GENERATOR BUYING

[bradm64]

Gary,

I have a Generac Guardian 20KW unit. Unfortumately, it has only been installed a few months, so I really don't have any feedback on the reliability. I looked pretty hard at different makers, and went Generac due to price point. Seems like they have enough on the market to present adequate reliability. I read lots on the internet, and could not find adequate justification to spend the extra bucks.

The installer did have a bit of a problem with the controls system for the motor during initial set up - had a bad sensor, and had to change it out, but was not a really big deal.

I went fully automatic for same reason you are looking that way. I don't think my wife would move a portable to where needs to be hooked up, hook it up, start it, keep it fueled, etc.

 

[jenkinsph]

Gary,

If you are considering a 20kw genset then plan for a 500 gal tank, to get a better rate on the fuel you need to make 300 gallon minimum purchase in most areas. LP tanks are only filled to about 80-85% of their capacity so a 500 gallon tank will fill to 400+ gallons. I would check with your local lp supplier to see where the discounts occur in your locale, in my area a 500 gal tank rents for about $50/year. Better to let them own it imo.


FWIW, the largest consumption of electricity would be an all electric air handler with a large heat strip. I would check into changing out the electric heat for an lp high efficientcy (90+ efficient) furnace. This could reduce your standby generator size by 50% and could use the same lp tank setup.

 

[Gary Fowler]

My house is only about 6 months old so I would hate to have to start changing stuff out already. It has a very efficient heat pump system in it, (highest SEER rating made at the time) but I think those also have some heat strips for backup if the air temps get too low for the heat pump to extract the required BTU. Thanks for the info on the tanks. THe local LPG distributor is only about 2 miles from my house so maybe he will fill in lesser quantities. My brother in law is checking on that this week wrt tank sizes for filling, discount rates etc. Renting is likely the way we will go (we are both putting in gensets at the same time.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Other than having a tank in the yard this is route is appealing. Diesel is an option if one expects to use the system a lot.

The cost to operate one day being equal to the monthly bill retards my excitment for such a system however.

 

[mfreund]

We installed the Generac 20kw Guardian series last summer. I have had no problem with it once the installer figured out how to have 110v to the battery charger (the directions are very vague). It is really nice when the power goes off I lay in bed and listen for the generator to start and the go back to sleep w/o getting of of bed or going out in the weather. The power very rarely goes off on a sunny, warm day!!! I don't have enough hours to reliably give a report yet.

 

[grsthegreat]

I'm an electrical contractor, and Ive installed the generac systems many times. good strong units but you MUST keep up the service on them.

On my own system, i have an Onan 10KW on a 4500 SF house. I didn't need the 20KW size cause i switched my water heaters to gas, the cooktop is gas and the electric heat pump has gas backup for emergency use.

I am on a community well, so i didn't need to worry about well start up either. A deep well can be a real draw on a generator. For the deep wells used here in north Idaho, i generally recommend a 2000-4000 gallon reserve storage tank that has a smaller service pump to feed the house. Our wells are 700-900 feet deep here.

My genset is propane.....love the convenience of the 500 gal backup supply of fuel.

I also forgo the automatic transfer switch for most of my clients....no one wants to pay for fuel to operate it while no one is at home. I install manual start/stop switch in obvious location for homeowner to start generator and transfer the service with a flick of a switch. No one has ever complained.

Generac makes many of the automatic transfer switches for other companies. Also, all transfer switches arnt the same. some have extras like automatic exercise cycles, system monitoring lights and gages, transfer timers to limit false starts, etc.

 

[nike]

I have a 20kw Dewtz Diesel generator set. It was 30kw, 3 phase when I got it. I converted it to single phase. You lose 10 Kw, in the conversion.
It is not auto changeover, but I have used it a lot. Fuel consumtion is 1 gal an hour. I heat with propane so I do not need much electric for the furnace.
It runs a 2 2/3 ton air conditioning system with no problems. As well as the rest of the house, barn and tools.......
I would recommend going Diesel, Auto changeover is an easy add on.

 

[grsthegreat]

I have a 20kw Dewtz Diesel generator set. It was 30kw, 3 phase when I got it. I converted it to single phase. You lose 10 Kw, in the conversion.
It is not auto changeover, but I have used it a lot. Fuel consumtion is 1 gal an hour. I heat with propane so I do not need much electric for the furnace.
It runs a 2 2/3 ton air conditioning system with no problems. As well as the rest of the house, barn and tools.......
I would recommend going Diesel, Auto changeover is an easy add on.

I install alot of diesel generators, as most of the really large ones always run on diesel. But at my own place, i already had a propane tank, so it was easier than having to have diesel delivered to a large tank.

 

[nike]

I looked at the Generac, I really liked it and the propane usage is worst case full load, so you get better than spec.
But the Diesel generator was available and only needed to be pulled out of a trailer where it sat for 20 years. IT was seized. I un-seized it and rebuilt the upper end. (Air cooled real easy, just replace the 3 cylinders complete with pistons ect....)
Took a bit of time but I ended up with a good unit.:thumbsup:

 

[Toyboy]

We installed a 8kw propane Generac at out last home in the boonies and other than maxing out the starting battery (-25 needs all the amps you got) it worked flawlessly. We never knew we had a problem until it started up and realized it wasn't the exercise day. We wanted it to fire up when we were not there to protect the fridge/freezer and heat, thus the auto transfer switch. The gph on fuel is at full load and we never even came close to that. We never let the gph affect out thinking, freezing up the house or losing the fridge/freezer contents would have cost a lot more $$. Getting ready to install one here when the weather breaks but this time it'll be 17kw and running natural gas.