home generators

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by VincentVega

I wonder about the diesel in cold weather. When you are home you can take care of it, but since you mentioned an outage when you arent home, is the auto transfer switch smart enough to start of cold diesel? If its -20 I assume you'd have fuel additive but still might need to have the engine plugged in. Also might have to cycle the glow plugs a few times. Only speaking from car/truck diesel experience, maybe this stuff is figured out with the gen switch/controller.

The 30k hours really is a lifetime but you'd better have a few fuel trucks lines up to keep it fed.

The units we sell have oil heaters built in. When not running and connected to the grid, they keep the oil warm and the starting battery charged.

One of the nice things about a Mi-Grid, off-grid they use about 90% less fuel than a standard generator. If you keep your usage low enough, you may not use any fuel at all and the generator is only backup.

[red-beard]

Here is a unit we installed last week. It is a 16kW inverter system, 11kW solar and a 20kW generator. It powers a 3000 square-foot house in Texas including 5 ton air conditioner.

[red-beard]

Inverter Cabinet

[afterburn 549]

PM sent

[afterburn 549]

Originally Posted by NotaBRG

My Sister is going through this in MN. They can not get a certificate of occupancy without being attached to county power even though they are 'off the grid' so to speak.

Once connected and the CO issued, they can disconnect, but the electric company will still send them a minimum usage bill (for the privilege of having been connected). I assume if they didn't pay it they have a lien put on the house.

Yes, they buy the politicians off (Bribes)
To think you HAVE to pay a pwr bill makes me really rail against them.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Every time I start reading one of these threads I go through the "I want a generator" mode.

The ultimate would be the very expensive natural gas units wired to the house with an auto start. Big bucks. Our power is pretty reliable.

Me too on the "I want a generator." The one I've been looking at is a 8kw, permanently connected to the house, runs on natural gas. We are gone a lot and I need one that will come on automatically and keep the furnace and sump pumps going.
The low end price I got was under $8k, the upper was just under $10k. I sold my truck to a guy whose job is maintaining these home systems and ask about them. He said Generac is an OK brand, Kohler is the Cadillac, but either way get one with a two cylinder engine.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Me too on the "I want a generator." The one I've been looking at is a 8kw, permanently connected to the house, runs on natural gas. We are gone a lot and I need one that will come on automatically and keep the furnace and sump pumps going.
The low end price I got was under $8k, the upper was just under $10k. I sold my truck to a guy whose job is maintaining these home systems and ask about them. He said Generac is an OK brand, Kohler is the Cadillac, but either way get one with a two cylinder engine.

Is your house inside city limits? Around here, if you're in the county, you can self install. I always like an electrician to do the final connection from the transfer switch to the meter.

Inside the City of Houston, installation can run 100-150% of the cost of the generator since a licenced electrician has to do all of the work AND a licensed plumber must do all of the gas line work. Plus, it must be inspected by two difference city agencies.

[nota]

the 3 banger is not a real perkins
it is a china made unit with a perkins sticker on it
I had one in a boat
it rusted quickly

[afterburn 549]

Originally Posted by nota

the 3 banger is not a real perkins
it is a china made unit with a perkins sticker on it
I had one in a boat
it rusted quickly

I am not sure what to say about your comment, except this.
They say these are made in Georgia USA
According to -


Bill Perry
Central Maine Diesel
Toll-Free: 1-888-899-0603