Originally posted by: Doodoo
Originally posted by: boomerang
If you feel comfortable working inside your breaker panel, you can hook up a transfer switch yourself. The wiring is actually very simple.
I understand you don't want to go to those lengths right now. That you're concerned about losing your power right now because of the ice storm.
When I got my first generator, (which was way underpowered) I was not going to go with a transfer switch. During that time frame I was having an alarm system installed. The owner of the alarm company and I were talking and he was telling me about some friends that had a house fire.
The first thing the insurance company did was send out an investigator. They found remnants of a home-brewed generator install. Although the generator was not running at the time of the fire. They contributed the fire to the wiring for it, and denied his claim. I don't know how it finally turned out in the end.
This really got me thinking and I went ahead with the transfer switch.
My dad is looking for a generator for xmas...what size do you recommend getting?
Let me preface this by saying that I'm far from any form of expert on this stuff. We have frequent power outages. I got tired of it, got a generator and a transfer switch.
I started out with a 4500W generator. I was running the furnace (not AC), the refrigerator, some lighting circuits and the pump from my well. The pump was what was taxing the generator, especially when the furnace was on. When it would kick on, the generator was really working hard to keep up. The well pump runs off 240V. Also, I went cheap, and the unit I had was EXTREMELY loud. It's running outside, which kind of deadens the noise, but it gets really annoying after a short time. We're all on acreage out here, but I'm sure the neighbors didn't appreciate it either.
I replaced the first generator with a 7000W unit. It handles everything with no problem whatsoever. I couldn't justify the expense of a Honda or Kawasaki, and got a Coleman Powermate with a B&S Vanguard engine. Compared to the first one it's quiet. Compared to a Honda or Kawasaki it's noisy. But they cost more than I wanted to spend. I should say I've had the 7000W for about 8 or 9 years.
When I bumped up to the 7000W, I also went from a 6 circuit transfer switch to a 10 circuit. The well pump uses two which leaves 8. After the furnace and the fridge, I have 6 circuits left for lighting. I can surf and watch TV when the power is out. No stove or microwave, but you can hook up what you want. Generalized wattage requirements are easy to find online. Size the generator to what you want to run.
My mother has a natural gas powered stand-by generator. I was there when the electrician finished the install. We turned on everything in the condo, and I mean everything. Stove, washer, dryer, central AC, everything and her 12000W unit was not even breaking a sweat.
Stand-by is truly the way to go.
Edit: One last thought. Start up current is what gets you. It takes a lot of current to get a motor started but relatively little to keep it running. (Pump, furnace blower, refrigerator compressor motor) You have to take this into account when sizing a generator. You needs lots of overhead built in.
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