Power Outage..

[Broncojohnny]

I like the idea of the Generac but it seems really expensive in comparison to a portable generator of the same size that runs on propane or gasoline.

[Broncojohnny]

I'd like to get a diesel generator, but I want to keep enough diesel on hand so I don't have to worry about fuel for years. Therein lies the problem. How long can the life of diesel fuel be extended? Something tells me it would be dead after a year had gone by, even with those additives. So I think I'm gonna go with propane instead. A Kohler 20Kw unit, and a big ass propane tank oughta solve the problem.

You can store diesel for quite a while if you keep the tank full to the top, minimizing air space and also mix in just a little bit of gasoline to keep algae from growing in it.

Really though, propane is the better choice if you want to keep the fuel forever.

[davbrucas]

I like the idea of the Generac but it seems really expensive in comparison to a portable generator of the same size that runs on propane or gasoline.

Mine runs on natural gas or propane.

[bubbaearl]

generac on propane is the best option . my generator is a pto 17k . i store a lot of diesel so i'm good. with diesel you just need good filters . but i cant imagine anyone not getting prepared for another crisis like this. another week and it would have been really deadly .
as for diesel it is not uncommon to fire up a dozer or other equipment that has sat for years .

[ram57ta]

I like the idea of the Generac but it seems really expensive in comparison to a portable generator of the same size that runs on propane or gasoline.

My little 8000 running/13500 starting Troy Bilt (Briggs & Stratton OHV 15hp) is on the small end for a house backup generator but there is a kit available to add LP Propane/NG to it for about $150 and keeps the gasoline option. I'm thinking about it.

[4EyedTurd]

It was not a big deal. Inconvenient and a little uncomfortable, but if you cannot figure out how to survive a few days like this, and are relying on a government to save you, then you have much bigger things to worry about than politics.

It's funny, all I took away from all of this were a few ideas I could implement to be more comfortable should this happen again. A little more water on reserve; Ensure I keep a stash of batteries and whatnot that is not comingled with every day use stuff; better / more interesting games or activities to do (dice and cards got old) you know, little things. Actual 'survival' was never even a minor concern. The most challenging part was digging through camping gear to pull out lights, heaters, solar panels, etc.. And dealing with the boredom. Holy shit was it boring. I even shoveled all the snow in the driveway and sidewalks because I was so bored (plus it's a free way to keep warm).

100% this! Sleeping bags for everyone, camping stove, batteries, more firewood (build a cover for the rack or store it in a dry area). Pantry addition in the garage for sure.

[Strychnine]

You can store diesel for quite a while if you keep the tank full to the top, minimizing air space and also mix in just a little bit of gasoline to keep algae from growing in it.

I'm going to be a dick and correct you on this one only because this is a small niche where I can loosely call myself... expert-adjacent. Keeping the tank full is good because it minimizes condensation space, but don't mix gasoline with diesel. You'll instantly lower the flash point and initial boiling point (IBP) to levels that could potentially damage a diesel engine. Octane is the exact opposite of cetane.

Keeping the tank full will minimize nearly all of the risk on its own if you're starting with a clean tank.





Microbial growth in fuel can happen anywhere a hydrocarbon and water molecule touch, which tends to be on the boundary layer at the bottom of a tank. Also, the more biodiesel you have blended in your fuel the more susceptible you'll be to growth - biodiesel is not a hydrocarbon, its a mono-alkyl ester which is polar (contains oxygen) so it attracts water. Nearly all pumps these days are B5 due to economics, but if you go to a Pilot, Flying J, etc you're likely to get B20.

The best things you can do are to get the lowest possible biodiesel blend in the fuel, have the best housekeeping practices possible (full tank and regular water draining), and use an antioxidant storage additive to keep the double-bonded hydrocarbons (olefins, aromatics, etc) from breaking down prematurely, or a biocide additive if you have growth that's already started.

[Nash B.]

generac on propane is the best option . my generator is a pto 17k . i store a lot of diesel so i'm good. with diesel you just need good filters . but i cant imagine anyone not getting prepared for another crisis like this. another week and it would have been really deadly .
as for diesel it is not uncommon to fire up a dozer or other equipment that has sat for years .

I forgot to put additive in my diesel truck before it got cold. I was afraid it would've gelled Monday night when it got below zero so I have some degelling stuff on the way. I pulled the filters yesterday and they looked normal; I turned the key on, and it had normal pressure and fired right up

[kingjason]

Yep, I see a Generac in my future and gas range. My wife talked me out of the gas range last time but I bet she re thinks it. Those mother fuckers also rolled power last summer if I remember correctly. I am thankful my fridge just iced the coils but pissed I didn't run out and drain the pool shit. I put it all in new 8 or 9 years ago so I have got my moneys worth I guess. My mom still has her 1975 sand pool filter humming along in a lovely stainless steel. I am hunting one now. I can't blame my Pentair but some of the newer stuff looks flimsy as hell.

[Tx Redneck]

I have two yeti 1000s that I used. They worked pretty well. They both lasted the 48hrs without needing to be charged.
My house in MS has a Generac Guardian 22kW generator setup. Unfortunately, we were in Texas through this...and we are leasing.

We have a generac here as well, that ended up not workin. Some fault protection failed and we can't get a generac rep to come look at it, no one calls back.

[ceyko]

I never realized that we had garbage service here via Verizon until wifi went down. lol

&

It would have been nice to be able to run the house heat (gas) as the gas fireplace didn't heat shit. I mean, not 24/7 but just to take the chill off here and there.

We have good verizon service, but during down power time (A bunch) - it was crap. It's only speculation, but I suspect EVERYONE's phone switching from on-prem wifi to a cell tower hit it hard, also suspect the power hits were causing problems with cell/telephone providers.

Question about your gas fireplace - does it have a blower? I have a smaller setup with a Yeti - when power was off the gas fireplace did not put off as much heat. However, when the power was on and the blower was going it did great. I could plug the blower into the Yeti and run it for an additional 45 minutes.

I've debated on upsizing these battery packs (like the Yeti) but feel the money may be better spent on a fuel reserve and even a simple camping generator.

I have a 7K generator that never runs. lol However, MOST times we need power during the summer to preserve our food in fridges/freezers and these solar generators just won't cut it for that - well, you'd spend as much as you would likely spend on a whole house generator to do it.

C19, this event and some others just showing the weaknesses to my plans. So far though, we could be in A LOT worse shape, that's for sure.

Glad everyone making out okay, feeling bad for folks with flooded homes though. Water damage is no joke.

[Gasser64]

Doesn't affect you guys since you have them already, but Generac is out to a 38 week lead time now.

I like the idea of the Generac but it seems really expensive in comparison to a portable generator of the same size that runs on propane or gasoline.

generac on propane is the best option . my generator is a pto 17k . i store a lot of diesel so i'm good. with diesel you just need good filters . but i cant imagine anyone not getting prepared for another crisis like this. another week and it would have been really deadly .
as for diesel it is not uncommon to fire up a dozer or other equipment that has sat for years .

@ all three:

After researching all this for a few days, I'd avoid generac if you're thinking of buying new. They seem to be the less expensive brand for a reason. Kohler is roughly $800-$1,500 more for the same output depending on the unit. Apparently that's not a ripoff. The big box stores sell generac, and use Kohler for their own backups. One guy was about to buy a generac, but the employee took him out back and pointed out what the store was using.

They've also got a much better warranty, at 5 years. They're supposed to be much quieter as well, allowing you to carry on a conversation right next to it without even needing to raise your voice while it's running. Generac is supposed to have very nice, very unhelpful customer service that doesn't think their units should ever see 100 hours in a 5 year span. That could be a single disaster, if it's bad enough. Let alone a few more disasters in later years.

Given the somewhat critical nature of the subject, I'll just cough up the extra $1500 and get the good shit.

Any electricians around here? What's the reliability of those auto switches? They claim you'll only be down for 3 seconds if the power goes out, but I've heard they've been known to fail from time to time. I don't mind having to go out there and throw a big lever, if it means avoiding future trouble.

[The King]

We have a generac here as well, that ended up not workin. Some fault protection failed and we can't get a generac rep to come look at it, no one calls back.

The only time ours issued a fault code was for one of the 1500-series codes and it was due to a weak battery that failed to crank the unit. The OEM battery that it came with in 2017 didn't last much beyond 2 1/2 years.

[lowthreeohz]

we use ATS's at all our radio sites, with UPS for the switchover. the ATS failures are pretty rare, usually its a genset that fails to start.

[GrayStangGT]

We have a generac here as well, that ended up not workin. Some fault protection failed and we can't get a generac rep to come look at it, no one calls back.

I've got a friend in the power generation business and according to him generac is built to a price point with the cheapest parts available, which is why they are the cheapest on the market for the most part. Price out a Kohler and its close to double.