Generac Standby GenSet Install

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gfreek

Minister of Fire
Nov 5, 2010
1,702
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I'm looking at having Generac 11KW propane standby generator, engine/battery heater, pad, and whole house 200amp switch installed. I've gotten 2 quotes $7200, I get a permit, run gas line, set up and pay for electrical inspection and $7900, where everything included.. Anyone else have one installed and are these prices inline ??
 
I actually saw a Generac Infomercial the other for their Standby generators on TV. Nice looking units. They claim they build their own engines here in the US. Love to have one.
 
Make sure you find out the running usage for propane per hour and have a good supply if you're thinking of any long-ish term use.
 
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I'm looking at having Generac 11KW propane standby generator, engine/battery heater, pad, and whole house 200amp switch installed. I've gotten 2 quotes $7200, I get a permit, run gas line, set up and pay for electrical inspection and $7900, where everything included.. Anyone else have one installed and are these prices inline ??

I bought a 17kw unit 5 years ago. My father and I installed it ourselves. Poured a nice concrete pad for it. Had a dedicated 500 gallon propane tank installed and connected. Installed the transfer panel and cut over most of the breakers (everything except the oven and hot water heater). It's been great. Needed it a time or two during ice storms since then. So glad we took the plunge. I didn't get a quote on a turn-key install though. If I were to go that route I'd pay the $7,900 to have the same company on the hook end to end.
 
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Look around, Onan and Kohler both make better units. have heard control boards don't hold up well, and that theyrun st 3600 rpm. There are lots of good condition Onan and Kohler commercial units for sale at a reasonable price in the used world. I personally use a mil surplus MEP 002a for backup, it's rated at 5kw, but will do 7 easily. If i had to use gaseous fuel I would have gone with an Onan jb 7.5 kw or a jc 15 kw.
 
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Got a 27.6kw Onan 20+ years ago. Worth it's weight in gold. Genny is about 6k so price sounds OK if it's turnkey.
 
Yup they do run at 3600 RPM. Installer said he recommends engine heater for it, has had them self destruct when cold..Also heard about control panel problems. I can buy same unit with 200 amp transfer switch for $3K shipped. Cold weather kit and pad add $550.. Also offering free extended warranty covering everything for 5 years
 
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Look around, Onan and Kohler both make better units. have heard control boards don't hold up well, and that theyrun st 3600 rpm. There are lots of good condition Onan and Kohler commercial units for sale at a reasonable price in the used world. I personally use a mil surplus MEP 002a for backup, it's rated at 5kw, but will do 7 easily. If i had to use gaseous fuel I would have gone with an Onan jb 7.5 kw or a jc 15 kw.


THIS.
 
Yup they do run at 3600 RPM. Installer said he recommends engine heater for it, has had them self destruct when cold..Also heard about control panel problems. I can buy same unit with 200 amp transfer switch for $3K shipped. Cold weather kit and pad add $550..
I use synthetic oil in my Onan. Never had a problem.
 
We have one at work, I believe it is on it's 3rd control board so far. Walked by it the other day and saw a red light showing again...??
 
I've had (too) many years dealing with Generacs. Personally I'd steer clear of them altogether. Kohler is the best residential genset I have dealt with.
 
I've got a Generac 11kw. Been good so far. What ever brand you choose, put it on a raised pad. The snow here is already above the height of the generator. I have to make sure the intake, exhaust, and maintenance panel are clear.

I put a 1000 gallon tank in the ground. No fill-ups during the winter....

IMG_0353.JPG
 
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I'm looking at having Generac 11KW propane standby generator, engine/battery heater, pad, and whole house 200amp switch installed. I've gotten 2 quotes $7200, I get a permit, run gas line, set up and pay for electrical inspection and $7900, where everything included.. Anyone else have one installed and are these prices inline ??

I've had a Generac 15Kw propane unit for about 13 years. It has never failed, or had any problem of any kind. I bought it online for $3400, including a 150 amp transfer switch. I am kinda surprised you would run a 200 amp load off a 11 kw unit. We lose power here several times per year, I ran it for 14 days last year. Do think about a larger tank, my unit burns about 1.7 gallons per hour, IFAIR.
 
I am kinda surprised you would run a 200 amp load off a 11 kw unit. We lose power here several times per year, I ran it for 14 days last year. Do think about a larger tank, my unit burns about 1.7 gallons per hour, IFAIR.

Yeah - 11kw isn't enough for me to just run the house like it was on the grid. If I'm home I turn things on and off at the panel to manage the load.

If I leave the house unattended, I just leave the fridge, propane heaters, and some lights on in case the power goes out.

A big tank is nice, especially in light of how tight the propane supply got in the midwest last winter. I deal with a lot of people in OH for work and some of them were setting up kerosene heaters in their house to survive. Doesn't sound like fun...
 
I've been through many outages, surges, and brownouts. Survived for many days on 5kw genny.. I'm not looking to run whole house, just essentials, well pump, some lights, furnace, maybe pellet stove..etc..
 
My dad in north GA has a Generac standby genset, and it is very handy given the fairly frequent power outages. Back around 2008, when Hurricane Ike winds killed our power here in SW Ohio for 10 days, my baby (3500 watt) Pep Boys gasoline generator came in very handy. It powered the fridges/freezers, some fluorescent lights in the house, battery chargers, fans, and the all-important COFFEE MAKER! Of course, I also had a camp stove set up outside (with foldable oven that I used to bake bread), a propane wok burner, pressure cooker, and all that jazz. We ate well, but were lucky that the power failure occurred in September, rather than February or early August.
 
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My folks had one installed, it was around $7,000.00 for everything.
Has worked flawlessly every time it was needed.
Some day, hope to get one myself.
If I had the cash I'd jump on it if I was you.
 
We had a 16kW Generac natural unit gas installed earlier this year. Our final cost was just south of $5900. That included the generator, transfer switch, running the gas line, and the electrical hookup, pad, and all labor and taxes. We've had two short power failures since the installation, unit worked as advertised.
 
I bought a GE Symphony II 12k 200amp whole house standby generator from HD for $3000 after 10% off. Free delivery to the end of my dirt road. I did the rough install and had an electrician do the panel connection for about $400, in order to certify the 5yr warranty. The gas hookup to the existing LP tank which we use for the stove, cost an additional $400.

Altogether, about $4000. The cold weather kit is a battery warmer pad and oil heater plug, which you can buy for $150.

No need to choose circuits. The pellet stove has no problem with the generator power, though my UPSes do.
 
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