Whole home generators
 

Thinking of getting one of these for my house and maybe one for my office. Every time it rains the lights go off at my office, it want run the AC 120 tons, but at least the phones and computers will work.

Pros and cons, different models etc.

Curtis

Re: Whole home generators
 

Natural gas is the only way to go. Diesel will only get you so far before it has to be refueled. Natty will run cleaner and you won't have to worry about how much fuel you have on hand. You will pay a little more for a natty gen set than a diesel. Olympian makes a nice product. Buy bigger than you need and have a automated switching system with a constant power supply so there is NO interuption in service during the transition.

Re: Whole home generators
 

It was going to be nat gas, with an automatic switch.

Can I run a small AC unit (2tons) ?

CM

Re: Whole home generators
 

You'll have to add up the wattage for every piece of equipment you want to run. You'll also have to get the wattage used by each piece at turn on or start up. Large appliances like refrigerators, washer/dryer, dishwasher, A/C units, air handlers, water heater, etc. pull more current to start than they use at any other time. You have to take all that into consideration when you purchase a generator.

Re: Whole home generators
 

40 Kw!!!

Re: Whole home generators
 

I run a Generak 15k unit, as it won't run my whole house it runs both our 2ton and 3ton ac units, the freezers ,refrigerators, and essential lights.
She kicks on 10 seconds from the time our power goes off and has runs 48+ hrs at a time on natural gas.
It was a good investment for us!

Re: Whole home generators
 

You can run anything that you want. It's all a matter of how much you want to spend. I just specified a 600kw Kohler unit for a new building. http://www.kohlerpowersystems.com/pdfs/g5235.pdf

This is a 2000kw that I got to see installed years ago. This one was inside the building on the second floor. :eek: You could feel it rumbling 100' away. v16, 4 valves per cylinder, twin superchargers, twin turbos, twin oil pans, 4 exhaust manifolds, the electric fan was 6' in diameter. The wild thing is that the unit wasn't making it's full wattage, so the engine was torn down on site and rebuilt. The pistons were just a little smaller than a #10 tin can. http://www.kohlerpowersystems.com/pdfs/g5236.pdf

Re: Whole home generators
 

I'm installing one at a house I'm building. It's a 12000sf home & the owner wants everything including the pool & spa to work if the power goes out.
It's a custom Onan/Cummins 140KW unit which I'm sure will work for you. Should I order another? It only cost about 100k including the two 2000 gal propaine tanks. The $38,000 underground vault would be an extra if you want it. :eek:
The transfer switch is about as big a a Volkswagon

Re: Whole home generators
 

Nat gas will give you problems, more crap to fail, plugs, cap, wires. must go industrial to eliminate the BS.

I am a dealer for ONAN, CAT, KOHLER, DETROIT, KATOLITE, BALDOR AND SDMO.

if you want some help just PM or ask,

A typical house 200 amp service can be supported for less than 20K

Re: Whole home generators
 

or you can just turn on all the things that you may be running at the same time and then put an amp clamp around your phases to check total draw.

Re: Whole home generators
 

140 KW!!! it's for a house or a hospital???

Re: Whole home generators
 

100k for a 140 KW?? Wish I was the dealer on that one....

Our backup for the house...

And the neighbors.....


And their neighbors........ :drink:

Re: Whole home generators
 

Seriously tho, IMO unless you are on a gas line and don't need a tank, diesel is the way to go. I use a true 30KW to run our house during storms. 5 days of running after Katrina, 15 gallons a day.. Ran AC,2 fridges,stove,washer,dryer etc. Also ran a cord next door and ran their fridge and a wallbange AC....
I find diesel is readily available after a storm here...

Somethings to keep in mind if you decide to go gas:

They are inefficient. Figure about 35% more fuel then you think you will need...
Look carefully a the specs. Most of em under 25 or 30 KW are 3600 RPM units with cheap windings. Look for an 1800 RPM unit....
Check your local dealers, get references. A genset is a mighty expensive item to be orphaned....

Re: Whole home generators
 

Ditto!
As a Electrical contractor in Fl, the utilities will be cut off in the event of a storm. If you have a Natural gas line, you may not have Gas in a storm. Gas Generarators are not that efficient & without a big tank, you'll be running out fast. Diesel systems need to be maintained, however you'll find most "real" generators will be Diesel. 20kw will get most homes running okay,(cost $18-20k) The Home Depot 15kw units are not really 15kw & will suffice. For the money not that bad.

Re: Whole home generators
 

i have a millerwelder generator 8 k at100% duty cycle . deasel the oinly way to go . if you get ng or prop you derate your out put by 5 to 15 % , :drink: something to thank about .

Re: Whole home generators
 

Thanks everybody, looks like I waited to long here comes rita.

CM

Re: Whole home generators
 

Since I have a tractor at my disposal for business reasons, I bought a PTO driven Generac generator. It is a 25kW continuous (50kW surge) unit that runs at 1800 rpm off of a gear drive from the tractor's 540rpm output. With the current tractor I have, I figure I am only getting 15kW out of it (plan to get a higher horsepower tractor eventually). I have a 200A transfer switch that lets me run everything off of it including A/C's and pool pumps.

This seemed to be the best route for me so that I don't have to maintain another engine that would otherwise not be used 99 percent of the time. As for Diesel fuel.... when a storm is approaching I just make sure that my dad's boat has a full tank and I have 200 gals available if I need it. At 10 gals a day, thats 20 days worth right there. Last year, it ran for 5 days after one storm and 3 after another.