NFR Let's talk about generators

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Evan B said:
I actually just bought a Firman tri-fuel through Costco yesterday. Decided I'd roll the dice on that one due to Costco's return policies and whatnots.
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The next 24 hours might be the first test of your new generator. (I'm glad I recently had the Generac's LP tank topped off)

Park Rose Hardware should have LP fuel supply line to run propane, if you're not able to make the connection to your utility's natural gas supply line.
 
Westfly Refugee said:
The next 24 hours might be the first test of your new generator. (I'm glad I recently had the Generac's LP tank topped off)

Park Rose Hardware should have LP fuel supply line to run propane, if you're not able to make the connection to your utility's natural gas supply line.
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Unfortunately it won't arrive until Thursday :(
 
Brian in OR. said:
Don't forget when using propane instead of gasoline your power output will be less......
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If you are referring to natural gas, this is not true...LPG has more BTU's per unit than NG, so it uses less fuel per kWh generated than natural gas, or more power generated using the same amount of fuel.
 
Evan B said:
Unfortunately it won't arrive until Thursday :(
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Well, the wind is blowing. Did your power stay on?

Yes, gasoline has the most BTU's per unit of volume but it comes with considerable problems. Sacrificing a few BTU's for reliable starting, less maintenance, safe storage is why most larger home systems use LP/NG. (Typed while on GENERAC power)
 
Westfly Refugee said:
Well, the wind is blowing. Did your power stay on?

Yes, gasoline has the most BTU's per unit of volume but it comes with considerable problems. Sacrificing a few BTU's for reliable starting, less maintenance, safe storage is why most larger home systems use LP/NG. (Typed while on GENERAC power)
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Barely breezy here in Gresham so far
 
Evan B said:
Barely breezy here in Gresham so far
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same here in Beaverton...although some friends just up the hill (less than 1/2 mile away) lost power.
 
Barley breezy in West Clackamas, air pressure at 29.33 and holding. I don't know if it is raining, power still on, underground utilities.
 
We're about halfway thru the band for ours. SFSG, I think the front edge was worst but still have plenty of wind. Fingers crossed, no need to reserve in Akron yet. My ice cream and Digiorno might just make it this time 🤠👍
IMG_4354.jpeg
 
Matt B said:
Or take care of pets, or preserve my mental health with two little kids in a hotel room...or should I get two hotel rooms to help with that? Yeah, 40 miles outside of Seattle, rooms are at least $150/night. Maybe I would do that? IDK

My amazing wife convinced me to axe our abnormally large wood stove and hearth that co-opted a ton of space downstairs. I was hesitant because of emergencies and no way to heat the house without it. Our gas furnace crapped out this year so we now a have a heat pump. While that work was going on, we lived with a couple of those oil-filled radiant space heaters. Those things can really crank some heat out. My plan has been to pick up a quiet and reliable little Honda generator, probably just the 2200, which should power one of those 1500W space heaters and some other little stuff at a time. I figure it will be enough to keep us mostly comfortable at home in an emergency without sinking many thousands into the system. Plus, one of those little generators ought to be able to power a whole wall of JCM 800s. Not that I have one, but if I did, good to know I'd be set.
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Those honda generators are great units. I've seen them run 3 days straight with only stopping to refuel. I have 2 I run in parallel, although they're the 2000 watt models. They were running from about 7 to 3 today while waiting for Seattle City Light to restore power to us.

Just remember the wattage rating they use are peak. Generally you want to think about 80% capacity rating on those portable generators.
 
I've lived in this house that I built for 22 years. Before that I spent 10 years four blocks away. In 32 years our power has been out more than four hours exactly one time. When I started building we had no temp power so I bought a Honda 5000w to get started and ran it for a week. It's a noisy job site unit but it would power a 220v compressor and a couple of saws. I dutifully started it every winter for the next 21 years and just sold it a month ago for $150 - and had a hard time selling it.

Why did I sell it? Because I have 2000w and a 3600w portable and quiet RV generators. These will run my two fridges and my freezer. I also have an R-POD trailer parked out in the trailer shed and a wood stove in the house. Your fridges and freezers don't run continuously, they cycle on and off and with the door shut only run a few times a day. The full freezer will easily keep things frozen for 12 hours, maybe more because it sits out in the unheated garage. Same with the fridge that is out there.

Being retired I am usually around close enough to take care of things. When we leave for extended trips we have neighbors and a son in law that can come over and fire things up for a few hours a day. But since these trips are more in better weather it's not much of a worry. And we try to eat down our frozen stuff for a few months before we leave.
 
We've been without power since Tuesday evening. PSE estimation is that we'll get power back on Saturday. First real test with the whole house Generac we installed early 2024 - it's been great. Kids have been disappointed because there's no change in how the house works.

Based off of eyeballing the propane tank when the Generac started running it's using about 3/4 of a gallon of propane an hour. I filled up the tank for $2 a gallon, so I'm spending about $36 to run the house for 24 hours straight. I turned it all off last night to sleep, so it's more like ~$24 a day, and with a full tank I should be able to go about a full month without power.

We're using it to run the pellet stove, upstairs heat pump, 3 chest freezers (30 chickens, 1/2 a beef, a pig, and lots of salmon), and two fridges, plus all the lights (LED), and charging of phones etc. Water heater and stove are on propane.
 
I've been chewing on this issue for years and have never done anything. I always lean toward a battery/solar portable backup unit, but this last post about the Generac made me think that is probably the best option.

Part of my confusion is that I can't really decide what level of event to prepare for.
 
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I am very interested in these Firman tri fuel generators.

At minimum, I would like to run two fridges, internet, water heater (heat pump mode), garage door, a few lights and a few device chargers. Ideally, I would also like to run three mini splits (one heat pump) or an 1800w electric heater.

Would the 7500w model be sufficient or should I go for the 11,600w model? The price difference isn’t significant, so I’m mainly wondering if there’s any down sides to getting the larger one. Noise seems to be identical. The larger model has a slightly larger tank.

Beyond running extension cords to everything, what is the best way to hook it up? Do I want an interlock or manual transfer switch?

How do you manage power, when the generator is running? Does the entire panel get power and you have to turn things off or is it better to have the electrician set it up so that only certain things can run?

I would plan to use propane as a first fuel source, because I have some tanks already and storage seems safer than gasoline. Once the propane runs out, what do I need to be aware of regarding the use of gasoline?
 
jaredoconnor said:
I am very interested in these Firman tri fuel generators.

At minimum, I would like to run two fridges, internet, water heater (heat pump mode), garage door, a few lights and a few device chargers. Ideally, I would also like to run three mini splits (one heat pump) or an 1800w electric heater.

Would the 7500w model be sufficient or should I go for the 11,600w model? The price difference isn’t significant, so I’m mainly wondering if there’s any down sides to getting the larger one. Noise seems to be identical. The larger model has a slightly larger tank.

Beyond running extension cords to everything, what is the best way to hook it up? Do I want an interlock or manual transfer switch?

How do you manage power, when the generator is running? Does the entire panel get power and you have to turn things off or is it better to have the electrician set it up so that only certain things can run?

I would plan to use propane as a first fuel source, because I have some tanks already and storage seems safer than gasoline. Once the propane runs out, what do I need to be aware of regarding the use of gasoline?
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I'd go with the larger one, personally. I have two big garage freezers and the house fridge, plus all my other home stuff... but one thing I put in my calculation is that we've only ever lost power during ice storms. So the freezers typically won't be working hard if at all in most power outages. But if we lost power this week, it'd be another story.

As for the how to hook it up: Look in to having an electrician install an interlock kit. That way you can switch over to generator power for your whole panel.
 
Wondering if anyone here has run into HOA's or municipalities that prohibit them, unless one can provide proof from a physician of continuous medical need?
Or the decibel (dB) levels a generator, if approved, must meet?
 
Bought this years ago before some November storm warning because it was the only one available. Most places had sold out of their generators including HF. So I dropped some good coin on this Honda EB2800i w/eco throttle.

Getting its first real workout from this storm. We are still w/o power with a Saturday estimate of power return. 😬 IMG_4693.jpeg.
 
"Wondering if anyone here has run into HOA's or municipalities that prohibit them, unless one can provide proof from a physician of continuous medical needs"

Have lived/live in HOA's which prohibit pad mounted gensets.
And part of permitting pad mounted gensets is meeting local zoning, noise and air quality regulations.
 
In January 2023 I bought an A-ipower 2000 watt generator after we'd had a power outage. It was $375 at the time. I think it has a Yamaha engine in it.

We hadn't needed it until Tuesday night. I brought it out and it started on the first pull. I turned off the Main breaker and fed the line into my furnace circuit in the garage. 4 years ago I installed a Rinnai on-demand hot water heater and plumbed into my furnace circuit so I could power both off a generator if I needed to.

It worked like a charm. We had heat and hot water. Our neighbors had nothing. I did have to turn off the heat while we ran the refrigerator for a couple of hours to cool it back down. I'm glad I bought the generator
 
Our neighbors have a whole house Generic unit
They are half way down tthe lake from us. I hear it inside my well insulated home. When my neighbor mows his lawn with his diesel garden tractor 50 feet away, I do not hear it. There atta be a law about noise...
 
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