how many here have a whole house generator ?
 

We have passed one year in the retirement home and life is good :D except for the occasional power outage :( . Being in the mountains it doesn't take too much for trees to come down and snap power lines . In the past year it has happened 3 - 4 times that I remember with the longest power outage being overnight . I have a Honda 3000 inverter generator that is mainly for the camper but I did use it to power the fridge to keep food from spoiling . But when the power goes out in summer you sweat your nads off and in winter freeze your nads off .

So am thinking about installing a 20KW home generator with the goal of being able to run the fridge , the 3 ton AC/heat pump and well pump at the very least . Add a few lights and the electric water heater and now we can survive like humans until power is restored . I know Generac is a popular/well known brand don't know if that's good or bad . I know Kohler and I see Briggs and Stratton makes them now to . We have a 500 gallon LP tank so LP would be the preferred fuel choice . Currently the only items running on LP are the furnace ( back up to heat pump ) and range top .

Like anyone else I want the most bang for the buck , saying that the B&S air cooled generators have a better price point then say a water cooled diesel powered as an example . Based on our first year in the house a generator would put more run hours on itself doing weekly run tests vs. actual down time from power outage . So those of you that have generators what do you have and how do you like them ? What would you change if you could ?

I'm on a steep, private road on a mountain. Once the snow falls, we're pretty much on our own.
We bought the generator from the former owner of this house. A Miller welder/generator that uses a Cat diesel engine.

I exercise it once a month or so. Sometimes just start it and let it run, sometimes disconnect the house from the utility grid and turn on everything electric in the house to make it work a bit.

We have a Generac 11KW. Had it for 5 years. I would try a Kohler next time. The controller on the unit started to fail at year 2. Then the got hit by lightning. The controller was $400 from Generac. Way over priced. The other thing is figure out worst case situations for surge. We have a well pump and when the electric waterheater is on and the well pump kicks in the unit shuts down. Too much surge for 11KW unit.

I have looked at this from a number of angles.

We are the last stop on the grid and there are many, many trees in the area. We lose power 3/4 times a year...in a hurricane, we have lost power for a week at a time.

The first few years I ran cords to run the fridge and other essentials, which gets old.

About 15 years ago we put in a separate electrical panel for the generators (I have two - gas powered and diesel powered - run one at a time) so I can power all essentials plus a portable a/c unit.

Works really well. Maintenance on the generators is easy.

That said, if we decide to stay here after my wife retires, we are going to put in a first floor Master Bedroom extension that will include a whole house propane generator.

I have a 17KW standby on my house. It runs the 3 Ton AC, the fridge and pretty much all the electronics in the house aside from the electric stove and pool pump. In other words, it is like the power isn't even out.'
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I have a Generac Unit that I purchased in 2005, I take really good care of it and it has not given me a problem.

When power is out I will power mine down every 48 hours and do an oil change, I run Mobile 1 and some Lucas Synth oil stabilizer in it.

Every 2-3 years I do a tune up, spark plugs, air cleaner oil change.

I have it under cover (pergola with plastic over it) so it is not exposed to the weather as much.

If I could install it again, I would put further from the house and put something between it and the house so the sound would be muffled more.

After I installed in 2005 I did not really need mine until 2 years ago, then between Mathew and Irma I had about a week each with no power. It was worth every penny I spent on it.

My parents have one of the 20Kw Generac whole house systems that run on propane. When the derecho came through about six years ago, their power was out for over a week. Other than hearing a hum because the generator is near the home, you couldn't tell their power was out. 1 fridge, 1 small chest freezer, well pump, A/C and all lights wasn't an issue. They have propane hot water, propane range and propane clothes dryer. The things are expensive initially but they are nice when the power goes out.

Following closely.

Our move from Ventura, CA to Hilton Head Island, SC is less than a year away. Very few houses we've look at in HHI have generators, yet twice in the last four years they've had storms knock out the power for extended periods of time. I'm budgeting a whole-house diesel generator into our move costs.

I can live with having to leave for a few days if a hurricane is coming, and I can live with cutting up and hauling out some toppled trees, but I don't want to live without power.

I'm told to expect to spend $10K-$15K or more to get a good whole house unit installed and hooked up. :eek:

Craig T that estimate sounds high to me but it depends on the size of the generator . From the little bit of research I have done a 20KW generator with transfer switch can be purchased new for 4500.00 and up . So with some smart shopping lets say 5K . It shouldn't be too hard to find a qualified electrician to hook it up for 1500.00 maybe a little less . The last piece of the puzzle is the cost to hook up to the fuel source . I think a total install price of 7K is possible . Maybe find a good used unit for sale and save even more .

20k Cummins Onan.

Propane are cheaper then the diesel genies.
The generac use those air cooled kohler. Nothing too wrong with them, just you aren't going to get the amount of engine hours out of them compared to a diesel, and/or water cooled engine.


There's a few kw calculators online to determine how much power you need. The hp and depth of the well pump will prolly be the highest consumer of power.

I just looked on local CL and there is a 15KW four cylinder Generac for sale for 2000.00 . I've sent the seller a text asking for details , being 4 cylinder I assume it has to be watercooled . 15KW might be on the light side but it is setup for LP which is good . We'll see if this goes anywhere .

We have two, one 17kw diesel that can run the entire house during a storm conservatively for a week with the solar supplementing and the batteries. The second is a smaller 15kw gas that I can use in an emergency to keep refrigeration going after that or forced air heat at night.

I put in a Gentran panel and have a 6.5KW Honda "portable" (it is on wheels but heavy as all get out, "portable" with a tractor, maybe) that I keep in the garage. Electric start, so have to keep battery minder on it. Gasoline powered. Will run 7 hours on a tank, but has a load sensor and drope to idle when there is no load. When I do have to use it, I generally shut if off at night fire it back up in the morning.

When power is out I plug it in power it up and leave it just outside the closed garage door. I powers the oil fired heating system and all circulators, the well pump (1,000 ft well) freezers and fridge, my office and window AC and kitchen essentials as well as living room entertainment system. We get power outages on average once a year or more.

Couldn't live here without it. 18 years old and still runs like a charm. I could have put an automatic propane set up in, but it did not seem worth the $ or maintenance issues to me.

We installed a natural gas 22kw Generac whole house generator last year. Went online 2 days before Irma. Power was out for 6 days. Mathew prompted me, when power was out for 5 days. This Island is famous for hanging oaks & old pines. Our neighborhood is one of the oldest & if any limbs fall, our whole grid goes down (175 houses). It fires up within 15 seconds of power loss, auto exercises for 15 minutes each week. 5 year warranty. Change oil & plug based on run times. Best home improvement I ever made. I am the envy of the neighborhood.

Generac 17Kw multi fuel portable-ish. We lost power for a week in winter with temps in the 20s and 30s before the purchase which prompted me to get one which ran on propane, gasoline and CNG depending on what’s available. The gas stations couldn’t pump gas because no power. Also have a 500 gal propane tank, so we can run 24/7 for 7 days the whole house excluding dryer.

Costco 20kw generator $4400.

https://www.costco.com/Cummins-20KW-Home-Standby-Generator-200-Amp-Automatic-Transfer-Switch.product.100366327.html

Edit: Don't have one - but knew Costco carried them and were reasonably priced quality units.

This is a very interesting thread. It reminds me that back in the 60's (Yep I'm that old), some hippie types wanted to live on a commune and "get back to nature". The only thing they couldn't live without was electricity. Electricity used to be a luxury back in the day. Now it's an absolute necessity. Kinda like the personal computer nowadays. :D I have threatened for years to get a small Honda generator. For when the big quake hits.:confused:

I've got a 15kw PTO gererator that runs off a sub-compact diesel tractor. It's mounted on a 3-point hitch carry-all sitting on a heavy duty dolly with casters. A power inlet is mounted on the side of the house that goes to a transfer switch at the panel in the basement: 1) Totally portable 2) no engine to maintain 3) runs on diesel (no need to store/rotate gasoline) 4) best bang for the buck if you've already got a tractor.

In inclement weather the tractor sits outside running the gererator which is inside the garage. As a rule of thumb you can gererate 1kw per 2hp at the PTO.

Downside: 1) the tractor is preindisposed during outages, i.e., you can't do tractor-y stuff when gererating power. 2) if the tractor doan start you're SOL 3) LOUD because the tractor is running at WOT. 4) there's nothing automatic about the set-up. Somebody's got to have the know-how to operate the tractor, the gererator and how to hook-up the electric parts. 5) neighbors want to use the shower and fridges.

We had a 14KW Generac whole house standby installed after Sandy hit the East. And as luck would have it, we haven't had an outage that severe since then, longest being 4 hrs. However, it is nice when the power goes out, count to 10, and power is back on, water being the most important (we have a well). We have it serviced once a year, with oil and filter, air filter, plugs, and valve adjust, which runs about $225 per service.
Tough to put a price on peace of mind. Very happy with it.

I have a Generac 25kw watercooled natural gas whole house system. Installed to when I built the house 3 years ago. It powers the entire house including 4 HVAC systems, two refrigerators, pool equipment, and everything else in my house. With hurricanes we can lose power for up to a week, and have lost it for a few days since installation. Cost about $50-$60 Per day to run at normal load. I have no regrets but certainly suggest you go water cooled as it will last a lot longer and it is quieter. Furthermore we have a local company that comes out and services it twice a year for $400. I’ll never have another place without one. All in, mine was about $12 K installed, But that included the crane to lift it over And between two houses that are close together.

I guess I'm thankful I didn't need the crane, just front end loaders. But I did pay landscapers to hide both of them per county regulations.

I think it's worth noting that if you live in an area that floods. A elevated platform is a must.

I always found it entertaining to see genies on 5 ft platforms when I visit the east coast

I have a 20kW Briggs and Stratton. All of the 20kW units are roughly the same price ~$4500. Most are changeable from Propane to Natural Gas by switching a valve. Up through 22kW (Generac) are air cooled. There are "fairly" quiet. The Water cooled units start around 25kW and they are much quieter. You will pay a lot for the water cooled units.

Installation: You need a foundation. I can speak for Briggs & Stratton, they make lightweight concrete bases.

The real cost is the electrical and the fuel hookup. The closer the generator is to the fuel and electrical breaker, the better. Depending on where you are located, you may need both electrical and plumbing permits. If government permits are required, you will probably need professionals. No matter what, most electrical power companies require a 1-line diagram submitted and approved. If you do not have an external service entry disconnect, you will need to have the meter pulled by the electric company.

Every time this subject pops up I get in the mood for a generator. Then the reality set in. In the end after living in this house for over 22 years, we have only had 2 overnight power outages. Both were fixed before 24 hours. Both were a pain, but not worth the expense of a whole hour generator. I still am tempted to buy a small Honda inverter.

20KW Generac is what I have...... it has been excellent...… $7,000 Installed..... annual maintenance required..... have replaced the battery twice in 6 yrs.

Same here. I'm considering something in-between - installing a transfer switch and a portable generator.

The CL seller got back to me , him and his partner have 6 of these used Generacs . Per the seller they all run and have been serviced by Generac . A 15KW for 2000.00 is tempting I need to find out if a transfer switch box is included . More to follow :D

Thats where I am. No nat gas here so fuel is an issue. Fridge, well and sump pumps, a few lights/outlets, woodstove would be nice, septic... will run off a larger portable. Transfer switch is the key as said. I had a makeshift setup but really want something a little simpler/professional.

Do you move the circuits to the transfer switch from the main panel?

Bought a house that came with a 20kw propane Generac. Will run a/c and pretty much anything else we need. I do exercise it at least once a month. Propane is more stable than diesel that sits, and we use it for hot water and cooking as well.

Same situation as OP, retirement house. I don't know how I would futz with a pull start genset and an interlock.

Just spoke with the seller via text , the units include a built in 100 amp transfer switch . I will probably go look at them later this week one is still hooked up and running . So I'm thinking at the very least a 15KW will run well pump , fridge , lights and maybe AC/furnace . We do have an LP wall mounted heater in the dining room which is centrally located in the house that could be used vs. the heat pump/furnace if need be . I have no problem having to manually shed some circuits via the house breaker box if I have to as each power outage event hopefully is not too long . I also have a text into the electrician that wired my 2 car man cave garage to see if he is experienced in these installs . Will post updates as I go along . Thanks for all the feedback so far . SmileWavy

Have had a Generac 20K for nine years now. Living in suburban DC (where Pepco supplies the power) it's pretty much a necessity. I wouldn't change a thing- but I did finally change the battery last year.

It should self exercise once a week.

Is this self exercising thing super important? I have a 10K Generac hooked up to a transfer switch in my garage. I don't run it except when the power is off & I need to use it. Since we don't have much in the way of outages, I turn off the fuel valve, run it until it runs out of gas, & empty the tank into a container I use for lawn mower, etc. Our power is usually off a few hours max. Earlier this year the power company kept it off for maybe 24 hrs. & got a lot of push back from customers saying they purposefully kept it off. Mine isn't hooked up to run the whole house, just circuits for the fridge, freezer, & some lighting. The panel handles 7.2 Kw, & I'm thinking of selling my generator & buying a 7.5 Kw out door unit to replace it.

The self exercising mode is designed to run the generator at least once a month for 5 - 10 minutes to make sure all is well . The last thing you want is to be without power and the generator won't start :( For these larger generators with electric start you would also want to check/charge the starting battery .......... you are not going to pull start a 4 cylinder car engine :D

Mine is electric start & has (maybe luckily) always started up the split second I turn the key - that is after I put gas in the tank & open the petcock & chock it.

Have a 6500. Hardly use it. But when I do I run my entire house. Well, 4 Refrigerators, Furnas, everything. One time I had to run it for 5 days and never let me down. I have a 3900SQ ft. house with an apartment. Owned her over 10 years.

A few things to note:

Portable generators are really only designed to be run for 50 hours before you change the oil and spark plug.

Fixed install NG/Propane generators are typically, 100 hours between oil/plug change. The water cooled generators with electronic ignition last longer, maybe 250-500 hours.

By comparison, 3000 miles for a car, run on average 30 miles per hour, has 100 hours on it between oil changes.

Did that twice already!

That's what I have. Manual transfer switch. 7K generator. Outside feed where an RV plug used to be.
It will run everything I need to get by except my well pump. I still need a solution for that as it's on it's own service.