I bought and installed generac 22kw for house. Best investment for winter storm. And future hurricane. Was able to power house heater, water well, barn, stove and lights. I live between Port Lavaca and Palacios,TX. We have a 500 gallon propane tank.
@kradwonders
3 жыл бұрын
We’ve had a generator for 5 years. We live in a rural area in a northern climate. We need a back up for winter heating and well water on top of a fridge and other home applications. Our natural gas unit is 11kw and has worked well for us. We loose power about 4 times every year. Some because of storms and some because a driver took out a power pole which happens too often. Then there are squirrels getting into power transfer stations. The generator gives one peace of mind knowing we will not have to go for days without power as happened in the past. Our natural gas supply has never been offline in the 35 years we’ve live in our house.
@billybassman21
3 жыл бұрын
I power my whole house including my AC on about 7000 watts. I have a Champion 10K and modified it to work on natural gas. I installed a 30 amp breaker and an interlock on the panel. Had to put a hardstart kit on the AC, but it works. Furnace, stove, water heater and dryer are gas. I just leave all the circuits on and just don't turn too much on at once. The total cost for everything was $1200. Worked great not having power for 2 days during the Texas freeze.
@dave210yt
2 жыл бұрын
cool, worth lookin into
@jbhobbyist9372
5 ай бұрын
@@dave210yt Your saying it cost you $1200.00 for setup?
@dave210yt
5 ай бұрын
@@jbhobbyist9372 you probably want to ask the person I was replying to.
@frankkarr761
3 жыл бұрын
As an electrician, I’m on the higher end res. and commercial service side of the trade. Maintaining a generator should be encouraged but I make a lot of money on emergency calls. You don’t need it until you need it, getting a call to fix a low water trouble code is relatively easy money. It’s always funny to see two year old service tag and customer is like I don’t know why it won’t start. Great content, thanks!
@stevebabiak6997
3 жыл бұрын
Out of curiosity because I am exploring getting a natural gas fueled backup generator, what sort of maintenance is typical and how frequent? Thanks!
@blueboat9581
3 жыл бұрын
@@stevebabiak6997 from what little I understand, and im looking at buying a generac soon.. the unit will self test and run for about 10 mins once a week. Generac has an app on the phone that can give you details and status. Once a year it's a good idea to have a pro come out and give her a tune up and look over. I want a service plan that'll handle that for me so it'll be one less thing to worry about. Just my two cents
@stevebabiak6997
3 жыл бұрын
@@blueboat9581 - thanks, I was aware of the once a week start up to confirm equipment is functional on an ongoing basis. I was hoping that the “pro electrician”, who posted the parent comment, might enumerate some maintenance things because even if you hire the work out the person you hire might not cover all things.
@ticman1962
3 жыл бұрын
Having a reliable backup system is such a relief in times when power loss occurs. That being said this system setup is nice. But I have no problem within taking ten minutes to hook up my 12kw roll out generator up! And my total cost was about 1,700 including labor and material to set up a 50 amp service! However I am planning on adding a 120 gallon propane tank to plug into as needed. That will raise my cost up by a additional $500 still not bad over all cost! Because last weekend a ice storm took most of our city out & for 2 1/2 days. My generator kept us from going to a hotel and and the comfort of staying home,well worth it! And now most all newer higher wattage units run on a 50 amp hookup and it’s big upgrade vs a 30 amp hookup let me tell ya! Ok mine does not cut on all by its self but I save a lot of $ on a manual hookup system with the same results! Plus I chose to plug my generator into my service box over a manual transfer switch box. This way I choose what breakers from my box I wanna run, thru trial and error I now know what combo’s will work with the power my generator giving me ,way more options than the six breakers in a manual transfer switch has. But when going this route,code says a Inter-lock switch must be on my box that prohibits main breaker from being turn on while generator breaker in on this prevents back feeding happening! Sure there are some trade offs so one must decide after taking into account all pros and cons then go with it. Bottom line not having a power backup plan is not a option for me & my family! Great piece of mind they do provide!
@thakorpatel8543
3 жыл бұрын
I hope your Family Member How do? other wise if you Away from Home How family member left home will do? thank you because
@shelbygt273
3 жыл бұрын
Kenneth, what kind of roll out generator are you using?
@samwagner31
3 жыл бұрын
@@thakorpatel8543 I have a similar set up as OP does. I took pictures and wrote detailed instructions, labeled and color coded the breakers so my wife knows what functions can be on at the same time, and I had her go through the instructions step by step to ensure they made sense to her. *feminist advisory* I think women are plenty capable of performing this task, but my wife, specifically, is not mechanically inclined and she appreciated the effort I put into helping her understand the hook up procedure.
@robertclymer6948
3 жыл бұрын
Hi Kenneth! It is easy for a portable generator conversion to natural gas. Much more cost effective and no messing around with gas, propane tanks etc. A 100 lbs propane tank will only get you a few days at best?
@ticman1962
3 жыл бұрын
@@shelbygt273 I bought the Duromax 12,000 Watt duel fuel one. I have a about 50 hrs on it now and its served me well so far! Changed the oil after 10-12 hrs I used 30 wt briggs & Stratton non synthetic oil for break in oil. Now running Amzoil four cycle oil. So far its worked out well! Also have a 100 lbs propane tank for fuel hookup! And of course also have non- ethanol gasoline just in case for use if needed! The model I bought has been reduced now only difference in newer one has a few more gadgets on it! Will also recommend buying a slow leak charger for battery. And I use A small amount of Marvel mystery oil injected after pulling the spark plug out then pull manual start cord slightly to keep top end of motor lubricated and Deter any moisture that might occur over time of non- use!
@deniseseifried3403
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the info. When I checked into this years ago in SW Florida the trades wanted $5k to hook up. I thought this amount was excessive. You are super lucky to get it done for $1K.
@artmatthes3559
2 жыл бұрын
That's usually what they want to hook those things up between four and $5,000. I'm up in Michigan and I asked and I talked to all kinds of electricians and that's the kind of money they want. So $1,000 is a big lie. Hell I had $1,200 just in wiring and black pipe. And I have all the receipts to prove it.
@lunchbox65
3 жыл бұрын
The moment I saw the yeti bucket I knew it was out of my price range
@edwardunderwood9619
3 жыл бұрын
😂
@bm1943
3 жыл бұрын
LOL!
@stephenfreeman7505
3 жыл бұрын
Remember Yeti is anti 2nd amendment!!~
@JonBecker81
3 жыл бұрын
The first time I saw the $40 5 gallon bucket I laughed my ass off. Now they have a $250 20 gallon bucket. The 5 gallon is a better deal. $8/gallon vs $12.50/gallon 😂
@abmccaa
3 жыл бұрын
Champion makes the best home standby generator on the market in the 8.5kW to 14kW sizes. 14kW units will do 90% of homes today. We install dozens and dozens of these every year. 10 year warranty and the new AXIS model is a game changer. I've installed over 500 home standby generators in California and Champion is my #1 recommendation.
@GeorgeOu
3 жыл бұрын
The 14KW generators are half the efficient at low loads compared to the 7.5KW generator at the same load. So it costs 2x to run for the same energy output. This is what I like about the small mini-split systems because they don't have that high startup power requirement. 7.5KW is more than enough for average loads. You might even consider looking into a LiFEPO4 battery bank with 4000 KWH or more to buffer the output. This has the big advantage that it lets you run your generator at a higher more efficient load.
@AdvancedUSA
3 жыл бұрын
I did a lot of research before buying a 20kw Generac. It came with an automatic transfer switch with leads from my two central AC units. When it starts up it will not allow the AC units to come on until it stabilizes and determines if it has enough output (depending on what else is running) and turns on my primary AC. After a few seconds it does the same thing and starts up my second AC. I’ve run it with both AC’s, water pump, sump pump, washer and dryer and normal lights, etc. plenty of power. It’s all automatic so if we’re not home life goes on. Also, since I have 5 acres, I put it 100’ from my house. With the windows up I can not tell if it’s running or not - have to open a door occasionally to see if outside power has been restored. Hove had many outages since owing it and its wonderful!
@Chris_In_Texas
3 жыл бұрын
6:23 Something to keep in mind that 3.9 GPH rating is at full load, they go down drastically with 1/2 or 1/4 loading. Very little amount of time would be spent at that amount of high / full load. AC's and fridges have duty cycles for example many fridges are about 50:50 (50% of the time on and 50% of the time off), some newer ones are even better. As for the HVAC it depends on air temp outside / sun level and home efficiency. That will determine duty cycle of the AC unit. The most important thing here is starting current needed for motors, which can be many times higher than running current. Soft start devices can greatly help with this, but as much as 40-60%. Other high draw things, for example; electric hot water heaters, ovens, ranges, microwaves etc, have very low duty cycle and most of that wouldn't be powered on during a full extended out power outage typically unless they are needed. You might have to load shed (shut one thing off to use another one) to run an electric hot water heater. Many automatic transfer switches have load shedding system built in. You can give priority to certain loads, and if there could be an overload situation it can turn off less important loads temporarily. Ideally you want the generator to be loaded 50-80% most of the time, with minimum loads on many to be in the 30% range. This will prevent carbon build up in the cylinder heads, which happens when generators are run for extended periods without much of a load. So don't get to large of a unit as well. A study of the load sizes is really important in correctly sizing the generator. Always give your self a little more than you think, for unforeseen demands, but don't get a 48KW unit because you have a 200A electrical panel, you will never use that much at once yet to keep something that large loaded down for proper long term reliability. On a number of large yachts I have been on, they have many different size generators onboard. This will allow running the proper size for the current demands while properly loaded it down. A 76' one that I was on had a 9KW/23KW/35KW onboard, and depending on what load you had determined which one you should be running. While at sea for 16 days in crossing from Hawaii to Seattle, there was always one of them running along with the main engines. That is why proper sizing is so important, for the longevity of the unit.
@redxribbonxarmy
3 жыл бұрын
I'm glad someone pick up on that. It's all in the details.
@davidbeachel
3 жыл бұрын
Yep. I noticed that too.
@seanstack180
2 жыл бұрын
What size should I get? I have a small 1700sqft house that was built in 2020 with all new energy efficient appliance but it’s got an electric tankless water heater plus a hot tub I would like to not freeze (and break pipes) in the winter. Also I have a sump pump I need to have priority to keep my basement dry, and I charge an electric car. Thanks for any input!
@MrTheHillfolk
2 жыл бұрын
The generac load shedding system is trash. It looks at frequency and waits for it to drop off ,and then drops the loads out. Really hard on equipment.
@MrTheHillfolk
2 жыл бұрын
@@seanstack180 tankless water heater screws you man I've got one and I'm also a gen tech. My ecosmart tankless 27 draws just that ,27kw at full load. So luckily I still have a domestic coil in the boiler that I took offline a few years ago,I'd have to splash some diesel in it and fire it up. Most average houses without a tankless could run almost everything on a 20kw. Half that will take care of your essentials.
@PatrickTheThird1
3 жыл бұрын
Would love to see a video on solar batteries and energy storage solutions! I think it would be a neat system to store extra solar for disasters, but also have a generator like the one in this video for a reliable back up, if you have lots of cloudy days or run out of stored power in the batteries.
@kirkland5674
3 жыл бұрын
Generator is cheaper. Batteries are still expensive, but doable.
@Japplesnap
3 жыл бұрын
Battery technology isn't there yet. You would need several gigantic batteries to power even a modest size home for any extended power outage.
@DeceLatina
3 жыл бұрын
I installed a 12kw kohler generator a few months ago, saved thousands doing it myself compared to a quoted 10k in NY.
@FreekHoekstra
3 жыл бұрын
I think i officially prefer a battery and solar solution over a backup generator now, Its always helping you lower your bills, so it pays for itself and no problems potentially running out of gas if it lasts a really long time
@johndecumo4663
3 жыл бұрын
the problem is solar right now is the cost of batteries. Basically if you go with cheaper batteries there a ton of maintenance you need to do and the lithium batteries are more expensive. The panels themselves have come down in price but need to be replaced every now and then but you can get a good lifespan as long as you don't put them on your roof (build some separate structure for them). Also forgot you need enough batteries to power your house and hope that you get enough light to recharge the batteries (that why some people have generators to help recharge the batteries).
@FreekHoekstra
3 жыл бұрын
@@johndecumo4663 in austin its pretty fair to say you will have enough sun, and don’t forget the batteries can be used to shave peaks off power usage, therefore paying atlesst in part for themselves, especially with solar. This means that yes its a bit more on day one, but they will actually work to make that difference back over time, and with say a powerwall or equivalent, there us really no maintenance, this requires oil changes etc. Anywas it is a preference thing, but imho the batteries have matured so much that they are now almost always a superior solition imho
@4philipp
3 жыл бұрын
A well designed solar system combined with more energy conscious consumption will beat a generator any day. Both panels and batteries last longer than their advertised lifespan. However, having a small 8kw propane generator as backup to solar is still a smart idea. The problem with standalone generators without a battery system is that a single load will fire up the genny and produce way more power then is needed for way longer then reasonable. That same 8kw generator may only run for 2-3 hours to charge up the batteries and turn off the rest of the day. But needless to say, anyone who thinks they need to run all their appliances during energy emergencies is asking for trouble. Here on KZitem Engineer775 is a great resource for off grid solar systems.
@mowcowbell
3 жыл бұрын
While my neighbors were buying ATV's, boats, and bigger and badder 4x4 pickup trucks, I decided to invest in a whole home standby generator. I went with a Generac 22Kw unit running on natural gas. At first, I thought I wasted a lot of money, but this past week I'm sitting in a warm house while those neighbors are huddled around firepits trying to keep warm.
@rich7447
3 жыл бұрын
We have the propane model of the same generator (1000 gallon tank). It pretty much guarantees that we won't lose power of an extended period of time. The Generacs seem to use a lot less gas than the Champions that he is talking about.
@garrettclark2796
3 жыл бұрын
That is a waste. Generac is bullshit brand. I went 122 days without power and have a John-deer diesel. No issues, but everyone that had a generac regretted it.
@garrettclark2796
3 жыл бұрын
That’s the difference between a $5,000 and $20,000 machine.
@rich7447
3 жыл бұрын
@@garrettclark2796 I don't lose power often enough to justify a $20,000 generator on my house. If power is out for that long I'm probably getting in my bus and heading somewhere else. The bus has a 12.5k Cummins generator if I need it. So far my Generac portable and whole home have worked whenever I have needed them. The Cummins/Onan gets a lot more use though.
@josephleicht5305
3 жыл бұрын
@@garrettclark2796 why spend 20k? I went with a mep-803a 10k. We used them in the army and I was able to pick mine up from a surplus auction. Sure you are going to give up ATS but all said and done I put in my diesel 10k for under $5k. I still can remote start the genny from my phone all I have to do is walk downstairs to the panel and flip the breaker.
@thegrumpytexan
3 жыл бұрын
I put a 14kW Generac in almost 10 years ago. 500 gallon propane tank to feed it, which we also use for our cooktop and heater. We stayed toasty warm in the house during our 5 day free trial of Alaska. While everyone else's food was spoiling, we had plenty to eat. We're on a well too so we had water (including hot water) pumping right along. Nice hot showers every night. Best part is I put in a completely new breaker panel by Generac that has the auto transfer switch built in. We're outside of Houston; it got down to 7 degrees!
@rigo6156
3 жыл бұрын
Do an update and tell us how it did during the Texas Winter Apocalypse.
@alextaylor2551
3 жыл бұрын
heh - thats why I'm watching...
@chrisgenonet
3 жыл бұрын
came here for the same reason. Looking at one of these now.
@wyldbill100
3 жыл бұрын
@@chrisgenonet my family is looking over this option, too. (East Texas snowpocalypse) LOL.
@nicoleflores6549
3 жыл бұрын
Same Houston TX
@charlesrocks
3 жыл бұрын
Lol...I did this but with a gasoline powered generator. We were toasty warm.
@TopFlightGNXTURBO
3 жыл бұрын
Hey Matt give us an update on how well the generator is doing with these controlled rolling blackouts here in Texas.
@20Spartacus09
3 жыл бұрын
. ^ I'd like to know as well
@robjohnson8522
3 жыл бұрын
"controlled rolling blackouts" {*cough*} Who had those! I was out of power for 36 hours straight! I still don't have water.
@20Spartacus09
3 жыл бұрын
@@robjohnson8522 You got lucky, I was out power 65 hours. Finally got it back last night, though I thankfully have water (on boil notice though).
@robjohnson8522
3 жыл бұрын
@@20Spartacus09 Woah!
@HondaRRChic
3 жыл бұрын
@@robjohnson8522 right we were out for 64 hours.
@MrDudley724
3 жыл бұрын
Perfect video! We’ve been out last four days with an No ETA of power restored yet. Living on a farm out in Oregon this second time we’ve lost power last three months. Will be looking at going this route. Looks like a great unit. Thank you. Liked and subscribed:)
@lasinmt106
3 жыл бұрын
Very nicely done. I rejected this style of generator back up for our rural home in NW MT because of that power consumption and the need of probably having to install a stand alone LP Tank of 500 to 1000. We have a 1000 that runs our furnace and cook stove since we moved in and removed the OLD honest here Oil converted Majestic Coal Furnace which at best was 8% effecient but upon talking to expert who removed it he said it was at best 4 maybe 5 %. Anyway first time ever happened to us the utility company refused to tell us the fuel history for oil deliveries to home. They finally said only record was the last time it was for 279 dollars. But wouldn't give us the date or the time between the previous fill? WHAT. Didn't matter Hubby was still out of state taking care of our other property and I was here and determined to get rid of the Majestic despite it being really interesting. We've had a few major outages and some minor say 6 to 11 hours here back in January while neighbors around us were out 3 to 6 days. Extrme NW MT in January. Very scary situation. Lots of trees down as this is in the heart of the rockies with lots of ponderosa and pine in our mostly rural area and low population. So we also had a disaster similar to your Harvey story in 1998 in IA where relatives lent us a gas generator for 2 weeks. We bought our own ASAP and still great for summer but not for winter use. I decided to buy into Goal Zero deep cell and lithium system to run our furnace fan. Already owned the GZ 1400W lithium. Have all the materials now as with the Pandemic they were out of stock much of the year. Will hire an electrcian to install but it still leaves our new well wired to our inhouse panel at 220 or is that 240. I get the numbers mixed up sometimes. Anyway I thought because it had been wired into our home box it was 110. My mistake so no well and it's a tricky situation because there is no pressure tank set up with this new Well set up and that means dangerous to even turn on the tap or flush a toilet by mistake or forgetfulness. So now I find out the GZ and it's four deep cell intergrated to 4 circuit system will not run the well. I am back to looking into something like these. I was not aware that the smaller ones might be far more effecient for fuel consumption. Your video has opened my mind to reconsider. I would definitely set up a stand alone LP tank however. And it could cost a bit more to install than you suggest as our property is full of Full growth pines and running any under ground pipes or wires is a huge undertaking. Have had several times the need to hire machine operators with back hoes etc. And can take days as well as leave us with huge piles of huge rocks to get rid of. (One time it took a year two other times 7 months while one time only 3 months.) And when I mean huge rocks I mean huge it's near a river so no doubt eon's of river bolders layed down and rolled about. Still you have opened my mind and I will be looking into the possiblities and practicality of maybe a smaller unit that could run the well specifically. My heart and compassion goes out to Texas right now and understand as you no doubt do just how scary and dangerous the power failures and cold temps by Ma Nature has had on the state and druing the pandemic when so many spirits and hopes are running low as it is. I'm a believer of thinking ahead as you mentioned you were caught with the equipment but not the laymen support and paper/government support when you needed it. We have no inspections here but understand that process having lived in other states and less rural areas over the years. Stay safe everyone. And may we all educate ourselves to be prepared but within reason. Just knowing how to turn off your water into your home and rain your pipes and toilets and such in TX might have saved a lot of misery right now. These are things so many are not these days raised to know. Thanks again.
@brent1041
3 жыл бұрын
I personally like a portable welder generator as a backup generator. That way you can get some actual use out of that $4000 piece of equipment. Beyond the typical maybe one week a year you need a generator.
@williamlopez5462
3 жыл бұрын
I have a Generac 15KW that saved the day during Hurricane Sandy. Two things to point out; if the utility company shuts off the natural gas supply because of the danger of fires caused by a hurricane or a flood then your generator is useless. I have natural gas and I have a 100 gallon (more like 80) tank. The other thing is once the Generator is running, it really runs, so if you have one bulb on in the whole house or everything hooked up, would not make any difference to your LP consumption, and in my case, that was just over two days of running all day; thank was filled up the same day the Hurricane was going to hit the coast. After the first $400 bill, we would use the generator in a much frugal way. Still, we love it.
@rjtumble
3 жыл бұрын
That's less complicated and less expensive than I thought it would be, thanks.
@dizzlethe7346
3 жыл бұрын
You can get a high end portable ones at the same size for much less! That can be set-up to do the same thing's, Like turn on once a week ect. Don't pay twice as much as you need to an get less (not able to take the gen with you) an he has a Hella point as in to make sure to buy what you NEED! Not only do you not need to run Everything but you would be shocked by how lil electric it takes to run everything. Considering most of the USA has gas heat, cooking an laundry. A 3-5k one is more then enough in most cases, Rv's run on 2-3 ones so.. Hope you don't take this the wrong way just warning you that you can get the same for even around less then half the cost as what he says here is all. Matt made a video on portable gens (Champion's) that shows how it is. Think he only made this bc champion kind of just got into the whole home game.
@rjtumble
3 жыл бұрын
@@dizzlethe7346 Thanks for the feedback
@abmccaa
3 жыл бұрын
@@dizzlethe7346 I'd disagree screaming it with a bull horn from the mountain tops. The average house in our area of California runs a 5 ton air conditioning which is a 5o amp breaker or 12,000 watts by itself. You need that 14kW just for starting amperage. Add some basics for emergencies on top of that (Fridge, Microwave, a few lights & outlets, a freezer, internet router, cable box, TV, Security alarm, garage door opener and some kitchen circuits) and you'll need every bit of that 14kW. If you have solar on your house you'll need a load shedding module and a surge suppressor is required. So in another words, NO, a 3-5kW won't run a house. Especially in California.
@dizzlethe7346
3 жыл бұрын
@@abmccaa First off A 5 Ton AC WOULD BE AROUND . 1.1 KW/TON X 5 TON = 5.5 KW an if you know your going to start it on a Gen then your not going to keep the same compressor that takes 1.25xs the watts to start... Also why would you run an "5ton" AC, Microwave, Cable box, internet garage door all day during an EMERGENCY?? Like what is that? It is like you just ignored what I said "He has a point buy what YOU need or that most houses are this way" an wanted to bring in the HIGH end of what is needed. Security system, fridge, freezer, few lights an outlets take what? Bc that is all you NEED in an emergency right? You have a phone for internet an you news no need for cable or net (unless you do not have service or need it for a POS type security system then net is a yes) who eats food from a microwave anymore? Y are you going be driving your car all over in a emergency, An you can not open it yourself? The Average house uses 30kw a day y would you need 14kw running FULL blast all day during emergencies other then comfort? Meaning it is not something you need it is something you want. An if you have all what YOU say you do and for some reason need to run it the same way during an emergency as you do everyday... Then I would tell you to go even further then a 14kw! Bc you always "want" to keep the load around 40-50% of what the generator can make. BC for some reason it Usually takes 40% of the fuel to run at 50%load and not the 100%fuel at 100% load, If you have a Inverted generator (the most sold type) running the loads that is. An think about that, If the average house uses 30kw a day. That is is 1.25kw an HR meaning a 3-5kw is Perfect for the average home... 5kw is even double the average/MOST homes in the US needs. Like are you running a boarding house? Or just want WAY more then you need running? HERE you go st8 from Honda askinglot.com/goto/43490A5 for sizing an average use and what you SHOULD be using during an emergency... more about average electric usage an needs from solar us.sunpower.com/how-many-solar-panels-do-you-need-panel-size-and-output-factors Also with solar you don't need either of thos if you have a load dump like a 2nd hot water tank/radiant heat tank. Y are you paying more to just discharge the extra electric/money you make? An having 2 more things that could go wrong instead of just the one heater that keeps the electric you made/paid for? Pull a Biden here an say "Come on man what are you thinking" If you have solar also that is taking the load off the Generator also, On none cloudy days at least.. This all comes from me letting someone else know that he can buy cheaper an get the same from a portable one... An to buy what THEY need!
@crazyphotobooth
3 жыл бұрын
@@dizzlethe7346 what would you recommend on a portable one close to something like this?
@hotflash7486
3 жыл бұрын
We just used our 14kw Champion due to a power outage a few days ago. The "low oil" light kept flashing despite being full of oil. This caused a delay in power for over 12 hours! However, once we got it going, it worked well for the rest of the outage( about 5 hours).
@robertclymer6948
3 жыл бұрын
@Hot Flash, what was the problem or fix you had to do please? Thank you.
@hotflash7486
3 жыл бұрын
@@robertclymer6948 Hi. According to the electrician, the oil sensor is very sensitive. We added more oil, which caused an overflow problem. So, he had to empty all the oil. Then he showed us how to gradually replace it to prevent overflow, yet allow it to be read by the sensor. We've since used it about 5 times,. No problems.
@tjportaro
3 жыл бұрын
The largest residential generator I installed was a 37kw with 2 automatic transfer switches for both panels. It was a 400amp service. With the pandemic we are unable to source generators and orders been pushed back for multiple months
@dizzlethe7346
3 жыл бұрын
We just walked into Home Depot and got a 60KW single phase and a 50kw 3phase. At the start of November Ohio here. Thank gosh we got them too bc we just had 5days of no power in the area during a decent lil cold spell.
@dizzlethe7346
3 жыл бұрын
Damn i meant to ask was it two 200amp ones or? An you have to have TS's on every "main" panel so it doesn't back feed into the grid. Unless you are not on the grid? I am hopping soon to take our 10houses an 2 shops off the grid soon.
@danlux4954
3 жыл бұрын
I have a house with apts in it, need a whole house genny and I’m not sure 37kw is enough. Have 6 units with panels in every unit so would be expensive to try and get wires from 4 floors down up to all the essentials.
@truebengalsfan
9 ай бұрын
@@dizzlethe7346is it a natural gas generator
@WayneTheSeine
3 жыл бұрын
IMHO Champion makes good products and are easy to contact and very helpful. I have owned two of the smaller portable type... 3400 watt. Easy starting, incredibly efficient and reasonably priced. If I recall correctly the tank was 3.5 gal. and would run for about 13 hours or so. When one was stolen I contacted Champion and in just a few seconds they were able to give me the serial number for the police report. Good company.
@6point5
3 жыл бұрын
Didn't talk about air cooled, versus liquid cooled systems. LC are way quieter.. less of a target when the power goes out.
@kirkstinson7316
3 жыл бұрын
And usually cost a grand or more more than an air cooled. And the newer air cooled are sound proofed now
@av8rbri473
3 жыл бұрын
Carbon monoxide is technically CO, not CO2.... but yep, valid pt.; don’t get it installed under a window!!! Learned quite a bit from your vids. Great content Matt 👍🏻
@cfmeeks
3 жыл бұрын
Backup generators are typically sized for the startup amps (LRA) of your A/C unit. Typical A/C unit needs 80-120 startup amps. Several of the variable speed A/C units only need 10-40 startup amps - so you can get away with a much smaller backup generator. If you happen to be shopping both A/C units and backup generators, you can use this knowledge to justify that nicer more efficient A/C, save some money on the generator, and reduce your break even time on the more expensive A/C.
@JP-bf4zy
3 жыл бұрын
This is excellent advice. Start-up for an AC compressor is very hard on a standby generator and you have to make sure your generator surge amps can handle it. If you can spend a little more on an AC unit to lower it, you can get away with a much smaller stand-by generator (saved $$) with lower running costs (saved $$). I have a 22kW from the only company that sells 22kW air cooled generators. If I forget about running the AC, heck I could probably power the whole neighborhood.
@rj.parker
3 жыл бұрын
Emerson sells a soft start module for standard psc compressors that will normally allow generator starts. This is facilitated by scroll compressors that start unloaded. The module is called Securestart and runs about $250.
@JP-bf4zy
3 жыл бұрын
@@rj.parker excellent info. Thanks for it!
@kirkstinson7316
3 жыл бұрын
And a 20kw unit is only good for 80 amps @ 240 volts. And that's 100% load just for AC. Add a soft start or load shed system.
@cindystokes8347
Жыл бұрын
I’m going to be backing up Solar while we gradually learn how much we need (and will have variable speed ac) so getting the largest portable at Costco and connecting to propane.
@GeoHvl
3 жыл бұрын
I live in the South also. We get hit with Ice Storms often. 2006 bad ice storm 6 days no power. Got a stand-by generator, 15KW, propane. I have been through so many outages from a few minutes to days. I'm the only one with lights at night.
@justincampbell9664
3 жыл бұрын
Love the channel! I’m going to ask you to build my family a house in the next few years. Keep up the great work!
@dienekes4364
3 жыл бұрын
I'm planning on moving back up to Oregon next year and possibly build a house. I plan on installing a geothermal heat exchange to take care of my heating / cooling and was thinking about going 100% solar for my electrical needs. My wife was asking me about how we would handle it if we had a few days of overcast / snow in the winter and I was thinking of incorporating a generator to pick up the slack. It seems to me that it wouldn't be that much more expensive to build this system than to have electrical run to the property and buy a furnace and air conditioning unit for the house. Then, essentially, free heating / cooling and electrical for the vast majority of the time. I'd still run natural gas to the house because that would be used for cooking, heating water, clothes drying, and run the generator if need be. Even if it cost a little more to setup, it seems like I'd recoup that cost in very short order. I know I need to get an engineer to actually run the numbers, but I'd rather put out a little more money up front and be as self-sufficient as possible down the road.
@kevinh3979
3 жыл бұрын
just do it.
@kevinstenger4334
3 жыл бұрын
I noticed the targets in the background, I don’t suppose you picked those up when you visited the abandoned mansion did you?
@todddunn945
3 жыл бұрын
I put in a solar/battery backup system. It is NOT grid connected. We had a 15 hour outage last week and it worked perfectly. The inverter has a fast automatic transfer switch (fast = 20 milliseconds or 0.02 seconds). We didn't even know the power was out until my wife noticed a stopped clock on a circuit I purposely left off the system. Unless you are in the room where the inverter is located the system is silent. In that room you can hear a buzz from the inverter. I have enough solar to recharge the batteries after a night even if it is cloudy, so I can run pretty much indefinitely when the power is out. No maintenance. Plus, since it is a home solar project I got a 30% tax credit in 2019 when I installed it (22% now). The down sides are that I don't have the big power consumers like the electric dryer and the electric range on the system. We have a very nice portable propane stove we use for cooking. The biggest down side was the cost (~10K after the tax credit). I run my well, fridge and freezer on the system 100% of the time. That has reduced my power bills by about 40%.
@sgjesse13
3 жыл бұрын
Who else is here looking at videos from Houston after what we just went through? 🥶
@brianberes
3 жыл бұрын
Yep! Cypress Tx
@xmikemac
3 жыл бұрын
@@brianberes yep Cypress, as well!
@trailerparkcryptoking5213
3 жыл бұрын
Richmond in the house!
@jrh11254
3 жыл бұрын
Baytown
@jrh11254
3 жыл бұрын
@hector nadal - that truly must’ve been a nightmare. So sorry you, your friends, family, and countrymen had to endure such an ordeal.
@bryanp8010
3 жыл бұрын
I’m a gas fitter in VA and i do genies all the time. Here Generac is big. The units are a bit more expensive, but trades here are insane. Electrical set up costs around $5k and depending on the gas run I dont charge less than $1000. These thing are a luxury because of total cost. Unit and trades cost almost always over $10k
@Haploanddogs
3 жыл бұрын
A 22kw unit will not use 4 gallons per hour unless you at rated load. They have a throttle just like a car. Over sized units don't use much more energy than a smaller unit
@CybekCusal
3 жыл бұрын
I know, I bit my tongue on commenting on this. He's really weak on anything that isn't carpentry.
@ZeoCyberG
3 жыл бұрын
@@CybekCusal Hello, he was talking about getting a unit sized to your needs. So of course that means running it at rated load! Like he said, he needs one that can handle his AC needs and not just regular house power. Seriously, learn to listen before you criticize!
@JasonEDragon
3 жыл бұрын
@@ZeoCyberG From what I've read, the 22 kW Generac model is by far their most popular model. When I put mine in I also gave thought to my neighbors. During an outage my Generac might be running and making noise for days. I figured that having some spare capacity to share might help keep the peace (and keep my house from acquiring too many guests).
@41crow
3 жыл бұрын
@Haploanddogs - That has not been my experience in testing my generators. I have honda's so that is the data I am using. A 2k honda will burn .95 gallons in 8.1 hours on its lowest setting. A 7k EFI generator will burn 6.5 gallons in 18 hours on its lowest setting. That's a little more than twice as much fuel. No big deal until you are running in an emergency situation and you want to conserve fuel and turn off everything but essentials. In a previous home of 3000 sq ft I ran a 6500 generac and found that with everything on (had evap cooler and not A/C) I did not need a 6500 watt generator and would rather size down and save the fuel.
@bobisrighturwrong
3 жыл бұрын
I have a westinghouse igen2500 and a manual switch for my panel. I have a gas boiler and hydroponic floor heat. That boiler also supplies my hot water. It won't run my ac or do laundry but it has enough power for most everything else. Total cost? About 650. The nice thing is, since it's small enough and light enough, I can use that generator for my rv or take it to someone else's home to help them. In the last 50 years this area has only had one major power outage due to an ice storm that lasted 2 weeks for a few people but most were far less time.
@wjthehomebuilder
3 жыл бұрын
Seems like another good advantage for utilizing mini split heat pumps. They aren't power hungry like normal units. I know I can run a 1.5 ton unit on a single 15 amp breaker.
@kenbrown2808
3 жыл бұрын
inverter type heat pumps run a little bit more efficiently than older tech, but the lower draw of a mini split is offset by the fact it has a longer duty cycle. basically half the amps for twice as much time. The other side of that, is you can run a mini split on any genset over about 4KW. while it would take an 8KW to power a traditional heat pump system IF you had a load shedding switch to lock out the heat strips.
@4philipp
3 жыл бұрын
And in a zero energy house, you’ll hardly need that either
@dianadaughterofthemosthigh2610
3 жыл бұрын
Best KZitem video explanation and information I have found! Good job! Thank you!!🏆
@ScottyLo
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for sharing this video. It’s definitely something my wife and I have wanted to have installed. Good information and tips.
@AlzWorld57
3 жыл бұрын
Last couple of days I have been talking to a friend of mine about generators...Interesting that YT started showing me vids about generators...guess someone is listening...with that said I did in fact enjoy this video...also I did subscribe...Tnx
@Rick-se5qm
3 жыл бұрын
The factory fuel consumption rating is based on full load. A 14KW unit will consume about the same fuel as a 22KW unit with a fixed 10KW load.
@cincybeck
3 жыл бұрын
Consumption would be closer but because the 22kw has a 999cc vs the Champs 754cc engine it would still consume more.
@joeysawdust
3 жыл бұрын
Exactly, Matt really glossed over the numbers. Also his idea about buying a much smaller unit won't fly well with electricians if you have a 200 amp panel with a lot of high-draw appliances. At least he mentioned permits and brushed on placement of the unit with respect to distance from windows and from the propane tank itself. He was talking a bit out of his depths on this topic.
@Rick-se5qm
3 жыл бұрын
@@joeysawdust Our gen set is a B&S 12KW which is plenty for my home, but we had a failure during a hurricane and the house got terribly uncomfortable without AC. I manually swapped the connections between the well pump and central AC. That was the only time I wished the unit was larger. A smaller unit would probably be OK for a mobile home.
@CybekCusal
3 жыл бұрын
Duh
@dphil2703
3 жыл бұрын
@@Rick-se5qm you should consider having so.e load control modules installed on your big loads, this will solve your problem B&S 👍👍
@johntonge9818
3 жыл бұрын
Check with your natural gas supplier before you proceed. We had to upgrade to a larger meter in order to get enough gas pressure for the generator to work properly. It added about $500 to the cost.
@theMekanik
3 жыл бұрын
I kinda don’t like dealers so I am glad I can just ship it. 🤘🏻
@GarretL757
3 жыл бұрын
Did have portable hookup installed when I built my house 6yrs ago with a manual transfer switch. Now I have 10kw solar and Tesla home battery, worth every dollar, only recommendation is to have ~3 powerwalls if you want to run AC
@andreasanchez1453
Жыл бұрын
When I get my first house this is my first investment. I will not be without power like the freeze of 2021 and the hurricane of 2020 Hanna . Those days were the worst.
@cryptocruz6312
3 жыл бұрын
Here during Snowmageddon in Texas
@NBGEEKS
2 жыл бұрын
We have propane here and we are in the mid west. Are biggest thing is twisters and flood. Good to know I can get this on propane. Older home we are updating.
@bokneeza
3 жыл бұрын
“It’s a pretty affordable unit” while sitting on a Yeti Bucket
@franciscoespinosa2809
2 жыл бұрын
I saw that and I couldn’t help myself but to think…. “Mamón”
@fritzethecat5097
2 жыл бұрын
A year late, Sitting on a yeti bucket...Hilarious
@miloscott5630
2 жыл бұрын
He also has steel targets behind him. Props to this guy. Get woke is a dying breed.
@santiagosalcedo7653
Жыл бұрын
Lol 😂
@boostedveedub9687
Жыл бұрын
😂
@shawndejong6699
2 жыл бұрын
Oh in Ontario we certainly have hot summers. We don't get texas hot, but multiple weeks out of the summer will see in excess of 100F.... The kicker is we don't get dry heat, it's usually humid, sticky nasty, borderline rainforest style heat.
@wjf213
3 жыл бұрын
Good info. I'm from Wisconsin and I was always worried about a power outage in the winter. We had everything electric including heat as well as two propane fireplaces. I went around and added up all the power needed, and I could not comfortable get away with anything less than about a 35kWh diesel gen set. I bought almost 3,500 gallons of diesel, and treated it with PRI-D. Back when I installed this, off road diesel was just $0.68 a gallon. I bought a Trace SW5548 inverter that was 5,500 watts and a 60kWh battery bank and a 120 to 240 step up transformer for my well pump. The gen set ran and charged up the batteries and any other high demand items, and then shut down and we heated with the fireplaces, and ran off of batteries for most of the day. Then when the batteries got down to a level programed into the inverter, it started up the gen set, let it run for 5 minutes to warm up and then excited the alternator and ran the house and charged the batteries back up. When the batteries were charged, it shut down the alternator and ran the diesel for 5 minutes to cool the engine down before shutting it down as well. I never burned more than 5 to 15 gallons of diesel a day depending on the load. It's well worth it for sure, and when I move to Texas in a few months, I'll be installing an even better system. If I were you, I would not go 100 hours of run time between oil changes. Think of your gen set running at 3600 RPM, and figure that to be about 60 MPH, so with a little math, at 100 hours that's 6,000 miles on that oil and it's a small crankcase that doesn't hold a lot of oil to begin with. For "ME" I would not go more than about 30 to 50 hours depending on the conditions it was running in, and Texas is HOT, so I'd error on the side of 30 to 40 hours between oil changes. Oil changes are cheaper than engine swaps and engines fail when you need them most. Keep 2 or 3 oil filters and oil and an air filter on hand, and spark plugs are a good idea too to have around. I'd also watch that battery since you're only running it for 7 minutes each week, that may not be long enough to recharge the battery after starting that engine a dozen or so times, and it "MIGHT" slowly discharge. Just some thing to watch and maybe think about every other week for 15 minutes. Keep up the great work.
@kenbrown2808
3 жыл бұрын
keep in mind propane is a much cleaner fuel than gasoline. that said, my gasoline portable is 17 years old and has over a thousand hours on the clock. it's had the fuel petcock replaced, and the pull cord replaced, because I'm too stingy to replace the battery. also, you missed that the padmount system includes a battery tender.
@McTroyd
3 жыл бұрын
He did say the starting batteries are trickle-charged continuously from the mains. I assume some sort of fault would be triggered if the voltage sags to the point the engine can't start during a self-test ("exercise") from old batteries. Then again, we know what Samuel L Jackson says about assumptions.
@kenbrown2808
3 жыл бұрын
@@McTroyd most of them will let you know if the battery voltage ever drops below it's happy place.
@rickss69
2 ай бұрын
@@kenbrown2808 The problem with lead acid type batteries is they self destruct when below 50% charge. Lithium is the way to go for replacement batteries.
@kenbrown2808
2 ай бұрын
@@rickss69 and since then, that generator got semiretired, because it was having carburetor issues and my schedule was too crazy to find time to get it to the shop. and I still pull start the new one, because I don't seem to be able to find time to figure out why the battery isn't charging.
@cfoskeeter
3 жыл бұрын
I am having a whole home Generac generator installed in a few weeks. A word of warning, if you use the online calculators provided by the major manufacturers, they always recommend a unit size much smaller than you will probably need. I answered all of the questions honestly and both Kohler and Generac said I needed a 14-16 kw unit. When the vendors came to my house and performed an assessment, it jumped to a minimum of 22 kw. Also, Generac says that a standard installation would be about $2,000. My install is as basic as can be with the gas meter and the electrical panel in basically the same location. After adding all installation costs, it was about double the $2,000 stated by Generac.
@SomeUserNameBlahBlah
3 жыл бұрын
Are you sure the installer wasn't trying to upsell you through panic and fear so they could make more money?
@cfoskeeter
3 жыл бұрын
@@SomeUserNameBlahBlah No, because I had several quotes from different installers and different manufacturers. All came up with about the same needs for the 22kw and all had similar install quotes. What Generac apparently does not factor in to their install estimate of $2k is permits, tax on the unit, freight, and the cost of the pad. Those costs add at least another $1k to $1.5k. I think they are purposely lowballing the total cost so as not to scare people off from the beginning. Plus as to unit size, I was provided the power assessment which was based on the size of my house, appliances and the actual electrical lode requirement of my air conditioning unit. It showed a very detailed listing of what I have in my house and what the power requirements of my appliances, lights, etc.
@joesenchuk2671
3 жыл бұрын
Love ya Matt. I love the videos and the time you invest in producing your content. They are entertaining and informative about the "latest and greatest" construction innovations and installations. I am entertained (and many times.. better informed too). However, I must admit that I often get a quiet internal chuckle when I reflect on the idea of "if you want to know the MOST EXPENSIVE way to build/renovate a house that probably won't provide a reciprocating return on your investment..." then your vids clearly demonstrate how to do that. I understand you are talking about (and promoting) good products and are more geared toward high end properties but as a person who is an engineer and has 20+ years of building houses, renovating single and multi family properties and being a real estate investor... there is NO way I could be successful using your recommended products in all of my installations (a little here.. a little there... fine... but not all). But... this generator seems to perhaps be one of the few things that isn't too expensive to install and I am entertaining it as a worthwhile investment (for my own home). I know it sounds like I'm talking sh**... maybe I am a bit... sorry about that. I DO respect you and your videos. Cheers!
@markroper9269
3 жыл бұрын
Great video! Next time could you talk about the auxiliary panel that is needed? You can't "light up" the entire house. You have to prioritize what is energized. At my house I have a portable generator for catastrophic power outages. I have a UPS for my main computer, cable modem, and router. Fun fact, my cable modem runs my phone and internet. It has a battery backup built in. It stops providing internet to the router if we lose power.....found out the hard way. I have been looking for a house backup generator and this is some good info! It is a good selling point when we decide to move also.
@effinawesome3088
3 жыл бұрын
You can easily "light up" an entire home.
@dphil2703
3 жыл бұрын
Mark, please find a local Briggs & Stratton or Kohler dealer, I think you will be happy with what can be done when a generator system is laid out appropriately for your specific application.
@suzannelarocque4056
3 жыл бұрын
Matt- please do a video about the solar version of a standby generator!
@omaha42000
3 жыл бұрын
Hmmm. Long lasting (10+ year) lithium batteries (Lithium Iron Phosphate or LiFePO4 - the kind that doesn't burn if abused) are becoming less expensive, but we're not quite there yet. It might be feasible to power the essentials like fridge, freezer, LED lights and maybe a well pump using a "critical loads sub-panel" but to back up a whole house will be pricey. Commercial LiFePO4 battery systems are probably $700 to $1000 per *usable* KWH and DIY systems can be $200 to $400 per *usable* KWH. DIY isn't too hard to build and the builder will know how to replace critical components like BMS and bad cells - but the next home owner may not appreciate this approach. If the natural disaster is hurricane then the solar panels might not be functioning. I do think that a solar set up with hybrid inverter that handles grid-tie + battery (SolArk) and a bank of LiFePO4 batteries with a smallish (5 or 10 KW) back up generator might be the best compromise in this era. There are ratios for generator size to battery bank size.
@derf_the_mule1405
3 жыл бұрын
Standby battery for my 2500sf house $120,000 for 3 days (not including solar charging and inverter system). Standby 17kW generator $20,000-30,000 installed on a bad day with 3-5 days backup. Running a 5 ton AC on battery is very very very expensive.
@macsloan58
3 жыл бұрын
Don’t bother with one. They haven’t been perfected and are really far from useful.
@John-tq4bf
3 жыл бұрын
I put in a 'whole home' system which is totally automatic so if I am away it will be there to save my peace of mind. When thinking about cost think in terms of what food replacement will be and of course dealing with the mess and avoiding aggravations of dealing with insurance and the service companies needed to clean up your mess. For me it was the total lack of worrying about a rare event, hopefully.
@theMekanik
3 жыл бұрын
I transferred over to a gas counter top stove to minimize AMP load appliances. I am lookIng to an On-Demand propane water heater to do the same. I have down sized to a 120 volt AC window unit that uses like 7 amps on start up, then collect the water that comes off of it to flush toilets.
@cybertrk
3 жыл бұрын
Use an induction cooktop, perfect temperature control, low wattage, insanely efficient. We did all our cooking on 2x 300w solar panels because induction cooktops are so efficient.
@theMekanik
3 жыл бұрын
@@cybertrk I have and induction cooktop its a piece of sht, and it uses 1800 watts and it doesn't work every time unless its with cast iron, I'm definitely not interested in burning my batteries up trying to heat up product that will eventually go in a toilet, just doesn't seem logical to me unless I'm in a spaceship where oxygen is a precious resource, even then I would go with Graphene heating element. Propane is the way to go I can carry a canister in my backpack with a Fire Maple X2. I bought one 250 Butane canister for $5 and use a 20 pound bottle to refill it with a lindal to linval valve to one pound propane adapter.
@kenbrown2808
3 жыл бұрын
counterpoint: I have a heat pump water heater, and it holds the hot water for up to 48 hours if it isn't used - and if need be I can transfer power from the well to the water heater for an hour to reheat it.
@theMekanik
3 жыл бұрын
@@kenbrown2808 That’s good in fixed location with ample amounts of real-estate. I need something Mobile, but you do bring up a good point on how to store hot water, what I would like to see is it connected to a dark color water tank that heats up then circulate the hot water into the heat pump when the temperature in the tank drops. There really should be places like these fixed i place to accommodate hot showers 🚿 for outside people. Hygiene is priority weather you live outside or inside. Water & Power are the primary resources needed to maintain sanity. I mean food to but taking a shower is a moral booster, and being able to wash and dry your clothes.
@kenbrown2808
3 жыл бұрын
@@theMekanik so what you're saying is you're trying to maintain a mobile setup? that pretty much changes everything. in that case, you want petty much all your high heat applications to be directly LP fired, though it's questionable whether you can run HVAC and refrigeration more efficiently on gas or electric.
@EchoTangoSuitcase
3 жыл бұрын
I used a clamp meter to size mine. I turned on everything in the house. EVERYTHING. I mean, I even turned on the light in closets and the oven light. The two hot leads into the main panel added up to 90 amps. My no-clamp rule of thumb after researching this like only weaponized OCD can, is simple. Whatever the service panel amperage rating is, buy half of that. In my house, which has a 3.5 Ton central air system, and at the time had an electric oven, it's 200amps. 200A x 125V = 25,000W = 25kW. I used 125V because that's about what I have at the wall outlets around the house, but I think it's a good number to use anyway. So, if I have a 200A panel, I'll want to size at 100A, which translates to 12.5kW. If I had a 400A service, I would want a 25kW generator. Big advantage to standby instead of portable is the that the power leads coming off the windings are going to give you the full available generator head capacity. I own a Generac GP17500 portable, though given that it comes from the factory with a lifting hook, I think it's stretching the meaning of "portable". It puts out 17,500W of running power, and 26,250W of starting power. (For A/C and refrigerator motors) BUT !!! (And almost nobody talks about this) It doesn't have any full power outlets. Although 17,500W is 140A or running power and 26,250W is 210A, the biggest outlet is only 50A, which by itself is only 6,250W. You CAN run more than one outlet at the same time, but you can't COMBINE them to get the full output, because according to Generac, there's more than one winding in the head and they won't be in phase. Very few portables have a full power outlet. In fact, the only ones I've ever seen like that were diesel powered. So, if you want to run your AC on even the biggest portable, you'd going to have a challenge.
@tomim7187
3 жыл бұрын
Boy, the price have really come down. Thanks for the primer!
@elbuggo
3 жыл бұрын
They are probably made of Chinesium.
@steven7650
3 жыл бұрын
most are going solar, and adding battery backup later.
@valkyriefrost5301
3 жыл бұрын
My only concern is getting that unit up off the ground by several feet when installed in a hurricane flood zone like TX.
@1975oldschool
3 жыл бұрын
Yup. If it’s Houston, it’s basically every time is rains.
@thomassutherland5188
3 жыл бұрын
If having a flood you don't want to electrify the house unless,all electric is above the waterline substantially. House needs to be designed for flood variables.
@valkyriefrost5301
3 жыл бұрын
@@thomassutherland5188 - the thinking here is a minor flood would not harm the house (too much), but it would swamp a generator on the ground. A few feet could save you a $4000 investment.
@rupe53
3 жыл бұрын
@@valkyriefrost5301 ... that's a very common issue and I have installed units on raised decks or elevated concrete platforms, but you need to check with your building department on what they will require.
@4philipp
3 жыл бұрын
Nit all of Texas is a flood zone. Only the areas where the people live.
@ai4px
3 жыл бұрын
A generator manufacturer will suggest a certain size tank. This is not for run time... it has to do with demand. If you draw a lot of LP from a tank it will get cold. When cold there is less pressure. The solution is to have a large enough tank so that it won't get cold under peak usage.
@syburch
3 жыл бұрын
Great idea for times like now! Wish we had natural gas to use here in Southeast Alaska, but use propane and wood instead. Hope you're safe and making good trouble;-)
@Me-fx4bp
2 жыл бұрын
I have 4 chest freezers and two refrigwerators and everything can run on a Champion 4500/3500W inverter gen. You might be ok with a portable gen if you can live without 240V. I have two Champion 4500/3500W so I have a backup to my backup. One gen is the open frame dual-fuel inverter and the other is the gasoline only inverter (the quiet one). I keep 50 gal of fuel (w/Stabil Marine) and 150 lbs of propane. During black out using one gen I was able to power everything including lights, TV, etc (house is 4000 sq ft) without pushing the gen hard. To start electric motors/freezers/fridges you can need up to 5 times the running watts, but once started it consumes a small amount like 100W to 250W. I didn't go to stanby because you are then dependent on a supply of natural gas unless you have a very large propane tank. With my setup, I could last about a month with the gasoline/propane I keep. If it's impossible to get fuel from anywhere I could always get the gasoline out of one of my vehicles. One thing for sure if you get a portable make sure to ge an INVERTER gen. Non-inverter gen usually have a THD (total harmonic distortion) between 10% and 30%. Portable Champion inverter gen have a THD of less than 3%. I have measured the THD of many different models of Champion inverters and they all maxed out at about 2.76% under fulll load. High effeciency furnaces and other sensitive electronics might be damaged or not run at all with high THD.
@boby115
3 жыл бұрын
I GIVE MATT A BIG "D" ON THIS PRESENTATION. I've been in the natural gas utility business for over 35 years and have ran over 10,000 emergency calls. So let's go over to the short coming in this video.#1 CO2 is not carbon monoxide, CO is carbon monoxide ( so let's give Matt an "F" for paying attention in high school science, plus he's married to a doctor, "F minus").#2 it's quite apparent the gas utility was not informed about the added gas load to their system. Matt's gas meter set ( owned by the gas utility) is rated for 175 cubic feet per hour ( this generator alone is rated at 225 cubic feet per hour plus Lord knows what he's using in the house ) . Undersized gas distribution systems are considered a hazardous condition so Matt gets an "F" installation prep ( contacting gas utility about any added load should be number one on your checklist).#3 the generator was not connected with the vibration gas connector it was shipped with, the installer used a cheap gas appliance connector not certified for generator connections. Also generator connecting lines are never to be bent to avoid elbows. Sorry Matt "F" following instructions.#4 just because you're connected to the natural gas utility does not mean you're guaranteed an uninterruptible supply. During National disasters such as hurricanes, flood, earthquakes, forest fires, volcano eruptions & ect gas utilities are likely to shut down (lock out ) gas risers / meters in areas that may be affected. Such actions may be taken several days before the national disaster is predicted to hit. We are going to give Matt "C" because the gas utility does not turn off all neighborhoods, just the most vulnerable ones.#5 Matt gets a "B" for all other info in the video, which is pretty accurate. Hopefully some of this information was helpful and you all stay safe .
@edbouhl3100
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for raising points #2,3,4.
@rupe53
3 жыл бұрын
Bob Y ... good eye there. I was looking for the meter rating and didn't catch it. In my area it's common for a meter to be 250 - 400 CFM on a smaller residence and service size one of the first things I look at when there's an issue. Also do a survey on what else is running on gas. It adds up quick and there's no such thing ass "I don't run that all the time" when it comes to the right system capacity. Second thing is pipe size and length of run, which is where you spotted that appliance flex. (no good around here as well)
@boby115
3 жыл бұрын
@@edbouhl3100 , on #4 I would have never guessed volcano if it wasn't for my friends at Hawaii gas who have to deal with that scenario from time to time.
@boby115
3 жыл бұрын
@@rupe53 , yes it looked like Matt had an older 175 Lancaster are Sprague meter. You are correct today's residential gas meters are a minimum of 250 and the sky's the limit on the maximum size ( most common are 250,275,400 & 425 for normal residential applications today). As far as minimum requirements the national gas fuel code and the GAMA ( gas Appliance manufacturers Association) sets those nationally. States and municipalities can set stricter codes but in no way should they undermine the national codes but local inspectors only know what they know.
@rupe53
3 жыл бұрын
@@boby115 ... we have some larger homes in our area too. Not uncommon to see a million+ BTUs needed there. Of course the pool and spa heaters will throw you a curveball so you have to look at how many are hiding in the bushes, not to mention adding a gen set that's 50 - 100 kW on top of that. What I do find quite a bit is someone from the gas company usually knows the limits but most plumbers have no clue when it comes to proper pipe / meter size. They only know about sediment legs, leak testing, and such, which is about what building inspectors know. IOW, just the code compliance end. Seems like they all flunked math class and can't read a chart to figure pipe flow. Then there's the guy who only counts feet from point A to B (tape measure on the ground) instead of pipe feet plus various fittings. All of a sudden his 100 ft is now 150 ft on the charts so up 2 pipe sizes... rounding up, but he wants to round down because it's close enough in his mind.
@jodyjohnsen
3 жыл бұрын
I didn’t realize they can run on natural gas. In south Florida it would be smarter to install that on the roof. They are much less expensive than they used to be. Good video. Thanks.
@996driver1
3 жыл бұрын
Love seeing the swing targets in the background - A fellow Texan
@kalimanx
3 жыл бұрын
Outstanding presentation.
@carloscodina1717
3 жыл бұрын
OUTSTANDING!!! Thank you very much.
@lindyengineer
3 жыл бұрын
An update please on the great freeze please! Are you considering propane standby for when the ng stops??
@billmccance7762
3 жыл бұрын
West Coast of BC and islands get wind storms often which blow down trees on power lines, sometimes for days but usually 6-8 times per year . October to April is the worst period. Winter, dark early, colder temp. So I recommend a propane backup generator , then the client can have a gas range and cook , BBQ, hot water, fireplace and internet. Perhaps the load demand would be much higher for electric baseboards and larger generator required.
@BackPackHack
3 жыл бұрын
Tying in to your homes' LP or NG systems can cause problems. Many supply lines from the utility don't have enough flow or pressure capacity to run a whole-house genny. So there's the added cost of bringing in a new line from the street.
@ghavila1766
3 жыл бұрын
Remember that in a major grid down outage that the gas lines are controlled via electrically operated valves and pumps. This isn't a problem in a local outage.
@truthcrusade8371
3 жыл бұрын
I'm not sure but I think these units may also work on propane without additional modifications. I need to call Champ to see if it does.
@d.o.t.collector5359
3 жыл бұрын
@@truthcrusade8371 .. 2 min in and he tells you that propane is one of the main running options.
@truthcrusade8371
3 жыл бұрын
@@d.o.t.collector5359 "Your two main options -- when we are thinking about standby units for your house -- are EITHER going to be propane OR natural gas". Flexibility and mobility are great and the technology for all this is reliable and widely available in mobile units so why not making it available in standby units? Old school philosophy was not designed for the planned and unplanned disruptions ahead.
@d.o.t.collector5359
3 жыл бұрын
@@truthcrusade8371 .. I understand that but in your comment you said that you weren't sure if these units worked on propane so I was just answering and trying to help.
@truthcrusade8371
3 жыл бұрын
@@d.o.t.collector5359 Thank you!
@richardwentland3489
3 жыл бұрын
Glad to see y’all enjoy target shooting! Curly from Oconomowoc, WI
@harleyhawk7959
3 жыл бұрын
1400 watt honda runs my fridge, I plug in the chest freezer in garage when need. never buy a stand up freezer. 1 light and coffee pot. lived like that for a week after a ice storm, have a free standing propane heater for backup heat. my charcoal weber on the deck.
@HPN1000
3 жыл бұрын
Super cool! Thanks for the video. Never thought these things were so affordable.
@trustbuster23
3 жыл бұрын
This is another, indirect selling point for both heat pump water heaters and mini-split AC units. Because neither requires all that much energy, not only are they cheaper to run, they mean you only need a relatively small generator to keep them going in a power outage. A traditional electric hot water heater requires about 4,500 watts and the heat pump versions draw like 700 or so in heat pump only mode.
@ronsimpson143
3 жыл бұрын
What about batteries in addition to the generator?
@TdrSld
3 жыл бұрын
Look up Red poppy ranch here on youtube, He uses a small gen as a back up in his off grind setup
@SPOKTALK
3 жыл бұрын
Get an all in one inverter charger, hook up grid, generator, solar, batteries and house... sol-ark 12k
@tysleight
3 жыл бұрын
Why? He said a number of times he wanted it mostly for AC and a battery setup would be huge to cover.
@ronsimpson143
3 жыл бұрын
@@tysleight I am not asking about him doing it for his home. I was asking because I want the knowledge for my situation. Why else would I ask? My thoughts were if you had a battery to help handle the load off during peak usage, could you get away with a smaller generator? You could charge the batteries during low usage.
@tysleight
3 жыл бұрын
@@ronsimpson143 ok. My confusion came from you asking a guy that knows alot about building science but somewhat limited knowledge of generators based on this video and who knows what he knows about batteries. Side note from a random person on the internet who used to wire off the grid buildings for a living. lead batteries are expensive up front and take a fair amount of work and knowledge to maintain, lithium are very pricey but lower work later on ( I liked the LG systems 5 years ago when I was doing it every day). I would hate to run an AC on anything other than a generator. Small simple setup for a basic home look at what RVs do and double it. 4-8 deep cycle and a good inverter and only kick on a big generator when you want to run the AC or get a little 1k honda skip the AC and let it run a couple of hours a day to charge everything assuming no grid or solar
@davidbeachel
3 жыл бұрын
If you have the space and resources, it would be better in the long run to get a good used diesel unit. Especially an Onan/Cummins unit. Obviously if you run out of fuel, then that’s a problem. But if you have the area, stock up. Other than that, anything gaseous fueled would need a new, industrial or commercial grade fuel service piped in. That tiny 1/2” pipe won’t feed a bigger unit. If someone was dead set on gaseous fuel, an older Onan 30EM with the 300 CID Ford was the best. Electronic governor, perfect running.
@alanswanson1952
3 жыл бұрын
We have 11k gennerac couldn't be happier was without power for 48 hours two weeks ago. Ac , well everything worked fine. Our basement will flood if the sump pumps go out . Our neighbors lost a lot of food during the outage
@CordCrenshaw
3 жыл бұрын
Mmmmm flashlights, standby backup power systems, and of course, building science.
@buildshow
3 жыл бұрын
You forgot pocket knives!
@CordCrenshaw
3 жыл бұрын
@@buildshow dang it. 😂
@fpstina
3 жыл бұрын
For a few days sure, great idea, longer than that and you need to be aware of how your house is perceived to those less fortunate than yourself, you become a serious target when you're the only house with the lights and heat pump going.... be safe and good luck.
@rossg4788
3 жыл бұрын
Probably a good idea to talk with neighbors about their plans for emergency preparedness
@slowdowncal5766
3 жыл бұрын
Everyone that lives in Texas all came here for the same reason! 😂
@bugwar5545
Ай бұрын
Natural gas is nice. What keeps the gas flowing when the power is out? If the supplier uses electrical pumps to keep up the pressure, you might be in for a interesting time.
@terrycallaghan8269
3 жыл бұрын
I am in Canada and we often get temperatures in the summer of plus 35 deg c and in the winter -40 deg c and these temperatures and last for weeks on end. So the AC is important here to.
@iwayned
3 жыл бұрын
Thank you for the information Matt. I have been thinking of a generator but protable. But now Automatic sounds like a better plan.
@NA12495
3 жыл бұрын
Wanted to hear it running. Only thing missing, that would have made this 5 stars for me.
@ledebuhr1
3 жыл бұрын
Matt, Are you bummed there is no IBS for 2021? I'll miss your IBS videos.
@SawHorseDesignBuild
3 жыл бұрын
It has been tough creating content in this environment. When I found out they were going virtual, I knew I was not not to be able to set up as many video interviews.
@SamCarleton
2 жыл бұрын
Have you ever considered going solar as your main backup? With such a efficient house, I would imagine you don’t need a huge system.
@LC-sm1ti
3 жыл бұрын
Bruh all the Texans in this B 😂 but me too
@donjohnson9893
3 жыл бұрын
OKC area just had power out over 10 Days. Some areas more prone than others .
@zacandmillie
3 жыл бұрын
"The oil has been lubricated" ? That's a new concept
@jeremywollard
3 жыл бұрын
Hurricane Ike, no power 14 days. Indeed this is a must have.....
@theolddoctor4492
3 жыл бұрын
How about a short video on how you hook this up to the interior of your house.
@loganlaporte
3 жыл бұрын
You should come by my house in Fort Worth and see my whole home back up powered by Tesla powerwalls. Instant back up, near flawless operation. Also, electric dryers are way more power hungry than the HVAC system. HVAC I believe just draws more amps at start up.
@fladave99
3 жыл бұрын
For smaller uses I have TWO 2,000. During the day with ac and everything running I use both. At night I use ONE. ONE 2k uses 1 gal of gas for 8 hours.
@joshtheld
3 жыл бұрын
Hope you do Tesla solar tiles on the new house Matt!
@GenuineAMERICAN333
2 жыл бұрын
Great helpful video thanks
@alant8553
3 жыл бұрын
FYI: in Paradise,CA where almost the entire town burned down a couple years ago... Some people in the area who had large generators connected to natural gas lost generator power because the utility company cut natural gas for entire neighborhoods. So even houses that didn’t burn down... couldn’t runt their generators. That’s probably something out of the norm... but at least something to think about.
@markdavidson7510
3 жыл бұрын
HI...same for earthquakes as well as fires. having onsite propane...you do have the fully contained system
@buildingourparadise2696
3 жыл бұрын
Great video, going to be putting a whole house unit on my new build in Florida.
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