generator

[LedFTed 1,143]

What size for a 2,000 sq.ft. house would ya like?  i'm thinking 4,000 watts. 🌡️

i see i asked this twice, just a short time period, to get one. come. next week, it may not be necessary. so it goes

 

Fixed it for you Ted, deleted your other generator post in the other thread.....

[56Sierra 1,845]

The thing with generators is there's always going to be something left off the circuit unless you go huge.  It's a balance of fuel usage and convenience.  I'm more concerned about losing food in the fridge and freezer than watching TV.  I have two.  The primary one is a 1600 watt Yamaha that gets dragged into the yard, plugged in to a HD cord coiled up behind the AC unit, flip a few switches at the breaker box and refill the 1 gallon gas tank every 5 hours.   At night I top it off before going to bed and and again when I get up.  Seems food stays fine with the generator at 50% duty cycle.

 

The other is a 3450 that I can run my well pump or bedroom window AC.

[Fishfiles 20,147]

56Siera brings up a good point to consider when picking a size generator ,  fuel consumption versus needs , when the time comes to needing to produce your own electricity , you need to prepared to get the most kick out your buck and make resources last , usually when the electricity is out so are the fuel stations ----- there is a big difference between  living high on the hog and living comfortably 

[_Wilson_™ 6,593]

also consider using other types of heat, gas, and wood, and just the gen set to power deep freezers, the fridge (cold storage) plus with this weather, you also have outdoors.... just depends (as stated above)  what's the best route when things get thin, and in short supply. 

[LedFTed 1,143]

comfortable, is good, aint nothing on TV or Cable worth watching much, if at all. so i take it 3650w running is over kill. i still got my propane camping stoves, to cook with.

converted the old coleman to propane.  still got sum firewood to heat the house.

Edited February 14, 2021 by LedFTed

[TBRider 1,411]

We have a 6000W unit for my mothers place, had her house specially to run the gen set, it plugs into the side of the house, powers most of the house, she has 2 fridges and 2 deep freezers along with her lights, she has a propane fireplace for backup heat, one tank of fuel lasts 8 hrs. Its funny to drive up a completely black street and my mother has her front light on....

[LedFTed 1,143]

maybe a 4000w would be fine, for this area. have some Watts left over. gas too.

 

Edited February 14, 2021 by LedFTed

[TBRider 1,411]

If you can afford to go bigger like a 4000W, I say go for it, no sence on getting something that won't handle your needs. Unless you want to run more than one...

We spent a few bucks for my mom's set up, but when your without power for 10 days in the middle of winter, she didn't complain about spending the money again since then.

[56Sierra 1,845]

With the little Yammy I have to ration power if I want to make coffee, use the microwave or run the gas furnace.   One fireplace has a heatalator but I need to run the furnace circulation blower to get whole house heat.  So a little switch flipping between keep food cold and momma warm has to happen with the 1600 watt.  If I'm careful 15 gallon of gas can last 5 days.

[Melatv 797]

I use a 5000 watt generator -- I (myself) installed a 60 amp generator panel with a isolating switch that isolates it from the main 200 amp panel -- everything I need is in the generator panel --well pump -- fridge -- deep freeze -- lights ---- one flip of the isolating switch and start the generator wait for hydro to come back on. Also changed all  lights over to led lights.

[Fishfiles 20,147]

Our house is total electric , got a back feed box set thru one of the 220 heaters , turn off the main and click all the unchecked circuits off ,  it powers all the lights , well pump , one hot water heater , 2 refrigerators , coffee pot , TVs , computers , satellite tv , 110 a/c in the bedroom and can wash clothes --- can't use the stove or oven , microwave , heater , or the clothes dryer --- but surviving comfortably ---- got 6 ways to cook out side with propane  and if it came to it , I could survive eating pellet gun shot robins on a stick over the fire pit , maybe even a possum if things got ruff 

 

 

" If " we had gas in our neighborhood  , I would invest in a whole house generator , but don't want a 1000 gallon tank on side the house or buried in the ground 

 

 

[56Sierra 1,845]

Generators are becoming more and more common.  So are power outages.  I think it's becoming a viscous circle.  Power companies are more interested in profits than providing reliable power and know many have generators so they care even less.  In my state the vegetation must be cleared on every circuit every four years but AEP still doesn't do it.  Guess it's cheaper to pay the fines than to clear the lines.

[56Sierra 1,845]

6 minutes ago, Fishfiles said:

Our house is total electric , got a back feed box set thru one of the 220 heaters , turn off the main and click all the unchecked circuits off ,  it powers all the lights , well pump , one hot water heater , 2 refrigerators , coffee pot , TVs , computers , satellite tv , 110 a/c in the bedroom and can wash clothes --- can't use the stove or oven , microwave , heater , or the clothes dryer --- but surviving comfortably ---- got 6 ways to cook out side with propane  and if it came to it , I could survive eating pellet gun shot robins on a stick over the fire pit , maybe even a possum if things got ruff 

 

 

" If " we had gas in our neighborhood  , I would invest in a whole house generator , but don't want a 1000 gallon tank on side the house or buried in the ground 

 

 

You need to find something like this and hook it up to one whopper of an alternator. 😳

http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/ag330_sr.htm

[Fishfiles 20,147]

16 minutes ago, 56Sierra said:

You need to find something like this and hook it up to one whopper of an alternator. 😳

http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/ag330_sr.htm

 

Guy I work for's  dad bought 10 of these from  the Army in a auction lot  , they are diesel , when he got them they put out 208 volts , he got me a link to a video to change it over to 220 , I am no a/c electrician by any means , but after about $15 at NAPA and 1/2 hr  time , I rewired the board and got 200v , I have been on him to sell me one , 5 of them are still sitting in the yard , he is tight , they want $8,999 for the one I pic'ed ^^^^ ( above )  on E-Bay 

 

I'd take it off the trailer and sell it , pour a concrete slab and set it on side the house ---- it has a dual fuel supply valve with dual filters and lift pumps , so you could park the truck close by and suck fuel out a storage tank on the truck or use it ff the tank built into the skid 

[Melatv 797]

Here is a picture of the panels -- the Isolating switch is in the Generator Panel -- that isolates the generator panel from the Main panel when power is lost -- Main panel is always connected to Hydro at all times. -- There is a cable running from the Generator Panel to a receptacle on the outside of house to plug the Generator in when needed.

[56Sierra 1,845]

! nice work.  What line of work are you in if I may ask?

[TBRider 1,411]

Same set up as at mothers place mel....

[_Wilson_™ 6,593]

6 hours ago, 56Sierra said:

Generators are becoming more and more common.  So are power outages.  I think it's becoming a viscous circle.  Power companies are more interested in profits than providing reliable power and know many have generators so they care even less.  In my state the vegetation must be cleared on every circuit every four years but AEP still doesn't do it.  Guess it's cheaper to pay the fines than to clear the lines.

 

sadly in some parts of the country that's very true, and others it's not, i myself, and just a few other people are set up for a gen set, toombs dairy has a couple of cummins gen sets.... both on wheels, one i can use anytime, for years of helping them grow there farming operation, and working hand in hand. bit, I'd only ask is severe times. which so far haven't happened, and like fish stated, i could pull our nurse tank up, and be set,

[toodeep 1,760]

What all are you planning to use it for (fridge, freezer, microwave, etc)? The size of the house doesn't matter but the power load needed does. If it's a temp power supply situation also plan on other things you might use it for around the farm (the starting load on a 20 gal air compressor will kill a 4000w gen). I have a 4,000w for just fridges and freezers but I also use it with my camper. It will power the needs just fine and I've done that with a 2,000 watt in previous years.

[Fishfiles 20,147]

 this  month my power bill  doubled , the electric company is  saying   it is fuel adjustments ,  total electric house , was running $150 per month , now it is over $300 last month , highest bill I ever got living here for 11 years ,  gasoline and diesel went up also recently  , wonder what is cause that --- I would guess global warming is the root of all evil , LOL 

[_Wilson_™ 6,593]

just depends ..... two deeps freezers one fridge, water heater,  a  tv, and pc etc are not needed, my radio, ham,  setup is a must have, lights are not a worry ether , washer, and dryer is not needed, you can wash cloths in a sink, and  dry cloths simple in a house with heat. cooking ? same as i did the last time an ice storm hit, (over gas logs) ... i know very well what it's like to live cheep... lol. not pleasant, but a country boy can survive. 

[56Sierra 1,845]

When I bought this place it had propane heat and the rest electric.   We used the fireplace hard until I found there was a gas line 1 foot into my property.   Gas Co. supplying the materials and I did the work.  450 feet of ditch through the woods.  Parts were here from when the furnace was converted to LPG so swapping back was easy.  I've given thought to getting a gas water heater and drier and getting a whole house NG genset but in reality if it wasn't for the 'Rona, we would have sold this place last year.  Don't think I'd get my money back upon sale.

All the longer outages have been due to T-Storms and not freezing rain so it's been much easier to deal without power.

Edited February 14, 2021 by 56Sierra
Feet not inches

[Fishfiles 20,147]

10 minutes ago, 56Sierra said:

When I bought this place it had propane heat and the rest electric.   We used the fireplace hard until I found there was a gas line 1 foot into my property.   Gas Co. supplying the materials and I did the work.  450 feet of ditch through the woods.  Parts were here from when the furnace was converted to LPG so swapping back was easy.  I've given thought to getting a gas water heater and drier and getting a whole house NG genset but in reality if it wasn't for the 'Rona, we would have sold this place last year.  Don't think I'd get my money back upon sale.

All the longer outages have been due to T-Storms and not freezing rain so it's been much easier to deal without power.

Rented and excavator and dug it yourself ?   ---- down here , you could dig the hole and lay the pipe , if you could get a licensed gas plumber to file the paper work on the job , but  the line has to be tested over night with a Mercury gauge for leaks , so unless you know someone that would sign off for you on the digging and laying pipe , you would have to let the plumber do it , it is one of the things that you need a licensed plumber for down here , you can do all your own house hold plumbing yourself and get a permit passed , but not gas 

[TBRider 1,411]

Do you guys run plastic pipe for that? Then change to steel after it comes out of the ground?

 

Oh and fish, you can fudge the 12 or 24hr tests, we have done it lots with above ground tests in the heat, but they were a hydro test. It was always fun cracking a 1" valve on the pressured up stuff and seeing the white flame, I've shot alot of pigs in the past....

[Fishfiles 20,147]

25 minutes ago, TBRider said:

Do you guys run plastic pipe for that? Then change to steel after it comes out of the ground?

 

Oh and fish, you can fudge the 12 or 24hr tests, we have done it lots with above ground tests in the heat, but they were a hydro test. It was always fun cracking a 1" valve on the pressured up stuff and seeing the white flame, I've shot alot of pigs in the past....

My plumber buddy tells me , he uses copper line  off the top valve on the tank when the rest of the tank  is buried ----  when the pipe is buried , he uses  direct burial pipe , which is black steel  pipe , wrapped and coated with some yellow plastic and some tar like stuff in between the pipe and plastic tape --- says the pressure test is 4 ounces of pressure , what he is talking about there I  can't explain ----are you a plumber , TB ? 

 

I remember the house I had in New Orleans , had my Mom's old  Chambers 1950 gas stove , it was weak , sold that stove for like $2,500 to a guy that drove from Atlanta to get it , collectors item, bought a new stove and it was still weak ,  had a guy look at it and say the gas line was clogged , dug up the old pipe and it was clogged up with a swiss cheese looking yellow sulphur stuff , could have never got it out with the 90s , ran a new pipe and all was good