This is my first year in my place, but las t winter they lost power for about 20 days here. As a result, I'm looking to install an LP generator, probably a 17 kw unit will do, accroding to Generac's web-site. Any experinece/suggestions?
back up power generators
- Thread starter Jackfre
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hifi_hokie
Well-known member
Been using a 7kW LP Generac for the past few years here. On an automatic transfer switch, waits for 45 seconds without grid power and starts up. Self-test mode every week.
Check the battery's condition every now and then - the time it doesn't start may be the time you can't run down and buy a new one
Other than that, it's been a bulletproof Honda engine.
17kW seems fairly large for a 20 day stretch.
Check the battery's condition every now and then - the time it doesn't start may be the time you can't run down and buy a new one
Other than that, it's been a bulletproof Honda engine.17kW seems fairly large for a 20 day stretch.
hdshinn
Well-known member
We've got a 15kw Generac gas driven standby, no auto this or that. I just roll it out of the garage and plug it into the outside connection for the gentrans. What ever you do, make sure you can isolate your backup power from the utility with a proper gentrans switch setup.
Basically what we have covered, in order of importance, is refrigeration/freezer, boiler (hydronic heating), and pathway lighting. Most of the outlets in the kitchen are also on emergency power for appliances and the like. If we had been wiring this place from scratch rather than doing a remodel, I think we could have powered everything but the electric clothes dryer off that 15kw machine. (propane cooktop for flapjacks and fried chicken). At 17kw you should have no problem.
Basically what we have covered, in order of importance, is refrigeration/freezer, boiler (hydronic heating), and pathway lighting. Most of the outlets in the kitchen are also on emergency power for appliances and the like. If we had been wiring this place from scratch rather than doing a remodel, I think we could have powered everything but the electric clothes dryer off that 15kw machine. (propane cooktop for flapjacks and fried chicken). At 17kw you should have no problem.
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
17 kw does seem like a lot. Do you have a heat pump or a really large well pump ?
With a typical forced air furnace and no well pump, you can probably get by on 5 kw.
With a typical forced air furnace and no well pump, you can probably get by on 5 kw.
Carl B
Well-known member
We have a 15kw Generac - runs on either LP or Natural Gas at the flip of a switch. Auto start/stop etc with their included transfer switch.
Here in Florida the critical system is the A/C. It's needed to keep the house dry during the hurricane season. Nonetheless we can run both A/C units plus everything else in the house. We heat water, cook and dry clothes with Natural Gas.
The neighborhood just North of us lost power for over 25 days during the last hurricane that had any effect on our county . That was when we decided we had to spend the money. In 25 days during the hurricane season your house can become a greenhouse for mold/mildew etc.
Expensive - but good insurance...
FWIW,
Carl B.
Here in Florida the critical system is the A/C. It's needed to keep the house dry during the hurricane season. Nonetheless we can run both A/C units plus everything else in the house. We heat water, cook and dry clothes with Natural Gas.
The neighborhood just North of us lost power for over 25 days during the last hurricane that had any effect on our county . That was when we decided we had to spend the money. In 25 days during the hurricane season your house can become a greenhouse for mold/mildew etc.
Expensive - but good insurance...
FWIW,
Carl B.
Thanks for the replies and advise. I currently have a stone fireplace with an old Earth Stove insert in the place. It is incredible how much fuel an insert can consume and generate so little heat. So after 25 yrs with no wood stove I went shopping for a new stove. The old one is coming out and the stone fireplace is coming down regardless. The Vermont Castings Encore I want is in the neighborhood of $2,600. The Jotul 400 option is a bit less. Plus new metal chimney, stove pipes, accessories I've got to be approaching $4k. With that kind of money a generator is absolutely the better choice, although I'd like the stove too.
Sizing on my part is way over I'm sure. I have replaced the central furnace/AC with high efficiency Mini-split heat pumps. As well, I have two Rinnai Energysaver DV gas wall furnaces. They only draw 33-55 watts. A Rinnai tankless at 50W when running. I'm not sure of the well pump sizing but it is a dug well with water about 50-60 down, so no huge draw there. So my first glance sizing will tumble back to probably...10kw?, when I actually do the fine figuring. Maybe less!
Also, being in the gas business I have always maintained that the way to do propane is to buy a 1000 gal tank and bury it. That way you can carry through the mid season demands without having to re-fill, unless you have a big load. I'm working on a new water line, underground power service (trees/snow/ice took mine off the side of the house twice last winter) and a new gas tank/line location.
Sizing on my part is way over I'm sure. I have replaced the central furnace/AC with high efficiency Mini-split heat pumps. As well, I have two Rinnai Energysaver DV gas wall furnaces. They only draw 33-55 watts. A Rinnai tankless at 50W when running. I'm not sure of the well pump sizing but it is a dug well with water about 50-60 down, so no huge draw there. So my first glance sizing will tumble back to probably...10kw?, when I actually do the fine figuring. Maybe less!
Also, being in the gas business I have always maintained that the way to do propane is to buy a 1000 gal tank and bury it. That way you can carry through the mid season demands without having to re-fill, unless you have a big load. I'm working on a new water line, underground power service (trees/snow/ice took mine off the side of the house twice last winter) and a new gas tank/line location.
Sureshot
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I have a 5kw Yamaha Invertor that I roll out for interittent use. This past fall and spring were very wet here then we were hit with a heavy wet snow in late spring. Between the sump pump which ran alot and the large pump in the septic tank I had to keep switching between the two. The septic pump drew to much power until running and pumping out the jet. I couldn't go to sleep for longer than it took for the septic tank to get to the danger level. Could not have done it for 20 days. Don't undersize and think of those other possible needs in an emergency.
Do you need a larger gas line to feed a 17kw? You going for one of the low rpm models?
That's a lot of money up front and not cheap running it.....but you will not have to change how you live during the outage. Bake a roast, dry your clothes, and jam out on the stereo
During Ike, someone in our neighborhood had a hurricane party that night. Ran the genset through the entire storm.
That's a lot of money up front and not cheap running it.....but you will not have to change how you live during the outage. Bake a roast, dry your clothes, and jam out on the stereo
During Ike, someone in our neighborhood had a hurricane party that night. Ran the genset through the entire storm.
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
As long as you are NOT going to run the mini-split heat pumps, 5KW (continuous) should be fine. If you want to keep running your heat pumps (2 ?) then you had better get the 17KW.
You did not say how many square feet you have, but a good wood stove (or pellet stove) can heat a lot of square feet with the help of some fans for circulation.
You did not say how many square feet you have, but a good wood stove (or pellet stove) can heat a lot of square feet with the help of some fans for circulation.
Milton Shaw
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I bought a 17 Generac two years ago, installed it with transfer switch and its been great. Two outages this April for 8 hours over night was all its been necessary for but some people within sight of my house were without power for 7 days. I run off propane 500 gallon tank which should be about 2 weeks worth if power was ever out that long. I asked local NG company and Regional NG company, "IF we have a power outage like the NE did several years ago would you be able to supply NG? They thought and checked and said "No all our equipment requires utility power to run pumps and valves we do not have backup power." That's why I went with LP instead of NG. I already had NG at house for heat, water, and dryer but bought LP tank for backup.