Self Powered To Face The Storm

Huntn

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I purchased a Westinghouse 7500DF Generator last fall. I finally got the Reliance R306A 120/240 Volt, 30 Amp Outdoor Transfer Switch ($280) hooked up. A couple of days ago I made a test run, and powered kitchen Fridge, Portable AC 120v unit in the bedroom, TV, and optional microwave successfully with the flip of a switch. Having a battery powered generator start is a very nice feature And being able to run a single electrical cord from the generator to the transfer switch is much better than running individual extension cords from the Gen through a window to various locations. I’ve got 50 gallons of gas on the garage so I figure I’m good for maybe 3 days of self power.

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Who puts their CBS on the outside of their house??
TEXAS 👀

It’s a simple thing to add, this switch acts as a sub-panel. Run a neutral (white) and ground (green) and tie it into the main box, along with the 12 circuit connection wires though conduit ( which is seen under the two boxes).
  • Pick a circuit to be powered by the generator, in the main CB Box, turn that CB off and unscrew the wire going to it.
  • Connect the newly disconnected wire to the appropriate transfer switch circuit wire, say circuit 1.
  • Then connect the second wire from the same transfer switch circuit, to the CB in the main CB Box you just removed the wire from.
  • Now that circuit instead of going directly to the CB in the Main Box, takes a detour through the Transfer Switch box to the Switch located there. This Transfer Switch switch has 3 positions, Line, Off, And Gen.
  • When the power goes out, you will hook up the generator to the transfer switch box (30A plug on bottom), start the generator, open the Transfer Switch Box, and flip circuit 1 from line, to off, to Generator. That circuit will now be powered by the generator.

I thought about going with a natural gas Gen hooked up to the house, but that is another story too much work and expense, unless you want to talk about it.
 
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U

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My Fall project's gonna be a solar power system. It will probably be able to run 2/3rds of my household energy needs off it.
 

Alli

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Installing a whole house generator was one of the best decisions we ever made. Great insurance, too.
 
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Installing a whole house generator was one of the best decisions we ever made. Great insurance, too.
After the storms that hit us on Friday I'm reminded again of the need. We lucked out this time but plenty of folk around us were down for 24 hours.

Thinking we'd go for a natural gas powered generator given that the gas line runs to the same side of the house the electric does.
 

SuperMatt

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How about something like a Tesla power wall… a battery that stores energy from the grid and uses it if you lose power… probably cheaper than a generator… but i know some people live in areas where power can be out for a long time, so maybe they need the generator.
 

Huntn

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How about something like a Tesla power wall… a battery that stores energy from the grid and uses it if you lose power… probably cheaper than a generator… but i know some people live in areas where power can be out for a long time, so maybe they need the generator.
How long could you run a fridge and Portable AC off this I Wonder?
 

Huntn

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It costs about 7.5K after incentives...I think. Would zero out in about 15 years, so not necessarily a phenomenal investment. But energy independence even from the local grid would still be nice
As far as a storm cross your fingers it is not damaged during the storm, although this can be said of any backup scheme. My Gen will stay in the garage until I roll it out for use.
 
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As far as a storm cross your fingers it is not damaged during the storm, although this can be said of any backup scheme. My Gen will stay in the garage until I roll it out for use.
How long could you run a fridge and Portable AC off this I Wonder?
If you get a tesla-based system, it comes with a powerwall. W/o energy storage the solar system isn't great anyway. A battery like power wall can do a few things:
1. Charge when it's cheapest (day for Solar), then top off from the grid off-peak hours
2. Even out supply and demand mismatches
3. It could probably run a Fridge for 2-3 days (AFAIK)
 

Alli

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Natural gas? How much $ to install? Last time I looked into this it was about $8k.
I think that’s about what this one was. This is the second one and much larger than the first. Last summer’s storm powered our house plus the neighbor’s fridge for 4 days.
 

Huntn

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I think that’s about what this one was. This is the second one and much larger than the first. Last summer’s storm powered our house plus the neighbor’s fridge for 4 days.
And your window AC unit? :)

What would be a real kick in the teeth is a winter storm where there is a shortage of natural gas, like the Feb storm in Texas, and you are depending on a natural gas driven generator for electricity.
 
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Alli

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And your window AC unit? :)

What would be a real kick in the teeth is a winter storm where there is a shortage of natural gas, like the Feb storm in Texas, and you are depending on a natural gas driven generator for electricity.
Runs the whole house AC, and on those nights when we argue about the setting it will even run my window unit.

If we have a winter storm like that down here, we have more problems than a generator could handle.
 
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