re: Educate me about standby generators

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Gigantic waste of money. Use a portable you can backfeed into house for emergencies

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This. Just this.

I have a outlet with a special breaker that locks out the main when it's on, so no backflow. I hook a special plug to that outlet and I can power everything but the central air. I hav a portable AC and a window unit and it gets us through. Have two generators, main one is Gas, the untested one is Natural Gas and hooks up from the water heater gas line.
Total cost for all equipment both generators and wiring was maybe $1100. Takes me about ten to fifteen minutes to wheel generator out and gas it up and plug it in. So I generally only bother if power has been out more than a hour. (most of the time it's back quick)

Next house I may mount in a 6500 KW system, but I just do not see the need to pay $12000 for something I may only use for a total of a few hours a year.