Generator installation prices/tips?

Before spec'ing the generator and installation you should minimize the load in the house and maximize the efficiency wherever possible. Ideally any money you spend on lowering the load will be repaid by the savings on the genset installation.

If the house load can be brought low enough, solar pv panels and batteries driving an inverter will be a very attractive alternative to a traditional genset.

How many kWh does the house use on a monthly basis?

Hey SunnyCaribe:

Thanks for the reply and the tips. We're using around 1000 kwh a month at the very highest, with two apartment size refrigerators (not efficiency rated), a beverage cooler, two window a/c units that are efficiency rated, and a few other not-too-energy-offensive household appliances (though I think our washer and dryer could be improved.) I suppose we could also improve the window insulation in the rooms with a/c.

I did do some reading on an inverter driven with batteries, but dismissed it after seeing suggestions that it would work only for a very small load. You may have a point re the solar panels in addition, though. We priced solar panels and storage batteries 5-6 years ago and got such a sizzling estimate (well into the five figures) that we moon-walked away. Someone mentioned to me that they had heard of much lower (mid to high four figures) solar estimates recently, so maybe that could be a possibility.

Anyway, I am trying to educate myself in order to make some good choices regarding a generator, so any and all thoughts and suggestions are appreciated.

Best,

Islandlola

Well, a generator with an automatic transfer switch, permanently installed, in the 10kw range will cost well into 5 figures once it's installed professionally.

Two things work in favor of solar/batts...one is that there are very significant incentives for those systems now, and second, the systems are modular, in that you can start with a system which will run the fridge, some lights and fans, and move upward from there as finances allow.
Bear in mind that a system can start off as a back-up for outages up to, say, 12 hours, and eventually grow to become an off-grid system.

We will be going that route. To that end, we've installed a gas dryer, we are installing efficient ceiling fans, led lights where practical, and so on. It's our hope to start out with a system which will allow us to live normally without interruption for 24 hours (without doing laundry, which is a big electric drain), and eventually to add enough panels and batteries that a small suitcase-style generator of 2000w or so will be sufficient to back up the system when outages extend beyond 3-4 days or so.

Another bonus is that an inverter will protect sensitive appliances like your fridge during brown-outs and dips in the wapa.

Yet another bonus is that you won't have to schlepp fuel to the thing every so often.

We have a wonderful Honda which is wired to the house through a manual transfer switch. We've had 18 power outages in the last 3 months lasting between 6 and 24 hours. The Honda is a trooper, but $20 in gas every day, plus smelling like gas every time I fuel it, gets old fast. Diesel generators have advantages but require constant maintenance. Our neighbor has one, and when it runs, it's awesome (for him...it's noisy and smelly for us) but he keeps a Honda for when the Northern Lights Diesel is down, which is about a third of the time. Propane generators also have benefits, but they are very costly to run.

Good luck!

Does anyone know who around here (STX) does diesel generator maintenance?

We (on St. Croix) are having a 20 KW propane generator with 200 amp panel and automatic transfer switch installed on Monday by Tristar Development, Inc. (340-773-7827). The total cost, including installation, is a little over $7000, although they have much cheaper options available. The generator has a 3 year warranty. They seem knowledgeable and professional but I will have a better feel for it after Monday. We will be using 100 pound portable tanks as a fuel supply, since we have those already for our gas stove, are easy to maneuver and replace, and I don't want to pay for a bulk tank. While I am confident that a diesel power source would be more reliable, their initial cost with tank is much higher and I suspect the electrical components of the generator are the high risk item in our environment anyway. We currently use an 8 KW gasoline powered generator to backfeed the house. However, it is too small to power everything and is labor intensive. It is an electric start model but the battery seems to always be dead when I need it and there is no way my wife could manually start it. And as SunnyCaribe mentioned, it is expensive to run,has to be refueled frequently, and is loud.

Anybody got recommendations for someone in STT who can can provide parts for and/or install a solar generator ?

Thanks,

Islandlola