How do you prep for future power outages?

[5030]

How about the term 'Whole Farm then.... I just make sure the bulk diesel tank is pretty full, the fluid levels are within specs on the Turbocharged JD engine and call it good.

Mine is ore 4, just like my tractors, so it smokes when loaded too....

 

[5030]

Only someone financially flush would have a resistance heated dwelling. terribly inefficient way to heat. expensive too.

 

[grsthegreat]

I really wish people would stop using that TERM, WHOLE HOUSE. It's kind of meaningless for a number of reasons.

One it can mean, that you have a transfer switch for your whole service and a generator that will handle every load in your house and possibly property at the SAME TIME! That would be expensive and possibly cause more problems than it solves. And, do you need to dry clothes and have the hot tub heating during a power outage?

Then it could mean that you have a transfer switch that switches the main service but with a lesser generator, and automatic or manual load managment. That is my preffered choice. In fact, I have a 200 amp automatic ASCO switch, in an electrically heated house, with five buildings and typically use a 7.5 KW generator. In the summer, that's still too big. But every light in every building works, and for me that important. I switch to wood stove in the winter during an outage.

My whole house handles my entire house and barn at one time. That’s why I call it a whole house. House is gas mostly.

 

[robertm]

Jeesh. Picking pepper out of fly dung. The term whole house generator has been and always will define a generator that replaces power to the same capacity of the panel it services. If you have a 200 amp service in your house like I do, and the generator provides the power necessary to power every circuit in that load center, it’s whole house. If you have a genset that only supplies partial loads, it’s not whole house. My house service panel served by a 22Kw generator also feeds my 100 amp panel in my barn. Do I call it a whole house/barn generator? No. Frankly, I could have saved a whopping $400 going to a smaller generator, but why? If the power is out for days or a week, I’ll enjoy all amenities I’m used to for minimal cost. The natural gas used for the extra 6Kw means nothing, I don’t have a hot tub, but why let the water cool down after a five day power outage just to reheat it. I’d grab a beer and hop in while ComEd figures out what priority our neighborhood is in the list of outages.

 

[grsthegreat]

I just serviced a well generator. 11kw air cooled GENERAC. Run hours 75 hours during last power outage. While I was there the propane co showed up to top off tank. After 2.5 days runtime, only took 20 gallons. Yeiks.

I couldn’t believe it, but that 20g took it back to 80%. I guess it mush have run a lot at 25% power?. I was sure it would have use more fuel. This well supplied 30 or so homes.

 

[Diggin It]

With the transfer switch cut in between the meter and the main panel inside the house, I would certainly call mine a 'whole house' system. 16Kw should power everything in the house, just as normal, but I may choose not to do laundry and turn the forced air furnace thermostat down a bit on power out days.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Aside from high demand loads, which there are actually few, many people have no idea how little power they need even for a large house or spread.

In an outage, LIGHT is certainly the number one in terms or importance and mental well-being. And that, requires almost nothing. Maybe the next is water, flowing and HOT, and there it gets a bit tricky. Mostly on account of expectations. But water is also very intermittant. Maybe next is power to run heating equuipment if it's not making electric BTUs.

The utility "Ontario Hydro" has often come in here during an outage to see what's going on. Like a Ball Game in progress. Big spread, lots of buildings and outdoor lighting spread over a large area. And mostly running on 7.5 KW gensets. Often running at less than half load. I could get by on my air cooled 3.7KW Yanmar Diesel, but I don't favour this high speed noisy air cooled diesel. It does make good power though. I just consder it my portable or back up for my back up for my back for my back up for my backup.

 

[Hay Dude]

I did a Generac 22KW which at the time was their largest air cooled. Natural gas. It will run my 400 amp system with 2 smart switches....house has everything covered, both AC, too. One barn has everything covered. Has worked like a champ. Despite plent of electrical power failures, never experienced a loss of gas from Excelon.

 

[SylvainG]

I have a loud Coleman 5,5kw generator bought in 2003. I've used it four times for more than a day each, and only twice, was it during winter and it lasted less than 48 hours. Less than that, not worth hooking it up. Even in Winter, it takes time before the house looses enough heat for it to become a problem. Fridge and freezer can take 24 hour power loss before it needs to be plugged in. Cottage is built on sand so no need for a sump pump so that's not an issue for me. My basement drain is actually just a hole in the sand. Never had water flow back through it.

I keep a 5 gal premium gas (no ethanol) container that I pour in the SUV if we haven't used it after 3 months (which is almost always the case). For short one to two hours outage, UPS on the Internet and battery on the alarm panel do the job.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Sorry. Maybe I'm just really bad at expressing myself. Whole house, whole farm, that's not the point. Is Every last thing being used or almost nothing? BIG DIFFERENCE in genset requirment. Just for instance, if you absolutely NEED a good sized compressor, electric pressure washer or welder welder during an outage, that really changes things.

I would say, MOST people with larger "Whole House" gensets would be shocked if they looked at a KW meter to see how little their rig is actually generating.