10k Standby generator

[philbuilt]

Hi all,
I am considering installing a 10k Guardian automatic standby generator. My wife doesn't like using the old home-light 4400 and doing the switch manually. When I traveled the boys use to do it for her.

My question is has anyone had some bad experience with this brand?
Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

I can buy this for the same price at HD - $200.00 10% discount coupon
I can use the propane tank that feed my "doghouse" heater.

Thanks
Phil
PS. I will use the mf1260 to dig for the pad. The tractor part of this project.

 

[ragkar]

A friend wanted to get this generator with auto-switchover and all but the best quotes for the complete unit with hookup, switchbox, concrete pad, transportation etc was $15,000. It's hard to believe that they could run it up so much.
A nice thing about the HF unit is that it runs on LP as well as gas. Normally a gas generator will require about a half gallon per hour. So if you're going to be out of power for a while, you need to stock up on gas. If you have a fireplace, you could convert to gas logs, get a 100 gallon LP tank and tap off that for the generator.
Have you carefully considered how much power you really need? In my case I wanted well pump, furnace, kitchen except oven and range (microwave is good enough), two bedrooms, sump and sewage pumps and the entertainment center to be powered. My calculations were that I needed 6.5KW, a figure that includes startup as well as running power.
I have a very good link for you
Electric Generators Direct - Your Portable Generator Superstore and Home Standby Generator Superstore - Power Generators, Gas Generators, Home Generators, Backup Generators, Electric Generator, Portable Generators, Power Generator, Gas Generator, Emergency Generator, home Generator
They will help you make calculations and have real good advice pages. They'll even sell you a generator!
I think that you may need to study up on auto switch boxes. The auto feature in HF's advertisement means that the unit will start up by itself. It doesn't meant the the house electrical systems will swith over from mains to standby power. That takes a auto-switch box which must be wired by a licensed electrician.

 

[philbuilt]

ragkar,
Thanks, I install one from Grainger about 6 years ago at the church that my boss went to. It was a kW as well. The home lite does a good job for our needs. It powers the well ,furnace and TV OK. We found that it will handle the microwave and 1 burner on the kit stove as long as we don't use water and run the well pump. The Home light is a 4400 watt surge so I do believe that the 10 k will do fine. I have a 100 gal LP tank at my work shop for shop heat in the winter. My main service is there 200 amp and the house is fed from there so I figure I will feed the entire house. One of my employee's is a Master electrician and will do the final.

I would really like to know if the generac Guardian is a quality unit. Thanks for the input.
Phil

 

[dbdartman]

I've got one of those, but don't remember the exact size. It's not big enough to run the WHOLE house, but will keep both refrigerators, the freezer, water & sewage pumps, heat & hot water systems & most of both kitchens powered, plus about half the general lighting (the "necessities" as it were). It runs for 15 minutes every Friday afternoon (to keep the engine "exercised" & charge the battery), but does not switch over power unless outside power goes out. In 3 years it's been "on-line" 3 or 4 times, usually around 2-3 hours each, but did run for about 6-7 hours one day last winter. Since the house is gas powered, the generator set is also CNG.

Like I said, mine is pretty small; only a 1-cylinder engine, but it does have a pressure oiling system & a small screw-on oil filter. It's not the quietest thing out there, but in the enclosure it's not annoyingly loud (about as loud as the 17HP Kawasaki engine on the JD X-304 mower I have, which is "silent" compared to an equivalent Briggs).

All in all, very happy having emergency power that's automatic!

 

[kennyd]

I installed the 15kw model 3 years ago at my house, it now has 56 hours on it and has not let us down. I believe I paid $3000.00 for it from Norwall Power Systems
I see they are now $3400 and are rated at 16kw...

These are an excellent value for the homeowner

 

[philbuilt]

thanks for the input

Well I went with the kW model it was $4oo.oo more. The 2 deciding factors were 30HP motor vs. 18HP and the panel had 12 breakers one of witch is a 40 amp. The plan is to install it in September I will follow up with pics.
Phil

 

[jjcc246]

i have the 10k Guardian, matter of fact power went out today and ten seconds later the Guardian kicks on and all powered up. A friend of mine and I installed about 40 of these units after our October storm. We have not had one call back for problems. They are great units and good peace of mind. We charged between $5000 and $6000 a unit installed. We paid between $2600 and $3000 per unit at the time. The price fluxuated because of the supply and demand at the time. I can't say anything bad about the Guardian at this time and by now, with running ten minutes a week for self test, and a couple of power outages we should have heard if there was a problem. All the ones we installed we're natural gas installations. Hope this helps.

 

[RonMar]

Well at 13KW, you may be able to squeeze hot water in there as well(about 4.5KW) I spent an afternoon working with a Generac service tech this spring on one of our remote gensets. He said about the biggest call they received during our Seattle area storms and extended outages last winter on the 10-15KW sets was for them shutting down after about 4 days operation. It was for low oil level. Most of these don't indicate this, they just won't run because of it. He said he lost track of how many times he walked non mechanically inclined types(customers on maintenance contracts) thru checking the oil/adding oil to get the unit running again. Other than that, pretty reliable in his opinion. That big a set, you might want to think about upgrading your 100 gallon tank. That is the beauty of propane, it stores really well

 

[bondo]

I have the 27K unit for the farm. Don't have switch over panel, do it manually. Good unit, works just fine when we need it. Have it for 4 years now with no problems at all. I have the gas unit, so always have a supply of gas on hand at the farm! Thinking about wiring in a "power light" or guage to measure the incoming voltage at the box so I know when the power is back on.

Bondo©