questions about standby generator sets

[jim rosenthal]

You all probably know that we are having one of our usual power outages in the mid-Atlantic states. This one was caused by a type of storm system I'd not heard of before, called a "derecho" (sounds like something you might order in a Tex Mex restaurant), so I used my standby genset to power the house and keep things cold until the power came back on, which was about 48 hours. Because we have overhead power lines and this is a very wooded area, we get three to six sustained outages a year and I have gotten a lot of use from the generator set. It is a portable Generac, single cylinder, and will sustain about 5700 watts with a peak of about 8000. It is pull start and I plug it into the house through a 240vac cord, and then I flip the loads over using a transfer panel in the basement which I had hard wired in a few years ago.

I've been thinking about a bigger fixed standby set which would run more things. In our area, we do not have piped in natural gas, so my alternatives would be a bigger set running on gasoline, a diesel set, or a propane set which would require installing a gas bottle below ground etc. My house is heated by oil, which is getting more and more expensive to do. The ideal thing would be if we had natural gas available, because then I could get a new (NG) furnace AND get a genset installed at the same time, but I don't think we'll get NG any time in the future. I suppose if I kept oil heat, I could run a diesel set off home heating oil as well, if I wanted to bother to connect it up.

So I'm curious if anyone has any ideas on this. Given the quality of the utility service we get from BGE, the power will continue to go off several times a year for days at a time, so I'd like to have better backup than I do have now; clearly I will continue to need it. Suggestions gratefully read and acknowledged.

[Man Hatt'n']

Do I dare respond to your query without first posting a curriculam vitae? Oh well, here goes anyway. I think I'd go with the LP. Would code require you to bury the tank? If you could go with an above ground pig, when NG does come to your neighborhood, you would just have to change the orifices. At least, I think. Maybe. Btw, I like your title, Super Moderator. Fits you well. And a surperb boat painter to boot, I'd say! A true Renaissance man! Keep up the good work, you help make this great forum a, well, great forum!! Best Regards, Howard in beautiful I-think-I've-died-and-gone-to-heaven-west-Michigan

[OBXTucker]

I just picked up a 15kw portable gas yesterday. We've had similar outages here in central Virginia and I'm done with the inconveniences. I went with a "portable" (if you can call it that), so I can use it at work too if necessary to keep a few servers/phones systems running. I'm going to mount it on one of those small Northern Tool trailers so I will no longer have to move it by hand.

Not sure how much you need to run Jim, but we needed to upgrade substantially (25kw) to run the entire house. Since we have propane stove, oven and one fireplace, the only things we really needed were fridge, water pump (well water) and a few household electronics (lights, tv's, etc.). The expense really didn't make sense (bigger generator, pad and larger buried LP tank). Plus, knowing my luck, I'd spent $10k on this big boy and the power won't go out for another 5 years (kind of like buying the 4x4 because of the "snow/ice").

Bottom line, we're going to stick with the portable and transfer power over when necessary.

[SKYCHENEY]

I run my whole house with a 20kw Generac gas unit. It's hooked up to my propane tank. Expensive to run, but works great when needed. We were out a few years ago for almost a week when a tornado came through. Glad I had it.

[jim rosenthal]

I'm going to start looking. Does anyone know if the increasing availability of natural gas will have any effect at all on propane prices? I have no idea. I know that some generators will run on either, but they are not the same, and I don't know how their pricing is related, if it is at all.

One of the nice things about gasoline sets is that they can sit around and then be used when you need them. I think diesel sets have to be exercised every few weeks etc.

What I really need is someone to just happen to have a surplus Northern Lights industrial set, about 15-18kW, on a skid, with an enclosure, need to get rid of it, about three blocks from here. Highly likely, I'm sure. ...

[OBXTucker]

Keep an eye on Craigslist daily and be prepared to quickly pull the trigger. I found mine this last Friday, went by that afternoon and tested it. Paid the guy and picked it up yesterday. You'll find a LOT of people whom buy them for one storm only to get back home and the power is back on. Most are the 5500W jobs from Lowes or HD. But the bigger ones show up regularly too. Almost all have hour meters, so it's easy to determine how many hours it's been run.

My opinion, stick with gas. Multiple uses this way.

[the kuz]

I have an old 18KW Generac with manual transfer switch. Propane above ground tank in St Mary's Count MD. Works great, runs most everything including A/C if we don't use electric oven, clothes dryer. Costs about $70.00 aday to run, but beats moving to hotel (if you can get in). My parts list shows replacements for both LP and natural gas variants of same generator.

[34Hatt]

One of the nice things about gasoline sets is that they can sit around and then be used when you need them. I think diesel sets have to be exercised every few weeks etc.

Both need to be run at least twice a year Gas even more than diesel NG or propane are the best choice for that reason!

[saltshaker]

Both need to be run at least twice a year Gas even more than diesel NG or propane are the best choice for that reason!

Plus you don't have to worry about the fuel getting stale or contaminated. Also much less of an issue with tank problems.

Jim, since you are heating with oil, would a diesel unit make more sense? Can any of the diesel units run off of home heating oil? Might be worth a call to the local gas co to see if there are any expansion plans that include your neighborhood.

[jim rosenthal]

Good advice. I think the first thing I am going to do is find out what it would cost me to have the house furnace changed out for one which runs on propane. There are no plans to run natural gas piping out to our neighborhood in AA County. If I change out the furnace, then it would make sense to get a fixed standby set that runs on propane. If not (and for what it would cost to buy anew furnace and install it, I can buy a lot of home heating oil) then I would look at either a bigger gasoline set or a diesel set. And yes a diesel set could run on heating oil, they are enough alike it would not make a difference.