Anyone have a standby generator at the house?

[Dive Bar Casanova]

I went cheap-o and it works great.
I read their are 3 generator factories in China and an overwhelming amount of brand of generators on the market are built there.
Don't hold me to it, I read it someplace.

We get blackouts here up to 30 hours at a time. Fires, winds, earthquakes, excessive heat and DUI's into the local power pole and just like that we're in the dark.

I could have pulled a loan & gone the $12.000 route but did a DIY with the best but simplest way out there at 1/4 the cost.

We always have 100 gallons of gas on hand and natural gas line to the house so it was really simple.



From what I read the 7500 is identical to the Honda 7000 and built in the same factory. Honda doesn't have a 50 AMP receptacle and is over twice the price so we rolled with this. Comparing the two in person I buy into the "built at the same factory near identical units" tale. Ain't knocking Honda.
Amazingly silent and it runs the entire Crankshaft Manor almost on idle and has been reliable as a hammer. One tank full runs 20 + hours easily in econo mode.

Several homes in our area went with the TESLA power bank / solar and paid a whopping $39.000 for the systems. They all failed in the last blackout. All the other solar homes are currently in dispute with the companies they bought them from for various reasons, except one who bough the solar system and installed it himself.

 

[SmokyMose]

We don't get many power outages here. If I had a gas generator outside someone would probably steal it.....

 

[Chasdev]

I guess "Stabil" fuel treatment is your friend..I hope so anyway...

 

[whistlepig]

We have occasional power outages that last 2-3 days, We also have a well. No power=no toilet and no heat in the winter.

We do have a portable generator that will run our well pump and out pellet stove along with the refrigerators.

 

[Dive Bar Casanova]

I guess "Stabil" fuel treatment is your friend..I hope so anyway...

We rotate out our fuel and found StarTron to work better than Stabil.

 

[flatbroke]

Sounds like you found a system that works for you and yours.

 

[Steve H]

What are you using for a transfer switch? Are those 2 mains interlocked?

 

[Dive Bar Casanova]

What are you using for a transfer switch? Are those 2 mains interlocked?

"Bumpless" lock-out transfer switches:

 

[Steve H]

Some people will backfeed to save money. And it is dangerous. Nice set up.

 

[whistlepig]

Ours is just a seperate disconnect for the 220V well pump and we use extension cords for everything else. I agree that back feeding is dangerous.

 

[rc4u]

we have 7.5KW genrac in the diesel pusher. use couple cords for fridges, freezers. n just glamp out in the motorhome.

 

[OldSmoke]

We rotate out our fuel and found StarTron to work better than Stabil.

I have found StarTron products to be very good, both gas and diesel. On our sailboat with a Diesel engine, after one tank, we no longer get soot all over the transom. The engine runs smoother as well.

 

[Jersey Jimbo]

Some people will backfeed to save money. And it is dangerous. Nice set up.

what is backfeed. when we lose power at the shore I take out a 220 circuit breaker and use the one I got to work for the generator but I do shut the main feed off till power comes back, then remove my breaker and flip the switch to use regular power source

 

[Steve H]

Utility men have died from this. You can charge lines going back to the street. So, I will not explain what it means. Have a licensed electrician install a switch for your generator if you are doing a whole house circuit.

 

[Dive Bar Casanova]

Utility men have died from this. You can charge lines going back to the street. So, I will not explain what it means. Have a licensed electrician install a switch for your generator if you are doing a whole house circuit.

I was that utility lineman.
I never trusted the stamped sheet metal style lock out for many reasons and in some parts they aren't approved.
We went with the dedicated switches.

 

[rc4u]

i replaced my ATS with this one as mine got loose connections n burned up.. i know this is not for home but used in motor homes ..and protects every one downline 50 amps duel leg handles 100 amps
Amazon.com: Progressive Dynamics PD52V 5200 Series Automatic Transfer Switch - 240 VAC, 50 Amp : Automotive

 

[Gonna Smoke]

Our son is a master electrician with his own company. He will tell you that regardless of what ANYONE tells you, regardless of what's going on around you, pull out your meter and check the line...

 

[MileHighSmokerGirl]

I’ll be putting a 22 kwH Generac natural gas generator with an auto transfer switch in here at my place in Eastern Colorado next year.

 

[Steve H]

Our son is a master electrician with his own company. He will tell you that regardless of what ANYONE tells you, regardless of what's going on around you, pull out your meter and check the line...

Yes. But the part that sucks is the line can be energized after the fact by someone doing this. I'm a journeyman electrician with over 30 years experience. And even with all measures in place, sh!t can happen.

 

[rc4u]

so why dont people get 220volt gens n split to 120 like rv's do , 50 amp 220 does 2 -50 amp legs. course when we were at charlotte motor speedway in 2017 we pluged into outlet and fried my first surge guard. tested line volts and it was 480 split to 2- 220's . that surge guard was on my plug and i have hard wired in my electrical bay. so the electricians go to the generator's and say they got it fixed well my son tyler had to tell them its not a damn dryer circuit but 220 in and divided to 120 out in 2 circuits. they did replace my surge guard for free. oh we were in front of the HD tv infield spot ,,,awesome

Yes. But the part that sucks is the line can be energized after the fact by someone doing this. I'm a journeyman electrician with over 30 years experience. And even with all measures in place, sh!t can happen.