Your last generator Maintenance Run

[Oldbinder]

I just installed a whole house standby LP generator last summer. I had been using a portable generator for over 15 years and decided to replace because I got tired of trying to going out and pulling the starter handle. My very first run of the new generator happened in late fall and the generator ran for 47 hours straight……was SO happy that I had installed it. For the 47 of run I calculated that I used approximately 30 gallons of LP gas, well worth it in my opinio.

 

[number two]

That seems like very reasonable fuel consumption.
Less than I would have expected!

 

[90cummins]

Has anyone else calculated their fuel consumption thru testing or actual usage?!
If you could state the size of your generator, approximate load if possible & fuel used.
Gasoline propane or diesel.
Could get some good data for emergency planning.
90cummins

 

[grsthegreat]

Depends on load. If your just running lights and a freezer or 2 i burn about 1.35 GPH ON my 22 kw using a flow meter. But can jump to 3 GPH if i run ac units or heated water troughs anf gutter heat, hot tub running.

 

[Oldbinder]

That seems like very reasonable fuel consumption.
Less than I would have expected!

I installed a Generac 7kw generator. I have 200mp service and SOP generator installation would to size the generator to the 200 amp service. This would be a in the range of a 12 kw generator.
i knew from experience because it is my house that I would not need this large of a generator because i have used a 6kw portable generator for close to 15 years with no issues of the generator handling the load of the house. So I bought a 7kw generator. It is unusal to have 7kw generator connected to a 200 service. The fuel usage of the smaller generator was one of the major reasons that I went with the 7 kw generator. 1/2 load LP gas consumption is only .87 gal/hr. And I know that house will vary rarely run at 1/2 load. Hence this why my LP gas usage was so low over the 47 hr run.
it is best to ask for a 1 month load test/ recording of you house usage before you decide what size generator you buy.

 

[ultrarunner]

I’ve seen buyers remorse when a homeowner gets the fuel cost after buying a generator large enough to run everything without thought.

5 to 8 kW covers a lot of essentials in mild climates.

 

[LouNY]

I find that my fuel usage on the pto generator varies just slightly with the tractor being used, as well as the loading. But usually if I figure on 3/4 gallon per hour I'm close with either my IH 574 or the Branson 8050 (540E). The best fuel economy was on a IH 7220 using the 1000 to 540 adapter at half throttle the 8.3 liter motor just loafed along with no issues on about a half gallon of fuel per hour, with good stability. My Branson has no problem with the 540E runs it very smoothly. I tried the IH 574 on the 1000 with the adapter but that older engine and governor didn't handle it very well it was almost acceptable but not quite.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Had the power out for a few hours yesterday. I wanted lunch, so I pulled out the Predator 3500W inverter. Like magic. Very quiet. Very fuel efficient.

 

[3930dave]

90 - that Radwell (a manuf I'm not familiar with) box may cover what you need for that freezer application, if the capacity matches load. Looked like worst case during a brownout, they'd reconnect every 10 minutes. Seller was not an authorized distributor..... sometimes buying that way works out, sometime not.... easier to be successful buying from that channel, if it's a product you already know well.....

I pinged a wizard I've known for decades in the real-world about your situation, I'll post his comments next.

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

My sons fil lives in NY and they have numerous short outages & light flickering. He has comerical
Freezers & has lost compressors at 3k each.
Aside from a large battery backup is there a solution that could shut them down when voltage drops and restart them within a set time frame providing power quality is restored??

90cummins

My friend's comments put a bit more detail around CM's summary (grid distribution gear can do it, but it's not inexpensive), then he free-flows into some other scenarios. If those freezers are already set up for remote Temperature monitoring, then the Mag Switch option would likely be the lowest cost - but requiring somebody to sign-up for manual Reset.

Thanks to my friend GC, for these comments:

"We used quality monitors for life test monitoring, but none had integral logic control. Could take output logs via Ethernet port and process in SW (EXCEL? ) and use formula to control an output card, or network-connected relay. Complex, costly I suspect..

The off-the-shelf solution to prevent damage is a magnetic starter switch.... but does not restart when power returns. Will prevent cycling of a compressor as power cycles on/off, but once power is restored, manual intervention is needed to restart.

Next level off-the shelf solution is a PLC programmed with the simple logic needed. Sadly, as those are universal controllers, need also an analog input card (V-Monitor), and bus-controlled relay. Also costly, but not very complex.

Best home brew solution - that I have not played with - would be to use Google Assistant (or other of the home automation systems). Don't know what sensors are available, but would be cost-effective. Likely worth playing with. Power control would be easy...Many Google-controlled outlets around. Need: some device that would capture line interruption, could be as simple as detecting a lost connection to a networked controlled plug ??? perhaps???? or ????. Then if any of the IF-THEN options in Google assistant would suffice to perform the restart a fixed time later. Cheap to try, possibly even fun."

Re-posting those comments had me thinking...... 90 - if it hasn't been done already, perhaps a detailed chat with Engineering at the local Utility is worthwhile. If that site is in an Industrial Park, or even not, they may need to be looking closer at local distribution issues, and may start with PQA monitoring of their own.

Rgds, D.