Backup Generator

[downsizingnow48]

The rain finally stopped. At least for a couple days. I am putting the generator shed in place of some forest that was about to take over the workshop anyway.

When done I will do a post on the generator shed.

 

[Jabari]

To avoid having cords running all over our home, we opted to pay an electrician to install a special panel box - beside our main elec. panel box. When the power goes off, we move the generator into place (I recommend the optional "trolley wheels offered with generators). We run the gen. plug thru a window & plug into the special panel box.

 

[ultrarunner]

The Hospital use to have Natural Gas Emergency Generators but was changed to Diesel because of Earthquake concerns rupturing the supply of Natural Gas.

Also, the county corporation yard has a stockpile of Diesel and should the Hospital be declared an Emergency Destination the agreement provides for refueling...

I have seen stainless steel and aluminum 55 gallon drums and think it would be a step up from steel?

Also, with saltwater boats the fuel filter combinations are endless... water/contaminates, oversized filters/strainers and secondary filter banks...

Back when I started at the Hospital we used a lot of 220 power... all of the operating rooms and treatment rooms and laser rooms all had at least one 220 outlet at 50 amps and they were used regularly.

It has been at least 10 years since any have been used... the new medical lasers use only a fraction of the power today... same with lighting going LED...

As time marches on... the over all building load continues to decline...

 

[buickanddeere]

To avoid having cords running all over our home, we opted to pay an electrician to install a special panel box - beside our main elec. panel box. When the power goes off, we move the generator into place (I recommend the optional "trolley wheels offered with generators). We run the gen. plug thru a window & plug into the special panel box.

Why the expense of a special box for individual circuits ? Just install the interlocking slides on the existing breaker panel ? Extra advantage of not limiting backup power to 4.6 or 8 circuits .

 

[grsthegreat]

Why the expense of a special box for individual circuits ? Just install the interlocking slides on the existing breaker panel ? Extra advantage of not limiting backup power to 4.6 or 8 circuits .

The only advantage to using smaller panel for generator I find is when homeowner doesnt want to be bothered switching off breakers, or is worried their significant other wound not be able to do it. I have had quite a few clients that dont know how to reset a GFCI receptacle much less cycle breakers to manage a generator load. Here's a funny antidote. A few years back i got a call from a customer that said his outside outlets and Garage outlets were dead, I told him over the phone that it was probably a GFCI in garage tripped. He YELLED at me that he wasn't stupid and knew how to check GFCI's and wanted me to come check panel. I drove 20 minutes to the job, and proceeded to reset the garage GFCI. he turned beet red. Didn't say a word, but didn't question the bill either.

 

[cdaigle430]

The Hospital use to have Natural Gas Emergency Generators but was changed to Diesel because of Earthquake concerns rupturing the supply of Natural Gas.

Also, the county corporation yard has a stockpile of Diesel and should the Hospital be declared an Emergency Destination the agreement provides for refueling...

I have seen stainless steel and aluminum 55 gallon drums and think it would be a step up from steel?

Also, with saltwater boats the fuel filter combinations are endless... water/contaminates, oversized filters/strainers and secondary filter banks...

Back when I started at the Hospital we used a lot of 220 power... all of the operating rooms and treatment rooms and laser rooms all had at least one 220 outlet at 50 amps and they were used regularly.

It has been at least 10 years since any have been used... the new medical lasers use only a fraction of the power today... same with lighting going LED...

As time marches on... the over all building load continues to decline...

I could see that in being in California. I am on east coast, we do get earthquakes but not as bad as you. My NG generator can easily switch to propane so again I am not to worried.

 

[cdaigle430]

The main issue with propane or natural gas for generators is both these fuels have a very narrow air/fuel ratio in which they will run so any problem at all with fuel delivery or adjustment will cause hunting or make it nearly impossible to start. Gaseous fuel engines are extremely sensitive to intake leaks for this reason. This is the reason nearly all complaints you see for every brand of Nat Gas home standby generator revolve around intermittent no start or instability. They are finicky, particularly now that they need to meet tighter emissions.

If youæ±*e handy and have no problem making adjustments this isn稚 a huge issue but something that requires ongoing tweaking isn稚 practical for the Mrs when I知 not home to deal with it.

Gasoline is much more tolerant and apart from choking to start will run a wide range of mixture with little effect on stability. Storage is an issue though, propane has a nearly unlimited storage life since there is virtually no oxygen contained in the tanks.

Your assuming gas is all gas though, most here contains 10% ethenol and its not small engine friendly I dont care who says otherwise.
Strange I never had any issues with propane forklift or my natural gas generator. What emissions are required on the cleanest burning fuel NG?
Im no expert but I never had issues with propane or NG engines.

 

[cdaigle430]

Royking,

The lesson I learned was a steel 55 gal drum is not the best way to go. I had one for a number of years. One time I looked in with a flashlight and was shocked at the layer of rust and crud that had formed on the tank walls. I quickly acquired a plastic 55 gal drum. Have been using it for 12 years and still clean inside. Last year I added a desiccant breather to the barrel since it is in an unheated shed, and moisture was starting to accumulate at the bottom due to barometric pressure and temperature breathing in the tank.

Paul

Steel fuel tanks especially with 10% ethanol are ticking time bombs corrosion and rust wise I agree.

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

Your assuming gas is all gas though, most here contains 10% ethenol and its not small engine friendly I dont care who says otherwise.
Strange I never had any issues with propane forklift or my natural gas generator. What emissions are required on the cleanest burning fuel NG?
Im no expert but I never had issues with propane or NG engines.

Nearly all our gas here has 10-15% ethanol so it’s important to get non ethanol gas if you’re going to store but if you manage this they are less prone to hunting and hard starting for the reason I stated. Can’t change physics. Never mind storing, ethanol destroys all but the newest small engines - I’ve had zero issues with power equipment for years now that I’ve stopped using any ethanol gas except last summer when we accidentally ended up with a couple galllons and within a week the riding mower had issues.

Over approx 25kw NG and propane generators have required catalysts and air/fuel ratio controllers since NSPS2 standard came in many years ago but fortunately not home or consumer size... yet.

 

[cdaigle430]

My home consumes about 24kw a day (24hr)so my 16kw Generac should be fine. I know this because I have a 6.6kw on grid solar system and monitor my consumption, production and what I send to the grid daily.