Anyone have experience w/ Centurian NG standby generators?

[ronjhall]

I have a 13K Briggs and Stratton standby generator. Rather than try to figure out which circuits to set up we choose to go with a 200 amp automatic transfer switch. This was capable of running our whole house and out buildings. Although it is not recommended running the A/C full time on it. In the 5 years we have had it. It has run about 200 hours. 90 of them doing auto cycle one time every week for 20 minutes. That means we have needed the generator for over 20 hours each year since we bought it. Sure is convenient and wife does not have to worry about a power failure. When I researched the generators the installers were the problem. Finding one that would do the job right was hard to find. A friend pointed me at the company I bought mine from. If they sold a Generac I would have installed it.

 

[Slice]

Your not kidding with finding the right installer i did my own as my background is a/c and electrical so it made it easier

 

[lhfarm]

Your not kidding with finding the right installer i did my own as my background is a/c and electrical so it made it easier

So how do I find the right installer? I was planning to buy the unit from a box store and have it installed while we are doing some remodeling. I was assuming the general contractor's electrician could do the job. Is that advisable or is this a specail installation?

Thanks,

 

[ronjhall]

So how do I find the right installer? I was planning to buy the unit from a box store and have it installed while we are doing some remodeling. I was assuming the general contractor's electrician could do the job. Is that advisable or is this a specail installation?

Thanks,

The company I hired had a licensed Electrician and Plumber to hook up mine. I would make sure your contractors people have done this type of installation.
You may want to look at this site for standby Generators and transfer switches. Norwall Power Systems. It was recomeneded to me by TBN members when I was shopping. They have the proper transfer switches.

 

[Highbeam]

A generator doesn't have 5 or 6 or 100 circuits. A genset provides power which you can use to power as many circuits as you want. I use a 3500/4000 watt genset to power my entire home with dozens of circuits through a whole house transfer interlock kit. Basicly I equipped my home's electrical system with a "plug-in" on the outside of the house that attaches to a generator.

I manage the power needs of my automatic appliances (water heater, hot tub) by shutting off their breakers.

Getting an oversized genset would be a big negative in my book. These things suck fuel and your normal expected loads are really quite small. Remember that this is an emergency backup generator and not a power plant. Consider which items are essential and elminate the rest. For example, my hot tub does not get the 60 amps of 220volt power that it wants during a power outage.

 

[lhfarm]

A generator doesn't have 5 or 6 or 100 circuits. A genset provides power which you can use to power as many circuits as you want. I use a 3500/4000 watt genset to power my entire home with dozens of circuits through a whole house transfer interlock kit. Basicly I equipped my home's electrical system with a "plug-in" on the outside of the house that attaches to a generator.

I manage the power needs of my automatic appliances (water heater, hot tub) by shutting off their breakers.

Getting an oversized genset would be a big negative in my book. These things suck fuel and your normal expected loads are really quite small. Remember that this is an emergency backup generator and not a power plant. Consider which items are essential and elminate the rest. For example, my hot tub does not get the 60 amps of 220volt power that it wants during a power outage.

I have a manual start 4KW generator, wired into the house. It is a manual switch. My wife wants a totally automatic system so that when I'm away, she will be able to stay in the house. I'm looking at the smaller units and she knows we will just be powering the essentials (pump, furnance and coffee maker).

Thanks,

 

[kennyd]

The company I hired had a licensed Electrician and Plumber to hook up mine. I would make sure your contractors people have done this type of installation.
You may want to look at this site for standby Generators and transfer switches. Norwall Power Systems. It was recomeneded to me by TBN members when I was shopping. They have the proper transfer switches.

I bought a 15kw Generac and a 7kw (for my Aunt) from Norwall about 4 years ago, My 15kw now has about 80 hours on it and has performed flawlessly. I highly recommend Norwall.

I did the install on both units myself...The 15 is LP powered, and the 7 is NG powered. I even had to make my own manometer to set the new LP regulator i hap to put on mine.