Generators

[Jeremy K]

Hello fellow members,  how many of you have some kind back up plan in place if you should lose power ? I have a 7500 watt portable and a transfer switch wired in for 10 circuits . I'm all in at less then 2 grand and that includes someone else installing the transfer switch . It seems odd that so many people can be unprepared to deal with a power outage.

[Steuben Jerry]

I’ve got one of these, leftover from 15 years ago when we had just a camper here, but run extension cords. How much was just the transfer switch installation?

[Five Seasons]

I have just about the exact same setup. I even put my portable in a little rubbermaid shed thing with a 13 gallon tank of gas (storage only of course) next to the transfer plug. Mine runs to an interlock so I can select circuits on and off on my panel. 

Ironic thing is I did this all (about $1500 for me with an electricians help) after that bad wind storm a few years back and we haven't so much as lost power for 10 minutes since. Where I live in webster most of the lines are buried so it'll be another doozy to knock it out, but like you it's something I told myself I would never let happen again and would encourage everyone to at least get a small portable and a setup that allows you to wire up your furnace (please no suicide plugs) and fridge and freezer.

[Jeremy K]

7 minutes ago, Steuben Jerry said:

I’ve got one of these, leftover from 15 years ago when we had just a camper here, but run extension cords. How much was just the transfer switch installation?

I dont know how much labor was  he just gave me a price for the job ,parts and labor . I know enough about electricity to not mess with it ,the guy who did mine unhooked a bunch of wires and rerouted them to clean up the surrounding area as well.

Edited February 16, 2021 by Jeremy K

[Five Seasons]

8 minutes ago, Steuben Jerry said:

I’ve got one of these, leftover from 15 years ago when we had just a camper here, but run extension cords. How much was just the transfer switch installation?

 

I had a coworker help me, but I imagine most would charge $200. You're looking at another $200 (depending on length of run) in supplies.

this is what I have (although not the same model) and you have to get one that fits your make and model panel

https://www.amazon.com/Generator-Interlock-QOCGK2C-Breaker-Indoor/dp/B08K36F636/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=generator+interlock&qid=1613481975&sr=8-3

basically it makes it impossible to backfeed the grid (and harm a utility worker) by turning off your main feed in order to allow your generator to feed in. You will need 2 free 30 amps slots in your panel and then add the outdoor connect, the connection cable and then of course the proper gauge and length (pretty expensive btw) of wire to connect the panel to your outdoor inlet.

https://www.amazon.com/WELLUCK-Generator-L14-30P-Receptacle-Weatherproof/dp/B08GLJRR4K/ref=sr_1_8?crid=3NLVGBWUGMMZH&dchild=1&keywords=generator+plug+30+amp+4+prong+inlet+box&qid=1613482045&sprefix=generator+plug%2Caps%2C183&sr=8-8

Sounds like jerermy has a setup that only energizes some of his circuits which is the right thing to do if you want to be sure you don't run more than your generator can handle. For me I just did the math and made a list of what could and couldn't go on (like electric oven and a/c). You would also need this setup if you don't have 2 free slots in your panel. 

Edited February 16, 2021 by Belo

[Jeremy K]

1 minute ago, Belo said:

I had a coworker help me, but I imagine most would charge $200. You're looking at another $200 (depending on length of run) in supplies.

this is what I have (although not the same model) and you have to get one that fits your make and model panel

https://www.amazon.com/Generator-Interlock-QOCGK2C-Breaker-Indoor/dp/B08K36F636/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=generator+interlock&qid=1613481975&sr=8-3

then add the outdoor connect, but the connection cable and then of course the proper gauage and lenght (pretty expensive btw) of wire to connect the panel to your outdoor inlet.

https://www.amazon.com/WELLUCK-Generator-L14-30P-Receptacle-Weatherproof/dp/B08GLJRR4K/ref=sr_1_8?crid=3NLVGBWUGMMZH&dchild=1&keywords=generator+plug+30+amp+4+prong+inlet+box&qid=1613482045&sprefix=generator+plug%2Caps%2C183&sr=8-8

Sounds like jerermy has a setup that only energizes some of his circuits which is the right thing to do if you want to be sure you don't run more than your generator can handle. For me I just did the math and made a list of what could and couldn't go on (like electric oven and a/c)

I cant remember which brand I have, mine has circuits labeled A through J ,each switch has a 15 amp breaker assigned to it . There is a couple meters to monitor each leg . We ran everything possible for the test run and the meters hardly moved which made me feel better.

[Nomad]

28 minutes ago, Jeremy K said:

Hello fellow members,  how many of you have some kind back up plan in place if you should lose power ? I have a 7500 watt portable and a transfer switch wired in for 10 circuits . I'm all in at less then 2 grand and that includes someone else installing the transfer switch . It seems odd that so many people can be unprepared to deal with a power outage.

That’s a good move, my buddy would hook one up for free for us, yet we’ve never done it . Our gas fireplace runs with out power, just no fan , but it still heats the house ok . I have two buddy heaters ,with about two dozen one pound tanks and an adapter hose to use a grill tank . Battery operated led lanterns , tons of led hand lights ,  battery radio , oil lamps , oh and a Coleman stove .

We did 11 days with no power when we lived in the city after the ice storm of ‘91 , and two days here in I think 2007, ‘91 was the , learning experience.

ive got two very good coolers to transfer our deer and elk into and store it outside if need be .

Our basement pantry along with what’s in the kitchen would feed us for about two months ( venison would last longer ) , 30 pounds of canned chicken which needs no electricity is part of the pantry . Our 25 year shelf life Patriots Supply food is not counted in the two months . Of course a good supply of cleaning products , my OTC med, a few dozen batteries of each size needed is on hand as well .

A Honda generator to use when we boondock camp with the new RV is on our list to buy shortly ,along with a solar panel as the RV is wired for it now . 
Good topic .

oh and Belo, I believe you live in Penfield if you’re close to Moog . The welcome to webster sign  on Fivemile is about half a mile North of Moog’s Street .

That area pays Webster school taxes and kids go to webster schools , but it’s Penfield .

Edited February 16, 2021 by Nomad

[johnplav]

I've got a little 2300W generator that I can power my furnace with.  I've only needed to do that once, when we lost power for 8 days from the wind storm a few winters ago.  Like Nomad said, we have a gas fireplace that can keep the house warm enough for a few hours. 

I've pulled it out a few times over the years to keep the lights/TV/fridge going.  In fact, we lost power before the Bills/Ravens game last month and I watched the first half using the generator.  Everyone else on my street was scrambling after 4-5 hours without power... we were sitting back watching the game.  Scary how ill-prepared the average person is. 

[2012_taco]

I'm not really prepared. In '06 we lost power for 10 days and survived. I don't have a sump pump in my house, so no worry about flooding, I have a wood burning stove in my living room, so heat is good, and I put fridge items in a cooler and set out side. We managed, although I do have 2 freezers full of deer meat that I would worry about if we lost power for days. I have a small 1200 watt generator that might power the freezer? I should definitely look into that!  Thanks for the reminder @Jeremy K!!

[mlammerhirt]

Hello fellow members,  how many of you have some kind back up plan in place if you should lose power ? I have a 7500 watt portable and a transfer switch wired in for 10 circuits . I'm all in at less then 2 grand and that includes someone else installing the transfer switch . It seems odd that so many people can be unprepared to deal with a power outage.

We are running basically the same setup..have a transfer panel in the basement next to the main panel and it allows us to run 6-8 pre selected circuits. The sump and furnace on there along with a the master bedroom....one bathroom upstairs and maybe the kitchen and living room. I fired it up this summer and everything worked great. I have a ground bound that I am retiring from the woods and that will now be a dedicated tent to house the generator if I need to run it in bad weather.

On a side note my sister lives in Penfield and has underground electric running to her house and loses power all the time. She got a similar setup installed after I found a smoking deal at a garage sale on a generator and she has used it multiple times.

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[Daveboone]

For many years we couldnt justify one. Simply put neither my wife or I could remember an outage that lasted more than an hour or so in our lives (well, there was the regional blackout in 66', but it was summer and we were kids).

When we got our camp we could justify a portable for use there (no electricity) with projects. We got the Yamaha 3000 also, great machine. In theory we could bring it back and forth to home if needed, but that isnt very easy either, so it stayed at the camp. About 8 years ago we were given a 10 HP 5000 watt Black and Decker, generic work generator, but after I cleaned the carb and gave it a new battery, it runs like a champ. As seldom as we need it we just run a gang extension inside the house for the pellet stove /whatever if needed, and keep a couple of five gallon gas cans with stabilizer (two more at the camp) in reserve. I have read through a number of recourses that a freezer will keep food frozen unplugged for over 24 hrs, so I wont even worry about plugging one in until that long. Hell, worse case I have two Yeti coolers we can pack for several more days, and I have numerous Aladdin, Dietz and Coleman lanterns for light, and propane cook stove, which was a choice for when the power goes out. 

Really we dont worry at all, but we do remember back in the nineties when the Watertown region had that huge ice storm which wiped out the electrical system for quite a time. March if I remember right.

[phade]

Like others, we have a ventless heater that runs without electricity and will get us through a short spell. A small generator to run a few basic things. 

That said I don't feel prepared as I want something idiot proof. My wife would be lost if I wasn't there to get the generator going. It is just not her thing, even if I teach her. 

Been looking hard at a Generac or similar. Almost got to the point of getting job quotes and then found out that Generac now has solar back-up generators, which blew my mind. Now I'm at the drawing board again, lol. Analysis Paralysis.

[GreeneHunter]

1 hour ago, Jeremy K said:

Hello fellow members,  how many of you have some kind back up plan in place if you should lose power ? I have a 7500 watt portable and a transfer switch wired in for 10 circuits . I'm all in at less then 2 grand and that includes someone else installing the transfer switch . It seems odd that so many people can be unprepared to deal with a power outage.

I have the same generator but never had a Transfer Switch installed , I just run extension cords for my freezers and fridge and we have a Woodstove in the basement that heats the whole house (1200 sq feet - small) . As we get older we're thinking of having a permanent generator - Propane - installed !

[Red]

Luckily when we moved into our new house 2 years ago it already had a Generac house generator hooked up to the house.

We closed on our house on a late Friday afternoon in the middle of December and moved in the next morning and couldn't get the power turned on until Monday and we moved in Saturday morning. That generator ran like a champ all weekend.  We've had the power go out twice since we've been at the house and both times we didn't even know our power was out until we looked outside and seen that everyone  lights were all off.

https://factorypure.com/products/generac-protector-rg03624gnsx-36kw-liquid-cooled-3-phase-120-208v-standby-generator-new?variant=22660355031122&campaignid=6444139172&adgroupid=76969531116&creative=376889599094&matchtype=&network=g&device=c&keyword=&gclid=Cj0KCQiA962BBhCzARIsAIpWEL33CmFGF_cf6Eo6GnnUHtR3fc98yElcAvW0yMbQMoNbfZpyN4TfscQaAp3EEALw_wcB

[Jeremy K]

19 minutes ago, phade said:

Like others, we have a ventless heater that runs without electricity and will get us through a short spell. A small generator to run a few basic things. 

That said I don't feel prepared as I want something idiot proof. My wife would be lost if I wasn't there to get the generator going. It is just not her thing, even if I teach her. 

Been looking hard at a Generac or similar. Almost got to the point of getting job quotes and then found out that Generac now has solar back-up generators, which blew my mind. Now I'm at the drawing board again, lol. Analysis Paralysis.

I wanted the same ,my wife can just wheel the generator of the garage and plug it in . If it keeps me in the woods just one time it will have paid for itself LOL

[Five Seasons]

1 hour ago, Nomad said:

That’s a good move, my buddy would hook one up for free for us, yet we’ve never done it . Our gas fireplace runs with out power, just no fan , but it still heats the house ok . I have two buddy heaters ,with about two dozen one pound tanks and an adapter hose to use a grill tank . Battery operated led lanterns , tons of led hand lights ,  battery radio , oil lamps , oh and a Coleman stove .

We did 11 days with no power when we lived in the city after the ice storm of ‘91 , and two days here in I think 2007, ‘91 was the , learning experience.

ive got two very good coolers to transfer our deer and elk into and store it outside if need be .

Our basement pantry along with what’s in the kitchen would feed us for about two months ( venison would last longer ) , 30 pounds of canned chicken which needs no electricity is part of the pantry . Our 25 year shelf life Patriots Supply food is not counted in the two months . Of course a good supply of cleaning products , my OTC med, a few dozen batteries of each size needed is on hand as well .

A Honda generator to use when we boondock camp with the new RV is on our list to buy shortly ,along with a solar panel as the RV is wired for it now . 
Good topic .

oh and Belo, I believe you live in Penfield if you’re close to Moog . The welcome to webster sign  on Fivemile is about half a mile North of Moog’s Street .

That area pays Webster school taxes and kids go to webster schools , but it’s Penfield .

Yeah I'm technically a Penfield resident. Best of both worlds with better school and town taxes. But I identify as a Webster resident as my mailing address is Webster. And in 2021 you can't tell me how I can and can't identify lol.

I would say that the freezer is something that even a few good coolers might not be able to overcome. I'd hate to lose a ton of good meat during a bad spring or summer storm and be reliant on stores having ice in stock to not only keep my meat cold, but frozen. So even a cheapo harbor freight small generator for the fridge and freezer and some extension cords would be a good investment in my opinion.

[Five Seasons]

36 minutes ago, phade said:

Like others, we have a ventless heater that runs without electricity and will get us through a short spell. A small generator to run a few basic things. 

That said I don't feel prepared as I want something idiot proof. My wife would be lost if I wasn't there to get the generator going. It is just not her thing, even if I teach her. 

Been looking hard at a Generac or similar. Almost got to the point of getting job quotes and then found out that Generac now has solar back-up generators, which blew my mind. Now I'm at the drawing board again, lol. Analysis Paralysis.

I started the generac route for the same reason. I was quoted at $6k, plus their annual "maintenance" and I felt that the cost benefit wasn't there. Instead I made some very, very detailed instructions on how to run the generator... which I think would still require my dad to come over if I was out of town haha.

One other thing about the generac is sure, no need to worry about gas going bad or running out, but you're reliant on the ng grid, which I think is down/limited or struggling in texas right now. 

[Five Seasons]

I'm also lucky and happy to have a wood burner. We burn about 2 face cords anyhow on the weekends in the winter as I love a nice warm wood fire. 

[The_Real_TCIII]

I have a generator and run cords to the sump, fridge, a few lights etc. I really need to get a panel installed. I used to back feed but I know it can be dangerous and really isnt necessary

[Jeremy K]

6 minutes ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

I have a generator and run cords to the sump, fridge, a few lights etc. I really need to get a panel installed. I used to back feed but I know it can be dangerous and really isnt necessary

I can text you the guys name who did mine if you would like a quote. 

[BowmanMike]

37 minutes ago, Belo said:

Yeah I'm technically a Penfield resident. Best of both worlds with better school and town taxes. But I identify as a Webster resident as my mailing address is Webster. And in 2021 you can't tell me how I can and can't identify lol.

I would say that the freezer is something that even a few good coolers might not be able to overcome. I'd hate to lose a ton of good meat during a bad spring or summer storm and be reliant on stores having ice in stock to not only keep my meat cold, but frozen. So even a cheapo harbor freight small generator for the fridge and freezer and some extension cords would be a good investment in my opinion.

That is my biggest concern with a power outage as well. Getting a portable generator has been on my list of things to do,i just have not gotten there yet. 

Heat is no problem since we heat with wood. The blower on the furnace wont work but i can run it with a small fire.

Water is another issue since we have our own well. We have some friends 1.5 miles away that have a gravity fed water system from a spring on a hillside and we got water from them before. The longest we lost power was 5 days and that was well over 15 years ago. Things have been good since,but i want a backup for peace of mind.

[The_Real_TCIII]

4 minutes ago, Jeremy K said:

I can text you the guys name who did mine if you would like a quote. 

My neighbor did his, I think with enough beer I can get him over here

[johnplav]

5 minutes ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

My neighbor did his, I think with enough beer I can get him over here

It's not a difficult job... just be sure to give him the beer AFTER.

[phade]

43 minutes ago, Belo said:

I started the generac route for the same reason. I was quoted at $6k, plus their annual "maintenance" and I felt that the cost benefit wasn't there. Instead I made some very, very detailed instructions on how to run the generator... which I think would still require my dad to come over if I was out of town haha.

One other thing about the generac is sure, no need to worry about gas going bad or running out, but you're reliant on the ng grid, which I think is down/limited or struggling in texas right now. 

Propane FTW

[Buckmaster7600]

8000watt Honda in a small shed beside my telephone pole with a switch wired in. Hit start and flip a switch and my house has power to almost everything.

The automatic setups are nice but not worth the money in my scenario. My neighbors know if I’m not around what to do as I do with there’s.


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