Quiet backup generator?

[Liam Black]

The big problem really. I found a way out of this situation, I ordered and installed the model Generac 7043. The store where I bought has already gone bankrupt for a long time, but for you I asked friends and looked for it myself, you can look at these options, maybe they will be more economical than the one you have now.
https://www.generatormag.com/best-dual-fuel-generator-reviews/
https://generatoron.org/best-whole-house-generator/
https://www.popularmechanics.com/hom...me-generators/

[Larry Frank]

I just had a 22 kw Generac installed with transfer switch and runs on natural gas. It even has a Wi-Fi connection to monitor it. My cost was just over $6000. It sits outside my bedroom and you can just hear a low rumble.

It can for about 9 hours after a bad storm and handled everything including AC, well and everything in the house

[Jim Becker]

I just had a 22 kw Generac installed with transfer switch and runs on natural gas. It even has a Wi-Fi connection to monitor it. My cost was just over $6000. It sits outside my bedroom and you can just hear a low rumble.

It can for about 9 hours after a bad storm and handled everything including AC, well and everything in the house

You got a heck of a deal on that, Larry! We're moving into our fourth year with ours and have been totally satisfied. We're at about 96 hours of run time; about 60 of which are during outages, running two HVAC systems and the rest of our home needs no different than mains power. All our network gear is on small UPSs, so we don't even lose that during the 15 second or so switchover to generator power when there is an outage. Only my shop is not covered by the system.

[Frank Pratt]

I've considered getting a backup generator, but in the 27 years we've lived in this house there's probably been no more that 1 or 2 outages that lasted more than an hour. I think the longest was about 3 hours.

[Wade Lippman]

And to meet code, you must either use a whole-house transfer switch for the "whole schmegeggie" or use a transfer switch and panel designed to isolate specific circuits.

You are calling your house's wiring nonsense? I don't follow you.

[Art Mann]

I just built a new house and I had it wired with a backup generator in mind. It will not run the whole house but it will run most things other than the AC and it cost 10% of the $9000 somebody mentioned. I have 400A service divided into two 200A boxes. I dedicated one box to all the loads I wanted to run with a generator. This box has a manual switch that simultaneously disconnects the power company feed from the other box and enables a secondary feed powered by a portable generator. This generator is rolled into position and plugged in only when needed. This solution was endorsed by the utility company and it passed city inspection without even an idle comment. I live in one of the worst areas for tornadoes in the entire country and even so, I seldom have to use the system. It just isn't worth an extra $8,300 just to have the generator start and switch by itself. I don't miss AC because tornado season is seldom hot enough to need AC. I think I am getting 80% of the functionality of a whole house system with less than 10% of the cost.

This solution was possible because I had the opportunity to research the subject and put in the necessary hardware while the house was being wired. A retrofit of the same configuration would be a lot more expensive.

[Jim Koepke]

I've considered getting a backup generator, but in the 27 years we've lived in this house there's probably been no more that 1 or 2 outages that lasted more than an hour. I think the longest was about 3 hours.

That sounds about like our situation. If the power goes out early, we head for the movies. Usually by the time we have had dinner and the movie lets out the power is back on.

Back when we had cell phones we would call home. If the power was back on our answering machine would answer.

jtk

[Jim Becker]

You are calling your house's wiring nonsense? I don't follow you.

I'm using the euphemism to mean "the whole thing/whole house/all circuits". The transfer switch can either switch the mains before the main panel (how mine is) or can switch selected circuits that are pulled out of the main panel into the transfer panel to only power certain things while on generator power. The latter can help with using a smaller generator. The true-whole house setup theoretically means "business as usual" while on generator power...within reason of course.

One of the reasons I went "whole house" is that without power, we have no water and no septic. It was just simpler to do it that way and is quite common in this area.

[Mike Cutler]

We're moving into our fourth year with ours and have been totally satisfied. Only my shop is not covered by the system.

Are you sure that you're totally satisfied??? You gotta at least have some lights in the shop, right.
That is a nice setup you have there Jim. Very clean install.

So far, knock on wood, I have yet to use my Generator to power the house. All the run time has been monthly starts and 1/2 hour load tests.

[Jim Becker]

Mike, while it's certainly disappointing to not have power in the shop during an outage, since I do most of my design/toolpath work for the CNC in my office in the house, it's no big deal. Our local power company (PECO/Exelon) is actually working on some more automated re-routing provisions in our area that should help reduce outages when some tree or errant driver takes out the power. They have installed a lot of new infrastructure to support that in the last six months and hopefully, we'll see a difference going forward. Thankfully, the natural gas has been 100% reliable which means both the generator and heat/cooking are always there.

[Wade Lippman]

I'm using the euphemism to mean "the whole thing/whole house/all circuits".

Okay, but the term you used means you think it is all nonsense.
I don't doubt your method is fine.

[Jeff Body]

After Irma I bought a big portable generac generator (8000/10000w) with electric start. I installed an interlock kit and a 30A outlet outside the house to plug into. I can control what gets power in the house through the breaker panel. Frig stays cold, lights stay on, I have hot water, and I have a window AC unit to keep the bedroom cold for us to sleep. Basically the whole house except the central AC. Total cost was $1500. The way I figured it, only keeping 1 room cold instead of the whole house is worth $14,000 savings. It’s only going to be for a few days. Around here a generator runs about $8,000-10,000. Then you have the propane tank and I was quoted $6000 including filling it. Dealing with gas isn’t too bad. I fill up with 30 gallons of gas in August and if I don’t use it by the end of November I pour the gas in the cars and use it. So it cost me nothing per year if I don’t have to use it.

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[Frank Pratt]

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Jeff, I'm glad to see that you have an interlock on those breakers, but I can't understand why, in some jurisdictions, that is legal. If the panel cover is off, the interlock is defeated. It's entire conceivable that the generator & main breaker could be switched on in such a case. Linesmen have died because of a generator accidentally backfeeding the power grid. A proper transfer switch, manual or automatic is a far safer way to go.

A few years ago in Calgary, an underground utility vault blew up, leaving several downtown blocks with out power for a couple of weeks. The existing backup generator in a high rise is not big enough to make the building fully operational, so there were lots of temporary generators brought in. The city had crews of inspectors visiting every building to ensure that generators were properly being. This is something that is taken extremely seriously.

I'm not dumping on you, it's the less than competent folks that make the rules that are at fault here and it is going to cost lives.

[Mike Cutler]

Mike, while it's certainly disappointing to not have power in the shop during an outage, since I do most of my design/toolpath work for the CNC in my office in the house, it's no big deal. Our local power company (PECO/Exelon) is actually working on some more automated re-routing provisions in our area that should help reduce outages when some tree or errant driver takes out the power. They have installed a lot of new infrastructure to support that in the last six months and hopefully, we'll see a difference going forward. Thankfully, the natural gas has been 100% reliable which means both the generator and heat/cooking are always there.

Jim
I don't think having power in the shop would be my priority in a power outage either. Lights though,,,,
The last time we lost power, it was for four days. Prior to that we had lost it for one eight day period, and a previous nine day period. In the 27 years we've been in our house, that's the total amount of days we've been without power. It's a pain when it happens, but you deal with it and keep yourself prepared. We've never lost it in the middle of winter, thank goodness, but I'm ready for that. It's a winter ice storm, or bad Nor'easter, I worry about and plan for.
I was reading about the rolling power outages in California they're having to implement. Man, that has to be tough for those folks.

[Jim Becker]

Okay, but the term you used means you think it is all nonsense.
I don't doubt your method is fine.

Yes, strictly speaking, the Yiddish translation is nonsense, but "nonsense" can sometimes mean "everything" in context...no matter. We're on the same page.