Thoughts on home backup generators |
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Topic: Thoughts on home backup generators Posted: 26 Nov 2015 at 4:49am |
Ditto! Good write up & Happy Thanksgiving. The thought of losing the power grid is a concern but, what worries me is the hysteria and mass calamity that would occur when everybody could not recharge their smart phones! Along these lines, a "Dilbert" cartoon showed the pointy haired boss saying he was buying up all the gold he could, for the possible meltdown. The "mean" gal (Alice?) replied: " Yes, and after 2-3 days, you'd trade all of that gold for a sandwich!" |
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059 |
Posted: 25 Nov 2015 at 6:55pm |
You, too! I started cooking an hour ago!
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Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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fwunder
Senior Member Joined: 04 Oct 2013 Location: New Jersey Online Status: Offline Posts: 1676 |
Posted: 25 Nov 2015 at 6:20pm |
Thanks Doug. All good advice!
On a different note..Have a great Holiday!! |
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2014 RPod 178 => MyMods and Buying Habits
2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059 |
Posted: 24 Nov 2015 at 9:32pm |
He will have to keep an eye on the oil over long runs. Kohler may not be as bad as Generac but better to refill than rely on the low pressure shutdown. Make sure he knows how to properly shut down and restart during an outage (main breaker off, wait 1+ minute, then shut down, etc), so he can check.
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Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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fwunder
Senior Member Joined: 04 Oct 2013 Location: New Jersey Online Status: Offline Posts: 1676 |
Posted: 24 Nov 2015 at 6:36pm |
Yeah, pic was just before finals. Checkbook is not an issue with these folks. The request was a system that would run whole house 24/7 for three to four weeks (Sandy) and was out of sight and sound. I think we accomplished that.
I do like the idea of buying fuel cheap and in bulk and not worrying about it "going bad". I rotate my 20 gal. supply of gas between machines and vehicles, exercise the gennies regularly, only store premium gas (debatable) and still use a little Sta-bil. Too bad you gotta rig an injector pump adapter or punch through anti-siphon to get gas out of cars now! fred Here's a good pic of us dropping tank in place. |
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2014 RPod 178 => MyMods and Buying Habits
2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059 |
Posted: 24 Nov 2015 at 6:05pm |
Interesting. Solely due to LP cost or other reasons? Is that pic the new 20 kw installation? Wont hear that in the house, but ouch his checkbook will feel it.
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Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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fwunder
Senior Member Joined: 04 Oct 2013 Location: New Jersey Online Status: Offline Posts: 1676 |
Posted: 24 Nov 2015 at 5:49pm |
Good stuff, Doug. Just to add some figures from a recent install I GC'd for neighbor/friend...
20 RESA Kohler w/new 1000 gallon buried LP tank installed 75 feet from house. Including trenching, landscaping, transfer switch, wiring, tank (purchased) and burial and permits: $17,712.00. It is a sweet system. Propane @ 800 gallons was $1.39/gal. Unit burns about 2.2 gph at half load. Me? I got my 12KW Generac (gas) portable for whole house (transfer switch) and Yamaha 2400 for conservation as you noted above. I chose gasoline as it is the largest supply of fuel I have - cars, tractors, chainsaws, etc. Knowing what I know now and based on current fuel costs, I probably would opt for one or two buried tanks of LP. fred |
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2014 RPod 178 => MyMods and Buying Habits
2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059 |
Posted: 24 Nov 2015 at 3:47pm |
I use Sta-bil, but it only claims it is good for a year. Also I learned with my prior Yamaha that once you get near that year mark the gas really isn't "good" anymore. I could always start it in one or two pulls with fresh gas. Year-old gas I would crank on it 20 times before it would start. That is when I started rotating every 6 months (still using Sta-bil).
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Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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furpod
Moderator Group - pHp Joined: 25 Jul 2011 Location: Central KY Online Status: Offline Posts: 6128 |
Posted: 24 Nov 2015 at 2:22pm |
We are working our way along that same path.. we have a larger 8/12kw Generac also, and it will run everything. But it does suck the gas..
Most of the time though.. we don't have big load. So a 2000i for the camper can be used very economically to keep the reef and the fridges happy, and the big genny for water heater, a/c etc, if needed. Also, you can avoid the fuel rotation hassle with PRI-G. It works. |
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Leo B
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 13 Jan 2012 Location: Lyndonville, VT Online Status: Offline Posts: 4508 |
Posted: 24 Nov 2015 at 9:45am |
Ditto!!
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Leo & Melissa Bachand
2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
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