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Old 07-19-2014, 05:00 PM
 
Location: Riverside Ca
22,146 posts, read 33,250,209 times
Reputation: 35433

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Quote:
Originally Posted by ethanw View Post
Get you a 20K universal transfer switch and make sure you have an approved and right size natural gas line to the generator location. A concrete base for the generator will help as well Then later you can add whatever generator you want. This is what I did.
This is what I would do.
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Old 07-19-2014, 08:06 PM
 
Location: Katy,TX.
4,244 posts, read 8,710,756 times
Reputation: 4014
What's a good price for a 20kw Generator install?
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Old 07-20-2014, 07:23 AM
 
Location: Houston/Brenham
5,819 posts, read 7,182,191 times
Reputation: 12309
Quote:
Originally Posted by usc619 View Post
What's a good price for a 20kw Generator install?
I had a Generac 20kW installed about 3-4 years ago for between $8-$9K. Turnkey, City of Houston, permits and all.

I would guess it's gone up a little since then.
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Old 07-20-2014, 11:02 AM
 
4,761 posts, read 14,222,509 times
Reputation: 7956
Note there are "neutral switching" transfer switches and "non-neutral switching" transfer switches. And that depends on if the generator is a separately derived system or not. All to do with "grounding".

Portable generators have GFCI protected outlets - a requirement for use in construction areas by OSHA, yet that is a royal pain if wiring it directly to a house. Some generator manufacturers have instructions for bypassing the GFCI and others recommend a specific transfer switch.

Anyway it DOES help to know the specific generator and model! (Also wire and inlet sizes would be determined by the amperage/wattage capability of the generator.)

Another thing is generators make "dirty" electricity - not good for electronics. Get an "electronics friendly" generator and you will then have no trouble powering electronic gizmos (EVERYTHING is electronically controlled these days including the washer/dryer, refrigerator, and air conditioning!)
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Old 07-20-2014, 04:56 PM
 
Location: Katy,TX.
4,244 posts, read 8,710,756 times
Reputation: 4014
Quote:
Originally Posted by astrohip View Post
I had a Generac 20kW installed about 3-4 years ago for between $8-$9K. Turnkey, City of Houston, permits and all.

I would guess it's gone up a little since then.
Wow, I was quoted 13k over the weekend.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Billy_J View Post
Note there are "neutral switching" transfer switches and "non-neutral switching" transfer switches. And that depends on if the generator is a separately derived system or not. All to do with "grounding".

Portable generators have GFCI protected outlets - a requirement for use in construction areas by OSHA, yet that is a royal pain if wiring it directly to a house. Some generator manufacturers have instructions for bypassing the GFCI and others recommend a specific transfer switch.

Anyway it DOES help to know the specific generator and model! (Also wire and inlet sizes would be determined by the amperage/wattage capability of the generator.)

Another thing is generators make "dirty" electricity - not good for electronics. Get an "electronics friendly" generator and you will then have no trouble powering electronic gizmos (EVERYTHING is electronically controlled these days including the washer/dryer, refrigerator, and air conditioning!)
Would it help if I grounded a portable generator to a ground rod?
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Old 07-20-2014, 05:07 PM
 
2,994 posts, read 5,556,186 times
Reputation: 4690
Quote:
Originally Posted by usc619 View Post
What's a good price for a 20kw Generator install?
Waaaay too many variables. Standby gen sets are not cookie cutter installs every home is different.
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Old 07-22-2014, 09:02 AM
 
Location: Texas
1,922 posts, read 2,766,777 times
Reputation: 954
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mandres View Post
I think you guys are going way overboard. I have a 10,500 watt portable gas generator and a transfer switch wired to my house panel. In the event of a prolonged power outage all I have to do is wheel the unit outside, plug it into the switch, and fire it up. It can handle the refrigerator, the AC and the television/computer just fine. Do you really need a water-cooled, natural-gas-fired behemoth for a residential home? We're not talking about a hospital here. How often is the power off for more than an hour anyway? Once every 10 years?


Uh huh... And where do you store your 300 gallons of gasoline? My 5,500 gen set drinks the fuel, and when the local gas stations have a two hour line to pick up your 10 gallon limit of gas, well, a week or two without power and trying to feed a thirsty generator becomes self defeating. Hooking up to the natural gas seems a no brainer if you've got the scratch. It is by far the most reliable utility we get at the house. So far this year we've had about 6 power failures of >1 hour, and our water was off once for an hour or two. As far back as I can remember, the natural gas has never been turned off at any of our homes.
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Old 07-22-2014, 11:16 AM
 
2,994 posts, read 5,556,186 times
Reputation: 4690
Quote:
Originally Posted by fordlover View Post
Uh huh... And where do you store your 300 gallons of gasoline? My 5,500 gen set drinks the fuel, and when the local gas stations have a two hour line to pick up your 10 gallon limit of gas, well, a week or two without power and trying to feed a thirsty generator becomes self defeating. Hooking up to the natural gas seems a no brainer if you've got the scratch. It is by far the most reliable utility we get at the house. So far this year we've had about 6 power failures of >1 hour, and our water was off once for an hour or two. As far back as I can remember, the natural gas has never been turned off at any of our homes.
The power off for over an hour?!?! oh noooo the world is coming to an end! Usually when that happens if I'm home I just take a nap or fire up a candle and read. I know most of society can't do that now.
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Old 07-22-2014, 12:17 PM
 
Location: In a happy place
3,968 posts, read 8,466,733 times
Reputation: 7933
Quote:
Originally Posted by eddie1278 View Post
The power off for over an hour?!?! oh noooo the world is coming to an end! Usually when that happens if I'm home I just take a nap or fire up a candle and read. I know most of society can't do that now.
Well, if the power were off for more than an hour, there would be no napping for me. My CPAP would not run and if that is off, there is no sleeping for me.
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Old 07-22-2014, 01:35 PM
 
161 posts, read 295,651 times
Reputation: 147
I have a couple of Honda EU2000i's that I can piggy back to power most of my house, minus the CAC. The 15 gallons of gas I have in cans can get me by for probably a week or more
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