Residential Generators

[Pi3]

the October 14 consumer reports had a good article on back up generators.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/g...G_sRoCFqnw_wcB

[HardToHandle]

C

In my professional opinion those living in states where the weather drop below freezing are best served by a heating system and generator using natural gas/propane.
Your generator requirements will be much smaller than If you require electric heat and it is the most reliable of all the utilities

Yes, but...
I work in the natural gas pipeline business and I have an electric generator powered by gasoline. Gas is great, until it isn't.

Two main reasons
1) gasoline is much more transportable, both by me as an individual and for entire communities. Not withstanding the utter deserved lack of supply to the NE states in recent hurricanes, gasoline is readily available to be moved by a supply and demand market and flexible last mile infrastructure. Natural gas is much less able to be routed differently, especially to individual communities. recently keeping towns of 2000 people supplied when the single gas feed was cut in winter takes dozens of pressurized bottle trucks.
2) redundancy- I know the gas delivery infrastructure, which is fairly resilient. When it is broken, it is much longer item to fix in most cases than electricity. Since my furnace and fireplace are gas, I want a redundant solution with gasoline.

Your experience may differ.

[HKGuns]

C

Yes, but...
I work in the natural gas pipeline business and I have an electric generator powered by gasoline. Gas is great, until it isn't.

Two main reasons
1) gasoline is much more transportable, both by me as an individual and for entire communities. Not withstanding the utter deserved lack of supply to the NE states in recent hurricanes, gasoline is readily available to be moved by a supply and demand market and flexible last mile infrastructure. Natural gas is much less able to be routed differently, especially to individual communities. recently keeping towns of 2000 people supplied when the single gas feed was cut in winter takes dozens of pressurized bottle trucks.
2) redundancy- I know the gas delivery infrastructure, which is fairly resilient. When it is broken, it is much longer item to fix in most cases than electricity. Since my furnace and fireplace are gas, I want a redundant solution with gasoline.

Your experience may differ.

Don't forget that most NG installations can run on propane as well. Which will be easily transported in tanks, just as gasoline will be in containers. Also, if you've ever lived through a hurricane, as I have, you will know that gasoline pumps take electricity to operate. When gasoline was unavailable, natural gas was running just fine.

Food for thought.