Random Thought Thread

I don't think I have a Kohler whole house generator in my future. Guy came out and estimated about 14-15K for the install.

Yeah, no. (I didn't tell him that, but that's where I'm at.) Generac guy is coming tomorrow. I'd blow off the meeting but I may as well hear what he has to say.

So...more money for Delta 3V.
 
Blues said:
I don't think I have a Kohler whole house generator in my future. Guy came out and estimated about 14-15K for the install.

Yeah, no. (I didn't tell him that, but that's where I'm at.) Generac guy is coming tomorrow. I'd blow off the meeting but I may as well hear what he has to say.

So...more money for Delta 3V.
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That's kind of like when I would tell people a Tesla Powerwall would be $17k (installed), and that it wouldn't offer half of the backup that you'd have if you invested that much in a generator, and that they'd probably need at least 2-3 Powerwalls to do a whole-house backup. That was usually a conversation killer. 😂

But every now and then someone would say, "ok." God bless those with more money than brains.
 
Smithhammer said:
That's kind of like when I would tell people a Tesla Powerwall would be $17k (installed), and that it wouldn't offer half of the backup that you'd have if you invested that much in a generator, and that they'd probably need at least 2-3 Powerwalls to do a whole-house backup. That was usually a conversation killer. 😂

But every now and then someone would say, "ok." God bless those with more money than brains.
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Our home is efficient. Usually 10-25% below what is considered efficient in our area...with monthly electric on the low end of about $65 to a high of $130 during the months when demand is high for heat, a/c, or dehumidifier.

I couldn't run the generator for a day for what a month costs...and it's so friggin' inefficient. I just don't see it as a good investment. I'll suffer in silence while I await superior technology, if I live that long.
 
Blues said:
Our home is efficient. Usually 10-25% below what is considered efficient in our area...with monthly electric on the low end of about $65 to a high of $130 during the months when demand is high for heat, a/c, or dehumidifier.

I couldn't run the generator for a day for what a month costs...and it's so friggin' inefficient. I just don't see it as a good investment. I'll suffer in silence while I await superior technology, if I live that long.
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Have you considered sizing the generator for what it would take to run only the essentials, rather than everything? AC for only a portion of the house (if you have multiple units), a few lights in essential rooms, the wifi/data connection, the fridge/freezer, etc.? You might be able to get a significantly smaller and less expensive unit.
 
AR-Trvlr said:
Have you considered sizing the generator for what it would take to run only the essentials, rather than everything? AC for only a portion of the house (if you have multiple units), a few lights in essential rooms, the wifi/data connection, the fridge/freezer, etc.? You might be able to get a significantly smaller and less expensive unit.
Click to expand...

I didn't even bother...though I did mention a smaller unit like a 14kw vs the 20kw without it seeming to get any traction.
 
Blues said:
I don't think I have a Kohler whole house generator in my future. Guy came out and estimated about 14-15K for the install.

Yeah, no. (I didn't tell him that, but that's where I'm at.) Generac guy is coming tomorrow. I'd blow off the meeting but I may as well hear what he has to say.

So...more money for Delta 3V.
Click to expand...
Big hamster wheel... lots of hamsters...magnets and some batteries

Done!

And lots of beer and cpk money left over!!!!

(here's a small scale rendering)

 
AR-Trvlr said:
Have you considered sizing the generator for what it would take to run only the essentials, rather than everything? AC for only a portion of the house (if you have multiple units), a few lights in essential rooms, the wifi/data connection, the fridge/freezer, etc.? You might be able to get a significantly smaller and less expensive unit.
Click to expand...
That's usually the path I would recommend with folks as well.
 
AR-Trvlr said:
Have you considered sizing the generator for what it would take to run only the essentials, rather than everything? AC for only a portion of the house (if you have multiple units), a few lights in essential rooms, the wifi/data connection, the fridge/freezer, etc.? You might be able to get a significantly smaller and less expensive unit.
Click to expand...
This is how I look at it as well. Including everything that requires electricity versus the essentials makes a huge difference. When we have outages, we generally are in conservation mode anyway.
 
AR-Trvlr said:
Have you considered sizing the generator for what it would take to run only the essentials, rather than everything? AC for only a portion of the house (if you have multiple units), a few lights in essential rooms, the wifi/data connection, the fridge/freezer, etc.? You might be able to get a significantly smaller and less expensive unit.
Click to expand...
Generally, if you look at the pricing for a whole house setup + installation, the different power options are only a small difference in cost (eg. 14 kW vs 20 kW).
 
Blues said:
I don't think I have a Kohler whole house generator in my future. Guy came out and estimated about 14-15K for the install.

Yeah, no. (I didn't tell him that, but that's where I'm at.) Generac guy is coming tomorrow. I'd blow off the meeting but I may as well hear what he has to say.

So...more money for Delta 3V.
Click to expand...
Generac works fine. I have one on the back if my house. Kicks on like it's supposed to. The ACE hardware warehouse I worked at used two massive ones from them too.
 
bluemax_1 said:
Generally, if you look at the pricing for a whole house setup + installation, the different power options are only a small difference in cost (eg. 14 kW vs 20 kW).
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That's what I saw myself from looking at prices for the equipment, outside of installation cost. It wasn't going to make a huge dent in the final price.

About $5800 for a 20 Kw with transfer switch, about $4,000 to $4300 without the transfer switch for 14 Kw, or $4800 with. So, a grand.

You'd save money on propane use with the 14 Kw though. (At least, I'm assuming so.)
 
Blues said:
That's what I saw myself from looking at prices for the equipment, outside of installation cost. It wasn't going to make a huge dent in the final price.
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Yeah.. the tech coming out to install it is a huge cost. I installed mine myself. Bought the generator off the shelf at our warehouse for like a grand off and took it home. I had already built a form and put down a concrete pad for it back there. Then I just bolted her down and wired her up to the house. Wasn't too bad.. hardest part is getting the heavy bastard out the back of the truck.
 
AriesTheCam said:
Yeah.. the tech coming out to install it is a huge cost. I installed mine myself. Bought the generator off the shelf at our warehouse for like a grand off and took it home. I had already built a form and put down a concrete pad for it back there. Then I just bolted her down and wired her up to the house. Wasn't too bad.. hardest part is getting the heavy bastard out the back of the truck.
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If you have the knowledge/background/skills to properly do the electrical and gas hookups/install yourself, it definitely makes it much cheaper. Just bear in mind that there may be safety ordinances that require installation be done by licensed professionals.
 
bluemax_1 said:
If you have the knowledge/background/skills to properly do the electrical and gas hookups/install yourself, it definitely makes it much cheaper. Just bear in mind that some local ordinances might require installation by licensed professionals.
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Plus, the local guys won't service if they didn't install from some of what I hear. (County can be a pain on the permits and inspections, but it's moot since I don't have the expertise to do what would need doing in any case.)
 
bluemax_1 said:
If you have the knowledge/background/skills to properly do the electrical and gas hookups/install yourself, it definitely makes it much cheaper. Just bear in mind that there may be safety ordinances that require installation be done by licensed professionals.
Click to expand...
I have done electrical and framing work a lot in the past.. if you can follow step by steps so as not to get fried you'll be alright. Also I've never lived anywhere like that (except apartment buildings) before. I've always been able to put a permit in with the city I live in and just build.. they just want their little fee for whatever reason.
 
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