460 Home Emergency Backup Power? An Affordable Option You May Not Know About!
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- čas přidán 27. 08. 2021
- Looking for a Home Back Up Power solution? Here is a less costly option you may not be aware of and may wish to consider before you make your decision on a system.
IMPORTANT NOTE: You may wish to talk to your electrician about installing protection at your hydro panel to mitigate or minimize Dirty Voltage that can be experienced using either a fully automated system or a portable solution. Portable Inverter Generators may provide this protection for you.
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This video is not an instructional video. It is not a sponsored video. It is intended for entertainment purposes only. The creator receives no financial compensation from manufacturers for the production of this video. Information presented in this video reflects the opinions of the creator. The creator is not an expert in the matters contained herein. - Zábava
Figuring out what appliance you can turn on at the same time than others is somewhat like Mes.Douglas did in the Green Acres 60's TV show 😉
Great video. You'll go through one hurricane and the week or so of no power afterwards to help with the decision in purchasing a generator. In my case I need a generator to power my well and water treatment. Also a transfer switch is very important to get. It will prevent you sending power back up the line endangering utility workers.
THANK YOU, for making and posting the most informative video I have seen so far about deciding to get a backup generator to power a home in the event of a power outage.
I have watched hundreds of videos on this topic and I have spent many more hours researching this topic on the internet through the years. That said, your video is must watch gold for anyone trying to decide how to solve the emergency power outage problem.
Bravo!!! And thank you!!!
That manual system you describe using a portable generator is what I setup in my home two years ago. I live in Florida where hurricanes in the summer are a regular occurrence. Those storms are huge and you don't have to suffer a direct hit from the eye to experience widespread power outages. Even the tropical force winds in the outer bands can wreak havoc with utility systems and disrupt normal life. To address this concern I purchased a 12kW (sustained)/15kW (peak) Westinghouse generator for my home 2 years ago. After the generator arrived I called an electrician to come out to my house and install what we call an "interlock" kit on my main panel in the garage and a power inlet box that fits my generator feeding a 50 amp breaker that feeds power to my entire panel. I don't lose power often so I use this system mostly in the aftermath of natural disasters like hurricanes and possibly tornados. Basically when I lose power for extended periods of time I take a flash light and I go to my garage. I then disconnect the garage door opener motor from the door itself so that I can manually push the garage door up and open it. With the ambient light I can now comfortably go to my main panel using the interlock kit the electrician installed. The first step is to change the position of a large rocker switch that disconnects my house panel from the outside utility grid. There is a metal plate strategically placed on the panel so that you can never turn on the 50 amp breaker from your generator while the house is connected to the utility grid. Once the rocker switch has been actioned so that my house isolated I can then slide the metal plate up and turn on the 50 amp breaker from my generator. Once I do that the breaker now "locks" the metal plate in a specific position that prevents you from being able to move the rocker switch back to the prior position are thereby reconnect the house to the utility grid. That is the magic of the interlock kit. It safely isolates your home so that there is no chance you can send power back to the utility grid and possibly electrocute a lineman working to restore power.
With my main panel now connected to the power inlet box circuit I can go ahead and turn off all the circuit breakers in the rest of the panel. I then wheel my Westinghouse generator outside the garage and to the side of the house where the power inlet box is located. I grab a large heavy gauge 50 amp 240 volt cable and connect one end to my generator and the other end into my power inlet box. The connections are different so there is no way to confuse the two of them. Once everything is hooked up nice and tight I can now power on my portable generator. With the generator running I then walk around from the side of the house back into my garage and one by one I turn on the circuit breakers for each of the appliances I want to power. The most important for me is the air conditioner so that goes on first. I then turn on the basic kitchen appliances like refrigerators and microwave and turn on all the basic home lights. Yes I did switch all my light bulbs to LED at the same time I set this all up. Finally the last appliance to turn on is the hot water heater. Everything in my house is electric but with 12kW I think I can run most of my appliances with the exception of my electric stove. For cooking during power outages I use a propane gas grill and a propane gas camping stove with cast iron pots and cookware.
When my utility power comes back on I redo the steps in reverse. I start by turning off all the breakers to my appliances. Then I turn off the 50 amp breaker from my generator in the panel. Once I do that I can slide the metal plate back down and that moves the metal tab from the plate out of the way and allows me to flip the rocker switch in the main panel back to the position where my house is now connected to the utility grid. With the power coming it from the outside lines now I proceed to flip on the individual circuit breakers for all my home appliances. I then walk outside and turn off my generator. I disconnect the thick power cable from both my generator and the power inlet box and close everything up. I then drag the generator back into the garage. I close the garage door and then go back into the house.
This method was a compromise solution because those automated home standby generators required a large fuel source like propane tanks or natural gas lines. I don't have any of those services and installing them was going to add to the already very high cost of the standby systems. It took me some months to research the options carefully but I eventually found the interlock system was the best compromise for me. It was much more affordable and gave me the means to be able to deal with extended power outages. Like I said I don't loser power often and when it does happen it will normally come back on within a few hours. However, when a hurricane hits all bets are off and you may expect to be without utility power for 1-3 weeks easily.
Hi GP, I have a portable 6500W Honda generator connected to my service panel. Square D makes a device that will only let the generator circuit breaker be energized to power the house when then main breaker is shut off. It costs about $80 US and is mounted in the service panel so you don't need a transfer switch. This device allows either the main circuit breaker or the top right circuit breaker to be turned on. You shut off the main circuit breaker and then slide the plate up, which blocks the main circuit breaker from turning on and allows the top right circuit breaker to be turned on. The top right circuit breaker is connected to the generator. This setup keeps the generator from back feeding into the utility power. It is much cheaper then having to install a transfer switch! Other service panel manufacturers may also have this option available. Cheers from MA!
We have a generlink plug that attaches to the hydro meter. It is great! It automatically switches to ensure that utility power and your portable generator power never meet. When the power goes out it takes me about 20 minutes to get the genny out and hooked up. I also turn off all the breakers then slowly load shift to the power needs that are vital. Heat, hot water, fridges, freezer.
Good video about backup power options!!! Did test run of my new wiring for inverter generator to house power panel! Ida was still offshore and on her way at the time. No more extension cords running through dryer exhaust hole. Then cords all over the living room/kitchen etc. and switching around as needed for frig/freezer etc.
30 amp/120 ran all the necessary things ,tv ,internet, lights , frig and freezer. Only thing i did not have setup are my two exhaust through window A/C units. Really need A/C down(La.) here dose not take long to work up a sweat in 90 +weather.
Glad to finally see the coffee maker! Your early videos regularly had you drinking coffee and inviting us to have a cup of JOE. Nice to finally see the source of the great elixir.
LOL! Yup, that's where the magic happens in the morning Sevak! Have a great weekend!
GP, always talked to the Mrs. about a stand alone generator for the 3000w that we have now. When our power does go out, (sometimes for days) I have minimal things that I can run with it .
but getting older now, I really don't want her to figure out how or what to do with operating it.
So, been looking for a stand alone with an automatic transfer switch whole house. That way no worries, and no hot dogs by candle light for dinner anymore! Lol, (even though they were romantic memories!)
Thanks for bringing this up to the top of my priority list!
Hi John. That makes sense. As we get older an automated system may be more costly but a little more peace of mind is worth it. Good luck !
Excellent advice! I have not one, but three portable generators! Two Hondas 7000 inverters and a Firman 9000 watts. Why? I live in the tropics, in hurricane alley. If a hurricane hits we can be without power from days to all the way to months without electricity. Means those generators will run for a long time and that way I rotate them. Those Firman are pretty good but noisy. True that the Honda cost $5,000 but they are very quiet, they are inverter, super fuel efficient. My Firman runs about 8-12 hours on 8 gallons of gasoline or 20 pound propane tank. The Honda, up to 20 hours on 5 gallons of gasoline. My house has full AC, and all the appliances and gadgets, including power tools. The generator meter shows that on a normal load I use about 1000-2000 watts. I do like I do, manage which appliance I use at any given time. If anyone is planning on buying a generator, look that the generator has eco mode, that's a fuel saver, the Honda has it, the Firman dont.
Very good explanation of all aspects of Genartor hook up.nice job.
When I built my home here in Northern Michigan the first year we was out of power for over 7 days due to a winter storm. Just about all of Northern Michigan was out. That next summer I had a Generac Installed. We have had to use it many times since. I like that I never have to turn it on, it comes on by itself, turns off by itself and never have to put gas in it as it's on my underground gas line. I do maintain it once a year. Every week it turns on and runs for 10 mins or so. This is to oil what needed, make it easier to start when needed. The one I had installed will power the whole house. Everything even my well pump with out any problems. After getting all the permits I needed, having it installed, running gas lines the finished price was just over $9000. When you talk to anyone about getting one of these, they never mention all the extras you will need and all the extra you will have to pay for. Keep that in mine. Is it worth it,,, oh ya. it's a really peace of mind. No frozen water lines, no more out of power. I can still cook on my electric stove even use the oven, can still take showers, all lights and so on.
Great video. I just discovered your channel today as I was researching Generac generators (just installed a 22kw propane-fed model with automatic cutover - will definitely be looking for frozen water under the air filter here in rural Maine). For 20 years I've been using the manual approach you detailed here. One thing I've noticed over the years is that as you add more and more sensitive electronics (and especially battery backups / conditioners to protect them), maintaining an acceptable output voltage and amperage from a gas generator becomes more critical and more difficult. Another thing I discovered with my electrician today is that you can combine both automated and manual backup generator solutions with an updated electrical panel that has a built-in cutover switch with manual interlocking. While it's not cheap to upgrade the electrical panel, the benefit is that in rare case that an automated generator fails and needs a service call (especially during a severe weather event or other prolonged outage), you still have the option of cutting over to the plug on the outside of the house and using a manual gas generator. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Great video! You really make some very detailed videos! Thanks for all the hard work and time you put into your videos!
Great info GP, ironically I'm on generator watching this video. We have a grid tied micro hydro system that feeds into the grid , prior to this we had a battery setup and an old generator to charge the batteries. We were offered free grid connection because the power company wanted to come across our land to connect our neighbour, we said they can come across as long as they buried the cable which they did. With the current setup we have a 7.5 kva inverter generator, which can be started with the press on a remote control button and it lasts 15 hours on a tank of fuel. We don't connect the oven or hotplates to the generator circuit as we have a Rayburn cooker as well for cooking and hot water. When the grid power comes back on the oven will beep and the clock lights up so we know it's back on.
Good morning Mark. Thanks for sharing your setup. Sounds like you are all looked after. Hope you are keeping well and doing great!
It’s very much a plan ahead system but the Kubota engine always starts and using diesel fuel is much, much cheaper than gasoline or propane. The other really important thing to do, which you mentioned, is to measure your electric loads and not buy more generator than you need. More initial cost, more operating costs.
This is one of the most useful videos that you’ve even made! Thanks so much!
Thanks very kindly Jan! Great points too. Cheers!
So, based on your video, I took action today. I met with an electrician, bought a great generator and am ready to take the next steps to prepare the ground to place my new “portable” generator. I’ve been sitting on my hands for over a year due to the cost of a permanent generator. I did a ton of research on all of this the past 24 hours and am satisfied that my home will be functional in a pinch. You saved me at least $10,000 US with this video and saved me from agonizing over this decision into the future. The portable solution isn’t going to start up automatically when power goes out, but when I set it up the way I envision, we will be 100% comfortable when I turn our new generator on, and saving that much money as a retired person is important. In short, thank you, I am more than happy to have a solution we can live with, even without our microwave if the AC happens to be on. Many, many thanks GP!
That's great to hear John. You will feel good knowing you have a backup this winter. You may wish to ask him about installing some protection for any sensitive loads you may have. All the best!
@@GPOutdoors you have no idea the peace of mind we now have. Electrian has surveyed and provided a reasonable estimate. Generator arrived yesterday an works great. Now I only need to get the plug and transfer switch installed and build a cement pad for the generator. And you still saved me $10,000 US! I owe you GP.
That's great John! Make sure to ask him whether you may need to add in a protection device for protection on the circuit(s) for sensitive devices like cell phones etc. He should be able to advise when he comes. Cheers!
Excellent tutorial on the two types of generators Gord. I have been using the “portable” method for 8+ years now on my home. Only drawback, as you mentioned, is you need to be home to start it up and turn it off when power comes back on.
Thanks Gerry!
Very informative video Gord. I have a portable gen with a setup that plugs directly into the power meter.
Gord, we just used our portable generator to get us through the storm yesterday and last night. It ran the whole house including the heat pump and water pumps with no problem. Funny thing is I was just debating on the need for a whole house unit but after this storm I realized I'm good with what I have. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Excellent information, good job!
Thanks for the video GP! I installed a portable generator plug on our house about two years ago, and I bought a duel fuel generator. I use propane gas so I don’t have to worry about the gasoline going bad. I test my system twice a year, thankfully I haven’t use it in a real power outage yet🤞! have a good week.
From Northwestern Vermont
Cheers Darcy!
Congrats thats a very wise advice. In fact currently I took your same approach to keep my entire house completely energized durring any emergency. But instead of using a more expensive and bigger Generac standby generator, for mine I use a relatively smaller and more affordable Champion 8.5kw standby generator. My total investment was only around 5k after my generator and ATS was installed by a professional electrician I only take the precaution as you say to don’t use all my electric appliances at the same time durring a power outage to not overcharged my small generator. And instead of using a couple of huge 1,000 gallons propane gas tanks I only use a single unit vertical 100 gallons gas tank. But my generator only have a one galon/hour propane gas consumption at half load, that is the way I use mine durring any power outage and I don’t live in the woods. I live very near my home town city so every time I need to refill my gas tank I just need to make a phone call and in a couple of hours my local propane gas supplier truck appears in front of my house and refilled my gas tank 👍😊.
so awesome info and great advice!
I have the manual version but considering upgrading my generator, I’ll have a closer look at those Firman 👍🏻
GREAT INFO!! THANKS!
For those wanting the simplest manual setup there is a transfer switch that installs directly behind the meter which you would plug your portable generator into, leaving you to turn off the circuits breakers you’ll not be needing!
Thanks Stephen!
I had some tell that if you turn off the main breaker you could hook the generator outlet to a breaker in the panel. Just make sure the breaker is the same as the output of the generator. I'm speaking of 240 volt generator with a center of 2 120 volt lines. I know electricians will frown on this method but in an emergency it will work and keep line voltages from back feeding the transformers on the poles. The article was from our electric company. They also said a transfer switch is better and safer. But people were plugging the generators directly into an electrical outlets and not turning off the main breakers. Do not hook a generator to an outlet with a cheater cord.
Hey Gord, here in north Florida any generator setup is better than none at all. I've had about every setup over the years but in the end the standby is by far the best. The convenience of my wife not having to move ,fuel up ,plug in etc. When I'm out of town or whatever. No matter your budget there is a setup that will due. It's nice when your asleep or cooking and. within five seconds power is back on!
Thanks Ken! Excellent points which I agree with. Cheers!
Hey GP, that was great tutorial video. For years, we had a gasoline powered portable generator setup with a manual transfer switch, and it worked great for what I needed it to do during a power outage. You know, it powered the essentials like refrigerator, well pump, heat, etc. It did require a lot of "juggling" depending on what we wanted to power. For example, here in central North Carolina, Air Conditioning is a must during the summer. That portable generator simply didn't have enough power to do that and run other items too like the refrigerator, upright freezer, etc. So, about 5 years ago, we had an Eaton 22KW whole home generator installed with automatic transfer switch. It is powered by propane. It works flawlessly; in fact, we have had power outages that have lasted for several days due to hurricanes, ice storms, etc. It was a great investment.
Good morning John. That's great. Guy has an Eaton setup as well. Great to hear you are all setup - especially for those long outages. Have a great week!
Great information GP. As usual a great well thought out video. I’ve been using a very similar system for our rural home as well with the manual transfer switch and portable generator. The only con is if the utility power goes out and you are not home or if you do not live at the property full time. That is where an automatic home back up generator is very nice all though considerably more costly. Keep the videos coming.👍
GP great info. I have a similar "manual" generator set up except for the outlet. I have a product called "Generlink" which is a devise that snaps on to the meter box then the electric company's meter inserts in the front of the devise. I bought it 4 years ago for $684 US which includes either a 20' of 40' extension cord. The Generlink devise has an all weather outlet in the bottom so when power goes out you execute the same procedure you described HOWEVER when the power comes back on the Generlink automatically shunts the generator power and returns you to commercial power. It gave me a somewhat automatic solution and avoided having to get an electrician but rather schedule the power company to come out and snap the devise between the meter and my meter interface box.
Thanks john. I had not heard of it. Cheers!
Very informative video. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the great info GP! You answered a lot of the questions I've had for years on backup power options. Cheers!
Cheers John! Happy it was helpful!
I have a small home, like 8-900 square feet small. The only thing I need to worry about is supplying power to my furnace which is natural gas, fridge and charge my phones. I ended up buying a HarborFreight inverter generator. It’s super quiet (I live in a neighborhood so that’s important) and it should be fine. Sure people will always say it won’t power my whole house….. Fine, whatever. But I don’t need to run the jacuzzi when the power is out. I only need the essentials. Furnace and stove are natural gas. Sure I could get a propane conversion as a back up. But natural gas is very reliable and I’ve never heard it running out so….. But anyways, keep up the great work. I’ve been following you since you had the B2601…..so I bought one for me. Then you had to upgrade to a cab……now I want a cab😂. I’ll eventually get one. If I do it will probably be the LX2610. 🍻
Thank you. I've been thinking about this for some time. Pretty good summary.
Great discussion on load management! I have propane stove and dryer and I can run the whole house (except electric hot water). My 1 HP well pump dips my 6500/8000 Generac. (primary requirement - need to flush the toilets!) BTW - I made mine dual fuel with a propane carb adapter (less than $100 US), so I can use grill tanks or my house tank just in case…
Suiggestions: Generlink is a relatively inexpensive option that is wired into your meter base and powers the whole house when connected to the portable generator with either a 20 or 40 foot power cord. Also, please remind everyone of the necessity to use gas stabilizer in a portable. I pay the extra cost of non- ethanol premium gas which is a huge improvement for stored gas. In Ontario, that's Shell and Canadian Tire premium gas. Lastly, a propane generator uses a lot of propane in a day, could be as much as $100 in 24 hours. So you need big tanks like yours Gord. I love that you have two backups for your backup.
Yup! small engines should run on premium with NO ethanol. I also like to turn the fuel switch off on my genny, let it run dry so the carb is totally empty.
Thanks guys. Some great advice!
New engines can run on ethanol gasoline but it's still wise to run the engine out of gasoline before storing the engine. Propane is better because it can be stored in tanks like in the video or similar. Gasoline don't store well even no ethanol gasoline. I have a metal gas can that has mixed gasoline well over 20 years old. I often wonder if it's still good I may just burn the gasoline because I don't want it to gum up my good lawnmower. 2 cycle gasoline don't work well in 4 cycle engines.
GP Great advice as usual. Stay safe and have a great week.
Another awesome video. Thank you very much!
Great video Gord 👍 I’m looking to have a transfer switch installed and now I know what to tell my electrician when he comes. Thanks
I have a similar setup with a portable. More tips...
If your area has ethanol-free gas available, use it. It's easier on the Genset if it sits unused. Additionalky seasonal use of Sta-Bil or similar. Otherwise you'll have gummed up fuel components eventually.
That battery will last about three to five years even with abuse but don't risk it. You're at 4... Enough said... Ha. Been there done that and they don't always start easy at that size on rope start.
Change oil at least annually. Used oil becomes acidic.
Keep spares on hand. You're not getting them in the middle of a blizzard. Spark plug, is the one most people forget to keep on hand.
Consider inverter models if you have expensive electronics. The power delivered by some of the cheaper non-inverter units is quite electrically "dirty" if viewed on an oscilloscope. Inverter units also have the ability to throttle down when not under load. Straight generators have to maintain an exact RPM to maintain the proper frequency of the AC sine-wave. If you can't afford the expensive Genset, use a high quality sine wave UPS unit between the generator and the sensitive electronic gear.
And of course the killer around here every year... Ventilation! People stick these things in enclosed spaces to avoid going out in weather and suffer CO poisoning regularly.
Good morning and a big thanks Nate! Some very helpful advice for folks - thanks again!
Growing up my dad had a portable generator wired to the house and everytime the power went out due to high winds and trees down on the lines the power company would stop by because we had power when everyone else was down . They look it over and move along, pretty soon almost all the neighbors had the same setup
GP - Your videos are exemplary. I waste a lot of time on YT. But the time I spend watching your videos feels like time well spent. Thanks for your great work.
Thanks very kindly Michael! I really appreciate the kind feedback. All the best!
Hi Gord, just installed our whole house system yesterday. Struggled with the decision at the time because it was so much more expensive compared to the portable option, however now that we are retired we want to be able to leave the cottage without worrying about a power outage (primary electrical source is Hydro One for us - Rural Ontario 😀).
I assume you installed the external plug as the connection for the portable generator because you do not have a hydro meter on the house. Had you had a meter there is a collar available that goes between the meter and the stack that is essentially plug and play for about $1,000 CDN installed by Hydro that is the connection point and transfer switch. Several of our neighbours use them. That said it is still a manual connection so you have to be on-site to connect and disconnect.
Really appreciate all the time and research you put into your videos Gord. Thank you!
Congratulations Simon - that's great to hear and I think makes alot of sense for you. Me too. Especially having a well heater that needs to stay running in the winter, and the food I always have in the freezer. I am sure you feel great knowing you will be ok now through an outage. Cheers Simon!
Great explanation GP.
Thanks, Cheers!
Great information GP. Living rural it's a necessity to have back up power. Cheers!
It sure is Doug! Cheers!
Nice video Gord. My generator took a dump last winter and I’m telling you, in the dead of winter is not the time to buy a generator. This is a good reminder that I need to start shopping for a new one. Thanks!
Excellent video learned alot
One other con about gas powered portable gens: they are nosier than the devil. I love my 5 kw generator. It came with the house, and we've been here since 2009. We have on the average 3 short outages a year. The longest was for several days. The control panel covers the basic like heat, a/c, hot water, refrigerator, microwave and I think one downstairs outlet. I can run an extension cord from the generator to the upstairs and power my tv, computer and either window air conditioning unit. It's all very convenient, but the noise
will drive you crazy, so forget about sleeping through the night. All in all I would prefer portable over the generac, even though I don't own one. Propane is very expensive in
these parts. Solar might be an option, too, at some point.
Good timing for us. We are shopping for a generator now and appreciate the advice.
Good luck Bill!
Watching this at 9:00 at night in Michigan and my power went out, crazy
LOL! I hope you have a backup......:))
Thanks for the advice you have done your home work good job you take care and have a great week
You are right all the way I run solar and batteries no options for hydro . I run 1000 sqft home led lights propane stove sand fridge big screen tv , computers, internet, Ac ( off genny ) , 8 marine batteries and a genny have kept me going for over 6 years and no troubles to date
This is very informative GP, thanks for your time.
Hi Gord! Thanks for a very thorough video on backup power options pros and cons. Great job! We have a 7500W portable generator to run essential loads during power outages. Fortunately, we have very rarely had to use it. Cheers!
Morning Martin. That's great to hear. up here, they get alot of outages through the fall and winter. Hope you are doing great!
Thanks Gord, I'm in the market for a generator. great info as usual . Cheers!!
Good luck John!
Very good information, you are a great communicator. Thank you!
Thanks Simon!
Another great video- Thanks GP 👍.
Thanks for doing this video. It was thorough and helpful. I have a portable Generac generator and my electrical system is set up as you described for it to run all the appliances in my house during a power outage. Our electrician recommended this type of system over the more expensive automatic type that runs on propane since in Maine we have had instances during multi-day events without power when propane was temporarily unavailable, and gasoline was much easier to find.
I make sure I have petty of battery for flashlights and petty fuel for my hurricane lantern too
GP - great timely video. I really like our backup power system that we use at home.
I have had a estimate on the same as your system. I have yet to pull the trigger due to the cost even though I am convinced it is necessary. Thanks for the video.
How many gallons or litres are those two propane tanks. They're huge. Excellent video with equally important info. One thing that you should have mentioned in more detail is the amount of gasoline you need to have on hand at any one time. I used to have a portable but since put in a 22kw stand by with 4 120 gallon propane tanks. Anyway, when I had my portable I always kept at least 25 gallons of treated fuel on hand in my shed that was away from the house. I would switch it out with fresh treated fuel every 6 to 8 months. I would use it in my mower and cars. I also can not stress enough that people read the manual to get familiar with the generator. Most important is to turn the fuel switch or petcock and run the generator carburetor bowl dry so it does not gum up.
Thanks for this information Gord. I have to use the portable generator during major outages down here myself. I am getting to need help with starting my generator so I’ll be trying to get a starter system to work on this generator so these old shoulders don’t take such a beating. Did you ever get the problem with your Generator icing up taken care of? Sure surprised they didn’t step up to the plate on that one. It kept me from buying one of that brand. You folks stay safe up there and keep having fun and sharing these great videos. Fred. 🙏🏻🙏🏻👍👍👏🏻👏🏻👋👋
Morning Fred. No, unfortunately Generac didn't fix it but I have seen comments from viewers saying the newer models now have it fixed. I understand what you mean about pulling that gennie, it can be a little exhausting or difficult on the upper back and shoulders. The electric start is really helpful. Have a great week Fred!
Great video GP. One thing the old owner of the cottage we bought that I had never thought of and saw first hand this summer was when the power went off for about 24hrs . We fired up the manual generator as needed to refill the pressure tank or make a coffee. Then turned back off as it was bright and didn’t need to heat the house being summer. Vs neighbour down the road that has full automatic. So his generator ran for 24hrs on propane. Mine maybe used 3 litres of gas. Sorry long comment to say if don’t need the automatic can save a lot of money on the fuel side as propane is not cheap!
he could have shut it off manually!
@@andyrobinson339 Could have if he was home. It was just a point I had never really considered in the past.
There’s another product available to us in Ontario called Generlink. Not applicable to an off grid situation but it’s essentially the transfer switch that attaches to the meter and negates the requirement for a sub panel. It’s mint - been using one for 15 years with a standby gennie.
With this system you have to be careful. It requires a generator that has a floating neutral. In Canada generators follow CSA rules and the generators come with a bonded neutral. They do not like solar also. So if you have a solar system the Generlink will fail . You also have to open all breakers before you start the generator. It is the cheaper way to go though. Some work great and some do not. So you should really unbond the neutral in the generator. Generlink web site has instructions on how to unbond the neutral. Also another note is in Ontario ESA has rules what generators can be used. They have to have a certain rating label. eg CSA. and others
Agree. When I bought mine, they had a list of compatible generators (with floating neutrals). The version I have is max 7kW and powers our needs just fine.
Great job on the video GP. I love seeing videos showing others options instead of the most expensive route. I recently added a 50 amp 240 volt generator inlet box on my home. I also installed a interlock on the main that forces you to turn the main off before turning on the generator breaker. This protects you and others from back feeding the main grid. I would advise others to try to balance your electrical load over both conductors because you can very easily over load one of them causing the breaker to trip. Just a little food for thought.
Very concise...informative video.....great job...👍
Thanks David!
Very informative. I'm in the process of deciding whether to add a standby or portable generator for backup power. Cheers
Good luck!
great info gord, thanks for the entertainment.
Cheers Kevin!
Excellent,excellent info,presentation. Where were you when i was building. Lol
:))
Great video GP. We are in the process of getting bids to install a similar system here in Texas. We have ice storms and hurricanes so it would come in handy. Cheers
Greetings from eastern Ontario. Really great info on backup power GP. After having lived through the power outage during the '98 Ice Storm backup power is a must have. Would like to see you do a review at some point on a tractor PTO generator. A lot of your viewers have compact tractors so that might be an option for some. Cheers.
Thanks for the great idea L! I will certainly remain open to any manufacturers that offer to discuss the option for me to test out. Cheers!
@@GPOutdoors How about the new Ford F150 all electric pickup truck? Have you seen the advertisements?
Hello GP. Thanks for posting this. A backup generator where I live is a must as power goes out during any major storm. I have contracted with a local solar company to put in 2 Tesla power walls. I'm tired of a storm kicking the power off, the generator chugging along and the bright beautiful sun hitting the solar panels with no solar made because of the generator running. Will be interesting to see how this works in combination with the propane full house generator. I am also adding more solar panels to go on the garage. I think it does not matter what kind of backup power one has, but the fact they have one.
Hi Jean. Installing batteries is an excellent idea, I think. This should help you alot in the future for sure!
Hers another option. We have a pto generator (7000 watts running power, current cost from Northern Tools under $1000. US, total harmonic distortion under 6%, so can run “ sensitive electronics “ but you can also do this with some surge protectors, I’m told) driven by a Kubota BX 23s. It requires someone to flip a transfer switch( professionally wired into essential circuits in the house) and then start the tractor, engage the pto, off you go.
hello happy weekend
Good info. One area you did not address is the need for a pure sine wave inverter to run computers or TV and many electronic devices. The portable generator power is not frequency stable enough for these devices and they will likely burn up with frequency and power fluctuations from a generator.
Good morning and thanks Carl! It's a great point for sure. I added a note to the description afterwards. Thanks for the excellent comment!
One additional thought on automated, standby generators vs. portable, and why we have used automated ones for a few decades: generator exercise. Packaged systems from outfits like Kohler (what we use) and Generac that are set up to be emergency backup to street power (your local electric utility) also run an exercise cycle on a regular basis, typically weekly. This is important for two reasons: 1) if there is a problem, the unit can alert you (ours has Internet connectivity to send us messages), and 2) regular exercise is essential for generators. It keeps them lubricated. Many folks with portable generators neglect them until right before a storm, then have trouble getting them running. Glad yours is so reliable even when not started for a long time. Your solar/battery setup with the Generac is really all your primary power, being off-grid. The portable generator is your secondary. For us, our grid-tied solar is our primary (power from solar during the day, selling excess back to the grid) and buying at night, and the Kohler generator is the backup. And as you noted, the auto-start systems work if you're not home. As traveling musicians, this is a major consideration as we're often away.
Another excellent point Dan and Faith. If it is not too much trouble, can you email me at gordpotter55 at gmail dot com. I have questions about your Kohler. Thanks!
Great informative video! My hat is off to you! You cover all the bases fully! No wonder I’m a subscriber!
I did one better on demand load. I hired an electrician to measure the inrush or cold load pick up on each circuit breaker inside my circuit breaker panel. He jotted down the number of amperes in inrush & after the load settled by turning every appliance on, on that circuit. It took time but in the end we found my whole house only draws 7 amperes on each leg of 120. I live in an ASSociation & they said NO to a 1000 gallon propane tank. Natural gas is not available. So my only option was a roll out. I bought the best on the market. The Honda EU7000is. Yes, expensive! However when the generator is running is when I’m not home. I need high quality clean power that only an inverter can deliver. My power quality is better from my generator than from the local power company. I live right off the back bone too. You’ll be blown away but I’m able to run my entire 1700 sqft house & my 2-1/2 ton central air conditioner on my roll out. I have an inter lock in my panel. My wife never has to go outside to start it. I had a electrician wire it up inside a 306 stainless steel cabinet. We have a remote start in our basement. She flips a few switches & the house is back on. Our costs were significantly higher because I spared no expense. However you can’t put a price on safety. Now your probably wondering why I wouldn’t be home to start my generator? I’m a local power lineman for the power company in my area. Every time we lost power? I was already at work. I ran my generator for 5 days straight & burned 22 gallons of gasoline.
He good morning John. That sounds like a great setup - should have talked a bit about Dirty Voltage as you make some great points. LOL! That explains it - thanks for all you do for folks out there in times of need!
@@GPOutdoors Personally you were right on point with your video as you are with all your videos. I wouldn’t change a thing. As for dirty or clean power? Most people wouldn’t understand? Only people in the bizz would understand that. Besides you might lose people talking about that? The video was great & you kept it simple enough & easy to follow. Interlocks are for people who understand how they work. My wife needed a class on our set up & has detailed notes on the panel door. I give her refreshers about once a year with the interlock.
GP Outdoors,
Your video was on point & conscience. I wouldn’t change a thing! Perhaps a part 2 to talk about the virtues of inverter power vs. traditional power. Many people would be lost on inverter power as they make up a small percentage of sales. Who else is going to drop $5K on a roll out generator? Only people that want the best. I usually find them on food trucks because they are relatively quiet & can provide very long service duty. It’s a no brainer $700 versus $5000. Most people will not recap the added cost of the premium generators unless they frequently lose power or need it for temporary power for whatever the need is.
I was on a crew that restored power to home in the woods of our district last year from Isias. . They had been out for 8 days. They had a 10,000 watt Generac. They were burning 20 gallons a day to run their whole house. They couldn’t run their central air because the generator was too small for their application. The yard was littered with empty fuel jugs. I could hear the generator before we arrived. The residents were exhausted from the noise & lack of A/C. After we restored power. The calm fell on their house as did the quiet of the woods. Meanwhile our house was cool & everything was normal for our five day outage. Life went on. I burned a fraction of the fuel that customer burned. Some neighbors didn’t even know we had a generator over the din of theirs.
Great video. Very thorough and informative.
One option you forgot to mention is the "Interlock Kit". It's the little metal bracket made specifically for your exact circuit breaker panel. I'm not sure if it's approved in Canada, but they are allowed in the US. I installed a manual transfer switch about 8 years ago.... before I learned about the Interlock kit option. Had I known about them, I definitely would have gone with that, instead of the manual transfer switch.
HI Patrick - thanks - I have heard of them but am not sure either. Thanks for the great feedback and suggestion!
Good stuff! I went with a 12V battery bank and inverter, with a small generator to recharge my bank. I also have other less technical backup for my backup including a fairly large motor mounted to a bike and through the clever use of diodes will produce power for my bank in a pinch. If these all fail, it's time to start a fire and then it's on to the sterling motor. Haha!! I went with the extreme budget options.
Great info as usual. The problem I see with the manual setup is that here in VT if the power goes out in the middle of the night in winter you don't know it until you wake up to a cold house with no hot water. I have said many times that the standby unit I bought after a bad ice storm in '98 that left us with no power for days (and having to haul in water for our horses) is the single best investment in my home I have ever made. Yes-more expensive and requires yearly maintenance but I sleep like a baby! Also--you referred to your cabin as "off grid". Don't you have power running to it?
Hi Andy! I agree. Having the full system is a big comfort for sure. No, I am fully off-grid here. My solar system provides all my power. Cheers!
You can plug in a power failure alarm, into one of your outlets. This will alert you when the power goes out. Also, If your expecting a storm, you would set up the generator before the storm, so all you have to do is start it up and flip on some switches.
GP you did a really good job explaining things… I’m a electrician… generally a generator capable of generating 30 amps and 5000 watts will keep the average home going. It’s also important cycle your loads which you mentioned. Another great video!
Unless the house has electric heat! It only takes a couple of electric baseboard heaters along with a few other household items and then you’re popping breakers.
Nice Gord!
Thanks! Hope it was helpful!
How's she goin'? Good info. Backup generators are a must for sure. Take care!!!
Thanks Grampie! Hope you and Nanna had a wonderful Anniversary!
@@GPOutdoors Thanks GP. We had a quiet day together here at the camp and it was some nice!!!
I have a 17 kw generac. 5 years ago it was 10 g. 200feet from house. Wire was $
Great analysis, GP! I did the portable generator solution and, like you, found it to be just fine for my needs. Only time my unit lugs is when the water pump kicks in. Otherwise, great!
Morning and thanks Larry!
Yeah pretty soon winter will be here it will be time to get snow equipment ready and winter clothes ready too
Indeed. It is coming around the corner Richard!
Thanks GP for the valuable video I would like to have a standby unit but it is hard to get it past the financial department! But I still would like one.
Give us a cottage tour
To figure out your kw load per hour you can look at your hydro bill too. You can work out from the monthly consumption what you use per hr each month
GP
I'm more interested in your solar setup. I have grid power, but I am considering putting in solar as well. Both as an additional backup, and to try and lower the grid load. I'm considering using a Generac Battery pack (similar to a tesla powerwall). I also have a 120v 3500w portable generator I mainly use for my toyhauler/work around the homestead.
How much solar panel are you running? How do you store the power?
Have you ever thought about using your tractor with a PTO generator?
I hope you're enjoying the good weather!!
thank for another great information packed video. I am truly amazed at how smoothly you can deliver so much information in such a clear and concise manner. I always wonder if there are many bloopers or second and third takes. The only question that poped-up in my mind when listening is ''what happens if you exceed the maximum running load of the generator'' I wonder if you could damage, for example, you fridge as it does not have high enough power to cycle or if it would simply not cycle. Thank again and have an awesome day
Good day yves. Thanks so much. LOL. I have to say there are numerous re-takes. :)) That is a good question that I don't know the answer to, sorry about that. Be well and all the best!
I learned the hard way, get a hole house surge protecter. 700 for boiler fan 500 a/c circuit board 300 for surge protecter.
I have a 13 kw generac looks very much like yours. Mine is 7 years old and never let me down, until this spring. It still works every time the power goes out, but recently it only powers half of the house. It used service the whole house including a/c. Now the A/C won't work, nor the gas furnace. Thankfully the fridge and the freezer still works. The repairman said it was the transfer switch and he replaced it. Now it doesn't work again. I'm wondering if the windings in the generator could be burnt out? I'm going to call the repairman again. Could be a faulty transfer switch again. We rely on back up power as living in a remote area the power is prone to going out. Thanks GP.
Morning Dean. Sorry to hear that but hope you can get it fixed before the snows flies. Good luck!
For a number of years I had a portable generator. The problem is that I’m not diligent enough to regularly exercise the portable generator. When I finally did need it, my Honda generator wouldn’t start.
These days, if I was going to replace it, I would look at a solar system with backup battery - no moving parts, no gasoline to go bad.
I have a portable generator in my shed. The exhaust is a flex pipe out through the wall. I can run it in there all day 18 hrs. on a tank of fuel , cord will reach over to back of house. Works great eaven when you have high winds snow or heavy rain everything under cover. Plus the heat from eng warms shed. Or as I call it the husband dog house LOL
LOL Jim! Thanks for the info!
I went with this option for my home as I didn’t want to invest $10k on a whole house standby system. One thing to note, if you want to run sensitive electronics or even a newer furnace then it’s probably best to look for a portable generator that has THD
Beware cheap generators are modified sine wave. They have inverters inside the unit. Not a true generator just an alternator with a modified sine wave inverter. Not good for electronics or motors. Pure sine wave generators are best and worth the extra money.
Great video GP.
I’m on the fence between the Champion TriFuel, and the Firman Trifuel. I’m on Long Island New York and I’m finally considering the portable type gene.
The Bride has been pushing me for a long time since I get stuck at work in NYC for a good length during storms sometimes.
I love the idea of a Nat gas hook up and never worry about my wife fumbling with a gas can or a gasoline shortage Like we experienced with Super Storm Sandy.
Love the channel.
Good morning Mike! Might be a good idea to see about the cost of an automated system. If you find yourself away a lot and get outages regularly, it might be worth the peace of mind knowing that it is automated and won't run out of fuel. Good luck and all the best!