the night & I don’t need to get woken up by it starting
Third, I generally only use it for a few hours/day when power is out. Charge batteries, keep refrigerator/freezers cold, make coffee, etc. Even mid winter our house will stay “warm” for several days as very well insulated
If Home, fireplace is sufficient & can run heat when gen is on. I can monitor power when away & friends will come over to run the generator & throw on heat, as req’d
Shed has lots of airflow but I normally open windows & hatches to help out
One time I left on auto after my monthly 20 minute run & went to cottage. Came home & it was running - power line breaker at road had tripped. Generator had been running for about 12 hrs. Nice & toasty in the shed but fume level was fine

 

[ning]

The propane unit feeds from 2 500 gallon propane tanks that would run it for weeks, maybe months, I don't know really and the diesel unit runs from my diesel bulk tank so the same applies to that as well.

I'd think you'd do a couple quick calcs and see how long an auto-start generator will run on ~800 gallons of propane.
You may be shocked at the short amount of time - it's almost definitely not months, and the few weeks it will likely provide will shock you if you're serious about "maybe months".
It likely will use a gallon an hour at a very low load, which would give you at most a month, and if you load it up more than that it'll drain the tank faster.

I considered just buying a new unit but my older one functions perfectly so I went the enclosure route.

So you decided to keep an old generator and just get a new enclosure, for about the same price as a new generator with a similar enclosure?

 

[5030]

Not really. A new 21KW unit is way north of what I paid for the new enclosure. Least around here it is.

I know exactly what my fuel usage is for both of them. I do have the manuals for both and they state fuel usage plainly. Not that I would ever expect either to run continuous for weeks on it.

In reality, longest run time in the last decade was 3 days continuous.

Finally, I would not allow either to run unabated anyway. They do require some maintenance during run times like oil level checks for instance.

For us, they are a 'standby' not a primary source.