eepete
Platinum Member
The repeating idea here is that you need to identify what you want to run, and then measure how much current it needs. Otherwise you're guessing and that could be an expensive guess. Your budget will then determine what you do. Whole house automatic and do whatever you want is the most expensive. A 3KW gas generator is cheaper but to use it you'll run to the breaker box and flip on what you are going to use next. This is the cheapest.
I run propane because there are no fuel storage problems. I also have gas logs and the grill on the deck running off the tank. I don't miss filling up those grill bottles at all. This one took me a while to figure out (probably because some years I'm a little slow): No one could give a fuel consumption estimate. To estimate your fuel consumption, think about what a vehicle with an equivalent sized engine would burn going down the road at 55 miles per hour. My generator is an in line 6 cylinder Ford with 4.9 liters (300 cubic inch) displacement. Gallons of gas and gallons of propane will roughly be the same. So I draw a minimum of 1 gallon an hour at idle to a maximum of 4 gallons per hour at full power, and average 2 gallons an hour. That 2 gallons per hour is the going down the road estimate. Like Ken, I put in a 1000 gallon propane tank (so it holds 800 gallons max). So I am good to go for about 8 days if the tank is half full. In this area, if you're not using propane for heat (i.e. don't have monthly deliveries) you have to buy the tank. Only up side is then you can call anyone to fill it. Also remember that you don't need enough capacity/fuel storage to last until the power comes back, you just need enough to last until more fuel can come down the driveway. This is true for everything from 2KW on up.
Finally (yes, I drone on) on RonMar's comment about oversize, you need to hit it close to right. I turned on everything in the house and drew about 175 amps, giving me a 10 amp margin. Actual use saw the load varying from 10 to 90 amps, with the very rare peak when the 10KW resistive electric heater kicked in (that adds 40 amps). I suspect that part of that is when you're in the middle of a power failure, you don't cook a huge feast, do the laundry, do the dishes etc. But you will have moments when the hot water heater, well pump, stove, microwave, heat pump, and dryer are running at once. There is also the factor of if the other occupants of the house will be able to change their energy use patterns when on the generator. After the lights are on for a few hours, some might forget and just assume that the powers on, do what you want.
It all comes back to what do you need to run, and how much power (how many amps) does it take. RonMar and Ken speak the truth, they just use less words than I do.
I run propane because there are no fuel storage problems. I also have gas logs and the grill on the deck running off the tank. I don't miss filling up those grill bottles at all. This one took me a while to figure out (probably because some years I'm a little slow): No one could give a fuel consumption estimate. To estimate your fuel consumption, think about what a vehicle with an equivalent sized engine would burn going down the road at 55 miles per hour. My generator is an in line 6 cylinder Ford with 4.9 liters (300 cubic inch) displacement. Gallons of gas and gallons of propane will roughly be the same. So I draw a minimum of 1 gallon an hour at idle to a maximum of 4 gallons per hour at full power, and average 2 gallons an hour. That 2 gallons per hour is the going down the road estimate. Like Ken, I put in a 1000 gallon propane tank (so it holds 800 gallons max). So I am good to go for about 8 days if the tank is half full. In this area, if you're not using propane for heat (i.e. don't have monthly deliveries) you have to buy the tank. Only up side is then you can call anyone to fill it. Also remember that you don't need enough capacity/fuel storage to last until the power comes back, you just need enough to last until more fuel can come down the driveway. This is true for everything from 2KW on up.
Finally (yes, I drone on) on RonMar's comment about oversize, you need to hit it close to right. I turned on everything in the house and drew about 175 amps, giving me a 10 amp margin. Actual use saw the load varying from 10 to 90 amps, with the very rare peak when the 10KW resistive electric heater kicked in (that adds 40 amps). I suspect that part of that is when you're in the middle of a power failure, you don't cook a huge feast, do the laundry, do the dishes etc. But you will have moments when the hot water heater, well pump, stove, microwave, heat pump, and dryer are running at once. There is also the factor of if the other occupants of the house will be able to change their energy use patterns when on the generator. After the lights are on for a few hours, some might forget and just assume that the powers on, do what you want.
It all comes back to what do you need to run, and how much power (how many amps) does it take. RonMar and Ken speak the truth, they just use less words than I do.
Last edited:
