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School me on generators

Going to reach out to Kohler to get a quote. We have Natural gas so that seems like the way to go.
The dual fuel thing is a good idea.

I will share the pain when I get a quote.
 
My next door neighbor has the generac built into their home. Works like a charm except for when the battery died and it didn't start. But 99% of the time, the only house with lights on and AC in the neighborhood when sizzling summer Time nights regularly blows up the transformers... Several times a summer. Unless you've got the fancy solar charged giant batteries, forget everything else and get the proven generac.
 
How frequently do you loose power? What is the average duration of the outage? What are you loosing when power goes out? (freezers full of food etc). Or is it more of a convenience / nuisance issue? Does you're livelihood depend on being "plugged in" so to speak? Like you need power to be on the web? All things to think about when considering backup power.
If your going days at a time without power then a stand alone permanent system with an automatic or manual transfer switch might be worth the investment. If it's only a day or two here and there and only for a couple of hours here and there then a portable manual plug in might be your answer. Do you want to spend thousands or tens of thousands (purchase price, taxes, installation costs, fuel storage, possible electrical panel upgrade to accommodate new equipment, Permits, EPA reports, CARB reports, TIER reports etc.) to get a quiet, water cooled, 1800RPM Cadillac? Or, hundreds to get a 3600RPM portable screamer outside your bedroom window to fire up while the neighborhood is dead silent because the power is out? I agonized for sometime on what standby system was right for my situation and my opinion is what is your situation and what is your priority.
It falls under our entire way of life in our motorcycle community. "You wanna play? It"s gunna cost you" PM me if you have any questions (y)
 
Thanks Sparky...!

I have just moved... and have not lost power. The new home is in a flood zone and has a basement so losing power means the pump is not working and that could be a castrophy. THAT is the only reason. Food, basic power etc I can deal with.

I am looking at a fixed unit that runs on NG and gas as a back up. I have an oversized gas meter and the service is brand new so hopefully reliable. Still working around other home stuff but I have passed the peoples info to the Mrs to contact and get a price. It will go in the basement light well closest to the meter.

How invasive the install is will be a factor for sure.
 
budman said:
It will go in the basement light well closest to the meter.
Click to expand...
sorry about that qoute but couldn't figure out how to get rid of it....


Not sure you are going to find a standby that runs on NG and Gas usually for standbys it would be one or the other only portables can do both from what I have seen.


Personally I went with the 3600RPM screamer as I want all those mother Fuckers without power to hear that I am living in the lap of AC luxury while they are stuck back in the stone age in the swampistan muggy heat. :devilish:
 
I would still recommend a battery system to go along with your generator....

This way you can sleep an night in peace and quiet and recharge in the morning if needed. But who am I kidding most of us lost our hearing long ago.... :ROFLMAO:
 
Sharxfan said:
sorry about that qoute but couldn't figure out how to get rid of it....


Not sure you are going to find a standby that runs on NG and Gas usually for standbys it would be one or the other only portables can do both from what I have seen.


Personally I went with the 3600RPM screamer as I want all those mother Fuckers without power to hear that I am living in the lap of AC luxury while they are stuck back in the stone age in the swampistan muggy heat. :devilish:
Click to expand...
So I'm NOT being a bastard when the power goes out in my neighborhood and there isn't a single light anywhere except my house.... Where I purposefully go around and turn on every single possible light there is :devilish::devilish:
 
My class B vans has a Onan 2800i and 540Ah's of Battleborn Lithium. Enough to run the fridge, freezer, TV & electronics. Stove and heater are gas do have to run a few cords in a black out. No way I can run the AC in the house. If it is real hot wife and I will move in the the Van to sleep. Have used a few times each winter and once in a summer brown out.
 
Local6Sparky said:
.......................it is better for the generator to have a load on it. No joke:devilish:
Click to expand...
My Onan manual says to run the generator on a load for an hour each month. In the summer I run the van's AC; in the winner I run the Truma heater on electric.
 
Thanks to being in a rural part of the US I get a load test reminder for free every month or so. If I am really lucky we get 7 day tests after a particularly frisky weather event.
 
Changing the oil on my small propane generator for my tire warmers. Found this helpful and informative.

 
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