Re: Portable Generator
[Re: 1fastrunner]
#2948330
07/28/21 09:39 PM
07/28/21 09:39 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,755 A collage of whims
topside
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,755
A collage of whims
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On mine, the electrician just mounted a box on the house near the generator, and put an interlock on my existing panel. I think the whole deal was a couple hundred bucks. Oddly, my well pump runs off a separate box (main house service), which I didn't know at the time. So, even if the gen is supplying the house, it's "after" the well pump. Not a big deal for me, though I wish I'd known that; I just keep water (5-gal bucket) to refill the toilet and keep a few gallons of drinking water. My main service would be a pain to get to in a decent snowstorm anyway,
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Re: Portable Generator
[Re: Andrewh]
#2948442
07/29/21 10:13 AM
07/29/21 10:13 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,707 North Dakota
6PakBee
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,707
North Dakota
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Portable generator? Or is this a fixed location for a residence? 9 KW is about 50 amps, hence the 50 amp breaker for the generator feeder. For my money I'd regroup your critical loads into a new panel making sure you don't overload the generator. I'd then use one transfer switch in the feed to that panel so that when a power loss occurs, your critical loads are switched from your utility to the generator. Your first option sounds a lot like this and is the one I'd go with.
"We live in a time when intelligent people are being silenced so that stupid people won't be offended".
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Re: Portable Generator
[Re: topside]
#2948525
07/29/21 01:23 PM
07/29/21 01:23 PM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,419 Kalispell Mt.
HotRodDave
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 12,419
Kalispell Mt.
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On mine, the electrician just mounted a box on the house near the generator, and put an interlock on my existing panel. I think the whole deal was a couple hundred bucks. Oddly, my well pump runs off a separate box (main house service), which I didn't know at the time. So, even if the gen is supplying the house, it's "after" the well pump. Not a big deal for me, though I wish I'd known that; I just keep water (5-gal bucket) to refill the toilet and keep a few gallons of drinking water. My main service would be a pain to get to in a decent snowstorm anyway, The well pump is run separately so you can fight a fire if your house (panel) is burning. Probably for an equal amount of time you are more likely to burn your house down during a power outage (using candles, too much power for the generator...) and even if they were the same risk you still want to have your water to fight a fire, so it would be a good idea to do something about it. I have a slow well (2GPM) and an 1850 gallon cistern, I like having a gasoline powered pump handy to pump right out of the cistern in a total loss of power.
I am not causing global warming, I am just trying to hold off a impending Ice Age!
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Re: Portable Generator
[Re: 1fastrunner]
#2948652
07/29/21 08:15 PM
07/29/21 08:15 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 18,409 UPPER MICHIGAN, MARQUETTE COUN...
NITROUSN
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 18,409
UPPER MICHIGAN, MARQUETTE COUN...
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First question to the OP why two 200 amp panels? If it was me I would run a bigger generator and an automatic transfer switch. I was looking at a 20kw setup. Generator is big enough to run everything. Sometimes a smaller generator may use just as much fuel as a larger unit.
Last edited by NITROUSN; 07/29/21 08:17 PM.
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Re: Portable Generator
[Re: NITROUSN]
#2948659
07/29/21 08:30 PM
07/29/21 08:30 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,164 PA.
pittsburghracer
"Little"John
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"Little"John
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,164
PA.
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My neighbor has a whole house generator that runs on natural gas. It comes on every Sunday to run for awhile. Power goes off it automatically starts.
1970 Duster Edelbrock headed 408 5.984@112.52 422 Indy headed small block 5.982@112.56 mph 9.42@138.27
Livin and lovin life one day at a time
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Re: Portable Generator
[Re: HotRodDave]
#2948740
07/30/21 08:15 AM
07/30/21 08:15 AM
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Joined: May 2019
Posts: 6,233 nowhere
Sniper
master
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master
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 6,233
nowhere
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The well pump is run separately so you can fight a fire if your house (panel) is burning. Probably for an equal amount of time you are more likely to burn your house down during a power outage (using candles, too much power for the generator...) and even if they were the same risk you still want to have your water to fight a fire, so it would be a good idea to do something about it. I have a slow well (2GPM) and an 1850 gallon cistern, I like having a gasoline powered pump handy to pump right out of the cistern in a total loss of power.
Just be careful, this past winter we had a multiday electrical outage so I drug out the portable generator, it's a generac. Went to put fuel in the tank and it was full of rust. I had only ever ran it once when I first bought it and I put it way empty and sealed. That is not the time to find out your portable generator, or fire fighting pump, will not work. In my case I ended up using fabbing a temporary gas tank by using a plastic one, putting a nipple in the bottom and adding a long fuel hose. Tied it all down with a bungee cord. Looking for a good plastic replacement for the original metal one.
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Re: Portable Generator
[Re: 340Cuda]
#2948830
07/30/21 01:27 PM
07/30/21 01:27 PM
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,220 West Plains, MO
DrCharles
master
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master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,220
West Plains, MO
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Good advice, which I also fail to follow on a regular basis When sizing a generator, keep in mind that a large one will use considerably more fuel than a small one, even when lightly loaded. If you just have 500 watts of lights and TV on, the whole-house unit will be expensive to operate. I have a remote-start 2.5 kw Onan in a hut the size of a large doghouse with two 6-gal. outboard motor tanks. It will run lights, TV, furnace, and my CPAP machine and sips fuel... the thirsty 10 kw Onan rarely is needed except to recharge the well tank and run the water heater.
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Re: Portable Generator
[Re: DrCharles]
#2948971
07/30/21 09:15 PM
07/30/21 09:15 PM
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,125 Hunt Valley, Maryland
1fastrunner
OP
top fuel
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OP
top fuel
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,125
Hunt Valley, Maryland
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If we had natural gas, we would have a whole house generator. We have propane, so we went with portable. We have a gas stove and a gas fireplace and we are not worried about heat. The well, fridge, kitchen, fireplace fan, and sump pump are all we really need. Anything else is a bonus.
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Re: Portable Generator
[Re: 360view]
#2949064
07/31/21 08:44 AM
07/31/21 08:44 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,021 Tulsa OK
Bad340fish
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,021
Tulsa OK
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Having natural gas service to the house and an existing easy to access port and valve inside the fireplace has made me think about buying a kit to convert my 10 HP Briggs & Stratton powered Troy built 7500 watt gasoline portable generator to natural gas and keeping it on hand “just in case.”
If anyone knows the best kit to buy for this please comment.
I have now been through ice storms and Hurricanes that kept the electric service off for more than 7 days numerous times. I don't know of a kit but beware that changing it over to NG will likely reduce its output. Costco was selling a tri fuel generator that ran on Gas, NG, or Propane. It had different output ratings for each fuel, the highest being gasoline and I think proane was next.
68 Barracuda Formula S 340
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Re: Portable Generator
[Re: 65pacecar]
#2949576
08/02/21 12:55 AM
08/02/21 12:55 AM
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Superfreak
Unregistered
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Superfreak
Unregistered
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And buy a Honda! The small Generac units are absolute garbage, everything vibrates of them and when you need a repair, no one will do it as you can't get parts for them.
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Re: Portable Generator
[Re: Bad340fish]
#2949714
08/02/21 02:35 PM
08/02/21 02:35 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 28,596 Shopping @ HoBo Fright
340SIX
Doc Flappergas's Evil Twin
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Doc Flappergas's Evil Twin
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 28,596
Shopping @ HoBo Fright
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Having natural gas service to the house and an existing easy to access port and valve inside the fireplace has made me think about buying a kit to convert my 10 HP Briggs & Stratton powered Troy built 7500 watt gasoline portable generator to natural gas and keeping it on hand “just in case.”
If anyone knows the best kit to buy for this please comment.
I have now been through ice storms and Hurricanes that kept the electric service off for more than 7 days numerous times. I don't know of a kit but beware that changing it over to NG will likely reduce its output. Costco was selling a tri fuel generator that ran on Gas, NG, or Propane. It had different output ratings for each fuel, the highest being gasoline and I think propane was next. I have a smaller home than most on here I am sure 1500SF but 2600 under roof. Had an electrician put an interlock on my existing panel. Have a 9000-watt Blackmax with 13 hp Honda. We have a gas water heater, furnace, fireplace, drier, and range/oven. with everything on the gen is putting out at 28% of the available total 100% load. with the microwave off using 16-18% and at that rate tank of fuel last 15 hours. I have some smaller VP racing fuel 15-gallon drums and a hand pump. But will one day convert it to NG as we have it. I simple kit is not much $ but running the gas line is $ Note that we had a Briggs powered 4000watt that was using more fuel with the 8HP cast-iron sleeved engine We run it every 30 days under load and keep all gas with stybil in it. Gas has never been a problem going bad. even used 3-year-old sealed drum gas no problem. Stybil also sells 360 so it coats the inside the tank to prevent rust. In the past, my old Generac with Briggs (1992 they do not make them like they used to) ran all the 110 for 7 days after a hurricane and the same goes for the Honda-powered but the Honda engined one way outperformed the smaller one and used less fuel. I saw someone posted larger uses more fuel that was not the case for our use of a larger one less taxed used less fuel In addition to the every 30 days run with load, I do oil changes with Mobile One We sized Larger since the NG Conversion will put out less BTU and put out less
Last edited by 340SIX; 08/02/21 02:38 PM.
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Re: Portable Generator
[Re: 1fastrunner]
#2950373
08/04/21 01:08 PM
08/04/21 01:08 PM
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,162 USA
360view
Moparts resident spammer
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Moparts resident spammer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 8,162
USA
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Re: Portable Generator
[Re: 360view]
#2950524
08/04/21 08:57 PM
08/04/21 08:57 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,323 Omaha Ne
TJP
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,323
Omaha Ne
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An unlocked handle can trap users' fingers against the generator frame when the generator is moved, posing a risk of finger amputation and crushing, Having spent several years in engineering some of which involved "idiot proofing" convinced me that no matter how much time & effort was put into the concept, the the first person to walk up would think of something we didn't. And the above article is another example. It also reminds me of a ex co-worker that had his fingers in a MANUAL sheetmetal brake like the one shown and managed to fracture all 4 of them. WHAT PART OF STOP PULLING ON THE HANDLE WHEN IT STARTS HURTING didn't he understand??? Evidently the same part that the above idiots didn't while lifting the handle to move their generator while it was unlocked. Wonder why the MFR. went to the expense of putting a lock on the handle Proof that Darwin's offspring walk amongst us and are breeding
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Re: Portable Generator
[Re: TJP]
#2950564
08/05/21 12:47 AM
08/05/21 12:47 AM
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,267 Connecticut
1972CudaV21
master
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master
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,267
Connecticut
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If you can afford a Cummins Standby generator, they power the entire house.
China is the enemy.
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Re: Portable Generator
[Re: 340Cuda]
#2952282
08/09/21 11:26 PM
08/09/21 11:26 PM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 21,318 Manitoba, Canada
DaytonaTurbo
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 21,318
Manitoba, Canada
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For those of us that have generators for standby use at our homes, we need to drag them out every thirty days or so and run them, preferably under load.
I shoot for 30 days, probably make 60 and run my generator with an electric heater hooked up.
This is really the only way you know its going to work when you need it.
Data centers will typically run their generators without load once a week and under load once a month.
Yeah the gasoline units really are crap. There's no NG in my neighborhood so I try to periodically run the generator as well and not allow old fuel to sit in it. I guess the next best would be a propane powered unit.
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