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Stand By Generator Cost

farmo83

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As I sit here in Texas with 11 degree temp knowing I should have a decent bonus coming, anyone have insight on how much all in a 22kw standby generator would be ? I'm tired of this crap. I think a 22kw would be big enough for my house, gas heat, gas range, electric oven, one 5 ton AC.

Any thoughts would be appriciated.
 

AZRiverRunner

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Costco.com has a Honeywell 20kw standby generator for about $4,300. I believe that cost is delivered, not installed.
A/C startup watts is the big one, I've been told to estimate 2x it's rated running watts for older units without an eco-mode for cooling.
 
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farmo83

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I've read basically you'll pay what the unit cost in installation, we'll see if that holds true.
 

hallett21

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5-6 grand for the generator, transfer switch etc.

Install in Texas will be much cheaper than CA I imagine. A lot of variables between each install. I’d budget 3-5k for the install


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farmo83

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What about a large portable genny and install a transfer on the house. It may not run everything all at once but would take care of the criticals for a fraction of the cost. Food for thought.

I've kicked that idea around as well. We'll see what the quote is. If it's much more then 10k I'll look at the transfer switch route. John is a master electrician so I'll get him to put it in, lol.
 

Shlbyntro

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I've kicked that idea around as well. We'll see what the quote is. If it's much more then 10k I'll look at the transfer switch route. John is a master electrician so I'll get him to put it in, lol.

He's got the free time too! Lol
 

4Waters

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I'm looking at getting one of these, @TPC has one and I went over to his place yesterday and laid hands on it. That's a lot of money to spend without actually looking at it in person. It's a nice well laid out generator, the balance is really nice (better than mine) for rolling out and runs everything except his A/C, I don't think it would have a problem running the heater as long as it's gas/propane, maybe he could chime in on the heater.


Apparently it's also available on Amazon.
 

AZRiverRunner

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For what it's worth, the 20KW Honeywell comes with the transfer switch:
There's no way installation would be more than a $1-2K... Unless your gas line and main panel are far apart and trenching and concrete work needs done...


Honeywell 20KW Standby Generator with Transfer Switch


Item 1294151
★★★★★ ★★★★★ 4.5 out of 5 stars. Read reviews for Honeywell 20KW Standby Generator with Transfer Switch
4.5
(195)

Your Price
4,299.99$
Shipping & Handling: $99.99*

Features:
  • 200a Service Rated Sync™ Transfer Switch
  • Natural Gas or LP Gas Operation
  • 3 Year Limited Warranty
  • SAE Aluminum Weather Protective Enclosure
  • Standard Wi-Fi Remote Monitoring
 

TPC

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The 5 tons AC means no portables IMHO.

If you're on natural gas that's the way to roll.
Then Propane and dbbl the size of your propane storage tank.
Then gasoline.
The Generacs are 3% distortion and OK for your electronics.

You want less than 3% THD so if you do roll with portable you want inverter.
 

Yoshiro

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I just picked up a Generac XT8500efi at Costco for $999. It's enough to power my home essentials. Not A/C. Generac brand manual transfer switch is about $500 plus install.
 

Uncle Dave

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As I sit here in Texas with 11 degree temp knowing I should have a decent bonus coming, anyone have insight on how much all in a 22kw standby generator would be ? I'm tired of this crap. I think a 22kw would be big enough for my house, gas heat, gas range, electric oven, one 5 ton AC.

Any thoughts would be appriciated.

If you can do un- unpermitted install yourself the HW is about 5-6K for the genset and Xfer switch.

I needed permits and someone to install it for me, it was about 13K all in.

Loss to recovery is about 9 seconds and the switchback is seamless.

Pay particular attention to valve lash inspection times. Most Generacs have very short inspection adjustment intervals where the Kohler's have hydraulic lash adjusters.

IMG_1105.jpeg
 

eddienel

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I live pretty rural so power outages are pretty common. I installed a welding plug on my breaker panel and added a welding plug to the end of my twist lock SO cord. My Gererac 8k watt will run all my lights and the 2 fridgerators, tv etc. I have a window unit to run A/C for at night in the summer and gas heat for the winter. When I hook my generator up I trip the main breaker to off so I dont back feed the line. I also have a camper so sometimes Ill just hook the generator up to the camper.

A 22k generator home hook up is around $6k to $7k around these parts.
 

Uncle Dave

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I live pretty rural so power outages are pretty common. I installed a welding plug on my breaker panel and added a welding plug to the end of my twist lock SO cord. My Gererac 8k watt will run all my lights and the 2 fridgerators, tv etc. I have a window unit to run A/C for at night in the summer and gas heat for the winter. When I hook my generator up I trip the main breaker to off so I dont back feed the line. I also have a camper so sometimes Ill just hook the generator up to the camper.

A 22k generator home hook up is around $6k to $7k around these parts.


Thats called back feeding, and although when done sanely its no problem,
Expect a litany of backlash about it from the power and electrical guys.

I get why.
It used to be a guy could be trusted to not be an idiot.
At the same time I did it routinely and safely in both places before I installed the whole house here up north and the interlock with a pony panel in LA.
 

Uncle Dave

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I've kicked that idea around as well. We'll see what the quote is. If it's much more then 10k I'll look at the transfer switch route. John is a master electrician so I'll get him to put it in, lol.

When you go the permit route you've got to pay 4 pipers.

1. a guy to come draw up a set of plans and submit for the permit. In my use the guy had to come out twice for some reason. I have a water and sewage pump its a weird setup split between city and country "systems".

2. a guy that physically install and wires its, then you pay

3. The gas guy to install,

4. The electrical guy to sign off

Sometime you need a 5 th guy to inspect again and register with the city hall.

Then you want the factory guy to come out and bless it for warranty purposes - If you are lucky the guy will come out for free as an initiation to you as a client, maybe he wont. My guy did it for free.

Then the next thing you get is a request to do the counties work by telling them how much you paid to do it all so they can increase the cost of your property taxes.

This is why so much of rural america is self done.
Very few can pay 3 times for what a a lone guy can do as one.

I was forced into a permit by way of needing a larger meter installed to feed the Genny.




IMG_1094.jpeg
IMG_1093.jpeg
 
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stingray11

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In the process of having one install 22 KW gen 500 gal propane tank. Estimate was just under 10,000

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Carlson-jet

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As I sit here in Texas with 11 degree temp knowing I should have a decent bonus coming, anyone have insight on how much all in a 22kw standby generator would be ? I'm tired of this crap. I think a 22kw would be big enough for my house, gas heat, gas range, electric oven, one 5 ton AC.

Any thoughts would be appriciated.
Who needs A/C when it is 11 deg. outside.
You are over thinking this IMO.
As the snowplows are racing past the main intersection a few hundred yards away, I can rarely think of a time when anything over 8k is essential. Now if you want to provide you, the neighbors and an oasis with a hot tub. I'm all in.
 

4Waters

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Who needs A/C when it is 11 deg. outside.
You are over thinking this IMO.
As the snowplows are racing past the main intersection a few hundred yards away, I can rarely think of a time when anything over 8k is essential. Now if you want to provide you, the neighbors and an oasis with a hot tub. I'm all in.
Well, because the power goes out in the summer too
 

Uncle Dave

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Well, because the power goes out in the summer too

All the time in california now, and the rate and durations are increasing as the power companies shed fire liability at the consumers expense.

In the city you dont have to worry about water and sewage
Well pumps impose a giant starting load, as do large Ac units enough to flatten, or fully consume an 8K if both hit at once.

Well pump, sewage pump, kitchen fridge, wine cooler, 5 ton ac, chest freezer, washers, dryer, microwave, toasters, big screen, audio systems, computer monitors, laptops, desktops - thats just in the house.

In the garage you got saws, drills, lift, compressor, chargers, a mini fridge
lighting is all LED now takes very little

Gasoline for an 8 or 9K genny at load is 3 - 5ers in 24 hours.
 

X Hoser

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As I sit here in Texas with 11 degree temp knowing I should have a decent bonus coming, anyone have insight on how much all in a 22kw standby generator would be ? I'm tired of this crap. I think a 22kw would be big enough for my house, gas heat, gas range, electric oven, one 5 ton AC.

Any thoughts would be appriciated.
Bought mine through www.norwal.com
 

4Waters

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All the time in california now, and the rate and durations are increasing as the power companies shed fire liability at the consumers expense.

In the city you dont have to worry about water and sewage
Well pumps impose a giant starting load, as do large Ac units enough to flatten, or fully consume an 8K if both hit at once.

Well pump, sewage pump, kitchen fridge, wine cooler, 5 ton ac, chest freezer, washers, dryer, microwave, toasters, big screen, audio systems, computer monitors, laptops, desktops - thats just in the house.

In the garage you got saws, drills, lift, compressor, chargers, a mini fridge
lighting is all LED now takes very little

Gasoline for an 8 or 9K genny at load is 3 - 5ers in 24 hours.
I don't know if it's going to continue like it has in California, edison got so much push back from customers, city council, county supervisors and mayor's during the last wind event a few weeks ago that they just turned the power back on and the winds were still blowing over 50mph. Time will tell.
 

Uncle Dave

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I don't know if it's going to continue like it has in California, edison got so much push back from customers, city council, county supervisors and mayor's during the last wind event a few weeks ago that they just turned the power back on and the winds were still blowing over 50mph. Time will tell.

This just one type of power cutoff there are several categories of power cutoffs.

PSPS because of high wind and fire risk - not going away.
Brownouts/ rolling blackouts - continued high demand after solar rolls off was a common one last summer.
Existing fire - work, happens all the time up here in Nor cal. They shut down sections.
Drunk guy hits pole
Weather event brings down a pole


Cant have it both ways, cant sue the power companies for fires and demand they keep power up in a windstorm in the fall.
 

4Waters

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This just one type of power cutoff there are several categories of power cutoffs.

PSPS because of high wind and fire risk - not going away.
Brownouts/ rolling blackouts - continued high demand after solar rolls off was a common one last summer.
Existing fire - work, happens all the time up here in Nor cal. They shut down sections.
Drunk guy hits pole
Weather event brings down a pole


Cant have it both ways, cant sue the power companies for fires and demand they keep power up in a windstorm in the fall.
I'm 44 and we have never had fire issues from edison like we have had the last few years, they need to upgrade and maintain their shit, they used to do a great job and had very little issues. I agree they won't go completely away but there will be rules and stipulations, like you can't turn power off to a grid in the middle of a valley, only grids that are adjacent to brush that have overhead utilities
 

Uncle Dave

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I'm 44 and we have never had fire issues from edison like we have had the last few years, they need to upgrade and maintain their shit, they used to do a great job and had very little issues. I agree they won't go completely away but there will be rules and stipulations, like you can't turn power off to a grid in the middle of a valley, only grids that are adjacent to brush that have overhead utilities


Thats because the Governor never proclaimed the state would sue power companies for any fire traced to their gear before.
Most are still doing the same job, and likely under maintained by many, but the political landscape changed quite a bit.
Paradise changed everything.

If the grid has the resolution to selectively turn on and off areas thats great -

Usually they dont.

Add to it main lines often come through mountain passes, and if you have to shut off the main feed it doenst matter how much resolution you have downstream.
 

4Waters

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Thats because the Governor never proclaimed the state would sue power companies for any fire traced to their gear before.
Most are still doing the same job, and likely under maintained by many, but the political landscape changed quite a bit.
Paradise changed everything.

If the grid has the resolution to selectively turn on and off areas thats great -

Usually they dont.

Add to it main lines often come through mountain passes, and if you have to shut off the main feed it doenst matter how much resolution you have downstream.
That's the problem they shut my power off in the middle of the valley with underground utilities but a mile away overhead is on right next to brush, actually only 2/3 of the east end is off, the entire east end of the valley is fed from the same distribution yard so that means the main feed/transmission lines coming in over the brush is still on. Hell my parents are on the east side as well with overhead and they are on while I am off.
 
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rrrr

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Thats called back feeding, and although when done sanely its no problem,
Expect a litany of backlash about it from the power and electrical guys.

I get why.
It used to be a guy could be trusted to not be an idiot.
At the same time I did it routinely and safely in both places before I installed the whole house here up north and the interlock with a pony panel in LA.

"Sane" and "backfeed" are mutually exclusive. There's backlash from me because of statements like "no problem". I've read multiple threads where someone with little or no electrical knowledge has advised other people that don't know anything about electricity to do something that could easily be deadly. If I speak up, it's because I want to prevent injury or death, not win an electrical dick measuring contest.

In RDP land, someone will spend $5K to lift a truck and run 37s, but won't pay a few grand to have a genset installed. Instead they get advice from the internet that could kill someone.
 

4Waters

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"Sane" and "backfeed" are mutually exclusive. There's backlash from me because of statements like "no problem". I've read multiple threads where someone with little or no electrical knowledge has advised other people that don't know anything about electricity to do something that could easily be deadly. If I speak up, it's because I want to prevent injury or death, not win an electrical dick measuring contest.

In RDP land, someone will spend $5K to lift a truck and run 37s, but won't pay a few grand to have a genset installed. Instead they get advice from the internet that could kill someone.
Don't take this the wrong way but when you hammer us on that you talk to us like we're idots, we know it's dangerous, we don't stand barefoot in a puddle of water with wet hands when we hook it up and we have a routine when we do it. I haven't spent 5k on a lift kit for my truck because I don't have the money and I haven't spent 5k+ on a new panel and transfer switch yet because I don't have the money and I'll never get the money if I have to keep buying food that spoiled because the power was off, I also need to eat, my gas stove won't work unless it has power. And before you say just light it with a match the gas won't flow unless it is powered up.

My plan is to get a new inverter generator and upgrade everything in the next 2 years, how quick depends on my promotions. 2 years on my current pay scale.
 

Uncle Dave

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"Sane" and "backfeed" are mutually exclusive. There's backlash from me because of statements like "no problem". I've read multiple threads where someone with little or no electrical knowledge has advised other people that don't know anything about electricity to do something that could easily be deadly. If I speak up, it's because I want to prevent injury or death, not win an electrical dick measuring contest.

In RDP land, someone will spend $5K to lift a truck and run 37s, but won't pay a few grand to have a genset installed. Instead they get advice from the internet that could kill someone.

Sometimes its not one isnt willing to spend the money its that you cant do what you want before the emergency happens.

It took 60 days to get an interlock put in and I lost power before that.

Lose the fridge and freezer(s) or pull the main and backfeed the house?
 

AZRiverRunner

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FU@K SCE..
SCE - $0.35 /kWh plus BS fees top tier
Mohave Electric Co-op - $0.11/kWh top tier
 

squeezer

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Listening to the hum of eu3000 while typing this...

3000 watts runs one furnace, one fridge, the freezer, and enough lights to function. Temporary instal with a 6 circuit transfer panel.

We got hammered with ice Friday. Could be a week before power is back up...
 

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TPC

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Who needs A/C when it is 11 deg. outside.
You are over thinking this IMO.
As the snowplows are racing past the main intersection a few hundred yards away, I can rarely think of a time when anything over 8k is essential. Now if you want to provide you, the neighbors and an oasis with a hot tub. I'm all in.
In summer Texas gets the brutal wind storms, floods and Tornados and hurricanes too. Long power outages. In that miserable humidity I'd want AC and a months supply of fuel on hand. Several reach in freezers, walk in food pantry.
I'd love to live in Texas or NOLA but with the humidity the wifie who worked the ER and went to college there says NFW.
 

4Waters

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Listening to the hum of eu3000 while typing this...

3000 watts runs one furnace, one fridge, the freezer, and enough lights to function. Temporary instal with a 6 circuit transfer panel.

We got hammered with ice Friday. Could be a week before power is back up...
That's not clean energy, shut it off, live in the cold you hypocrite
 

pkbullet

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We have a Generac at our lake house. It has been operating normal and serviced. We tried to send our neighbors over to stay since power has been off for last two days. Apparently at these temps is has frozen up and won’t start manually or auto. I did some reading online, doesn’t seem to be an isolated issue.
 

McKay

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The 5 tons AC means no portables IMHO.

If you're on natural gas that's the way to roll.
Then Propane and dbbl the size of your propane storage tank.
Then gasoline.
The Generacs are 3% distortion and OK for your electronics.

You want less than 3% THD so if you do roll with portable you want inverter.

If you truly want to be backed up I would reconsider the natural gas. We install a lot of back-up generators for commercial applications. In my 23 years we have only done one very small natural gas.
 

McKay

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We have a Generac at our lake house. It has been operating normal and serviced. We tried to send our neighbors over to stay since power has been off for last two days. Apparently at these temps is has frozen up and won’t start manually or auto. I did some reading online, doesn’t seem to be an isolated issue.

Possibly coolant heater gone bad? Should be keeping your block 100-120 degrees at all times.
 

Taboma

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Possibly coolant heater gone bad? Should be keeping your block 100-120 degrees at all times.

True, but if the gen isn't set to start automatically at the owner's vacation home, and power goes off, so does the block or coolant heater. Plus the cranking battery doesn't appreciate the freezing temps either.
 

squeezer

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If you truly want to be backed up I would reconsider the natural gas. We install a lot of back-up generators for commercial applications. In my 23 years we have only done one very small natural gas.

Great Segway...

How does natural gas play out in a seismic event? Doesn't the NG supply get shut down during an earthquake...The idea of a hard plumbed always fresh fuel is appealing.
 

Taboma

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Si


You think that’s bad... My wife had to commute into work using the Raptor instead of her i3 !!!

Shame on you, forcing your wife out in such treacherous conditions, and now being forced to endure the ridicule of her peers for driving an anti-environmental poster child to boot !!!!!!!! 😖 Come on Man, show a little "Bleeding Heart" for shit's sake 😂
 

McKay

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True, but if the gen isn't set to start automatically at the owner's vacation home, and power goes off, so does the block or coolant heater. Plus the cranking battery doesn't appreciate the freezing temps either.
Gotcha, did not read that it was not on auto. Makes sense now.
 

mesquito_creek

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In summer Texas gets the brutal wind storms, floods and Tornados and hurricanes too. Long power outages. In that miserable humidity ...

... and for those reasons, ... I am out....
 

pkbullet

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True, but if the gen isn't set to start automatically at the owner's vacation home, and power goes off, so does the block or coolant heater. Plus the cranking battery doesn't appreciate the freezing temps either.
Auto start is set, but power went off when temp was -2. The weekly run is set for midday. They tried a reset and manual start, but no luck. The unit just fails to start and throws a excessive crank code. It will have to wait since we live 8hrs away.
 

McKay

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Great Segway...

How does natural gas play out in a seismic event? Doesn't the NG supply get shut down during an earthquake...The idea of a hard plumbed always fresh fuel is appealing.

Just listen to all the news today in Texas. Rolling blackout's because they have have moved a lot of their grid to "Green Energy" now those wind turbines are frozen and not spinning and the natural gas supply can't keep up.

Yes, natural gas is very convienent until it's not available. I personally would only install diesel, (And I have at my house). But that's probably just because that is what I am use to and have great contacts and customer support.

But, they are a lot more expensive than the prices being quoted in this thread. But they are a much more robust system. Some cheap systems I have seen are just air cooled V-twin 500cc or less engines.
 

McKay

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Auto start is set, but power went off when temp was -2. The weekly run is set for midday. They tried a reset and manual start, but no luck. The unit just fails to start and throws a excessive crank code. It will have to wait since we live 8hrs away.

Bet the coolant or block heater went out. Is the unit set up to give a low temp alarm while in standby?
 

Taboma

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Gotcha, did not read that it was not on auto. Makes sense now.

Would appear my assumptions were wrong --- but the thought counts a little 🥴 Could be more like why my Son's company has stopped installing Generacs and switched to Kohler. They had to many influential customer's without power when their Generacs failed to start during fire related outages.
 
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