Good comments on longevity of propane. I primarily use propane because I don't have to clean old gunk out of a gasoline carburetor. I'm willing to have slightly less power than gasoline and not have the carburetor maintenance.
My father and brother went together and gifted me a 10,000 watt propane/gas generator years ago when it was on sale. It's an electric, push button start. Haven't had to use it but if I need it' it'll be ready. It's perfect because I use propane to heat my home. Have a 300 gallon LP gas tank out back.
Years ago we bought a propane only 7kw backup generator. It uses about two pounds an hour of propane. Those exchange tanks are only filled to about 75%. Have tanks filled instead of exchanging, cost a little less and they fill it up to 20 pounds. At every tank change I check the oil level and top it off.
My dad lives in Ocala, they just got side swiped by the hurricane. He lost power for about 18 hours. He still had AC, cold food and water (he is on a well). His neighbors were bringing over their frozen food to put in his freezer.
I’d like to get an old military Diesel generator for backup power. Diesel engines can tolerate alternative fuels like biodiesel, used motor oil, and vegetable oil. In an extended outage, you likely will have better luck finding oil to run the generator than gasoline or propane.
Would like to have the same as a backup to all my propane gens but don't know a reliable source for such and even then you need someone with the expertise to work on them
@@REVNUMANEWBERN govplanet is an auction site for government vehicle sales. They sell the generator sets, but then you need to find someone to work on them if you don’t know how to do it yourself.
Propane is easier on the generator as far internal fouling - runs cleaner, less maintenance. Downside is it produces less power. Dual fuel gennies are rated for less watts with propane, though not a big amount. I wish I bought a dual fuel, though I'm about to get a conversion kit for mine that allows either. The big thing, if you wish to plan for extensive use, is get an inverter genny, as they are a lot more fuel efficient, slowing RPM for lower loads, plus the inverter output is pure sine wave at all ranges, which is great for running electronics. My inverter genny is a Harbor Freight Predator 9500, which is great, but if I had to do it all over I'd get a Duramax dual fuel inverter for only slightly more and have propane support built-in with no add-ons.
WOW! I didn't know they sold one that big. We have 2 of the Firman 7500 peak Watt dual fuel units and one Firman 2000 peak inverter generator from Costco. Their prices and return policies are hard to beat.
@@REVNUMANEWBERN FIRMAN generators come with a 3-year parts warranty and a 1-year labor warranty. FIRMAN also offers lifetime technical support. Yes, there are Firman authorized service centers within driving distance of me, but I've not had a warranty issue on any of the 3 Firman generators I own.
Yep, and let's not forget with them made in Shyna then we have to DEPEND on THEM, suggest if one buys such to survey LOCAL small engine repair shops to see which ones actually does repairs on them.
I moved my whole house NG generator when we moved to our new house. Had to convert it to Propane at that time (no big deal) so we buried a 1000 gal propane tank underground. to provide fuel for the generator and gas stove.
Sized the generator to be able to recharge all the power station simultaneously and be able to run the washing machine. I hope, if the time comes to run it 4 to 5 hours, 2 to 3 times a week.
Where I live propane costs almost $2 more a gallon than gasoline. I built our house and wired it with a main transfer switch and a sub panel with its own transfer switch with fridge, freezer, furnace, light ps TV and internet hooked to it. I can run the loads on the sub panel with a Honda 2000 for over 10 hours on a gallon of gas. We have a big gas generator (7.5k) to hook to the whole house transfer switch. This generator has a remote start FOB that we can start remotely when we need to run bigger loads like the well pump. We always have gas in the shed for the toys and the snowplow truck that we just use at our house. Running a big generator with no hardly any load isn’t good for it. Also a generator shouldn’t be run over 75% of its rated load continuously.
May be good for short term power outages, but if/when the power grid fails permanently, due to some EMP attack or something, then you are completely screwed. A sustainable power source is what you really need, aside from solar and/or wind, i am thinking a turbine generator powered by magnets. Magnets last thousands of years and do not rely on anything else to get going. If i could go all in on a bug out shelter or an off grid living setup i would certainly include a magnetic turbine generator (or something similar using manets), in addition to solar, wind, and even water if possible.
20 Amps runs about 1850 Watts. That's about one single fuse on average. 6000 Watts would be like three or four 15 & 25 Amp fuses in the box. Would you want all that one one fuse? Would you want that all on one generator? Decentralized finance is a major trend to watch, and for some possibly to follow, and electrical power is finance. Definitely, you're safer with multiple generators, also multiple UPC surge protectors, "Uninterruptible Power Supply" batteries to back up and keep appliances running between generators, if you need to turn them off too and go quiet.
First half of your comment is not quite accurate. 20A x 120V = 2400W 80% safe continuous load= 1920W Total Wattage has little to do with number of circuits because rarely are all on at one time. For example, a home load center may be rated 150 A, but all breaker values added up can easily exceed 200 to 300A. Very common. I agree 100% with part 2 of your comment. 'One is None, and Two is One' as the US military is famous for saying.
I don't know anything about generators but they are very very expensive. I'll look for a propane one because you suggested it....if it's cheaper than a gas one. I just bought my first house and i hear the power goes out during storms. So I'm going to start up said generator and plug it into the house to power my house during an outage. But there is no way anyone is getting more than one generator. They cost more than a months pay.
Do you know how many solar powerbanks (NOT a generator) and solar panels it would take to run for days and days like a real generator of 6000 Watts will do? I do, and it ain't a 'handful of panels' or a single powerbank unit.
How much fuel to run those 6000 watts? When that runs dry, then what? My four panels are sufficient to keep the solar generator running daily. Not full time, mind you, but enough for the freezer, furnace, lights, and one-offs. I've verified my assumptions over the course of 10 days, and with that, expect it would work indefinitely. The next order of business is a second generator and backup panels. The propane will go towards heating (if needed) and stealth cooking/water.
@@Aff3ct000 That's nice. If we lived in a sunny area, we'd have a small solar powerbank like yours also. I highly recommend testing your powerbank in a simulated multi day grid down scenario. Powerbank sellers are known to be way optimistic about performance numbers.
@sirtedricwalker2979 How long do you think a quality panel lasts? Are you thinking they only work for a few years then you have to be thrown out? If you've got a 500 gal propane tank, go ham. If you've got a couple of 20 lb-ers, you're probably gonna have a bad time. With the next one, no one is coming to save you or your family.
If ya buy a NEW one do NOT assume it is good right out of the box, MANY are NOT functional when new, get it out, run it etc. & VERIFY EVERYTHING WORKS as it should, these things have just a few years warranty so, one may store for a year, use it for minimum hours the next 2 and then you no longer have a warranty, these things SHOULD HAVE a HOURS USED warranty
I have a Generac too run my home but I also have a portable generator that I bought just in case we have too bug out. The only problem with it is , It is a bugger too get started. I dont know why I have too pull start it for so long sometimes I want to throw it in the dump.
It probably has a low oil pressure cut off switch and won’t start without oil pressure. Get a spray can of starter fluid in automotive. I would also replace the ignition coil, spark plug, and maybe adjust the valve lash. Mine started getting hard to start, replaced the coil runs like new.
If you’re using anywhere near 6000 watts when SHTF, something ain’t right. The amount of fuel that thing consumes, even running idle, is ridiculous. Surely, something more conservative would be more appropriate.
I have one by my window, it is Way too loud. WAY TOO LOUD ! I have been very unhappy about it. My portable Honda from my cabin, whisper quiet ($800.) and easy dependable portable. Maybe if you built an insulated enclosure you could tolerate it. :) Good luck
@@Jeffreymart Generac install technicians in my area (PNW) would NEVER install a unit right by a window unless you specifically told them they must do it. In much of my county, it's actually against code. Did you self install?
LOL , do a RU-vid search on them FAILING, locally a elderly lady was praising her new Generac she had installed that she had to finance, it was good for ONE storm, the next one it failed
You can use propane save indoors. You have many gas appliances indoors like a stove, water heater, fireplace, and dryer. You just to need to know what your doing.
