Adrian, thanks so much for sharing this video! Here at FIRMAN we tell people all the time that they can run a 3 ton AC on our tri-fuel, it's great to see it in action!
I'm designing a "Quiet Box" for this same model (T07571). Have not received the unit yet. How I can add an exhaust extension to vent it outside the box?
when the grid checks out on ya thank goodness that we could have natural gas generators to save the day! people always think the grid would never fail but...
Nice! Thanks for sharing. Looking to get mine fired up soon. Same gen model. Would be cool if you did a separate video explaining how you measured the load with the different devices. I’m new to all this so a work in progress for sure. One of my big question marks is how will I be able to measure actual load… I’m sure I’ll be doing quite a bit of trial by error. Thx again!
The way I'm measuring load is with a clamp meter. www.amazon.com/dp/B08MTTX66X?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details works fine but you just want one with a min/max feature if you're thinking about hooking up your central AC. I've ordered a Shelly EM but it won't get here until next month sometime. The shelly will let me monitor amps via wifi on my phone or computer. Not necessary but kinda fun to play around with. Let me know if you have any questions.
Glad you got it set up. The soft starter is amazing. That genny should keep your lights on for a while, just keep changing that oil and break it in right. I just picked up an eu6500 Honda, I’ll be putting it through some tests but man is it quiet.
The 6500 is nice! I still have my two 2200's. With your transformer you should be set! I will say the option of natural gas is appealing. Sometimes hurricanes blow through Houston and will knock power out to even the gas stations. Options are good.
I have the same Firman tri fuel generator . I have a generator interlock on the fuse panel. I run mine on natural gas, I already had a gas line from a pool heater that I don't use anymore. My house is 1850 sq. feet and the basement is the same size. It runs everything in my house including the central 3 ton AC , I do have a hard start kit on it. Remember you never have everything in your house on at the same time. I don't have any 220 volt stuff to run. My house is all natural gas, heat, stove, dryer, water heater. I have had it a couple years now. I plug it into the generator plug out side inlet turn off the mains, turn on the generator fuses and I have lights. 5 minutes from lights out till lights back on. I have it mounted in a pool deck box outside so its always ready. Can barely hear it running. 72 db at 20 feet. The only thing to make it better would have been if Firman would have put a primer button on it for natural gas or propane. Takes a bit to get it started at times. My other tri fuel generator had a primer button, push it a couple times fired right up. But its still great.
@@adrianb6073 No sorry I don't. I had him install it last Aug. with the new central ac unit. It would not run my old ac . It was pretty old. I moved here 21 years ago, it was here then. Rated Current Amps 13.6 2992 Watts Rated Load Amps 13.6. I looked in my paper work doesn't show that. It's a Payne , same as Carrier, made by them. Brand Carrier,Bryant,Payne. Trying to figure a way to send you all the info. I'm in Michigan. North of Detroit. I do love it .
Very interesting. I didn’t realize you could adjust the engine rpm on these. My UPS clicks like crazy on my Firman generator. I have to shut the UPS off.
Yep, give it shot. I’ll bet you a cold beer that’s your problem. :) Its a little tricky getting to that adjustment screw but remove a couple bolts, so you can shift the tank over and get to the screw. Not terribly involved. Let us know if that works for you. Good luck!
@@adrianb6073 Thanks for the tip. I’m also running with natural gas so you’re probably right - it’s set to work with gasoline. My only hope is I don’t break something.
I was thinking of getting the firman. I have interlock 30amp grounded. Did u disconnect the ground, on the generator or is the neutral floating on firman? Thanks.
You don't really need to put a clamp meter on both legs going to the AC unit. The compressor and fan are both 240V and pull L-L. There isn't even a neutral line going to the AC condenser. Only two hots and a chassis ground.
Good to know. I'm kinda confused by the difference in meter readings at the central AC. I figured it was due to different meters so there would be slightly different readings. The readings in the video are the generator feeds to both panel legs which are running everything in the house. Max for both legs occurs when the AC kicks on, of course. I'm learning right along with most of the others. I installed a transfer switch then figured out the interlock, so now I have a "decorative" transfer switch! 🤣 😥
@@adrianb6073 Using the interlock manual switch without enabling the transfer switch are you still using the generator with bonded neutral setting on the generator? My Firman generator is bonded neutral, and it's easy to remove the grounding wire on the generator to make it floating neutral, but I've read that can cause the regulator in the generator to be damaged and ruined.
@Biker Boy. I had to check again but you are correct, my Firman is bonded neutral, and technically I should float the neutral since it’s bonded at the electrical box (At least that’s my understanding). I haven’t done that though. I haven’t had any issues so going to leave it that way for now.
I read people complaining about the loud noise this unit makes. My main concern more than the noise is dirty power it apparently provides. At 11%-14% THD, I'm concerned electronics will get damaged. Anyone have comments/opinions on this point?
I belong to couple of Facebook generator groups and there is no shortage of people “concerned” about dirty power, but I think the general consensus is that conventional generators have powered the world without many issues until the inverter generator manufacturers started marketing pure perfect sign wave technology. It’s pretty uncommon that someone has issues with these units. Do you know anyone that has had an issue? I don’t.
@@adrianb6073 Thanks for your reply. No, I don't even know someone that owns one of these. This would be my first generator and I'm just trying to ask questions so I don't regret a purchase...especially since I have read others with more generator experience than me bring up this very point. That's why I'm asking for more input from people.
Take a look at the Facebook group: “Generators: Portable generators to power entire house”. They have tons of information and experience. It’s a great resource!
@@adrianb6073 The hum you heard from your air conditioning condenser may well have been from harmonic distortion. Induction motors should not make any strange noises if they are getting clean sine wave electricity.
This is the meter that I have. It’s a standard residential meter, no upgrade should be needed for this setup. www.egwutilitysolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/itron_intelis_data_sheet.pdf
Hi Adrian! Would you be able to tell me whether or not tri fuel generators have a safety feature where it will cut off fuel in the event the generator shuts down unexpectedly while connected to the house natural gas line? I saw another video talking about needing a regulator to automatically shut off gas flow when too much or loss of pressure is detected. I think i am seeing a regulator connected to the hose. Does that regulator control only gas pressure, or will that shut off the gas when sensing too much fuel buildup? Thanks in advance!
I don’t, but I did not change anything on my gas meter. It’s a stock residential low pressure meter as far as I know. If you’re concerned about, you might get a 3/4” rather than 1/2” gas line. Mine is 12’ x 1/2”. I bet you’ll be fine.
@@adrianb6073 just to follow up, yours is probably 1/3 psi (6-7 wc) just like mine. I think Firman spec'd it at 7" to account for the 3" WC drop in their 25ft line version, though they told me that it is at the inlet and not before the hose. I run fine at 5.2" WC under full load. I did replace my schedule 40 black pipe, as it shares the line with a hungry instant water heater that had a way underrated line.
The gas connection might cost $200-$300 if you its right there at the meter. A plumber can do it, but if you’re handy you could do it yourself. I’d bet it would start a 2 ton without a soft start, and if it doesn’t you could install a $30 hard start yourself. Mine started my 2.5 ton without any assistance. I had already bought the hard start so I went ahead and installed it on my 2.5 ton. Go for it!
@@joannayuan6869 Natural gas is the only thing my generator has ever run on (other than to test it with propane when I first got it). It's never had a drop of gasoline in it. Try it out, if it doesn't work (I bet it will), install a hard or soft start on your unit. Also a good idea to have a portable AC unit or two, just as a plan B. I have a small window unit. Nice to have options when the $jit hits the fan!
I originally installed a 30 amp outlet box. I should have gone ahead and installed a 50 (lesson learned) since it's really just a foot of cable and breaker change. Always install a 50, you can use whatever cable size you want after that. 30 is definitely more manageable and cheaper than 50 if you can get buy with it. It's been a learning process - I originally installed a 6 circuit manual transfer switch as well....which is far inferior to an interlock.
So who do i neeed to call to set this up for me? I have natural gas. I need an electrician to install interlock and transfer switch? Is that correct? And ill need plumber or gas company to install some fitting off the gas line? Am i missing anything? Thanks
Electrician to install the interlock (you can order and make sure you have a couple open slots in your panel), plumber for the gas, and order your cable and hose online. Follow the Guidebook in the Facebook group: m.facebook.com/groups/1716967438485868/announcements/ Have the electrician install a 50 amp plugin, even if you’re using the firman. Just in case you want to get a bigger unit down the road. Probably won’t but the cost difference is negligible.
hello, i was told you can not run your stove and ac, or dryer at the same time. i have the same generator 9500 , but i have a 50 amp box running to the 50 amp breaker to the fues box
That’s true if you’re stove and dryer are electric. I’m gas on both so AC is my biggest load. If you are running electric stove and dryer, I’d just live without them during an outage. You could hang dry clothes, and use a camp stove or charcoal for cooking.
Just ordered my generator, same brand and same tri power options just a different color. I’m curious if you ran your A/C, lights, tv and the fridge? Did you get an interlock or a transfer switch? Trying to get this set up to run on natural gas before New Orleans gets a hurricane this season. Last season I ran a gasoline powered generator but I had to look for gas where there wasn’t any. Thanks for reading this message.
AC, lights, two refrigerators. Probably need to watch usage of microwave, coffee maker, and wife’s hairdryer to make sure they aren’t being used all at once. Interlock is preferred over transfer switch as long as you have two empty spaces in your electrical panel. Check out the Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/1716967438485868/ It’s a great resource! Wish I would have found them earlier!
@@adrianb6073 thanks for the Facebook link. I have a 3.5 ton ac, large kitchen fridge, the ac blower motor, and of course a tv, lights(all LEDs), and ceiling fans. I ordered the 50amp receptacle, 50 amp cord and the micro air soft start. ** can I still run my Firman on natural gas without a hitch? My other appliances run on natural gas but I don’t plan on running the washer, dryer nor the dishwasher.
I bet you’ll be impressed. You’ll always have to do a little power management while using a portable generator, but it shouldn’t be much. You’ll notice lights start flickering and UPS’s start tripping when the AC, and refrigerators kick on if the load is too much. I’ve installed a Shelly EM (There are several other energy monitoring clamp gadgets) to help me keep an eye on the load. Ideally you don’t want to run above 80% very much, but that’s a rule of thumb that allows for some extra to help get motors going and handle load fluctuations. Let me know how it goes once you’ve tested everything out.
Did you need a natural gas regulator to run on natural gas? I bought the same unit and will not run on natural gas without the regulator? I don’t know which to buy?
I didn’t. The gas connection is straight off the meter, just downstream of the meter regulator. Pretty sure you shouldn’t need one. The generator isn’t big enough to require a meter upgrade. It can be a little tricky starting it on natural gas since your hose will not have gas in it until you work the air out so it won’t start immediately. You’ll have to crank it a few times.
I have the same generator, just hooked up to natural gas this past weekend. No regulator needed. Oh I had a few problems getting it to crank over directly on natural gas. I found that if I start the generator on gasoline and let it run for about five seconds, just make the switch directly over from gasoline to natural gas and it will not even miss a beat and go straight from one fuel to the other.
@Ben Twiss. No issues with pilots lights going out, or running the furnace so far. I haven’t had an extended outage (more than a few ours) since the Texas ice storm of 2020. Was on a Honda 2200 during it. No issues.
@066c did you tie straight into the meter? If you tied in downstream you have to take that into consideration. If you tied into a 1/2 line and it is more than 40 feet of total 1/2 inch line to your generator it will not supply enough gas for a 1/2 load, and only 18-20 feet from meter for a full load. Upgrade to a 3/4 and you increase the linear feet of line up to 70 feet for full load and 125 feet for 1/2 load.
Not real sure how to calculate that. I've tried to read the meter, but it's pretty old and not very clear. I've found some calculators online that suggest it's comparable to the electric rates that I'm paying the electric company. I find that a little surprising. I use it so rarely I'm not too concerned about the efficiency. During outages I'd gladly pay multiples of the regular rate to have power.
Not sure. Although I am curious I haven’t been able to determine that and do realize it’ll never be as cheap as grid power (no matter what you’re realistically paying). In an emergency I’d gladly pay more.
86 cubic feet per hour at 1/2 load and 126.7 cubic feet per hour at full load. You can convert that to btu. It is in the operators manual that comes with the generator. I haven’t actually confirmed that at the meter yet, though.
Just broke 50 hours on it. We didn't loose power in the storm that hit Houston May 16th, but I did loan it to a buddy that ran it off propane periodically for a few days. We lost power last Saturday and I ran it as shown in the video with the 3 ton AC for about 3.5 hours until the power came back on. Ran fine. I haven't even replaced the battery yet. It has not seen a drop of gasoline; mostly natural gas and a little propane. Keeping the gas out of it avoids the carburetor issues. We're ready for hurricane season.
I have this exact model. Got it a few years ago when it went on sale at Costco for either $600 or $700, I forgot. But at the time I did a proper break in and would run it every other month for 30 minutes and store it with 0 gas in it. Then life got busy and I did not run it for just over a year when the hurricane hit. But it still started right up. 8 gallon tank got us just under 16 hours of run time. Ran it for just under 140 hours only stopping to refuel and change oil. Ran 3 homes. 2 or 3 refrigerators, 1 freezer, 6 box fans, 1 window ac unit (not sure what size), 3 tvs, at least 1 Blu-ray player, at least 4 lamps, 1 coffee machine, kettle, gas oven (just too ignite the gas) and it ran like a champ. We are now lookingto run it off natural gas and connect it to the house. Going to change the oil one more time and run it dry for storage until it's needed again. But this time I will really try to run it every month if not every other month.
@@franklugo6928 I highly recommend the natural gas and house connection! We just ran it for 6-1/2 days without having to refuel it once, while the rest of Houston was scrambling to find gasoline during Beryl.
3:50 118V is nothing. Most loads or appliances can run at 105V .... That is a LONG run of wire from that generator to your house. Must be an easy 75 ft
Yep. 75'...The yellow cable is 50 and I add another 25' to it. There really wasn't any significant voltage drop. I've since installed a shelly EM which tracks voltage 24/7 and the voltage fluctuation while on the grid looks about the same as the voltage fluctuation on the generator. I can live with what I have, but if you're starting from scratch I'd recommend that you install a 50 amp breaker and inlet box (plug). That would allow for use of a bigger generator if you need it down the road or decide that managing the load is too much of a hassle. Seen a lot of guys run everything including multiple central AC's on the 13KW Duramax converted to natural gas. A little more money, but if you need it, it's worth it. And there is no real price difference between a 30 and 50 amp breaker and inlet box (plug).
@@adrianb6073 i have a 7kW running generator but its only a 30 amp plug. I just saw how far your genrator was and thinking about the voltage drop from that distance. My generator is about 15 ft from the power meter on the side of the house where the 10/3 wire connects to the outside panel, then that connects to the inside breaker panel where ALL my breakers are. I then ran about ~125 ft of power from my inside breaker panel up in the attic and down the rear of the house and buried out to the shed in the back yard about the same distance where your generator is. I do get 120V in the shed while on standby but the minute i power up my 20 gallon air compressor, that voltge drops to about 115V ... Thats why i was asking about the voltge drop with that added length of cable.
Be carefully … I found my Firman 9600 watts burns lot of fuel. Way more then my other generators I had in the past. I live off the grid…15 + years living with generators to run my washers and dryers…and recharge my batteries… One day someone will be able to compare gas mileages between brands of the same sizes… Guessing ..my firman burns 40% more then my last generator…Aloha Disappointed for sure
Thanks for the comment. As I'm on natural gas I'm not overly concerned. I can see where feeding this beast with gasoline would be an issue! This is mainly my summer time, hurricane disaster, generator. Having the ability to run an AC unit in the south during a hurricane outage (on natural gas) is worth a lot to me! I've found my 2200 watt inverter great for winter time. It can run nearly everything in the house on 3-4 gallons of fuel per day. I'd imagine the Firman would be closer to 20 gallons but that's just a guess.
He’s chewed an extension chord, so for his safety I’m not letting him near a 240v gen cable without supervision. He’d be inside if it was a real outage.
