Me. Hopefully it can fit in the utility easement on the side of the house.
How many of you have already made an appointment for a whole house generator quote?
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Last: 7 mo ago by Aggie71013
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not yet, debating solar panels vs generator still
Here.
May 31st at 9AM with Generator Supercenter.
Going to set another one up with AA GenPro to get a competitive quote.
May 31st at 9AM with Generator Supercenter.
Going to set another one up with AA GenPro to get a competitive quote.
I've done now two whole house generator installs. My parents and then mine.
Biggest 'hidden' cost drivers are:
-How close are your gas and electrical lines together
-How far away to do you want to put the generator from the house
When I went with a generac supercenter quote it assumed that the gas and electrical panels are within 15 feet of each other and that the generator is also within the same 15 feet. That can get expensive in a hurry if they are not.
While you're at it, buy a sense and set it up on your meter. It'll give you a real understanding of your max electrical loads.
Biggest 'hidden' cost drivers are:
-How close are your gas and electrical lines together
-How far away to do you want to put the generator from the house
When I went with a generac supercenter quote it assumed that the gas and electrical panels are within 15 feet of each other and that the generator is also within the same 15 feet. That can get expensive in a hurry if they are not.
While you're at it, buy a sense and set it up on your meter. It'll give you a real understanding of your max electrical loads.
No need. My portable generator is big enough to run everything I need in case of power outage.
Waste of money
Way more cost efficient to just get a portable generator (gas, propane, or hard plumbed from the nat gas line) big enough to power the essentials and get a electrician to set up with breakers.
Easy and way cheaper
Way more cost efficient to just get a portable generator (gas, propane, or hard plumbed from the nat gas line) big enough to power the essentials and get a electrician to set up with breakers.
Easy and way cheaper
I'm with you on this. I've looked at the cost of both solar panels and a whole house generator. The cost of solar is still so high I will never break even on it, and I can count on one hand the number of times in the last 15 years I would have needed a generator for a prolonged outage.Ag_07 said:
Waste of money
Way more cost efficient to just get a portable generator (gas, propane, or hard plumbed from the nat gas line) big enough to power the essentials and get a electrician to set up with breakers.
Easy and way cheaper
I used to agree with you, but then my wife insisted we install one back in 2020. It is worth its weight in gold and I don't regret it at all. Its pretty comforting that the biggest problem we have when a storm comes is the wifi shutting off before the generator cuts on.Ag_07 said:
Waste of money
Way more cost efficient to just get a portable generator (gas, propane, or hard plumbed from the nat gas line) big enough to power the essentials and get a electrician to set up with breakers.
Easy and way cheaper
Will be calling an electrician over the next few days. Thinking of doing a portable unit that I can plug into for the whole house and not the Generac type. Tri-Fuel that does NG, LPG, or Gasoline.
Gig 'Em '98
I haven't had mine hard wired into my breaker box yet but my gas powered Harbor Freight brand generator can run the indoor fridge/freezer, garage fridge/freezer, garage deep freezer, window A/C unit, TV/internet, and a small power strip for random chargers. It's plenty
I waited until emergency preparedness tax free weekend and I think it costs $500 or somewhere in that ballpark.
I waited until emergency preparedness tax free weekend and I think it costs $500 or somewhere in that ballpark.
My $450 used Honda 3500 watt powers everything but AC, oven, and washing machine so 3 days every couple years w/ fans, tv, internet, hot showers, fridges running, but no AC isn't bag compared to the $10K or so a whole home generator costs. Getting the back feed setup was nice so I didn't have to deal w/ extension cords. I added a 2nd 5 gallon jug so I wasn't having to wait til the only one was empty to make a gas run....and it's a little annoying when it shut off every 4 hours. I was going to break out the portable AC Saturday when it heated up but the lights came back on.Ag_07 said:
Waste of money
Way more cost efficient to just get a portable generator (gas, propane, or hard plumbed from the nat gas line) big enough to power the essentials and get a electrician to set up with breakers.
Easy and way cheaper
I am shopping big tri-fuel generators now since I have a gas port right by where I run the generator.
This is exactly why I am having them come out to my house to do the quote in person, so they can see where the weatherhead is and where the gas connection is.one MEEN Ag said:
I've done now two whole house generator installs. My parents and then mine.
Biggest 'hidden' cost drivers are:
-How close are your gas and electrical lines together
-How far away to do you want to put the generator from the house
When I went with a generac supercenter quote it assumed that the gas and electrical panels are within 15 feet of each other and that the generator is also within the same 15 feet. That can get expensive in a hurry if they are not.
While you're at it, buy a sense and set it up on your meter. It'll give you a real understanding of your max electrical loads.
I will say. I'm surprised at how loud the whole home generators actually are. Not quite as loud as a standard portable. But significantly louder than the quiet inverter generator.
So just know if you are in a situation where it can only be placed close to your house, you will have some noise.
So just know if you are in a situation where it can only be placed close to your house, you will have some noise.
I agree with the detractors in regards to the economics. It's pretty damned impractical. But, the assurance of having power almost instantaneously when one needs it is worth a lot of Good Will on the balance sheet.
Thing is, I also expect more and more power outages to happen thanks to the green energy push. At least until they outlaw nat gas completely.
Thing is, I also expect more and more power outages to happen thanks to the green energy push. At least until they outlaw nat gas completely.
I posted this on Outdoors board a little while ago.
Tractor Supply has a nice looking Inv-Gen on sale. $399.00
I just ordered one for myself.
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/sportsman-2-200-watts-dual-fuel-inverter-generator-gen2200dfi
Buy 2, hook in parallel and you can run your AC units after the storms.
Tractor Supply has a nice looking Inv-Gen on sale. $399.00
I just ordered one for myself.
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/sportsman-2-200-watts-dual-fuel-inverter-generator-gen2200dfi
Buy 2, hook in parallel and you can run your AC units after the storms.
Keep in mind that dual- and tri-fuel gens only deliver about 65% of stated power on NG. Also should be looking to get a gen that is 20-25% more power than you think you'll need.insulator_king said:
I posted this on Outdoors board a little while ago.
Tractor Supply has a nice looking Inv-Gen on sale. $399.00
I just ordered one for myself.
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/sportsman-2-200-watts-dual-fuel-inverter-generator-gen2200dfi
Buy 2, hook in parallel and you can run your AC units after the storms.
Other unknown you're moving your failure point from one utility to another. If too many people connect these natural gas pressure will drop in a major event and you'll have a very expensive paper weight. I like the trifuel portable option with a interlock and 50 amp plug option. Can at least hedge with multiple fuel types.
Just submitted details for a quote from Generator Supercenter. Agree with CDUB that this is going to get worse before it gets better and with both my wife and I primarily working from home, we have to have reliable power.
Who did the board say were the go tos on consultation/installation? I am looking to get one but am exhausted and can't remember which thread or page the information was on.
I reached out to A&A GenPro. Let's see how it is. I am guessing quote will be $15K to $18K
I've started hearing that the natural gas infrastructure is not set up to handle everyone's private NG generators… seems like we're just going to trade one problem for another.
I have a couple appointments made.
Does anyone know roughly what is more costly per foot, gas or electric?
I have some placement options but want to go in knowing what is more cost effective.
Does anyone know roughly what is more costly per foot, gas or electric?
I have some placement options but want to go in knowing what is more cost effective.
All depends on how you look at it.Ag_07 said:
Waste of money
Way more cost efficient to just get a portable generator (gas, propane, or hard plumbed from the nat gas line) big enough to power the essentials and get a electrician to set up with breakers.
Easy and way cheaper
Part of the cost is the convenience factor - no need to have to deal with getting the big generator out, which is inevitably in an inconvenient place, hoping the carb isn't gummed up from sitting for a year, having to deal with constantly fueling it up, etc.
My mom had a whole house generator included when she built her house. During the last 2 freezes she was sitting a lot better than most around her were because she had power and heat while many did not.
For my research purposes, this was stress tested during the freeze. ERCOT/state/PUC/generators had to choose between gas to residents and gas to facilities and at least someone with authority during that emergency figured that gas was keeping more people alive by the fireplace than what could be restored through pushing more gas to generators and peaking facilities and reducing home use.Aggie71013 said:
Other unknown you're moving your failure point from one utility to another. If too many people connect these natural gas pressure will drop in a major event and you'll have a very expensive paper weight. I like the trifuel portable option with a interlock and 50 amp plug option. Can at least hedge with multiple fuel types.
Getting the natural gas companies off of the load sharing agreements (that they never should have been on in the first place) will go a long away to prevent freezeouts at the wellhead.
I'm way more certain about the residential stability of natural gas than I am about electricity.
I sent my information to A&A Gen a few hours ago. Haven't heard back yet. Gen Supercenter responded within 30 minutes on Saturday evening. I was impressed.
schmellba99 said:All depends on how you look at it.Ag_07 said:
Waste of money
Way more cost efficient to just get a portable generator (gas, propane, or hard plumbed from the nat gas line) big enough to power the essentials and get a electrician to set up with breakers.
Easy and way cheaper
Part of the cost is the convenience factor - no need to have to deal with getting the big generator out, which is inevitably in an inconvenient place, hoping the carb isn't gummed up from sitting for a year, having to deal with constantly fueling it up, etc.
Good point
I use my generator year round so I don't always think about that kinda stuff.
SockDePot said:
I've started hearing that the natural gas infrastructure is not set up to handle everyone's private NG generators… seems like we're just going to trade one problem for another.
I didn't hear anyone in my neighborhood with a whole house generator complain about not being able to run them. All I heard was the loud hum of them running the generators.
Although you could say power outages were localized this time. During a freeze or hurricane that may not be the case and everyone powering on a gas generator could lead to issues.
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Remember, when the power goes out, your solar turns off. Unless something has changed recently. So, if you are hooked to the grid, solar will not help you when the power goes out, unless you have one of those battery walls.
That's 75 nights at the Marriott Marquis in downtown Houston.lancevance said:
I reached out to A&A GenPro. Let's see how it is. I am guessing quote will be $15K to $18K
Just used our whole house generator for the first time since we had it installed approximately 2 years ago. Well worth it.
We seem to be getting more 1 in 1,000 year (1 in 500,000 in some areas) anomalies like Harvey and the great freeze.CDUB98 said:
Thing is, I also expect more and more power outages to happen thanks to the green energy push. At least until they outlaw nat gas completely.
I thought the buzz kill on natural gas was for health, not a green aspect. Is it 'dirtier' to run your dryer, furnace and stove off of gas then electricity?
The cheapest option is a portable generator with a suicide cable back feeding into a dryer plug and the main break flipped off. Don't do this, don't make one, its illegal, don't kill someone working to restore your power.
The second cheapest option is to have an electrician wire an interlock kit (and potentially a secondary breaker panel that can run a reduced number of circuits in your home) + pair it with a portable generator that is small enough to run everything but your AC
The goldilocks zone of cost versus convivence is to have an electrician wire a transfer switch, you buy a portable generator that is big enough to run your AC. From a wife's perspective she doesn't have to lift a finger as you either haul the fuel yourself or you've got an easy propane or NG hookup.
The goldlilocks option starts to become not so golden if you A) have to haul a lot of fuel, B) dont have easy access to NG.
I wanted the goldilocks option but my wife had a freezer full of breastmilk that she was extremely concerned about us losing. So we now have a standalone generator, and while we were having frequent power outages two years ago, we have gone a whopping 680+ days with only 5 hours of total power outage since installing the generator.
Kid now drinks whole milk to boot.
The second cheapest option is to have an electrician wire an interlock kit (and potentially a secondary breaker panel that can run a reduced number of circuits in your home) + pair it with a portable generator that is small enough to run everything but your AC
The goldilocks zone of cost versus convivence is to have an electrician wire a transfer switch, you buy a portable generator that is big enough to run your AC. From a wife's perspective she doesn't have to lift a finger as you either haul the fuel yourself or you've got an easy propane or NG hookup.
The goldlilocks option starts to become not so golden if you A) have to haul a lot of fuel, B) dont have easy access to NG.
I wanted the goldilocks option but my wife had a freezer full of breastmilk that she was extremely concerned about us losing. So we now have a standalone generator, and while we were having frequent power outages two years ago, we have gone a whopping 680+ days with only 5 hours of total power outage since installing the generator.
Kid now drinks whole milk to boot.
Bassmaster said:I used to agree with you, but then my wife insisted we install one back in 2020. It is worth its weight in gold and I don't regret it at all. Its pretty comforting that the biggest problem we have when a storm comes is the wifi shutting off before the generator cuts on.Ag_07 said:
Waste of money
Way more cost efficient to just get a portable generator (gas, propane, or hard plumbed from the nat gas line) big enough to power the essentials and get a electrician to set up with breakers.
Easy and way cheaper
Get a UPS/battery backup and hook your router directly to it. Problem solved.
I guess I just don't see the need. We just go to a hotel if power is out more than a day.
If we lose all our frozen food, file a claim with our home insurance.
If we lose all our frozen food, file a claim with our home insurance.
7nine
I used to have two small portable generators I hooked up in parallel. My truck has a generator, but in the past when using it I'd get a ground fault. Research led me to the issue being both the house and truck were grounded. So after some redneck engineering, it worked like a charm and way easier. Not to mention much more fuel and more efficient so daily runs to gas station wouldn't be necessary. It ran for about 5 or 6 hours before the power came back and didn't move the gas needle.
I'm toying with installing hard start kits on the ACs to see if it'll handle at least one of those or just buying a couple portable AC units.
I'm toying with installing hard start kits on the ACs to see if it'll handle at least one of those or just buying a couple portable AC units.
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