Propane/multifuel generators

[Jeddak]

How much do you need wattage wise? With my electricians help, we got to about 5200 max for about 40% of the house.

Kitchen with gas rangetop, one electric wall oven, microwave, ref/freezer, lights, outlets. Den with lights, tv, cable box, modem, router, ceiling fan, and outlets. Powder room. Master bedroom, tv, outlets, ceiling fan. Master bathroom. 2 additional bedrooms on main floor. Furnaces, water heaters.

Turned out much less than I had expected it to be.

Smaller requirement, longer runtime on less fuel.

3 freezers (2 small chest, 1 side by side), electric range/oven, electric water heater, 1/3hp well pump, electric washer and dryer (3 kids), modem, router, security cameras. 2 TVS/Rokus, all LED lightbulbs, ceiling fans.
AC at night in the summer.

PS I think that showers and cooking will need to be done at different times. Hoping to run generator at 1/2 capacity, so THD is lower, and fuel lasts longer.
Teenage girl in the house. Camp showers are not an option.

 

[NWSharpshooter]

I need to start to find a tank myself...With enough time I should be able to pick all the supplies I need..Gas tank is first on the list..Once I find an electrician I can hire, to wire my box up..

Keep an eye on people selling old BBQ trailers. I bought two 40lb bottles off of ItBeMe for something like 20 bucks last year. They were from a BBQ trailer.

 

[DinkyDau]

I just remembered that I did not roll up my 3 extension cords from the last time we lost power...I was in a hurry to take care of my bride, so I just bundles them up and put them in a pile..I just got around to separating, untangling and recoiling each. Damn tangled mess and I am fed up doing it...

 

[NWSharpshooter]

This is my setup, it has Firman Dual Fuel setup inside. Costco for $499 2 years ago. 7200 running watts on propane. Got it running about a 1/3 of the house, kitchen, den, router, master bedroom, bath, water heaters and furnace.

Runs about 40% load powering all that. 100 lb cylinder and 6 20 lb cylinders. 20 lb runs about 18-20 hours depending load. Tanks do freeze up, get a tank blanket, swap it in and out on the current cylinder.

https://www.costco.com/firman-7500w-running--9400w-peak-tri-fuel-generator.product.100648883.html Looks like the new model is a few watts less.

@Darkdiesel hooked it up to the transfer switch for me.

Yeah, the more I read the more I think the NG lines freezing was BS.

Fact-check: Are Texas gas pipelines 'naturally insulated' from freezing weather?

Texas lawmakers heard from an executive of pipeline company Energy Transfer. “Pipelines do not freeze,” he said. “They are naturally insulated."

www.statesman.com

Natural gas has a freeze point of -296.7 and propane is -306. The issue would be with the valve freezing when the tank is near empty, or if the valve is faulty.

A full propane tank shouldn't freeze before I am dead.

 

[DinkyDau]

Yeah, the more I read the more I think the NG lines freezing was BS.

Fact-check: Are Texas gas pipelines 'naturally insulated' from freezing weather?

Texas lawmakers heard from an executive of pipeline company Energy Transfer. “Pipelines do not freeze,” he said. “They are naturally insulated."

www.statesman.com

Natural gas has a freeze point of -296.7 and propane is -306. The issue would be with the valve freezing when the tank is near empty, or if the valve is faulty.

A full propane tank shouldn't freeze before I am dead.

I had a camper years ago that at 15 degrees the valves froze up...Put a blanket on and never a problem again..

 

[Leveraction44]

The good thing about 20 lb tanks is they are easy to move around, they can be used with a propane grill and a propane heater. Plus you can easily exchange them for another tank in case of a valve issue, etc..

Note: Most 20 lb exchange tanks usually have only about 15 lbs of propane. It's a good idea to take these tanks and have them topped off with more propane.

I imagine a person could go through 60 lbs of propane in 24 hrs feeding a good size gen that is heavily loaded.

 

[Jeddak]

Talked to the wife tonight. Wondering if we want to get a 500 tank or several 100 pounders?

 

[NWSharpshooter]

.
Do your own research, but I’ve been running LPG at my vacation cottage and deer camp for 25 years and my favorite size LPG tank is the 120 gallon stand up (not 100 pounds). They are filled to 100 gallons when filled to the legal (80% full) limit.

They can be legally placed almost anywhere, right against a home or garage outside wall, there’s no 25-foot setback mandates like on other large LPG tanks.. so is much shorter pipe run to your genset. If need be, they can be moved when almost half full by hand rolling them on their side, like a barrel. Propane delivery fills them up too.

You can have one delivered for almost free by Surburban or Ferrel gas, but you’ll end up paying a few cents more per gallon and maybe a $25 per year tank rental. I bought mine outright so I can buy whomever’s gas is lowest priced at the time.

Nice. That’s basically 25 20lb tanks. Gonna have to look into that.

 

[Jeddak]

.
Do your own research, but I’ve been running LPG at my vacation cottage and deer camp for 25 years and my favorite size LPG tank is the 120 gallon stand up (not 100 pounds). They are filled to 100 gallons when filled to the legal (80% full) limit.

They can be legally placed almost anywhere, right against a home or garage outside wall, there’s no 25-foot setback mandates like on other large LPG tanks.. so is much shorter pipe run to your genset. If need be, they can be moved when almost half full by hand rolling them on their side, like a barrel. Propane delivery fills them up too.

You can have one delivered for almost free by Surburban or Ferrel gas, but you’ll end up paying a few cents more per gallon and maybe a $25 per year tank rental. I bought mine outright so I can buy whomever’s gas is lowest priced at the time.

Thank you, thank you!!! That's why post, for feed back like that!!!
PS did you buy them from the local propane dealers? I cannot find them online.

 

[Jeddak]

I'll start with one and will go from there.