Backup Home Generator

Wow. You would think we all lived in the back woods of Kentucky by this conversation. Hard to believe we live in a super wealthy sophisticated town in the USA and we are all worrying about this. Something seems really wrong if our utility companies can't keep the power on. Power through fear.

https://ecoflow.com/

We are having a pair of 13KV Tesla Powerwalls installed in our Mission Canyon home in the next month. This required a SCE Service upgrade, (for which SCE provides a $3000 credit) and permitting, but I cannot in good conscience put another internal combustion engine into service. We have a moderate sized solar array, an electric vehicle and so are eligible for Time of Use pricing, which is very favorable. We been working on this for 6 months to design and permit the whole thing, so start now for 2020. There is currently a 30% federal tax credit, and if the State would get off its butt, there should be State incentives kicking in next year too. Don't buy another engine to manage a problem that has been greatly exacerbated, if not caused, by internal combustion engines!!

Seems like this could be a timely topic for a class in the Adult Education Programs.

We're going to try to bypass need for a generator, we'll see how that goes.... we're going to clear out our freezer and refrigerator and use them less now as long-term storage and more as old-fashioned day-to-day cold boxes. We have frozen milk cartons of water on several shelves in the freezer and refrigerator. food wastage from spoilage is our main concern. We do have three koi in an old backyard pond, and water aeration for them is the more pressing other concern.

Good answers already. I live in Hope Ranch where Edison seems to be shutting down power a couple of times a year to upgrade lines and of course there can be power outages in windstorms. I had a Generac natural gas generator installed by Powell Electric and they handled the layout and permitting and recommended a great guy for maintenance who comes up from ventura for annual service. Another thing you could consider is a Tesla Powerwall or similar system. They won’t power your house for days but might be good for overnight outages.

I have a neighbor who has a turbine genny that can power a small city. After the mudslides i saw a fuel truck backed into his driveway refueling his 6,000 gallon diesel tank and was in awe that he literally powered his entire 12,000sf house for 2 weeks. I say screw the neighbors bitching about a small hum, i had a jet airplane running and was just jealous.

We just had installed a 20kw generac (Honeywell branded) generator. It will run on natural gas. Bought from Costco. The challenge for people will be getting someone to install. The permitting by the city is rather complex due to both building and zoning involved. Ours got final sign off this week. You will need both a plumber with gas line certification and an electrician. My husband has a medical device so that was a motivating factor.

We installed a fairly large (23 KV) Generac system 2 years ago after suffering many power outages. It is powered by natural gas. We consulted with a very competent electrical contractor, Ari Izhak of the Electric Touch Company in sizing it as well as installing. He was excellent in educating us. Since then, it has operated flawlessly in many subsequent outages.

I got a Honda EU2200i 2200-Watt Super Quiet Gas Power Portable Inverter Generator for $1,009 on Amazon, then also got a suitable cord to run from it indoors to periodically power my fridge, computer, lights, and fish tank air stones. And a no-spill gas can, and some Stabil to put in the gasoline in case I don't need it for months. It is remarkably quiet, especially on "eco mode" but if the whole neighborhood goes silent it would seem louder. I also got a bike lock to secure it from theft, and some LED work lights. If the planned outages don't get ya the earthquake might, and now I feel prepared for either. I've got canned food and water and big dogs, my neighbor has guns, and we think we will weather through the upcoming just fine.

Okay. Don't know about the OP, but you guys have talked me out of getting a generator. One thing I don't want to do is pollute my air anymore that it is already. Just have to tough out those outages and eat up the ice cream before it melts.

Consumer Reports just did an extensive review in the last few months. Between that and online reviews (including the often inaccurate Amazon ones that CU also reported on), we got a 3.1kw (3.4 "startup) Champion inverter pull-start "recoil" type from Home Depot online for a bit less than $900 (they've gone up since, presumably due to CA demand). I haven't looked at the waveform yet to check the probably "modified square wave" shape (some worry about appliance damage), but it did fine starting up our 1.2kBTU ac and we've previously run the fridge during an outage using just our $40 1kw inverter hooked to the car battery. For short outages starting with that's my current strategy, only firing up the "quiet lawnmower" Champion if it looks likely to be more than a few hours. As for fire risk, the current generators have a spark arrest screen on the exhaust. That needs cleaning, the ethanol adulterated gas needs to have an additive and still be replaced periodically along with starting up the generator occasionally. The electric start ones have extra hassles with the battery, plus another point of failure in that and the starter. Ours is easy enough to start that a ten year old could do it. Thanks to all who replied with useful info.

to answer the original question - Costco sells a Champion Duel Fuel, Quiet, Inverter generator. Delivers in 2 days. Love mine, worth the investment given how may time our power goes out.

You need PCC Batteries and an inverter. Way more useful than a genny. Use to offset peak use electricity charges, help pay for itself. No fuel to store/refresh. No weekly cycling. No noise. Small footprint.

If you are trying to limp along in an emergency, your biggest draw will be your refrigerator. The minimum generator you need for a medium refrigerator is one with 800 W that is able to provide a current of 6 amps. Home Depot has a 2200W generator costing $1000 that runs for 8 hrs on 1 gal of gas and is rated for 15 amps. So should be enough. You could run your refrig and other stuff with that one. You just have to figure out how much stuff you want to run and how much you want to spend on the generator.

"The California Health and Safety Code and District regulations prohibit emissions of air contaminants that cause nuisance or annoyance to a considerable number of people, or that present a threat to public health." S.B. County, how to file an air quality complaint: https://www.ourair.org/complaints/

Short amswer: No. Installation of a back-up generator is a job for a professional and they need to make an on-site survey before making a recommendation. A better idea might be a high-quality and quiet Honda or Yamaha (there are a few others) 2 or 3 kW machine in a cleared/safe area with a heavy-duty extension cord (#10 or 12 wire) to your refrigerator/freezer. It would only need to run a few hours (in several episodes) per day to keep your adult beverages cold and ice solid.

Most home backup gens run on NG, not gasoline or diesel. They are much more quiet and their exhaust less noticeable as NG burns pretty clean. They are also $6-10k and must be installed by a licensed electrician, and a factory trained contractor and plumber. Dont forget the permit fees, the zoning requirements and the concrete pad for it to sit on and the gas connections, etc. etc. etc. But first and foremost, good luck getting a call back from any local installer. I have left numerous messages with all the Generac, Honeywell and Kohler factory listed ones and not a single call back in months of trying. I am going to wait and see how things play out this year instead.

It will extend the power outage for days and days, as Edison will have to make sure that EACH generator has not electrified lines, accidentally. Edison will not just willy-nilly turn the power back on for everyone; just won't happen. Too much chance of explosions, fires, killing of people and pets. It only takes -one person- who has incorrectly and unsafely installed a generator. Edison is trying to limit their own liability.

My friends in Fiddletown (northern CA) have had a generator for years, it automatically kicks in when the electricity goes out (fairly often) and they have had no problems. The ones that are horrible to us are in campgrounds used by people with their rolling condos, RVs, that can't get along without their TVs, lights, etc. No respect for neighboring campers who have to listen to the racket they make. Why not just stay home!

Homeowner's insurance will probably pay if a generator starts a fire that damages the policyholder's house...I think. Read your policy.

I really wanted a generator, and had an electrician and a AC guy over. Setbacks are required, and my house is close to neighbors, so I would have had to install the generator in my back yard. Ka-ching...Ka-ching. The lines to the house must be buried, and it's a bottomless money pit, with no assurance it will be adequate when needed. And then there's the pollution and noise, and my neighbors would begin to glare at me. So far, I've decided against.

Don't forget the fuel needs of these generators is huge. If you still have access to your home during a power shutoff you can obviously make a run to get your gas cans refilled as needed. But if there is a fire and there are evacuations your choices are to stay, or leave, but they won't let you back in during mandatory evacuations. So if you evacuate your generator will run out of gas quickly. but if you stay you *might* be able to have a friend give gas cans to the firemen and they'll shuttle gas to your place during their duties. I've had good luck with this but don't imagine the firemen would be as cool if the entire neighborhood needed them to make gas runs. The other option is to store *lots* of fuel at your home, which has its own challenges.

FEMA: "If you start to feel sick, dizzy, or weak while using a generator, get to fresh air immediately.” Locate generator outdoors away from doors, windows and vents, that could allow CO to come indoors.” https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2004/09/28/portable-generator-warning-danger-use-care

This one looks good. Amazon: Honda 662250 EB2200i 2,200 Watt Portable Inverter Generator by Honda 5.0 out of 5 stars 2 customer reviews Price: $1,159.00 & FREE Shipping

Does anybody know of a back up power system configured to be powered by a plug-in hybrid vehicle?

The max is 9%. That's the risk reduction of fire started by power lines. 9%. Fires started from generators will be higher than that. Fires not reported because nobody could call 911 because power was turned off pre-emptively, frightfully high. So, when a generator starts a fire...who will jog to the nearest fire station to get help?

Where to store the gasoline is what I worry about. Or maybe just siphon it out of your vehicle's gas tank in time of crisis? Umm. . . that lovely taste of gasoline. Here's info I found in reviews: "We tested the best home standby generators on the market this year. We highly recommend that you take a look at the Briggs & Stratton 40445 8000-watt. These handy machines are made to automatically power on when the grid goes down and they’re experiencing a soaring level of popularity as faith in the electrical infrastructure goes down."----------For a mere $4,300+change (Amazon, free shipping)

12:04 - AMEN! I don't understand how everyone is just fine and dandy with the Third World power grid we have. Shut it down if it gets too hot and windy?? Fix your gear! We pay enough! Back to the point, PLEASE be careful in choosing/setting up/using/maintaining a home generator. Having hundreds of people desperately trying to fire up their generators which may easily be set up incorrectly, will pose a greater risk of fire than just some hot wind and powerlines. BE CAREFUL.