Living in Texas, and with the summer coming up, I’m looking for a decent, dependable generator.
Since the fiasco this winter, they’re now in the process of upgrading (HA!) and repairing the mess that was created, and many are saying the outlook for the summer isn’t so great.
I don’t want to be powerless for an extended period of time, nor do I really want to bug out (but I will if I have to), so my next option is a generator.
I’ve looked at some solar, but very expensive, and some duel fuel (propane/gas), and looked at tons of reviews online.
It seems the most suggested is the Predator 6500 from Harbor Freight that has actually outperformed several of the better named brands, or a Westinghouse 6500.
Anyone have any suggestions? What should I look for good and bad? Should I go to the expense of putting a transfer switch in or just lots of plugs to the generator?
Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!!
@Tadlem43 if you don’t mind the expense, for a whole house the Generac is the way to go, & your local Lowes will sell & install it. A cheaper version from Walmart is 12000 watt for under $1000. We have that… it is a powerhouse.
The harbor freight one is junk…cheaply made & won’t last. The Westinghouse is probably good, but i’ve never had one.
If you want to do your whole house, look for at least 12000 watts. It’s safer to do the switch…have an electrician put it in.
@mc2d2000@Tadlem43 the predator generators are not crap. They get excellent reviews and use a clone of one of Hondas engines. Just cause harbor freight sells something doesn’t mean it’s crap.
Transfer switch means that you could possibly run some items that are not easily plugged in, water heater for example, if you get a big enough generator. I’ve lived on a portable generator for several days with cables running everywhere. It’s annoying, but definitely doable. I have not put in a switch because it’s not that often we go without power for an extended time. (Hurricanes)
My hot water heater is gas, so that’s not a problem.
I’ve calculated the wattage of things I’d use the most, and it comes to about 2500, 5600 surge, so I figured a 6500 would be more than adequate.
What kind do you have? Do you have a brand you suggest?
Thanks!!
@Tadlem43 At our last house, we had a whole house Generac installed. Well, it didn’t cover the WHOLE house, but realistically, everything important was on it. It ran on natural gas, and ran quite nicely the few times we needed it. Man, I do miss having natural gas, it made our electrical loads SOOO much lower…
2013 pricing for a 14kW generator was $6879, including install, transfer panel etc.
At the new house, we splurged and did solar with a pair of Tesla PowerWalls. VERY expensive comparatively, but they have a certain “cool” factor, and without access to natural gas, and with no interest in installing a propane tank, they were basically my only option other than a massive portable gas genny.
I’d suggest, given a choice considering your priorities such as price, features, and capacity, etc., that you choose one that is quieter. They can be really, really loud. Even if you place it on the opposite side of the house as your bedroom for your comfort at night, your neighbors might then hate you. Also if you live in a neighborhood where things get stolen (and in a long outage even if your neighborhood is safe it might walk), then placement for that reason may matter.
Fuel efficiency will matter during a long outage too since gasoline may be hard to get. Gas and diesel have a limited shelf life and gas may be hard to get in an extended outage. A propane tank on your property may or may not violate your city’s rules.
Good luck finding one that meets your needs. If you do I’d bet family and friends will plead to “hurricane or power outage isolate” at your house.
@Kidsandliz It would go in my back yard. I’m in Dallas, so a large propane tank is out. I’d have to use smaller tanks and/or gas.
Do you have any suggestions for a brand?
Thanks!
@Tadlem43 I know many RV’ers, given the money, buy a Honda. High quality, gas efficient compared to many, very quiet compared to most, but expensive. You wanted cheap so that one is likely out. I am not familiar with the current choices as I had to sell my small RV 8 years ago, fortunately I guess, I had to sell it prior to investing in a generator. As a result I haven’t kept up with the current brands/models that people think highly of. Sorry.
@Kidsandliz@Tadlem43 you can also buy or build a ‘doghouse’ to put over the generator when it is in use, though you will need to be strategic about routing exhaust out of the box. It will seriously cut down on noise. You might make one out of structural foam insulation board and use a metal drier hose to route exhaust out, and tent stakes through straps or screw eyes (weather dependent) to hold it down over the generator. Won’t stop thieves but will make it a lot less noticeable.
@Kidsandliz I’ll speak up as someone who has hated neighbors running generators. Middle of summer with no power and we had to keep our windows closed on that side of the house due to the deafening sound. For this reason, if I ever decide to get a generator I’ll shell out for a Honda.
They are definitely not cheap but Honda 5000 series generators are extremely dependable. Like so dependable that we can’t remember how old ours are. We have a couple we use daily on commercial job sites that must be 25+ years old.
@ugadogch we’ve owned a Honda EM5000 since just before Y2K (21 years). Due to In-law grief over “what will you do with your newborn baby if the power goes out on 1/1/2000?”
Back then there was no such thing as a $300-500 Chinese genset.
Not that we’ve used it all the time, but we’ve also loaned it to in-laws and put a fair number of hours on it.
That thing still starts on the first pull. It has electric start but we don’t even bother keeping a battery with it due to the easy start.
Key thing with any portable generator - maintain it by the book and don’t leave gas in it when it is not in use. We only run fresh (less than 30-day) premium grade gas thru it.
If you store gas in cans, add Stabil at purchase time and cycle it into your cars and refill the cans every month or so.
If we were buying today, while the Honda would be tempting, the price premium for them (and also excellent Yamahas) would be tough to justify vs today’s more reasonably priced alternatives.
You could by two or more still not bad Champions (or three Harbor Freights) for the money and keep one as a safety backup - or to add capacity when needed. Some models even have parallel cable kits to run two generators at a tome.
Note Harbor Freight appears to be seriously focusing on their generators. They just revamped the entire lineup. Both quiet inverter models and traditional models.
Honda and Yamaha brand generators for portables if you can afford them. Last I heard Hondas are now made in china, but some Yamahas were still made in Japan but that was several years ago. Both of these brands will tend to be quieter than most of the others. Inverter types will also be quieter at lower loads since the engine can slow down; a non-inverted generator runs at full speed (3600RPM or 1800RPM usually) to maintain AC power output at 60Hz.
Champion has a decent rep for the chinese ones, mainly because they have an actual service organization that works. You might want to see how Harbor Freight compares if you need parts or service. Our Champion (a dual fuel inverter 3500W) has only needed to run once for about 8 hours (plus initial break-in) but no issues. It can run the fridge and freezer, lights, computers/TV/etc and the central A/C blower (but not the compressor), or else the fridge/freezer, a few lights, and the one-room portable A/C we use for outages with no issue. We ran it off the spare BBQ propane bottle and after 8 hours it still had some fuel in it.
Westinghouse is just a brand name on chinese generators these days; some of the lower end Generac and other known names are the same.
If you can afford it get a dual or triple fuel and try to run on propane (or lng if you have that available). The generator will make a little less peak power compared to gas but maintenance requirements go way down if you never put gasoline in it.
@duodec@Tadlem43 you said your water heater was gas so I’d definitely get a tri-fuel and plan on running it on natural gas, with some back up propane tanks
@Tadlem43 Consider how you are going to secure your generator when its running. Since they have to be outside while in use, they’re prime targets for snatch and grab thieves.
We’re in a townhouse, and fire code here limits us to one propane bottle in the garage. The Weber is kept on the back patio and has room for two bottles in its base (one attached) so we rotate them and so always have two full bottles for the generator. If you have or can put in outside storage (shed, detached garage, etc) you may have more options.
Regarding LNG connection. That used to be the way to go to (almost) guarantee continued operation during a power failure. The automatic generators can be awesome and definitely more work for someone to steal. Unfortunately continued operation may no longer be the case depending on where you are and how widespread and how long the power outage is. LNG pumping and distribution control stations (forgive me if those are not the correct terms for them) used to burn off a little of the gas to power their pumps and provide local electricity, making the LNG supply virtually independent of the area grid. But then the epa started forcing the stations to meet very stringent (and expensive) emissions rules so many of them were moved to use grid power instead, which greatly increased the possibility of losing LNG delivery during large scale or extended power outages. Probably won’t be a problem for shorter outages barring Texas issues that @unksol mentioned.
@duodec@Tadlem43 well on top of that. I just said “use your natural gas connection” like it’s nothing. It’s not. Your gas plumbing/meter/pressure has to be sized to supply all appliances up to the meter. Then each branch has to be sized. Etc. Etc.
If you had a lng gas grill that was the same btu or higher then your generator you could connect there. If your piping is oversized
/Has excess capacity you could add.
If your home was sized for the current need… And you would need more. Might involve a new meter/pressure and more piping. Probably not worth doing all that. If you just want a cheap backup.
@duodec@unksol My house was built in 1936 and there are no outside gas connections. I’m thinking it would be cost prohibitive to have that plumbed. I think I’ll stick with propane and gasoline.
I have a storage shed away from the house, so I can store extra propane tanks there. I have no idea what the city code is. (I won’t tell if you won’t. lol )
@duodec@Tadlem43 yea I would only bother if your current NG capacitiy was enough to add on an external connection but that would still require someone to come in and do the plumbing… So if it’s going to be rarely used. Eh.
As far as what you keep in your shed it’s nowhere near me. Lol. My gas and propane are in the attached garage.
My in-laws purchased a Pulsar G12KBN dual-fuel generator purchased after recommendations from some pro contractors they do business with. However, it’s got a lot higher capacity than you’ve indicated is needed. They like it, but haven’t had to use it for emergency yet.
At $950 or so, the Pulsar is almost twice the cost of a Harbor Freight 6500W Predator ($550), but it’s thousands less than a big Honda.
Good luck.
@compunaut Thanks! Yeah, the HF has some great reviews, too, but I don’t remember if it’s dual fuel. I need to check that.
I’ll look into the Pulsar’s. I haven’t checked them yet.
But … Altho many deal topics at slickdeals.net seem to draw in the crazies and the opinionated idiots, the topic of generators seems to bring in calm, knowledgeable discussion.
So you might wanna just read a bunch of these deal discussions, and start picking up info and background there.
@f00l@Tadlem43 the topics on slickdeals do tend to be decent. And kick up some decent generator options and sales. But you’d have to set an alert to see any deals come up if you don’t drop by regularly. I check in there for other stuff and just wander into those.
Since up here the electric almost never goes out except for a storm for a day. And the gas has never gone out once. And in the dead of winter the heat and fireplace and water heater and stove are all gas… I’ve never bothered. Thought about it but… I might never use it lol
@f00l@unksol My concern is another problem like we had in the winter. We were minutes away from a catastrophic state-wide power failure that could/would have lasted up to 6 months. If that happens, there will be no supplies, no gas, no water, no nothing. Our summers are brutal, and they are already talking about possible grid failure this summer when we have peak usage.
Last month when the temp was in the low 70’s, we almost had a grid failure…and that’s nothing compared to the 100+ temps we have in the summer.
I just don’t want to get in a position of being completely dependent on the Texas grid.
If necessary, I can make it to another state (I keep my gas tank full) and can get gas to make it to family further away, but in the mean time, I’m on my own. Just thinking to be prepared.
@f00l@Tadlem43 well since you can’t trust the Texas grid for any fuel I doubt NG does any good. So maybe 30 gallons of gas you can rotate through. Or some propane takes
If you decide to connect the generator to your house wiring, I would recommend using an interlock. An interlock is a mechanical device that mounts in your electrical panel and prevents the breaker for the generator from being switched in when the main breaker is on, and vice-versa. Here is a site that has models for various brands of electrical panels. https://www.interlockkit.com/
I hired an electrician to install a transfer switch for my generator, but when he saw my setup, he recommended going with the interlock. It was simpler and much less expensive. If I had known how simple it was, I would have installed the interlock myself (I have done work inside the main panel before and I am comfortable doing it).
@macromeh I would not say that’s a Suggestion that is almost ways a requirement. Without an interlock you can feed voltage back down the grid on lines that are supposed to be disconnected.
You should hope people would know to throw the main disconnect first but… Can’t trust people
@unksol I was suggesting using an interlock (which is a mechanical device that locks out one breaker when another is engaged) - it does not act as a switch - the main breaker and a breaker installed into the panel to back feed the generator output into the house circuits are the switches. To switch to gen power, you manually switch the main breaker off, slide the interlock to gen position, then switch the gen breaker on. It does not allow both power sources to be engaged at the same time,
A transfer switch is just that - an actual switch that routes power from either the utility mains or from the generator to the house panel (or a sub panel). It is much more expensive to buy and to have installed than a simple interlock.
Yeah, I would never connect a generator to the house wiring without one or the other. Unsafe and illegal.
@macromeh@Tadlem43 it boils down to you having the generator wired into the main panel on a breaker to supply power and a sliding metal plate on the front of the breaker box.
It physically prevents you from having both the main breaker and the generator supply breaker on at the same time so you cannot manually turn on both at the same time.
The generator input breaker you would wire to an outside outlet you can connect the generator to
@Tadlem43@unksol Correct - and one more important point: the generator cord has a male connector that plugs into the generator and a female connector on the house end. The inlet that is wired to the house wiring has a male connector that is recessed in a box. You plug the female end of the gen cable into the recessed male connector. That way you never have an exposed connector that is live (has electricity present).
That is what that port on the generator is for. Its like on an RV. For 40AMP youd need 8 guage copper to a 40 AMP breaker. For the outlet. Idk Texas building code though. And if you’re not comfortable with electrical. Hire someone. I can do it in my own house here.
Currently sitting in our garage watching the hubbie fix our lawnmower and asked him about our generator. Ours is a Powerhouse brand from Northern Tool. We have had it for several years with no issues but he reminds me that we don’t use ours as much as many people do.
@tnhillbillygal I haven’t looked into those, but I will. Thanks for the recommend. I hope I don’t have to use it, either, but since the grid almost collapsed this last winter, I don’t want to be completely unprepared this summer!
I would check out https://nysmartgenerators.com/ and speak with them. They totally know the deal and what is worthwhile amd what is not. No games, not desperate to make a sale, very knowledgeable and honest.
@akatz227 no offence but a company from new york selling a massively over priced generator. Never mind the huge red flags/problems with that website. Just no. Never mind for someone on a budget in Texas.
No idea how you got a sleeper account from 2014 who’s only post is this advertisement
While I agree with @unksol’s assessment of the referred generator site, and the link’s poster appears to have been largely silent on Meh since 2014, 522 orders is hardly “sleeper”.
What % of Meh account holders break 500 orders?
akatz227 is a hardcore meh fiend having placed 522 orders and voted in 1 poll. akatz227 clicked the meh button 18 times, 0 days in a row, with a longest streak of 2 days in a row.
In the forum, akatz227 is rarely spotted in the wild with 0 topics created, 7 comments, and 2 replies. akatz227 is all talk and no handing out likes to other people’s posts, having doled out 0 (for an altruism score of 0.0). akatz227’s posts have received 6 likes.
I’m just going to throw this one out there. Although it sounds like you may be looking for something more powerful. We experience frequent outage and recently purchased a Champion generator just to run essential stuff. It is gas but the inverter is built in. It’s heavy but portable with a wheel kit. Has a quiet mode, if you have neighbors you like, which runs on slightly reduced wattage. For winter we have a couple propane heaters so we were not looking for something to run heat, although this could run one or two space heaters. And we were not looking for something that can ruin a big ass air conditioner, which may be an issue in Texas. But overall it has done really well for us at a very low price comparatively.
@railek invertor generators use less fuel and are quieter so if you weren’t going propane I would lean that direction. There are predator models for that too.
Propane vs gas is a desision. But with how badly Texas fails at it’s entire energy infrastructure… Which is better?
@railek Thank you! This looks promising, though I’m kinda leaning toward a dual fuel.
I’ve figured it out and need about 2550 running/ 5500 surge, but could deal with this.
I have window air conditioning, so it isn’t like I have an HVAC system to run. The price is great…and it has a 3 year warranty! Looks good!
Don’t wanna derail things into a political direction, which would be a major annoyance, as you are trying to deal with a specific issue.
So I will be brief and somewhat circumspect
This situation sux.
Compleat political and intellectual corruption, in those possessing power, but who lack any personal honor, has a great deal to do with it.
I like it because of the dual fuel options, but I plan to use it with propane as much as possible. No plans for a transfer switch at the moment, but I should be good to power the fridge and a few space heaters in a pinch.
We have propane furnace, hot water, and two fireplaces. But when your on a well, no electricity means no water. Well has a cistern, so I could have just done an RV pump on a battery for backup, but whole house generator made more sense since it was already wired. I have a Briggs & Stratton that i don’t think they make any more. It’s rated at 7k/10k (30A breaker). Even with the big energy suckers on LPG, if i just throw the whole house on at once with the interlock breaker, it will stall the generator. (Maybe well and septic pumps kicking on at the same time?) So i turn all the load breakers on one by one. I can run the house plus either the oven or the the dryer but not both. With typical loads i get about 24 hours of run time on two 40 gallon propane tanks. (I usually only run it for about an hour at a time to keep cold stuff cold and refill the toilets.)
Living in Texas, and with the summer coming up, I’m looking for a decent, dependable generator.
Since the fiasco this winter, they’re now in the process of upgrading (HA!) and repairing the mess that was created, and many are saying the outlook for the summer isn’t so great.
I don’t want to be powerless for an extended period of time, nor do I really want to bug out (but I will if I have to), so my next option is a generator.
I’ve looked at some solar, but very expensive, and some duel fuel (propane/gas), and looked at tons of reviews online.
It seems the most suggested is the Predator 6500 from Harbor Freight that has actually outperformed several of the better named brands, or a Westinghouse 6500.
Anyone have any suggestions? What should I look for good and bad? Should I go to the expense of putting a transfer switch in or just lots of plugs to the generator?
Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!!
@Tadlem43 if you don’t mind the expense, for a whole house the Generac is the way to go, & your local Lowes will sell & install it. A cheaper version from Walmart is 12000 watt for under $1000. We have that… it is a powerhouse.
The harbor freight one is junk…cheaply made & won’t last. The Westinghouse is probably good, but i’ve never had one.
If you want to do your whole house, look for at least 12000 watts. It’s safer to do the switch…have an electrician put it in.
Good luck from Oklahoma!
@mc2d2000 @Tadlem43 the predator generators are not crap. They get excellent reviews and use a clone of one of Hondas engines. Just cause harbor freight sells something doesn’t mean it’s crap.
@mc2d2000 Thanks!
@mc2d2000 @unksol They have great reviews. A lot of YT videos showing usage, etc. Definitely on my list!
Transfer switch means that you could possibly run some items that are not easily plugged in, water heater for example, if you get a big enough generator. I’ve lived on a portable generator for several days with cables running everywhere. It’s annoying, but definitely doable. I have not put in a switch because it’s not that often we go without power for an extended time. (Hurricanes)
My hot water heater is gas, so that’s not a problem.
I’ve calculated the wattage of things I’d use the most, and it comes to about 2500, 5600 surge, so I figured a 6500 would be more than adequate.
What kind do you have? Do you have a brand you suggest?
Thanks!!
@RiotDemon Use a sous vide cooker for hot water.
@Tadlem43 At our last house, we had a whole house Generac installed. Well, it didn’t cover the WHOLE house, but realistically, everything important was on it. It ran on natural gas, and ran quite nicely the few times we needed it. Man, I do miss having natural gas, it made our electrical loads SOOO much lower…
2013 pricing for a 14kW generator was $6879, including install, transfer panel etc.
At the new house, we splurged and did solar with a pair of Tesla PowerWalls. VERY expensive comparatively, but they have a certain “cool” factor, and without access to natural gas, and with no interest in installing a propane tank, they were basically my only option other than a massive portable gas genny.
I’d suggest, given a choice considering your priorities such as price, features, and capacity, etc., that you choose one that is quieter. They can be really, really loud. Even if you place it on the opposite side of the house as your bedroom for your comfort at night, your neighbors might then hate you. Also if you live in a neighborhood where things get stolen (and in a long outage even if your neighborhood is safe it might walk), then placement for that reason may matter.
Fuel efficiency will matter during a long outage too since gasoline may be hard to get. Gas and diesel have a limited shelf life and gas may be hard to get in an extended outage. A propane tank on your property may or may not violate your city’s rules.
Good luck finding one that meets your needs. If you do I’d bet family and friends will plead to “hurricane or power outage isolate” at your house.
@Kidsandliz It would go in my back yard. I’m in Dallas, so a large propane tank is out. I’d have to use smaller tanks and/or gas.
Do you have any suggestions for a brand?
Thanks!
@Tadlem43 I know many RV’ers, given the money, buy a Honda. High quality, gas efficient compared to many, very quiet compared to most, but expensive. You wanted cheap so that one is likely out. I am not familiar with the current choices as I had to sell my small RV 8 years ago, fortunately I guess, I had to sell it prior to investing in a generator. As a result I haven’t kept up with the current brands/models that people think highly of. Sorry.
@Kidsandliz Thank you!
@Kidsandliz @Tadlem43 you can also buy or build a ‘doghouse’ to put over the generator when it is in use, though you will need to be strategic about routing exhaust out of the box. It will seriously cut down on noise. You might make one out of structural foam insulation board and use a metal drier hose to route exhaust out, and tent stakes through straps or screw eyes (weather dependent) to hold it down over the generator. Won’t stop thieves but will make it a lot less noticeable.
@Kidsandliz I’ll speak up as someone who has hated neighbors running generators. Middle of summer with no power and we had to keep our windows closed on that side of the house due to the deafening sound. For this reason, if I ever decide to get a generator I’ll shell out for a Honda.
They are definitely not cheap but Honda 5000 series generators are extremely dependable. Like so dependable that we can’t remember how old ours are. We have a couple we use daily on commercial job sites that must be 25+ years old.
@ugadogch Thank you!
@ugadogch we’ve owned a Honda EM5000 since just before Y2K (21 years). Due to In-law grief over “what will you do with your newborn baby if the power goes out on 1/1/2000?”
Back then there was no such thing as a $300-500 Chinese genset.
Not that we’ve used it all the time, but we’ve also loaned it to in-laws and put a fair number of hours on it.
That thing still starts on the first pull. It has electric start but we don’t even bother keeping a battery with it due to the easy start.
Key thing with any portable generator - maintain it by the book and don’t leave gas in it when it is not in use. We only run fresh (less than 30-day) premium grade gas thru it.
If you store gas in cans, add Stabil at purchase time and cycle it into your cars and refill the cans every month or so.
If we were buying today, while the Honda would be tempting, the price premium for them (and also excellent Yamahas) would be tough to justify vs today’s more reasonably priced alternatives.
You could by two or more still not bad Champions (or three Harbor Freights) for the money and keep one as a safety backup - or to add capacity when needed. Some models even have parallel cable kits to run two generators at a tome.
Note Harbor Freight appears to be seriously focusing on their generators. They just revamped the entire lineup. Both quiet inverter models and traditional models.
Honda and Yamaha brand generators for portables if you can afford them. Last I heard Hondas are now made in china, but some Yamahas were still made in Japan but that was several years ago. Both of these brands will tend to be quieter than most of the others. Inverter types will also be quieter at lower loads since the engine can slow down; a non-inverted generator runs at full speed (3600RPM or 1800RPM usually) to maintain AC power output at 60Hz.
Champion has a decent rep for the chinese ones, mainly because they have an actual service organization that works. You might want to see how Harbor Freight compares if you need parts or service. Our Champion (a dual fuel inverter 3500W) has only needed to run once for about 8 hours (plus initial break-in) but no issues. It can run the fridge and freezer, lights, computers/TV/etc and the central A/C blower (but not the compressor), or else the fridge/freezer, a few lights, and the one-room portable A/C we use for outages with no issue. We ran it off the spare BBQ propane bottle and after 8 hours it still had some fuel in it.
Westinghouse is just a brand name on chinese generators these days; some of the lower end Generac and other known names are the same.
If you can afford it get a dual or triple fuel and try to run on propane (or lng if you have that available). The generator will make a little less peak power compared to gas but maintenance requirements go way down if you never put gasoline in it.
@duodec Thank you! Yeah… I’m going to have to stock up on propane tanks, but that’s better than having to stock up on gas. At least propane will last.
@duodec @Tadlem43 you said your water heater was gas so I’d definitely get a tri-fuel and plan on running it on natural gas, with some back up propane tanks
@duodec @Tadlem43 not that Texas natural gas is reliable…
@Tadlem43 Consider how you are going to secure your generator when its running. Since they have to be outside while in use, they’re prime targets for snatch and grab thieves.
We’re in a townhouse, and fire code here limits us to one propane bottle in the garage. The Weber is kept on the back patio and has room for two bottles in its base (one attached) so we rotate them and so always have two full bottles for the generator. If you have or can put in outside storage (shed, detached garage, etc) you may have more options.
Regarding LNG connection. That used to be the way to go to (almost) guarantee continued operation during a power failure. The automatic generators can be awesome and definitely more work for someone to steal. Unfortunately continued operation may no longer be the case depending on where you are and how widespread and how long the power outage is. LNG pumping and distribution control stations (forgive me if those are not the correct terms for them) used to burn off a little of the gas to power their pumps and provide local electricity, making the LNG supply virtually independent of the area grid. But then the epa started forcing the stations to meet very stringent (and expensive) emissions rules so many of them were moved to use grid power instead, which greatly increased the possibility of losing LNG delivery during large scale or extended power outages. Probably won’t be a problem for shorter outages barring Texas issues that @unksol mentioned.
DIPLOMAT! RAT-A-TAT! FAT CAT! AWESOME!
@duodec @Tadlem43 well on top of that. I just said “use your natural gas connection” like it’s nothing. It’s not. Your gas plumbing/meter/pressure has to be sized to supply all appliances up to the meter. Then each branch has to be sized. Etc. Etc.
If you had a lng gas grill that was the same btu or higher then your generator you could connect there. If your piping is oversized
/Has excess capacity you could add.
If your home was sized for the current need… And you would need more. Might involve a new meter/pressure and more piping. Probably not worth doing all that. If you just want a cheap backup.
@duodec @unksol True…considering natural gas is dependent on electric pumps! Ugh!
@duodec @unksol My house was built in 1936 and there are no outside gas connections. I’m thinking it would be cost prohibitive to have that plumbed. I think I’ll stick with propane and gasoline.
I have a storage shed away from the house, so I can store extra propane tanks there. I have no idea what the city code is. (I won’t tell if you won’t. lol )
@duodec @Tadlem43 yea I would only bother if your current NG capacitiy was enough to add on an external connection but that would still require someone to come in and do the plumbing… So if it’s going to be rarely used. Eh.
As far as what you keep in your shed it’s nowhere near me. Lol. My gas and propane are in the attached garage.
My in-laws purchased a Pulsar G12KBN dual-fuel generator purchased after recommendations from some pro contractors they do business with. However, it’s got a lot higher capacity than you’ve indicated is needed. They like it, but haven’t had to use it for emergency yet.
At $950 or so, the Pulsar is almost twice the cost of a Harbor Freight 6500W Predator ($550), but it’s thousands less than a big Honda.
Good luck.
@compunaut Thanks! Yeah, the HF has some great reviews, too, but I don’t remember if it’s dual fuel. I need to check that.
I’ll look into the Pulsar’s. I haven’t checked them yet.
@compunaut @Tadlem43 FYI the Pulsar is in today’s Newegg shell shocker deals for $850.
https://www.newegg.com/pulsar-g12kbn-12-000w-generators/p/0MC-00M0-00004?Item=9SIA08C88W7564&cm_sp=Dailydeal_SS--9SIA08C88W7564--05302021
KuoH
@compunaut @Tadlem43 all the predators, even the invertor generators seem to be gas only.
@compunaut @unksol Yeah… that’s the biggest problem.
@compunaut @kuoh Thanks! I’ll check it out!
Another vote to consider a dual or tri-fuel model. LPG or NG run clean and you won’t have any issues with gasoline degradation or alcohol issues.
Since noise isn’t as large of a concern, perhaps this WEN dual fuel for around $500?
https://smile.amazon.com/WEN-DF475T-4750-Watt-Portable-Generator/dp/B07M8FFS51/
@narfcake That WEN is a bit anemic compared to wattage proposed. Seems like there’s a capacity gap between 5500W & 9500W for dual-fuel generators…
@narfcake Thanks! I’ll check it out!
Don’t know anything about generator.
But … Altho many deal topics at slickdeals.net seem to draw in the crazies and the opinionated idiots, the topic of generators seems to bring in calm, knowledgeable discussion.
So you might wanna just read a bunch of these deal discussions, and start picking up info and background there.
https://slickdeals.net/newsearch.php?q=Generator&searcharea=deals&searchin=first
@f00l I certainly will! Thank you so much!
@f00l @Tadlem43 the topics on slickdeals do tend to be decent. And kick up some decent generator options and sales. But you’d have to set an alert to see any deals come up if you don’t drop by regularly. I check in there for other stuff and just wander into those.
Since up here the electric almost never goes out except for a storm for a day. And the gas has never gone out once. And in the dead of winter the heat and fireplace and water heater and stove are all gas… I’ve never bothered. Thought about it but… I might never use it lol
@f00l @unksol My concern is another problem like we had in the winter. We were minutes away from a catastrophic state-wide power failure that could/would have lasted up to 6 months. If that happens, there will be no supplies, no gas, no water, no nothing. Our summers are brutal, and they are already talking about possible grid failure this summer when we have peak usage.
Last month when the temp was in the low 70’s, we almost had a grid failure…and that’s nothing compared to the 100+ temps we have in the summer.
I just don’t want to get in a position of being completely dependent on the Texas grid.
If necessary, I can make it to another state (I keep my gas tank full) and can get gas to make it to family further away, but in the mean time, I’m on my own. Just thinking to be prepared.
@f00l @Tadlem43 well since you can’t trust the Texas grid for any fuel I doubt NG does any good. So maybe 30 gallons of gas you can rotate through. Or some propane takes
@f00l @unksol That’s what I’m thinking. If nothing else, something to tide me over until I can get out of the state.
If you decide to connect the generator to your house wiring, I would recommend using an interlock. An interlock is a mechanical device that mounts in your electrical panel and prevents the breaker for the generator from being switched in when the main breaker is on, and vice-versa. Here is a site that has models for various brands of electrical panels. https://www.interlockkit.com/
I hired an electrician to install a transfer switch for my generator, but when he saw my setup, he recommended going with the interlock. It was simpler and much less expensive. If I had known how simple it was, I would have installed the interlock myself (I have done work inside the main panel before and I am comfortable doing it).
@macromeh I would not say that’s a Suggestion that is almost ways a requirement. Without an interlock you can feed voltage back down the grid on lines that are supposed to be disconnected.
You should hope people would know to throw the main disconnect first but… Can’t trust people
@unksol I was suggesting using an interlock (which is a mechanical device that locks out one breaker when another is engaged) - it does not act as a switch - the main breaker and a breaker installed into the panel to back feed the generator output into the house circuits are the switches. To switch to gen power, you manually switch the main breaker off, slide the interlock to gen position, then switch the gen breaker on. It does not allow both power sources to be engaged at the same time,
A transfer switch is just that - an actual switch that routes power from either the utility mains or from the generator to the house panel (or a sub panel). It is much more expensive to buy and to have installed than a simple interlock.
Yeah, I would never connect a generator to the house wiring without one or the other. Unsafe and illegal.
@macromeh good point. Having a brain fart.
I have a separate main switch across the garage right off the meter that disconnects it from the entire house I would throw. Not everyone has that.
And even then the interlock is good cause you can’t trust everyone to know to use the main disconnect.
@macromeh Oh, wow… haven’t heard of that. I’ll see what I can find on it. Thank you!
@macromeh @Tadlem43 it boils down to you having the generator wired into the main panel on a breaker to supply power and a sliding metal plate on the front of the breaker box.
It physically prevents you from having both the main breaker and the generator supply breaker on at the same time so you cannot manually turn on both at the same time.
The generator input breaker you would wire to an outside outlet you can connect the generator to
@Tadlem43 @unksol Correct - and one more important point: the generator cord has a male connector that plugs into the generator and a female connector on the house end. The inlet that is wired to the house wiring has a male connector that is recessed in a box. You plug the female end of the gen cable into the recessed male connector. That way you never have an exposed connector that is live (has electricity present).
@macromeh @Tadlem43
/image 240V 4 prong twist lock
/image 240V 4 prong twist lock female
That is what that port on the generator is for. Its like on an RV. For 40AMP youd need 8 guage copper to a 40 AMP breaker. For the outlet. Idk Texas building code though. And if you’re not comfortable with electrical. Hire someone. I can do it in my own house here.
@macromeh @Tadlem43
Let’s try that again
/image 240V 4 prong male
Well… Top male. Bottom right female
@macromeh @unksol I’d have to hire someone. I don’t do electrical! At ALL!.
Thanks so much for the info!!
Currently sitting in our garage watching the hubbie fix our lawnmower and asked him about our generator. Ours is a Powerhouse brand from Northern Tool. We have had it for several years with no issues but he reminds me that we don’t use ours as much as many people do.
@tnhillbillygal I haven’t looked into those, but I will. Thanks for the recommend. I hope I don’t have to use it, either, but since the grid almost collapsed this last winter, I don’t want to be completely unprepared this summer!
I would check out https://nysmartgenerators.com/ and speak with them. They totally know the deal and what is worthwhile amd what is not. No games, not desperate to make a sale, very knowledgeable and honest.
@akatz227 no offence but a company from new york selling a massively over priced generator. Never mind the huge red flags/problems with that website. Just no. Never mind for someone on a budget in Texas.
No idea how you got a sleeper account from 2014 who’s only post is this advertisement
@akatz227 @unksol
While I agree with @unksol’s assessment of the referred generator site, and the link’s poster appears to have been largely silent on Meh since 2014, 522 orders is hardly “sleeper”.
What % of Meh account holders break 500 orders?
@akatz227 @RedOak honestly I tried to delete that last sentence after I re-read it but was too late to edit.
I stand by that website looking sketchy and it being odd that is the only post. But it was a little dickish.
@akatz227 @unksol yah, the 5 min edit rule is too tight. I understand locking edits, but 15-30 minutes seems more reasonable.
I’m just going to throw this one out there. Although it sounds like you may be looking for something more powerful. We experience frequent outage and recently purchased a Champion generator just to run essential stuff. It is gas but the inverter is built in. It’s heavy but portable with a wheel kit. Has a quiet mode, if you have neighbors you like, which runs on slightly reduced wattage. For winter we have a couple propane heaters so we were not looking for something to run heat, although this could run one or two space heaters. And we were not looking for something that can ruin a big ass air conditioner, which may be an issue in Texas. But overall it has done really well for us at a very low price comparatively.
Link here.
@railek invertor generators use less fuel and are quieter so if you weren’t going propane I would lean that direction. There are predator models for that too.
Propane vs gas is a desision. But with how badly Texas fails at it’s entire energy infrastructure… Which is better?
@railek Thank you! This looks promising, though I’m kinda leaning toward a dual fuel.
I’ve figured it out and need about 2550 running/ 5500 surge, but could deal with this.
I have window air conditioning, so it isn’t like I have an HVAC system to run. The price is great…and it has a 3 year warranty! Looks good!
@Tadlem43
Don’t wanna derail things into a political direction, which would be a major annoyance, as you are trying to deal with a specific issue.
So I will be brief and somewhat circumspect
This situation sux.
Compleat political and intellectual corruption, in those possessing power, but who lack any personal honor, has a great deal to do with it.
I share your pain.
Many of us share your pain.
@f00l Yes, indeed!
And a lot of people on the board didn’t even live in Texas. That’s just …wrong.
I got this one last summer, but haven’t used it beyond starting it/testing a few times.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Sportsman-4-000-3-500-watt-Dual-Fuel-Powered-Portable-Generator-Runs-on-LPG-or-Regular-Gasoline-803266/304541553
I like it because of the dual fuel options, but I plan to use it with propane as much as possible. No plans for a transfer switch at the moment, but I should be good to power the fridge and a few space heaters in a pinch.
I got mine for $249 so watch out for sales!
We have propane furnace, hot water, and two fireplaces. But when your on a well, no electricity means no water. Well has a cistern, so I could have just done an RV pump on a battery for backup, but whole house generator made more sense since it was already wired. I have a Briggs & Stratton that i don’t think they make any more. It’s rated at 7k/10k (30A breaker). Even with the big energy suckers on LPG, if i just throw the whole house on at once with the interlock breaker, it will stall the generator. (Maybe well and septic pumps kicking on at the same time?) So i turn all the load breakers on one by one. I can run the house plus either the oven or the the dryer but not both. With typical loads i get about 24 hours of run time on two 40 gallon propane tanks. (I usually only run it for about an hour at a time to keep cold stuff cold and refill the toilets.)