Posted on 06/04/2024 8:42:56 AM PDT by eastexsteve
I live in rural NE Texas, and we experience power outages often. Some last for days. This year, we've been hammered by bad weather, and this round is the 12th time I've been on generator power this year. I've played the "generator game" for decades, starting off with one that I thought would be just good enough to keep me going, running the bare minimum appliances until the power came back on. This was torture. In my opinion, most people make bad decisions when it comes to buying a generator. They think small, and short run times. The truth is, here in Texas, you need one big enough to power your whole house, including A/C. For a 2,000 sqft house with a family of four, (that is VERY energy efficient with all LED lights etc.,) you are talking at least a 12KW - 13KW running watt (not surge watt) generator. If you want to stay married and keep your kids from running away from home, don't think about anything smaller. And, you want it fuel efficient enough to run all day. Also, you want one built to go extended run times. Most of these smaller camping or job site generators won't cut it, since they won't run very long under a load between fueling, and require oil changes every 50 hours. You're not powering a tent or a garage shop. You are powering your house, and you may have to do it for many days. Propane/Natural gas generators are VERY inefficient. Gasoline is somewhat better. Diesel is the best. Here in Texas during the "big freeze" a few years ago, some people even lost natural gas pressure! With the world like it is, and getting worse, you need to consider things like fuel, fuel storage, and fuel availability in case of a SHTF scenario. Before you go plop down hundreds of dollars on a generator thinking you need just enough to get you by, you better give it some serious thought.
My regular AC/Heat people do the maintenance, which amounts to an oil change once a year; there may be a filter, not sure.
The battery (automotive type) should be changed every 3-4 years. Mine is a 180 amp/ 21kW unit and as I recall it was about 5K to install, complete with electrical transfer switches, etc.
Your home is served with single phase 120 volt power. Two "legs" of it are brought in to power your 240v requirements (range,dryer, AC units, very little else) and everything else is powered by 120v.
You simply need a genset that will develop single phase power.
“Any info on solar generators? Is it worth making the plunge?”
~~~~~~~
I have several of these “Solar Generators” that I’ve spent $800 to $1000 each on. They come with a couple brand names.
OUKITEL P2001 Power Station, 2000Wh Solar Generator LiFePO4 Battery, Portable Power Station UPS Power Supply, Recharge by AC/Car/Solar (Solar Panel Optional) for Camping Home Use RV Emergency https://a.co/d/3QgAsVu
FFpower P2001 Solar Generator, Solar Power Station 2000Wh w/ LiFePO4 Battery, 6x2000W AC Outlets, Electric Generator for Emergency, RV Camping https://a.co/d/aRCz1ol
I have the (Oukitel) one running my home office here connected to four 120 watt solar panels (wired 2s2p) providing up to 48v at up to 10 amps into its solar power input. Its AC cord is plugged into a wall socket power timer that comes on for several hours each evening, in case the unit doesn’t get a full recharge from the sun.
It operates as an 1100 watt UPS while powered from the timer. The rest of the time it performs as a stand alone 2 kilowatt pure sine wave AC power source running on its 2000 watt hour LiFePo4 battery.
All its USB and power sockets have made them excellent home office uninterruptible power solutions for Dad and I.
Similar to, but less expandable than the popularly advertised $ystems.
(Bluetti, etc.)
These have the side benefit of replacing our old style CyberPower and APC
UPS units as well. (with their always failing, short life, low power, expensive
lead acid batteries.)
These units will gradually ramp up to 1100 watts or more power draw while
recharging after running without power, so keep that in mind when deciding
what else can reasonably be plugged into the same home circuit breaker.
I find these great for keeping the internet, TV, and local wifi and network
attached storage systems uninterrupted, and all the phones, tablets and
miscellaneous usb devices charged. (Not to mention keeping my little office
(Dometic) popsicle freezer chillin’.)
~Easy
.
We have a whole house Generac 11kw. A Generac rep will bring a tablet over and analyze every electrical use you have and sell you a generator that is just enough, not overkill. That is only a waste of fuel. It will switch over automatically. Works flawlessly now for 4 years. Our house uses lp, we have a 300 gallon tank. When the generator is running we know exactly how much lp it will use.
It's a different story if the power outage is relatively short term, such as during an ice storm or a tree taking down nearby power lines.
When I sold my last home, I allowed the new owner to take over my generator. In my new home, we are prepared with candles, extra food, plenty of drinking water, heavy blankets, etc., to tough out an extended blackout. We will just make an adventure out of it.
To be honest, running a generator is a major PIA, especially as I am much older now. I have no appetite for going outside at 2 in the morning to fire up a generator, run cables, keep it gassed up, etc.
No mine is on NG but it’s dual fuel capable and I was thinking as a backup to that. I had a 250 that I sold because they said it was too small for how cold it gets here. Anyway good luck with your project. Be safe.
Texas is BIG COUNTRY & it sounds like if you want a really adequate home generator for use there, you need a real commercial unit. What would something like that cost?
You are asking me ? I have no idea. I will learn many things Texan over the next few years.
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