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I understand why people might be hesitant to say what they have but I'm in the market and curious what folks have and if they feel its adequate

Dont have one, but wish I did
20 (28.2%)
Dont have one because Id never use it and its a waste of money
0 (0%)
2000-3500 running watt portable
8 (11.3%)
3501-5500 running watt portable
14 (19.7%)
5501-7500 running watt portable
12 (16.9%)
7501-9500 running watt portable
9 (12.7%)
9501-16kw running watt portable
2 (2.8%)
permanent hard-wired greater than .......(generac style)
6 (8.5%)
I run dual generators for greater watts. (two 7500's in parallel)
0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 71

Author Topic: Generators......back up for home  (Read 12793 times)

Offline SniperDanWA

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Re: Generators......back up for home
« Reply #15 on: November 28, 2019, 09:43:10 AM »
I have a 6500 on a manual transfer switch.  My house is 1700 sq feet, 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths.  I have gas furnace, water heater, stove and oven.  I have all my main lights, bathrooms, furnace motor, 2 fridges and 2 freezers, kitchen and Internet router/phones all on generator.  I upgraded my panel, since my house is a 1967 tri-level with a 40amp service.  I now have 200amp service capability.  I am running 125amps right now through that panel.  It has a master breaker, unlike the old panel. So, I have two panels.  The new panel feeds the old panel, which feeds to transfer switch.  I do not have the automatic transfer switch.  My generator is attached to the house, locked in place and can take care of everything mentioned.

I plan to put a conditioner on the power line this summer.
I want to move some of the 40amp service to the new panel, to spread the breaker load out.

The guy who owned the house before me was great at deconstruction and horrible at construction.  So, lots of work to move things around and to clean up has messes.
"We would accomplish many more things if we did not think of them as
impossible." - Vince Lombardi

Offline Ridgeratt

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Re: Generators......back up for home
« Reply #16 on: November 28, 2019, 09:44:16 AM »
Be sure that you don't back-power the grid.  That would endanger any repair people working on the lines.

 :yeah:       


but the actual threat of this is very very low, truth is so many people have so many things running its virtually impossible to back feed the system, it'll pop the generator overload fuses like instantly.


 :bash: Perhaps but the last large wind storm Spokane had and it knocked over trees in northwest Spokane folks by Albi were out for days because of the resident's feeding their panels with generators. Avista had to go trip the cutouts to isolate the areas and then bring on the power a small section at a time.

As others have suggested to consult a qualified electrician. I have gone and looked at some hillbilly installs in Stevens county and just shook my head. Yes KF you do have some creative folks up there. When we lose power you can here the generators start just like dominos.

Then again I don't rely on you tube for this. But I have dabbled in the electrical field for over 45 years.
« Last Edit: November 28, 2019, 09:56:33 AM by Ridgeratt »

Offline Special T

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Re: Generators......back up for home
« Reply #17 on: November 28, 2019, 09:44:47 AM »
Be sure that you don't back-power the grid.  That would endanger any repair people working on the lines.

 :yeah:       


but the actual threat of this is very very low, truth is so many people have so many things running its virtually impossible to back feed the system, it'll pop the generator overload fuses like instantly.

There is a lot of assumptions you are making here. If you live in a rural area and maybe just you and a few neighbors are fed of the the same tap line... your line is down towards the source or a lineman has made an open... now you are heating things up. Not trying to bust anyone’s balls here but DONT be the Ahole that kills somebody just to save a few hundred bucks

I think you are also legally responcible for manslaughter as well
In archery we have something like the way of the superior man. When the archer misses the center of the target, he turns round and seeks for the cause of his failure in himself. 

Confucius

Offline KFhunter

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Re: Generators......back up for home
« Reply #18 on: November 28, 2019, 09:52:39 AM »
I don't disagree

people doing this should possess enough knowledge to not charge the main lines

Offline boneaddict

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Re: Generators......back up for home
« Reply #19 on: November 28, 2019, 09:55:04 AM »
No worries about charging the main lines here.   No need to discuss it further.  Point already known and acknowledged




My two biggest draws are deep well and central air.   Central air is huge I understand.    I have backup propane heat, but the fan is dead with power out.   This could be resolved by powering that outlet and heat wouldnt be an issue.   Many of my power outages occur in summer because of fire.   That wouldnt solve that problem.   Thats the main one I dont have a clue what the actual draw is.   I dont really on well either but think I can find out.   Running amps isnt that much on it, but starting amps is probably a good 3x that.


I think the rest can be handled (fridge, freezerx2, tank fans and pumps, lights etc.)   I wouldnt be worried about laundry.  Hotwater heater is electric.

Offline boneaddict

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Re: Generators......back up for home
« Reply #20 on: November 28, 2019, 09:57:05 AM »
Its stuck in my craw that the pump is a 3hp pump.   Its down 400 feet.    I'm not positive.  It might just be 1hp.   My memory isnt what it used to be.

Offline Stein

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Re: Generators......back up for home
« Reply #21 on: November 28, 2019, 09:58:55 AM »
I have a Honda 2000 and it's enough to run what we need in a storm as our house is all gas.  We also have underground service from the substation to my panel so we only loose power for an hour every couple of years at the most.  If we regularly lost power I would have something more, but this is perfect.

Yeah, don't feed power back, it's not legal and you can kill someone.  If you don't understand this, probably time for a licensed electrician.

90% of the time, the power goes out because there is a line down or a tree or something else shorting it out.  Thus, someone will be out to fix it buy putting their hands on a bare conductor and they shouldn't have to risk their lives because some guy thinks he knows better.

Offline boneaddict

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Re: Generators......back up for home
« Reply #22 on: November 28, 2019, 10:08:14 AM »
Any Generac guys here?   Those things look incredible.   I dont think my power goes off enough to warrant one.   



This all being said, I might be about to lose my job of 20+ years and may have to move.   I'm also trying to factor that in my decision making process.  Portable ....in other words

Offline KFhunter

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Re: Generators......back up for home
« Reply #23 on: November 28, 2019, 10:12:38 AM »
I've been thinking about some of those government auctions and those generators on trailers,  I would make it permanent but you could leave it on a trailer?

Those newer transfer switches would know to turn off your water heaters when your well pump asked for power depending on how you set up the priorities, the point is you can do much more with much less of a generator with smart switch technology.    $$$

I do want a proper whole home solution but it's a crap ton of money and hard to think about when the power is on. 

Offline Ridgeratt

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Re: Generators......back up for home
« Reply #24 on: November 28, 2019, 10:25:05 AM »
I do want a proper whole home solution but it's a crap ton of money and hard to think about when the power is on.

They are about half the cost of a sled or 4 Wheeler.

Offline Crunchy

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Re: Generators......back up for home
« Reply #25 on: November 28, 2019, 10:25:55 AM »
Wiring in a transfer switch is pretty darn easy.  Not sure if it has to be done by an electrician but ......   I bought a honda motor knock of generator at costco for about 1k.  It is 6800 watts at peak.  Transfer switch cost me about $350 (8 circuit) and about an hour to install.  I only run non ethanol, and fuel it up in October.  Start it up every other week to run for 10 minutes until March.  Then drain the fuel let it run dry and put it away.  Only thing I would do different was to buy a 10 circuit switch instead of an 8. 

Offline boneaddict

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Re: Generators......back up for home
« Reply #26 on: November 28, 2019, 10:31:31 AM »
Thank you Crunchy, those are smart tips!

Offline PolarBear

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Re: Generators......back up for home
« Reply #27 on: November 28, 2019, 10:43:39 AM »
Wiring in a transfer switch is pretty darn easy.  Not sure if it has to be done by an electrician but ......   I bought a honda motor knock of generator at costco for about 1k.  It is 6800 watts at peak.  Transfer switch cost me about $350 (8 circuit) and about an hour to install.  I only run non ethanol, and fuel it up in October.  Start it up every other week to run for 10 minutes until March.  Then drain the fuel let it run dry and put it away.  Only thing I would do different was to buy a 10 circuit switch instead of an 8.
:yeah:
Technically it has to be done by a licensed electrician.  I see you are running a well but what about septic?  When I built my home I wired in a transfer switch and bought a 12,000 kw Honda Power Boss at Costco and it's big enough to run the well, septic and everything else.  It's pretty simple to do.

Offline boneaddict

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Re: Generators......back up for home
« Reply #28 on: November 28, 2019, 10:45:49 AM »
Septic?    Pressurized?    I'm not familiar with that.  Mine is all downhill...


what size genny did you get at costco?

Offline KFhunter

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Re: Generators......back up for home
« Reply #29 on: November 28, 2019, 10:46:06 AM »
I have a meter box with a fuse panel outside, that powers the shop and I've added an RV outlet to it as well.   
Then I have breakers that run to the house where I have another panel inside the house. 

So I flip the main inside the house to off, and I flip the house breakers on the outside meter box to off as well.   That just leaves the shop hooked to the grid, so I turn on the shop lights and when the power comes back on that's my indicator to turn the generator off and flip the house breakers and main back to ON

I'd like to install a generator transfer to that outside meter panel, it should be pretty easy but I need to pull the meter off to do it.  I've never cut that meter tab thing off, but others have told me no big deal Avista would just put on a new one.   They're going to be installing a smart meter sometime this summer, so I need to clean up my DIY wiring  :chuckle:

Is it a big deal to cut the tab off and pull off the meter? 

 


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