Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Property Projects & Construction Standby generators

any advice on a home standby generator 10kw or so? maybe 12-14kw? i've heard that the big box stores sell lower quality units, but they seem to get good reviews.what do you guys have?

My dad has a big diesel generator at our place in MI and we a use gasoline powered unit here in NJ but if I was going for strictly a standby home unit it would be lng/propane unit hands down.The last thing you will want to deal with when you need it is bad/old dirty fuel.

Propane is the way to go. The commercial units at work were switched to propane several years ago, and run for an hour a month. Never even saw the side doors opened on them by the maintenance crews. Very clean running also.

It'll definately be NG, free gas here.

Neighbor and my dad have the same brand generator. Dad had a private contractor install it (and he purchased it from them) and the neighbor bought his from Lowes. Both run on propane/lng and auto start once a week. Neighbor had to have a private contractor come in and re-install it - the contractor that Lowes hired botched the install disconnecting ground rod from main circuit panel being only one of the problems.

IIRC nieghbor went with a 14KW Generac Guardian, Dad went with a 17KW or 20KW model. Neither has had any problems with the unit, both have used them. Dad's has been in service for 3 years so far, the neighbor 2 years.

I have had problems with both pumps and generators that DIDN'T have Honda motors.

About 18 months ago, I bought and installed a Generac Guardian 8 kw propane-operated generator. 8 kw is more than enough to run our house. One thing that helps keep out total power load down is our geothermal heating/cooling system that also provides hot water as a byproduct. We have two full size refrigerators, a large freezer, and the usual assortment of household devices. We already had a 500 gallon propane tank for our previous heating system.

Mine came with the automatic transfer switch and all the associated wiring. The hardest part of the installation was knocking holes in the basement wall for the cabling and for the gas line.

Our well pump is the only significant thing we don't power with it. The well is about 600 feet from the house, and on a separate power meter at my barn. I have an old 4 kw 'portable' generator for it.