Sawyer Rob
Super Member
NICE generator!
SR
SR
Backup Generator
- Thread starter downsizingnow48
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Industrial Toys
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2008
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- 17,407
- Location
- Ontario Canada
- Tractor
- Kubota R510 Wheel Loader + Cab and backhoe, JD 6200 Open Station, Cushman 6150, 4x4, ten foot 56 hp Kubota diesel hydraulic wing mower, Steiner 430 Diesel Max, Kawasaki Diesel Mule, JD 4x2 Electric Gator
Very NICE! Are you expected to share that with all the homeless?
RoyKing
Platinum Member
How about the Perkins 404d-22T Diesel Engine turbo 4 cyl , ordering a 30k Gen with mecc alte dedicated single phase Alt and a deep sea 7410 controller in level 2 aluminum cabinet with 42 gallon skid rail tank.
PILOON
Super Star Member
Gee when it comes to power outages, what is important?
Your creature comforts? or saving your investments, like a freezer full of food.
In most cases (with management) you can get along quite well with a 6-9 KW genset.
Forget air conditioning, think well pumps, sump pumps and septic systems.
Properly wired up a 6 KW (aka Cosko genset) should suffice your needs.
OK, in my case I have the septics and the well pump wired as primary. Then in the kitchen my fridge and my freezer.
After that one circuit has important living area circuits that by chance includes the TV and satellite receiver so I can relax and watch favorite programs.
For food the kitchen circuits can alternate between the toaster oven or the microwave and eat hot food. (includes the coffee maker.)
If its cold then I toss wood into my fireplace or woodstove.
I think it is called 'survivor mode'. OK, not all creature comforts but liveable, and generally that is not for long.
One cold winter with power down and genset running 'til bed time I simply slept with an additional blanket and woke up next AM with power restored and nothing worst for wear or tear. (ok my PJ's were kinda in need of replacement). The night was really cold, like 0 F but I did not perish.
It is called 'survival mode' , don't demand all creature comforts!
Your creature comforts? or saving your investments, like a freezer full of food.
In most cases (with management) you can get along quite well with a 6-9 KW genset.
Forget air conditioning, think well pumps, sump pumps and septic systems.
Properly wired up a 6 KW (aka Cosko genset) should suffice your needs.
OK, in my case I have the septics and the well pump wired as primary. Then in the kitchen my fridge and my freezer.
After that one circuit has important living area circuits that by chance includes the TV and satellite receiver so I can relax and watch favorite programs.
For food the kitchen circuits can alternate between the toaster oven or the microwave and eat hot food. (includes the coffee maker.)
If its cold then I toss wood into my fireplace or woodstove.
I think it is called 'survivor mode'. OK, not all creature comforts but liveable, and generally that is not for long.
One cold winter with power down and genset running 'til bed time I simply slept with an additional blanket and woke up next AM with power restored and nothing worst for wear or tear. (ok my PJ's were kinda in need of replacement). The night was really cold, like 0 F but I did not perish.
It is called 'survival mode' , don't demand all creature comforts!
Industrial Toys
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2008
- Messages
- 17,407
- Location
- Ontario Canada
- Tractor
- Kubota R510 Wheel Loader + Cab and backhoe, JD 6200 Open Station, Cushman 6150, 4x4, ten foot 56 hp Kubota diesel hydraulic wing mower, Steiner 430 Diesel Max, Kawasaki Diesel Mule, JD 4x2 Electric Gator
To me, the most important thing is that you can stay put. Not run into town with jerry cans in hand. Next is keeping basics running. No welding, compressed air or clothes dryer. Light everywhere you have light fixtures. NOT being in the dark is a huge plus. It's extremely annoying to walk into rooms and flick a non operational light switch.
OP
downsizingnow48
Elite Member
I got by with the 3500w Craftsman for 12 years and lots of outages. I know how to do "get by". This will allow me to keep the house and the shop and the well pump going, not everything, but all the essential loads. With much less generator management.
The exhaust was packaged separately, it sticks straight up and would make for a larger (cu ft) package as well as subject to damage.
I have used 10kw construction generators in the past, I do not recall the generator part being anything near this size. The data plate says it is rated at 10.5kw.
The exhaust was packaged separately, it sticks straight up and would make for a larger (cu ft) package as well as subject to damage.
I have used 10kw construction generators in the past, I do not recall the generator part being anything near this size. The data plate says it is rated at 10.5kw.
PILOON
Super Star Member
OK, we agree, when power flickers out come the LED lights. (I have them always at hand) and next fire up the genset.
My Cosco set has the battery on a tender so it is always ready to go.
So far I have lived probably more than a dozen of outages in the last 2 years with the worst being 5 days.
It is the price of being 50 miles north of a major metropolitan ares that they simply don't care for.
(don't ask about the internet or phone service) but for n=me it is paradise.
shooterdon
Super Member
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2012
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- 5,380
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- 2019 LS XR4140 HST Cab; 2025 Moto UForce 1000; 2021 Bad Boy 54" ZT Elite
Just had a 16kw Generac quoted today. $8200. I do not need 16kw but code requires it.
The bad news it takes 2 gal/hr of propane. $75/day.
The bad news it takes 2 gal/hr of propane. $75/day.
Chilliwack Murray
Gold Member
Sorry, I don’t have any experience with high hour Perkins but they’ve traditionally been a solid little engine powering lots of old fishing boats and small equipment.
Again though, any industrial engine like the Perkins, Yanmars, Kubotas etc will have a design life that far exceeds what you could ever put on a home standby - all will be at least 15-20k hours vs 1000-3000 for consumer engines and 8k-10k for automotive engines. Most people would be hard pressed to put 1000 hours on a home standby unit in a lifetime and even few emergency generators see more that 500 hours in 30 years of service.
One difference with industrial engines however is that there will be a maintenance schedule that will require valve adjustments. Consumer and automotive engines usually sacrifice long term longevity for little or no adjustment needs in the short term.
OP
downsizingnow48
Elite Member
On shipping, the actual cost was $521. That is pretty darn reasonable considering the per-package cost of much smaller items. If I had it shipped out to our place on the north coast, 5 hours from Sacramento, ending up on a dirt access road, I am sure it would have been lots more. I have a place in Sacramento and go back and forth anyway, so no big deal to pick it up at the freight terminal and do the last leg myself.
Industrial Toys
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2008
- Messages
- 17,407
- Location
- Ontario Canada
- Tractor
- Kubota R510 Wheel Loader + Cab and backhoe, JD 6200 Open Station, Cushman 6150, 4x4, ten foot 56 hp Kubota diesel hydraulic wing mower, Steiner 430 Diesel Max, Kawasaki Diesel Mule, JD 4x2 Electric Gator
To me, it's about some degree of self sufficiency. Not so much one generator, over another. To have resources on hand to help oneself and not be like all the other unprepared people relying on someone else. Short of a medical emergency, I could stay put for weeks. And then only need outside things for wants, such as milk, and still not anything critical.
Sawyer Rob
Super Member
In the winter, only thing I REALLY need to power is, fans on my wood stove and my sump pump, so a small Honda inverter genset works well for me. In the summer the Honda would run the fridge, sump pump and the freezers part time...
It doesn't burn much gas, so I don't have to store a lot of gas.
SR
It doesn't burn much gas, so I don't have to store a lot of gas.
SR
LittleBill21
Elite Member
man, i would need to run that unit before i even built the house for it. i couldn't take 3 weeks etc just seeing it not run. i don't even need the unit, but i still want it.
i do find it interesting why the key start module box is so large though, curious whats in there
i do find it interesting why the key start module box is so large though, curious whats in there
grsthegreat
Super Star Member
you could always get a smaller unit with a 12/16 circuit switch. it would still be automatic but would only power up part of house. I have my whole house on my gen, and i dont care what it costs to run because i love my comfort. Then again, i do manually shut it down during the day if im out and about while power is out, or when i head off to bed.
RoyKing
Platinum Member
To me the diesel set with no China parts, 55 gal drums keeps me away from the crowds while I eat my way through the pantry and freezer. With Sat tv & internet who needs the grid
Toyboy
Platinum Member
Fuel usage on generators is normally listed at full load. In all the time I've had mine I don't think it's ever hit full load or even close.
Lights are always overstated. When you go into a room at night you'll turn turn on, but when you leave you normally turn them off....unless you have guests that don't do that. Some people are like that, aka. our married kids.
We have a 4000 sq ft home with a 1800sq ft walk out lower level that is fully finished with full bathroom, two bedrooms and a complete kitchen, rec. area and tv area not unlike the upstairs. When kids come to visit that is their space. But it also has 21 65w can lights in ceiling. They turn them all on and leave them on. Lots of heat generated in the summer not to mention that 65x21=1365w. I changed all of those out with LED's that use 9w = 189w. We don't pay any attention to what they leave on anymore. I've also replaced 95% of lights in the house with LED's where it made sense. Some lights get rarely used so it made no sense to replace.
Lot's of ways to conserve home energy costs but the main user's will be constant...well, freezer/refrigerator's heat, sump & septic pump if you have them and AC. I'm lucky enough to have the full array.. LOL
Lights are always overstated. When you go into a room at night you'll turn turn on, but when you leave you normally turn them off....unless you have guests that don't do that. Some people are like that, aka. our married kids.
We have a 4000 sq ft home with a 1800sq ft walk out lower level that is fully finished with full bathroom, two bedrooms and a complete kitchen, rec. area and tv area not unlike the upstairs. When kids come to visit that is their space. But it also has 21 65w can lights in ceiling. They turn them all on and leave them on. Lots of heat generated in the summer not to mention that 65x21=1365w. I changed all of those out with LED's that use 9w = 189w. We don't pay any attention to what they leave on anymore. I've also replaced 95% of lights in the house with LED's where it made sense. Some lights get rarely used so it made no sense to replace.
Lot's of ways to conserve home energy costs but the main user's will be constant...well, freezer/refrigerator's heat, sump & septic pump if you have them and AC. I'm lucky enough to have the full array.. LOL
Industrial Toys
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2008
- Messages
- 17,407
- Location
- Ontario Canada
- Tractor
- Kubota R510 Wheel Loader + Cab and backhoe, JD 6200 Open Station, Cushman 6150, 4x4, ten foot 56 hp Kubota diesel hydraulic wing mower, Steiner 430 Diesel Max, Kawasaki Diesel Mule, JD 4x2 Electric Gator
BIG enclosures with a few wires are a joy to work on. Nothing like needing the heel of your boot to shove a million wires back into a cigarette size box, and the cover held on with two, 2mm screws.
Good chance that in a large scale outage the Internet will go down. SAT TV should be good to go. And SAT Internet for that matter.
Good chance that in a large scale outage the Internet will go down. SAT TV should be good to go. And SAT Internet for that matter.
I wonder too, the photo on their web site shows that stuff in the box below it..
Kubota 9,875 Watt Diesel Generator
OP
