We have had a whole farm PTO backup generator since the mid 60's. It's 42 KW. Not for your air conditioners or water heaters. Keep the pigs alive...When we installed it our local electrical coop had rules.
power out, backup generator, propane/gas/diesel
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We have had a whole farm PTO backup generator since the mid 60's. It's 42 KW. Not for your air conditioners or water heaters. Keep the pigs alive...When we installed it our local electrical coop had rules.
Rhovee
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The Generac automatic generators have a switch inside that can turned for NG or propane. I install lots of them. It the best way to go IMO. But they are about 3-5K for the generator. 2-3 for electrical install. When your out of power for a week, i doubt your going to be worried about how much the gas bill will be. Take your current power bill and look up the peak demand for the last 12 months. Times it by 1000, then divide by 12 and that will give you an average of what your house draws during the day. You don't want to run them at max. It's an engine so oil changes and weekly cycling is key. The cycling is programmed into the generator.
Rhino Hunter
Well-Known Member
Any idea how much a commercial Generac costs?
Buck3
Well-Known Member
The problem I seen was storage of fuel. If your tapped into the city NG supply it's a non- issue.
My in laws use propane for heat and cooking. They started with a tank around 200gal and it was drained and they were without heat and stove until the power came back on. They ended up with a 500gal tank, but if it's full you get around a week.
I'm not saying it's a bad idea, but just so you can understand the issues I've seen.
I think it was around 15k by the time it was all said and done. That was installing the automatic transfer switch, and building a small cover for it.
Laelkhunter
Well-Known Member
I got an estimate several years ago. I have a total electric house (all appliances), but do have natural gas. It was estimated that I needed a 20 Kilowatt generator to run the entire house in case of a power outage. The price was $7800.00. We couldn't afford that, so I purchased a portable gas generator to just run freezer and fridge, and a fan or two. We haven't had to use it yet. We hope to win the lottery, at which time we will install the Generac system.
Also, we were told in addition to the above cost, we would have a yearly service charge (several hundred dollars), where the service people will change the oil and filter and test the operation of the generator.
Also, we were told in addition to the above cost, we would have a yearly service charge (several hundred dollars), where the service people will change the oil and filter and test the operation of the generator.
I had a Kohler, auto start propane in camp in NY Adirondacks. A 500 gal (?) tank outside. It ran everything in the camp.
If you have natural gas Generac makes a nice unit. I think they also have one for propane.
You have to decide how many things do you want to run. Some things draw a lot of amps.
At camp at 3am the temp went down to -54 deg. So cold the electric lines contracted so tight they broke themselves. Generator started fine and we were saved. Snowmobiled at -30 and we thought it was a heat wave.
If you have natural gas Generac makes a nice unit. I think they also have one for propane.
You have to decide how many things do you want to run. Some things draw a lot of amps.
At camp at 3am the temp went down to -54 deg. So cold the electric lines contracted so tight they broke themselves. Generator started fine and we were saved. Snowmobiled at -30 and we thought it was a heat wave.
adk hunter
Well-Known Member
I just run a gas generator wired the 220 plug to a dryer plug and back feed the panel from that. Throw the main breaker to the outside line, and will do whole house. I do keep the well pump, fridge, freezer and furnace off and don't run them together. Next I am getting a propane conversion kit and hook up to my 500 gallon tank. Gas is a pain but so is cleaning primer pockets!
At our old house we had a 22K Generac installed and it worked perfect. At our new house we have a 1000 gallon propane tank and I wired a generator plug with a dual pole switch at the Hot tub panel. I installed a lockout on the main so that it has to be thrown to get the generator to work. We use a new Honda EU7000 or a older 8000 watt generator to back feed the entire house. Our dryer, stove, and hot water heater are propane so the only real load is the well pump and freezer. It runs the house with no issues. We tested the EU7000 at 8300watts for over 3 hours on a buddies house and it held it with no issues.
Muddyboots
Well-Known Member
Revival!
Time to rethink off grid options. I am certain our grid will be cyber attacked and we will be left without power for much longer periods than ever thought before.
I have propane so looking at Generac gen but also looking at the solar Lithium battery backup system. Have perfect garage roof position etc for it. I am starting to think fuel may also become a serious concern if grid is down.
I did some Environmental work on a project for battery systems for homes and businesses many years ago and the improvements made since then have me reconsidering strongly.
Anybody price a solar backup system recently?
Time to rethink off grid options. I am certain our grid will be cyber attacked and we will be left without power for much longer periods than ever thought before.
I have propane so looking at Generac gen but also looking at the solar Lithium battery backup system. Have perfect garage roof position etc for it. I am starting to think fuel may also become a serious concern if grid is down.
I did some Environmental work on a project for battery systems for homes and businesses many years ago and the improvements made since then have me reconsidering strongly.
Anybody price a solar backup system recently?
Bucklowery
Well-Known Member
Yep we don't care it's grounded!
Had a rich land barren type trying to hook up his big rented diesel generator. I told him not too since he did not have a disconnect and wait until we isolate the transformer. He did not listen and pulled the meter and connected an started his generator. Lines were down and grounded. He blew up his rented generator
Thanks
Buck
I feed 110 in with 3500W, and cut main and 220breakers for heat pump, water heater, stove and dryer. I just use lights and refer and freezer. TV's
Between boat gas and cans I usually have 100gal available.
Adk Hunter, I hunt the Adk.
Between boat gas and cans I usually have 100gal available.
Adk Hunter, I hunt the Adk.
Air cooled generators like a Generac are not designed to be run for long term use, at least not the typical residential units that are 18-22kw. They run at high rpm and will fail. Also assuming this is an existing home, it's quite an undertaking and expense to retrofit an ATS switch and generator to an existing panel. It can certainly be done but at noticeable expense and retrofitting to your home.
Someone mentioned fuel consumption on propane; I have a 22kw Generac on my house and it uses about 4 gallons of propane per hour.
Knowing what I know now, I would put in a 30kw Cummins/Onan liquid cooled propane unit. Fuel consumption is about the same as the 22kw Generac but has a liquid cooled Honda 4 cylinder car engine in it.
Someone mentioned fuel consumption on propane; I have a 22kw Generac on my house and it uses about 4 gallons of propane per hour.
Knowing what I know now, I would put in a 30kw Cummins/Onan liquid cooled propane unit. Fuel consumption is about the same as the 22kw Generac but has a liquid cooled Honda 4 cylinder car engine in it.
xsn10s
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What's one of those 30kw Cummins/ Onan Honda units run?
It's hard to find pricing but I believe they ran about 2X what the Generac units were.
