Buying your tank was a smart move! Many moons ago we needed a propane tank for our home. We looked into the rent vs buy option and decided to rent because the up front cost less money out of pocket. HOWEVER... that was 27 years ago and we're still paying rent on the tank. Could have purchased it several times over with the rent money we shelled out. YIKES!
Hey bud, Residential and Industrial Generac Technician here. The propane line pressure has 2PSI from the tank in copper/poly to the 2nd stage regulator by the generator, which then steps the pressure down to 9-13 Inches of water column. The pressure range for Generac's internal gas solenoid is rated for 9-12 inches on LP gas. The vent is required by law of the railroad commission. The regulator must be vented at least 5 feet away from any Combustion source; such as the engine. That separate low pressure line running from the generator low pressure side should have come from the tank, and not the generator, but as you said only a gas stove is being used, it shouldn't deplete any necessary pressure or volume from the Generator gas supply. If you're to add a tankless water heater or any other high demand gas supplies appliances, you might want to think about having a separate high pressure to low pressure (2 stage system) run from the tank to the house, so as to not starve the generator of fuel, especially when a large load is applied during an outage (AC condenser, hear strips etc). All that being said, the propane tank is too close, and is supposed to have a minimum of 10ft clearance from any Combustion source. Any other questions, please reach out. Cheers
It is amazing how codes change from state to state. That accordian type flex pipe going from your line to the generator is not permitted in my state. The feed line and regulator have to be a minimum of 3' away from the generator where I'm at. And from the regulator to the generator in my state has to be a special rubber type hose. I went with a manual Transfer switch, I don't trust any of that electronic switch over circuits. If I want generator power I just throw the lever on the transfer switch and start the generator and bingo I'm in business. Works good for me.
@@garyholbrook9951 at 50% load; approx 50A of power for a 24kW on LP, you'll consume 2.5 gallons per hour or more. 100% load can be upwards of 3-3.2 g/p hr. 150 gallons will last around 60 hours as assuming all of the 150 gallons is liquid, but most likely only 80% of that volume is actually LP (all LP tanks are filled to 80% max as to allow for surface area for propane to vaporize enough for minimum pressure limitations). If your tank size is 150, then assuming the previous calculation, you only have 120 gallons which equates to 48 hours of run time at 50% load.
A suggestion instead of switching back to utility after twenty seconds I would set the Generator to run for two minutes. This will ensure a brown out or immediate blackout doesn't fry equipment. Usually when power on the utility side is restored it might be drawn down briefly from all the inrush from equipment. I have mine set to 10 minute delay.
I always wondered about that. The Generator is Always connected to the power Line as the circuit board Always needs in a blackout to look for when power has been restored.
Some brands will allow very specific options to be set during exercise or actual run operation. Furthermore, some brands allow a "load test" function to be done during their weekly exercise. I think the Koehler brand that allows it...pretty sure the air-cooled Generacs do not have that load-test option.
Speaking from my experiences with my generator and the gas company, if I see yours correctly when your generator needs repair and has to be removed and carried to a shop, (like mine did) the gas will have to be turned off of course, and the way yours is hooked you will lose gas to your inside stove since they put the T further down next to the generator. Or you will need to plug the gas line so that your stove will continue to work. I had them place the T at the regulator and then valve to each appliance so I can run both or either one separate.
I have the 22KW model installed about 2 years ago and mine runs on natural gas, only thing I have changed is by default the generator would start after a loss of commercial power after 30 seconds. I changed that to 5 minutes, seems like a lot of short blips in the availability of commercial power were causing unnecessary starts and stops with the generator , very pleased with ours and I am sure you will be too.
that's ok but it is good for the generator to run, nothing worse than and engine sitting and not running will get a water build up in cooler temps let it run more than just its weekly time.
Your Generac looks just like mine. Mine is powered by natural gas and is a 13 kw. I've had it about 10 years wit zero issues, until this past May. We live in a remote area and pretty prone to power outages. We called the Generac repairman and he came to service it. I told him when our power recently went out the generator fired right up as normal. But.... only half our house was powered. The other half we had no lights, luckily our fridge and part of the kitchen had electric, two of our 3 bedrooms had power, but one bedroom and one bathroom and our gas furnace had no power. Neither did we central air. He looked at the control panel, everything was fine. Looked at our transfer switch and BINGO... there was a nest of ladybugs looked to be 1000'and 10000's of ladybugs nested in there. After using compressed air and blowing all the bugs outta the box he did a test run and said everything was fine. Well... in the Dog Days of of July and August we lost power and back to half the house having power again. I'm wondering if the Windings in the generator could be bad?? Do you have any suggestions? Any help would be much appreciated. You did a very informative job explaining things as I said in my previous comment, I have no knowledge of electric nor do I want any. I am hoping i don't have to replace my unit as you know they aren't cheap. A good friend told me to go to a bigger unit possibly a 19 or 20 KW as they are liquid cooled and have more cooling for the generators Windings. He also advised that I remove the outer panels of the unit to keep the generator cooler in the summertime. Sorry this comment is so long. Thanks again for these videos. I've learnt a lot.
Do you have a digital volt meter? Check to see if your getting 240 VAC, at the generator breaker. The. See if you have it at the transfer switch. You need to verify if the problem is in the generator, or somewhere else down the line ..
Nice generator and install. I installed my Generac 45kw back in 2001...and I know that feeling of accomplishment...I heard in your voice when you were all done and test fired your system for the 1st time! Sweet! May your generator last many years...blessings to you and your family. :)
I foresee that plastic vent line from the regulator being a problem in the future. The low spot underground will get rain / snow splash or condensation and become restricted / clogged. It may even freeze in winter. The end result will be the generator wont start. The cure is a horizontal line to the required 5 ft away from the unit. Install it with about 1 inch of pitch and put a screen on the end to keep the bugs out. You can support it on the house or drive a stake into the ground to hold it up. How do I know this? Let's just say the call back rate was about 90% on the ones installed this way. I also worked for a larger dealer doing hundreds of installs per a year. (I wont say how many)
We installed a Generac 22kw genny this past March with four 120 gallon propane tanks. Nice not to have to go out in the middle of the night and not hook up the portable one😃😃😃👍👍👍 Great video and your little girl is adorable.🙏🙏
It's good you have yours installed. A friend of mine has his ordered from a big generator company in the North East. They have put him off several times, moving his Generac Delivery back several months. I talked to him this afternoon and he told me that his Generac Generator that should have been delivered this week is not put off until January 2022. He is really frustrated. Generac need to build more plants to service the customers. It is not only Generac but others such as Onan, Amana and Kholer are behind getting generators out.
We got our estimate in August of 2020 and waited 8 months for a 22kw genny. However we were fore warned so our expectations were set accordingly at the very beginning. We were lucky.
@@YukonHawk1 This was something I couldn't figure out. My friend bought the 200amp switch over box. He did not go with a local company here in Houston as they were way behind in getting the generators. I have had mine for over 7 years. I purchased mine from Wired Electric here in Houston. My friend called Wired Electric and they came out yesterday and gave him a quote on the installation, less the generator he was getting elsewhere. Wired electric told him he would have to go with a 150amp switch since his breaker panel was also 150 amp. I guess you need to keep these matched up. I'm not sure. Anyway he cancelled the generator order and switch-box and he will have to start over. He is really disappointed over the whole thing.
@@dhansel4835 it's nuts right now with the equipment supply chain system so messed up. Our service is 200 amp so I got the 200 amp switch. Our power went out once for about 30 minutes and it worked well. Less than ten seconds we were on genny power. We used a local company based in mid Hudson valley NY area. They have an outstanding reputation and service record. I hope your friend makes out well in the future.
It's not a matter of Generac needing more manufacturing capacity, the issue is the massive delay in the supply chain for critical components they use. Same issue as the auto industry, etc.
Very informative video. My setup is about 99% the same as yours. I had the gas guy run my regulator to the side of my pad. Then he ran a metal pipe along the rear of my pad to the flex line. The reason I had him do it that way is because the back of my generator is my property line. I own both sides but in the future if I decided to sell the vacant side and someone wanted to put up a privacy fence I didn't want my regulator in the way.
I believe the 50% load rating is 2 gal an hour, on the 24kw machine. Using it from 80% to 20% is 150 gal of usable fuel. That's 75 hours of run time if I'm figuring it right. I mean, you can stretch it by running 12 out of 24 hours or so. But that's still only 6 days. Granted, I admit that's the vast majority of grid down events.
You were smart to buy your tank It’s always better to buy your tank that way any company can fill it, where when you rent it only the company you rented it from can fill it which can be a problem when you run out of propane under a emergency situation and the company that you rented it from can’t come fill it up.
I’ve had my 20kw Generac for 11 years and just had my first engine related problem. The stepper motor that controls the speed started hunting or surging.checked lp pressure at 12”wc. Located new stepper, watched you tube for repair (gen man) Showed how to change out 30 min. Job, fixed then ran load test, all good. Have a 1000 gal tank and 250 gal tank manifolded together. Stepper was $95.00. Your install looks very good and neat, good job. You will have peace of mind in the next outage with that gen set running.
Nice! It’s already been used 4 or 5 times this year. We had random outages for no apparent reason and it came in handy. About 10 years ago when I did electrical work full-time I used to work on them quite a bit and for the most part they were very reliable machines. I’m not a huge fan of all of the computerized stuff on them these days, but it’s still a decent unit
3:00 First thing you need to do is fit some rubber between the hose and the tank to stop the hose wearing the paint off. The next thing you need to do is stop that regulator flopping about in the air - yes, that hose is flexible for fitting it but it's not designed to flex after installation. Flexion of the pipe will cause fatigue cracking and you could have it leaking within the year.
The flex line is very short and it looks very twisted at the ends, also that skinny copper line, no bueno. A very rookie job, but congratulations on your smart choice for backing up your home with power.
Never have seen the vent thing before. Most tanks are only filled to 80% of capacity. I bought my tank for $200.00 and a small tree removal. Had the tank revamped at the local propane dealer and I’m on the customer list.
some advise from a tech in Oregon, don't pull the fuse. just unplug the white control harness from the board. then plug back in when all the wiring is done and the battery has been installed and activated.
I drove a big truck for years and slept in it running. I built my house with a lot of insulation. My 22 kw runs every Wed. about 1pm and I never hear it.
Thanks for the video. I have one to install. I have Generac’s solar and battery set up with an ats. So I have to add the second ats, just need to figure out the wiring.
Great Installation and test video. Hopefully you set the Wi-Fi on and used your smartphone' to control and monitor your new Gen Set. Hope it serves you well.
According to Generac the WiFi can ONLY be used to monitor NOT control the generator. They are supposedly working on that feature. I told the rep. over the phone that I want to be able to control the generator from my iphone if I happen to be far away from my home.
Nice install! Depending on your load, you'll have at least over a couple of days of fuel on that system/tank combo, maybe 3+ with a light load. I've got 27KW version at our home, but on nat gas, but also have 22KW version on propane on a 500 gallon tank at our remote property so that we have at least the better part of a week of fuel.
@@oldtimer3180 It's a Generac, what they used to call the "QuietSource" series, I think now they call it the Protector QS series. Same unit. Inline 4 cylinder water-cooled automotive engine. Was a bit more expensive than the air-cooled units, but I wanted the lower RPM of a water cooled unit, and the noise reduction.
@@georgegreen442 Yeah, here on the Gulf coast a hurricane could take you out for the better part of a week (or more). Seems most of the installs I've seen that don't have nat gas at the residence, they're putting in 500 gallon tanks.
I appreciate that! Yes, I have a few code violations that I will address in another video. The panel as raceway being the most popular lol. Thanks for watching!
@@MaynardFamilyHomestead Yup. Other than the bushings (which, like every bloody thing else) are almost impossible to get), the only other issue I see is feeders in the same raceway as service conductors (230.7). Need to come out of the meter can and straight into the ATS.
I like to add a potential violation. The N1-n2 connections are 240 volt, I’m not sure that sprinkler cable is rated at that voltage. Other wise nice work for a non electrician. I didn’t get a look at the ground and neutral connections in all the panels. That’s something to make sure is correct. Don’t always rely on the inspector, they sometimes don’t know or don’t look.
@@oldtimer3180 No, that is incorrect. I did the entire electrical install myself on both my Generacs (2003 16KW and 2020 22KW), and Generac honored all warranty repairs, no questions asked. I'm an EE so I know what i'm doing, but THE WARNING IN THE DESCRIPTION IS VERY IMPORTANT: anyone not 100% qualified to do the electrical work should hire a licensed electrician!
@@circa1720 You are right, I have no idea how to hook up my 22kw gen so I payed a man that knows his stuff to. I didn't want to do it myself because I might burn down my neighbor hood.. LOL
Looks awesome Maynard! The only thing I can see I would change is your flex line looks really twisted which happens all the time. I would break it loose and retighten it straight. If you dont it will over time break due to any movement or vibration. Otherwise as always I am glad to see you finished and looks great! Thanks
@@MaynardFamilyHomestead Yep... richard hall is right on. Both ends of the flex hose (the one that comes with the generator, have a swivel fittings. I took mine off and manipulated it until i was nice and straight then made sure when I reinstalled it not to let it twist when tightening it. Looks better as well.
@@MaynardFamilyHomestead ... if you have trouble getting it straight just pre-twist a little in the other direction with a pair of pliers before the final snug.
@@kirbymechanical6507 ... they stopped using the black rubber flex due to dry rot and also animals chewing on them. This stainless flex what they supply now.
Saw in your other video you said to save you got a smaller tank... You should buy a used tank. I got both of mine on FB marketplace, one is a 250, other is a 500. 250 tank was $300, and 500 tank was $100.
I have the 20K model. Always had an issue every time I needed it. Bad transfer switch, bad control panel in the gen itself, then fire in the transfer switch. My brother has the same exact model. Not one issue. Maybe mine is just a lemon. Never an issue with the engine though, and it self tests every week.
Not sure about there. But in new York we can run utility power through the panel. Using it as a raceway. Then can't have utility power in same nipple as the generator power. They make us go from meter to transfer switch directly. Then transfer switch to panel directly. Bushing on nipples. Then because transfer switch is now 1st means of disconnect you need to run ground rod wire and watermeter ground directly to transfer switch where neutrals and ground are bonded. Then in the existing panel you need to separate neutrals and grounds cause now that's a sub panel. Job would have failed inspection on at least 4 issues.
I am in south texas and we get a hurricane all most every year now, I never understand why people get these propane units then when all hell breaks out you run out of propane and there is no way to get more propane for weeks or like here in hurricane Harvey There was a waiting list to get propane of like 75 days. The smart way is to go with a Diesel powered unit for about the same price then in an Emergency you can get diesel any were and you can even if you have to siphon it out of a tractor or something.
Great video man. Why an air cooled generator? I’d be surprised if it lasts longer than a few hours of continuous operation under full load. Here in Florida I found out the hard way that liquid cooled is what one needs if they want power for a day or so when utility power is out. I can’t tell you how frustrating it was to spend thousands of dollars and thought I was ready for the next bad power outage only to be sitting in the dark without my money. That’s been a lot of years ago but I still only buy liquid cooled generators. 15-25kw are perfect for most people but I prefer a bit larger. My 40kw has a 4.3lt gm v6 whereas they’re using 2.4lt 4 cylinder generac engines on the smaller ones. They consume the same amount of lpg per hour but you get 40kw of electricity instead of 25kw and the engine isn’t working as hard. There’s only a small difference in price between the two. Lots of good used low hour generators on the market that’ll actually meet the needs during prolonged power outages. I’m an old man and wanted to give you and others something to think about before y’all’s next purchase. God bless
We looked at one of these, 6-7 gallons of propane/hr under load. Crazy expensive to run, the tank he shows in the video might last 2 days. Opted for 1.2KW 10 gallon gas, runs all night and will start the A/C compressor. Biggest draw in a normal house, A/C starting IMO.
Thank you sir! I would estimate 5 days running 24/7. I don’t plan on running it nonstop though, I would cut it off during the day so it wasn’t just wasting fuel.
Why was the bonding jumper between neutral bar and ground bar in transfer switch not removed? Your bonding should have happened after meter in the GE panel and then all neutrals/grounds separated after that.
NOT very long! I have a 22kw Generac on a 250 gallon tank like this. If you run your AC units ( two 3 ton units ) and typical house stuff without turning off unneeded stuff it will last maybe 4 days. That is if you start with a FULL tank. I am going to add a second 250 gallon tank as soon as they become more available. That said, it sure is nice to hear it come on when power goes out. So far it has powered the home 3 times since last September, once for about 8 hours. You could extend how long the tank lasts by turning off stuff ( remember, your tank may not always be at 80%......) but that is not why you buy the whole house generator. I mounted my low pressure regulator at the tank so I did not have to run a vent from it. 3/4" poly line from there and set the regulator to have 12" of water AT the valve on the generator.
According to Generac a 22 kilowatt generator would burn approximately 2.1 gallons per hour at ½ load and 3.6 gph at full load, while a larger 38 kilowatt unit would burn 3 gallons per hour at ½ load and 5.4 gph at full load. A 250 gallon tank, as he had, filled to 80% holds 200 gallons of LP.
@@JeeeezBub Last fill up was about $2.15 gallon. On a 250 gallon tank you have a 200 gallon capacity ( 80% fill is standard due to expansion space needed). Get around 4 days of use on a 22kw at half load or so with the 250 gallon tank. Cost would be well over $100 per day to run these generators on propane. UNLESS you drop back the load. I don't worry about it for a thunderstorm event or someone knocking over a power pole. But during a hurricane or similar situation I would drop all landscape lighting, turn off unnecessary lighting inside, even unplug many things that use a bit of power even when not on. I can run just one of my two A/C units and live in that side of the house for instance. I can probably extend run time to 6-8 days on a 250 tank. I do have plans to add an additional 250 tank soon.
@@werkspartsllc7856 Great info...thanks! I've always been curious about these on propane. We run ours on natural gas (private well) but I always worry about longer outages and managing well pressures/available volume. A recent 4.5 day outage has calmed my fears a good bit...good test. Propane though seems like a workable option if necessary based on these comments. Thanks again!
Doesn't that gas line have to be insulated, especially during the winter? When extreme cold weather hits the area, those gas lines could have a tendency to freeze and stop the gas from flowing. So, it's a good idea to insulate around the gas connections to prevent any freezing.
if you are home and are able, then you saved quite a bit. Buying an automatic set is done for convenience. Your wife doesn't have to do anything if you are out of reach and your pipes wont freeze if you are away. BTW, a portable set will not increase the value of your home.
@@jimragsdale4524 ... not saying she can't do it, but someone needs to be home, refill the fuel, roll it outside, plug it in, etc. Away for the weekend? There goes $500 worth of food! More if you have a freezer. You also need to give it some regular exercise to be sure it will start when you need it. It's all doable but you have to do it manually.
@@rupe53 no taking it anywhere … its hooked up in a dedicated shed with 300 lbs of propane. Enough to run almost 3 weeks @ 50% load. All you have to do is manually switch to 50 amp breaker and cut grid power. Battery is on maintainer (Solar). And supplemental cooler in summer months.
Would it be a stupid question to ask why you chose aluminum wire instead of copper? I plan on using copper and dropping wire size from 4/0 to 3/0. More flexible and can hopefully have less trouble working with the copper.
You can absolutely use copper, it has less resistance. Copper is quite a bit more expensive in my area than aluminum, and I had the aluminum wire already so it was a no-brainer. 90% of the homes in our area use aluminum.
@@34ofaninchofbrain80 I was told by my installer that it was required by code for use by emergency/fire personnel since the other switch is inside the locked enclosure.
Nice videos. Can I ask how you isolated the house circuits? Does your generator supply power to all house circuits? Also the 6 colored trigger wires, were they supplied by generac? My 13kw didn’t have them. I guess I’ll need to buy 75feet of each as that’s how far my genny is from the transfer switch.
Reading through the comments and to me, a huge propane tank like that will only run 2-3 days? Wow, that seems like a huge dissapointment for 48-72 hours of use. Not to mention the cost of Propane, even if it was readily available.🤥 Last winter in *ALL* of Texas, the freezout/electric grid collapse was suppossed to be on a 2 or 3 hour off/on schedule, but that didn't work out for hundreds of thousands of us.. We had maybe 45 min to an hour *on* and 6-8 hours *off .* At one point several 10-15 hours *out* over 4-5 days. The only thing that saved us was Natural Gas that ran a large gas log fireplace but it was *still very cold.* I've often thought of getting Generac backup but in such a scenario, but many power generator operators/stations were short of Nat Gas which made it worse. In residential surburbia I'm sure nobody coulld keep such a tank of LP much less diesel storage. As last resort, we used 5500 watt gasoline gen intermittenly for lights, coffee pot, refrigerator/freezer (like we really needed that)and electric skillet, toaster and the like, but chose *not* to wire into central heat, as didn't have but around 7 gallons of gasoline, and had read dozens of articles that electronics (central heaters do have a mini controller) were taking a chance by not getting pure 60 cycle sine wave. I've since purchased a small 2000 watt inverter generator w/ manual disconnect to at least run furnace thermo and fan to HVAC and TV/Computers, etc. Will keep the 5500 watt available for non critical circuits. I have a stash of 150-200 gallons of aviation fuel in my hangar if things go extended again.
That’s probably smart. I don’t plan to run it 24/7 because of that very reason. The auto transfer is mainly for daytime when I’m at work for my family. In a hurricane it will probably only run at night for freezers and AC.
You need more propane. 24 kw uses 3.9 at full load. 3.9/200=51.28 hours of run time. that tank can't hold 250 full gallons, they only fill the above ground tanks to 80%
Perhaps, but most won't use the generator at full load. Plus, you could shut it down for several hours per day to conserve fuel until the gas company can get out to refill.
Really just depends on how many days you want to be able to run on a tank. On a 20KW on propane you'll be able to run a little over two days on a constant full load, but in reality you'll most likely see about 3 days on a 250 (200 usable) tank on a moderate to full load. But we have a 500 gallon tank on our 22KW at our remote property so that we have the better part of a week of fuel.
Based solely on the size of the wires coming from the generator, I suspect that the generator will not meet the entire home demand. If that is the case, how are you shedding load? Seems to me that the generator will be overloaded unless you shed load.
I’m aware of that. Unfortunately here in Florida supplies are scarce. It’s everything electrical across-the-board, breakers, panels, you name it. Went to three or four different stores looking for plastic bushings and couldn’t find one.
Trying to find part 1 through part 4, but can only find part 2. Could you list the names of your video so I can get and put them in sequence for watching? Thanks
Sure thing, there are actually five total videos on the generator install: Pouring a concrete slab for our new 24kw Generac generator. Installing our new 24kw Generac generator with electrical wiring. Wiring our Generac transfer switch to the meter can Testing our new Generac generator and transfer switch. Problems with our Generac generator install
Great videos. Now you'll wait for a power outage and take comments from your friends about wasting money on that stupid gen. I did for a couple of years and then I enjoyed my AC and no interruptions to our family life. But now for some comments on that gen. First those are made right near my town in Wisconsin and I know several shop workers there. It's a well made product. Now I retired from another company in Wisconsin that also built gensets as we called them. I was senior erector of our power gen division. Our gens were powered by engines that ran on NG, LP, or biogas. Larger engines were of the 4000 HP. Now this leads me to a question. Why are the LP pipes galvanized? That is an problem waiting to happen. We never used galvanized on a gas line. In time the zinc will flake off in the pipe and plug a regulator or carb and enter the engine. Also I noticed there wasn't a 6 foot copper ground rod driven into the ground near the gen to ground the unit separate from the house. Generac use to require this. And you really did a neat wiring job. I've seen some butchered jobs that came through my shop. They worked but we're sloppy. Good luck and I hope you get a good storm to test it out soon.
Exactly! We’ve already gotten to us it during an outage and it’s wonderful. I agree on the galvanized gas line, I questioned that myself. I was always told to use black iron. You are the first person to notice the ground rod! Back when I did installs as a career we always drove in a ground rod to ground the frame. Thanks for watching!
@@MaynardFamilyHomestead hey I forgot to tell you something. Pick up a spare oil pressure switch. They do go out and will shut you down. Pretty much the same switch as used on automobiles. It's NC. Mine did shut down a few years ago on a hot weekend. I did locate a service guy that had one on his truck. Met him on a service call and he sold one to me. Simple screw in fix.
Quick question. I haven't read through all the comments. I'm wondering about the periodic test that I understand the unit performs itself. Does this happen? And how often? Thanks.
Great question. It does an “exercise” which is a start up and idle run for 5-10 minutes. It can be set for however often you like, mine is a once weekly run. It insures the engine runs regularly so when you need it the engine will start with no problem.
Buying your tank was a smart move! Many moons ago we needed a propane tank for our home. We looked into the rent vs buy option and decided to rent because the up front cost less money out of pocket. HOWEVER... that was 27 years ago and we're still paying rent on the tank. Could have purchased it several times over with the rent money we shelled out. YIKES!
Hey bud, Residential and Industrial Generac Technician here.
The propane line pressure has 2PSI from the tank in copper/poly to the 2nd stage regulator by the generator, which then steps the pressure down to 9-13 Inches of water column. The pressure range for Generac's internal gas solenoid is rated for 9-12 inches on LP gas. The vent is required by law of the railroad commission. The regulator must be vented at least 5 feet away from any Combustion source; such as the engine.
That separate low pressure line running from the generator low pressure side should have come from the tank, and not the generator, but as you said only a gas stove is being used, it shouldn't deplete any necessary pressure or volume from the Generator gas supply. If you're to add a tankless water heater or any other high demand gas supplies appliances, you might want to think about having a separate high pressure to low pressure (2 stage system) run from the tank to the house, so as to not starve the generator of fuel, especially when a large load is applied during an outage (AC condenser, hear strips etc). All that being said, the propane tank is too close, and is supposed to have a minimum of 10ft clearance from any Combustion source.
Any other questions, please reach out.
Cheers
Man that is great and helpful info, thank you for sharing! That makes sense.
It is amazing how codes change from state to state. That accordian type flex pipe going from your line to the generator is not permitted in my state. The feed line and regulator have to be a minimum of 3' away from the generator where I'm at. And from the regulator to the generator in my state has to be a special rubber type hose. I went with a manual Transfer switch, I don't trust any of that electronic switch over circuits. If I want generator power I just throw the lever on the transfer switch and start the generator and bingo I'm in business. Works good for me.
This is why I hired a team who knows what the hell they're doing
Can you tell me how many gallons a 24KW will use approximately in 24 hours? or how many days it would run on a 150 gallons ( LP ).
@@garyholbrook9951 at 50% load; approx 50A of power for a 24kW on LP, you'll consume 2.5 gallons per hour or more. 100% load can be upwards of 3-3.2 g/p hr. 150 gallons will last around 60 hours as assuming all of the 150 gallons is liquid, but most likely only 80% of that volume is actually LP (all LP tanks are filled to 80% max as to allow for surface area for propane to vaporize enough for minimum pressure limitations). If your tank size is 150, then assuming the previous calculation, you only have 120 gallons which equates to 48 hours of run time at 50% load.
You have made my job so much easier, thanks!
All the generator videos were very good, helpful and complete.
You daughter is very cute, your a lucky father!
Thank you!
A suggestion instead of switching back to utility after twenty seconds I would set the Generator to run for two minutes. This will ensure a brown out or immediate blackout doesn't fry equipment. Usually when power on the utility side is restored it might be drawn down briefly from all the inrush from equipment. I have mine set to 10 minute delay.
Great suggestion!
I always wondered about that. The Generator is Always connected to the power Line as the circuit board Always needs in a blackout to look for when power has been restored.
Some brands will allow very specific options to be set during exercise or actual run operation. Furthermore, some brands allow a "load test" function to be done during their weekly exercise. I think the Koehler brand that allows it...pretty sure the air-cooled Generacs do not have that load-test option.
Great job on your videos and thank you for explaining everything so well!
Around my parts, the generator must be 10 feet away from the propane tank.
All the detail information you’ve provided is invaluable!
Speaking from my experiences with my generator and the gas company, if I see yours correctly when your generator needs repair and has to be removed and carried to a shop, (like mine did) the gas will have to be turned off of course, and the way yours is hooked you will lose gas to your inside stove since they put the T further down next to the generator. Or you will need to plug the gas line so that your stove will continue to work. I had them place the T at the regulator and then valve to each appliance so I can run both or either one separate.
I have the 22KW model installed about 2 years ago and mine runs on natural gas, only thing I have changed is by default the generator would start after a loss of commercial power after 30 seconds. I changed that to 5 minutes, seems like a lot of short blips in the availability of commercial power were causing unnecessary starts and stops with the generator , very pleased with ours and I am sure you will be too.
that's ok but it is good for the generator to run, nothing worse than and
engine sitting and not running will get a water build up in cooler temps
let it run more than just its weekly time.
I did the same thing with mine it waits 120 seconds before starting up all my important stuff is on a UPS backup.
Your Generac looks just like mine. Mine is powered by natural gas and is a 13 kw. I've had it about 10 years wit zero issues, until this past May. We live in a remote area and pretty prone to power outages. We called the Generac repairman and he came to service it. I told him when our power recently went out the generator fired right up as normal. But.... only half our house was powered. The other half we had no lights, luckily our fridge and part of the kitchen had electric, two of our 3 bedrooms had power, but one bedroom and one bathroom and our gas furnace had no power. Neither did we central air. He looked at the control panel, everything was fine. Looked at our transfer switch and BINGO... there was a nest of ladybugs looked to be 1000'and 10000's of ladybugs nested in there. After using compressed air and blowing all the bugs outta the box he did a test run and said everything was fine. Well... in the Dog Days of of July and August we lost power and back to half the house having power again. I'm wondering if the Windings in the generator could be bad?? Do you have any suggestions? Any help would be much appreciated. You did a very informative job explaining things as I said in my previous comment, I have no knowledge of electric nor do I want any. I am hoping i don't have to replace my unit as you know they aren't cheap. A good friend told me to go to a bigger unit possibly a 19 or 20 KW as they are liquid cooled and have more cooling for the generators Windings. He also advised that I remove the outer panels of the unit to keep the generator cooler in the summertime. Sorry this comment is so long. Thanks again for these videos. I've learnt a lot.
Do you have a digital volt meter? Check to see if your getting 240 VAC, at the generator breaker. The. See if you have it at the transfer switch. You need to verify if the problem is in the generator, or somewhere else down the line ..
Nice generator and install. I installed my Generac 45kw back in 2001...and I know that feeling of accomplishment...I heard in your voice when you were all done and test fired your system for the 1st time! Sweet! May your generator last many years...blessings to you and your family. :)
It sure is nice when thing go “according to plan”. Thanks so much for watching!
45kw, What are you doing have a full time welding shop you need that much power
I foresee that plastic vent line from the regulator being a problem in the future. The low spot underground will get rain / snow splash or condensation and become restricted / clogged. It may even freeze in winter. The end result will be the generator wont start. The cure is a horizontal line to the required 5 ft away from the unit. Install it with about 1 inch of pitch and put a screen on the end to keep the bugs out. You can support it on the house or drive a stake into the ground to hold it up. How do I know this? Let's just say the call back rate was about 90% on the ones installed this way. I also worked for a larger dealer doing hundreds of installs per a year. (I wont say how many)
We installed a Generac 22kw genny this past March with four 120 gallon propane tanks. Nice not to have to go out in the middle of the night and not hook up the portable one😃😃😃👍👍👍 Great video and your little girl is adorable.🙏🙏
Thanks!
I think you've told us everything we need to know for us to steal it now, thanks very much.
😂😎
It's good you have yours installed. A friend of mine has his ordered from a big generator company in the North East. They have put him off several times, moving his Generac Delivery back several months. I talked to him this afternoon and he told me that his Generac Generator that should have been delivered this week is not put off until January 2022. He is really frustrated.
Generac need to build more plants to service the customers.
It is not only Generac but others such as Onan, Amana and Kholer are behind getting generators out.
Wow, that’s insane.
We got our estimate in August of 2020 and waited 8 months for a 22kw genny. However we were fore warned so our expectations were set accordingly at the very beginning. We were lucky.
@@YukonHawk1 This was something I couldn't figure out. My friend bought the 200amp switch over box. He did not go with a local company here in Houston as they were way behind in getting the generators.
I have had mine for over 7 years. I purchased mine from Wired Electric here in Houston. My friend called Wired Electric and they came out yesterday and gave him a quote on the installation, less the generator he was getting elsewhere. Wired electric told him he would have to go with a 150amp switch since his breaker panel was also 150 amp. I guess you need to keep these matched up. I'm not sure.
Anyway he cancelled the generator order and switch-box and he will have to start over. He is really disappointed over the whole thing.
@@dhansel4835 it's nuts right now with the equipment supply chain system so messed up. Our service is 200 amp so I got the 200 amp switch. Our power went out once for about 30 minutes and it worked well. Less than ten seconds we were on genny power. We used a local company based in mid Hudson valley NY area. They have an outstanding reputation and service record. I hope your friend makes out well in the future.
It's not a matter of Generac needing more manufacturing capacity, the issue is the massive delay in the supply chain for critical components they use. Same issue as the auto industry, etc.
Very informative video. My setup is about 99% the same as yours. I had the gas guy run my regulator to the side of my pad. Then he ran a metal pipe along the rear of my pad to the flex line. The reason I had him do it that way is because the back of my generator is my property line. I own both sides but in the future if I decided to sell the vacant side and someone wanted to put up a privacy fence I didn't want my regulator in the way.
Maynard. thanks for taking us along with your family! that was a lot of fun!
your living the American dream!
larry
I appreciate that, thanks for watching our videos!
I believe the 50% load rating is 2 gal an hour, on the 24kw machine.
Using it from 80% to 20% is 150 gal of usable fuel. That's 75 hours of run time if I'm figuring it right.
I mean, you can stretch it by running 12 out of 24 hours or so. But that's still only 6 days. Granted, I admit that's the vast majority of grid down events.
You were smart to buy your tank It’s always better to buy your tank that way any company can fill it, where when you rent it only the company you rented it from can fill it which can be a problem when you run out of propane under a emergency situation and the company that you rented it from can’t come fill it up.
Exactly! Now I can shop around for the best price too.
I’ve had my 20kw Generac for 11 years and just had my first engine related problem. The stepper motor that controls the speed started hunting or surging.checked lp pressure at 12”wc. Located new stepper, watched you tube for repair (gen man)
Showed how to change out 30 min. Job, fixed then ran load test, all good. Have a 1000 gal tank and 250 gal tank manifolded together. Stepper was $95.00. Your install looks very good and neat, good job. You will have peace of mind in the next outage with that gen set running.
Nice! It’s already been used 4 or 5 times this year. We had random outages for no apparent reason and it came in handy. About 10 years ago when I did electrical work full-time I used to work on them quite a bit and for the most part they were very reliable machines. I’m not a huge fan of all of the computerized stuff on them these days, but it’s still a decent unit
3:00 First thing you need to do is fit some rubber between the hose and the tank to stop the hose wearing the paint off. The next thing you need to do is stop that regulator flopping about in the air - yes, that hose is flexible for fitting it but it's not designed to flex after installation. Flexion of the pipe will cause fatigue cracking and you could have it leaking within the year.
The flex line is very short and it looks very twisted at the ends, also that skinny copper line, no bueno. A very rookie job, but congratulations on your smart choice for backing up your home with power.
Esa " línea cobrizo flaca" se llama tubería de cobre de 1/2" que triste que te sientas muy técnico, y no conozcas el nombre de los materiales.
Good video. Electrician was very professional.
Thank you!
Never have seen the vent thing before. Most tanks are only filled to 80% of capacity. I bought my tank for $200.00 and a small tree removal. Had the tank revamped at the local propane dealer and I’m on the customer list.
Excellent. I wish all videos were this good.
Ibew in the house, good job brother..
Awesome, thanks brother!
Super helpful and very easy to follow along. I really appreciate the effort.
Thanks for watching!
some advise from a tech in Oregon, don't pull the fuse. just unplug the white
control harness from the board. then plug back in when all the wiring is done
and the battery has been installed and activated.
8:53 Geiko insurance inspector shows up to approve installation.
😂
8:55 Anyone else see the small lizard / gecko? lol Great video and great demo!
Caught that too. The thing to really look out for are those damn dirt daubers...they get into everything and build their nest on everything as well.
Thank you so much for all the explanation God bless you and your family
We are installing one soon, here in central Texas. Crazy as it sounds, my big concern is the frigging red wasps building nests in the enclosure!
Thank you my brother 🙏 we did ours just like you said . You're awesome may the good Lord bless you...
Awesome, glad you were able to do it!
Your video has helped me a lot.
man she's so quiet! great workmanship
Yes it is, and thanks!
I drove a big truck for years and slept in it running. I built my house with a lot of insulation. My 22 kw runs every Wed. about 1pm and I never hear it.
Gracias amigo por tomarte el tiempo para hacer este video y poder bendecir a muchas personas con tus conocimientos, Dios te bendiga !
Thanks for the video. I have one to install. I have Generac’s solar and battery set up with an ats. So I have to add the second ats, just need to figure out the wiring.
That sounds exciting! Thanks for watching.
Great Installation and test video. Hopefully you set the Wi-Fi on and used your smartphone' to control and monitor your new Gen Set. Hope it serves you well.
According to Generac the WiFi can ONLY be used to monitor NOT control the generator. They are supposedly working on that feature. I told the rep. over the phone that I want to be able to control the generator from my iphone if I happen to be far away from my home.
Thank you for the video. I found it simple and a good base to work from....
Awesome, thanks for watching!
When you get ready to add to your tank capacity just buy another and tie them together. you can keep one closed so you always know what you have left.
That’s a good idea, thanks!
Nice install! Depending on your load, you'll have at least over a couple of days of fuel on that system/tank combo, maybe 3+ with a light load. I've got 27KW version at our home, but on nat gas, but also have 22KW version on propane on a 500 gallon tank at our remote property so that we have at least the better part of a week of fuel.
What brand is your 27KW ? water cooled?
@@oldtimer3180 It's a Generac, what they used to call the "QuietSource" series, I think now they call it the Protector QS series. Same unit. Inline 4 cylinder water-cooled automotive engine. Was a bit more expensive than the air-cooled units, but I wanted the lower RPM of a water cooled unit, and the noise reduction.
Good information, I underestimated the run time on a 250 gallon tank. In a prolonged outage, he won't be able to run the system 24 hrs/day.
@@georgegreen442 Yeah, here on the Gulf coast a hurricane could take you out for the better part of a week (or more). Seems most of the installs I've seen that don't have nat gas at the residence, they're putting in 500 gallon tanks.
@@georgegreen442 yea and at current propane prices it would be $800.00 to run for 2-3 days.
Great series. Very helpful.
Not a bad install. There are a few problems, but don’t want to bash it on here. Nice work
I appreciate that! Yes, I have a few code violations that I will address in another video. The panel as raceway being the most popular lol. Thanks for watching!
@@MaynardFamilyHomestead Yup. Other than the bushings (which, like every bloody thing else) are almost impossible to get), the only other issue I see is feeders in the same raceway as service conductors (230.7). Need to come out of the meter can and straight into the ATS.
I like to add a potential violation. The N1-n2 connections are 240 volt, I’m not sure that sprinkler cable is rated at that voltage.
Other wise nice work for a non electrician. I didn’t get a look at the ground and neutral connections in all the panels. That’s something to make sure is correct. Don’t always rely on the inspector, they sometimes don’t know or don’t look.
Excellent electrical installation not so sure about the LP gas installation. Keep up the good work and stay safe.
LOL I’ve had a few questions about it myself! It’s functional, but not professional.
Electrical install would not pass code I think he knows why. Also if a non licensed individual installs his own generator He has NO WARRENTY. FACT.
@@oldtimer3180 No, that is incorrect. I did the entire electrical install myself on both my Generacs (2003 16KW and 2020 22KW), and Generac honored all warranty repairs, no questions asked. I'm an EE so I know what i'm doing, but THE WARNING IN THE DESCRIPTION IS VERY IMPORTANT: anyone not 100% qualified to do the electrical work should hire a licensed electrician!
@@circa1720 You are right, I have no idea how to hook up my 22kw gen so I payed a man that knows his stuff to. I didn't want to do it myself because I might burn down my neighbor hood.. LOL
Thank You for Sharing your videos very informative.
You’re welcome, thanks for watching!
pressure from the tank to the 2nd stage reg is 10psi, after the reg is 1/2 psi.
Ahhh, that’s good to know thanks!
Looks awesome Maynard! The only thing I can see I would change is your flex line looks really twisted which happens all the time. I would break it loose and retighten it straight. If you dont it will over time break due to any movement or vibration. Otherwise as always I am glad to see you finished and looks great! Thanks
Thanks buddy! I appreciate the advice, I know absolutely nothing about propane stuff so any tips are always appreciated.
@@MaynardFamilyHomestead No problem, I always see generac and other gas companies warning about that.
@@MaynardFamilyHomestead Yep... richard hall is right on. Both ends of the flex hose (the one that comes with the generator, have a swivel fittings. I took mine off and manipulated it until i was nice and straight then made sure when I reinstalled it not to let it twist when tightening it. Looks better as well.
@@MaynardFamilyHomestead ... if you have trouble getting it straight just pre-twist a little in the other direction with a pair of pliers before the final snug.
Did you install that by yourself?
Check with your Generac dealer if for a warranty the manufacturers Black flex pipe is required Going into the generator
The flex you see is the generac connector they don’t use black flex anymore.
@@kirbymechanical6507 ... they stopped using the black rubber flex due to dry rot and also animals chewing on them. This stainless flex what they supply now.
Saw in your other video you said to save you got a smaller tank... You should buy a used tank. I got both of mine on FB marketplace, one is a 250, other is a 500. 250 tank was $300, and 500 tank was $100.
Great idea!
Congrats!
Good guy. Thx my man!!!👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Thanks for watching!
I have the 20K model. Always had an issue every time I needed it. Bad transfer switch, bad control panel in the gen itself, then fire in the transfer switch. My brother has the same exact model. Not one issue. Maybe mine is just a lemon. Never an issue with the engine though, and it self tests every week.
That stinks! Must’ve been a lemon
I like this tool!
Not sure about there. But in new York we can run utility power through the panel. Using it as a raceway. Then can't have utility power in same nipple as the generator power. They make us go from meter to transfer switch directly. Then transfer switch to panel directly. Bushing on nipples. Then because transfer switch is now 1st means of disconnect you need to run ground rod wire and watermeter ground directly to transfer switch where neutrals and ground are bonded. Then in the existing panel you need to separate neutrals and grounds cause now that's a sub panel. Job would have failed inspection on at least 4 issues.
Can't run utility in same nipple.
Well done!!
I am in south texas and we get a hurricane all most every year now, I never understand why people get these propane units then when all hell breaks out you run out of propane and there is no way to get more propane for weeks or like here in hurricane Harvey There was a waiting list to get propane of like 75 days. The smart way is to go with a Diesel powered unit for about the same price then in an Emergency you can get diesel any were and you can even if you have to siphon it out of a tractor or something.
The vent is a emergency pressure release if the diaphragm becomes blocked and equalizer for normal use
Great job! How many days can you run on the 200 gal tank?
Good job
Nice video. Especially the sweet and beautiful baby girl at the start.
hope it last good luck! you will need it with GENERAC not today not tomorrow but in 3-5 years you will see the deference
You forgot to tell them to be sure the 100 amp breaker in the generator is on before testing house.
Great point, thank you!
I love my generac
Orange switch……LP if you run LP and NG if you run NG….at my house we run NG on our gen…
Great video man. Why an air cooled generator? I’d be surprised if it lasts longer than a few hours of continuous operation under full load. Here in Florida I found out the hard way that liquid cooled is what one needs if they want power for a day or so when utility power is out. I can’t tell you how frustrating it was to spend thousands of dollars and thought I was ready for the next bad power outage only to be sitting in the dark without my money. That’s been a lot of years ago but I still only buy liquid cooled generators. 15-25kw are perfect for most people but I prefer a bit larger. My 40kw has a 4.3lt gm v6 whereas they’re using 2.4lt 4 cylinder generac engines on the smaller ones. They consume the same amount of lpg per hour but you get 40kw of electricity instead of 25kw and the engine isn’t working as hard. There’s only a small difference in price between the two. Lots of good used low hour generators on the market that’ll actually meet the needs during prolonged power outages. I’m an old man and wanted to give you and others something to think about before y’all’s next purchase. God bless
We looked at one of these, 6-7 gallons of propane/hr under load. Crazy expensive to run, the tank he shows in the video might last 2 days. Opted for 1.2KW 10 gallon gas, runs all night and will start the A/C compressor. Biggest draw in a normal house, A/C starting IMO.
Whoo that Crazy never though it be that much Thank you...
Great video
Propane average pressure is about 12 lbs
Thank you for sharing. Definitely a subscriber to your channel. How long would a 250 gallon LP tank supply your generator into days.
Thank you sir! I would estimate 5 days running 24/7. I don’t plan on running it nonstop though, I would cut it off during the day so it wasn’t just wasting fuel.
@@MaynardFamilyHomestead thank you sir!
That "Gen-a-Crap" probably needs a carb already 😆
I love my generac 22kw with 1000 gallon tank
1000 gal would be sweet!
Nice information
Why was the bonding jumper between neutral bar and ground bar in transfer switch not removed?
Your bonding should have happened after meter in the GE panel and then all neutrals/grounds separated after that.
Great videos. Your daughter is a cutie!
Thanks! And thanks for watching.
I’m curious. How long would the generator be expected to run, using that tank, during a prolonged power outage?
NOT very long! I have a 22kw Generac on a 250 gallon tank like this. If you run your AC units ( two 3 ton units ) and typical house stuff without turning off unneeded stuff it will last maybe 4 days. That is if you start with a FULL tank. I am going to add a second 250 gallon tank as soon as they become more available. That said, it sure is nice to hear it come on when power goes out. So far it has powered the home 3 times since last September, once for about 8 hours. You could extend how long the tank lasts by turning off stuff ( remember, your tank may not always be at 80%......) but that is not why you buy the whole house generator.
I mounted my low pressure regulator at the tank so I did not have to run a vent from it. 3/4" poly line from there and set the regulator to have 12" of water AT the valve on the generator.
According to Generac a 22 kilowatt generator would burn approximately 2.1 gallons per hour at ½ load and 3.6 gph at full load, while a larger 38 kilowatt unit would burn 3 gallons per hour at ½ load and 5.4 gph at full load. A 250 gallon tank, as he had, filled to 80% holds 200 gallons of LP.
@@werkspartsllc7856 How much, on average, is a gallon of LP these days?
@@JeeeezBub Last fill up was about $2.15 gallon. On a 250 gallon tank you have a 200 gallon capacity ( 80% fill is standard due to expansion space needed). Get around 4 days of use on a 22kw at half load or so with the 250 gallon tank. Cost would be well over $100 per day to run these generators on propane. UNLESS you drop back the load. I don't worry about it for a thunderstorm event or someone knocking over a power pole. But during a hurricane or similar situation I would drop all landscape lighting, turn off unnecessary lighting inside, even unplug many things that use a bit of power even when not on. I can run just one of my two A/C units and live in that side of the house for instance. I can probably extend run time to 6-8 days on a 250 tank. I do have plans to add an additional 250 tank soon.
@@werkspartsllc7856 Great info...thanks! I've always been curious about these on propane. We run ours on natural gas (private well) but I always worry about longer outages and managing well pressures/available volume. A recent 4.5 day outage has calmed my fears a good bit...good test. Propane though seems like a workable option if necessary based on these comments. Thanks again!
@8:55 I thought I was tripping out.
Haha, you think you saw a lizard? 😂
@@MaynardFamilyHomestead I saw something moved and it was not a shadow 😂
Doesn't that gas line have to be insulated, especially during the winter? When extreme cold weather hits the area, those gas lines could have a tendency to freeze and stop the gas from flowing. So, it's a good idea to insulate around the gas connections to prevent any freezing.
LPG freezes at -306F, so that is not going to happen
Quick question 🙋♂️???…what is the cost of this material and labor system???????🙋♂️🙋♂️🙋♂️🙋♂️🙋♂️thanks for your answer 🙏🙏⚡️⚡️⚡️
Material costs were around $9k if I remember correctly. I’m sure labor is steep, but I did it myself.
@@MaynardFamilyHomestead thank you 🙏 for your answer 🙏
10000 Gallant propane tank Upgrade Good idea
Generate generator If you want to To do it
I did what you did foe about 75% less with a portable 15k generator and a manual switch
if you are home and are able, then you saved quite a bit. Buying an automatic set is done for convenience. Your wife doesn't have to do anything if you are out of reach and your pipes wont freeze if you are away. BTW, a portable set will not increase the value of your home.
@@rupe53 electric start. Nothing she cant do… easy
@@jimragsdale4524 ... not saying she can't do it, but someone needs to be home, refill the fuel, roll it outside, plug it in, etc. Away for the weekend? There goes $500 worth of food! More if you have a freezer. You also need to give it some regular exercise to be sure it will start when you need it. It's all doable but you have to do it manually.
@@rupe53 no taking it anywhere … its hooked up in a dedicated shed with 300 lbs of propane. Enough to run almost 3 weeks @ 50% load. All you have to do is manually switch to 50 amp breaker and cut grid power. Battery is on maintainer
(Solar). And supplemental cooler in summer months.
And save 10k…. No brainer
8:55 geeckoo 😂😂
Would it be a stupid question to ask why you chose aluminum wire instead of copper? I plan on using copper and dropping wire size from 4/0 to 3/0. More flexible and can hopefully have less trouble working with the copper.
You can absolutely use copper, it has less resistance. Copper is quite a bit more expensive in my area than aluminum, and I had the aluminum wire already so it was a no-brainer. 90% of the homes in our area use aluminum.
Keep in mind if you run it continuous do you have 73 hours of running time with a 250 propane tank install my Generac in 1994
Thanks again for the videos. Did those hold down clips come with the unit? If not, where'd you get them?
Thanks for watching! Yes sir, they hold the unit down to the pallet for shipping.
3:28 that‘s just a bad flex install, that‘s definitely going to fail!
Needs a rubber hose to flex.
I saw 3 fails on the gas install. And why they put a switch on the outside of the unit I don't know. kids will switch it of when playing out there.
@@34ofaninchofbrain80 I was told by my installer that it was required by code for use by emergency/fire personnel since the other switch is inside the locked enclosure.
Nice videos. Can I ask how you isolated the house circuits? Does your generator supply power to all house circuits?
Also the 6 colored trigger wires, were they supplied by generac? My 13kw didn’t have them. I guess I’ll need to buy 75feet of each as that’s how far my genny is from the transfer switch.
Wow never seen thermostat wire used to have voltage running through it. I supposed there is no inspection on this job.😳
How much does that tank cost to fill and how many KWH do you get out of a tank?
Reading through the comments and to me, a huge propane tank like that will only run 2-3 days? Wow, that seems like a huge dissapointment for 48-72 hours of use. Not to mention the cost of Propane, even if it was readily available.🤥
Last winter in *ALL* of Texas, the freezout/electric grid collapse was suppossed to be on a 2 or 3 hour off/on schedule, but that didn't work out for hundreds of thousands of us.. We had maybe 45 min to an hour *on* and 6-8 hours *off .* At one point several 10-15 hours *out* over 4-5 days. The only thing that saved us was Natural Gas that ran a large gas log fireplace but it was *still very cold.* I've often thought of getting Generac backup but in such a scenario, but many power generator operators/stations were short of Nat Gas which made it worse. In residential surburbia I'm sure nobody coulld keep such a tank of LP much less diesel storage. As last resort, we used 5500 watt gasoline gen intermittenly for lights, coffee pot, refrigerator/freezer (like we really needed that)and electric skillet, toaster and the like, but chose *not* to wire into central heat, as didn't have but around 7 gallons of gasoline, and had read dozens of articles that electronics (central heaters do have a mini controller) were taking a chance by not getting pure 60 cycle sine wave. I've since purchased a small 2000 watt inverter generator w/ manual disconnect to at least run furnace thermo and fan to HVAC and TV/Computers, etc. Will keep the 5500 watt available for non critical circuits. I have a stash of 150-200 gallons of aviation fuel in my hangar if things go extended again.
That’s probably smart. I don’t plan to run it 24/7 because of that very reason. The auto transfer is mainly for daytime when I’m at work for my family. In a hurricane it will probably only run at night for freezers and AC.
The gas pressure should be checked and adjusted while the generator is running.
You need more propane. 24 kw uses 3.9 at full load. 3.9/200=51.28 hours of run time. that tank can't hold 250 full gallons, they only fill the above ground tanks to 80%
Perhaps, but most won't use the generator at full load. Plus, you could shut it down for several hours per day to conserve fuel until the gas company can get out to refill.
Curious how your tank works for you. my 20kw needed a 500gal tank in order for the generator to run at a full load.
I would love to upgrade to a 500 at some point.
Really just depends on how many days you want to be able to run on a tank. On a 20KW on propane you'll be able to run a little over two days on a constant full load, but in reality you'll most likely see about 3 days on a 250 (200 usable) tank on a moderate to full load. But we have a 500 gallon tank on our 22KW at our remote property so that we have the better part of a week of fuel.
Based solely on the size of the wires coming from the generator, I suspect that the generator will not meet the entire home demand. If that is the case, how are you shedding load? Seems to me that the generator will be overloaded unless you shed load.
No bushings on the M.A.’s feeding the transfer switch
I’m aware of that. Unfortunately here in Florida supplies are scarce. It’s everything electrical across-the-board, breakers, panels, you name it. Went to three or four different stores looking for plastic bushings and couldn’t find one.
Is the transfer switch a manual or automatic one? I keep thinking its a manual transfer. Thanks for sharing!
It’s automatic.
Trying to find part 1 through part 4, but can only find part 2. Could you list the names of your video so I can get and put them in sequence for watching? Thanks
Sure thing, there are actually five total videos on the generator install:
Pouring a concrete slab for our new 24kw Generac generator.
Installing our new 24kw Generac generator with electrical wiring.
Wiring our Generac transfer switch to the meter can
Testing our new Generac generator and transfer switch.
Problems with our Generac generator install
Great videos. Now you'll wait for a power outage and take comments from your friends about wasting money on that stupid gen. I did for a couple of years and then I enjoyed my AC and no interruptions to our family life. But now for some comments on that gen. First those are made right near my town in Wisconsin and I know several shop workers there. It's a well made product. Now I retired from another company in Wisconsin that also built gensets as we called them. I was senior erector of our power gen division. Our gens were powered by engines that ran on NG, LP, or biogas. Larger engines were of the 4000 HP. Now this leads me to a question. Why are the LP pipes galvanized? That is an problem waiting to happen. We never used galvanized on a gas line. In time the zinc will flake off in the pipe and plug a regulator or carb and enter the engine. Also I noticed there wasn't a 6 foot copper ground rod driven into the ground near the gen to ground the unit separate from the house. Generac use to require this. And you really did a neat wiring job. I've seen some butchered jobs that came through my shop. They worked but we're sloppy. Good luck and I hope you get a good storm to test it out soon.
Exactly! We’ve already gotten to us it during an outage and it’s wonderful.
I agree on the galvanized gas line, I questioned that myself. I was always told to use black iron.
You are the first person to notice the ground rod! Back when I did installs as a career we always drove in a ground rod to ground the frame.
Thanks for watching!
@@MaynardFamilyHomestead hey I forgot to tell you something. Pick up a spare oil pressure switch. They do go out and will shut you down. Pretty much the same switch as used on automobiles. It's NC. Mine did shut down a few years ago on a hot weekend. I did locate a service guy that had one on his truck. Met him on a service call and he sold one to me. Simple screw in fix.
Thanks, that’s a good idea actually.
Thats badass ha
Stupid question but why wouldn't you get a tank for underground installation? Is there a no no with that idea?
I really wanted to get an underground tank, but it was another $1000 to $1500. As it was the tank we got was Almost $4000
Quick question. I haven't read through all the comments. I'm wondering about the periodic test that I understand the unit performs itself. Does this happen? And how often? Thanks.
Great question. It does an “exercise” which is a start up and idle run for 5-10 minutes. It can be set for however often you like, mine is a once weekly run. It insures the engine runs regularly so when you need it the engine will start with no problem.
@@MaynardFamilyHomestead Thank You. I've often thought about having this exact model. Your videos helped tremendously with the process involved.