OT - Whole House Generator
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Do you really want to power the whole house or critical areas like the kitchen and furnace?
Whole house is the way to go, have it plumbed to your natural gas if possible
We have a Generac 22kw. It was the largest air cooled made at the time. I think they make 24 kw now. Most come w the transfer switch
By the time you fool around with something smaller, it’s not that much more to get whole house That was the advice I’m was given, glad I took it
Last year we had an ice storm , power was out all over town for a week or more. Whole house ran the whole time, plus we hosted like 2 other families
Biggest thing is noise, try to put it away from your bedroom
I added one last year. There was a long wait due to high demand as a result of all the storms in the south but after about 6 months it arrived. We got the Generac 24kv as the incremental cost was marginal above the 16kv. Due to placement restrictions in our development we had to run a long hookup for the gas line which added to the cost but that was unavoidable. Ours is adjacent to the central air unit and hidden from street view by the landscaping. Total bill was around $8800. It comes on once a week to charge for about 10 minutes and like everything now communicates to us via an application on our smartphones. For example if it runs for a few minutes while we’re asleep, there will be a message with the details on the phone. It’s only needed to run briefly a few times so far for a few minutes and it works seamlessly.
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Something smells. The ID, first post, topic covered sometime ago on the old board.
I'm also in the process of scoping one out. I have a quote for a Generac from a contractor that works with Home Depot for $12,500 for a 14KW unit which I believe is out of line. My issue is that I have a ton of windows on the first floor around our home and my electric service comes into the garage, with no adequate place to put the unit near the garage. But I've had a Kohler dealer here twice a few months back and I believe he has a bid that he didn't forward to me for whatever reason.
Additionally, my cousin also installs Kohler units so when I get a little more information I'll probably go with him. He stopped by as well but didn't give me a price yet due to us wanting to get our kitchen remodel completed before embarking on the next project. But my cousin told me that from his experience the Kohler units are more reliable than Generac. The upside with Generac is that they have such a large portion of the market, but Kohler has been in this business a long time.
Regarding size, I don't want a unit too small, obviously, but our water heater, furnace, clothes dryer and oven are all gas, so the bigger electric loads are the forced air furnace motor, separate boiler pump, refrig, and separate freezer, plus the 3.5 ton A/C. Lighting is all LED and computers and TV's don't draw much. So I don't see the need for a 20+KW unit for us. I have a 100 amp service run to a detached garage/shop, but I'm not going to be out there running my big compressor and welding in a power outage. Another option is an energy management system for the A/C which won't start the A/C if the rest of the home loading doesn't allow enough generator capacity for it. As some mention, with our installation being a large portion of the total cost I'll likely up the unit size to be on the safe side. My cousin stated that a Kohler unit would handle more load than a like sized Generac.
Also, I didn't want to put the unit on the side of the house which is near a neighbor, but that looks like the best spot. I'll put a 20 amp outlet next to the unit and tell them to feel free to buy a 10 gauge extension cord and run their furnace in the event of a long winter outage.........
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i'll say dont get me started on Kohler gennys, but that was a marine unit so maybe they are different!!! (which they are)
now go bigger!! you'll want to run the A/c when it is 100 outside. My Generac 22kw cost like $4500 a few years ago, plus install. So yes I think the HD is out of line. Good thought on your neighbor, although they are loud, they are not that loud. relative to installation, it should for the most part be the same across brands. You need a source of fuel, and then the switch to put it into your house, and that's that. We have NG for heat, so we just tapped into that line, and there you go!
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on the old board, I would reply to posts like this by just providing links to the prior threads on the subject. oh well.
@Bwifan used to pipe in on the threads, as he got one of these after he moved to FL.
I don't know if PSUTENN1 made the move, or did so but has a different handle. He was knowledgeable about this subject.
Best of luck
@Bwifan used to pipe in on the threads, as he got one of these after he moved to FL.
I don't know if PSUTENN1 made the move, or did so but has a different handle. He was knowledgeable about this subject.
Best of luck
I recently inquired about the different between Kohler an Generac with Breon's Electric in Pleasant Gap that services and installs them. I was told that the biggest difference is that Kohler makes their own parts, whereas Generac does not. She said that makes Kohler's more reliable because they can ensure better quality control. Apparently Generac gets their parts from wherever they can find them. By outsourcing their parts, Generac is able to sell them a little cheaper. She said that they will work on anything with a motor, but prefer to work on Kohler because the parts are a lot easier to find.
unless you’re regularly hosting weddings at your home, 20kw + is batshit crazy... killing a fly with a sledgehammer... who wants a $12,000 dumpster-sized metal box Adjacent to the house? ... one that might be used for a few hours a year...
windstorm knocked power out for me last Sunday, 9hrs total... whipped out a gymbag-sized Honda eu2000i that I use for tailgates, with a couple extension cords and some power strips, supports my fridge, router & furnace, gives me plenty of lighting options ... super quiet and portable...yeah, orange extension cords running thru the house sucks, but it’s a lifesaver (and, apparently, a $11,000 saver) ... it’s no big deal to pull it out of the garage , starts up on the first tug... quiet as a hostage ... never sucks putting it away/ rolling up the cords
Can always loan it out to a friend/family member in need
guy across the street has a whole-house generator... that phucker was obnoxiously loud ... could hear it all the way out in the field behind my house...
windstorm knocked power out for me last Sunday, 9hrs total... whipped out a gymbag-sized Honda eu2000i that I use for tailgates, with a couple extension cords and some power strips, supports my fridge, router & furnace, gives me plenty of lighting options ... super quiet and portable...yeah, orange extension cords running thru the house sucks, but it’s a lifesaver (and, apparently, a $11,000 saver) ... it’s no big deal to pull it out of the garage , starts up on the first tug... quiet as a hostage ... never sucks putting it away/ rolling up the cords
Can always loan it out to a friend/family member in needguy across the street has a whole-house generator... that phucker was obnoxiously loud ... could hear it all the way out in the field behind my house...
They’re not that big nor loud. And who wants to mess with cords in a storm? Go big or go home. About 1/3 of the homes in my neighborhood have them, so we all hum in unison, so to speak.
You and I think alike. All of my neighbors have whole house generators and the fvckers all kick on whenever there’s even the slightest of a power blip.unless you’re regularly hosting weddings at your home, 20kw + is batshit crazy... killing a fly with a sledgehammer... who wants a $12,000 dumpster-sized metal box Adjacent to the house? ... one that might be used for a few hours a year...
windstorm knocked power out for me last Sunday, 9hrs total... whipped out a gymbag-sized Honda eu2000i that I use for tailgates, with a couple extension cords and some power strips, supports my fridge, router & furnace, gives me plenty of lighting options ... super quiet and portable...yeah, orange extension cords running thru the house sucks, but it’s a lifesaver (and, apparently, a $11,000 saver) ... it’s no big deal to pull it out of the garage , starts up on the first tug... quiet as a hostage ... never sucks putting it away/ rolling up the cords
guy across the street has a whole-house generator... that phucker was obnoxiously loud ... could hear it all the way out in the field behind my house...
After any extended power outage, they all complain about their natgas bills.
My system is as reliable and a lot less expensive to operate and maintain.
The payout economics of a sizable residential generator don’t make much sense.
It’s not about the money. I can afford it and I don’t want the hassle of a puny system. I want it to kick on when there is a blip, that’s why I bought it. Plus it’s also an investment that pays for itself if you ever decide to sell, which I’m not going to do, but just sayin.You and I think alike. All of my neighbors have whole house generators and the fvckers all kick on whenever there’s even the slightest of a power blip.
After any extended power outage, they all complain about their natgas bills.
My system is as reliable and a lot less expensive to operate and maintain.
The payout economics of a sizable residential generator don’t make much sense.
And it will come on when you are not at home, such as work, vacation, or weekend away. Huge value in that, especially in winter.
We bought a portable Generac 4500 that could run our whole house and plugged in to the main line into our house with an electrician’s help. In the 20 years we were in the house we used it about 15 times And the longest stretch was 12 hours. Tank holds enough for 17 hours. Pull cord starts it. Rolled it out of the way for the 99.9% of the time when we didn’t need it. It ran our well pump, oil furnace that also provided hot water, fridge, lights, everything. We didn’t have AC. 22kw sounds excessive.
Hmmm, this thread has got me thinking about getting one, especially with the impending apocalypse on the horizon. I can only recall our power being out for maybe 2-3 hours the entire 16 years we lived in our home. However, I just don't like the feeling of being at the mercy of others. I like to kill my snakes myself(song reference, can you guess?). Lots to think about from this thread...Thanks all.
Let me just say , that when the ice storm rolled thru my town and the outside temp was near zero for 10 days, I didn’t think it was excessive nor did the 2 other families staying with us! We were out of power for 10 days, and we live in town
Besides the real cost is in installation. The difference between a 22kw and say a 15 kw is not that big, and the installation is the same. Go big so your wife won’t have to sweat in the summer and the A/C is on.
I doubt any noise will bother me when I'm sitting there with life as normal versus sitting in the dark, or running around with a flashlight setting up a portable generator and extension cords that won't actually run all our appliances.
And when I'm in Florida or Arizona next Winter and a storm knocks out power, who is going to come to our home to play around with the portable generator and extension cords so that my sump pump can continue to run and keep my basement/gameroom from flooding in the event of accompanying rain? No thanks.
The $10K is nothing compared to the money and aggravation I save by avoiding the potential damage of prolonged power outages when we may be traveling. And I'll know the generator kicked on as they have apps to tell you so.
Other minor pleasures such as just continuing to watch a PSU game when the power goes off and the key plays happen when those without whole house generators are setting up all their extension cords and such......
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Yes I have a 30kw Koehler installed ... powers the house and pool along with having a little extra ceiling when we put an addition on the house
As can be seen, I have liked a lot of posts in this thread.
I had a 20 KVA Whole House Generac installed in 2013. We don't have many outages, but when we do, we're just like the people in the Generac ad: We smile at each other and relax.
No more worries about how long the outage is going to be and whether we'll have to make arrangements for food in the refrigerator or not. The greatest stress reliever you can have in major storms. One more thing - Get the whole house version, its not worth trying to figure out which circuits you can do without.
I had a 20 KVA Whole House Generac installed in 2013. We don't have many outages, but when we do, we're just like the people in the Generac ad: We smile at each other and relax.
No more worries about how long the outage is going to be and whether we'll have to make arrangements for food in the refrigerator or not. The greatest stress reliever you can have in major storms. One more thing - Get the whole house version, its not worth trying to figure out which circuits you can do without.
If your basement / sump is prone to water intrusion - well yupp, that there’s a game-changer and a good argument for a backup power system....I doubt any noise will bother me when I'm sitting there with life as normal versus sitting in the dark, or running around with a flashlight setting up a portalbe generator and extension cords that won't actually run all our appliances.
And when I'm in Florida or Arizona next Winter and a storm knocks out power, who is going to come to our home to play around with the portable generator and extension cords so that my sump pump can continue to run and keep my basement/gameroom from flooding in the event of accompanying rain? No thanks.
The $10K is nothing compared to the money I save by avoiding the potential damage of prolonged power outages when we may be traveling. And I'll know the generator kicked on as they have apps to tell you so.
Other minor pleasures such as just continuing to watch a PSU game when the power goes off and the key plays happen when those without whole house generators are setting up all their extension cords and such......
i’m on the shore of a lake with soil that has low clay content / Perc tests below 5 MPI ... I’m fortunate we get zero water in the sump ... i’d be nervous being away from home during a storm if i had basement probs
We don't have a "whole house" generator. We have a portable generator that is enough to power our well, fridge, freezer, and select lights/outlets in kitchen, master bedroom and master bath. We have an interlock subpannel that only powers these specific circuits and stops power from heading out to the grid (safety feature so linemen dont get electricuted). The portable generator runs on propane, which I highly recommend as there is no build up in the carburator as there is in gasoline powered versions. I'm really happy with this set up, although we've only used it once. The power went out briefly on Saturday but not long enough for us to fire up the generator.
Sounds like a great setup... does your genset run on a standard 20# tank? Would be interested in how long you can run it before depletion of the propane
Yes it runs on a 20# tank. When I see homeowners put out rusty gas grills by the road for free or trash pick up I help myself to the propane tank. I have a half dozen of them. I’m not sure max length per one 20# tank as we intermittently shut it off to conserve. One bottle lasted about a day this way. Would vary I guess.
I have 5500w portable generac gas generator connected with a transfer switch. I have NG furnace, hot water, dryer, oven/range, fireplace and grill. It handles the rest of the house just fine. I do the start ups for fridge, AC and hot tub 1 at a time to prevent overloading it. When needed I roll it out of the garage and hook it up. I always keep two 5 gallon tanks full. I just rotate gas in the tanks every few months to make sure it doesn't go bad by using it in older vehicle and mowers.
If you are looking to buy a house generator then I would suggest you go with almoouj as they have everything we look for as i have also had a great experience with them and they are super awesome.
I have the Generac whole home Solar battery backup. Stores 18KwH and will recharge the next day in the sun. The most I have had to use it for has been 20 minutes thus far, but it worked as advertised. Tesla and LG have similar setups as well.
getpwrcell.com
Request a Solar Battery System Quote | Generac
Request a quote for a Generac PWRcell Solar Battery and prepare your home with a solution from the market leader in standby power.
I installed a Honeywell 15kw standby generator 6 weeks before Hurricane Sandy. Best investment I’ve made in my house. We lose power about once a month. This unit will run everything in the house as it has a load shedding capability. That allowed me to go with a smaller unit using less fuel. I would recommend you go with a unit that has shedding capability.
First...thank you to all generac owners as they built a new manufacturing plant here....as for the whole house...we have just first floor as second floor is only guest bedrooms...i amortize the cost and justlty same as insurance...and pushing 70 with health issues i want total convenience.
I wonder how that would do in an ice storm with temps hovering around 0.I have the Generac whole home Solar battery backup. Stores 18KwH and will recharge the next day in the sun. The most I have had to use it for has been 20 minutes thus far, but it worked as advertised. Tesla and LG have similar setups as well.
Request a Solar Battery System Quote | Generac
Request a quote for a Generac PWRcell Solar Battery and prepare your home with a solution from the market leader in standby power.
Glad I don't have to worry about that, but it's something to consider for those who live in cold weather areas. I would imagine you aren't getting much energy saved to your batteries if your panels are under snow. I do know people who had to run gas generators found out how much is to run a whole home for 4-5 days on gas and it wasn't pretty.
Ours ran for 5 hours last week. It’s nice not to even worry about how long it will take until the electricity will be restored.
Pretty much everyone in my neighborhood here in south Florida has a generator now. Mostly it's Kohler or Generac all with ATS. Mine runs automatically and cycles through every monday for 10 minutes. I don't even know it kicks on half the time. It's so quiet. My generator is a Kohler 30kw. My neighbor builds estate homes mostly on the beach. He used to use Generac but started getting a lot of complaints with them. When you are building 30-40 million dollar homes for people they expect good products for their money. He was getting many complaints less than a year in with Generac. He researched it and found that Generac had started using cheaper parts to increase their profit margins. He switched to Kohler. Kohler is more pricey but very reliable. He said Generac still makes a good product he recommends them for people that need 20kw or less. Any size over 20kw he recommends Kohler.
I think when you go over (around) the 20kw line, the genny moves from being air cooled to water cooled, they have an automobile type radiator. I think this is where the problems start. Just my guess.
Sorry my bad, I thought it read *ho** house generator. i thought this would help get it started.
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Pretty much... in my Kohler genny its a turbo charged 4 cylinder car engine. Runs smooth and is very quiet.
I have a water cooled Kohler on my boat. It drove me nuts for a while, but now I know what to look for. Basically the heat exchanger is just barely big enough to handle the engine. So if something fouls the heat exchanger, your problems start! That and the raw water has to move about 7 gal per minute for it to work!! Now that bit of knowledge is worth about $3000!!
Thank you Tom, I made the move (the only choice) but did change handles. For some reason I seem to be concentrating on “todays weather report”
I have a 24kW Generac with a whole house switch. I put it in. I have mine come on once every two weeks. It rarely comes on because we rarely lose power, but I have heard (could be BS) that an e-gen can put 16-20 k on the sale price of your property. That was why I did it. Well worth it. Mine runs on propane.
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well I can verify the heat exchangers on their Marine genny (kohler) are under built.
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