electric generators

[88beast]

what kind of electric generators for houses is there and are there any that will be a good ac gen? or will i need a dc converter?
anything will help and if you could explain the diferencce between an ac and dc genset taht would be great thanks tom

[F350Lariat]

All kinds of generators:

Standbypermanently installed with auto transfer ability) that are using propane or natural gas. Diesel are the most expensive. Gas standby units are harder to find. The bottom of the barrel standby is Generac (Home Depot) and air cooled. The more expensive units are water cooled (diesel). Cheapest unit is 7 Kw ($1899), 10 Kw unit ($2600) and include the auto transfer GENSET unit (also limited in the number of breakers).

Portable (gas or diesel, but most are gas): You can get a gas portable generator up to about 17 Kw but very expensive and comparable to the cheaper Generac standby units (about $3000). Portables over 10 Kw using have a 50 Amp plug vice 30 Amp plug.

Almost all gas portable generators under 10 Kw have 30 Amp (120/240 VAC) plugs to connect to your house. Thus, the unit can power a maximum of 7.2 KW (30 A x 240 Volts = 7.2 Kw), thus the extra power is money waster unless you also pull extension cords in addition to the main plug.

GENSET manual transfer switches are a complete waste of money and severely restrict your ability to manage loads. For a 30 Amp plug, I could not find anything bigger than 100 Amp with 12 circuit breakers (2 were 30 amp (240V) leaving 10 individual 120 V breakers).

I called the electrician who wired my new home. He installed a new cover panel with a Mechanical Interlock Transfer switch and 30 Amp generator plugged connected to my main panel (200 Amp). Now, I turn off the main 200 Amp breaker, move the slide cover up to lock the breaker in OFF, turn on the Mechanical Interlock Switch located in the panel and plug my 30 Amp cord to the box and generator. I can power any load in my house using the original load breakers in the panel. You can selectively turn on and off loads to manage to wattage so that you do not exceed 7.2 Kw.

The mechanical transfer switch option is also significantly cheaper to install. My local Costco is selling a 7 Kw Honda Power Boss portable for $999. I purchased a Troy-Bilt 8000 Kw portable for $1159.

[checkthisout]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The mechanical transfer switch option is also significantly cheaper to install. My local Costco is selling a 7 Kw Honda Power Boss portable for $999. I purchased a Troy-Bilt 8000 Kw portable for $1159.
</div></div>

Good advice.

Unless you lose power a lot, a built-in gen-set is hardly necessary and quite restrictive. The biggest advantage to one is they can run off of natural gas so when you do lose power, bang it fires up without you doing anything.


I would spend a bit more money and get a Honda or Yamaha as those Powerboss generators are crap.

[88beast]

well im planning to make a plan for my father hes int ofree power and he thinks there is a good way to power it off the water main or something similar maybe a creek and i wanted to know what would be best for plugging into the box then? i think i will go with a standby
and a 30-40 amp service is needed

other than look for honda or yamaha any good ones?

and can you tell me where to find the generator iteself not the frame and engine with it? im trying looking up part#s today but i googled and nothing

[NEG297F]

You can get just the generator motor from Northern tool or harbor freight

[88beast]

ok thanks ill stop out tomorrow to look

[OMCUSNR]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">well im planning to make a plan for my father hes int ofree power and he thinks there is a good way to power it off the water main or something similar maybe a creek and i wanted to know what would be best for plugging into the box then? </div></div>

If this is the case, you need to google "hydro power". You may also want to research "off grid" power solutions. You will need to get a water right from you state. Using a "water main" do you mean city water or the main from your well?

There is really no such thing as "free power". Its going to cost some money to generate it somehow. If your have a water source on your property that has about 50 to 60' of head, you might get a smallish system that would power a house. You'll most likely be generating DC, so you'll need storage (batteries) and a converter to get AC to power appliances, or change everything over to DC, much like a trailer.

If you are looking a generator that uses a fuel of some sort, take the fuel into account too. Each fuel has it's own benefits and drawbacks. One neat thing you might look into is a turbine co-gen if you're thinking of propane, natural gas or diesel/kerosene.

OMC

[shimonmor]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: F350Lariat</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I called the electrician who wired my new home. He installed a new cover panel with a Mechanical Interlock Transfer switch and 30 Amp generator plugged connected to my main panel (200 Amp). Now, I turn off the main 200 Amp breaker, move the slide cover up to lock the breaker in OFF, turn on the Mechanical Interlock Switch located in the panel and plug my 30 Amp cord to the box and generator. I can power any load in my house using the original load breakers in the panel. You can selectively turn on and off loads to manage to wattage so that you do not exceed 7.2 Kw. </div></div>

So how are you disconnecting the neutral from the power company grid? Turning off your main breaker only disconnects the two hot wires but not the neutral. Did your electrician have a permit and have the work inspected?

In essence, you are just backfeeding your panel from a generator and using the 200A main breaker as a disconnect. In most areas this is not to code. You need to sever all connections with the power company grid (all hots and neutrals). What can happen is that you have a short to ground, but your grounding system isn't up to snuff for some reason so the short travels back up the neutral searching for ground, goes through the transformer at your pole, gets upconverted to 10,000v (or whatever) and can kill a lineman working on the poles. Granted the breaker on your gen may trip before that happens since you may end up trying to feed your neighborhood...but it's still a safety issue.

If you are disconnecting the neutral then pardon my post...but I think it's important that people understand that when running a generator when the power is out and using the main breaker only to disconnect yourself from the power company grid...then that is not legal in most areas. Some people pull the meter which will disconnect the two hots and the neutral...but if you do that beware the wrath of the power company...best to call them first.

[F350Lariat]

Yes, the system was inspected by the county, and it does isolate the main grid from the generator and my house.

[CEMeyer]

Even if you pull the meter, the neutral is not disconnected, single phase or three phase. Even the single phase and three phase double pole/ double throw safety switches(transfer swithces) do not disconnect the neutral.

[shelbyandadiesel]

I have a Kubota 5500 watt. It is every bit as good as the Honda construction wise, as well as the noise level. It is VERY good.