Generators, what ya got?

[Phill Latio]

What brand is everyone using for their house in case of outage? More importantly which brands should a guy shy away from?

ive lived in the country long enough that I should’ve had one a long time ago so am finally gonna break down and get one. Most likely will be used to power the furnace, fridge, and a few lights so probably gonna go with a 5000-6500w. Would like to keep it under $1k so Honda is out of the question

ill be honest I’m probably going to pick one up at menards tomorrow, not open it at all unless I have to for this big storm, and then return it later this week and wait till I find a decent sale on one or atleast 11% rebate week

 

[raider]

i'd check the power consumption of what you need to power - doesn't look like that much to me... look at the construction grade hondas... the quiet is what makes them expensive... if you're in the country and can just let her rip in an emergency, that's the route i'd go...

 

[watson]

Bought a generac 7 yrs ago after an ice storm, have never hooked it up since.

 

[Skeeter]

Most newer furnaces have such sensitive circuit boards that they will not run with an ordinary generator. There are some generators that are made to run sensitive circuits but they are spendy. Just an FYI before you buy just because it’s cheap and will not meet your needs.

 

[Wirehair]

Generac 22 KV for our house. We also have a Champion Dual Fuel 7500 at farm that runs on propane or gas. Have put a fair number of hours on it and only use propane. Never put gas in tank, so nothing to winterize. Amazing generator, but a bit noisy. It is set-up for six circuits that provide the basics. Furnace, refrigerators, pressure pump for well, outlets in kitchen, lights in two rooms, and outlets in great room. Got it a couple of year ago - Amazon ~ $850.

 

[fj40]

10k Generac permanent hooked to 1k gal propane tank.

 

[DarkWhiskey]

had a propane whole house Generac installed this last fall, waited all winter for the power to go out like it usually does every year for the past 13 yrs... country livin. It finally happened, power outage for 6 hours the other nite. It worked flawlessly

 

[Phill Latio]

had a propane whole house Generac installed this last fall, waited all winter for the power to go out like it usually does every year for the past 13 yrs... country livin. It finally happened, power outage for 6 hours the other nite. It worked flawlessly

How much did this set up run you?

- - - Updated - - -

Bought a generac 7 yrs ago after an ice storm, have never hooked it up since.

This is why I have been so reluctant to get one. It’s worth it’s weight in gold WHEN you need it, and if you dont that’s great but it $800-1000 paperweight. If I didn’t have two young kids I’d make due without

 

[BrokenBackJack]

Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.
Look around and see how many things you have that you don't use or very seldom use. A generator is a great investment that could keep you and your family alive!
Don't forget to get it properly wired so you aren't sending voltage down the electric lines/back feeding.

 

[Rowdie]

What brand is everyone using for their house in case of outage? More importantly which brands should a guy shy away from?

ive lived in the country long enough that I should’ve had one a long time ago so am finally gonna break down and get one. Most likely will be used to power the furnace, fridge, and a few lights so probably gonna go with a 5000-6500w. Would like to keep it under $1k so Honda is out of the question

ill be honest I’m probably going to pick one up at menards tomorrow, not open it at all unless I have to for this big storm, and then return it later this week and wait till I find a decent sale on one or atleast 11% rebate week

Please do the rest of the world a favor and not return it IF you use it.

 

[TFX 186]

Phill,
Might want to check with your power supplier on information and installation. Some of the REC's have generators for sale and also Electrician's to do the connect. At the very least, they might be able to answer some questions or point you in the right direction.

Fish On!

 

[WormWiggler]

I assume money solves all issues but do these backups switch automatically if you are not home?

 

[Wirehair]

Have a Generac that auto starts and is hardwired to the service panel. Hardware included a cut-off or relay that prevents power from going down line.