All electric house and a generator

[Code54]

Maybe you should look at some way to circulate the heat from the wood stove to the areas of the house it doesn't reach now. I run the circulation fans in my HVAC to circulate the heat from the wood stove throughout the house. I did have to move the cold air return of one system but I've got the whole house heated mostly with wood heat now. A circ fan doesn't use much power.

That is a good idea, I maybe able to get a return over closer to the stove, I will look into that!

 

[Code54]

Does anyone have any idea what size wire I need to run from the generator to the transfer switch (say 22kw)? The reason I was wondering was we are working on placement and the place my wife really likes is a ways from the house, as in about 100' so there would be so wire costs to add in.
I also have my entire deck tore off my house right now and it would be really easy to run the line to where the transfer switch will be now before I start putting the deck on this weekend (don't mind buying the wire to get ahead)
THANKS

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

To address some of the points. We looked at solar a little bit but we are not exactly in a sunny area and have a TON of tree cover. It also seems we use a lot of electric so it may not be the best fit in our situation.

That doesn't matter to the solar zealots. You should still be using it.... because! :laughing:

Never even thought about Gov. surplus sets, good idea - I will also look at them!

If you do, wander on over to www.steelsoldiers.com and get educated. Lots of good folks who are fanatics about milsurp stuff, and can answer any question you have. There is an entire section dedicated to milsurp generators. All the TMs available for download, too.

Make sure you do NOT buy a 400 Hz unit. There are quite a few out there.

We have a wood burning stove in the living room which heats the house fairly well but the kids both have rooms downstairs and their tv room is down there and it does not get too warm with the wood burner. Thus the wanting to use the furnace.

Maybe you should look at some way to circulate the heat from the wood stove to the areas of the house it doesn't reach now. I run the circulation fans in my HVAC to circulate the heat from the wood stove throughout the house. I did have to move the cold air return of one system but I've got the whole house heated mostly with wood heat now. A circ fan doesn't use much power.

I'll tell you what HVAC experts told me for years. It won't work. You'll lose too much heat in the ductwork. You won't get proper circulation. It won't work.

Baloney.


I heat 100% with wood, and my house is weird. The stove is at one end, and we spend most of our time in the other end in the living room. The living room was always too cold, and to compensate, the other end was always too hot.

And for years I listened to the experts.

This will be my third winter of not listening to them. I got a furnace blower and some ductwork off Craigslist, stuck it in the attic, and now I am pulling hot air from the stove end and dumping it in the living room.

My wood use is down by one third, the living room is warmer than the family room where the stove is, and everything is more comfortable.

Experts, stick that in your pipe and smoke it! :laughing:


So, get that good heat from your stove into your duct system and let it spread comfort through the house. :drink:

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Does anyone have any idea what size wire I need to run from the generator to the transfer switch (say 22kw)? The reason I was wondering was we are working on placement and the place my wife really likes is a ways from the house, as in about 100' so there would be so wire costs to add in.
I also have my entire deck tore off my house right now and it would be really easy to run the line to where the transfer switch will be now before I start putting the deck on this weekend (don't mind buying the wire to get ahead)
THANKS

I guess my link to the extension cord ampacity table didn't make it. I thought I posted it, but can't find it in the thread.

UL General-Use Circuit Ampacity Reference Chart

 

[Code54]

Thanks Larry but I think I am a little confused. It looks like the table does not go up nearly high enough of the AMP rating. I am think 22000 KW an running 150' of wire, so maybe something closer to service line? Am I reading it wrong or just overdoing things?
THANKS

 

[LittleBill21]

1 conductors per phase utilizing a #1/0 Aluminum conductor will limit the voltage drop to 2.40% or less when supplying 92.0 amps for 150 feet on a 240 volt system.
For Engineering Information Only:
120.0 Amps Rated ampacity of selected conductor
0.21 Ohms Resistance (Ohms per 1000 feet)
0.044 Ohms Reactance (Ohms per 1000 feet)
7.199999999999999 volts maximum allowable voltage drop at 3%
5.746. Actual voltage drop loss at 2.40% for the circuit
0.9 Power Factor

1/ - Wire - The Home Depot

 

[BrandonR]

Thanks Larry but I think I am a little confused. It looks like the table does not go up nearly high enough of the AMP rating. I am think 22000 KW an running 150' of wire, so maybe something closer to service line? Am I reading it wrong or just overdoing things?
THANKS

22kw at 240v is roughly 100 amps. For 150 feet you derate by one awg size. You are looking at 1/0 aluminum or 1awg copper conductors.

Thanks Larry but I think I am a little confused. It looks like the table does not go up nearly high enough of the AMP rating. I am think 22000 KW an running 150' of wire, so maybe something closer to service line? Am I reading it wrong or just overdoing things?
THANKS

 

[Code54]

That helps a lot, THANKS GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Industrial Toys]

I too have an electrically heated house. Small as it may be, but with lots of out buildings.

Last weekend I wanted to excercise the genset. I pulled the water heater fuse after taking a shower, and checked the load with my energy monitor. 220 Watts with the fridge running and a few security panels and wall warts here and there. I put the water heater back on, plus the 5K hot tub heater and ran the genset for a few hours.

 

[Redneck in training]

There is one thing nobody mentioned. You can save on generator size by using soft start for large loads such as heat pump and your light will not blink when it starts. SS for about 5 kW motor costs around 300 USD. It will also protect your contactor and capacitor. I was changing failed contactor and capacitor for our geothermal heat pump about every 5 years. The contactor sparked when starting the compressor but after the soft start installed it doesn't spark. The contacts are like new after about two years after installation. You can also get a soft start that replaces the contactor.
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