Looking for whole house diesel generator

[WILDMAN]

Finally got my power back on Friday night. I've decided I need to get a whole house generator. I want a diesel 25 to 30 KW. Anybody have one or know where I can get a good deal on a new one? Diesel only

[JPEROG]

http://www.generac.com/

They will have you set up in no time. I have a line on a 30KW but it was set up in a building, needs a remote tank, and you would need to run the exhaust out of whatever structure you build around it. It was too much of a PITA for me to want to deal with. Its easier to just take off and go on a hurrication for a week.

Joe

[WILDMAN]

I already talked to them but the diesel generac's are about $12-$13,000. I found a brand new Kubota 25k for about $8,200 without tank

[JPEROG]

That's a lot of trips to the cabin. And if you go there, you don't need to listen to the wind either.

Joe

[XstreamVking]

My neighbor ran a diesel genset. That thing was really loud...I bet he burned 250 gals in one week. That's nearly 700 bucks for power in one week.

[Michael J Giesler]

Kohler used to make a nice one so does onan

[WILDMAN]

Propane uses about 75 gallons a day. That's about $250 a day! Diesel is about 1.2 gal per hour. My little 5500 generator used 15 gal a day.

[FUJIMO]

Tell me about long term storage of diesel fuel, fuel stabilizers, biocides, preservation, etc.

[WILDMAN]

A FRIEND OF MINE HAS A DIESEL GENERATOR. hE HAD A STABILIZER IN HIS FUEL AND HAD IT IN HIS TANK FOR 10 YEARS AND IT RAN FOR 4 DAYS LAST WEEK WITHOUT ANY ISSUES. hIS IS A 30KW. HE SAID HE RAN IT 5 DAYS LAST FALL AND 4 DAYS LAST WEEK, AND STILL HAD SOME FUEL IN HIS 100 GALLON TANK. 9 DAYS ON 100 GALLONS.

[Euroski]

Got a Generac 14KW running on natural gas. But I'm lucky to have a gas well in my back yard. But yes... down south diesel would be the best choice considering the storms.

[FUJIMO]

A FRIEND OF MINE HAS A DIESEL GENERATOR. hE HAD A STABILIZER IN HIS FUEL AND HAD IT IN HIS TANK FOR 10 YEARS AND IT RAN FOR 4 DAYS LAST WEEK WITHOUT ANY ISSUES. hIS IS A 30KW. HE SAID HE RAN IT 5 DAYS LAST FALL AND 4 DAYS LAST WEEK, AND STILL HAD SOME FUEL IN HIS 100 GALLON TANK. 9 DAYS ON 100 GALLONS. ...Good to know. Above ground, or under ground tank, which is better & why? What tank material for either?

[mikej]

Why not natural gas from the house? Always a fuel problem during storms and still having a hard time in Houston 3 weeks after Harvey.

[WILDMAN]

The ones that have a built in tank are steel on the outside. I'm looking at one now that says it has a double wall tank, so I don't know if the inside one is plastic or not.
As far as natural gas, that would be nice but it's not available where I live. Most of our gas stations were out of gas but still had diesel. I'd fill it up early and replace it once a year by running it in my truck.

[STV_Keith]

To each their own, but like it's been mentioned, a gen set that large is going to burn some fuel. Plus, you have to keep fuel on hand, and lots of it. Perhaps look into a trailer mounted unit like you see used for events, carnivals, etc. Are you sure you need 30kW? Most houses don't pull half that...unless you want to run the shop, welders, etc, like you're on grid power.

Once power is restored down there, perhaps start checking out Craigslist to see what people are getting rid of? Here's two I quickly found out West here...

https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/hvo/d/k-ultra-whisper-watt-diesel/6260197142.html

https://lasvegas.craigslist.org/hvo/d/generator-airman-45kva/6282390534.html

[FUJIMO]

Why not natural gas from the house? Always a fuel problem during storms and still having a hard time in Houston 3 weeks after Harvey.
Always a fuel AND natural gas delivery problem in Florida around hurricane time. Most of Florida, southeast anyways, does not have natural gas running through the neighborhoods.

[WILDMAN]

I'm looking at at 25KW Generac diesel for $4300 now. It includes the tank and transfer box. My house has 4900 sq ft under air with 15ft ceilings. one 5 ton and two 3 ton units. Also, a pool pump, three refrigerators and two hot water tanks.



To each their own, but like it's been mentioned, a gen set that large is going to burn some fuel. Plus, you have to keep fuel on hand, and lots of it. Perhaps look into a trailer mounted unit like you see used for events, carnivals, etc. Are you sure you need 30kW? Most houses don't pull half that...unless you want to run the shop, welders, etc, like you're on grid power.

Once power is restored down there, perhaps start checking out Craigslist to see what people are getting rid of? Here's two I quickly found out West here...

https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/hvo/d/k-ultra-whisper-watt-diesel/6260197142.html

https://lasvegas.craigslist.org/hvo/d/generator-airman-45kva/6282390534.html

[FUJIMO]

Typical "Whole House" generators in my neighborhood, utilizing a barely buried(high water table, on the water homes) propane tank, last 5 full days of operation. Then you are very dependant on the next delivery truck. Fresh deliveries were not too bad of a problem here this time though.

[FUJIMO]

I'm looking at at 25KW Generac diesel for $4300 now. It includes the tank and transfer box. My house has 4900 sq ft under air with 15ft ceilings. one 5 ton and two 3 ton units. Also, a pool pump, three refrigerators and two hot water tanks. ...Thanks for reminding me why I downsized a while back, lol.;) But, boy...that sounds like a good price for a 25KW...How many hours on that unit? New or used?

[XstreamVking]

No rule that says you have to run the thing 24 hrs a day. Run it long enough to cool off the house and refridge. Then shut it off for a while. If your house is insulated very well it will stay cool for a while w/o ac.

[FMP]

Too bad you don't have nat gas as an option, easy.

[XstreamVking]

No nat gas lines and burying stuff is not always an option. When it's real wet, empty tanks will float up out of the ground. Were lucky to keep power lines in the ground....

[JBS]

That should run everything fine.I lived a on a remote island and we depended on 3 generators,2 onans and and 1 Koehler to keep the place running.we would alternate the gensets nightly to avoid too many hours.Diesel is the way to go.We kept the generators in a separate building and outside 100gallon fuel tanks.This worked well.The biggest pain was hauling fuel from the mainland to the island .

[CUDA]

No rule that says you have to run the thing 24 hrs a day. Run it long enough to cool off the house and refridge. Then shut it off for a while. If your house is insulated very well it will stay cool for a while w/o ac.


That's what I do.

[FMP]

No nat gas lines and burying stuff is not always an option. When it's real wet, empty tanks will float up out of the ground. Were lucky to keep power lines in the ground....

Tanks above ground, propane. Can't say we have a problem with lines floating to the surface. That would be very soft wet ground.

[WILDMAN]

It has 47 hours. It was a back up for a cell phone tower.



...Thanks for reminding me why I downsized a while back, lol.;) But, boy...that sounds like a good price for a 25KW...How many hours on that unit? New or used?

[XstreamVking]

Tanks above ground, propane. Can't say we have a problem with lines floating to the surface. That would be very soft wet ground.
You guys have ice, we have water. Or our other problem, a rock shelf about 3' under the surface. Some places you have to use excavators with air hammers to dig a hole for a pool install.

[FMP]

Yup, we've something called the Canadian Shield, solid granite with a very shallow overburden. We manage.

[davemvegas]

looks like this one site has them all. https://www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com/quick_search.php

[johnlysh]

Randy,

Is it a belly tank? Definitely go with diesel. I had a hell of a time keeping my boss's natural gas 30kw kohler running this last week. The 25kw unit will more than likely be overloaded if all the a/c and water heaters are running simultaneously. The unit was throwing overload codes left and right on a 6k sqft house with 2) 5 ton a.c. 1) 3 ton a.c. and 3 refrigerators and 1 big hot water heater (120 gal).

[WILDMAN]

Yes, 125 gallon belly tank. Electrician said as long as I keep it as a manual start and cut off some of my big stuff I will be fine. I can shut off one AC and a hot water tank and the pool and be OK he said.

[johnlysh]

Yes that's the trick. Close some doors on the part of the house you don't need to cool and shut off some unneeded items. We are on the west coast of Florida and belly tank is very beneficial for keeping the generator out of the flood plain. I have an L tank that I temporarily put in my truck and fill up when I know we have a storm coming. It's 100 gal and when they start pumping fuel again you can burn it in your truck. That will give you a little surplus for the generator or if you decide to evacuate you will have enough fuel to get out and back.

[XstreamVking]

I am liking the PTO generator unit. Mount it to my tractor after the storm and store it anywhere dry when not needed. No fuel to go bad, no up-keep. If you have a tractor, looks like a good way to go. I have ran water pumps off of it and it does real good on fuel at low revs. too.

[WILDMAN]

I went ahead and bought the 25kw. Now I gotta get it shipped from New Hampshire, The guy says it weighs 3200 lbs without fuel!

[XstreamVking]

I wish I had some stock in a generator mfg about now.....I have seen semi trucks loaded with those things headed down the interstate..

[FUJIMO]

Nice purchase. You have about five days to get it up & running. Thats when Maria will be knocking on your door.;) http://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=387133&d=1505795934

[stokernick]

Tanks above ground, propane. Can't say we have a problem with lines floating to the surface. That would be very soft wet ground.

no natural gas, but propane works for me.

[FMP]

I went ahead and bought the 25kw. Now I gotta get it shipped from New Hampshire, The guy says it weighs 3200 lbs without fuel!

Going to sink into Florida

[flabum1017]

I went ahead and bought the 25kw. Now I gotta get it shipped from New Hampshire, The guy says it weighs 3200 lbs without fuel!

Frank Mole cam throw it on a boat trailer and bring it down LOL

[WILDMAN]

I am getting it shipped for $675. The truck came to pick it up today but would not take it because it was not in a crate. The guy had to build the whole plywood crate for it so it will get shipped out tomorrow. Ended up weighing 3127 lb

[MeCapnDave]

Scott had 13 year old fuel in his and it started and ran fine. Diesel fuel grows microbes,sort of like algae, so don't forget to treat it with microbial fuel treatment like Biokleen. I used to fly a Falcon Jet that was bought after it sat for a couple years and our mechanic had to clean the tanks out and run a few tanks of Jet A through it before it got squared away !!