|
|
11-03-2012, 06:12 PM
|
#1
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 799
|
Which house generator???
Anyone out there as any experience with house generators, I'm thinking about installing a natural gas generator at my house since we just got hit with the storm and we had a power outage, I have two brands in mind generac or kohler, anyone out there as had any experience with any of these? Thanks Joe
|
|
|
|
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
11-03-2012, 06:17 PM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 4,654
|
They run clean, but the gas gets shut off in disasters.
Go diesel, use red untaxed fuel, more power in fuel
__________________
Tony & Lori
1989 Country Coach Savannah SE
|
|
|
11-03-2012, 06:31 PM
|
#3
|
Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: SoCal
Posts: 15,749
|
Craigslist 5500 watt wheeled portable generator here - $300 + installing electrical inlet and main breaker lockout on our electric panel - I keep a few 5 gallon cans of gas onhand, plus the dual gas tanks in our pickup truck to be siphoned if needed.
Worked great in a ~two day power outage last year.
__________________
Vince and Susan
2011 Tiffin Phaeton 40QTH (Cummins ISC/Freightliner)
Flat towing a modified 2005 Jeep (Rubicon Wrangler)
Previously a 2002 Fleetwood Pace Arrow 37A and a 1995 Safari Trek 2830.
|
|
|
11-03-2012, 06:33 PM
|
#4
|
Senior Member
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Florida Keys
Posts: 2,687
|
We are in NJ with no line power since Monday night. Ten seconds after the power went out, my Kohler 20kw generator automatically kicked in and has been running nonstop for 5 days now.
Ours runs on propane and our supplier comes 2x a week to keep us filled up.
You do not want to deal with gas or diesel. The lines are 4 hours long at the station. You will find yourself like some of my neighbors who have to shut down their genset to save gas.
In my house, the Kohler powers EVERYTHING!
__________________
Tom and Katharine
'07 Winnebago Tour 40TD, 400hp Cummins
'17 Winnebago View 24V, '02 R-Vision B+
RVing for 20 years & 200,000+ miles
|
|
|
11-03-2012, 06:39 PM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Damon Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 24,024
|
We used Natural Gas powered generator at my Job site, it is a vital "communications Hub" and if it goes down (Which it did one evening) about 1/4 of the state of Michigan looses police communications, some fire and EMS as well... Thankfully I was able to put it back on line (long story, not a power fail). But I will admit I did it by holding a phone in one hand and a circuit board in the other and doing EXACTLY what the voice on the other end told me to do.
Great cheer was heard when the light turned green on our status board.
So, consider, does the gas get shut off when "Stuff" happens in your neighborhood? That is the first question. IF it does then Diesel or Propane are your choices. The prior office had diesel, contaminated diesel, They were able to get it up and runnign but .. Well, two techniicans and a 5 gallon bucket and pouring clean fuel into it from more cans was what it took.
Now, as to which is better, Genrac or Kohler.. It's the old six half dozen thing, The one at the last office was a Genrac, Big Block chevy V8, Natural gas power, Genrac Tranny (I know, I looked at it) Not sure what they had at the older offices. (Frankly not my job to worry about those) I would say both are quality brands, Kind of a Ford/chevy thing. I would not snub my nose at either one.
Just remember to exercise it per the owner's manual
__________________
Home is where I park it!
|
|
|
11-03-2012, 06:42 PM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Avon Lake, Oh
Posts: 2,958
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by RVThere
We are in NJ with no line power since Monday night. Ten seconds after the power went out, my Kohler 20kw generator automatically kicked in and has been running nonstop for 5 days now.
Ours runs on propane and our supplier comes 2x a week to keep us filled up.
You do not want to deal with gas or diesel. The lines are 4 hours long at the station. You will find yourself like some of my neighbors who have to shut down their genset to save gas.
In my house, the Kohler powers EVERYTHING!
|
The natural gas or propane is the way to go. You never have to go anywhere for fuel, and you don't have to worry about bad fuel in the carb because it sat too long. I know gasoline or diesel has more power, but for the amount of usage, way less problems with the NG or propane.
__________________
2000 HOLIDAY RAMBLER ENDEAVOR
40 FT--330HP CAT
2 SLIDES-TOAD 2012 focus
Fulltime-Home is where we park it.
|
|
|
11-03-2012, 06:45 PM
|
#7
|
Administrator in Memoriam
Newmar Owners Club Retired Fire Service RVer's Spartan Chassis
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Newark, DE
Posts: 25,898
|
I'm considering natural gas also.
I think concerns about the gas being shut off depends on where your neighborhood is.
My only concern is extended power outages.
I prefer Kohler, but I see only Generacs in use.
__________________
Adios, Dirk - '84 Real Lite Truck Camper, '86 Wilderness Cimarron TT, previously 4 years as a fulltimer in a '07 DSDP
|
|
|
11-03-2012, 07:13 PM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Mid Atlantic Campers Forest River Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Mechanicsburg, PA
Posts: 541
|
We have a 17kw Generac connected to natural gas.
__________________
Earl
2013 Berkshire 390BH 360
My Albums
|
|
|
11-03-2012, 07:18 PM
|
#9
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: In a lawnchair
Posts: 11,993
|
After Hurricane Ike in 2008, we spent two weeks without power in the Texas heat, humidity and mosquitoes. Shortly after the power came on, we started shopping for a whole-house generator but never followed through with the purchase. Last year we bought an RV, and now we don't worry about it. If a storm heads our way, we'll grab the dog and head outta here till the power's back on.
__________________
|
|
|
11-03-2012, 07:32 PM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: ALABAMA
Posts: 582
|
papaw.1
I HAVE HAD A 15kw GENERAC WITH A 990CC HONDA ENGINE FOR ABOUT 8YRS.IT RUNS EVERYTHING IN THE HOUSE AND IT HAS COME IN HANDY NUMEROUS TIMES.I HAVE IT ON PROPANE.I JUST DO REGULAR MAINT.AND IT EXCERISES IT SELF ONCE A WEEK AND IT HAS NEVER FAILED.I GOT IT AT HOME DEPOT AFTER INSTALL I BELEIVE IT WAS ABOUT 4500.00.GOOD LUCK!!! AND I HOPE THIS HELPS
|
|
|
11-03-2012, 07:32 PM
|
#11
|
Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Quebec, Canada
Posts: 168
|
If I had such a large generator, 10,15 or 20 kw it would be diesel, and I would also have a permanent 200 gallon fuel tank connected to it. I presume a large generator is quite expensive and adding a large fuel tank would be a minimal additional cost.
__________________
Monaco Diplomat
|
|
|
11-03-2012, 07:40 PM
|
#12
|
Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Angola State Prison - Murder
Posts: 4,230
|
No experience with either one except I have a Generac in my RV. I do have a 5500w generator for the house. When I built the house, I had the electrican wire it for a portable gennerator. I plug it in and throw a switch to isolate the generator from the power co. A legal requirement. Living in the boonies of northern Michigan, the powet goes out often. The $400 genny I bought has served us very well over the last 7 years. We have a 220v well, 2 fridges, a freezer. We run the furnance watch TV, use the internet all without problems. It is a bit less convienient than a $5000 auto start system, buy I always have 10 mins to do it manually.
__________________
John & Clare Lyon
2007 43.5' Monaco Dynasty Palace III (All Electric)
Towd: 2011 Chevy Equinox
|
|
|
11-03-2012, 07:50 PM
|
#13
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Okanagan valley British Columbia
Posts: 707
|
Unfortunately, we will never cover all the bases. NG is for the most part reliable, never have to worry about running out of fuel or the truck showing up to refill. However, after such extreme events as Katrina and Sandy, no fuel system is fool proof.
The most important part regarding a stand by system purchase is finding a knowledgeable, reliable dealer and installer. Too many of them are sold on line or in box stores but they are not plug and play. Most dealers do not do the install, this requires a licensed electrician and gas fitter who are familiar with them. I work for a wholesale distributor and in the past for a retail dealer, we are constantly dealing with incompetence.
|
|
|
11-03-2012, 08:04 PM
|
#14
|
Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Avon Lake, Oh
Posts: 2,958
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by SarahW
After Hurricane Ike in 2008, we spent two weeks without power in the Texas heat, humidity and mosquitoes. Shortly after the power came on, we started shopping for a whole-house generator but never followed through with the purchase. Last year we bought an RV, and now we don't worry about it. If a storm heads our way, we'll grab the dog and head outta here till the power's back on.
|
There ya go! Perfect solution, and you will get more use and fun than a house generator
__________________
2000 HOLIDAY RAMBLER ENDEAVOR
40 FT--330HP CAT
2 SLIDES-TOAD 2012 focus
Fulltime-Home is where we park it.
|
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|