Time to buy a generator!

[mfinn]

How would the generator start up in this situation?

From what I understand, you need to have a generator that is capable of being able to be started remotely, and being on standby all the time.
I don't think a ATS would work even with my electric start generator, unless I re-wired the starter.
The whole thing would come as a kit like the Generac Guardian.

 

[Reefer911]

Yeah that’s my thinking too. Hopefully the electrician will weigh in again

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Whole home generator isnt needed. That’s hype.
I run my entire home (mostly gas appliances) on a 8750 inverter generator from harbor freight. I live in Hot A texas and run a 4 ton central air unit along with all the other loads in my house, off that genny. Trick is to install what’s called a soft start. It’s a device that wires into the condenser unit and reduces start-up amps by over 70%. Start-up in ac units is what bogs a portable generator and is why whole home generators are grossly over sized. Whole home generator is roughly 10-15k installed. My setup was under 2.5k…….and I can take my genny anywhere vs it being bolted down to a concrete slab.

But you need to be at home to start it. I got our Generac for $7k installed. 20kw I think. I asked if I could go smaller and just
manually load shift and they said that is risky.
Jay

 

[olonmv]

But you need to be at home to start it. I got our Generac for $7k installed. 20kw I think. I asked if I could go smaller and just
manually load shift and they said that is risky.
Jay

Nothing an automatic transfer switch couldn't handle. ATF is around $500 USD. (Providing genny has a starter)


There are risks with manual load transfer but either the ATS handles that or an interlock is installed to mitigate risk and potential hazards. 7k for a 20kw isn’t a bad deal. Does it run your central air or does it bog down?

 

[Brian_68]

Nothing an automatic transfer switch couldn't handle. ATF is around $500 USD. (Providing genny has a starter)


There are risks with manual load transfer but either the ATS handles that or an interlock is installed to mitigate risk and potential hazards. 7k for a 20kw isn’t a bad deal. Does it run your central air or does it bog down?

The harbor freight generator mentioned does not start automatically which you would need with a transfer switch.

 

[Reefer911]

The harbor freight generator mentioned does not start automatically which you would need with a transfer switch.

He covered this in a previous post

 

[olonmv]

The harbor freight generator mentioned does not start automatically which you would need with a transfer switch.

Right, it’s not difficult to incorporate an ATS. But the harbor freight mentioned has a starter. All it needs is a start stop signal .

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Maybe, maybe not. But they last for decades if taken care of and are probably the quietest generators out there.
Just about everybody compares their products to the Hondas.

Having used several different brands over the last 25-30 years, if I could afford it, I would go Honda.

I have a Honda 2k, it's one of the most reliable I've ever owned. Owne(d) predator, Yamaha (close to Honda), and generac.

Outside of the Honda all were between 3500 and 7kw. Between lack of noise under load, fuel consumption and post purchase maintenance the Honda has been stellar.

I still have the generac (7kw), the parts support is there still (14 years old or so), but it weight a ton, eats gas under moderate load and it's loud as hell to run.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Nothing an automatic transfer switch couldn't handle. ATF is around $500 USD. (Providing genny has a starter)


There are risks with manual load transfer but either the ATS handles that or an interlock is installed to mitigate risk and potential hazards. 7k for a 20kw isn’t a bad deal. Does it run your central air or does it bog down?

We might have an 18kw unit.

It runs everything, the installer said they only install gensets that will handle the full load of the house. In our case, that includes the hot tub, central air and electric hot water! When I said I would just turn off unneeded high load items, he said no, because of issues if we lost power when I wasn't home. I don't know what they are called, but we have two load transfer units that will divvy up the power to keep everything running.

Jay

 

[olonmv]

We might have an 18kw unit.

It runs everything, the installer said they only install gensets that will handle the full load of the house. In our case, that includes the hot tub, central air and electric hot water! When I said I would just turn off unneeded high load items, he said no, because of issues if we lost power when I wasn't home. I don't know what they are called, but we have two load transfer units that will divvy up the power to keep everything running.

Jay

I almost went the whole home route but couldn’t constitute the cost vs the use we would get out of it. Was gonna do just the inverter genny with a window unit when I discovered soft start tech. Glad I did. A window unit would have cost about the same as a soft start. 1 room of cooling vs the entire house running business as usual, tank n all……it was a no brainer for me. There’s a lil extra I gotta do but the freedom of being able to take the generator anywhere is worth it. Next I plan on installing a natural gas conversion kit. Maybe one day I’ll automate but it’ll be with some tweaks of course (easy connect/disconnect to maintain portability).