Home stand-by generators

[BoyNextDoor]

Any EEs out there or folks that have had to run off a stand-by home generator for an extended time? I am getting pitched on a Generac "Model 6551 – 22 kW Generac Guardian Series Smart Circuit Automatic Standby Generator with 200 Amp ATS Automatic Transfer Switch". But when I do research I see a lot of unhappy customers.

Anyone have a Briggs and Stratton as a home stand-by generator? Or other model to recommend? (US, East Coast location).

 

[Disgustipated]

Any EEs out there or folks that have had to run off a stand-by home generator for an extended time? I am getting pitched on a Generac "Model 6551 – 22 kW Generac Guardian Series Smart Circuit Automatic Standby Generator with 200 Amp ATS Automatic Transfer Switch". But when I do research I see a lot of unhappy customers.

Anyone have a Briggs and Stratton as a home stand-by generator? Or other model to recommend? (US, East Coast location).

You should totally buy as much as that shit as you can. Being a douchebag, we will probably kill you first and we'll need all that survival crap.

 

[BoyNextDoor]

You should totally buy as much as that shit as you can. Being a douchebag, we will probably kill you first and we'll need all that survival crap.

You have to get through my defenses first. I have guns. I just don't want the rest of you dopes to have any.

 

[Bert Notorius]

we have one of these:

http://4.imimg.com/data4/FX/QL/MY-3614655/c619118-500x500.jpg

 

[Colonel Hogan]

we have one of these:

http://4.imimg.com/data4/FX/QL/MY-3614655/c619118-500x500.jpg

Two car garage?

 

[Bert Notorius]

Two car garage?

at work
my power is rarely off
for more than a couple hours.

 

[Colonel Hogan]

at work
my power is rarely off
for more than a couple hours.

I may not still be following you, because if I had "one of those" my lights had better not so much as flicker or Caterpillar is getting a snarky phone call.

 

[Disgustipated]

we have one of these:

http://4.imimg.com/data4/FX/QL/MY-3614655/c619118-500x500.jpg

Does it cure liver cancer?

 

[Tigersman]

I have a Generac home generator that is natural gas powered. Our generator has poweredour entire home during the summer for over eight hours straight with no problems. I highly recommend it.

 

[GrandpaBill]

https://media.giphy.com/media/c2C2RyuXSizTO/giphy.gif

http://entertainment.ie/images_content/bttfamazed.gif

 

[Pairaclities]

Check the specs out carefully. I did a quick look and immediately saw 2 things that would exclude my purchase:

- The total rated amps of use is 100. Most houses built since 1970 here have 200 amp services so that the load distribution to individual circuits is maintained at a good level eg. 15 amps for normal appliances, and the ability to run many appliances due to the 200 amp level such as stove, fridge, washer, dryer, A/C, furnace, all at the same time. Usually, 100 amps will not be sufficient to allow this demand without risking overload, overheat, and potential damage.

- The load factor is 1.0. This is a poor minimum. A good load factor rating for an electric motor is 1.4, and some go to 1.6. The same applies to the circuitry. All this means is that the load can increase beyond what the basic rating of 100% output is, and be sustained for a period of time without overload protection tripping due to overheating.

I would be leery if your electrical needs are high consumption for this unit. Any certified electrician can survey your circuit and determine your load requirements. Then you can decide.

 

[underguy1]

I work for a construction company that does quite a bit of civil work so we rely on generators on many of our sites. We own some and hire more when needed.

The general consensus in this part of the world seems to be that if it isn't a Honda, don't touch it.

 

[oggbashan]

Many years ago, back in the 1970s, a large storage site in the Midlands of the UK appointed a new manager who had run a similar site near London.

On his first day he was taken around the whole site by the deputy manager who was due to retire within a month. In the centre of the site was a large brick building with a tall chimney.

"What's that?" the new manager asked.

"It's the steam engine that powers our back-up generators," was the reply.

"Can I see it?"

"Of course."

They went in. There was a massive monument to British 19th century engineering all gleaming metal lovingly polished and painted to display its beauty.

"What happens when we have a power cut?" The new manager asked the mechanics in charge of the steam engine. "How long before this produces electricity?"

"Um. The designed start-up is half an hour. I think an hour would be more realistic." was the reply.

"OK. Let's assume we have a power cut NOW! I want to see this working in an hour from now, or since you have no warning I'll allow an extra half hour."

He left to return an hour and three quarters later.

Steam was pouring from all the joints of the piping. The mechanics and as many other people as they could borrow were rushing from one leak to another trying to make them steam tight. It was obvious that the steam engine wasn't going to generate electricity that day.

The new manager and the old deputy walked out, leaving the frantic activity inside.

"When was it last used? Really used?" the new manager asked.

"1947."

"And since then?"

"Today was the first time the boilers have been lit since 1947."

"And how many people has it taken to maintain it?"

"Maintain it? One man for one hour a week inspecting and polishing. But he does it as a labour of love on unpaid overtime. He almost worships that steam engine, but as a piece of history not a practical solution to a power cut. He told your predecessor several times that the engine should be in a museum because it is effectively useless."

"Can I see that man later today?"

"Of course."

The new manager arranged for the steam engine to be overhauled and reconditioned to the enthusiast's requirements. That took three months but eventually he saw an impressive demonstration of power generation by steam.

In the meantime he had hired several large diesel generators that could supply half the site's electricity requirements in the event of a power cut. The first generator could be on line within a minute.

Just one of those generators produced twice the capacity of the steam engine - which is now the pride and joy of a Midlands steam museum.

 

[bronzeage]

Any automatic start generator should be powered by natural gas. Since it could easily be more than a year between start-ups, no liquid fuel can be stored that long and be reliable.


That said, one of the last projects my late father in law designed was a back up power system for a VA hospital. Two Deutsche diesel engines were cranked and started by compressed air turbine starter motors and were running and online in less than 3 seconds of detecting a drop in line voltage. The system had a test cycle which ran the engines once a week.

 

[Saint Peter]

Any automatic start generator should be powered by natural gas. Since it could easily be more than a year between start-ups, no liquid fuel can be stored that long and be reliable.


That said, one of the last projects my late father in law designed was a back up power system for a VA hospital. Two Deutsche diesel engines were cranked and started by compressed air turbine starter motors and were running and online in less than 3 seconds of detecting a drop in line voltage. The system had a test cycle which ran the engines once a week.

Propane?

 

[bronzeage]

Propane?

Propane would be good, but you would have to insure your own supply of propane. A natural gas powered generator could be plumbed into the gas utility.

 

[JohnnySavage]

The Generac's are very popular here on my mountain. Probably a third of the homes have them. Power will go out for a week or so here in the winter so they are worth the investment. The down-side is that they all come on on Sundays at noon for their weekly run up. It sounds like a truck stop.

 

[oggbashan]

Propane would be good, but you would have to insure your own supply of propane. A natural gas powered generator could be plumbed into the gas utility.

Locally a power out can cut the natural gas supply too, as it does for drinking water. Both rely on electric pumps. The suppliers do have back up generators but they cannot deal with the full load demand.

A power cut of two or three hours would not cut the gas or water supplies but one of several days would.

 

[bronzeage]

Locally a power out can cut the natural gas supply too, as it does for drinking water. Both rely on electric pumps. The suppliers do have back up generators but they cannot deal with the full load demand.

A power cut of two or three hours would not cut the gas or water supplies but one of several days would.

In my neighborhood, natural gas is pumped by engines which run on natural gas.

The last long term power failure was 8 days. We still had gas and water.

 

[thør]

My generator guy can't recommend a Generac. They start out as inexpensive to buy, but are very expensive to fix. He make a lot of money when he fixes Generacs.

I have a Kohler. Specifically, it's a motorhome generator, but the valve to the carb has been adjusted for natural gas. I like it that it's an older 1800 rpm unit compared to the 3600 rpm newer units. It's quieter. I have the Kohler auto switchgear, too. Plus, it's timed to exercise once a week at 9am AST on Saturdays. I call the 15 minutes it runs, the "sound of security". It's not an uninterupted power system. If the power fails, the generator starts in 50 seconds. In another 50 seconds, the power switches. For the exercise mode, you can barely sense the light flicker and none of the electronics or clocks need reset.

I do have a little silicone oil pan heater on the engine and it's on a thermostat that turns the heater on whenever the outside air temp is below 40°F. That make starting easy.

It's only a 6.5KW, but that's enough to run the well pump and most of the house. We make it a point not to run the electric oven when the generator is running.

I need to change oil in the damn thing before winter. And, the battery is getting old. Time for a new one.

 

[thør]

Propane would be good, but you would have to insure your own supply of propane. A natural gas powered generator could be plumbed into the gas utility.

You could tee in a propane line at an appropriate pressure. A solenoid valve between the two would make changing fuels easy.

Remember, that you'll need a pretty big propane tank.

 

[colddiesel]

Any automatic start generator should be powered by natural gas. Since it could easily be more than a year between start-ups, no liquid fuel can be stored that long and be reliable.
.

The picture in my av is an RA Lister CS 6.1 (cold start) diesel. This is a slow speed diesel (650rpm) of 6hp.. They were not efficient but were incredibly reliable starters even on pretty crappy fuel. I have a two cylinder version, a 10.2 which is coupled to a generator as the only power source on my remote property in Western Queensland.

We don't use diesel, however, but margarine as fuel. The food standards people require that the margarine manufacturing plant is regularly cleaned and I arranged with them for the waste Marge. to be stored into a tank where it solidifies. When we fire the engine up it uses a tiny bit of diesel to get going then the marge is melted by heat from the exhaust system and that takes over as the primary fuel.

These engines were first made in 1930 and continued in production at Listers until 1987.They are called cold start diesels because there is a little valve on the engine which can be operated to vary the compression and thus the ease of crank starting. Ours is a voltage drop 'startomatic'.

From about 1934 through to the mid sixties the 'vital ' parts of the pistons and cylinders were chromed which meant that even if they look total wrecks they can invariably be brought back to life with a little TLC. the chromed engines generally show negligible wear even after 50 years of use. The engines are still made today, in India and Iran and exported. They weigh a helluva lot so are hardly a domestic item. And even a 60 year old unit in working order is surprisingly expensive.

 

[Lancecastor]

I have a Generac home generator that is natural gas powered. Our generator has poweredour entire home during the summer for over eight hours straight with no problems. I highly recommend it.

It's really not right for the OP to ask to compare between "Generac" and "Briggs & Stratton"

Generac and Onan, maybe.

 

[Jamiegeo]

The picture in my av is an RA Lister CS 6.1 (cold start) diesel. This is a slow speed diesel (650rpm) of 6hp.. They were not efficient but were incredibly reliable starters even on pretty crappy fuel. I have a two cylinder version, a 10.2 which is coupled to a generator as the only power source on my remote property in Western Queensland.

We don't use diesel, however, but margarine as fuel. The food standards people require that the margarine manufacturing plant is regularly cleaned and I arranged with them for the waste Marge. to be stored into a tank where it solidifies. When we fire the engine up it uses a tiny bit of diesel to get going then the marge is melted by heat from the exhaust system and that takes over as the primary fuel.

These engines were first made in 1930 and continued in production at Listers until 1987.They are called cold start diesels because there is a little valve on the engine which can be operated to vary the compression and thus the ease of crank starting. Ours is a voltage drop 'startomatic'.

From about 1934 through to the mid sixties the 'vital ' parts of the pistons and cylinders were chromed which meant that even if they look total wrecks they can invariably be brought back to life with a little TLC. the chromed engines generally show negligible wear even after 50 years of use. The engines are still made today, in India and Iran and exported. They weigh a helluva lot so are hardly a domestic item. And even a 60 year old unit in working order is surprisingly expensive.

Very interesting fuel
Ahh, many a hyper extended elbow crank starting some of the older listers on a bore run i used to do years ago.. The southern cross motor was never as good..
I used to start it, then use a stick(carried with me for the job) to flick the belt onto the pump pulley fill and adjust the greese pots, then ladle and smear blackjack grease over the pump jack.
Then enjoy the first few Huge smoke rings they would belch out on a cool winters morning.
Have seen an old house wired up to run a lister onto a 34v generator for lighting.
Cheers for the memories.

 

[thør]

Very interesting fuel

Remember that Rudy's first diesel engine ran on peanut oil......