Propane generator..
Hi all, I want to install a generator in my house as an emergency power supply. I have three options out there. These are solar generator, gas generator, and the propane generator. Among these choice...
Forum Discussion
Natural gas
or
Diesel
Add an automatic transfer switch.
For my home, I used a 2800 watt Kipor inverter generator that I had for my class C diesel. It would keep the fridge, freezer, sump pump and furnace (natural gas) going. I had a manual transfer switch (six breakers). I chose the circuits I powered carefully to provide light in most of the rooms. My stove was natural gas by choice. Water heating was natural gas and required no power. I did keep ten gallons of gas available, which I rotated into vehicles. My office computer and the TV had power too.
Ten gallons was enough to power the necessary items in the house for a few days. I never had to use the system for an extended time frame--but I would have probably done "one hour on, two hours off" to extend the limited fuel supply. There was a natural gas fireplace with a millivolt thermostat. With doors open that would keep the house from freezing up.
The transfer switch was about $100. The installation by a licensed electrician was $350.
I was pleasantly surprized how many items I could power up with a mere 2800 watts.
Solar if you wish to be grid independent with a LARGE battery bank, minimum 72 hours reserve capacity.
I'd have loved to have solar--but I have a beer budget.
or
Diesel
Add an automatic transfer switch.
For my home, I used a 2800 watt Kipor inverter generator that I had for my class C diesel. It would keep the fridge, freezer, sump pump and furnace (natural gas) going. I had a manual transfer switch (six breakers). I chose the circuits I powered carefully to provide light in most of the rooms. My stove was natural gas by choice. Water heating was natural gas and required no power. I did keep ten gallons of gas available, which I rotated into vehicles. My office computer and the TV had power too.
Ten gallons was enough to power the necessary items in the house for a few days. I never had to use the system for an extended time frame--but I would have probably done "one hour on, two hours off" to extend the limited fuel supply. There was a natural gas fireplace with a millivolt thermostat. With doors open that would keep the house from freezing up.
The transfer switch was about $100. The installation by a licensed electrician was $350.
I was pleasantly surprized how many items I could power up with a mere 2800 watts.
Solar if you wish to be grid independent with a LARGE battery bank, minimum 72 hours reserve capacity.
I'd have loved to have solar--but I have a beer budget.
