Recommendations on standby generators

[Enthusiast]

Okay after having 12 hours being out of power and for some reason being part of the grid where I have no power yet just about every other grouping of houses have power I am getting really sick of this. I have a portable generator, but it seems that in order to use it safely I would need a inverter for things such as the HVAC system, refrigerator, other appliances, computers, TV, etc. Considering this in addition to some of the pipe dream ideas that my state has with using solar and windmills exclusively I think it's time to consider getting a standby generator. What brands are considered to be reliable And which ones are made in the United States? Any advice would be appreciated

 

[Lubener]

They must be in very short supply. I don't even see them advertised anymore.

 

[MParr]

Call around. You will probably be put on a waiting list.
I have a 22kW Generac. I had to wait about six weeks for it to come in.

Lead Times

 

[UncleDave]

Whichever one you get the best local support on.

I prefer Kohler to Generac for a couple of reason the big one being hydraulic valve adjustment.

 

[NormanBuntz]

I agree with UncleDave that it's wise to use a company that can offer local support, especially if you live in a rural area. My first Generac 16kw standby unit in NC lasted 12 years until the coastal weather elements rusted away the poorly made steel base of the unit. The motor and other components were good, but the steel base rusted badly and finally collapsed. Later I found out that Generac knew it was using sub-grade steel from China and didn't do anything to help customers affected by the defect. Despite that experience, in 2018 I replaced it with another Generac 16kw unit that is better constructed. No issues to date. My 16 kw unit serves an entire 3,500 square foot house and two of my three heat pumps. I opted not to get the 22kw model due to its high fuel consumption rate. In your budget, be sure to include a tidy sum for your natural gas or propane supply. I use a 500 gallon underground tank. Kohler and Onan standby units are considerably more expensive than Generac, and I've heard nightmares about Kohler generator parts availability.

 

[doitmyself]

I have a 23 year old Ford powered Kohler 17ky generator I manage at my workplace and it has been nearly flawless. The only parts I have replaced have been maintenance items and availability has not been a problem through a Grand Rapids, MI distributor. I can imagine that pandemic related shortages might exist now, but that is commonplace with many things.

I agree with above that if money is no object, Kohler and Cummins (formerly Onan) are probably the most reliable options. My workplace generator was purchased at a steal after the Y2K hysteria left dealers overstocked.

 

[Cujet]

Any quality generator will run motors, such as fridge and AC. Inverter power IS NOT NECESSARY. The power company does not use inverters. And believe it or not, the power company's power is not all that clean.

My dual compressor 2.5/5 ton AC will run on large enough portable generator, perfectly. The 2.5t compressor starts and runs on my 5000W 340cc Subaru generator with plenty of remaining power for the well pump.

The better portable generators use Honda engines and Mecc Alte generator heads.

The one item that can be very sensitive to a less than perfect sine wave is an old-school microwave. (The newer inverter ones work well on just about any power)

 

[repairman54]

I have a 10 yr old 10kw Generac at a small 2nd house. Just normal maintenance via its internal computer. Quality battery is a must for less issues. I've gone to an Odessey battery as I'm not there all the time. And the gen set lives in a -35f to 90f environment so winter operation is critical.
No issues with computer boards in the furnace, fridge, internet boxes, etc. I'd worry more about surges from line power than the gen set.

 

[bpracer]

I have a 17kw Generac. Spendy but I think it's worth every penny. I have a well, sewage ejector pump, sump pump, plus appliances. It runs on natural gas. I use Amsoil 5w30 small engine oil because it is a specific for this fuel.

 

[Cujet]

Just another thought. Natural Gas standby generators will generally work in a typical power outage. However, in some locations, the utilities shut off NG as there is no power to manage the gas distribution.

This is one reason why I suggest a quality 390cc Honda powered portable generator with a conventional gen head. Keep it safe in the garage, pull it out and plug it in when needed. It will have enough power to run the water heater, or the well pump, or the AC/furnace. One can run a 3br house "off grid" like this for months without much hardship and semi-reasonable gasoline costs.

Of course, if you have extraordinary loads, something larger is a good idea. But as always, the idea of power management is no problem with this crowd.

If, however, you must run everything, all at once, then by all means, get a 22KW genset and be aware of the significant fuel use. Remember, at full load a 22KW genset will consume AT LEAST 80 gallons of propane per day and about 45 gal/hr at half load. I know a guy who emptied his 250 gallon tank in a few short days after the hurricane.

 

[spasm3]

Just another thought. Natural Gas standby generators will generally work in a typical power outage. However, in some locations, the utilities shut off NG as there is no power to manage the gas distribution.

This is one reason why I suggest a quality 390cc Honda powered portable generator with a conventional gen head. Keep it safe in the garage, pull it out and plug it in when needed. It will have enough power to run the water heater, or the well pump, or the AC/furnace. One can run a 3br house "off grid" like this for months without much hardship and semi-reasonable gasoline costs.

Of course, if you have extraordinary loads, something larger is a good idea. But as always, the idea of power management is no problem with this crowd.

If, however, you must run everything, all at once, then by all means, get a 22KW genset and be aware of the significant fuel use. Remember, at full load a 22KW genset will consume AT LEAST 80 gallons of propane per day and about 45 gal/hr at half load. I know a guy who emptied his 250 gallon tank in a few short days after the hurricane.

I run my house with a harbor freight 212cc 240v genset. Won't run my 4 ton ac unit. Easy to manage loads. I can run the well pump, gas heat, lights , even the cook top. Just not all at once. runs about 20hrs on 5 gallons. If it's super hot during an outtage, i'll power the camper and live in that with the a/c.

 

[mez]

The least expensive way is to purchase a portable generator big enough to power the items you want and use a manual transfer switch. Last year i did both my son's homes this way. The 10k generator was like $900. The transfer switch requires you to toggle the breakers from "Line" to "Gen" when you lose power. We use the Reliance Controls 310CRK 10 Circuit Transfer Switch Kit.

Here is a youtube video to check out

 

[Sam_Julier]

I have an 8kw GE aka Briggs standby running on NG from the house. I would not by a Briggs unit again. The reliability and quality of the Briggs engine has been abismal.

I plan to install two Yamaha 2200 (inline) attached to an automatic transfer panel when we move to our new home In Lancaster PA later this year.

 

[c502cid]

I just started with an installation of a 26kw Generac whole home generator. I'll let you know how it works out. I got tired of all the extension cords with my potables, although it worked!

 

[Cujet]

With regard to portable generators, Engine displacement is what matters most. Manufacturers will often over rate the output. A 340cc engine will make up to 5500 Watts worth of power, and a 390cc engine will make 6500 watts.

Also, they can be connected to power the entire house, as long as loads are managed. No need for extension cords. I have a 6 foot hookup cord on my generator panel under the power meter. Pull the portable out of the garage, plug it in, switch the breakers to power up.

Some portables in the 9000+W range CANNOT provide more than 7200 W at the 30A connector, which is the ONLY big connector it has. Harbor Freight is notorious for this. I guess the additional power is available at the 120V outlets. Not helpful when powering a house directly.

 

[football]

A whole house generator installed is about $10,000 to $20,000, depending on how far you have to run the electric , and if you have natural gas already or have to buy and bury a propane tank. For me, that was $4500 for a buried tank plus about $10,000 for the generator installed. The cost was about $15,000.

I decided to buy a portable champion 240V 7500 watt inverter . I installed a generator power inlet box on the outside of my house, which powers a 30 amp breaker in my panel with an electrical panel interlock kit. I can power my entire panel, rather than using a 6/8/10 circuit transfer switch. I think the interlock kit is the cheaper , and superior option, than using a transfer switch.

I can run my entire house minus the large loads like the electric dryer and electric water heater. My generator can easily also power my two window ac units that I keep for emergencies as well, so at least my bedroom can be nice and cold and comfortable. My fuel cost is also 1/3 that of a large generator. My total cost for the generator, wiring, and interlock kit was under $1500.

I store my generator empty and drain the carburetor of fuel so it always starts perfect. The battery is kept on a battery tender. I keep 30 gallons of gas in the shed which is about a 4-6 day supply of fuel depending on how much I cycle the generator off and on.

 

[repairman54]

I did a BS transfer switch setup with the external gen hookup box, 10 circuits, 240v uses two positions in the box, to power my primary place. Runs the well and boiler, ref. and now with LED bulbs its lights galore on a 5600w gen set. Gen has E start so the wife can roll it out of the garage and plug it in and crank it up if I'm not home. Still have the hot water coil in the oil boiler so E heater bypass is just 2 ball valves she can flip off/on for hot water transfer easily. Heat, water, hot water, microwave and grill is enough to survive a while.
It's just a matter of selecting the right circuits in the house to power like bathroom lights, cellar, etc. and load calculations.
Just cost of materials for me, have the skills to do it, did my 2nd place stationary Generac myself also.
Thinking about going stationary though as we have more sand in the bottom of our hour glass's then the top.

 

[Astro_Guy]

Okay after having 12 hours being out of power and for some reason being part of the grid where I have no power yet just about every other grouping of houses have power I am getting really sick of this. I have a portable generator, but it seems that in order to use it safely I would need a inverter for things such as the HVAC system, refrigerator, other appliances, computers, TV, etc. Considering this in addition to some of the pipe dream ideas that my state has with using solar and windmills exclusively I think it's time to consider getting a standby generator. What brands are considered to be reliable And which ones are made in the United States? Any advice would be appreciated

Three of my neighbors have 22 KW Generac units, which actually produce 19 KW on natural gas. These things have air cooled V-Twins and are loud! If you are going to do this, consider something liquid cooled. Also note that propane can be stored indefinitely whereas diesel has a lifespan of about a year. If you are really serious about this, then you want to have your own fuel supply. Don't count on the availability of natural gas if the fecal matter comes into intimate contact with air handling equipment.

See https://www.centralmainediesel.com/ for some alternatives to Generac and other consumer grade generators. Big businesses all rely on diesel or propane fueling a water cooled engine.

 

[c502cid]

Three of my neighbors have 22 KW Generac units, which actually produce 19 KW on natural gas. These things have air cooled V-Twins and are loud! If you are going to do this, consider something liquid cooled. Also note that propane can be stored indefinitely whereas diesel has a lifespan of about a year. If you are really serious about this, then you want to have your own fuel supply. Don't count on the availability of natural gas if the fecal matter comes into intimate contact with air handling equipment.

You win the internet today!

I'm hooked to natural gas to start, bringing in propane pretty quickly as a backup.

 

[CarLuver]

cousin jsut had a 22kw generac put in this weekend. cost him $15k all in and they had a no interest for 18 months deal going on. he could afford to pay it off but hey free money.

gen is probably about 40 feet from his nat gas and electric. he has had a transfer box for years ,but got tired of having to hook up the gen every time they lose power.