hoops902
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Post by hoops902 on Dec 10, 2019 23:18:59 GMT -5
Damn you all 🙂. After reading through this thread, I started researching whole house generators and I can have a 20 kW unit installed for @ $6k, now I’ve got something else to add to my 2020 “to do” list Unless you live in a power outage ridden area, a $1,200 - $1,500 portable generator should do (including installation). $6K for a portable one does sound like a good price though. Does that include installation? I doubt it. What I don't like about the whole house generators is the maintenance involved. It's a combustion engine, and as such, needs regular maintenance. With a $500 - $600 portable generator, it's not all quite as critical, your potential loss is very limited (as in - worst case, buy a new one).
Agreed. For the longest time I had it in my head that we'd get a whole-home generator. Then the more I thought about it, I realized I was going to pay all that money, have it sit there unused for years most likely...then when I needed it, it probably wouldn't be running because I didn't maintain it. A smaller portable one that I can carry around the property and plug things into regularly (which means it runs regularly, the gas doesn't get old, I have a better idea if it's running rough, etc). We don't lose power often, but when we do it's sometimes for days. For 5-6k that'll cover a lot of hotel stays for many years (or just roughing it with a generator).
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tractor
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Post by tractor on Dec 11, 2019 18:33:11 GMT -5
The price I quoted includes installation. I have the benefit of having a natural gas line connection stubbed in right next to my electrical service panel, along with a nice flat spot right outside the foundation (also next to the panel).
Using a portable generator is practically useless at my house (I have 3), my heat is geo-thermal which requires my well pump to run so I need the extra kWs to heat my house, a portable won’t do it. A properly installed generator should self-start every three months to keep itself in good running order, and using natural gas is a much cleaner fuel so the oil, etc doesn’t get a dirty as say a typical car engine. If needed I can easily maintain it myself.
I should also add that since I live out in the country, I don’t have zoning or neighbors to worry about, just me and the trees (which is another motivation for getting one plugged in). We were just out for 38 hours last week and it sucked.
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laterbloomer
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Post by laterbloomer on Dec 11, 2019 23:58:26 GMT -5
So, the part he needs to do my hook up is on back order for like 32 weeks. I'm going to take that as a sign from God that I shouldn't spend the money right now. I need to figure out how I would run extension chords for the refrigerator, a couple of lights, the slow cooker, the coffee maker and the tv upstairs and the furnace, a couple of lights and maybe a tv downstairs. My problem is getting the extension chord from outside to inside without leaving a door or window open to freeze up the house. Well that's one problem. Then its running long enough extension chords to cover both upstairs and downstairs.
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schildi
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Post by schildi on Dec 12, 2019 1:15:38 GMT -5
So, the part he needs to do my hook up is on back order for like 32 weeks. I'm going to take that as a sign from God that I shouldn't spend the money right now. I need to figure out how I would run extension chords for the refrigerator, a couple of lights, the slow cooker, the coffee maker and the tv upstairs and the furnace, a couple of lights and maybe a tv downstairs. My problem is getting the extension chord from outside to inside without leaving a door or window open to freeze up the house. Well that's one problem. Then its running long enough extension chords to cover both upstairs and downstairs. I don't think you can run extension cords to all of the loads you have mentioned. Is it a gas furnace and electricity is only needed for the controls and the blower?
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schildi
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Post by schildi on Dec 12, 2019 1:17:39 GMT -5
The price I quoted includes installation. I have the benefit of having a natural gas line connection stubbed in right next to my electrical service panel, along with a nice flat spot right outside the foundation (also next to the panel). Using a portable generator is practically useless at my house (I have 3), my heat is geo-thermal which requires my well pump to run so I need the extra kWs to heat my house, a portable won’t do it. A properly installed generator should self-start every three months to keep itself in good running order, and using natural gas is a much cleaner fuel so the oil, etc doesn’t get a dirty as say a typical car engine. If needed I can easily maintain it myself. I should also add that since I live out in the country, I don’t have zoning or neighbors to worry about, just me and the trees (which is another motivation for getting one plugged in). We were just out for 38 hours last week and it sucked. Sounds like it may be the best solution in your case. $6K for a 20kW unit installed sure is a great deal, and a natural gas line helps!
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laterbloomer
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Post by laterbloomer on Dec 12, 2019 8:41:57 GMT -5
So, the part he needs to do my hook up is on back order for like 32 weeks. I'm going to take that as a sign from God that I shouldn't spend the money right now. I need to figure out how I would run extension chords for the refrigerator, a couple of lights, the slow cooker, the coffee maker and the tv upstairs and the furnace, a couple of lights and maybe a tv downstairs. My problem is getting the extension chord from outside to inside without leaving a door or window open to freeze up the house. Well that's one problem. Then its running long enough extension chords to cover both upstairs and downstairs. I don't think you can run extension cords to all of the loads you have mentioned. Is it a gas furnace and electricity is only needed for the controls and the blower? It's a gas furnace.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Dec 12, 2019 12:14:01 GMT -5
TD plugs the generator into an outlet, and it provides the power inside the house. We should have a transfer box but have difficulty getting an electrician in for this. He shuts down the main circuit before he plugs in the generator. This isn’t optimal, but it works for the time being until we get the transfer box installed.
This requires that we be cognizant of what we want to power. No extension cords required.
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hoops902
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Joined: Dec 22, 2010 13:21:29 GMT -5
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Post by hoops902 on Dec 12, 2019 12:18:39 GMT -5
TD plugs the generator into an outlet, and it provides the power inside the house. We should have a transfer box but have difficulty getting an electrician in for this. He shuts down the main circuit before he plugs in the generator. This isn’t optimal, but it works for the time being until we get the transfer box installed. This requires that we be cognizant of what we want to power. No extension cords required. It's also illegal (every place I've ever heard of at least, there may be pockets where it isn't) and potentially deadly (because people forget to turn off the main first and backfeed the grid) to do it this way. That doesn't mean doing it this way is uncommon though. It also means that your house is no longer protected by the circuit breakers/fuses.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Dec 12, 2019 13:04:24 GMT -5
TD plugs the generator into an outlet, and it provides the power inside the house. We should have a transfer box but have difficulty getting an electrician in for this. He shuts down the main circuit before he plugs in the generator. This isn’t optimal, but it works for the time being until we get the transfer box installed. This requires that we be cognizant of what we want to power. No extension cords required. It's also illegal (every place I've ever heard of at least, there may be pockets where it isn't) and potentially deadly (because people forget to turn off the main first and backfeed the grid) to do it this way. That doesn't mean doing it this way is uncommon though. It also means that your house is no longer protected by the circuit breakers/fuses. And? So is speeding. As I said, it is not recommended but it is miserably hard to get an electrician out for such a small job. We have been waiting over a year.
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hoops902
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Post by hoops902 on Dec 12, 2019 13:32:21 GMT -5
It's also illegal (every place I've ever heard of at least, there may be pockets where it isn't) and potentially deadly (because people forget to turn off the main first and backfeed the grid) to do it this way. That doesn't mean doing it this way is uncommon though. It also means that your house is no longer protected by the circuit breakers/fuses. And? So is speeding. As I said, it is not recommended but it is miserably hard to get an electrician out for such a small job. We have been waiting over a year. Interesting response to "you're doing something illegal that could easily kill an unsuspecting person"..."And?". Killing innocent people..."not recommended".
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Dec 12, 2019 15:45:58 GMT -5
And? So is speeding. As I said, it is not recommended but it is miserably hard to get an electrician out for such a small job. We have been waiting over a year. Interesting response to "you're doing something illegal that could easily kill an unsuspecting person"..."And?". Killing innocent people..."not recommended". So could speeding, yet people still speed. In a perfect world, everyone does everything perfectly. Unfortunately, the world is not perfect. Compromises sometimes suck, so you have to work with what you have. My world is not black and white, but varying shades of grey.
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hoops902
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Post by hoops902 on Dec 12, 2019 16:34:09 GMT -5
Interesting response to "you're doing something illegal that could easily kill an unsuspecting person"..."And?". Killing innocent people..."not recommended". So could speeding, yet people still speed. In a perfect world, everyone does everything perfectly. Unfortunately, the world is not perfect. Compromises sometimes suck, so you have to work with what you have. My world is not black and white, but varying shades of grey. They do still speed, but if someone is driving fast enough that they are actually driving DANGEROUSLY, and someone points out that their dangerous driving is not only illegal but also potentially deadly to others...I would HOPE their response would not be a cavalier "and?". I'm willing to bet that if doing it this way meant a substantial risk to YOUR life, you wouldn't be doing it. At least with the person speeding, they're also risking their OWN life, as dumb as it may be. In THIS case you're simply putting someone ELSE'S life at risk, not your own.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Dec 12, 2019 17:26:58 GMT -5
So could speeding, yet people still speed. In a perfect world, everyone does everything perfectly. Unfortunately, the world is not perfect. Compromises sometimes suck, so you have to work with what you have. My world is not black and white, but varying shades of grey. They do still speed, but if someone is driving fast enough that they are actually driving DANGEROUSLY, and someone points out that their dangerous driving is not only illegal but also potentially deadly to others...I would HOPE their response would not be a cavalier "and?". I'm willing to bet that if doing it this way meant a substantial risk to YOUR life, you wouldn't be doing it. At least with the person speeding, they're also risking their OWN life, as dumb as it may be. In THIS case you're simply putting someone ELSE'S life at risk, not your own. Exactly whose life is at risk? The power is shut off at the breaker box. No power is coming into the house, so no one gets harmed.
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hoops902
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Post by hoops902 on Dec 13, 2019 8:31:03 GMT -5
They do still speed, but if someone is driving fast enough that they are actually driving DANGEROUSLY, and someone points out that their dangerous driving is not only illegal but also potentially deadly to others...I would HOPE their response would not be a cavalier "and?". I'm willing to bet that if doing it this way meant a substantial risk to YOUR life, you wouldn't be doing it. At least with the person speeding, they're also risking their OWN life, as dumb as it may be. In THIS case you're simply putting someone ELSE'S life at risk, not your own. Exactly whose life is at risk? The power is shut off at the breaker box. No power is coming into the house, so no one gets harmed. Anyone touching the lines if someone ever forgets to shut the power off first. Just like someone driving dangerously who says "I'm a really great driver so I'd never be in an accident".
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2019 11:51:56 GMT -5
I can't speak for other locales, but our local electric provider and the City have a very strong policy requiring transfer switches. Should the power company find you have a standby generator without a transfer switch or with a transfer switch installed without a permit, they will totally sever you from the electric supply until such time as you are in compliance. The City will levy significant fines too for unauthorized work. Should a homeowner be responsible for injury or death to a power company employee, I think they would be fully liable as well, and likely would have their HO policy cancelled.
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beccazan
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Post by beccazan on Dec 20, 2019 12:07:17 GMT -5
I purchased a standby generator a few years ago after a power outage and lots of spoiled fridge/freezer stuff. It doesn't power the whole house just the essentials (fridge, 2nd freezer, furnace, water pump, a few outlets). Best decision I made as a new homeowner! It is powered by my propane tanks and kicks on automatically so no need to get up to a freezing house and start generator if power goes out in the night. I get it serviced once a year and haven't had any problems.
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