Generac 24KW run 2 AC units? (loan, houses, purchase)

[Texas Ag 93]

Originally Posted by gwarnecke

A 24kw generator should have no sweat running two ACs, as long as (like you said) they don't try to start at exactly the same time.

I see what you did there.

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by astrohip

You weren't running the AC compressors. Single largest electricity user in most homes. The furnaces ran, and the forced air fans, but no compressors.

Electric furnaces draw a lot more power than Ac compressors.

[astrohip]

Originally Posted by Jack Lance

Electric furnaces draw a lot more power than Ac compressors.

You're right. I assumed since this is Houston, he uses NatGas for heat. I shouldn't have made that assumption, although it is far more common here.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by TravelFeedsTheSoul

Hi all,

Just got our 24KW standby generator installed. Does anyone know if this can run 2 AC units? My electrician said it can but I wanted to confirm if anyone has real life experience with this.

We have 2 AC units, a 4 ton unit and a 3 ton. I understand that both of them switching on at the same time might be too much load, but can one turn on and then the other, like it would typically when we have utility power?

Thanks,
Traveler

I have a lot of experience with generators but I'm not a pro. What are the SEER ratings per unit in this case it really matters.

[mojo101]

https://www.generac.com/GeneracCorpo...28_16FINAL.pdf
Generac is offering 7 years warranty instead of 5 if you request a quote/visit now.

[TravelFeedsTheSoul]

Originally Posted by astrohip

You're right. I assumed since this is Houston, he uses NatGas for heat. I shouldn't have made that assumption, although it is far more common here.

Yes, nat gas here. Thanks!

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by Jack Lance

Electric furnaces draw a lot more power than Ac compressors.

Thus the title of this article:
Why did the Texas electric grid crash--Quartz

Wish more Texans could de-electrify to reduce demand/strain on the grid, not to mention that electric versions of appliances are a money pit on the monthly bill despite the lower purchase price. The California-centric Electrify Everything greenwashing movement is leading some Texans astray when it comes to fuel choices. Wish House Bill 17 would have prohibited the sale of money-pit 220 V major appliances and stop new installations of dangerous 220 V dryer and range outlets in new homes!

Originally Posted by astrohip

You're right. I assumed since this is Houston, he uses NatGas for heat. I shouldn't have made that assumption, although it is far more common here.

Apparently Census statistics somehow show that 60% of Texans (sadly) use electric furnaces as their space heating source. How that works out is a mystery. In my experience, most single-family homes outside of the Beltway are heated by natural gas (which the statistics on this site corroborate my experiences). Also the homebuilders usually include natural gas furnaces in new homes. Perhaps gas appliances are unusual in the other major Texas metros and the rest of Texas?

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by KerrTown

Thus the title of this article:
Why did the Texas electric grid crash--Quartz

Wish more Texans could de-electrify to reduce demand/strain on the grid, not to mention that electric versions of appliances are a money pit on the monthly bill despite the lower purchase price. The California-centric Electrify Everything greenwashing movement is leading some Texans astray when it comes to fuel choices. Wish House Bill 17 would have prohibited the sale of money-pit 220 V major appliances and stop new installations of dangerous 220 V dryer and range outlets in new homes!



Apparently Census statistics somehow show that 60% of Texans (sadly) use electric furnaces as their space heating source. How that works out is a mystery. In my experience, most single-family homes outside of the Beltway are heated by natural gas (which the statistics on this site corroborate my experiences). Also the homebuilders usually include natural gas furnaces in new homes. Perhaps gas appliances are unusual in the other major Texas metros and the rest of Texas?

I have the same answer for both of these postings. My neighborhood has NO natural gas lines and is ALL electric. Now I believe you are only talking about appliances that specifically use 220 v outlets, at least I hope so. Also remember that an all electric house has never blown up at least none that I know of.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by KerrTown

Thus the title of this article:
Why did the Texas electric grid crash--Quartz

Wish more Texans could de-electrify to reduce demand/strain on the grid, not to mention that electric versions of appliances are a money pit on the monthly bill despite the lower purchase price. The California-centric Electrify Everything greenwashing movement is leading some Texans astray when it comes to fuel choices. Wish House Bill 17 would have prohibited the sale of money-pit 220 V major appliances and stop new installations of dangerous 220 V dryer and range outlets in new homes!



Apparently Census statistics somehow show that 60% of Texans (sadly) use electric furnaces as their space heating source. How that works out is a mystery. In my experience, most single-family homes outside of the Beltway are heated by natural gas (which the statistics on this site corroborate my experiences). Also the homebuilders usually include natural gas furnaces in new homes. Perhaps gas appliances are unusual in the other major Texas metros and the rest of Texas?

Be careful what you wish for.
240v is actually safer and more efficient (lower amps), Amps kill, not volts.
High load 120v circuits are imbalanced (120v single leg vs a matched leg (240v) runs excess amps back through the neutral leg (which is a smaller conductor, and can flee to bridge the ground if there are any errors in total circuit installation (likely an error some place within your home)

Most of the rest of the world 'upgraded' their distribution grid using 220;/230 /240 (run to each outlet / switch.). Not Texas (of course )

Texas climate is well suited for heat pumps, of which most 100% electric homes built since 1980 use. There are very high efficiency electric options for heating and AC. Natural Gas is not available in many rural areas, and is not always highly efficient. (In fact the Natural Gas turbines shutting down during 'the freeze' was significantly responsible for Texas grid failure).

For op.... 24kw is a very big generator and if @ full duty cycle could power a large home / small farm or business. Resistance heat load is the heavy user (electric dryer, hair dryers, space heaters...)

[gwarnecke]

Originally Posted by KerrTown

Thus the title of this article:
Why did the Texas electric grid crash--Quartz
Apparently Census statistics somehow show that 60% of Texans (sadly) use electric furnaces as their space heating source. How that works out is a mystery. In my experience, most single-family homes outside of the Beltway are heated by natural gas (which the statistics on this site corroborate my experiences). Also the homebuilders usually include natural gas furnaces in new homes. Perhaps gas appliances are unusual in the other major Texas metros and the rest of Texas?

Does this 60% reflect all non-NG heat sources (heat strip furnaces, heat pumps), or heat-strip heating only? I'd be very surprised if it's the latter.

FWIW, I grew up in a small central TX city and there was no city-provided NG. If you wanted to heat your home with gas, your only option was to install a buried propane tank. A few homeowners did so (probably mainly b/c they wanted to cook with gas), but the vast vast majority of homes used electric heating.

However...most of the time, this electric heating was with heat pumps. I laugh whenever I hear heat pumps referred to as a ”newer” technology...my grandmother's heat pump was installed in 1995, and my parents' house built in 1999 has heat pumps (all of these are still working great)! I didn't experience NG heating until I moved to Houston.

Having said all that, I still prefer NG, and everything in my Houston house that can be gas-powered, is. NG appliances are generally cheaper to run, and NG is the most reliable of all grid utilities. If the power goes out I can still heat my home, use the stove/oven, and dry my clothes using a small generator to run the 120v electric portions of my appliances. As susceptible as we are to power outages, this is not a theoretical/edge case benefit.