oliver power
Member
Any suggestions?
- Thread starter oliver power
- Start date
I feel that LP is the best fuel to use for stand by generators.
Also do you want to be able to power/run everything ? One can get by with a much smaller generator if you only run the essentials, heat, water, refrigerator, a little light, microwave will give you hot food. If your water heater in not electric, you can even have hot water, all with as small as 4000 watt 230/120 volt generator.
We have a 4000 watt 120 volt generator on our motor home and I figure we could get by with that. Our well pump is only a 1/3 hp 120 volt.
timcasbolt
Well-known Member
I've got a big Onan on propane that is not for sale.
Billy Shafer
Well-known Member
Kohler or Powertech. Stay away from Generac. Onan is not what it used to be since Cummins bought them.
Kohler has good units. With good support and people that know what they are talking about.NG or propane would be the way to go. Have an amp load total of your house done. This will tell you what size to buy. Buy one that can handle a little more than you need.
Kohler has good units. With good support and people that know what they are talking about.NG or propane would be the way to go. Have an amp load total of your house done. This will tell you what size to buy. Buy one that can handle a little more than you need.
I have an Onan and I have had good service. Some have stated that they are having poor service and parts through Cummins. I have not but I would check before I bought in your area.
I would get a good brand that has local parts and service available. IF you use propane for anything that is the best fuel source. If you have a gas gen set I would get some of the pre-packaged gas to keep. It is sealed so it does not go stale like the regular station stuff.
About ten years ago on Christmas eve the whole family was at my sister's house for Christmas. They had major Ice storm. Lines and trees down every where. We spent the first night without electric because her generator would not start because of bad fuel. So in the early morning in zero weather I am cleaning the carburetor and others are walking to find some fresh gas. There where so many trees down that a car was useless. Finally got it going. She had to use it for ten days before she had electric back. Keeping it going with gas was a real pain after the second day. There where no stations with electric close by. Had to clean streets and borrow lawn mower gas to keep it going. She switched it over to propane and has ZERO problems since then.
I would get a good brand that has local parts and service available. IF you use propane for anything that is the best fuel source. If you have a gas gen set I would get some of the pre-packaged gas to keep. It is sealed so it does not go stale like the regular station stuff.
About ten years ago on Christmas eve the whole family was at my sister's house for Christmas. They had major Ice storm. Lines and trees down every where. We spent the first night without electric because her generator would not start because of bad fuel. So in the early morning in zero weather I am cleaning the carburetor and others are walking to find some fresh gas. There where so many trees down that a car was useless. Finally got it going. She had to use it for ten days before she had electric back. Keeping it going with gas was a real pain after the second day. There where no stations with electric close by. Had to clean streets and borrow lawn mower gas to keep it going. She switched it over to propane and has ZERO problems since then.
Billy Shafer
Well-known Member
Onan used to be top of the line. Not anymore. As for parts prices.
Quoted last week to me. 307-0004 start solenoid.
193.55 Found a cross match at local auto store.
24.95
Guy called me several months ago.
MCCK braided plug wires.
980.23 for two.
Found some at an aircraft supply house.
140.00
Little longer than needed,but they worked.
Quoted last week to me. 307-0004 start solenoid.
193.55 Found a cross match at local auto store.
24.95
Guy called me several months ago.
MCCK braided plug wires.
980.23 for two.
Found some at an aircraft supply house.
140.00
Little longer than needed,but they worked.
I have a Kohler and since I have NG It will run on NG or LP. It's rated at 14kw on LP. I only had 13 circuits transferred. My neighbor has a Generac and said he had a few problems, but was fixed. You can buy any brand from Norwall.com and there's free shipping and no sales tax.
I would suggest you hire a master electrician that has wired the transfer switches for some time. The same for the master plumber and if permits are required have them buy them so you get a final inspection. Also which ever brand you choose find a service tech for that brand in your area and shop around and compare prices so your warranty isn't lost. Hal
I would suggest you hire a master electrician that has wired the transfer switches for some time. The same for the master plumber and if permits are required have them buy them so you get a final inspection. Also which ever brand you choose find a service tech for that brand in your area and shop around and compare prices so your warranty isn't lost. Hal
Butch(OH)
Well-known Member
Besides KW rating and the brand/quality/service issues choosing a fuel is important, lots more important than some make of it. Gasoline should be you last choice IMO even if you have a farm tank full of it at all times. Natural gas is OK so is LP IF you already are using it at the site. I went with diesel and am happy with it.
Why Billie,CBS & Consummer just did a testing and said Generac was best over all made in Port.and whole house.At least it sounds good??You are right on service and parts on a local bases,however Dad had a 40K unit that no one local could fix,but I got a # for Them in Wisc.who told me to stay around 1/2hr or so and someone would call.They called,give them the numbers and problems,they sent parts,all info sheets and how to install parts plus # and Names to ask for if problems,all for a 20yr.old unit.I fixed it and then got rid of it(2yrs later).I got 3 Diesel Katolights,but Generac has maybe 90-95%of the home market within 50-100 mile radius.Onan and Kohler don't have a decent Dist.network.NO I'am not a Generac fan.
Butch(OH)
Well-known Member
Could be, fuel usage is variable with loads. During a recent 60 hour outage my next door neighbor burned just over 1 gallon per hour with a pretty large, guessing 15,000 watt, gasoline generator while running the entire house like he was on grid power. The math here is 1 GPH x $4 X 24 per day,,, It is my understanding that propane or NG is cheaper per BTU but by how much I do not know as I dont use them. My generator is diesel 15 KW and during that same outage I burned just over a quart an hour with the wife using power like the grid was on.
One thing I forgot to mention not sure about the other generators, but with Kohler you need a separate 120vac dedicated breaker to supply constant voltage to the generator to keep the battery charged. That needs to be installed in the transfer switch. Mine has places for 16 circuits. Hal
An example is Coleman white gas for their lanterns. It is just unleaded clear gas. I used to use it in a little portable generator we took camping all of the time. It was only 1000 watts but it ran better and did not gum up the carb. on the canned stuff. You can find other brands in some big box stores. It is high usually $8-10 per gallon.
Billy Shafer
Well-known Member
Well CBS and Consumers has not had to fight them for thirty years like I have. Got one down at this time in a few towns over. Three months and still waiting for help. Onan has really gone down hill. Kohler is still the best to me. Katolight is a good brand. Just don't see many around here.
I have two portables - both Briggs/Coleman 4000/5000 watts. We can get by with either, by shifting the loads, and dropping all non-essential usage. It is not cheap, running approximately a gallon of gasoline per hour. It is inconvenient to store and keep fresh gasoline available - and can you be sure that your gasoline sources will have fuel available when you need it? A widespread outage can bring a community to it's knees. Propane stays fresh, and although you have to have a tank in the back yard, it is far more sensible than gasoline. If you already have propane service, you're all set. Ditto for Natural gas. I can't afford the big, automatic gensets, so I get by cheap. Fortunately, I don't have many prolonged outages. But I have to stay home and babysit the gensets when I do have an outage. They have saved my bacon - literally several times! (along with all the other food in three freezers, water, heating/cooling, and animal care.) I wouldn't be without a generator. Donno how we survived as a dairy farm when I was a kid.
Brad Buchanan
Member
I had to run the generator on my service truck for two weeks to power my house and keep the essentials going in my Father-in-laws trailer.
The gen was a twenty year old Homelite 5500 watt.
By controlling the load We were able to live pretty normally except for chasing gasoline. We started out using 14 gallons per 24hr period.
I changed the oil in the gen about 10 days in and put in synthetic- mainly so the gen would turn over more easily in the near zero weather. Oddly enough the fuel consumption reduced to app. 9 gals per 24hr.
Don't know if we were using less or the oil was the difference but she did indeed start easier.
I agree that propane is the ideal but I wonder how much reserve you would need to run a 15 or 25kw gen for an extended period.
Hope this helps,
Brad
The gen was a twenty year old Homelite 5500 watt.
By controlling the load We were able to live pretty normally except for chasing gasoline. We started out using 14 gallons per 24hr period.
I changed the oil in the gen about 10 days in and put in synthetic- mainly so the gen would turn over more easily in the near zero weather. Oddly enough the fuel consumption reduced to app. 9 gals per 24hr.
Don't know if we were using less or the oil was the difference but she did indeed start easier.
I agree that propane is the ideal but I wonder how much reserve you would need to run a 15 or 25kw gen for an extended period.
Hope this helps,
Brad
Those prices are nuts but thats common now.Solenoid for my Ford truck was 15.00 last year.There is a diode across the coil to protect the computer from voltage spikes.Hope My Onan never needs parts.Friend just bought a hi milage Dodge pick up.It has 2 spark plugs per cylinder.He got a quote of 250 bucks for new plugs and wires.Changed the plugs in a friends Chevy S10. He had a quote for the job for 50 bucks.We bought 4 new plugs for 5 bucks.I put them in in 15 minutes.
Billy Shafer
Well-known Member
I went to help install a rebranded Generac unit last year.Man was Pi$$ed when I told him what he really had. He returned it still in the crate. Got his money back. Bought a Kohler.
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