# 12k-15k watt portable Generator Recommendation



## MikeFromMilford (Sep 6, 2020)

Hi,
I live in CT and I’m looking for a portable generator for my home to use for backup power when we have occasional outages. Some last 3-5 days. I’ve calculated my power needs to be 7,000 w and want to run the generator at about 50% capacity if possible. Was planning on hooking up using interlock kit instead of a transfer switch to save money (at least to start and may install transfer later)

I want to buy a good Reliable unit, and will pay extra for quality.

Power needs

cooling: Mini split 12,000btu 23 seer + 22,000btu 19.5 seer
Water pump
Heat: baseboard...Oil burner
indirect water heater
fridge
Chest freezer
Electric range
Led lights
Laptops
Microwave


Thank you in advance!!


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

break down those numbers and equipment by watts and voltage for us.

also what fuel do you have on site?

looks like you have oil burner for heat..
a diesel unit might work well if you have a large fuel tank!
cat makes an awesome diesel gen setup!
and the cool thing is as long as you have fuel on site you are set!
just plan the fuel.
and get together with your fuel guy they have deals where you can buy a years worth of fuel up front at a low cost during june when the fuel is lower cost. 

make sure to get the arctic package for what ever gen you get.
those help in winter!!


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## exmar (Jun 29, 2015)

7KW is way undersized. You have water pump, oil burner, two AC, frig and freezer all have motors and three times running wattage is the usual rule of thumb for starting. You have no control over what's going to be cycling when. The electric range could be 7KW alone depending on how many burners you have on and also the oven.

7KW ""could" work if you practice very stringent manual load shedding. e.g. "Don't turn on microwave if a range burner is on." To have everything on your list available during an outage, you're probably looking at 20-24KW, whole house unit with automatic transfer switch and hard piped to a fuel supply-if available. Not a portable. If you're not willing to spend that kind of money, take a hard look at what you realistically have to have to survive a 3-5 day outage, think of it as an adventure. Forget the electric range, a small burner can be 1000-1400 Watts, pick up a propane camping stove, you probably have a gas grill outside be creative. Microwave is handy, but can be 1200-1800W which is a quarter of your "ideal" 7KW. 

I'm overstating a bit, the oil burner motors aren't that big but with indirect water heating, it's going to be running, even with AC. And you don't say how big your well pump is. Take a hard look at what you have to have and tabulate loads accordingly, then see where you are. You're right that 50% load is the "sweet spot" to keep your generator happy. I'm just afraid your sweet spot is closer to 15 than 7KW. Good luck.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

amen on the lp grill!
get one with a side burner.
then you can cook almost any thing!!

if you have natural gas then for winter storms every thing like heat , water heater, and cooking can be done with natural gas.
they also make natural gas outdoor grills now as well..
but make sure you have an sheltered area setup to be able to cook during an ice event, or severe snow event..

back in the 1800's on farm estates they had a summer kitchen setup, where the wood stove and all of the things for doing laundry as well as the cooking could be done in the building next door!
cool setup!!
and as there were no fans, etc for cooling the main house it was open with just screens in the doors and windows.

click here for the generator connection page

on that page is a meter setup with a main panel interlock for a generator inlet.
you can see your L1 and L2 load live as you use power or switch things off and on.
they are 200 amp meters, and show volts as well.
I also use a meter set for the generator inlet as well.
cool setup!

and yes i use it when I suspect that I have a power issue!!
easy to flip a couple of switches to wake up the displays and see what is up!!

you need hard data for what your real power demands are.
then my rule is to get a gen that is 50% more...
and make sure the generator will work well with low power up to rated.
some super gens do not work well at 100 watts... they like at least a 1000 watt load to settle down.
for me winter i can get by on 1000 watts. so I use the honda eu2200i gens as a single gen..
but for summer I can run up to 4 of the gens when i run the air con units.

that power plan is changing as the plans are to use inverter mini splits for the 2021 summer season.
and the new water heater system is going in this month as i have time to work on it.
most of the materials are here.
it just takes time to do all of it!!
grin!

look at your loads again.
and separate the loads by voltage 125 vac and 250 vac.
I also color code the loads by priority on my spread sheets.
some things have to be on all of the time, and other things are just when you need to do the task.
eg washer, dryer... electric garage door opener, garbage disposal.

other things like fire alarms etc. are 24/7. but are demand.
unless they are battery operated only.

internet now is a priority, so i use a ups on that... but it has a battery charger that draws some power.
as well as i have them for the tv's too.
so at least i can watch the live storm video.


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## MikeFromMilford (Sep 6, 2020)

iowagold said:


> break down those numbers and equipment by watts and voltage for us.
> 
> also what fuel do you have on site?
> 
> ...


Iowagold, thank you for your reply!

I have oil for heating fuel and a 275 gallon fuel tank. Are the Cat diesel units portable? My budget and needs are steering me toward portable.

Here's what my breakdown looks like. I left off the electric range, going to stick with using my propane grill w/ side burner. For heat, during a power outage can turn some of the zones down. I'm not 100% on the wattage for the Laptop, TV's and UPC. I like your idea of using a UPC for those devices.


120240AMPSWattsFujitsu Minisplit (12,000 BTU, 23 SEER)521Fujitsu Minisplit (22,000 BTU, 19.5 SEER)1128Oil Burner2240Circulators 4 zones0.7420Water Pump (1/2 HP)(4.7AMP, 1.6 S.F.)4.71128Fridge (est. 2004)6.5780Freezer1.2144Lights (outdoor floods)60Lights (indoor)50Alarm System40Laptops, TV, UPC125running wattsstarting wattsTOTAL46366026.869549040.2


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## MikeFromMilford (Sep 6, 2020)

exmar said:


> 7KW is way undersized. You have water pump, oil burner, two AC, frig and freezer all have motors and three times running wattage is the usual rule of thumb for starting. You have no control over what's going to be cycling when. The electric range could be 7KW alone depending on how many burners you have on and also the oven.
> 
> 7KW ""could" work if you practice very stringent manual load shedding. e.g. "Don't turn on microwave if a range burner is on." To have everything on your list available during an outage, you're probably looking at 20-24KW, whole house unit with automatic transfer switch and hard piped to a fuel supply-if available. Not a portable. If you're not willing to spend that kind of money, take a hard look at what you realistically have to have to survive a 3-5 day outage, think of it as an adventure. Forget the electric range, a small burner can be 1000-1400 Watts, pick up a propane camping stove, you probably have a gas grill outside be creative. Microwave is handy, but can be 1200-1800W which is a quarter of your "ideal" 7KW.
> 
> I'm overstating a bit, the oil burner motors aren't that big but with indirect water heating, it's going to be running, even with AC. And you don't say how big your well pump is. Take a hard look at what you have to have and tabulate loads accordingly, then see where you are. You're right that 50% load is the "sweet spot" to keep your generator happy. I'm just afraid your sweet spot is closer to 15 than 7KW. Good luck.


Thank you Exmar!

I will be cutting out the electric range and sticking with my propane grill w/ side burner. I'll cut out the microwave too. 

My well pump is 1/2 hp 1.6 S.F. 4.7 amp, 240 v

Here's the chart I came up with. To get the wattage for my mini-splits I divided BTU by SEER. I'm not sure if that's the best way to do it.



120240AMPSWattsFujitsu Minisplit (12,000 BTU, 23 SEER)521Fujitsu Minisplit (22,000 BTU, 19.5 SEER)1128Oil Burner2240Oil Circulators (x5)0.7420Water Pump (1/2 HP)(4.7AMP, 1.6 S.F.)4.71128Fridge (est. 2004)6.5780Freezer1.2144Lights (outdoor floods)60Lights (indoor)50Alarm System40Laptops, TV, UPC125running wattsstarting watts (3Xrunning)TOTAL4636139082X927227816


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## MikeFromMilford (Sep 6, 2020)

iowagold said:


> amen on the lp grill!
> get one with a side burner.
> then you can cook almost any thing!!
> 
> ...


Thanks for sharing all of this. I like the idea of using a UPS for tv, laptops.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

any of the larger diesel cat gens can be located on a trailer.
and it is an option at the factory.

I would do the meter setup..
and watch the loads...
the mini splits can run way less at times.. and when super hot they do draw some current.

on one of the job sites we used the port light towers for power.
diesel JD engine.
they were 4 kw to the lights an then another 3 kw as spare for running other things.
those are a kinda cool item.
small trailer setup. and diesel.

they make skid loader trailers that are heavy so you could mount a med large cat gen to it.

do you have any other fuels at this location?
like natural gas?

click here for the cat site
give them a call tues and they will get you over to a local dealer.


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## exmar (Jun 29, 2015)

Mike, your breakdown looks reasonable and 15KW would be adequate. Unfortunately, "the devil's in the details." Most of us that use portable gensets, use 30A inlet boxes, cabling, etc via a generator disconnect on the load center. That's 6600 watts, though I'm sure there are 7500 watt machines in use out there. When you look at 15KW machines, you may not be able to find one that has a direct connection to access the entire 15KW. e.g. The power goes out, you roll out your genset and plug a .cable into the machine and a generator inlet box which feeds your load center. I'm not familiar with portables in the 15KW size, but I've "heard" the 220V connector has a 30 Amp breaker. The arrangement described is the cheapest and legal way to provide power to your load center during an outage. Here's a link showing the arrangement described above being used. The Honda fraternity will note it's a Honda generator.  






Sounds like you don't have access to gas or propane so you're looking at a traditional gasoline powered unit. A 15KW unit is going to be very thirsty and you'll be storing a lot of gas and perhaps hauling gas during an outage. If it's a major storm related outage, you may have to drive quite a ways to find a gas station with power. As you'll be using gasoline, become an absolute fanatic about adding Stabil or other fuel preservative to the gas!! When I empty a gas can, that goes in before the can goes in the truck to be refilled. 

In your situation, I'd be reassessing the chart and planning a strategy to make everything work with a 5500-7000 Watt unit. Lower gas consumption, much cheaper for the generator, gen disconnect and inlet box and cable, etc. I mentioned previously, make it an adventure, pretend you're in Louisiana and a hurricane is coming, first thing you do is fill all the bathtubs with water to use for flushing toilets and turn off water pump. Comes shower time, turn off breakers for frig, freezer, turn on pump and everyone showers, refill tubs. Essentially, you'll be flipping breakers in your load center to manage loads to keep things where you're comfortable. Pick up a few window fans and shut off AC. You've got the idea and you know how much you're willing to spend for the "occasional" outages you mentioned. In an outage, I only run the genset about 12 hours a day, that keeps the Frig and freezer happy and we have battery operated camp lights if needed.

Some folks just buy an inexpensive genset and let things happen, your calculated load is 4600 watts, so a 5500 with a surge to 6700W would provide some cushion. The subtlety with this is electric motors aren't happy starting on degraded or lower voltage, it significantly impacts their life expectancy. This is where you do the load management. If you end up with the arrangement shown in the video, before you close the breaker connecting the generator to the load center, shut off all the breakers. You'll then flip them on one at a time and let the loads start and stabilize before the next one. e.g. well pump then frig then freezer, etc. That assures that all the motors aren't trying to start at once which would not be good. As far as them cycling after that, most of us cross our fingers which seems to work.  

So, do some researchand evaluate how much you're willing to spend. Also important are you always available or do you travel and your wife may have to deal with this?

Good luck,


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

grin on the honda eu7000is!!

I do a mod on these gens for a 50 amp inlet.
click here for the honda eu7000is page


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## MikeFromMilford (Sep 6, 2020)

exmar said:


> Mike, your breakdown looks reasonable and 15KW would be adequate. Unfortunately, "the devil's in the details." Most of us that use portable gensets, use 30A inlet boxes, cabling, etc via a generator disconnect on the load center. That's 6600 watts, though I'm sure there are 7500 watt machines in use out there. When you look at 15KW machines, you may not be able to find one that has a direct connection to access the entire 15KW. e.g. The power goes out, you roll out your genset and plug a .cable into the machine and a generator inlet box which feeds your load center. I'm not familiar with portables in the 15KW size, but I've "heard" the 220V connector has a 30 Amp breaker. The arrangement described is the cheapest and legal way to provide power to your load center during an outage. Here's a link showing the arrangement described above being used. The Honda fraternity will note it's a Honda generator.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks Exmar! I hear you, and I’m all for keeping the usage reasonable to get through an outage. After some research I landed on these two CAT units. Are you saying the 7500 wouldn’t work with the arrangement provided in the video?









Portable Generators


Portable Generators Combine the Power You Need With the Flexibility to Bring Them Wherever You Go. Buy a Portable Home Generator Today & Experience the Benefits of Having Power When & Where You Need It.




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Open to suggestions and any other brands. Honda would be nice but above my budget at the moment.

thanks for taking the time to help me


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## MikeFromMilford (Sep 6, 2020)

iowagold said:


> grin on the honda eu7000is!!
> 
> I do a mod on these gens for a 50 amp inlet.
> click here for the honda eu7000is page


would like Honda, but beyond my budget at the moment. What would be the next best brand?

also why would the 50 amp be necessary/advantageous? Sorry I’m a newbie when it comes to electricity. My uncles are electricians, you’d think it would have rubbed off a little


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## MikeFromMilford (Sep 6, 2020)

MikeFromMilford said:


> Thanks Exmar! I hear you, and I’m all for keeping the usage reasonable to get through an outage. After some research I landed on these two CAT units. Are you saying the 7500 wouldn’t work with the arrangement provided in the video?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I don’t travel so I’ll be home during outages


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## exmar (Jun 29, 2015)

Cat is an old and well established name. They've only recently launched into the portable generator market. Here's a link that was recently put on the forum by Tabora on this topic. I think I'd be comfortable buying one IF there is service available. 









Making a move into portable generators


Caterpillar, long known for big gen-sets, is now targeting the homeowner market with a new business.




www.farmprogress.com





7500W would work on a 30A connection, even though the connection is designed for 6600W. 7500W would only be momentary and not steady state. IF you somehow loaded it over 6600W continuously the generator breakers or load center breakers would kick out. Guess what I was trying to say is there are a lot of 7500W gensets out there, haven't seen many 6600W units.  

Going to a 50A connection would provide more available power but component costs would increase dramatically. e.g. Here's a 30A connection cord.



https://www.amazon.com/RVGUARD-Generator-Extension-L14-30P-L14-30R/dp/B085HKKJQY/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=15I36EYG5BBGB&dchild=1&keywords=30a+generator+cord&qid=1599701950&sprefix=30A+%2Caps%2C187&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExRU8wNjdSM01YVjNPJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzEwMjY5MjI0VFJHQVFUMDNUSSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMjk2NTYxMU9SNkFPQjVZTktSRyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=



Here's a 50A connection cord. Keep in mind that the power inlet, wiring back to load center and breaker would also cost considerably more than the "usual" 30A.



https://www.amazon.com/Mophorn-Generator-Extension-N14-50P-Connectors/dp/B07WGC8NMG/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3QT2WUO9NCSUI&dchild=1&keywords=50a+generator+cord+50+ft&qid=1599702053&sprefix=50A+generator+cord%2Caps%2C203&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&smid=A2RB21RUGRFV4T&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyWFhLMlBFQUU1Q1FHJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMDAwMDI2MUkwR084RVlTWEo5QyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTk0MTYyMldIMVJYVk9BSlpBWSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=



BTW, I have no investment or particular interest in "shilling" for Amazon. They have everything and it's convenient to use them for examples.

Also, if you .modify a new genset to add a 50A connector, your warranty would be gone.

As I said previously, consider a strategy to do manual load shedding or doing without AC, etc. to get your demand down to what a 5500-7500 genset will handle. Think about where you'd put the genset during outages, how the cable from generator inlet box to load center would be routed so you'll have facts in hand when you bring in an electrician. Obviously, genset will be outside, be careful it's not near an open window, exhaust gas going into your house is not good. Or add to your "outage" list that windows near the genset must be closed. Rough guess for hardware would be genset and everything you saw in the youtube video $1100-1300. Unless you have very unusual construction probably a half days work for an electrician. I think it took me two hours to install mine. But the load center was on the same side of the house as the front porch where the genset is placed, nice roomy crawlspace underneath so was very easy. Maybe your Uncles can provide a family discount.

Have fun!


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## exmar (Jun 29, 2015)

Mike, if you do go with a generator interlock, here's a video that shows what the electrician would be doing.


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## tabora (Sep 6, 2018)

Another option is the GenerLink meter-mounted transfer switch available at Home Depot. There are two sizes, 30 and 45A (they advertise 40A, but the math says 45A) and with/without whole home surge suppression. They'll handle most 240V generators in the 4,000 to 10,800 running watts range.

I have the 45A with surge suppression and it only took about 15 minutes to install, so that offsets the cost substantially. And you can easily take it with you if you ever move.






Search Results for generlink at The Home Depot


Get free shipping on qualified GenerLink Transfer Switches products or Buy Online Pick Up in Store today in the Electrical Department.



www.homedepot.com


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## purplewg (Aug 16, 2020)

Mike, I don't know if it helps or not but I recently purchased a Kubota GL14000 to use on the whole house. Living in the boonies in FL I often experience 1 to 2 week outages during hurricane season. It has a 50A twist lock connection and a 3-post direct wire connection that will provide 60A. I was going to connect to a 60A breaker in my service entrance panel but that hurricane missed up so, I purchased a automatic transfer switch with the auto start connection to my generator. I had the auto start feature installed on the generator also. I contacted my electrician to see what he will charge to install the ATS. My ATS is a service entrance model that can be used as the main disconnect. I am thinking he can just remove my main disconnect panel and retro fit the new ATS in its place. That will certainly cost less. You wanted a portable. Well this thing is portable if you have a tractor with a front end loader. lol It weighs in at almost 1000 pounds. I moved mine several times using my tractor. I think it is in its final resting place now. On the plus side it is a diesel and I have lots of that around and should I run out I can go to a fuel station and buy more unlike LP. It is fully encased. It is quieter than I expected but you would want it outside your bedroom window. I have a friend with a LP Genrac and his is just as loud as mine. Any questions on this unit, let me know.


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## exmar (Jun 29, 2015)

Tabora makes an excellent point about offsetting the cost. To go the "traditional" disconnect, etc. material would be $250+cable cost from generator power inlet to load center. Add to that electrician charge and compare to Generlink. No electrician needed. I'd check with your utility to see their charge to come out and pull and reinstall the meter. Last I heard in this area, AEP charges $275 to pull meter, then the same to return and reinstall. This could be done while they're there. Also factor in where your meter is and where you want the genset to be placed and see cost for the connect cable.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

wow on the meter pull charges!!
our good electric utility here will do it for free if it is on the schedule.
phone in a couple of days ahead.

they do charge if emergency or after hours...

we are lucky here!!
we have a good bunch of guys with the utility here.

but then again I am a contractor, and I am on the contractor list with them.
it is good to have a relationship with them..


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## MikeFromMilford (Sep 6, 2020)

Considering these two Gens. I like that the firman is duel fuel, so I could use LP if there’s a gas shortage. But if CAT is a better machine I’d rather stick to one fuel and have something more dependable.









Firman Generators H08051 Firman - Hybrid Series 8000 Watt Electric Start Dual Fuel Portable Generator CARB


Buy Firman Generators H08051 Direct. Free Shipping. Check the Firman H08051 - Hybrid Series 8000 Watt Electric Start Dual Fuel Portable Generator (CARB) ratings before checking out.




www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com













Caterpillar RP7500 E CAT® RP7500E - 7500 Watt Electric Start Portable Generator 49-State


Buy Caterpillar RP7500 E Direct. Free Shipping. Check the CAT® RP7500E - 7500 Watt Electric Start Portable Generator (49-State) ratings before checking out.




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## exmar (Jun 29, 2015)

Keep in mind that you get less wattage from propane than gasoline.


Versatile, Dual-Fuel Operation (Propane Tank Not Provided)
Produces 10,000w (Starting)/ 8000w (Rated) when using gasoline
Produces 9050w (Starting)/ 7250w (Rated) when using propane
WIth propane there are no carburetor issues due to the mystery gas we have to buy. Religious use of fuel preservative and occasional doses of sea foam fuel system cleaner will prevent that in using gasoline.

Investigate cost of filled twenty or thirty lb. propane cylinders if you want to have a few stored. I have no idea what run time a twenty lb. propane cylinder provides in a genset. The ones I'm familiar with are whole house, permanently installed and hard piped to a big propane tank. Maybe someone will chime in?

There are no storage issues with propane. Gasoline, even with fuel preservative should be recycled by dumping in your vehicle and refilling every year. 

















































4


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## exmar (Jun 29, 2015)

I became curious about run times on propane and looked online. Found this on a Ryobi machine.

From powering a job site to an emergency backup for home appliances, the RYOBI 6,300 Watt Propane Generator can efficiently handle all tasks. Powered by propane, this generator makes fuel storage an issue of the past. This generator has 6,300 Running watts/7,875 Starting watts and has a run time of 5 hours at 50% load on a standard 20 lbs. tank. Equipped with electric start, this RYOBI generator is easy to start and the Wheelbarrow Frame Design with Folding Handles makes it easy to transport and convenient to store. Backed by a 3-year manufacturer warranty.


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## tabora (Sep 6, 2018)

exmar said:


> I have no idea what run time a twenty lb. propane cylinder provides in a genset.


The Firman specs state: Up to 12 Hours Of Power @ 1/2 Load (8 Gal. Gas Tank or 5 Gal/20 Lb. Propane Tank). That seems too long for the propane run time; I would have guessed about half of that.

EDIT: just saw your more recent post; 5ish hours sounds more like the right number.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

you can add a tri fuel kit to the cat gen set.
then you will have the choice of the 3 fuels.
gasoline, lp, and natural gas.

the cat looks to be the best choice of the 2 units.


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## MikeFromMilford (Sep 6, 2020)

Considering these two Gens. I like that the firman is duel fuel, so I could use LP if there’s a gas shortage and I can store LP.








Firman Generators H08051 Firman - Hybrid Series 8000 Watt Electric Start Dual Fuel Portable Generator CARB


Buy Firman Generators H08051 Direct. Free Shipping. Check the Firman H08051 - Hybrid Series 8000 Watt Electric Start Dual Fuel Portable Generator (CARB) ratings before checking out.




www.electricgeneratorsdirect.com





thanks. If I go with either of these generators, what do you recommend for keeping sensitive electronics safe? Modem, laptops? We will likely be working from home during an outage.


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## whimsey29 (Jul 9, 2016)

MikeFromMilford said:


> Considering these two Gens. I like that the firman is duel fuel, so I could use LP if there’s a gas shortage and I can store LP.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


If you go with the Firman check with Lowe's. They were selling these duel fuel generators for $849 during the recent hurricane outage here in north Jersey. They started out at $799 but quickly they raised the price to $849. I work at a Lowe's and they sold all the portable generators they got in plus their existing stock daily for a few days after the storm.


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## MikeFromMilford (Sep 6, 2020)

iowagold said:


> you can add a tri fuel kit to the cat gen set.
> then you will have the choice of the 3 fuels.
> gasoline, lp, and natural gas.
> 
> the cat looks to be the best choice of the 2 units.




I went with the CAT. what do you recommend for keeping sensitive electronics safe? Modem, laptops? We will likely be working from home during an outage.


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## exmar (Jun 29, 2015)

Being a majority of ONE and a definite minority on this forum, I don't think you need anything to keep "sensitive" electronics safe. I have non inverter, open frame gensets and have had no issues with two desktops, laptop, couple of tablets, flat screen tv's, charging cell phones, etc. in twenty years in the country. IMHO if something is designed to be plugged into a wall outlet, it's capable of withstanding a sometimes very dirty electrical environment. Steady state, the power coming from your utility is clean, when outages, restorations, storms, occur, spikes, surges, droops and other not clean things happen. Recall the last time you lost power, when it went out, did it flicker on and off, and the same when it came back? You wouldn't want to be looking at voltage excursions on your house wiring during those events. Lose any sensitive electronics? If you routinely have issues with sensitive items on utility power, then look into power conditioning, otherwise, it's a waste of money. 

Mike, please let us know what you ultimately buy and how it was connected and YOUR lessons learned. Lots of experienced and opinionated folks here who are glad to share and appreciate feedback.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

MikeFromMilford said:


> I went with the CAT. what do you recommend for keeping sensitive electronics safe? Modem, laptops? We will likely be working from home during an outage.


well a good avr ups is a great start on the home system
these work ok;
APC UPS BR1500MS 1500 VA Sine Wave Battery Backup Surge Protector AVR 
search that on ebay.
I use apc units on every thing here...
or go the smart ups these are what i use
click here for the ebay smart ups search

i like the APC Smart-UPS 1500 Battery Back-Up DLA1500 
there are 6 of them here.
and yes you can use external batteries on these.
they run on 24 volt.
i have modified them for no alarm. the beeping during an outage will drive you insane lol!!
and count on batteries to be replaced every 5 to 10 years.
let me know if you need a link to my battery guys in nebraska.
they are the best prices i have found, and they also have batts for bikes too.


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## MikeFromMilford (Sep 6, 2020)

exmar said:


> Being a majority of ONE and a definite minority on this forum, I don't think you need anything to keep "sensitive" electronics safe. I have non inverter, open frame gensets and have had no issues with two desktops, laptop, couple of tablets, flat screen tv's, charging cell phones, etc. in twenty years in the country. IMHO if something is designed to be plugged into a wall outlet, it's capable of withstanding a sometimes very dirty electrical environment. Steady state, the power coming from your utility is clean, when outages, restorations, storms, occur, spikes, surges, droops and other not clean things happen. Recall the last time you lost power, when it went out, did it flicker on and off, and the same when it came back? You wouldn't want to be looking at voltage excursions on your house wiring during those events. Lose any sensitive electronics? If you routinely have issues with sensitive items on utility power, then look into power conditioning, otherwise, it's a waste of money.
> 
> Mike, please let us know what you ultimately buy and how it was connected and YOUR lessons learned. Lots of experienced and opinionated folks here who are glad to share and appreciate feedback.


Will do! Thanks again for your guidance, it’s been a tremendous help!
I purchased the CAT 7500. Keep you posted on the install.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

be sure to get the drain plug magnets for that cat unit mike.


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