Show off your WHOLE HOUSE GENERATOR.

[Davegvg]

I guess if you live in an area where power outagage accure frequently it may be worth getting one. I had my house built about 35 years ago and I can only remember one time in the winter that power has been out for more than 2 hours. Just can't justify getting one.

For sure 2 hours a year - anyone can deal with that.

IF you have running water, water heat, and can heat you house, or it happens in the summer you can get by a long time.

We had 3 day "Public Safety Power Shutoff" in 2020 and numerous 1 day shutdowns.

Take away the ability to drink, water livestock, water agriculture shower, flush, stay warm, or work at home, and power becomes a necessity.

It's also pretty inconvenient when power shuts off during a heat wave and you have to sleep in a 100+ degree house.

 

[Bigbandguy]

When we moved here we heard horror stories about a giant ice storm a couple years before that felled trees at either end of the neighborhood and knocked out power for two weeks. That is two weeks in the dead of Winter with no power and no supplies. The people with gen sets were running long extension cords to houses without, just to keep freezers and a light going. Fortunately many of the houses have natural gas and fireplace logs.

After hearing about this we decided to invest one vacation' worth into a genset and had a 17KW Generac put in. It hasn't run 100 hours since installation but it is great insurance against a long power failure. We get it serviced yearly and it does a weekly self test.

 

[dcg9381]

Our water supply is provided by a pump. And our water purification (UV) also requires power... So without power, we have as much water available as we have in our pressure tank (about 5 gallons) - and even that water does not have UV disinfection... As such, the generator is more than just having lighting available...

 

[Noltz]

For me it was a "I want to learn how to do this", and I justified the cost with the amount of frozen goods I'd lose if I lost power for a couple days. The sunken cost of cabling, sheathing and materials to put in a generator plug properly was about $600. The genset was about $1000 and is portable for loaning / construction / resale. If I save my frozen foods even once the work was worth it.

 

[metschers]

I’ve been wanted to install a whole house generator for years. I finally pulled the trigger (October 2019).
After I installed mine, my in-laws decided they needed one also....then my wife’s aunt and uncle.
I built a “surround” cause the generator was the first thing I would see from the street and it was kinda an eyesore. Even though I live in a rural area, I was also concerned that it could get stolen.

 

[Davegvg]

Clean install. Is that distance code where you live?

Looks like servicing might be a "lil" tight with that fence right there.

 

[metschers]

Thanks Davegvg!
No codes. The fence is just setting on top of three 12 x 12 x 2 concrete pavers. Weights about 80 lbs and can be moved when service is needed. If the wind should blow it over, that’s will be the least of my worries....lol.

 

[SweetD]

Sorry I didn't get back to this thread in a while. Not sure if I should post it here or start a new thread. It might actually be a good idea to make a Sticky for unbonding portable generators??

This is the generator end of my portable genset with the cover off. The Ground wire from the plugs is the Green/Yellow, and my Neutral comes out of the genset as Grey. See here on the first 2 pictures my Neutral wire is connected / bonded to the case by a short piece of white wire. I removed the white jumper from the case and secured it back to the neutral stud. (I could remove this jumper wire completely, but this makes it reversable.)


I wanted to be able to switch easily between unbonded (for Home backup use) and bonded (for Portable use). So I added an externally switched jumper set between the original case bolt (Ground) and the Grey wire stud (Neutral).

Did pretty much the same mod on my NorthStar/Honda unit. Only difference is that I made up a male plug to use when I want to revert to the bonded neutral on the stand alone generator, if and when I ever want to use it independent of the whole-house plugin...same effect! Just plug it into any one of the outlets on the genny...yes I lose one outlet, but there are a bunch.

 

[boostin1004]

I’ve been wanted to install a whole house generator for years. I finally pulled the trigger (October 2019).
After I installed mine, my in-laws decided they needed one also....then my wife’s aunt and uncle.
I built a “surround” cause the generator was the first thing I would see from the street and it was kinda an eyesore. Even though I live in a rural area, I was also concerned that it could get stolen.

This looks great! I've been looking at options for hiding my generator since it sits on the front corner of my home. I was going to go with landscaping but this looks much better. Thanks!

 

[Oversized]

We have a 60kw Cummins running on natural gas behind the garage on a concrete slab. Noisy but can’t hear inside house. Transfer switch is in the garage. Nearly 20 years old and protects us in several outages per year lasting up to several days. Glad gas is cheap these days.

 

[HenryAZ]

Onan 20kW, feeding into a 200amp DP/DT transfer switch that lights up the entire panel. Obviously we cannot use everything in the panel, but I have some breakers marked that my wife might innocently try to use while on genset power. I turn those off. Others of mine (welder, e.g.) I know not to use. We can run one of the central AC units, plus tons of other 120v stuff. The unit is water cooled, using a mid 1990s Ford Ranger 4cyl engine. Running at 1800rpm, it is very quiet and easier on fuel consumption (propane).

Being able to operate a central AC unit was key in decision making, as the power is most likely to go off during a very hot summer month. But, we've only had 3 extended (>1 day) outages in the 19 years we've lived here.

 

[don long]

I took this old construction generator from my cousin and wired it to my electric panel for when we loose the power around here from poor management of our power co.

2021-02-07 10.22.20 by don long, on Flickr

I wired it into this transfer box

2021-02-07 10.20.59 by don long, on Flickr

It runs everything I need in my house with power to spare.

My neighbor is using it to power his construction sight while building his house next door.

2021-02-07 10.20.44 by don long, on Flickr

I also have installed a 60kw generator in the rear of the party garage to run the whole thing when I have an event. Before putting in the generator I would run the risk of blowing the main breaker in the house because when all lit up the garage pulls over 250 amps without the game room lit.


2020-07-25 12.30.23 by don long, on Flickr

 

[chrispyny]

Good god man, what kinda party garage are you running?

 

[dcg9381]

Clean install. Is that distance code where you live?
.

Looks like he has a wall that isn't flammable.. Many gens can sit pretty close when that's the case, forget, maybe 24"

 

[Bennylava]

So what's the best brand out there? Looks like Kohler is on of the top ones. Very quiet and with good longevity.

Is there one that's quiet, inexpensive, and known for living forever? That runs on propane. I've got natural gas, but I question using it because here in Texas, the shortage of Natural Gas is responsible for the outages. So it would be real nice to just have my own propane on hand in a huge tank. Then I won't have to worry about what may happen with the natural gas situation.

 

[chrispyny]

Dang man. The nation knows Tx lost power everywhere for the most part, but you are saying there’s also a natural gas shortage? Are tou loosing pressure???

Dang. I cant even imagine a NG shortage up here in upstate NY. My whole house runs on NG. Stove, boiler, water heater, and once my electric dryer dies, the new one will be NG as well. If upstate NY ever lost NG in mid winter, it would be catastrophic. Whole hole losses.

I feel for you. Honestly i’d shoot for either propane gensets or diesel. If propane, i’d get the biggest tank you can afford and buy it outright, and go with the company which has the best customer service. Kohler cummins and generac are the biggies around here.
If you go diesel, it’s gonna cost you. If you want auto stand by, go cummins, if you dont mind the physical hook up, i’d shop for an MEP-802a or 803a. Military prime power surplus inverter style gensets like mine or the other guys that posted previously.

Good luck. Keeping you Texans in mind. God bless.

 

[930dreamer]

Cummins 4 cylinder diesel genset project, I think I paid $300 for.

 

[chrispyny]

Cummins 4 cylinder diesel genset project, I think I paid $300 for.

Thanks a project alright! Details?

 

[930dreamer]

Thanks a project alright! Details?

It's not stuck and is missing the radiator, 60kv 3 phase. I don't know much more than that.

 

[AP514]

I bet that was more than $300 just to get it there..

 

[AP514]

Well, An update from Tx....Cold as I have seen it in these parts for 20 years...
I got the Gen working and a New 30 GL drum showed up last week.(just in time) few pic's

 

[docbach17]

Well, An update from Tx....Cold as I have seen it in these parts for 20 years...
I got the Gen working and a New 30 GL drum showed up last week.(just in time) few pic's

How long will that run on 30gal?

 

[930dreamer]

I bet that was more than $300 just to get it there..

Nope, the shop next door slid it on my trailer with their forklift and off I went.

 

[shaeff]

No pics that are easy to find on my phone, but I currently have a Porter Cable 1000is-w. It's 10,000 running watts, 19,500surge. (huge surge!) It can run my whole house, I don't push it too hard though. Just the central air makes it bog for a second, but I'm installing a Sure Start unit this summer to cut that load significantly. I bought a dog house for it, haven't gotten a chance to put it in there yet.

Plan is to mount the doghouse up on stilts, about 2' off the ground, run the wire through conduit, underground up into the doghouse. The sides will hinge at the top to allow airflow in through the bottom, fan on the exhaust side to draw hot air out. Exhaust plumbed through the side. Plan is to leave it hooked up so all I have to do in the poor weather is run out and start it, then run back inside. Although, a few extra simple wires could make it remote start from the basement pretty easily.

Getting central air for our second floor this summer, so I'll need two of those Sure Start units. This genset is temporary until I buy a standby generator.

 

[Bennylava]

Dang man. The nation knows Tx lost power everywhere for the most part, but you are saying there’s also a natural gas shortage? Are tou loosing pressure???

Dang. I cant even imagine a NG shortage up here in upstate NY. My whole house runs on NG. Stove, boiler, water heater, and once my electric dryer dies, the new one will be NG as well. If upstate NY ever lost NG in mid winter, it would be catastrophic. Whole hole losses.

I feel for you. Honestly i’d shoot for either propane gensets or diesel. If propane, i’d get the biggest tank you can afford and buy it outright, and go with the company which has the best customer service. Kohler cummins and generac are the biggies around here.
If you go diesel, it’s gonna cost you. If you want auto stand by, go cummins, if you dont mind the physical hook up, i’d shop for an MEP-802a or 803a. Military prime power surplus inverter style gensets like mine or the other guys that posted previously.

Good luck. Keeping you Texans in mind. God bless.

Thank you! Yes hopefully they learn from this situation and it doesn't happen again when the next blizzard hits. I still have gas, but I sense danger, like some kind of upcoming catch 22. The outage is because everyone cranked up their gas to heat their houses. The temperature was in the single digits for days. But now there's no power because that caused a natural gas shortage. That might be ok for some houses, but a great many houses rely on electricity to turn the blower motor and pump the warm air through the house. But even the older houses with individual room heaters that run on gas, still have no electricity.

So if I go with propane, I won't have to be concerned with any natural gas factor because I'll have my own tank on hand. Who knows what might happen. Maybe next time there's not enough gas, and no electricity. I have to plan for that, cause that's exactly my luck. I'd get the nice gas generator all ready for the worst, only to find out that I wouldn't be able to run it.

As for the generators, I live in a neighborhood so it needs to be quiet. (also I don't want to listen to that racket )I've heard good things about the Kohler's when it comes to noise. Basically that you can't really hear them. I'll be saving up and getting a 20kw one. Someone here said that the auto transfer switches have been known to fail, so maybe a manual throw lever would be a better idea?

I wouldn't mind having to walk out there and flip the switch, if it meant I'd avoid future trouble. Kinda defeats the purpose if you can't use the generator when you need it.

Cummins 4 cylinder diesel genset project, I think I paid $300 for.

Are you going to rebuild that? I see a lot of people getting used ones and I question how much life they've got left in 'em. Might be used up.

 

[wrenchguy]

Here's 1 of mine.
Built March 1940 for U.S. Navy.
120 HP @ 900 rpm.
66kw 3ph.
8700 hrs original.
5ton.

 

[consti2tion]

Thank you! Yes hopefully they learn from this situation and it doesn't happen again when the next blizzard hits. I still have gas, but I sense danger, like some kind of upcoming catch 22. The outage is because everyone cranked up their gas to heat their houses. The temperature was in the single digits for days. But now there's no power because that caused a natural gas shortage. That might be ok for some houses, but a great many houses rely on electricity to turn the blower motor and pump the warm air through the house. But even the older houses with individual room heaters that run on gas, still have no electricity.

So if I go with propane, I won't have to be concerned with any natural gas factor because I'll have my own tank on hand. Who knows what might happen. Maybe next time there's not enough gas, and no electricity. I have to plan for that, cause that's exactly my luck. I'd get the nice gas generator all ready for the worst, only to find out that I wouldn't be able to run it.

There are a number of variables that are causing this problem, not just natural gas.

I hope that all of the utility company's can improve their infrastructure/practices to support something of this magnitude in the future.

Hopefully you and your family have stayed warm and had water a majority of the time. We had electricity for about 3 hours over the span of 4 days, our electricity is on now thank goodness. I have gotten to take a shower twice since Sunday and we still do not have water. It's a rough time for sure and it makes you really appreciate the finer things in life!

I will be installing a large gasoline fueled generator as our back up system. We have relied on a smaller generator that has kept our bedroom warm with space heaters.

 

[Bennylava]

There are a number of variables that are causing this problem, not just natural gas.

I hope that all of the utility company's can improve their infrastructure/practices to support something of this magnitude in the future.

It was 4 degrees for 3 days. Lived in the DFW area of texas all my life, and this is easily the worst weather I've ever seen. Every once in awhile, we'll get a day or two where it drops down to the teens. For one day. Those days are usually spread out. Some winters it never gets below freezing, or only gets to 32 degrees. This one is terrible for us.

At least it's back in the 20's now. There was such a public outcry, that I do have doubts that it will happen again. But you can always count on government to drop the ball, so it wouldn't surprise me if it did happen again.

 

[consti2tion]

It was 4 degrees for 3 days. Lived in the DFW area of texas all my life, and this is easily the worst weather I've ever seen. Every once in awhile, we'll get a day or two where it drops down to the teens. For one day. Those days are usually spread out. Some winters it never gets below freezing, or only gets to 32 degrees. This one is terrible for us.

At least it's back in the 20's now. There was such a public outcry, that I do have doubts that it will happen again. But you can always count on government to drop the ball, so it wouldn't surprise me if it did happen again.

I also have lived in DFW my entire 35 years. You are right about the weather, never have we experienced anything of this nature.

I am hopeful that ERCOT and the electricity producers supplying the grid can figure out what exactly the shortcomings that caused this were and correct them. Although we will likely never know the exact issue as governmental agencies lack transparency.

 

[GabeC]

I love that big CAT Wrenchguy!
Are you running three phase at your place? If not, what is it rated at single phase?
We did industrial units at our place as well.
A 60KW prime rated, rental grade, John Deere, trailer mounted unit with a sound attenuated enclosure from an old cell tower, and an 80KW pad mount Onan with the 12v cummins 5.9L. Automatic transfer switches all around.
I like how quiet they are purring along at 1800RPM rather than the 3600RPM the residential ones run.
That 60KW John Deere uses less fuel than the 20KW generac we used to have!

 

[930dreamer]

Here's 1 of mine.
Built March 1940 for U.S. Navy.
120 HP @ 900 rpm.
66kw 3ph.
8700 hrs original.
5ton.

A thing of beauty.

 

[wrenchguy]

Here's another original survivor,
Built April 1943 for U.S. Army.
125 original hours since new, acquired july 19 with 69 hours.
25kw 3 phase, 93 hp @ 1200 rpm.
3ton.
To me this was a remarkable barn find that was on c-list 4 years before i went to look at it. These are hobby toys for me, i exercise them 1 a month using large 3ph resistive heaters. I have a large SO cable to hook up the house if needed. Check my video channel if you want to see em run.

 

[AP514]

I'm installing a Sure Start unit this summer to cut that load significantly.

I purchased 2 New this summer off of FleeBay for $100 each avg. Cut my LRA from 64 to 31
and 40 to 25. High and Low Scroll compressors.

Nope, the shop next door slid it on my trailer with their forklift and off I went.

Now that is what I call a bit of Luck..nice guys in that shop.

How long will that run on 30gal?

I Ran for 34 Hours total... for about 18 Gal. Close as I can figure..still have fuel in the gen.

 

[shaeff]

I purchased 2 New this summer off of FleeBay for $100 each avg. Cut my LRA from 64 to 31
and 40 to 25. High and Low Scroll compressors.

I’d love to find some that cheap. For that price I could put one in each of my air handlers too!

I’ve been keeping an eye out every so often but haven’t seen prices like that yet!

 

[AP514]

Yes, I got lucky on the first one and paid a little more for the second.
Full disclosure I paid $130 Avg. My Bad (I just looked it up)

I was looking for a few months and waited.. A guy in Mesa sold me 2, 08-16's a few weeks apart. *NOTE *(08-16 goes by the running Amps)
The Summer is the best time to find them for sale.

 

[16again]

You guys got me thinking. Especially in light of the Texas disaster. Going to reach out to local Generac dealer as well as the company that wired my house. Bought this new home in June. Just so I can sleep with a clear head, might as well get a whole house unit.

 

[reader2580]

As for the generators, I live in a neighborhood so it needs to be quiet. (also I don't want to listen to that racket )I've heard good things about the Kohler's when it comes to noise. Basically that you can't really hear them. I'll be saving up and getting a 20kw one. Someone here said that the auto transfer switches have been known to fail, so maybe a manual throw lever would be a better idea?

I had a standby generator at my previous house and at this house. My previous house had very close neighbors. My Kohler was reasonably quiet and I couldn't really hear it because it was on the far end of my attached garage.

I solved the neighbor problem by running power to both neighbors during a three day outage. My current house the neighboring houses are far enough away the noise shouldn't bother them. I don't think running hundreds of feet of cords would be practical.

You really want an automatic transfer switch if get a whole house generator that will start automatically. What happens if the power goes out while you are out of town? I have not heard of automatic transfer switches being unreliable.

 

[chrispyny]

I had a standby generator at my previous house and at this house. My previous house had very close neighbors. My Kohler was reasonably quiet and I couldn't really hear it because it was on the far end of my attached garage.

I solved the neighbor problem by running power to both neighbors during a three day outage. My current house the neighboring houses are far enough away the noise shouldn't bother them. I don't think running hundreds of feet of cords would be practical.

You really want an automatic transfer switch if get a whole house generator that will start automatically. What happens if the power goes out while you are out of town? I have not heard of automatic transfer switches being unreliable.

Agree on the reliability of the auto transfer switches. Get a name brand and you will be fine. Also, how did you run power from your genset to neighbors? Regular extension cords? How did the hook up go ?

 

[4 FN 27]

Onan 40KW NG and 600 Amp Transfer Switch.

8 seconds to switch over.

We thought there would be move power outages in our area from past experience but so far in the last 12 years I think the Generator has logged more hours on Manual Start-ups or Manual Trips than it has making power during an outage.

Cycle it for 30 minutes every other month.

 

[reader2580]

Agree on the reliability of the auto transfer switches. Get a name brand and you will be fine. Also, how did you run power from your genset to neighbors? Regular extension cords? How did the hook up go ?

I had one outlet circuit in the house and garage connected to the generator. I ran one extension cord through a window to the one house and from the garage to the other house. It was only intended for them to keep their fridges running.

I wired the house when it was built so the house was wired for certain circuits to come off a subpanel that would have generator power.

In hindsight I should have wired outside outlets to the generator to feed the neighbors for a case like this. I would only feed the neighbors when power is out for many hours.