Generac 7KW home standby generator battery change

[Thermo1223]

Good choice after seeing your thread I did some research, flooded cell batteries are known for longer life than AGM.
I found this interesting and sometimes wonder if maybe why many marine batteries are flooded cells too. With that said in my vehicles I do go sealed AGM for convenience but something like this application why not.
It does have me rethinking the boat battery though, which is a new sealed one. Also mention to "back up power applications" but I dont think that means this. But bottom line is pick and chose what works. Im sure they both last long I did see something I never knew about AGM is it cant work well and discharging more than 50% shortens life. I thought that was all batteries but seems like AGM more so.

Im curious if you know has he needed the unit after Super Storm Sandy?
Wife wants to get one for our new home, I know here it will be a waste except for maybe that once every decade or two hurricane. We can deal with couple hour outage, I am curious about the 24+ hour ones


https://www.crownbattery.com/news/agm-vs-flooded-batteries-what-you-need-to-know

It started a handful of times that I know of. We also rarely get longer outages. Longest I know was a freak ice storm around Halloween where I lost power for 2 days roughly. So I'd have to say taking exercise time into account the generator may see no more than 50 hours of use average per year.

IMO if you have NG it's a no brainer but even with LPG as long as you buy the tank and own it yourself it would be worth it. Most are sized to run for 5-7 days straight on a full tank.

I just purchased a 9.5KW portable for our house, it will run the A/C or the dryer but not both along with all the other things in the house. I have NG so I am looking at getting a 14KW to run everything if need be. It will also be way quieter than the gasoline unit. In this day and age the grid seems to be a lot more fragile.

 

[Thermo1223]

I only got 3 yrs. on flooded batteries in my 10kw unit. Went through 2 until I switched to AGM. Current battery is an Odessey AGM.
It's at 3 yrs now, maybe more, and so far so good. I need dependable starts in below 0 temps at a vacation place.
Heated battery wrap and a stick on sump heater on the motor plate running on a Thermo Cube that cycles on at 30f. 0-30w oil in the engine.

I wonder if it's how they are packaged. His is very open at the bottom, tons of airflow. I agree which is why I assumed he had a cold weather kit. To my surprise he does not. I am going to get him to let me change the oil before winter to synthetic if it doesn't already have it.

 

[alarmguy]

It started a handful of times that I know of. We also rarely get longer outages. Longest I know was a freak ice storm around Halloween where I lost power for 2 days roughly. So I'd have to say taking exercise time into account the generator may see no more than 50 hours of use average per year.

IMO if you have NG it's a no brainer but even with LPG as long as you buy the tank and own it yourself it would be worth it. Most are sized to run for 5-7 days straight on a full tank.

I just purchased a 9.5KW portable for our house, it will run the A/C or the dryer but not both along with all the other things in the house. I have NG so I am looking at getting a 14KW to run everything if need be. It will also be way quieter than the gasoline unit. In this day and age the grid seems to be a lot more fragile.

We have LPG 120 Lb tank for gas cook top, hot water and fireplace. If we do something I would have a plumber plum a line for the generator. The plan would be something like this, store it in garage, major outage, wheel it outside connect the LPG connection, plug in the 50AMP outlet into a receptacle on the house which would connected to the breaker panel with a lockout plate. (I only learned of this VERY recently. It wouldnt power the house but the refrigerator, lighting, maybe if I left them off could power the heat pump? I dont know...
Costco had this onsite for $799 now off sale. Neighbor bought one and having an electrician hook up an outlet. I think if I did I would do it myself. Though I suspect for now I will do nothing but entertain my wife *LOL* Only been here 4 months, got enough to do
firman-7500w-running--9400w-peak-tri-fuel-generator.product.100840185.html

Anyone know anything about the brand? I know a lot about electricity and wiring, nothing about generator brands though.

 

[Thermo1223]

We have LPG 120 Lb tank for gas cook top, hot water and fireplace. If we do something I would have a plumber plum a line for the generator. The plan would be something like this, store it in garage, major outage, wheel it outside connect the LPG connection, plug in the 50AMP outlet into a receptacle on the house which would connected to the breaker panel with a lockout plate. (I only learned of this VERY recently. It wouldnt power the house but the refrigerator, lighting, maybe if I left them off could power the heat pump? I dont know...
Costco had this onsite for $799 now off sale. Neighbor bought one and having an electrician hook up an outlet. I think if I did I would do it myself. Though I suspect for now I will do nothing but entertain my wife *LOL* Only been here 4 months, got enough to do
firman-7500w-running--9400w-peak-tri-fuel-generator.product.100840185.html

Anyone know anything about the brand? I know a lot about electricity and wiring, nothing about generator brands though.

It looks oddly similar on all counts to mine.
https://www.powermate.com/Generator...E-GENERATOR-(49-ST)-ELECTRIC-START/p/P0081500

So you may just need to get another 120lb tank in the future and parallel them. He has a tank very similar to this just for the generator.
https://www.amazon.com/Flame-King-Y...locphy=21152&hvtargid=pla-1874172891522&psc=1

Mine does not have a 50Amp plug, just a lower 30Amp 4 wire twistlock. It will start the A/C so I see no reason yours shouldn't be able to also run the heatpump. In fact it is under less strain running the A/C than the dryer since the dryer is purely a full on resistive load. It's odd they included a 50Amp plus when it pretty much puts out the same power as mine.

Easy enough to do yourself, I am until I really decide to the go the NG route.

 

[alarmguy]

It looks oddly similar on all counts to mine.
https://www.powermate.com/Generator...E-GENERATOR-(49-ST)-ELECTRIC-START/p/P0081500

So you may just need to get another 120lb tank in the future and parallel them. He has a tank very similar to this just for the generator.
https://www.amazon.com/Flame-King-Y...locphy=21152&hvtargid=pla-1874172891522&psc=1

Mine does not have a 50Amp plug, just a lower 30Amp 4 wire twistlock. It will start the A/C so I see no reason yours shouldn't be able to also run the heatpump. In fact it is under less strain running the A/C than the dryer since the dryer is purely a full on resistive load. It's odd they included a 50Amp plus when it pretty much puts out the same power as mine.

Easy enough to do yourself, I am until I really decide to the go the NG route.

Good feedback thanks.
Yeah, I’m not too worried about the dryer. No plans for that.

Our existing 120 pound tank would be enough propane. The house doesn’t use much at all, in the four months we lived here we just got a delivery and I think it was 26 gallons a 120 pound tank holds 96 gallons.
That’s a fairly significant amount of propane for an event that may or may not happen.

Power outages for any length of time, are rare meaning, the kind that really matter where you have days at a time, would only be one or so every 10 to 20 years in a hurricane.

Did you hook up an outlet to the breaker panel?

 

[Thermo1223]

Good feedback thanks.
Yeah, I’m not too worried about the dryer. No plans for that.

Our existing 120 pound tank would be enough propane. The house doesn’t use much at all, in the four months we lived here we just got a delivery and I think it was 26 gallons a 120 pound tank holds 96 gallons.
That’s a fairly significant amount of propane for an event that may or may not happen.

Power outages for any length of time, are rare meaning, the kind that really matter where you have days at a time, would only be one or so every 10 to 20 years in a hurricane.

Did you hook up an outlet to the breaker panel?

Ya that's fair which is why I am still on the fence with the bigger whole house unit.

For a while I just backfed via a 30 amp breaker in the panel but now that I got a cord for free I have the location for the outlet marked and will using one of these for the main switch w/ the outlet hooked up to a 30 amp breaker in the panel.

https://www.amazon.com/Generator-In...1-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1