I got my 20kW Generac in 2012 after being trapped in the house by fallen trees over the roads. Once I could drive out, spent many hours searching for ice. Prior to the storm I had filled garbage cans (with new bags) with water to use for bathing and flushing. What a PIA.
Here's my 20kW Generac installation info.
Has well over 300hrs. on it now. I've changed the oil & filter, that's it - nothing else. No complaints or issues. Works when I need it. Uses about 30 Gal. of Propane per day.
There's the key phrase. It's kind of like when people take the guard off their angle grinder...it works just fine, right up until the point where it doesn't.
Really? I worked for a company that sold Generac, 15-20 units a year. I remember one transfer switch failing in that time, and it failed remarkably! Other than that one I never replace any parts on a Generac transfer switch.I should add: do not skimp on the transfer switch. Pay for a good one...ASCO, Eaton, ABB. Do not buy a Generac switch.
5kw here.I run my house on a 6kw generator when the power fails. It's enough to run everything but the HVAC. I don't use a transfer switch, rather I turn off the main breaker inside the house and backfeed power from my detached garage by connecting the generator to a 30 amp inlet. Generator is inside the detached garage so no chance of theft and minimal noise for myself and the neighbors.
portable generators are much cheaper than whole house units...I guess it depends on how often you lose power. For me it's not that often.
20k hours on an engine is very high, especially a small diesel. That's equal to around a million miles in a vehicle.What Greenskeeper does is:
1. Illegal in most if not ALL jurisdictions.
2. Dangerous. If the main switch isn't disconnected when the generator is started or is turned on while the generator is running the electricity working on the downed power line could be KILLED.
3. Its stupid.
If Greenskeeper wants to continue down this path there is little that can be done to stop him. The post that mentioned a lineman cutting his service line to the house is true. My next door neighbor was a career lineman and told me he cut a number of lines when he'd hear a generator, went to investigate, and found a back feed situation he'd immediate disconnect the house from the main line. Backfeeders were that last houses that got reconnected ... usually after a visit from POCO management.
Do it right and get a good transfer switch.
That said ... an electrician/electrical contractor that I use is a Generac "authorized installer". They have many, many Generac installations throughout northern Wisconsin. They could sell any generator out there, but when I asked they feel that Generac is the best. A big part of their business is work of mouth from the second home culture.
When I had NG hydronic heat installed in the race shop, I had to have the gas meter and NG line from one end of the house to the other "upsized". Gas company did the gas meter for no cost, plumber did the gas line in the house. I'd expect that a NG generator would need a pretty good sized line.
We have a 20KW Kohler diesel generator in the motorhome. Uses the three cylinder, turbocharged Yanmar (marine?) engine. Apparently the same engine that Martin and PowerTech uses. We bought the motorhome 16 years old. I'm told by other motorhome guys and by Mr. Martin that with regular oil/filter changes these things will run for 20,000 to 40,000 hours.
A NG powered generator should last forever with proper maintenance. NG is much cleaner than gasoline or diesel fuel. If you can afford it and need it regularly, get a good one!
I guess your google foo is broken20k hours on an engine is very high, especially a small diesel. That's equal to around a million miles in a vehicle.
It's certainly possible, but it'd be tired by that point.
Unless you have a huge gen set and breakers to back that up, you can't power the grid by backfeeding.
It'll trip the breaker on the generator almost instantly or stall it out from the load.
No lineman is grabbing wires assuming they aren't live.