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OT: Portable Generators

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yesrutgers01

Heisman
Nov 9, 2008
122,429
38,177
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You guys were great in my search for a snow blower...
Now, I need to also get a portable generator. Looking at duel fuel, electric start 7500kw or better.
thinking about a Champion. Was thinking elec start as the recoil doesn’t seem to be always reliable or convenient.
Any recommendations under $1200

also- can duel fuel be connected direct to a gas line or propanetank only
 
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tom1944

All-American
Feb 22, 2008
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I went for a whole house because with a portable if I was not home my wife would have had to deal with a portable which meant getting it fueled up if it ran for any length plus hooking it up if I was away.

I was told that with a portable it is best to get a relay switch which adds to the cost
 
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koleszar

Heisman
Jan 1, 2010
37,420
58,846
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tom1944 said:
I went for a whole house because with a portable if I was not home my wife would have had to deal with a portable which meant getting it fueled up if it ran for any length plus hooking it up if I was away.

I was told that with a portable it is best to get a relay switch which adds to the cost
Click to expand...
I know you're in Jackson, we're in Howell, if you don't mind how much was your installation, what brand?

We don't lose power a lot, but when we do we lose everything, as we're on well and septic. With watering the animals a potential storm takes some prep work. Right now it's not a problem, but we're trying to prep the farm for retirement down the road and this is eventually one of the items on the bucket list.
 
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yesrutgers01

Heisman
Nov 9, 2008
122,429
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We ended up buying the Champion 7500 Duel Fuel electric start. Renting our house for now but have lost power for 5 days and again for 8 hours just this month. Not going to worry about hooking up to a rental house but will do it when we purchase in about a year. The propain option is nice as we may not always be ready with full gas cans, I do have 3 tanks pretty much always filled for BBQ purposes so in a late night emergency- would not have to paniic.
Right around 1100 all in.
 
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Jtung230

Heisman
Jun 30, 2005
19,226
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koleszar said:
I know you're in Jackson, we're in Howell, if you don't mind how much was your installation, what brand?

We don't lose power a lot, but when we do we lose everything, as we're on well and septic. With watering the animals a potential storm takes some prep work. Right now it's not a problem, but we're trying to prep the farm for retirement down the road and this is eventually one of the items on the bucket list.
Click to expand...
I just got a quote for a Generac Model 7042 – 22kW for 11.5k. I also need a new gas line which will be an additional 6-7k. Unfortunately or fortunately depending how you view it, the town won’t let me open the newly paved road to put in the gas line.
 
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RUBlueLot

Junior
Dec 4, 2002
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Whole house generators with installation can be cost prohibitive for a lot of people.

Manual Transfer Switch just had installed and had my tailgate Honda EU2000.

I always recommend quiet generators but know that can be expensive (look at predator which I heard are okay quality and quiet and inexpensive).

If I was to do it over again I would upgrade
My entire panel box which comes with plug-in generator - a couple of companies makes this and then you don’t have to compromise with a 6-8-10 manual transfer switch.

Go to YouTube to research
 
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yesrutgers01

Heisman
Nov 9, 2008
122,429
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jtung230 said:
I just got a quote for a Generac Model 7042 – 22kW for 11.5k. I also need a new gas line which will be an additional 6-7k. Unfortunately or fortunately depending how you view it, the town won’t let me open the newly paved road to put in the gas line.
Click to expand...
We had the Honeywell 22KW that cost us about the same at our other house. Went with HW because of the App control they had vs Generac...Of course, everything else was exactly the same.
Loved it but may had had only 2 outages of 2 hours or less in the 8 years we owned it. But, it was a must have when selling our house.
Depending on our next move- we may just sell off the newly purchased Champion and do the whole house again but needed something very reliable for now and needed electric start just in case I may not be home and it is only the wife home.
 
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tom1944

All-American
Feb 22, 2008
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koleszar said:
I know you're in Jackson, we're in Howell, if you don't mind how much was your installation, what brand?

We don't lose power a lot, but when we do we lose everything, as we're on well and septic. With watering the animals a potential storm takes some prep work. Right now it's not a problem, but we're trying to prep the farm for retirement down the road and this is eventually one of the items on the bucket list.
Click to expand...


With permits and every bell and whistle including an extended warranty under $10,000. It is 20 kw with a 200 amp transfer switch. I have no doubt you could do better on price since my wife does not shop or negotiate. She calls someone gets a price and pays it. The unit including installation was $9,300.

I figured out a long time ago it is still cheaper than a divorce.
 
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Y

yesrutgers01

Heisman
Nov 9, 2008
122,429
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tom1944 said:
With permits and every bell and whistle including an extended warranty under $10,000. It is 20 kw with a 200 amp transfer switch. I have no doubt you could do better on price since my wife does not shop or negotiate. She calls someone gets a price and pays it. The unit including installation was $9,300.

I figured out a long time ago it is still cheaper than a divorce.
Click to expand...
The price is always going to come down to labor. Where is you gas hookup, etc. all the units are around the same price. We had to have our gas line run the length of the house to install so the price was a little higher...oh year, and price bump for zip code as well
 
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chrisru99

All-American
Feb 5, 2003
11,110
5,410
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If you buy through Costco whatever you spend on the generator and installation you will get back 10% in a Costco gift card.
 
Y

yesrutgers01

Heisman
Nov 9, 2008
122,429
38,177
113
RUBigFrank said:
Transfer switch and parts labor ran me $700
Click to expand...
That is doable when I need it...
chrisru99 said:
If you buy through Costco whatever you spend on the generator and installation you will get back 10% in a Costco gift card.
Click to expand...
We were looking at BJ's...A couple of problems...Neither BJ's or Costco have duel fuel available and all their electric starts were out of stock. BJ's did have a 7500 but wasn't duel fuel but then I would have had to figure out getting it home. Since we returned the wife's SUV lease, we have been living on 1 car for the winter and lack of travel and that is a 3 series BMW Conv...
So, we found the one we wanted on Amazon Prime, free delivery and we will have it by Tue/Wed this week.
 
RobertG

RobertG

Heisman
Jul 25, 2001
13,141
12,192
113
Just had a westinghouse wen7500DF delivered yesterday, dual feul electric start. I stared it and its quieter than my old 3500 watt Harbor Freight pedetor generator.

Im having a transfer switch installed next week, for 950 including parts.

All in generator and switch $2000.
 
RUfromSoCal?

RUfromSoCal?

Heisman
Nov 26, 2006
34,742
42,761
113

so cheap, you can get 2 or 3....

plus get one of these set-ups:

 
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