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Post by reloader22 on Jul 28, 2019 20:14:26 GMT -5
So I have wanted one for a long time. Finally pulled the trigger on a Champion 9750 surge, 7500 running watt unit. Next step is to have an electrician come over and install a transfer switch. Built a mouse proof cabinet for it in my shed. Grabbed several 5 gallon gas cans as well. This is a Dual-fuel option and I can use propane but decided to stick with gasoline in order to get the best power from the unit. Anyone else have a transfer switch and experience using it during an outage? I plan on having several "outages" as we play with this set up. We will completely verify all panel box labels since we know many are wrong. Bought this place 10 years ago and have always been frustrated in the labeling in the power box. Half assed and not right.
Just looking to keep fridges and freezer going. Some lights and a window AC unit. Worried more about summer than winter as we have a wood stove for heat and no furnace.
Anybody have a cool set up or any tips?
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Post by edge on Jul 29, 2019 12:20:32 GMT -5
I have a 10k unit, installed myself...pretty easy, IMO. We have Nat Gas, ran 1 inch black pipe. Transfer switch instructions were easy to follow, needed inspections for pipe pressure test, I used two shutoff valves for both ends, and electrical inspection. Paint outside piping yellow for gas. If you are not comfortable working inside your breaker box, than hire an electrician  IMO Nat Gas is pretty straight forward, but propane is heavier than air so a screw up leak can pool propane in a basement, under shed, etc. Delay on ours is about 30 seconds before power is back on. Lost power, generator gets up to speed, transfer switch...LIGHTS ON! edge. |
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Post by hunter on Jul 29, 2019 19:27:37 GMT -5
Edge, In your opinion,Is the 10K big enough to run a whole house with central air? I have gas furnace, water heater, cook stove and dryer
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Post by rambler on Jul 29, 2019 19:52:05 GMT -5
Edge, In your opinion,Is the 10K big enough to run a whole house with central air? I have gas furnace, water heater, cook stove and dryer If you've got a 2-3 ton AC unit maybe but probably not. Remember volts times amps equals watts and it takes at least twice the wattage to start up big units like that. My unit is fed by two 30 amp breakers so that's 6600 watts pf running power right there and double that to get it started. |
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Post by reloader22 on Jul 29, 2019 21:01:34 GMT -5
With even a fairly large 10,000 watt generator, you will be limited in what can be run. Even a small house like ours will make you decide what you can power. Maybe you get/keep the fridge and big freezer powered up for 1/2 day. Maybe the window AC. Then maybe you cut the power to those things at night and power the hot water heater and get that tank full and hot for showers and run all the lights. It will be a game of cat and mouse with even a good sized gas generator but it's doable to keep most comforts. Biggest issues are the duration of the outage. Are you capable of figuring out why your generator wont run? Can you trouble shoot or do you just keep pulling the cord hoping for the best? Do you have enough fuel on hand? You can burn 20 gal in 24 hrs with a big unit. Do you have 60-100 gal on hand for a 3-5 day outage?
Basically we are dealing with very short term outages at best here. 1,2 3 weeks? Maybe a large propane tank. Longer? Big trouble and be ready for survival mode. People seem all pumped up about their backups. But, long term outages will bring even the best prepared to their knees. Can't imagine being a city dweller in low income housing on the 45th floor when the power goes out for two weeks. Chaos and mayhem. Good to live in the rural areas if it really goes to hell.
I have always said water is the best fuel. you can have 10,000 gallons of fuel on hand but will die of thirst and hunger while your house is powered up. Get water figured out before generator for long term issues. If you like beer, get a pallet of busch 30 pks cheap and at least you will have a stupid smile as your neighborhood collapses around you. Or you can trade the beer for food, water, ammo whatever. wacky huh?
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Post by edge on Jul 30, 2019 11:18:18 GMT -5
Edge, In your opinion,Is the 10K big enough to run a whole house with central air? I have gas furnace, water heater, cook stove and dryer No, but I want it mainly for essentials. Fridge, Freezer, lights, sump pumps (3), computer/tv, etc. We have a high water table, shale soil, and a basement, which is a bad combination. Even without rain. our sump pump runs many times daily. Superstorm Sandy we lost power twice for about 10 hours total.
We went to Hawaii for our 30th anniversary and came back to a defective sump pump, several inches of water and mold growing on all basement furniture. Insurance paid almost 50k for repairs, and after Sandy reduced basement rider benefits. We now have three sump pumps...belt, suspenders, and a safety pin
What you probably want is automatic load shedding for non essential "luxury circuits". If you start pulling too much current, circuits will be cut off automatically, and those circuits will restart in sequence until it overloads again. The last circuit that causes the overload will then stay offline, last in line for me is AC.
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Post by reloader22 on May 6, 2020 20:09:48 GMT -5
We have done 3 mock power outages here since this thread started. Results were well above expectations. We can turn every light switch on in the house, every fridge/freezer (3) powers up, All TV's running at once and one window A/C unit running. The microwave works. You absolutely cannot run the water heater or electric range with the entire house powered up. Not too big of deal. You could turn off everything and heat the water late in the day. Got a charcoal grill, pellet grill, propane cook stoves and a ton of cast iron that could be used over a wood fire outside. Lots of firewood in the shed. Been almost a year and we have not had the power go out for more than 10 minutes from wind storms. Almost got excited to fire it up but never have. The scariest thing would be the beautiful sunny day with no storms and the whole northeast goes dark for "no" reason. I remember that from several years ago. Hope we never even need this to be honest.
One thing I did was get enough 5 gallon fuel cans for what I calculate to be 2 weeks worth of off and on use. If I knew a big truck took out a power pole in town, I would run full time. Or if a storm hit. In other words, if there was a logical reason of why we lost power, I would use the generator differently that a random brown out with no logical anticipation of power returning soon.
Also, the cans are filled with ethanol free gas treated with fuel stabilizer. Once a year I will let both vehicles get down to empty, fill them with 1 year old treated gas, and refill the cans.
Living in rural area feels good right now. Lot's of food, water, wood, power capability, firearms, ammo, ability to make more ammo, and fresh air.
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Post by ET on May 7, 2020 4:54:23 GMT -5
Happy to hear your backup generator installation has gone well and met your expectations.
Living in the country where more power failure is prevalent from storms this is a real bonus to have.
Enjoy the reassurance of having backup power.
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