Whole House Generator ?

[gathermewool]

It was a reply to your snarky "Comrad " comments directed at dadto2; You put that in the discussion.

AFA the guy leaving tens of lights on in and around his house. It's just wasteful.

Waste is a SIN.

When we leave our home for a full day trip, We have one led lamp on near the front door in the living room.

Of course you would leave the heat on if its cold out, maybe at a lower level, say 63 deg F.

We ALL share resources. Conserve them.

You leave your heat at 63F while you’re gone??? Now THAT is wasteful. I turn all of the heat off if we’re going to be gone and temps will for sure be above freezing while we’re gone, such as during the Spring through Fall.

Heck, 63F is pretty darn warm in the winter for our house WHILE we’re here!

New cars are also wasteful. Just sayin, since you’re pokin’...

 

[gathermewool]

The families inability to manage loads, hook up, and fuel even after training (they failed) was a big driver for me going whole house with an automatic transfer switch.

What’s the story there?

I feel as if my wife would be able to setup the genny, but might have trouble figuring out how to hookup all of the loads we want.
We typically run a single 2k INV genny and run two extension cords from it to upstairs and the basement, respectively. The downstairs loads are constant: freezer and fridge. Upstairs has several constant loads: fridge, modem/router, LED lights, battery chargers; and several selective loads, such as the Keurig and a few others that require all others to be disconnected in order to run.

Worst case, she knows that the upstairs fridge and basement freezer need to be run.

/

We now have a second WEN INV generator and a paralleling kit with an output that can be used to hookup to an external connection that could be used with a transfer switch. This would allow us to use one or both generators, depending on our needs/wants. The only issue there is that I’m worried a lot of dead loads would need to be turned off, such as electronics that remain in standby. These aren’t huge loads, but add up and would likely need to be unplugged when selective breakers are shut, to power, say, the whole living room. For example: we don’t need Alexa nor our Samsung Smarthings things listening to us during a power outage. We have our phones and a medium-sized Oontz speaker that has a very long battery life for music, if we don’t want to waste gas on the TV (I can’t think of a time where we wasted genny gas on the TV)

In this scenario, I can prevent the oven, microwave, etc from turning on in standby and burning gas by powering the fridge from a living room outlet.

This all requires a lot more work than an automatic generator, but power outages are rare enough not to not need that luxury nor the luxury of being able to power everything at once. Well, hot water would be nice during a long outage. We have in the past boiled water and added it took a small plastic tub for basic bathing needs, however.

 

[UncleDave]

Its a combo of things, between managing the gensets be it 2 honda 2K's in parallel with an extended run tank or a single yamaha 3K, Its a matter of setup, comfort with an interlock, understanding the nature of transient loads, and the nature of certain appliances like coffee makers that continuously cycle wether you are making coffee or not, fueling and dealing with the shut down procedures and managing a full metal 5er with a EPA cap and liquid fuel.

It just all got forgotten when a problem arises.

Different transfer setup may have helped.
My setup might have worked better with a generlink and a panel with a load meter and gensets that didnt require moving from storage to close to the transfer switch.

When doing it they were highly uncomfortable with the situation.
Its just not what they do- they have different skills but not these skills.
The wife can tile a bathroom on her own, but just doenst want to deal with electricity.

 

[Greasymechtech]

A big generator will run 24/7 non-stop pretty much indefinitely.... you pay more for that industrial build.
A standby generator is for shorter term usage.

Big generators will suck down fuel like crazy.... if you don't have a 250gallon propane tank, I stick with something considerably smaller, and adapt the lifestyle to it for those "temporary" short term outages. 10k, 12k... I wouldn't go bigger unless you can get fuel delivered during icy Texas blackout roads, or after panhandle events like Hurricane Katrina/Michael....

The 120 gallon(
I've run out of propane during blizzard and hurricanes since storm outages have lasted from 1 week to 1 month without the grid, multiple times.

No, I don't recommend a 20kw-24kw generator.

Yes, I do recommend the biggest fuel tank you can fit, hide, bury, store....

No, you won't be able to get an expedited fuel refill after a storm or incident. Yes, watched all the neighbors foolishly leave all lights/luxuries on and run out of fuel in a day or two. Then, clueless why no propane delivery driver existed.

You should consider the smallest fuel sipping generator and adapt to it.
My thermostat is 70F during the winter and 75F during the summer. Love and can afford the grid convenience! My 3.5 ton HVACs, when on generator, has it easy.... winter thermostat down to 55F, that's when the pellet stove or propane fireplace kicks in, to reduce electrical loads... and no AC during the warm days(open windows). I am spec'd to my comfort and convenience level, and below what I can afford(still cheap with lesser used toys).
Convenience and comfort cost plenty of money. If you have the cash and income, go for the industrial 24kw generator. If you need a loan or visamastercard, then use the smallest as possible that'll run the minimal needed to survive.

Since I don't need the excessive comfort or convenience, after buying 1 standby household generator, I will never again. I am happy and capable with my < 10kw gasoline generators in the shed, with 1/2 dozen 5 gallon fuel tanks at both houses. Since they are multifuel, the gas grilles at both houses have 2+ bottles... plenty to cook/grille with for a couple weeks and I can move propane to generator if needed. Nothing worse than driving >75 miles to find a gas station with power that can pump fuel. And, every full propane tank at every store disappeared in a day 1!

I've also been in situations when natural gas/CNG has been turned off, typically when you need it the most(heat/power). So, I don't recommend CNG anything. Its like the grid. It goes down and your out of luck until it comes back on.

For regular short term outages, happens here almost weekly, usually
Battery backup could be as simple as 1/2 dozen APC/TrippLites on your TV/computer/modem/router and a couple battery backup nightlights.

After the 'big one', even my lawn solar lights were borrowed nightly by the neighbors and returned every morning. Its all they had for lighting after dark, for weeks!

That propane/butane camping stove, that garage kerosene/propane heater, are some things to add to your garage/shed, with a few extra bottles of fuel.

BTW, my EU2000i Honda inverter generator is a tank. Had the refrigerators on it for a week. Used a splitter and it ran the toaster, oven, and plenty of lights. It only tripped when the 'fridges kicked in while the microwave oven or toaster were on.... So, pulled the extension cord on the refrigerator for cooking. Doesn't get used much anymore but still there, with fresh stabilized fuel, synth oil, good spark plug/airfilter, no flame arrestor.... waiting to be called into duty. It has more hours on it than I can remember(over a decade old) and never missed a beat.

Comfort isn't wasteful and nor is convenience. People earn their comfort and convenience. I tend to be a the minimal survival level without whining and crying that someone should do something, since I did and for myself! Generator, battery backup, solar, combination,... all cost money and truly takes excessive money to make one tolerably independent for that week or two without utilities.

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Attached is a picture of the local police department after a little storm. Notice the generator that didn't start when needed left side of photo. Notice the solar array on the roof that wasn't working.

 

[Gebo]

Sometimes people start giving advice before they have all the facts. For example, let's say you are older and you struggle getting
the portable generator from the basement to the upstairs garage. IT is ALL you can do to drag it up the driveway and up the street
to your where it needs to be for hooking up your appliances. Then you have those 5 gal cans of gasoline. Physically it is about all
you can do as an older man.

Now you are sitting at the kitchen table after your wife has made you your favorite meal and she asks you, "Honey, what will I do if
you aren't hear and the power goes out? Do you think it is worth considering a whole house generator?" How would you answer
that?

Some people are simply ignorant. Not dumb. Not stupid. Just simply ignorant. There is this book I read most every day and it
has some great instructions on controlling our tongue (fingers on the keyboard) and judging other people. We all
have opinions but let's not be so quick call others dumb or stupid. There may be more to the story. Age plays a part in lots of things.

I love you guys.

I love my wife more. She's worth $6,000. Plus my entire family with grandchildren and babies will always have a refuge and to come back to if necessary.

When I add all that up, I decided to get the 20KW Kohler.


Please note, I really appreciate all the constructive comments! I took notes....

 

[RhondaHonda]

Sometimes people start giving advice before they have all the facts. For example, let's say you are older and you struggle getting
the portable generator from the basement to the upstairs garage. IT is ALL you can do to drag it up the driveway and up the street
to your where it needs to be for hooking up your appliances. Then you have those 5 gal cans of gasoline. Physically it is about all
you can do as an older man.

Now you are sitting at the kitchen table after your wife has made you your favorite meal and she asks you, "Honey, what will I do if
you aren't hear and the power goes out? Do you think it is worth considering a whole house generator?" How would you answer
that?

Some people are simply ignorant. Not dumb. Not stupid. Just simply ignorant. There is this book I read most every day and it
has some great instructions on controlling our tongue (fingers on the keyboard) and judging other people. We all
have opinions but let's not be so quick call others dumb or stupid. There may be more to the story. Age plays a part in lots of things.

I love you guys.

I love my wife more. She's worth $6,000. Plus my entire family with grandchildren and babies will always have a refuge and to come back to if necessary.

When I add all that up, I decided to get the 20KW Kohler.


Please note, I really appreciate all the constructive comments! I took notes....

Gebo, did you actually get the Kohler installed? If so, how long from order til installation? My neighbors have been waiting since August of 2020 and their generator should be here this week. From everything I’ve read there’s a long lead time to get a standby generator. We were without power for 36 hours last week and now I’m considering one for our house and my FIL wants one for Florida. Kohler or Cummins is what I have it narrowed down to and 1800 rpm. How do you like yours if you have it?

 

[Gebo]

I’m still waiting. It’s in my neighbor’s hands. He’s working the deal. My guts are telling me October.

 

[dlundblad]

Theres not much of a difference in fuel consumption on the bigger vs smaller models.

Another way of looking at it is would you rather have say the 10kw running in full load all of the time or a 20kw running at half load?

I could be wrong, but I’m guessing there was a small cost difference between the bigger and smaller unit. If you have all electric appliances, you’d want to go bigger. A 10kw would not have been able to run essentials and say an electric water heater. Only lights, well (if applicable) and food storage. No reason not to go bigger.


Here’s a fuel consumption chart from Generac.

 

[RhondaHonda]

I’m still waiting. It’s in my neighbor’s hands. He’s working the deal. My guts are telling me October.

Dang. Post an update whenever it gets installed, hopefully before October!