Home backup generator

Willie, you might to research getting a manual transfer switch installed to run part of your home with a tri-fuel generator. This will save you a lot of money compared to the whole home option.

$12,800
24kw Generac

Surge Protector
200amp switch
2 load managements for the AC's

Generator install price largely depends on distance from your gas/electric meters to generator site.

My gas meter was 1 foot away, electric meter 55ft. I had them trench the lines to the generator. They were going to run it up my stucco into the attic and then back down to the meter. Don't let them do that.

Was looking at a Cummins last year but they halted production last November with several issues they were having. I look at generac but they started making their motors in house vs the mitsubishi motor. So I decided on the 30kw Kohler which will be going in ~2 weeks. $21k

That’s a lot of kw. Light em up!

yeah it’s the multi day outages that put people crosswise. Anybody can go a day, after that tempers start to flare and food starts to go bad.

mine goes out a half dozen days every year but only until entergy fixes the line the tree limb fell on. However, after ida it was two weeks

About $13K for a 22kW Generac with auto transfer switch, 100ft gas line to the meter and a 10 yr warranty. Bought it through Costco and got a $1,500 Costco gift card. Ran it 7 days straight (minus brief shutdowns to check/change the oil) during the recent hurricane in Houston. Worth every penny and I won't hesitate to buy another one if I ever move.

There’s a pretty good Generac Facebook group, and this question comes up a lot. The answers there are typically a good bit higher than a lot of the answers so far in this thread. I guess people on here just get all the good deals.

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10K
22KW generac with automatic transfer switch, new main panel and soft start. Included CO monitors inside the house.

I had the propane company hook fuel up to it

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How big of a propane tank did you have to install to power it?

Assuming you have gas heater OP? That's a big generator for KC as most people have large generators because of HVAC systems but somewhere like KC you really don't need HVAC that long. I mean if you got the money, I'm not trying to hold you back. I'm just saying.

The companies that do this sub out or have their own guys that will run the gas lines and run the electric. They are making a profit on that. Its also possible to have those done yourself if you know a plumber/ electrician that could do it reasonably, as that could save considerable money. A generator on a pad isn't a huge cost.

In BR I paid $13k back in 2021 for a 22kW Honeywell (Generac) with ATS. Gas and electric were on separate sides of the house so I ran 100 feet of gas through the attic to the other side for an additional $1k but worth it to be by the garage away from bedrooms.

I do a lot of business in the industrial sector and the generator reps I talk to have no problems with the air cooled units. Just treat them like any other air cooled motor and pay attention to oil levels and run hours. They’ve all told me to turn off the unit every 36-48 hours and check oil level. If level is good, crank back up. If the level is low add oil. And if over the oil interval, change oil and filter and keep rolling.

I will also mention the oil degrades much slower when burning nat gas or propane. Almost feels wrong to change it out looking so gold.