Whole House Power Systems

[Muddyboots]

Finally decided to seriously look into this possibility due to recent weather outages far too frequent and obvious deterioration of our grid.

Been looking at propane, lithium solar, and even wind turbine.

House + pole barn

Couple ways to look at need. Full power available for everything or "just enough" to get by.

I am starting to lean toward solar lithium battery storage. You can add on as needed. Setup initially for basic power needs. Also though full house propane is not bad either.

Anyone just flip switch?

 

[akdad]

I'm going to just add a grid tie to start plus small solar since the storage is the hard/expensive part. I just want to get something started or I'll never do it

 

[Muddyboots]

Kind of my thought as well. Dip toe in to see how it feels.

 

[akdad]

I would be afraid to set up on propane and then suddenly it doubles or triples. Unless they start taxing wind and solar I'm hoping those stay at current prices

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

We bought a DuroMax 1200 15 years ago and a Switch Box. If the power goes out we just turn the key for the gen and then flip the Switch Box and everything is powered in our house.
Now there are so many options with Gasoline/propane/natural gas along with Solar battery. GenRAc has a lot of systems. My friend in AR has a Genrac with Solar/battery and NG to power the gen. Cost him about $10K.
We made our own because of the cost. Only sent about $1K for the gen and switch box back then, Same thing is about $3k+++ now. without labor.
Our system is a God Send when the power goes out. We usually loose power several times a year. It is when the power is off for 1 to 4 days that you really notice it. Heat, Air Condition, lights, well water, refridig, stove, TELEVISION!!!

 

[adam32+P]

Pretty hard to beat a bigger diesel generator and a transfer switch. Propane generators use A LOT of propane. Solar/batteries isn't a bad idea to power low draw circuits, but A/C and heat pumps will drain batteries fast.

I'm preparing to do a grid tie solar with a hybrid inverter so I can add batteries later on. I already have a generator to power the heater/ac and oven, so I'll use batteries at night for lights and basic necessities during power outages.

 

[akdad]

Pretty hard to beat a bigger diesel generator and a transfer switch. Propane generators use A LOT of propane. Solar/batteries isn't a bad idea to power low draw circuits, but A/C and heat pumps will drain batteries fast.

I'm preparing to do a grid tie solar with a hybrid inverter so I can add batteries later on. I already have a generator to power the heater/ac and oven, so I'll use batteries at night for lights and basic necessities during power outages.

What are you expecting the grid tie solar part to cost?

 

[adam32+P]

What are you expecting the grid tie solar part to cost?

6000W 48V Hybrid Solar Inverter Split Phase 120/240VAC (Grid Feedback & Batteryless)

Hightlight: ★ Solar Inverter Charger: 6000W DC 48V Split Phase Low Frequency Inverter, AC input 240V AC, AC Output 120V/240V, MPPT Max 120A solar charger and 120A AC charger 100A ★ Parallel Kit: This grid tie solar inverter parallel supports up to 9 units (54KW Max), 120V/240V split phase output...

sungoldpower.com

I'll be using that inverter with 10 of their 450w panels. I'll have my electrician buddy do the actual tie-in and I'm not sure how much that will be yet. I'll do all the install myself.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Finally decided to seriously look into this possibility due to recent weather outages far too frequent and obvious deterioration of our grid.

Been looking at propane, lithium solar, and even wind turbine.

House + pole barn

Couple ways to look at need. Full power available for everything or "just enough" to get by.

I am starting to lean toward solar lithium battery storage. You can add on as needed. Setup initially for basic power needs. Also though full house propane is not bad either.

Anyone just flip switch?

Craig how much $$$ do you plan on spending for a back up electrical system????
How many times a year do you expect on using backup power?
If you have 15 to 30 minutes loss several times a year do you want to spend $20K?
Genrac has programs to figure out what you may want.
Personally we put a transfer Switch in the basement and power cable to the garage. When the power goes out I just wheel out the DuroMax, turn the key, plug the main power cable in and flip two switches. Runs the whole house and gas tank (8 gal) lasts 8-12 hours. We have several 55 gal drums in the woods with pure avgas 100 octane so can run over several weeks and much longer if only running 1/2 a day plus have two vehicles that can siphon gas out of. Have enough Dry food and freezer food to last several months,
Had several events that lasted several days with no power and no road access due to ice snow and downed trees and power lines .Roads were shut down.
You know all our neighbors were lining up for food, water and warmth.
Till this day the same neighbors have no emergency plan. OH they do - GO to Len & Jill's

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Following Super Storm Sandy, a lot of Long Islanders had Generac, natural gas power generators installed. Much of the island has piped natural gas so it's a good option here. The system is automated so you don't need to be home when the power goes out. It also fires itself up once a month and runs for a few minutes.

For whatever reason, I live in one of the areas that just never loses power so I haven't bit the bullet, but I've thought about it many times.

 

[CA48]

My family has added in some generator setups after dealing with the outages the last few years. They are propane/natural gas, start theirselves once a week and run for 15min to keep things reliable. And I believe when the power goes out they come on automatically. It was 10-20k for the gen and installation with tank, my uncle went with a bigger gen so it was more. Natural gas can be stored in large quantities for a long time. Although they own a fuel company so I was surprised they didn't go with diesel. I think theirs are Kohlers's but I have used a lot of Genrac generators in the oil field from 5kva to 500kva they are a good brand. We even use up to 80,000hp turbine generators at work but they aren't genracs.
Solar and wind are probably good options to if you have enough to power the whole house. I just wonder what the price difference is between all options per kWh. And the initial cost to instal wind/solar systems that would be of equal output to a 20kva generator.

 

[Muddyboots]

So when I had house built, I had 2nd smaller main box put in garage for the circuits that are critical. They are tied directly to the house main so easy to add external power for critical circuits. Can add gen easily even a temp one. I am starting to think a little more self sustaining with solar and wind turbine.

We lose power, not too bad but I now wondering about future and the direction its headed.

Our total electrical grid in this country is 50 years too old. Nuclear plants are closing in on end of life cycle, carrier lines really old, towers in replacement cycle, substations are getting replaced but so what if power can't get to them.

Our national grid is very susceptible to internal failure let alone external influences. In EU, power can be rationed due to environmental extremist causing directional change in grid that has been disastrous.

So that prepper side of me is starting to think maybe be little more prepared.

And Oh Yeah, let's add to the problem with EV's.

 

[Muddyboots]

The real world thought is "define critical circuits" needed under what circumstances? Critical circuits IMO is not the "luxury" we all have but what to live on either short duration, long duration or worse case permanent.

This may seem sky is falling to some but its really looking at how the power is needed for what purposes and for how long. Each scenario may be just a "bolt on" or even different "fuel" such as propane in my main fuel today versus solar and wind.

I positioned house for build such a double stacked garage (2 car) roof faces perfect for SE to SW for optimum solar opportunity. Plenty of roof space, wind turbine could be in same area.

The $64,000 Question is how much am I willing to invest. Our age comes to play as well but also looking at son's possibility taking it over as well for his family. Need sit down with him as well.

Right now solar with lithium battery storage getting serious thought, fire protection and suppression as well for lithium which is extremely difficult to extinguish.

Propane gen is easy button so that is still very much on table.

Then there is how many rifle builds will this project consume?

 

[comfisherman]

I have a house in a village where diesel power is the main generation and depending on how much the local government squanders the diesel I've seen 50 to 95 cents per kilowatt hour. I got so sick of all the goofy Village stuff we installed a takeoff diesel gen set I got off of Craigslist that's Isuzu powered . Ran the remote start into the house run it twice a day to maintain the fridge and freezer and to cook in the morning and night. Years back we put a couple of 8d batteries in with an inverter to run lights. But the house hasn't been used for anything but summertime since 2015 so that system's a little out of date. ( not a heck of a lot of dark for those months so lights aren't as big of an issue.) My uncle tried solar panels wind generation all manner of hodgepodge of hybrid bull honky. Diesel last forever in a good insulated tank, an old mechanical gen set doesn't cost all that much if you don't mind one with a few hours on it, and a big old cowl Muffler and well house sized building makes it nice and quiet.