Learn Me: Home Backup Generators

After discussing priorities w/SWMBWO I had decided to get a smaller ~4000w system and just get a portable AC, which should cool the lower floor enough for sleeping.  It'll also have leftover capacity for a full sized fridge.  We can get it wired into the house when we aren't on a timeline (potential hurricane this weekend/next week). 

Unfortunately, that was veto'd and we're going with a bigger 6500w system that'll power more than just a portable AC.  I'll be picking up a 6500w generac this afternoon.  $800 before tax is double than I was hoping to spend, but that'll definitely be enough power.  I also read the reviews of the harbor freight generators of the same size (1/2 the price) and 20% of the reviews were really bad. 

I suppose I'll also need to make some sort of cover/shed for it. 

Hoondavan said:

I suppose I'll also need to make some sort of cover/shed for it. 

Some sort of rough canopy wouldn't hurt but you don't want to block off air circuilation, and they're designed to be able to be run out in the weather, so I wouldn't worry too much about that.  Just don't run it in the garage...even with the door open, too many people wake up dead every year from doing that sort of thing..

I have run mine in a hellacious rain storm in the past, which made me really uncomfortable, but it soldiered on none the less.  I did try to shield the output panel tge best I could, as none of my plug ins have covers for them.

I'd like to make a storage box that I can leave the generator in in the back yard...maybe even store the lawnmower as well.  I'm thinking something 6'L x3'W x3' High that I can open up the sides for airflow when it's being used.  Ideally, I can I either flip up or remove some of the sides while the generator is running.  Maybe a lean-to style room w/ventilation.

My dad had a 4000w, I think, that he had wired into the house. Shut off power from the grid, shut off all breakers, plug in the generator, turn it on, flip the breakers for the fridge, lights, and sump pump. 

We used it once during a storm. We continued to use it for 3 days. On the 3rd day, we got a notification that the power was out from the power company - a service dad pays $3 a month for. Huh. Would have been nice to know on day 1. 

Because of that, and they're often gone for weeks at a time, they put in a whole house automatic one. One failure of the sump pump could mean replacing the boiler/water heater, whole-house dehumidifier, water softener... Just not worth it. 

I've never had an outage here last longer than 2 hours, but I'm thinking I need one because this area has had horrible flooding and long power outages in the recent past. 

In reply to mtn (Forum Supporter) :

You can submit a power outage to FPL via their website (or smart phone). Within minutes it'll usually tell you the reason for the outage, the number of households impacted and the expected repair time.  It doesn't always work that well, at least it gives you a ballpark without having to call anybody.

Yesterday, as I'm driving home w/the generator SWMBWO calls me to say we lost power (thunderstorm).  The website indicated it'd be restored in an hour and it was.

Hoondavan said:

In reply to mtn (Forum Supporter) :

You can submit a power outage to FPL via their website (or smart phone). Within minutes it'll usually tell you the reason for the outage, the number of households impacted and the expected repair time.  It doesn't always work that well, at least it gives you a ballpark without having to call anybody.

Yesterday, as I'm driving home w/the generator SWMBWO calls me to say we lost power (thunderstorm).  The website indicated it'd be restored in an hour and it was.

My parents SHOULD have that. It doesn't work right. They're basically never more than 5 hours away from the house, even when they're gone for weeks at a time. If there is a significant outage, they can drop everything to get up there to plug in the generator and wait it out... But they have to know. 

Now with the whole house generator, it doesn't matter.

2 things. Put it in a box or the mice will kill it. And you don't want a gas genset you want diesel. The gas gensets need to be filled way too frequently and the diesel ones, don't...

Hoondavan said:

I'd like to make a storage box that I can leave the generator in in the back yard...maybe even store the lawnmower as well.  I'm thinking something 6'L x3'W x3' High that I can open up the sides for airflow when it's being used.  Ideally, I can I either flip up or remove some of the sides while the generator is running.  Maybe a lean-to style room w/ventilation.

 

There are many youtube videos on how to do this without burning down the storage shed.

Jay_W said:

2 things. Put it in a box or the mice will kill it. And you don't want a gas genset you want diesel. The gas gensets need to be filled way too frequently and the diesel ones, don't...

The mice factor actually kept me up last night.  If it's in my garage, it's safe (no mice only the occasional lizard).  If I build a storage box I'll want to be able to open up the sides..which may allow an opening small enough for a critter that might lunch on the hoses/wires.  

Contact your electric utility before wiring a generator into the house.  

We've made do with a 7500W gas generator that runs the whole house minus the A/C. Since our vacation trip has been canceled this year we've decided to get a whole house generator. Dealing with getting gasoline, storing it through the hurricane season, draining the generator for storage, turning on and off the generator, etc. is getting old. It will be a relief for the new natural gas generator to just pop on when needed. It's dear to the pocket book, but peace of mind and future resale value in the house. Just FYI, the company that is doing our install is doing 4 installation a day, 7 days a week. They are 10-12 weeks out for our installation. Wild.

I picked up another pair of five gallon cans this morning, and refilled some others with ethanol free last night. 

I fill all the cans with fresh ethanol free at the start of every hurricane season. The following spring, if there hasn't been a power outage, I'll burn that gas in my truck.

I got behind on the "burn that gas in my truck" part due to much less driving this spring, so I still have two cans left from last year.

I forgot to add Stabil to the cans I filled last night, so I won't be holding them over to next year.

I wonder how long the non-stabilized ethanol free gas is going to be good.

In reply to Hoondavan :

Our diesel Sparky got killed by mice. The Lowe's we-need-it-now replacement is in a box I made outta osb prefinished or ay least preprimed siding, with vents lined with that metal mesh ground cloth. Hinged top and rermovable front and side section that latches in place to keep the berkeleying mice out, i even ran the ground wire to the rebar that comes up through the cinder block holding up that corner, along with a big washer epoxied to the underside of the floor. Did a similar treatment for the power cord. At the risk of setting myself up for a Cartoon Scenario, Let's see em get in to eat *this* genset...

It's about that time again to get generator shopping for folks up north so I pulled up this thread. ConsumerReports highly rates this affordable 4,000W gasoline inverter ($550) https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-4000-Watt-Gasoline-Powered-Digital-Inverter-Generator-RYi4022X/308737029?irgwc=1&cm_mmc=afl-ir-1435824-459920-&clickid=yXt1i10ANxyLTt8wUx0Mo3bwUkE01s2rk2eDwU0 which, according to the estimator linked earlier should be plenty, so I'm going to talk to SWMBO and see what she thinks. We do have family close and I hate just owning extra crap I have to store and upkeep.

Now onto my question of fuel. It says it runs at half a gallon per hour or .26 GPH on 50% load, and I figure stocking up for five days will be prudent since my folks were once out for 8, which comes up to 40 gallons-- well, I live in the city -- where am I going to store 40 gallons?? My shed is a tin can too far from my house to hear things disappear.

What do you guys do?

In reply to P3PPY :

What is your fuel source for heat? I  have mine set up for tri-fuel.  I can disconnect the bbq from NG and connect the generator.

In reply to matthewmcl (Forum Supporter) :

NG

I've heard propane is quieter and some dual-fuel systems offer a better warranty if you only use propane.  They may have slightly less kw output though...all thirdhand info though.  My generator is gas-only. 

My generator is still sitting in a box in the garage right next to the portable AC unit I purchased.  I figure that's a good way to make sure it's stored safely.  I decided that If I really need to use it I can just wheel it out and fashion a lean-too out of a tarp to keep the rain off of it.  I won't be fussing with it during an actual storm until/unless we have the wiring for direct hookup completed.  It'll be a pain if I need it unexpectedly, because there is some work to get it setup.  There may also be a break-in period (?).  We've still had plenty of bad storms in mid-late October.  Hurricane Matthew, for example did massive damage in NE FL in early October...so there's still plenty of hurricane season left to go.

P3PPY said:

It's about that time again to get generator shopping for folks up north so I pulled up this thread. ConsumerReports highly rates this affordable 4,000W gasoline inverter ($550) https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-4000-Watt-Gasoline-Powered-Digital-Inverter-Generator-RYi4022X/308737029?irgwc=1&cm_mmc=afl-ir-1435824-459920-&clickid=yXt1i10ANxyLTt8wUx0Mo3bwUkE01s2rk2eDwU0 which, according to the estimator linked earlier should be plenty, so I'm going to talk to SWMBO and see what she thinks. We do have family close and I hate just owning extra crap I have to store and upkeep.

Now onto my question of fuel. It says it runs at half a gallon per hour or .26 GPH on 50% load, and I figure stocking up for five days will be prudent since my folks were once out for 8, which comes up to 40 gallons-- well, I live in the city -- where am I going to store 40 gallons?? My shed is a tin can too far from my house to hear things disappear.

What do you guys do?

Before the last storm I made my 5 gallon jerry can was full and all 4 cars had full gas tanks.  All but one of my cars are old enough that using a siphon should work.  That's a little more difficult to do if you're thinking about a winter storm season...but I suppose you usually have some warning about major ice/snow storms.  

Canoes use generarators?

I sold large generators for a living and before I started specializing in hospitals and data centers I sold a lot of larger home standby systems. Mostly 35kW to 150kW. Fully automatic, mostly natural gas with propane back up and virtually all outdoor installation in pretty sophisticated sound attenuated enclosures.

Some of the more expensive residential systems I sold were:

3-150kW units with paralleling switch gear. The entire system was installed in an underground vault under the driveway with 50' long 5' diameter concrete pipes buried in opposite directions for air intake and discharge. This system was dead silent. 

A 500kW to a guy who was so into hockey that when he built his tennis court he made a curb around it so he could flood it and freeze it. He couldn't get enough power from the local utility to power the icing equipment, hence the generator. The generator building also housed his Zamboni. Members of the San Jose Sharks would party there.

The largest residential generator set I sold was a 1250kW diesel for a house outside of Vegas. It was almost 30,000 sq ft and had 7 swimming pools. At full load it burned about 60 gallons per hour so we installed a 4000 gallon, fire rated fuel tank. The sound enclosure delivered to the site on two separate trucks.

Lots of high tech bazzillionaires around here with too much money.

Full disclosure - I don't own a generator set myself. I know what proper maintenance costs every year and have had maybe 3-4 power failures in the 39 years we've been in this house. Just never seemed necessary.