 SwedishRiderRider on the StormPremium
join:2006-01-11
Connecticut
kudos:1 | Backup Power System Idea Hello to the New England forum! I'm not a regular poster in here, but I am a lifelong New Englander and a DSLR regular!
After the fall 2011 power outages in CT (Irene and the freak October snowstorm), I decided to devise a backup power system.
Unlike most New Englanders, I use propane for my house fuel, not traditional oil... so I went with a portable propane system... it's pretty unique (at least I haven't seen anything else like it), and I thought I would share the concept in case it might prove to be a useful idea to others who deal with our ever-changing weather (and temperamental power companies  ).
Here it is with pics: »Portable Propane Generator Project- Complete!
It was inspected and fully approved for use... hopefully it can prove a useful concept to others and useful in keeping me warm and safe during an outage  .
Feel free to post what you think of it or ask any questions... and I'm also interested if anyone else here has created a backup power system since Irene or the snowstorm and how they set their system up...
Thanks... and may our power outages in New England be quick and painless! |
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 swintecPremium,VIP
join:2003-12-19
Alfred, ME
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| Must cost an arm and a leg to power during extended outages, no? What sort of costs are you looking at for say, a 5-7 day power outage event?
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SwedishRiderRider on the StormPremium
join:2006-01-11
Connecticut
kudos:1 | said by swintec:Must cost an arm and a leg to power during extended outages, no? What sort of costs are you looking at for say, a 5-7 day power outage event?
Tough to know as load over time and total duration would play big factors in that cost..
But it would still be cheaper than gasoline... last propane fillup was $2.12/gal (not a typo ) And I have a 500 gallon tank (holds 400 gallons Max) so blocked roads or gasoline availability is not an issue for me. I could run that generator 24/7 and it would cost money... but certainly not break the bank. |
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 DominokatHiPremium
join:2002-08-06
Boothbay, ME
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I know a few people around here that have run a propane powered generator. No, it isn't as efficient as a gasoline or diesel powered one. However, it is cheaper and much quieter and cleaner running.
My road is a high priority line so outages don't last long. Most last 30-90 minutes. But the longest has been 12 hours.
My highest priority is heat.
I have a K1 "Monitor" heater to heat my house. I have put together a 12v heavy duty 550amp marine battery, together with a pure sine wave 1500 watt 120v inverter that will power my heater up to 4 days (maybe more) to keep my house heated. It will even power a couple lights.
Should power be lost for 3 hours I will fire up my small gas generator to power my refrigerator and freezer to keep my foods (cough BEER) safe. |
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SwedishRiderRider on the StormPremium
join:2006-01-11
Connecticut
kudos:1 | reply to swintec
I've been thinking about the cost issue and did some back of the envelope math. My generator is 13 hp, and at peak draw, it would need about 130,000 btu/hr of propane. It's unreasonable to assume peak draw consistently... and from my quick research, 50% load seems to be a reasonable assumption about demands placed on the unit.
So, if I'm running at 50% capacity, I'm consuming ~65,000 btu/hr.
65,000 btu/hr * 24 hrs. * 7 days = 10,920,000 btu's needed
There are ~91,500 btu in one gallon of propane... so...
10,920,000 btu / 91,500 btu/gal = ~119 gallons of propane
My cost of propane is currently $2.12/gal.
119 gallons * $2.12/gal = $252.28
So to run my generator at 50% capacity 24/7 for 7 days would cost approximately $252.... not bad at all considering what a freezer of food would cost to replace (and the ability to take a hot shower and stay warm!). And I have up to 400 gallons of fuel on site, ready at a moment's notice- no lines at the gas station, no downed trees to contend with... just plug and play . |
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SwedishRiderRider on the StormPremium
join:2006-01-11
Connecticut
kudos:1 | reply to Dominokat
said by Dominokat:No, it isn't as efficient as a gasoline or diesel powered one. However, it is cheaper and much quieter and cleaner running.
Hello Dominokat! I'm not sure what you mean about not as efficient... Propane yields fewer btu's per gallon than gasoline or oil, but the percentage of energy yielded from each gallon is typically higher than other fuels.
Just as an example... my oil fired furnace at the apartment I used to be at had an efficiency rating of about 83% (which is pretty typical of an oil setup). The other 17% was wasted through the chimney, heat losses, etc.
My current propane furnace has an efficiency rating of 95%... being so efficient I didn't need a chimney on my new house... PVC pipe vents the furnace out the side of my house.
And at my price for propane... it's far cheaper to use propane than oil. Propane is going for $2.12/gal, while home heating oil is in the $3.80+/gal range right now. Even correcting for btu differences.... propane trounces oil at my current available price. And I couldn't run all these cool toys like a propane generator if I used oil. |
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swintecPremium,VIP
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Alfred, ME
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Re: Backup Power System Idea Yea I agree you should be covered in most any storm type emergencies. If things really hit the fan and no propane truck is able to get to you after some days, obviously we are talking something pretty catastrophic, you may not care about the generator at that point.
I did remember reading here about someone had a neighbor with a propane set up and the propane truck was at his house every other day. Maybe he just had a small(er) tank than you.
Do your appliances run off of propane too?
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SwedishRiderRider on the StormPremium
join:2006-01-11
Connecticut
kudos:1 | Yes, I use propane for just about everything: furnace, tankless hot water heater, dryer, oven and range, BBQ grill, and portable generator. I have a small electric draw- largest being well pump. 6000 watts can power a good chunk of my house.
And you are right, if 400 gallons of propane isn't enough and a truck can't get to me, I probably have bigger problems than that generator. Having said that, it does make me feel much better with it in place!  |
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swintecPremium,VIP
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Alfred, ME
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| Having 400 gallons on hand though is best case scenario right? Since all of your appliances use it unless you lose power soon after fill up you could be at 200 gallons or less. Don't know how quick a propane truck will come to you especially during and shortly after a natural disaster or if street is closed....but maybe you never let it drop to that point.
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SwedishRiderRider on the StormPremium
join:2006-01-11
Connecticut
kudos:1 | Maximum capacity of a propane tank is 80% of rated volume. My tank holds 500 gallons underground (so Max capacity is 400 gallons), and I'm on automatic delivery, so it usually never gets below 250 gallons.
I could start and stop the genny to conserve fuel if need be too.. even 250 gallons should go a long way, especially in summer when furnace heat isn't needed. |
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