How big of a generator would I need?
- Thread starter redhat
- Start date
That is a killer deal! I'm sure it will give you many years of good service.
I have an 8kw Generac running on propane. It's all automatic all I have to do is change the oil. No problems it over 10 years . Starts up on its own within 30 seconds of losing power. When it was originally sized it was only going to be for the hvac refrigerator hot water well pump and a few outlets. Up to 35 amps at any time. But now that appliances are so much more efficient. I'm tempted to light up the whole house. You know to charge phones maybe a TV. I think it can do it.
You must not have a well pump!
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2012
- Messages
- 3,551
You are correct, no well pump.
I have a 2200 watt inverter generator. I run the refrigerator, two box fans, TV, computer and a dozen lights. Keeps me safe and semi comfortable for the 4 days I needed it. The 1 gallon tank last for about 4 hours if I remember correctly. Ed
And as I have found out if you have 2 wires & ground going to pump it takes more than if you have 3 wires & ground. With 3 wires the pump control box and starting capacitor are in the house next to pump tank.
For guys doing load tests I would recommend a kill o watt.
They are super handy and pretty cheap and give you a great idea of not only load but running costs.
Its very important you not measure only running wattage but what the startup surge is.
It typically takes a multiple of running load to start a compressor based device like a fridge, freezer, or window shaker Ac unit. Starting two compressor base devices concurrently is almost always a no go with a 2-3K unit.
They are super handy and pretty cheap and give you a great idea of not only load but running costs.
Its very important you not measure only running wattage but what the startup surge is.
It typically takes a multiple of running load to start a compressor based device like a fridge, freezer, or window shaker Ac unit. Starting two compressor base devices concurrently is almost always a no go with a 2-3K unit.
That changes the game, I got by on portables for decade in town as the water component remained working.I do a lot of dry camping and collected 2 honda 2k's and a yamaha 3000 over the years.
Now I have a well pump.
Outages with power are one thing - outages without running water are something else.
I also went from a 9K BTU window shaker to a 5ton central unit.
Instead of having 1-2 outages for a few hours a year I go down at least a full 7 days a year and partial another week of possible rolling blackouts.
This was the only solution to make it all work.
My DE house has a water pump and a 4 ton & 6 ton heat pumps. With electric booster coils. One of the circuit breakers for the HVAC is 70 amp. Thats 15,000 watts for half of one heat pump, My 8KW Winco generator from my NY house (with oil heat, gas cooking) will definitely not cut it.
The electric booster coils are part of the heat pump. When the heat pump needs to go into defrost mode in the winter it reverses into being an AC for a few minutes to heat up the outside coil and melt ice. So the system is not pushing cold air into the house during defrost it turns on booster coils. The booster coils may also come on if it gets really cold and the heat pump cannot make enough heat.
If I need to melt a lot of snow at Delaware beach towns where my house is then I did not far enough south from my NY house.
Game changer in terms of power outages. The most miserable part to me its lack of water make life pretty much not livable after 8 hrs.
