Was it your choice or suggested by your contractor?

You guys might be able to "get away" without the strips in a Southern climate, but in a harsh winter climate it's a different ball game.
I'm not sure where "Outland" is, but the OP says he is in a place where the temperature can get below 20 degrees.

On all my units I've ever had the defrost cycle brings on at least one heat strip to prevent the inside air to be excessively cooled. I have 15 kw and 5 of it automatically comes on and if the thermostat drops it sequences the other 10 kw on to maintain the inside temperature. The unit will try to maintain the inside temperature regardless if the unit is in a defrost cycle.

You guys might be able to "get away" without the strips in a Southern climate, but in a harsh winter climate it's a different ball game.
I'm not sure where "Outland" is, but the OP says he is in a place where the temperature can get below 20 degrees.

Scott, the heat strips or combustion chamber are always before the a-coil here. I've never ever seen them after. Almost everyone has updraft furnaces in their basement.

I think I agree with this! ;)

I think you are confusing the auxiliary heat in the air handler with defrosting done in the compressor. The auxiliary heaters in discussion are for the air handler, not for the defrost mode of the compressor.

Actually it will work. The effect will be similar to having the AC blasting cold air in the winter for 3-4 minutes but if that's what the OP wants...
The coils inside end up at the temperature of the return regardless of the strips being on or off.

I'll try one more time:
No heat strips = no heatpump. They aren't optional. You can't just turn them off and tell your HP to just ignore the laws of physics until commercial power comes back on.
It's an integral part of the system.

IT will work with the heat strips off.

The heat strips are usually after the coils. In defrost mode, they keep from blowing cold air during defrost:

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You don't want them before the coils as it may cause a high head pressure.

Description and image from here: »www.geo4va.vt.edu/A3/A3.htm

That's because your heat strips are working!!!!!! Some HVAC guy please help me out here. I don't know how else to explain this any clearer.
I'll try one more time:
No heat strips = no heatpump. They aren't optional. You can't just turn them off and tell your HP to just ignore the laws of physics until commercial power comes back on.
It's an integral part of the system.

I agree with you about the tankless/coil - and am very thankful for my basic, does-not-need-electricity water heater which burns cheap natural gas.

I found this website that offers an assortment of hydrocoils:

»www.altheatsupply.com/shop-by-ne···ers.html

I wonder if a tankless water heater would be able to supply sufficient heat. My Brother In Law used a quick recovery storage type water heater with a 75,000 BTU burner like this one:

»www.lowes.com/pd_89263-135-G2F75···cetInfo=

It heated a home office in his attic and provided hot water to a collocated bathroom. His costs were different because he used natural gas for heat.

I wonder if a tankless water heater would be able to supply sufficient heat.

I shall see what happens and report back. If eating of crow is necessary, then I shall dine upon it, while investigating a propane furnace. :)

The likelihood the strips will be used for any length of time is near zero.

T
Up until now, things have been hunky-dory. It's 20 degrees outside. The generator has been running about 40 minutes. You're snuggled up with the wifey sipping brandy and laughing at the neighbors - then suddenly the generator bogs down and the lights start to flicker...

This is the point where you got screwed by your electrician: You have to anticipate the compressor AND the heat strips running simultaneously.

Pandora, I was not able to find a comment in this thread regarding how various heat pumps operate while in the defrost mode. In my case when each heat pump goes into the defrost mode the compressor and heat strip operate together. My condensers and air handler fans draws a total of 41 and 45 Amps respectively at 240 Volts when in the defrost mode. The heat strip in each system is rated at 4.8 KW or 20 Amps at 240 Volts. A generator powering my 30,000 BTU heat pump in the defrost mode would have to supply 41 Amps or 9840 Watts and my 42,000 heat pump 45 Amps or 10,800 Watts. That total requirement would exceed the capacity of a 20,000 Watt generator which is why a load management system is required to use a 20,000 generator in my home. That is probably why one Generac dealer recommended a 36Kw generator for my home if I stayed all electric.

I agree with nunya that if you can use propane rather than electric heat strips for back up heat you can use a smaller generator and in my opinion your system will probably provide better quality heat. The key facts that one has to review is the total capital investment in you appliances for an all electric solution and the total capital investment for a propane/electric solution, along with the yearly operating cost and how long you plan to remain in this house. If the difference in cost is significant, I would also consider the convenience factor for the two different systems, to determine if the more expensive solution is better.

I have 2 heat pumps. One has heat strips for Emergency or Aux. heat. The other has a NG furnace. The HP works as a HP until the outside temps drops into the 40's, then the Emer/Aux. heats kicks in. But I rarely use the electric heat strips as the NG furnace in the basement puts out enough heat to keep the whole house warm.

As for the cost of the flue, the new efficient models use Schedule 40 PVC with a blower. Not much expense at all.

Plus, and I am sure I will get arguments here, but propane and gas heat feel warmer than electric. Maybe it is because it is more humid heat and feels warmer, I don't know. But it does to me.

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The operational limits of air source heatpumps tend to be greatly exaggerated (especially by their fanboi's on this site).

Heat pumps heat AND cool a home. Propane furnaces, not so hot for cooling. The use of the 2 heat pumps is about 5-6 KW, not certain what the air handlers use, but likely less than another 1-2KW.

An entirely separate propane heating system, for times when the power would be off, really isn't cost effective. The BTU output of each unit is 47,000 BTU/hour, around 90,000 BTU.

The cost of a flue, propane furnace, hookup to 2 air handlers,

Consider that the oil change interval on the GE/Briggs and Stratton is 100 Hours or One Year while the oil change interval on the Generac is 200 Hours or Two Years. ..... while the Generac would require an oil change every Eight Days.

Otherwise be prepared to pay megabucks to install your own tank.

Your main breaker can trip if the loading on the legs of your 120 Volt circuits are severely unbalanced even if the total load does not exceed 200 Amps. If one leg is carrying over 200 Amps breaker trips. Check with clamp on amp meter. If you add a generator be aware that most generators cannot accept an unbalance of greater than 50% between each 120 Volt Leg.

i think the whole point harry's making is it will take 3 times the propane to make electricity to convert back to heat .. than to just use propane to heat .. so the propane will last longer

I believe that the point that was being made is that it takes far less generator to power the propane furnace than it does to power electric strips. :o