Generator

[CrealCritter]

We'll after a ton of looking and researching. we will be going to Kentucky today to purchase a 13,000 peak, 10,500 running watt generator.

This is the biggest portable generator we could find. It has a 50 amp 220v recepitical and runs on gasoline or propane, plus has a 3 year warranty.

I'll be designing and installing a transfer switch for this generator and wiring it in to our main electric trunk, so it can power all the buildings. Our greatest chance of power outages is in the summer. So I needed something large enough to start the air conditioner compressors.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/DuroMax-DuroMax-XP13000HX-13000-Watt-20HP-Dual-Fuel-Gas-Propane-Portable-Generator-with-CO-Alert/1003071684

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[FarmerJamie]

Sweet

 

[CrealCritter]

Sweet

My wife and I thought and discussed this long and hard... she quickly found out that just because you have a generator, it doesn't mean life goes on uninterrupted.

With whole house systems like generac (which are nice BTW). One thing I think people don't realize is during a power outage it could effect natural gas lines. So this gasoline/propane one seems to offer the most flexability for our farm. Since I already own a 500 gallon propane tank for the tankless hot water heater and house furnace.

I was told we do have access to natural gas on my side of the road. But honestly, I would rather stick with propane, since I own my own tank and we have a good relationship with out propane company.

The generator is pretty heavy at 240 lbs, so I mostly likely will put it on a cement pad and build some easily to open on all sides and roof small shack and leave it in the shack. Open the shack and start it when needed.

IDK like I said we attacked this generator thing from all angles we could think of and decided on this one.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[farmerjan]

I would have gone with the whole house generator and told them you wanted PROPANE not natural gas.

I looked at one similar to what you are going to get. Gasoline/propane also. Then I had the chance to buy this house, got my ankle replaced, then covid upsetting the world, moving with a boot on my ankle and then the knees so bad and now replaced. I am seriously looking at the whole house one for a future investment. I have propane for the kitchen stove and small "fireplace type" heater in the house.
I think you will like having it... and if summer is the problem time then at least you won't be out fighting the cold and snow to get it started....

 

[CrealCritter]

I would have gone with the whole house generator and told them you wanted PROPANE not natural gas.

I looked at one similar to what you are going to get. Gasoline/propane also. Then I had the chance to buy this house, got my ankle replaced, then covid upsetting the world, moving with a boot on my ankle and then the knees so bad and now replaced. I am seriously looking at the whole house one for a future investment. I have propane for the kitchen stove and small "fireplace type" heater in the house.
I think you will like having it... and if summer is the problem time then at least you won't be out fighting the cold and snow to get it started....

The generac's are nice but expensive. I was told at home depot, you get on a waiting list for a visit from a sales person. Pick the unit out and then you also have to pay for installation to have the warranty valid. I didn't see any models in the catalog but natural gas. But We quickly came to the conclusion that they were a bit to much for what we needed. I told my wife if we are on emergency generator power, you'll need to make a few adjustments... like drying clothes at night and even though every light is LED, we'll still need to be mindful to turn lights off when we don't need them and we may or may not be able to use the electric oven? Our saving grace is we have a tankless hot water heater that runs off propane. So the biggest things that need to run are our freezers, refrigerators and start the air conditioner compressors

This evening I took the opportunity to take my wife out to dinner while in kentucky. Then we ordered the generator from lowes, they said it's due to arrive at the store for inspection and pickup January 21st. We got a nice discount on the generator thanks to the store manager

BTW Gasoline is way cheaper in kentucky than illinois. I filled the bus up at a Shell. The bus didn't know what to think about being filled up with good gasoline instead of E85. It purred like a kitten.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[farmerjan]

The guy I used to farm sit for had a whole house generator and it was propane. We had a Derrechio wind come through and lost power for days in late June several years ago... it was brutally hot and I hauled water for cattle at pastures where the only water available was from wells due to all the "fencing the livestock out of the streams " that was pushed.... and I could at least take showers at his house. He was in Alaska... but it kicked on right after the power went out. Most everything here is either diesel or propane because we do not have natural gas available.

Sounds like it was nice trip away for you. Glad you enjoyed it.

Also, drying clothes is for the outside clothes line.... I don't even have a dryer here at the house... it has been in the storage trailer for over 20 years....

 

[CrealCritter]

The guy I used to farm sit for had a whole house generator and it was propane. We had a Derrechio wind come through and lost power for days in late June several years ago... it was brutally hot and I hauled water for cattle at pastures where the only water available was from wells due to all the "fencing the livestock out of the streams " that was pushed.... and I could at least take showers at his house. He was in Alaska... but it kicked on right after the power went out. Most everything here is either diesel or propane because we do not have natural gas available.

Sounds like it was nice trip away for you. Glad you enjoyed it.

Also, drying clothes is for the outside clothes line.... I don't even have a dryer here at the house... it has been in the storage trailer for over 20 years....

Oh yeah no doubt... My electrician is one of the certified installers. He told me if you got the $ they will fix you right up. Install a system that will automatically kick on when the main line is down and shut down when the service is restored. Also the unit will start up weekly and do self checks and report any issues to company and automatically schedule a service call. But you're gonna pay handsomely.

Us poor people can do maintenance on our own and push a button or pull a rope to start the generator when it's needed.

My electrician also told me one guy had over 1/2 mile of natural gas line trenched to his generator. He said that had to cost him a pretty penny. Another one he installed was propane only and the guy said after 8 days he would be in the dark with a dedicated 500 gallon propane tank.

So we weighed out what we could afford. My wife and I attacked this from all angles we could think of. For us this one will one work... and won't cost an arm and a leg, with some lifestyle changes. It's flexability being gasoline or propane with the flip of a manual switch, is a big plus also.

My wife had initially had generator illusions of grandeur. That quickly vanished when she saw the price tag

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[Chic Rustler]

how many air-conditioners? what size?

 

[CrealCritter]

how many air-conditioners? what size?

Just one for emergency use 2.5 ton 30 amp/220 V. But that's starting amperage.

 

[Britesea]

I've been working for years on making us as energy-independant as possible. We dry clothes outside in the summer; in winter we have a couple of lines in the utility room (long enough to hold at least one wash load), and I bought a wringer to help with hand washing. Wood stove for heat, and cooking if necessary. We also have a Wonderbag for a non-electric slow cooker, a solar oven, and the grill outside. The well has dual power- electric and solar, although in the winter we can generally only get one or two hours of solar power. That's enough to fill a 50 gallon container though. Once we get the double paned windows installed this year, it should help keep the house warmer in winter and cooler in summer, and I want to install some simple awnings for the south and west facing windows. We've managed without air conditioning for several years, but this would increase the comfort levels. The only thing I still really need electricity for is the fridge and freezer. DH bought a "solar powered generator" several years back, but he's not done anything with it yet, so I don't know if it has enough power to take care of them. I hope so.