Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Gibsonia, Pennsylvania
    (Allegheny County)
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    Default House generator advise

    Hello ! It’s been awhile!
    . I know there’s lots of mechanical knowledge members here and I just got to thinking that it’s time to seriously consider a house generator. Possibly to rig to the furnace (gas) and hot water and or fridge and a few lights. We have a cape cod (small 2 floors and basement) so not a big home by any means.
    Any recommendations on a mid size I guess generator ? Not interested in a low end brand if not a proven item. Honda ? What type of fuel is best or are all gas powered?. We have a covered but not enclosed side porch as the backyard is below our main floor due to topography. So maybe it could be used from there
    Thanks for any ideas or suggestions on a reputable, reliable generator.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2021
    Location
    Reading, Pennsylvania
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    Default Re: House generator advise

    I have a durostar ds10000e. Here's my 2 cents.

    https://www.amazon.com/Durostar-DS10...dp/B0088QAADK/

    I have about 2k hours on it. I have it directly wired into my panel with 50a double pole breaker. It powers my whole house. I get 220v out of it which means i can run the dryer, well pump, etc. It has an 8 gallon tank which I fill roughly every 6 hours, and have run it continuously for 2 weeks while doing live refueling while it's running. I built a dedicated generator shed for it.

    The down sides, it's gas, and it's loud. You're only supposed to have 25 gallons stored on residential property i think. My generator shed muffles the sound great, you can barely hear it. My HHO fuel tank is 15' away, if I had a diesel, I could pipe it directly into my 500 gallon tank and never need to refuel. Diesels that size are 10x the price, though.

    I've had it for 6 years and I frequently lose power. It's electric start, and fires right up every time. It has been so convenient that both my father and my friend have bought one for their power outages. I wired them both with interlocks as it's beyond their ability.

    Regarding generator location, they can over heat, catch fire, or their exhaust can kill you in your sleep. I built my generator hut on my chimney wall so it's double concrete block so if it catches fire, it can't burn my house down. And I did it on a wall with no windows, so I don't have to worry about exhaust fumes. I also attached a pipe to the exhaust pipe to vent the exhaust outside. I installed 2 air vents to bring air in and take it out, and they are woefully inadequate and don't do anything. So I leave the door open when I am running the generator. I found someone scrapping their garage door and built my own mini garage door. It opens up, instead of opening in or out. I didn't have enough room to swing in, and I don't want to worry about room to swing out if i have 3' of snow on the ground.
















  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    New Tripoli, Pennsylvania
    (Lehigh County)
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    Default Re: House generator advise

    You might be interested in this once you find which generator suits your needs everyone always talking about tri fuel run generators if you have natural gas available in your area that's a plus!

    http://www.generlink.com/

    https://m.northerntool.com/shop/tool...mid=2788781257


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    New Tripoli, Pennsylvania
    (Lehigh County)
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    Default Re: House generator advise


  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Berkeley Heights, New Jersey
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    Default Re: House generator advise

    the harbor freight predator line are well made and well liked, but do some digging as you can find some other brands for cheaper now (ironic.) this is one of those things where youtube will be great for your research.
    Member: NJ "undocumented" Felons Club. NRA Life Member

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Quakertown, Pennsylvania
    (Bucks County)
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    Default Re: House generator advise

    This place has decent prices on generators. I've been eyeing up some of the propane/gas models. Sign up for email notifications, they have some pretty good sales.

    https://www.factoryauthorizedoutlet....enerators-sale
    Accuse your enemy of what you are doing as you are doing it to create confusion -Karl Marx

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Shamokin, Pennsylvania
    (Northumberland County)
    Age
    34
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    Default Re: House generator advise

    If you can swing for a whole-house one, they are nice. Mom and dad have had a Generac for close to a decade. 20k watt I think, plumbed into their heating/propane fuel tank. The biggest issue is the upfront cost, and other than that, the only other issue they've had is a couple burned out computer panels that they think is from local grid surges (and trying a special surge protector to remedy now). Other than that it's been pretty flawless though. Dad used to work for the electric company and bought it explicitly because of what he saw at work.

    We actually just got a HF Predator 9k from them as a gift too. Too early to share opinions yet, but my BiL has the exact same one for 2-3 years and likes it. Noisey, but among the cheaper options. Battery start is nice. I grew up with a grumpy, green Coleman 5k that was a PITA to start...this thing is easy as can be. For ~$1k that's a decent option. We have geothermal heat and I dont know yet how far that one will go in running that system, but since I added a woodstove the other year, its no longer a necessity to have it power the HVAC.

    If they hadn't bought the HF one for us, my long term plan was to go with either a used whole-house jobber (they turn up on Facebook Marketplace from time to time) or possibly a PTO driven one (and then bought a tractor capable of running it obviously). Truthfully, I probably would've bought the PTO one already had the wife not taken a much lower paying job.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Douglassville, Pennsylvania
    (Berks County)
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    Default Re: House generator advise

    Quote Originally Posted by Rural Ruger View Post
    If you can swing for a whole-house one, they are nice. Mom and dad have had a Generac for close to a decade. 20k watt I think, plumbed into their heating/propane fuel tank. The biggest issue is the upfront cost, and other than that, the only other issue they've had is a couple burned out computer panels that they think is from local grid surges (and trying a special surge protector to remedy now). Other than that it's been pretty flawless though. Dad used to work for the electric company and bought it explicitly because of what he saw at work.

    We actually just got a HF Predator 9k from them as a gift too. Too early to share opinions yet, but my BiL has the exact same one for 2-3 years and likes it. Noisey, but among the cheaper options. Battery start is nice. I grew up with a grumpy, green Coleman 5k that was a PITA to start...this thing is easy as can be. For ~$1k that's a decent option. We have geothermal heat and I dont know yet how far that one will go in running that system, but since I added a woodstove the other year, its no longer a necessity to have it power the HVAC.

    If they hadn't bought the HF one for us, my long term plan was to go with either a used whole-house jobber (they turn up on Facebook Marketplace from time to time) or possibly a PTO driven one (and then bought a tractor capable of running it obviously). Truthfully, I probably would've bought the PTO one already had the wife not taken a much lower paying job.
    What do you have on PTO driven options?
    Gender confusion is a mental illness

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Shamokin, Pennsylvania
    (Northumberland County)
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    34
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    Default Re: House generator advise

    Quote Originally Posted by Walleye Hunter View Post
    What do you have on PTO driven options?
    Well the one I would've bought was a 15k for $650 which is a STEAL. That one was "TAKE MY MONEY!" good.

    Most of the PTO ones I've seen come from farms/farmettes though, often on auction. They do make new ones too but I havent kept up with them as much to say what they go for, what is equality, etc. I think they've probably fallen out of favor over the years as the whole-house ones have come about....only really know about them from my grandpa having had one years ago (also as a farmer). Sizes usually go 15kw and up, prices usually about $1500 and up....I generally see about $1000 per 10kw but it varies. Once you get to a certain size, you're pretty much talking either PTO drive or a permanent whole-house unit, and that was the allure for me with the geothermal pumps before I added the woodstove as a backup.

    I would have been looking to buy a Kubota BX series or similar to run it (long term, with other uses on my property), or an older Ford 8n/2n/9n just a short term solution, until I could get a Kubota. And that may still come about after we sort a few things out financially, just not right now.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Douglassville, Pennsylvania
    (Berks County)
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    Default Re: House generator advise

    Quote Originally Posted by Rural Ruger View Post
    Well the one I would've bought was a 15k for $650 which is a STEAL. That one was "TAKE MY MONEY!" good.

    Most of the PTO ones I've seen come from farms/farmettes though, often on auction. They do make new ones too but I havent kept up with them as much to say what they go for, what is equality, etc. I think they've probably fallen out of favor over the years as the whole-house ones have come about....only really know about them from my grandpa having had one years ago (also as a farmer). Sizes usually go 15kw and up, prices usually about $1500 and up....I generally see about $1000 per 10kw but it varies. Once you get to a certain size, you're pretty much talking either PTO drive or a permanent whole-house unit, and that was the allure for me with the geothermal pumps before I added the woodstove as a backup.

    I would have been looking to buy a Kubota BX series or similar to run it (long term, with other uses on my property), or an older Ford 8n/2n/9n just a short term solution, until I could get a Kubota. And that may still come about after we sort a few things out financially, just not right now.
    I don't recall ever seeing one at an auction but I'll start looking for them more intently. I don't know if it was bullshit or not but an electrician once told me that PTO units wouldn't work because the generator needed to spin at a precise speed to put out 60hz.
    Gender confusion is a mental illness

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