| reply to SwedishRider
Re: Portable Propane Generator Project- Complete! Now all you need to do is pray for a power failure!
I'm over 50 years old, and the longest power failure we've ever had anywhere I've lived was less than 10 hours. I can live with that. |
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 alkizmo
join:2007-06-25
Pierrefonds, QC
kudos:1 | Yeah well us modern technology junkies cannot go without it more than a few hours..... And only by keeping busy at something else that doesn't require power. |
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 SwedishRiderRider on the StormPremium
join:2006-01-11
Connecticut
kudos:1 | reply to aannoonn
said by aannoonn :Now all you need to do is pray for a power failure!
I'm over 50 years old, and the longest power failure we've ever had anywhere I've lived was less than 10 hours. I can live with that.
Please, no more power failures... CT has had enough recently to last another 25+ years!
There were people here in Connecticut who were out of power for 14+ days. I lost power for about 2 days during Hurricane Irene, and not at all for the freak October snowstorm.
I see CL&P furiously cutting limbs and making repairs to their infrastructure locally... I think they know CT residents won't tolerate another round of power outages like we had last fall. But I can't be sure of how long I'll be out with certainty anymore...
I think my solution didn't break the bank, and is simple and effective. It leverages the main house fuel I use (propane), supplies enough power to get through an outage with critical circuits intact (Furnace, well pump, water heater, fridges, freezer and a few lights), and lets me pick and choose what circuits I want rather than be set with a specific set in a transfer switch. Plus I can get propane currently in the $2.15/gal range at the moment... far cheaper than oil or gasoline. |
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SwedishRiderRider on the StormPremium
join:2006-01-11
Connecticut
kudos:1 | reply to 49528867
said by 49528867:Or one can do it the proper way and send off their carburetor to a company, who will not only properly modify that carburetor, they will send it back with a "NFPA" complaint conversion package, which by the way I cannot find on the Net, anyone else who sells conversions that meets that particular fuel gas code"...
Which, while very cool, costs money... driving up the price of the overall project. Not to say that it would be money wasted... just money that I couldn't justify for this project.
And I suspect your analysis of what's needed to modify a generator carburetor to accept propane and/or natural gas is correct as none of the shops I called wanted anything to do with a propane conversion. |
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| reply to SwedishRider
Nice Job!
Looks like you have put a lot of thought into the project.
I have a couple of questions if you don't mind..
How often do you start the generator ?
Where or how do you store it when not in use?
Is it ok to run these thing in the rain and snow
or do they need to be covered? |
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SwedishRiderRider on the StormPremium
join:2006-01-11
Connecticut
kudos:1
1 edit | said by Dell User:Nice Job!
Looks like you have put a lot of thought into the project. Thank you! I did put a lot of thought into this generator project.. my wife would probably think I put too much time into thinking about it. 
I have a couple of questions if you don't mind..
How often do you start the generator ?
Where or how do you store it when not in use?
Is it ok to run these thing in the rain and snow
or do they need to be covered?
Hope that helped! |
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| Yes, Thank you |
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| reply to SwedishRider
Good job, nice to see a code compliant install, rather than what many people have been doing. I just spent probably 6K on my install (14Kw Kohler propane powered standby). I'm praying for a decent power outage though, because I need to make all that work worth it.
The inspector was telling me all sort of horror stories of what people were doing during our outages. I'm surprised we didn't hear any reports of dead linemen quite honestly.
Kudos to you!
BTW - I'm testing mine about every three months, I don't want to cause un necessary wear on the engine. Most wear is during startup, and doing a weekly test just doesn't make sense. |
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| reply to aannoonn
said by aannoonn :Now all you need to do is pray for a power failure!
I'm over 50 years old, and the longest power failure we've ever had anywhere I've lived was less than 10 hours. I can live with that.
He bought the generator. He's not going to have another power failure until the generator isn't working anymore. |
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| reply to nunya
said by nunya:You could have gotten a 7 kW Briggs + a tri-fuel kit for about $300-$400 more than what you paid for the Chinese unit. The bonus would be you could use Gasoline (or NG) if need be.
Briggs are just as bad. Most of them these days *are* Chinese units. |
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SwedishRiderRider on the StormPremium
join:2006-01-11
Connecticut
kudos:1 | reply to KirkyInCT
said by KirkyInCT:Good job, nice to see a code compliant install, rather than what many people have been doing. I just spent probably 6K on my install (14Kw Kohler propane powered standby). I'm praying for a decent power outage though, because I need to make all that work worth it.
The inspector was telling me all sort of horror stories of what people were doing during our outages. I'm surprised we didn't hear any reports of dead linemen quite honestly.
Kudos to you!
BTW - I'm testing mine about every three months, I don't want to cause un necessary wear on the engine. Most wear is during startup, and doing a weekly test just doesn't make sense.
Thanks for the compliments! I'm probably into this entire project for about $1700, which includes 6000 watt generator and all electrical and propane work. I think that's reasonable to ensure this job was done properly.
But please... please... stop praying for an outage!  |
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SwedishRiderRider on the StormPremium
join:2006-01-11
Connecticut
kudos:1 | reply to fifty nine
said by fifty nine:said by aannoonn :Now all you need to do is pray for a power failure!
I'm over 50 years old, and the longest power failure we've ever had anywhere I've lived was less than 10 hours. I can live with that.
He bought the generator. He's not going to have another power failure until the generator isn't working anymore. Knowing my luck, that will probably be the case!  |
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SwedishRiderRider on the StormPremium
join:2006-01-11
Connecticut
kudos:1 | reply to Dell User
Sent you a PM. |
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| reply to fifty nine
said by fifty nine:said by aannoonn :Now all you need to do is pray for a power failure!
I'm over 50 years old, and the longest power failure we've ever had anywhere I've lived was less than 10 hours. I can live with that.
He bought the generator. He's not going to have another power failure until the generator isn't working anymore. Isn't that the truth. I got my portable generator after a 3 day outage in 2005, caused by a tropical storm. Since then, the power has not failed for long enough to use it. |
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alkizmo
join:2007-06-25
Pierrefonds, QC
kudos:1 | said by Raphion:Isn't that the truth. I got my portable generator after a 3 day outage in 2005, caused by a tropical storm. Since then, the power has not failed for long enough to use it.
Define long enough.
If your generator setup is quick to get going, like simply going to the generator, starting it, then flipping the transfer switch, then any power outage over 1 hour would be worth it.
Personally, I don't even wait. I take my time preparing (Getting dressed, boots, gas tank, etc) and just before I pull the starter, I look at neighbors if they have power. If not, then I go for it.
Waiting 3 hours and then starting it still risks the wastefulness of only using it for 30 minutes. |
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Mr Matt
join:2008-01-29
Eustis, FL
kudos:1 Reviews:
 ·CenturyLink
 ·Comcast
·Embarq Now Centu..
| reply to aannoonn
You won't appreciate having a standby generator until you loose power for 4 1/2 Days, like we did after a Hurricane, when we lived in South Florida. What really sucks is not having AC and the outside temperature is 90 Degrees. We did not install one here in Central Florida because we were not certain we would remain in this house long enough to justify the $12,000.00 cost. The worst power outage we had so far lasted about 6 Hours. |
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 Jack_in_VAPremium
join:2007-11-26
Mathews, VA
kudos:1 | said by Mr Matt:You won't appreciate having a standby generator until you loose power for 4 1/2 Days, like we did after a Hurricane, when we lived in South Florida. What really sucks is not having AC and the outside temperature is 90 Degrees. We did not install one here in Central Florida because we were not certain we would remain in this house long enough to justify the $12,000.00 cost. The worst power outage we had so far lasted about 6 Hours.
How about 17 days after Isabel, 7 days after Irene and many events 1 day or more.
I don't care what it costs, how much trouble it is I am going to have some power. |
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SwedishRiderRider on the StormPremium
join:2006-01-11
Connecticut
kudos:1 | said by Jack_in_VA:How about 17 days after Isabel, 7 days after Irene and many events 1 day or more.
I don't care what it costs, how much trouble it is I am going to have some power.
If I recall correctly, didn't you previously say you refuse to pay what those thieves want for propane. |
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Jack_in_VAPremium
join:2007-11-26
Mathews, VA
kudos:1 | said by SwedishRider:said by Jack_in_VA:How about 17 days after Isabel, 7 days after Irene and many events 1 day or more.
I don't care what it costs, how much trouble it is I am going to have some power.
If I recall correctly, didn't you previously say you refuse to pay what those thieves want for propane. You saw me post I was not going to use the propane for my propane Buck Stove unless the power was off. Otherwise my Heat Pump does just fine.
My generator is gasoline powered not propane powered so you are mistaken in your statement.
I will run my generator to provide power to my computer so I can post on DSL Reports. |
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 tmh
@comcastbusiness.net | reply to Jack_in_VA
said by Jack_in_VA:How about 17 days after Isabel, 7 days after Irene and many events 1 day or more.
I don't care what it costs, how much trouble it is I am going to have some power.
Amen. I lost power for 4-1/2 days in the blizzard of 2010. Indoor temperatures dropped to 55F during the day. I was thoroughly sick of that by the third day and vowed to get a generator for the next time.
I got a nice 3200W Subaru inverter with a runtime of 12 hours on 3 gals. Got it all wired up nice and proper and waited for the next big one.
Right after that, they upgraded the power through our neighborhood. Now we get outages of less than an hour. There isn't even enough time to unload the genny and get her fired up, darn it. |
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