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Thread: House generator advise
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December 5th, 2022, 09:07 PM #21
Re: House generator advise
This is old and also pre-COVID pricing but I think mom and dads was ~$8K installed, but that was without the tanks/gas (they had 2 "small" tanks, then moved HVAC system to propane + a huge underground tank, then plumbed Generac into that larger tank...and none of us remember what the costs were on the tanks anymore/because of all the change). Again though, that pricing is from almost a decade ago and a slightly smaller unit than what you describe (20kw I think). But I will say that they didnt shop around either... they probably could have saved some if they had.
$10-12k all in seems reasonable for what you describe, but just a guess on my part.
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December 5th, 2022, 09:43 PM #22
Re: House generator advise
That was true to a point, but many of the new generators are run through inverters, so you can slow down the spinning portion at lower electrical load. I've got a 6kw Honda with inverter, and it will slow the engine down under reduced electrical load. I had a PTO 20kw run of a diesel JD 2440, but frankly, the fuel use was heavy for what I needed. 6kw (220V) can run the well, heat a tank of water, and keep the fridge and freezer cold, and it doesn't use more than 5 gallons over 24 hours. While I would love to have AC and all the comforts of home in an outage, I've gone 5+ days with no power, and no way out for the first 3. Fuel sipping is a must for me!
Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God.
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December 5th, 2022, 09:48 PM #23
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December 5th, 2022, 10:09 PM #24
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December 5th, 2022, 10:15 PM #25
Re: House generator advise
I got one of these a few years ago, the 16kW version - which is well more than enough power to run our furnace, AC unit, a fridge + deep freezer and every other normal thing in our house. When we were pricing them out, the installer was convinced I only needed the 14kW version, but I run a lot of computer/server equipment at home and wanted the extra juice. I love that it can automatically detect when the power is out, fire up the generator and transfer your feed to the generator.
As mentioned in the quoted post, they install them with commercial grade surge protection for both the utility power and generator lines to protect your house, so nice added bonus. The up front cost is steep, and there is a yearly maintenance cost associated with keeping it going (it's an engine, so regular checks, oil changes, etc) so you don't have to worry about it failing but it's worth it to basically never lose power. Put a UPS battery on anything you consider important that can run for 15-20 seconds and you'll always have power.-Brandon
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December 5th, 2022, 10:38 PM #26
Re: House generator advise
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December 6th, 2022, 12:44 AM #27Super Member
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Re: House generator advise
My Kohler 20kw, which is the biggest residential generator they make, runs my entire house including the heat pump in the summer for central AC just fine. The Generac dealer tried to tell me it wasn*t big enough and I should buy their 22kw but we*ve not had any issues. I went with a Kohler over Generac because some electricians I know said Generac*s customer service isn*t all that great. I have no personal experience with it so I can*t see either way. They recommended the Kohler over the Generac.
If my memory serves, it cost us about $10,000 for the generator, the transfer switch, the concrete pad, and installation. That was about two years ago. We already had a propane tank for something else so we tied into that.“A Republic, if you can keep it.” - Benjamin Franklin
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December 6th, 2022, 02:27 AM #28Member
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Re: House generator advise
My boss has a whole house one as does his dad. They seem to need expensive repairs a lot, but they are very, very convenient. Water cooled ones allegedly last longer, but that's not been his experience.
I got a basic 7200W or something at Costco. This is our second one. The first one died after like 18 months, so back it went.
I ran a propane line to the back with a quick connect so I can plug it in there and a 30A port to plug it in. Pretty simple.
Naturally, since I've done all that, I haven't needed it.
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December 6th, 2022, 06:40 AM #29Grand Member
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Re: House generator advise
I've thought about a generator but we never seem to lose power here and if it does go out it's usually just a blink.
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December 6th, 2022, 08:19 AM #30
Re: House generator advise
I never verified it but one of my buddies who got one and did his homework on them tells me that Generacs are made in Chi Na and Kohlers are made is USA. Something makes me think that Briggs and Stratton also makes one in America but I'm not sure on that one.
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