Whole home generator, what to look for?

[Andrew1972]

My experience with generators comes from sewer pumping stations of various sizes not homes. However a small pumping station would have similar requirements to a home.

Natural gas is best fuel for the thing however supply can get cut of course.

Diesel is required for larger generators and offers reliable service for a premium cost and also Operations and Maintenance issues. You have to turn the fuel over as it ages sitting in your tank. If you use oil fired heat for home less of an issue which helps turn the fuel. Gasoline has similar turn over issues with respect to fuel aging.

Propane is the typical choice but is a costlier fuel. Propane has no storage life issues and is beyond easy to get delivered in emergent situations. I remember 12kw being a limit before you jumped over to diesel.

Another massive factor is going with a reliable established company who will show up midst of a storm/aftermath and service your broken unit. So going to Lowes is not a good plan.

All the above said I use a gasoline/propane portable generator to power my home if power outage last more then a few hours(rare) as I do have well water. The initial part I have UPS backup for my internet routers/network and a laptop to use as I work 100% remotely.

Have you considered simply buying a backup battery for your CPAP and tiny portable gas invertor(Honda or Harbor freight knockoff) machine and relocating if things go south?

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted by NormanBuntz

Under full load, my 120 gallon in ground tank will only run the 16kw for just under two full days.


Good Gawd....... That's almost $300 for just two days worth of electricity.

My diesel Kubota would use about $24 worth in the same period of time!!

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted by Cujet
10kw is plenty for most large homes, as long as the homeowner understands load shedding.


Correct.

It's called "standby" for a reason - - it's supposed to get you through a crisis.
.
.

But, hey - if you like "Livin' high on the hog", even when the power is out, it's your $$$$$$$ ... not mine.

But I don't... having the essentials is enough for me.

Diesel doesn't go as bad as "some people" would like to think it does. it's dang near as stable as propane if it is STORED PROPERLY.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted by Cujet
10kw is plenty for most large homes, as long as the homeowner understands load shedding.



As more homes in the lower half of the country go with heat pumps, there is a rising power requirement if you need to run the heat pump. Past homes of mine had oil heat, so a generator could be 5KW to 10KW and cover everything except washer/dryer.

 

[Rat407]

This is all great information. Thank you all for your input. A lot of things I didn't consider and now making a list and will discuss with my wife. All very good points.

Thanks again. BITOG is a great site and not just for things that need lubrication.

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted by Linctex
Originally Posted by NormanBuntz

Under full load, my 120 gallon in ground tank will only run the 16kw for just under two full days.


Good Gawd....... That's almost $300 for just two days worth of electricity.

My diesel Kubota would use about $24 worth in the same period of time!!


Your Kubota costs $.50 an hour to run at PTO speeds?

 

[WyrTwister]

Originally Posted by NormanBuntz
Last month I replaced my 13 year old 16kw Generac propane generator with another 16kw Generac. Mechanically the old unit was still sound, but the steel base (lousy Chinese steel) had rusted so badly over the years that a replacement was needed. In a coastal location, the 2006 unit never needed a repair, but the salt air took its toll.

I compared Kohler and even Onan. Not only were both quite a bit more expensive, I've read horror stories about Kohler's supply chain, especially the poor availability of replacement parts with so much now being sourced from overseas. The technology of the new Generac is leaps above the old one. I never considered diesel, but I am aware of the propane consumption rates under full load. That's why I didn't size up to the 22kw. The new 16kw can run two smaller heat pumps and the whole house, excluding dryer, double wall ovens and the main 4 ton heat pump.

Under full load, my 120 gallon in ground tank will only run the 16kw for just under two full days. So either I have to be selective with its use in an extended outage, or I have to have another tank or two installed above ground. I'm still undecided on that. Another plus with my deal is that it was done by an authorized Generac installer and it came with a five year warranty that covers parts, labor and travel.


Trouble is , you may not know how extended the outage will be . So , be conservative .

Run rhe generator a few hours at least once a month . DO the preventive maintenance W/o fail . Otherwise , you may be pouring $$$ down a rat hole ! :-(

 

[Rand]

Originally Posted by dlundblad
Originally Posted by Linctex
Originally Posted by NormanBuntz

Under full load, my 120 gallon in ground tank will only run the 16kw for just under two full days.


Good Gawd....... That's almost $300 for just two days worth of electricity.

My diesel Kubota would use about $24 worth in the same period of time!!


Your Kubota costs $.50 an hour to run at PTO speeds?





not likely, the 16kw produced for 2 days is around 30hp.. so producing 30hp for an hour is going to be more than a quart of diesel.. otherwise they should put that in a 250mpg car.

Its pretty easy to store a few 100lb cylinders and a dolly to move them. Diesel is obviously going to be much cheaper. but not by a factor of 12

You have intermittent loads, diesel has about 1.6x the btu of propane and running at 1800 vs 3600.. so I'd say half the cost to operate might be achievable.

 

[LeakySeals]

Originally Posted by demarpaint
These are considered by many to be one of the best. Generac Power Systems

I have one. Just changed the oil and filter today. Wish my vehicle was that easy. It's been flawless for the past 15 years. 10-15 seconds after power loss boom engine fires up and lights are back on. We need it because we are in a mountainous wooded location and use well water so power is real important. Not huge, 8kw which is enough for the well. Refrigerator. Heat air conditioning and a few bedrooms. Every weds it tests itself. Holds back spark or fuel not sure for a bit to let the oil flow before starting.

 

[hunter29]

Quote
The 10kw Kubota is a really nice unit for its size. But it handles only a 100 amp transfer switch,


This makes no sense...

 

[hunter29]

Quote
Make sure you tell the OP all of the benefits to a homeowner in supplying fuel to the diesel unit, what to do when the fuel gets old, stale or gelled and all of the other costs involved. Extremely unlikely that he can have a 16-20kw diesel unit and fuel tank to serve a 2,100 square foot home installed for $10,000.


Sure, Diesel is the safest fuel to store, after all it is not flammable . In five gallon cans it can be stored for two years or longer, With that 10k Kubota you can keep most of your house going for three hours on one gallon, so four jugs can keep you going until getting more fuel if needed. In a SHTF case its easier to find, and if not any oil like vegetable oil or heating oil or , or , or will burn in a diesel.

Now, with that said it is easier for me because I have a diesel tractor and can rotate my fuel, he may not have this option but I bet he knows someone who would buy it from at a discount price every two years or so.. 20 gal is not a lot to get rid of and it would be less if he were using the genset.

16-20KW ? 99.9% of the people don't need that much power, I run my whole house, all of it at the same time, washer dryer fridge freezer ect, plus central air and my well.

All I have to worry about is to make sure my well don't kick on at the exact time my A/C does, and thats easy, I turn off the well until I need more water..

As far as the rest I cannot comment as I do not know all of his situation ..

And last, why not own the real thing...of course it is expensive but will last you forever, it would take 30,000 hours or more to even begin to wear it out, no home owner will ever see that.

 

[Doc8404]

I know two people that went to Lowe's for their 16k Generac.

Of course they sub it out but they work through any kinks and warranty issues.

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted by dlundblad
Originally Posted by Linctex
Originally Posted by NormanBuntz

Under full load, my 120 gallon in ground tank will only run the 16kw for just under two full days.


Good Gawd....... That's almost $300 for just two days worth of electricity.

My diesel Kubota would use about $24 worth in the same period of time!!


Your Kubota costs $.50 an hour to run at PTO speeds?


Pretty close to that. See chart below.
Also, My Kubota isn't 10,000 watts..... that is simply an exorbitant amount of electricity to use during a "grid down" situation.
All non-essential loads are shed. I don't need a 4000 watt clothes dryer for the few hours during grid down, that's just silly.
But - I have all the essentials working fine (and then some) and am perfectly comfortable.

 

[eljefino]

I have a coworker with a whole house, auto transfer generator. He also has a normal portable one.

The point of it all is, if he's at work at 0930 and the power goes out, the whole house generator kicks on and runs "everything" unattended. Then, when he gets home, he sheds loads and saves fuel, using either his big genset or his small one.

The big one is also run-able by his wife.

Two different machines have different purposes.

His first 12-24 hours of power interruption are more luxurious than his continuous siege.

 

[LeakySeals]

My 8kw Generac is connected to the house gas. Which was great when we lost power for 8 days. My neighbors had to travel to other towns for fuel because local station could not pump.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Originally Posted by LeakySeals
My 8kw Generac is connected to the house gas. Which was great when we lost power for 8 days. My neighbors had to travel to other towns for fuel because local station could not pump.

Natural gas generators are the cats meow. They service most everything in the house during outages. I'm getting one in the next six months.

 

[hunter29]

Originally Posted by Triple_Se7en
Originally Posted by LeakySeals
My 8kw Generac is connected to the house gas. Which was great when we lost power for 8 days. My neighbors had to travel to other towns for fuel because local station could not pump.

Natural gas generators are the cats meow. They service most everything in the house during outages. I'm getting one in the next six months.



Please explain how fuel type determines what a generator can do ?

Furthermore how is putting control of that fuel to others beneficial ?

 

[LeakySeals]

Originally Posted by hunter29
Originally Posted by Triple_Se7en
Originally Posted by LeakySeals
My 8kw Generac is connected to the house gas. Which was great when we lost power for 8 days. My neighbors had to travel to other towns for fuel because local station could not pump.

Natural gas generators are the cats meow. They service most everything in the house during outages. I'm getting one in the next six months.



Please explain how fuel type determines what a generator can do ?

Furthermore how is putting control of that fuel to others beneficial ?


I chose to be connected to a gas pipeline so I didn't have to worry about acquiring, storing, maintaining jugs of fuel around the house every time theres a storm. No refueling every few hours. No getting caught unexpectantly which has happened 50% of the outages. No fouling. That to me is beneficial. Sure there's "what ifs" with that too. But that's the choice I made.

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted by Linctex
Originally Posted by dlundblad
Originally Posted by Linctex
Originally Posted by NormanBuntz

Under full load, my 120 gallon in ground tank will only run the 16kw for just under two full days.


Good Gawd....... That's almost $300 for just two days worth of electricity.

My diesel Kubota would use about $24 worth in the same period of time!!


Your Kubota costs $.50 an hour to run at PTO speeds?


Pretty close to that. See chart below.
Also, My Kubota isn't 10,000 watts..... that is simply an exorbitant amount of electricity to use during a "grid down" situation.
All non-essential loads are shed. I don't need a 4000 watt clothes dryer for the few hours during grid down, that's just silly.
But - I have all the essentials working fine (and then some) and am perfectly comfortable.

Do you have a PTO generator then? If so, what brand?

 

[hunter29]

Originally Posted by LeakySeals
Originally Posted by hunter29
Originally Posted by Triple_Se7en
Originally Posted by LeakySeals
My 8kw Generac is connected to the house gas. Which was great when we lost power for 8 days. My neighbors had to travel to other towns for fuel because local station could not pump.

Natural gas generators are the cats meow. They service most everything in the house during outages. I'm getting one in the next six months.



Please explain how fuel type determines what a generator can do ?

Furthermore how is putting control of that fuel to others beneficial ?


I chose to be connected to a gas pipeline so I didn't have to worry about acquiring, storing, maintaining jugs of fuel around the house every time theres a storm. No refueling every few hours. No getting caught unexpectantly which has happened 50% of the outages. No fouling. That to me is beneficial. Sure there's "what ifs" with that too. But that's the choice I made.


Fair enough, to each his own...