Residential Generators

[munch520]

I've been mulling over purchasing a generator for our home for a few years now, and since we are about to complete a new build I figure it may be a good time to go ahead with it. We have a couple diesel/gas ones out at our farm, nothing fancy we just run extension cords to power the water pump, heat, etc. for the horses. They're Hondas IIRC.

We have natural gas in our area so my plan was to have a Generac installed and tied into our natural gas line. So far I've gotten quotes on those and an 8kw (10 circuits or so, no AC or dryer) is roughly $4,500 installed and a 20kw ("whole home") is $8-9,000 installed. Yikes! I know it's pay to play but jeez, that's over half the patio I wanted to put in.

The options I'm aware of:
Portable gas
+cheap
+portable
+versatile
-have to run a bunch of cords
-not automatic
-have to refill

Portable with professionally-installed plug+transfer panel
+reasonable cost
+still portable
+versatile
+don't have to run cords (can select circuits via second panel in basement)
-not automatic
-have to refill

Natural gas Generac or Kohler
+automatic
+higher capacity
+resale
-cost

So my question is what do you guys use? What is your experience on the topic? Thanks!

[Pork Chop]

I'm running an 8000 watt gas portable thru a professionally installed panel. We just switch on the circuits we want to use and watch how many things we run at a time.

It's MUCH better than running extension cords and easy to use with just one large twist lock cord plugged into a covered outlet outside. That being said, if I was building new and doing it over, I'd likely go the generac gas route. Just need to ask yourself what your likely needs are and what your most likely outages come from?

For me, in Nebraska, it's tornadoes/severe thunderstorms and ice taking down power lines in winter. So, natural gas service should always be dependable, because the outages are local. If larger grid failure is an issue in your area, will gas pumping stations keep service online?

IMO, the biggest downside to portables is fuel consumption. We lost power for a week in '06 from an ice storm and my gasoline gen was burning 20 gals/day and I had to drive 40 miles to fill a pickup load of 5gal has cans.

[T2C]

I installed a plug and panel for a portable gas powered generator. If I had to do it over again, I would have installed a permanently mounted generator that runs on LP.

[munch520]

That's the way I'm leaning too. By the time I have a panel installed I'm probably at $1k in labor + parts. Plus a large 5,000w+ portable at $1500-1900. I'm calling around, if I can get a 8kw installed for under $4k I'll be all over it.

In terms of size, I don't think we need a whole home unit. Around here, winter is my main concern, especially with little kids. We'll get ice storms every year and the power can be out for as long as a week. If roads are bad, I can't drive the family to anywhere warm so I want something that can heat the home in that event.

Summertime is easier, there's a pool in our neighborhood, if the power is out we can head there, go see a movie, etc. to get in some AC. And the windows can be open at night. So summer is more of a secondary concern. Having a sump on auto backup would be a nice perk as well.

So my 'must have' list to power would be: furnace, water heater, fridge, second freezer, sump, and some outlets or lights in the bedroom/kitchen.

[Pork Chop]

A 5000 portable will run those necessities. An 8000 will do it easily.

[Ryno12]

I'm toiling with this as well. My power goes out 3-5 times a year for anywhere between 3-8hrs on ave. I like the simplicity of a permanent LP generator but the cost is somewhat bothersome. I do have several contacts at Kohler Co so I may be able to source one a bit cheaper. The install I would do myself. I also like the thought of a large gas powered portable unit just so I could use the generator for other purposes. Either way, a transfer switch will be installed soon.

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[rackham1]

To me, perm. natural gas or LP is much more desirable, but portable gasoline or diesel is ultimately more useful. I WANT the $5-6K generac I almost installed in my new build 2.5 years ago but I'd have a hard time justifying it over savings and flexibility of portable. I'm sure you've run through these already, but just in case I can offer a new look, here are the factors I'd look at:

Specifically what are you planning for? Can the local utility give you outage history? Time of year, duration, frequency, etc. Are utility lines overhead or underground?

Seasonal temps and weather conditions... realistic planning factors.

Will you really NEED power for heat and/or AC? A guy could say "Yes of course... it gets 5 below every winter where I live." But if the longest outage your utility ever suffered was 48 hours (for example)... and since then they've buried all the lines... maybe you can get by with something else for much less (catalytic propane space heaters? single-window AC unit?). Of course, 5 below is different when ice storms knock down overhead lines every year for a week. Or if AC is critical in the summertime for health reasons (lack of AC contributed to an ill relative's death after Katrina). If you don't NEED your generator to make heat or cold, overall cost goes waaaay down.

Who's in the household? Husband and wife can huddle under blankets for a couple days much better than half a dozen little kids, elderly parent, etc.

Do you care about "neighbors"? Think about courtesy (how loud/obnoxious is your generator), practicality (will they be knocking on your door during an outage for help), and security (will your running generator make your home a target during an extended event).

Do you have a well? Keep in mind well pumps are usually 240 (not all portables have 240 output, especially smaller ones).

Gasoline doesn't store well. Think about how you'd do that.

[Caduceus]

Many portable generators that run on gas have tri-fuel conversion kits, allowing you to hook up to your house's natural gas lines (if so equipped). Might look into those as well.

[rackham1]

That's the way I'm leaning too. By the time I have a panel installed I'm probably at $1k in labor + parts. Plus a large 5,000w+ portable at $1500-1900. I'm calling around, if I can get a 8kw installed for under $4k I'll be all over it.

In terms of size, I don't think we need a whole home unit. Around here, winter is my main concern, especially with little kids. We'll get ice storms every year and the power can be out for as long as a week. If roads are bad, I can't drive the family to anywhere warm so I want something that can heat the home in that event.

Summertime is easier, there's a pool in our neighborhood, if the power is out we can head there, go see a movie, etc. to get in some AC. And the windows can be open at night. So summer is more of a secondary concern. Having a sump on auto backup would be a nice perk as well.

So my 'must have' list to power would be: furnace, water heater, fridge, second freezer, sump, and some outlets or lights in the bedroom/kitchen.

I took too long on my previous reply... you already answered several of the factors I threw out. By no means am I trying to convince you out of a permanent unit, but for what you wrote here I personally don't see the driver for one (other than it's cool of course!). Assuming that with "furnace" you just mean the blower (heat is natural gas, right?), then this isn't a lot of load, plus you would want to stagger them anyway (which is what one of the expensive control systems would do, just automatically). Especially in winter, you won't be running both refers at the same time. The only hog is the water heater (assume you mean electric heater) which you may not need/want to run much either. Plus I think you could get a decent 5-8 kW gasoline portable for half of what you estimated above.

Again, not trying to tell you what's right for you... just giving an opinion that it's worth another look. For me, I'd start by looking at the option of a portable gasoline unit with professionally installed switch, then try to show myself why that would NOT work before looking at the permanent unit.

[munch520]

I'm toiling with this as well. My power goes out 3-5 times a year for anywhere between 3-8hrs on ave. I like the simplicity of a permanent LP generator but the cost is somewhat bothersome. I do have several contacts at Kohler Co so I may be able to source one a bit cheaper. The install I would do myself. I also like the thought of a large gas powered portable unit just so I could use the generator for other purposes. Either way, a transfer switch will be installed soon.

Sent via Tapatalk

Would they give you a deal on 2 units? I see you're in the midwest, if you're close to Ohio and want a 'side job' installing one let me know!

I took too long on my previous reply... you already answered several of the factors I threw out. By no means am I trying to convince you out of a permanent unit, but for what you wrote here I personally don't see the driver for one (other than it's cool of course!). Assuming that with "furnace" you just mean the blower (heat is natural gas, right?), then this isn't a lot of load, plus you would want to stagger them anyway (which is what one of the expensive control systems would do, just automatically). Especially in winter, you won't be running both refers at the same time. The only hog is the water heater (assume you mean electric heater) which you may not need/want to run much either. Plus I think you could get a decent 5-8 kW gasoline portable for half of what you estimated above.

Again, not trying to tell you what's right for you... just giving an opinion that it's worth another look. For me, I'd start by looking at the option of a portable gasoline unit with professionally installed switch, then try to show myself why that would NOT work before looking at the permanent unit.

That's true, I definitely agree that short term it's a lesser cost. If I could do it myself or if install wasn't $3k I would be fine with purchasing a $2300 unit but the install really adds some cost. I'll look into getting a panel installed and see where that goes in terms of cost.