How much fuel does a 24kw Generac standby generator use?

[@alanb.4660]

1/4 of a quart of oil consumption every 24 hrs. for my Generac 22kW, about 9 oz from add to full on my dipstick

[@BrianD-ds4dx]

Comment I want to make after the last week in Texas….whatever you do with oil DONT OVERFILL!! Just because some is good, that doesn’t always mean more is better! If you are watching this and reading comments because you are worried about the generator running out of oil…don’t. It will shut itself off before damage occurs. One other suggestion for anyone wanting to keep oil on hand….Schaffer and amsoil are pretty GREAT synthetics that I have seen do a phenomenal job in hot climate

[@WilliamMurphy-uv9pm]

That oil usage seems quite high. What does Generac say about that? It may be an issue that shortens the life of the unit and these are not cheap to buy.

[@BrianD-ds4dx]

@@WilliamMurphy-uv9pm in the south, these air cooled units can really go through oil when running under continuous load. Stick a thermometer in underneath the lid after a day or two of running under load…

[@WilliamMurphy-uv9pm]

@@BrianD-ds4dx So is the heat evaporating the oil or are the engine tolerances so sloppy that it is an oil pig?

[@BrianD-ds4dx]

@@WilliamMurphy-uv9pm can I say a combination of the two ? That’s probably the most accurate answer….

[@chrisb9478]

Just finished hurricane Helene here in W.NC. Our power was out 5 days, our 13kw used 120 gal at $2.89/gal. It ran nonstop except 3 times when I checked the oil. The oil was fine & not very dirty. I run 5w30 Full Synthetic.

[@trith72]

During Beryl up here in North Louisiana I was without power for about 29 hours. My Generac 24kw on NG ran the whole house without issue for that time and it raised my gas bill about $30. Very worth it for being able to stay home, not lose my food, have AC in the 100 degree hours that followed plus access to all my amenities, and be able to protect my property. Especially vs a 2-300$ hotel bill per night, which is what even the local dumps and rathole motels were charging during the outage.

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

Man that’s awesome. I wish we had NG here, propane is around $3/gallon.

[@trith72]

@@MaynardFamilyHomestead That's the one thing we have in abundance. We are right on top of the Hayneville Shale deposit so we have an endless supply of cheap natural gas in these parts.

[@ralphmowery2898]

I wish that I had a natural gas here. That price of around $ 25 per day that many are reporting is very good. Beats the $ 100 or more a day many are reporting for the propane. I just use a gasoline power portable and while I do not have the power to run much the cost is not too bad. Just glad that in the 20 years I have lived here the power has never been out more than one day at a time. I do have a wood stove in the basement for heat in the winter but not able to run the AC in the summer on my portable generator. I was wondering about the cost of NG generators from what I saw this article. From it and the comments I have a good handle on the cost of running Ng or propane for a long period of time.

[@communityprepper6153]

I ran my portable Firman generator recently here in Asheville, NC during Helene. It set us up great to run the essentials in our home for the 6 days without power. We rent here, but we're in the market to buy. I will be putting in a whole house generator ASAP after we buy. A must for us preppers and homesteaders!

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

They are lifesavers! How are the road recovery efforts around Asheville coming along? From what pictures I’ve seen it looks like total devastation in some areas.

[@patmason7276]

Have a 22kw Genrac ran it all day cut it off at night ran it for 6 days used 1/2 the tank. Have a 350 gallon tank took 354.00 to fill up. Worth every penny had everything in the house working. Have the maintenance contract Love it

[@Freedomjustice-DC]

Thanks for this info. 12 kids. Wow. Youve been busy. Lol

[@minibikemadman]

ya no doubt wow.

[@VHP7044]

Good honest review. Cost per hour is less with natural gas but it you do not have natural gas service then you have to go with propane. Still better than sitting in the dark. As for the comment on oil consumption the air cooled engine will use some oil and checking oil and topping off every 8 hours is very wise. Do not think of this as excessive but just the nature of the engine. The Generac stand by home generator is a really reliable piece and will last a lifetime with good maintenance.

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

Great info, thank you! And thanks for watching.

[@Dr.GeoDave]

Glad yours was reliable. My wasn’t with a blown manifold associated with a recall I wasn’t notified about.

[@VHP7044]

@@Dr.GeoDave Was it the intake manifold leaking making the engine run rough?

[@dhansel4835]

During the tornados of May 16th here in Houston our 20kw Generac natural gas generator ran for 6 days. We figured the next month our natural gas bill to run it each day cost us $24.00 per day. Better than going to a $300 motel that used to charge $150 per day.

[@dontbanmebrodontbanme5403]

Yeah, if you have NG, it's the best. So much cheaper to run. Where I live, the only options are LP or car gas. But like you said, it's way better than going to a hotel, and you don't have to throw out hundreds of dollars worth of food. I create a line item in our budget every month for propane fuel so when we eventually lose power, I'm not upset when the bill comes.

[@ronorazine9105]

I live in Massachusetts a in any winter I can loose power for a few hours or days, the temp could freezing when the generac comes on it's the sound of relief. Heat no frozen pipes power over the years neighbors have come over to keep warm and charge phones. Just having TV to get status of storm is a relief. We are connected to natural gas. Best move I made especially as old age makes it hard to deal with gasoline generators. I looked at power wall but neighbor when they needed it it didn't last more than a few hours and was supposedly sized for three days.

[@dhansel4835]

@@ronorazine9105 Several years ago an electrical engineering friend of mine contacted Tesla to have a power wall put in. They did not respond after multiple times of calling them so he cancelled the order and ordered a 24kw Generac Generator. It has served him well in the past several years. So many people I know have either already have a 24kw Generac generator or on a waiting list to have one in. This month, October we will have ours 11 years. It really gives us peace of mind knowing we can depend on it. We had people running around with gas cans looking for a gas station that was open. Most had 5 block lines trying to get their limit of 10 gallons of gas.

[@rennietintin8701]

So true.

[@patforet7336]

I have a 22KW Geberac running on propane. Mine ran 2 weeks for 20 hrs. a day after Ida. My normal elect. bill is averging 1200 kw. hrs. per month. Very happy with it.

[@johnharper2016]

We live in Western North Carolina. Thank God 5 months ago we had an 18k Generac installed. We are currently on day 8 with no power and probably going to be another week or two without regular power. As a result of a 7 hour run back in July it costs about $1.00 per hour to run on Natural Gas. We shut it off after lunch and fire back up at dinner. Good break. LOVE OUR GENERAC. Do check oil every day.

[@charlescahoon3557]

My 18KW Generac used a little over $20/day in NG during the three day outage a couple of months ago in Houston after the Derecha storm. Just ran 11 days straight after Beryl. No food loss and no searching for a hotel to escape the Texas heat and humidity. Of course, very few hotels had power so folks were driving over a hundred miles away from the damage to find a hotel…if they could find a gas station with power to get gas for their cars or portable generators if they stayed home. Worth every penny spent and was able to house many family members and friends during the outage.

[@TexZenMaster]

Houston here, too. We were lucky with the derecho and only lost power for 5 hours. Beryl put us down for nearly five days and at that point, the water pressure was gone and my tenants were going stir crazy (literally). I run a group home for the elderly and disabled with a focus on psychiatric disabilities. Within two days, screams echoed through the house, skin was being peeled with fingernails, and my little 5k gas generator was barely keeping the fridges and devices going. I have put off this investment for years now, but I'm currently in the market. My neighbors all have Generac, but 10% of them were let down by theirs during Beryl. From what I understand, they require more maintenance than Kohler and have many proprietary parts. How long have you had your Generac? Did you weigh other brands before buying or did you (like many) just get the most popular brand? I have a solo installer willing to set it up for

[@charlescahoon3557]

@@TexZenMaster mine is three years old and have had no problems. I did look at Koehler but went the route I did based on friends who had had good experience with Generac. One of my former coworkers recently installed a Koehler and are very happy with it so far.

[@anderobeard3712]

@@TexZenMasterhello any chance would be able to share the contact information for the generator installation technician

[@drozcompany4132]

About matches what we saw, around $20 in NG when it ran for 22 hrs. Of course it depends on the load, but yeah it wasn't too bad.

[@prism223]

I saw a few odd comments on having 12 kids and I want to say good on you and may God bless your family.

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

Thank you!

[@philipcaldwell3187]

Your use experience with the Generac during Helene matched mine (location just South by 40 miles of yours). I went with a buried 500 gallon propane tank knowing it wasn’t lowest upfront cost but propane is much cleaner than natural gas and does not crap up the engine like natural gas (purity is variable) and my fuel source is on site with no dependencies on extensive buried distribution infrastructure with a much higher risk of not being available when needed the most. Ran for four days and followed the recommended 30 min rest period every 24 hours. Installed in 2020 with only three hours of run time before the four day Helene outage and it used 1/2 quart of oil over the four days. Unit is set to run its ten minute exercise every two weeks. With the exception of one 50 amp smart power module that failed (design issue) that I replaced, my auto transfer switch and generator operated flawlessly over the four day outage.

[@steve6438]

Thanks everyone for giving the cost you incurred. I am in Houston too and just installed a 24kw Generac so had no clue what to expect.

[@leeharkins6477]

Appreciate your honesty, very helpful in deciding to build a similar dual fuel solar backup system.

[@REVNUMANEWBERN]

Worked 40+ years for a lawn Mower MFG that was bought out by B&S, one day we got a shipment in our Ga. warehouse straight from the Savannah port, we opened the trailer door and there was OVER 5 well known U.S. brand names on the boxes of ALL generators, and the kicker was they ALL came out of the same MFG plant in CHINA

[@drozcompany4132]

Is that really a surprise? Seems like everything is made in China now.

[@thomasdragosr.841]

Not Kohler…

[@r1mein54]

Got my Generac 22kw in 2017, got us thru several tropical storms & hurricanes. I average 20 gallons of LP per day. Last week with Hurricane Helene it ran 3 days and after it shut off I had to add a half quart of oil.

[@hphillips7425]

Good information. We run the thermostat the same way. Have a good one from west Tennessee

[@robertcochran7103]

Thank you for posting the costs involved in running the generator. This is a really great video. I think the benefits of protecting your freezers and food, and keeping everything comfortable for the family are worth the cost of the propane until you get power turned back on. I'm not sure if you need electrical power for your livestock -- I assume you probably do in order to be able to assist them inside a barn. You must have had truly difficult experiences with both hurricanes: Helene and Milton.

[@maxedwellseven6724]

Extremely helpful thank you so much. Helps me to decide between propane generator, and solar powered. Pros and cons for each. But in a protracted power outage, solar might win. There is always the cost of propane and even how long would it still be available if everybody’s out of power?

[@johnstraley9057]

Running a 20kw propane generator here and on average consuming 0.6 gal/hr. Which makes sense when I see the average output load at 5%. We avoid running heavy loads - electric dryer, and such. And shut down the generator overnight as long as the outside temperature is predicted to stay above freezing. I'm more concerned about the wear/tear on the generator and less about fuel usage. If the outage is going to be days on end, which it has, I'll alternate by running a portable generator. On the downside is all the maintenance. Beats being cold, having food spoil and pipes bursting.

[@Joywith3LastNames]

Good to know, thanks. In Texas with a 300 gallon propane tank, no choice in electric company (the big one that got in trouble during a freeze) and we lose power at the drop of a hat mainly with transformer blowouts. Of course because we have hellacious rain storms I can lose power for a week. Don't get me started on the price of propane. LOL Thanks for your information.

[@2manycardz]

The only and the best Farm family keep it up brother. Awesome video keep it up.

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

Thanks brother!

[@traviantaylor1784]

Damn 12 kids! Y’all getting it in 😂

[@richardmeo2503]

We are installing an 18KW Generac that runs on Natural Gas. Hope power never goes out like that again, but interesting to see cost per hour

[@alfredhughes578]

Mine uses 1 gal of propane per hour. A 250 gal tan k will give you 200 gal of usable fuel. That equates to 200 hours or about 8.3 days. Mine is a 24kw Generac. Purchased 5 years ago. No problems with it. Use it every year durring hurricane season. I live in North Florida.

[@rickystafford7433]

I wonder what your peak power draw is and for how long. Sounds like a 24kw system is overkill. A 24kw system will use about 4 gal an hour at full load and you're not averaging anywhere near that.

[@GNXClone]

I only use my 22kW when I need / want AC. I also have a 5.5kW gas unit and have been using that mostly after Milton, since it's been really cool outside. The 22kW kicks on automatically when the power goes out. If I decide I don't need that much, I connect the 5.5kW to the mains (disconnected from the utility) and when it starts, the 22kW senses it and shuts off. Water heater, gas/oven are on propane, so I don't need a lot of power for those. Just the clothes dryer and AC. Glad LED bulbs are ubiquitous now because they consume next to nothing. The 5.5kW so far has been enough to run all our electronics, lights, 2 freezers and our fridge. Saves a lot because propane right now is $7.39/ gallon. 3-1/2 days without utility power, I used 10 gallons of gasoline and also about 10 gallons of propane,. So a bit more than $100 for those 3 days. Worth it IMO.

[@onefastr6]

Here in WNC the lines for gas were a mile long with an 8 gallon limit. I’ll pass on a portable system and would opt for natural gas.

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

That’s gotta be frustrating. We’ve had small lines and gas shortages the last three days because of Milton coming in down south. Everyone evacuated through our area and took all of our resources. Hard to run a generator on no gas, I’m with you on that one.

[@UtwoBed]

I can answer that question... Way too much! Every time I use my generator I realize what a bargain I am getting from the power company. I used my generator for a week and it cost $300 in fuel. My normal electric bill is $90 dollars a month. I'll never complain about my electric bill ever again.

[@trith72]

Just imagine what the cost would be to put your family up in a hotel for 5 nights….you would be begging to pay $300.

[@RozsaAmplificationLLC]

It all depends on the load and how much gas in your area and what fuel used! 200k BTU 1/2 load, 300k Btu full load. NG is inexpensive in MI. I just got mine installed 24kW a few months ago and only has needed to turn on besides cycling 1x since install and only for 2 hours, so unknown what cost will be. However, neighbors have 18kW units and we crunched the numbers after the first power outage a couple years ago and it was inexpensive, like $10/day or something, so yes, getting hotels for family is expensive, $300/wk is less but still expensive, but in our area, is even significantly south of that, which makes it even more worth it!!

[@dontbanmebrodontbanme5403]

@@RozsaAmplificationLLC I just googled and the national average for gas is $1.82/gallon. Assuming you have this guy's generator and it's consuming 1.8 gallon/hr, that's $78.70/day. $10/day on 18kW generators? How?

[@RozsaAmplificationLLC]

@@dontbanmebrodontbanme5403 It all depends on if you have residential or commercial service. It depends on your fuel, is it NG or Propane? It depends what state you're in. In Michigan, Natural Gas has been inexpensive. They raised the rates over the last year and so there is premium time and not, but in general, and current rates, Natural Gas Distribution Rate is Gas Distribution Charge 0.380690 per CCF. I have NO idea what you're talking about and per gallon. NG is not in gallons!! Regular gasoline at the pump is currently up to $3.759. Not sure what that $1.82/gallon is as gasoline prices are double that!!

[@Moondoggy1941]

I know this is not a hard sale, but don't move to Ca. 90 dollars a month, my June bill was 500. 1300sq ft single story.

[@GentechNorthwest-ue4oq]

Great job going through the comments!

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

Thanks!

[@TexasNightRider]

This Was A Helpful Video. The First Company We Called (Kohler) Recommended A 38kw Unit. I'm Going To Get A Couple Of More Bids Before Making A Decision But I Think We Could Easily Get By With A 30kw That Uses Less Fuel Per Hour. Fuel Consumption Is Something That Needs To Be Considered. We're Installing A 1000 Gal In Ground Propane Tank But Fuel Costs Are The Same No Matter The Tank Size. Thank You.

[@WilliamMurphy-b6v]

Why do you even need a 10KW generator? That's 240KW per day. Not sure I use that much electricity in a month.

[@mweb586]

The shift key is nor required to be activated for every single word

[@WilliamMurphy-b6v]

@mweb586 But, you have to admit it got your attention enough for you to comment on it. Put a fish hook on a line into the water, and some passing fish will always bite. Guess who the fish in this case was.

[@onefastr6]

@@WilliamMurphy-b6vAnd I guess the bait was a moron who types in caps. Well done.

[@TexasNightRider]

@@mweb586 LOL

[@RickColbert-s7z]

Wow, mine runs on Natural gas. We lost power for 12 hours. When I figured out the cost, it was cheaper than the power company.

[@winstonelston5743]

I'm planning a new kitchen in my old house, going from all electric cooking to a gas cooktop with an electric wall oven. I have gas central heat but summers become unbearable when the central A/C stops due to grid failure, surprisingly frequent and seemingly random. Since I'm upgrading gas service fo the gas cooker, a gas gennie just makes sense.

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

You won’t regret it! I love cooking on gas much better than electric too.

[@robw1031]

That's a lot of money for a few days of inconvenience. I just went thru Milton, 6 days without power. I just took a vacation and had my neighbor call me when we got power back.

[@1969CampEvans]

I have operated/ relied on generators for decades.... checking oil level/ inspecting equipment periodically is what a smart person does.....let the dummies do as they plz

[@planetInvader2]

How much did the project cost you to set up including the electrical work? Thanks

[@arnoldrodriguez3803]

South Texas-I just had a Honeywell 22KW which is identical to a Generac. Generator, 250 gallon propane tank, 185 gallon of propane, new 200amp breaker panel box (needed upgrading due to age) two 50amp soft start modules for my two AC systems, whole house surge protection, trenching 70 feet, electrical wiring 60 feet run, generator pad, Sheetrock wall repair after installing larger panel breaker box, labor, permits and inspections, $16,300.

[@ShadeIsLikely]

Having a whole-house generator is a luxury. They’re expensive to buy, and expensive to run, even on natural gas. But, it is peace of mind, and convenience. And if you can afford to buy it in the first place, then you are probably not really worried about the daily cost to run it.

[@Eli-qr9hc]

Are you able to turn off the generator (for example at night?) to save money. I wasn’t aware an inhome generator could be turned of during a power outage. Thanks

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

Absolutely, it has an off switch that allows you to turn it off anytime.

[@Eli-qr9hc]

@ thanks. Secondly, is that good or bad for the generator to cut it off and on like if you’re without power for a week…

[@Eli-qr9hc]

And would it save money?

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

@@Eli-qr9hcnot at all, it’s recommended by the manufacturer to let it rest periodically. It would definitely save money and stretch your fuel to last longer.

[@Goat67]

Exactly what i was looking for! Thank you !

[@drewk1955]

I'm on a lot of natural gas.... My dryer, stove, hot water heater, fiurnace are gas... I average $28 a month.... just the two of us in our home... but, ya know the evil petroleum products rule. I have a small window unit for the bedroom to run and a generator that cost me $500. Runs what I need. This last storm, just cycled between the frig and at night the 6200 BTU window unit to keep us cool... Worked like a champ.

[@dontbanmebrodontbanme5403]

Running fossil fuel appliances is way cheaper during an outage, but more expensive the rest of the time. The other negative regarding running NG appliances during an outage is if they shut the lines off, which is not uncommon, then your appliances are SOL and if your generator was using that NG, hopefully it can run on another source!

[@Michael-Joseph123]

​​@@dontbanmebrodontbanme5403I never seen natural gas cut off, this must be a earthquake thing on the west coast. I worked for a Consumers Gas contractor for 4 years, and a Detroit Edison contractor for 30 years, and never seen it, or heard of it, the only time I seen gas shut off is for a broken gas main, or a service cut where the property is on fire. The statement that natural gas appliances are only cheaper during a power outages can't be further from the truth, a natural gas stove is always cheaper than a electric stove to run, same with a dryer, hit water heater, and heat, natural gas beats them everytime.

[@drozcompany4132]

@@Michael-Joseph123 Only time I've had Consumers turn off the gas is when they changed the meter. Once.

[@bbailey7976]

Thanks for sharing..!

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

Thanks for watching!

[@billbertagnoli4226]

AC is a real energy hog. I live in Northern Michigan and run my House on a 9000 watt portable. We run all the appliances in our House ,our well, outdoor wood boiler and propane furnace. Our Hot tub is switchable 240 to 120 so it runs also. Close dryer And microwave is a hard no. 6 gallons of gas per 8 hours So 18 gallons a day. I keep 50 Gallons on hand. It's also pricey But the alternative is frozen pipes, frozen boiler, frozen hot tub. But..... We don't need 24 kw.

[@mweb586]

Beautiful sonnet

[@Justthemow]

I live in Louisiana, and I lived through hurricane Katrina If you’re going to run it only half the day I did it during the day Cool house off get the refrigerator up to temp in the night when everybody goes to sleep shut it off wake up the next morning do it again.

[@rosalinasanchez5541]

How can i figure out on a daily basis how much electricty we use? So i can buy the appropriate generator?

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

There are fancy mathematical ways to figure it out (load calculation). Personally I would just get a meter with an amp clamp, turn everything on that you will be using and see how many amps each leg is drawing on your mains. Then size accordingly. Of course you don’t want the generator running at max load capacity all the time, there are formulas for properly sizing them online.

[@dontbanmebrodontbanme5403]

We recently got geothermal, so the portable generator we used to run won't cut it anymore. I'm also getting older and don't enjoy all of the work involved with a portable setup. Yeah, it's expensive to run a whole house generator, but to me, it's worth it. And remember, for anyone that says, "I only spend $12 a day to run my generator", you're probably using a portable generator and are on all gas appliances, so you're actually paying the same amount, just in different ways.

[@bubbahauss2189]

i saw the install video on the install and was wondering how much u paid the a.h.j. to pass line and loade wires u the same conduit.

[@KINGSTONSPRIDE]

2:44 what time is football practice?

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

Haha we have our 12th man!

[@abibodlogistics]

Is this the biggest compact generator that Generac has,is there another one more powerful than. this.

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

I’m not sure how big they go, but I personally have hooked up a 48KW Generac that had a 5.0 V8 engine in it.

[@abibodlogistics]

@@MaynardFamilyHomestead Thanks for the response,the 48KW should be okay if this you have here is 24KW.

[@brosario9480]

Are you using propane?

[@dontbanmebrodontbanme5403]

Honestly, the most surprising part of this video is the amount of oil it consumers. I've heard of many who've had whole house generators and you're the first person I've heard of that stops the generator every 8 hours. That's insane. You might as well get a portable generator if you need to fiddle with it that often. Everything I've read says you should change the oil every 100 hours. Basically once every 4 days. I guess you can check to see if you have a leak? After that, I"m not sure what's the point of checking.

[@Texes7777]

Thanks buddy

[@MartyBryce]

I'm reading up on clearances? What did you use for your cleances? thanks.

[@jimmiefollis7460]

Very helpful!!!!!!

[@busterhyman6633]

How many refrigerators and freezers does a family with 12 kids have? Lord, I have 3 refrigerators and two freezers with two little kids plus mom's wine fridge. These units are good for 4-5 days. Of course, if you change your own oil and can adjust valves if warranted you can get them going again for another 4-5 days. I have the portable 17500 Generac but I think I'm going to get a standby probably 26KW or perhaps liquid cooled.

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

Hahaha not enough! Two large chest freezers, about to add a third.

[@WilliamMurphy-b6v]

You didn't need so much emergency power early in life. You needed a vasectomy.

[@patiencezero-xc9zl]

Best money I ever spent was buying one. Here in Michigan, outside of Wayne County, we have power outages more frequently and of longer duration than most of the hurricane prone states. At least once a year we can count on outages involving well over three hundred thousand customers. It costs me less per KWh powering my home with my natural gas Generac than buying off the grid. Of course this does not mean you would want to do that long term, because your calculations likely do not include the cost of maintenance using your generator, which would increase exponentially the longer you used it.

[@mweb586]

I love it when I see people so committed to lying, that they enjoy their lie and double down. Your generator does not cost less than "the grid" and you have no idea what hurricanes are like. At least you have cheese curds.

[@patiencezero-xc9zl]

@@mweb586 You are an ignorant Karen. The cost per KwH to run a natural gas generator is cheaper than on the grid in the DTE service area. And go look up average cost of propane per KwH versus natural gas.......better yet, ask your teacher.

[@dennisbecher4557]

May I ask how many square feet your home is? Do you think this 24kw unit could power my two story 4000 square foot home? We have 2 ac units for up and dow living areas. I know you are not an expert but just wondering what your thoughts are on this. I saw this exact unit on their website hoping it could handle our home

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

Our home is about 2600 square feet. We have a 5 ton HVAC unit and it handles it with no problem. On a two-story you probably have two 3 ton or 4 ton units. It still shouldn’t be a problem, but you might would want to alternate running the units depending on how much of a load they draw. You could turn them both on together and check the main feeders with an amp clamp to see how much they are drawing altogether.

[@mweb586]

A house that big? You might as well commission your own nuclear powerplant that's dedicated in your honor. You could sell off just a quarter of your backyard for the plant and man your property taxes would go way down.

[@BrianD-ds4dx]

Interesting to read the comments. I have a few of my own based upon experience as well as a few questions: 1). What was high temp both days after the hurricane ? 2) How long did it run continuously before your shutdown? 3) What was your oil level at the points you checked (before/during/after) 4). Are you monetized at all by Generac? Now to the comments: everyone with critiques of this fella…he has his family with 12 kids sleeping in this house. Seriously doubt he took any shortcuts or bribed any officials. He also wasn’t going to shortcut even if he could. For those running off NG, be aware this Gen he is using only produces 21kw with a corresponding amp drop on NG. IMO only, the generator functioned as designed and matches the fuel load. With the design of the baffles and airflow, along with oil capacity, the Generac air cooled is designed to run for limited term emergencies. Lights went out for almost a million people in Houston 40 hours ago. Yesterday was a high of 74, today will be 94. 500k plus still without power. In the morning and through the day tomorrow folks who bought this unit with the belief it would run as long as it has fuel will be sadly disappointed. Moral of my comment is if you think you know what you are talking about with generators, 80% don’t. Mr Maynard clearly understands the limitations of the unit and his fuel setup and is showing folks how to maximize the value of a similarly set up system . Well done to him

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

I really appreciate the kind words! To answer your questions, if I remember correctly it was in the mid 80’s after the storm passed. We ran it about 16 hours before I stopped it and checked oil. After that I believe I did 12 hour increments. It used between 1/8 and 1/4 quart of oil per 12 hr shift. I am in no way associated or receiving any compensation from Generac. We bought this generator for our farm because we have several freezers full of food and babies that need A/C (mom and dad too lol!) I am a “retired” journeyman electrician and thought sharing my personal home generator installation might help others. There are a few things that I did that were not current code approved, none of them safety concerns for sure. Codes change yearly, so everything done in the past will soon be “against code”. Thanks again for watching!

[@shubinternet]

That fuel consumption is for propane, yes? Not natural gas?

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

Correct.

[@rickdunn7585]

My 30 kw onan drawing a steady 60 amps using about 2.5 gallons per hour ford 300 6 cylinder

[@rickystafford7433]

The manual is probably accurate but it all depends on your power draw since it will use less gallons when producing less amps. 2.5gal is for half load, so you averaged less than half load although of course it probably spiked well above that at times.

[@Bowhunters6go8xz6x]

I've heard lots of people say it is a lot more economical if you also have battery storage, you can run the Generac for 2-4 hours to power your home and charge your (solar type storage batteries) and then shut off the Generac and run the home on batteries and inverter for hours or even an entire day (if you have enough kwh's of battery) so you burn 1/3 to 1/2 the fuel and you give the generac a break from running each day. Some solar inverters will auto start the Generac when the batteries get low and you do it all over again.

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

Hmmm, that’s actually a cool concept. I like it! I do know the generator isn’t very efficient, I might look into that.

[@Michael-Joseph123]

I can't imagine the cost of a battery bank that would store enough power to run central air and a electric hot water heater, and one that big would be hard to charge in 2 or 3 hours, I see no way that you would save enough money to pay for this system if you are only effected for 5 days or so every couple of years. But I'm with the portable crowd, my brother in law is looking at a full house generators, but he has money to burn, he figures it will cost 10k, for some that is not much money, but he lives near me, and I think I have been out of power for a total of maybe 10 times that lasted 24 hours in the last 30+ years, my small 3500 watt inverter generator will not run any of my 240v appliances, but I can run it for 24 hours on 4 gallons of gas, so under $15 a day, the only thing I will miss is AC, and that's only 3 months out of the year that I really need it.

[@RickColbert-s7z]

@@Bowhunters6go8xz6x i looked at Solar and wall batteries, both LG and Tesla…cost was going to be $93k. Decided on the Generac..$7k plus install. I live in AZ and the temps exceed 125 f in the summer. Had power go out for 12 hours…Generac was a life saver..saved all our food and freezer, plus ran two 5 ton heat pumps to keep cool. No issues at all.

[@golfmaniac]

To do what you are talking about, is probably going to cost at least $15000, but probably more. He is better off just doing what he is doing now.

[@no_cups5890]

You “heard” lots of people say it’s more economical? 😂 Those same people probably never even looked at the price of a battery bank and installation cost. Smh.

[@maxwellthepig4419]

Very informative. Thank you! I am thinking of getting this exact model. Did you think it was loud or too noisy when it was running?

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

It’s not bad at all. It’s quieter than a standard portable generator because of the enclosure.

[@n5uge12]

I have a Generac 16kw. I only hear it when I'm in the room nearest to the generator. Even then it doesn't bother me.

[@WilliamMurphy-b6v]

In an emergency, life or death situation, you are worried about the sound perhaps bothering your neighbors?

[@maxwellthepig4419]

@@WilliamMurphy-b6v Who said anything about bothering my neighbors?? I just didn't want it too loud for me. If it was, I was going to buy a more quiet one from another company.

[@WilliamMurphy-b6v]

@maxwellthepig4419 Noise canceling headphones or ear-buds might help. But positioning the generator on the property really carefully can be most helpful. Remember, generators of old ran at full blast all the time. Really loud. Newer inverter models only run fast enough to meet the electrical demand. MUCH quieter most of the time.

[@isettech]

Remember fuel consumption is load dependent. In mild weather the heat pump compressor cycles off for longer periods. Daytime cooling would be more in hot weather. It si possible to use a smaller unit if you have auto load shedding installed. EG while the heat pump compressor is running, the well pump and water hater are shed and only cycle while the heat pump compressor is cycled off. I don't have a well pump, or central air. I do have a much smaller unit, a 6KW Diesel. By combining it with Solar generators, it is possible to shut down the generator over extended periods of time while internet, critical lighting, etc run on battery power. When running the generator, it burns between 0.5 and 1 Gallon per Hour. During an outage, I hold off on the laundry, for both the water heater load, etc. No need to use normal amounts of hot water while energy costs are high. Solar generators, used for the fridge, freezer, and Internet, plus critical lighting, make shutting down the generator for most of the day, greatly saves fuel. During the day, I let the hot water cool, and run the generator only in the evenings to bring up the water heater and recharge the batteries.

[@johnrobert2074]

Is it loud

[@ladessiagardner6411]

My generator has been on for 6days. 40% of gas was 500$ . Is it worth it. Yes. We have 2 frig of food we just got before power went out . My husband sleep with a machine. I work from home. It expensive and pray we don't go for 6 days anytime soon.

[@dianewilliamsbarbour4336]

Love your video and this is the second time watching. One dealer states they would not and was told by Generac to lock out a heat pump because it would cause problem with the generator. They won't even do a delay start for a heat pump. What are your thoughts, was looking to get 24kw? Thanks.

[@no_cups5890]

We run the same temps in Southern California. Doesn’t sound crazy to us!!! We will be comfortable. Been considering getting one of these. Did your property value increase with the purchase?

[@guytech7310]

I think California banned backup generators.

[@mikerhett4646]

try adding a propane tankless water heater to cut your electric usage. You will save money (even if you don't think so).

[@scothubbard5323]

Do you have one or two 200A panels in your home?

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

Just one.

[@scothubbard5323]

​@@MaynardFamilyHomestead How large is your pool? How many gallons?

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

@@scothubbard532326,000 gallons.

[@randalhubbard4932]

@@MaynardFamilyHomestead I'm not trying to be noisy or all in your business, I promise. I'm trying to see what size its going to take for my home. My pool is 44,000 gallons and I have (2) 200 amp panels that supply my home with power. Its 3800 sq ft.

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

@randalhubbard4932 you might want to look at the 48KW, that will definitely run everything.

[@Chukwu-j4h]

How can i low the engine

[@waynehobson2956]

Doesn’t matter what it produces, it’s what size breaker is on the generator. The thermal breakers trip at 80%, so if you have 100 amp breaker it’s only gonna let you use 80amps.

[@u2mister17]

Where is this 250 gal fuel tank of yours?

[@iiinsaiii]

2 days 😂. I was out for over two weeks. Now what you need to ask yourself. Do you have enough gas on hand for more then a week or two? I had enough, but after that I made sure I had enough for 2 months. But now that I have solar and just use the generator to charge the batteries when there’s not a lot of sun out. I recommend to look into solar if you can. Remember, the nail that sticks out gets hammered.

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

Yeah we were blessed to not be without power very long. I do want to get some solar for sure.

[@iiinsaiii]

@@MaynardFamilyHomestead if you know your way around electricity, then you should make your own system and save yourself thousands. With the system I got that I built. From the batteries to the solar, I got everything a little at a time. Price was around $7000. If I brought the batteries already set up and looks neat. Plus have someone install the solar. Everything would had cost me closer to $20,000 and I have 99% of my house on the system. So you see how much you can save on doing it yourself. Just KZbin DIY off grid or DIY Powerwall .

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

That’s awesome! I’m definitely not a solar guru, but I did hook one system up back in my electrician days. It was featured in Solar Pro magazine, but we’re talking at least 10-12 years ago. It was a simple, grid back feeding system, so we hooked the panels right into the inverter and back into the grid. We also hooked up a generator that was run by waste of a horse farm. The Tumblr system turned horse poop fuel, which was dried using the generator exhaust. It was a pretty neat system. The guy we did it for, his name was Chris Morrison, he did a lot of neat stuff.

[@iiinsaiii]

@@MaynardFamilyHomestead oh really, then you got this. I’m far from being a pro. But I did watch a lot of KZbin and it helped a lot. But you got this.

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

@@iiinsaiiiwhere did you get your panels from if you don’t mind me asking? I’ve seen a few sites but don’t know which ones are legit.

[@Nova-1977]

I just installed a 22k unit and it runs on natural gas . So far it run two time for 2 total hrs in the 3 weeks it’s been connected . Not sure what the cost will be . I also have 3 smaller gas burners for the lights and refrigerator If needed .

[@samo8204]

I'm sure you factored this into your pricing. Your actual cost is only that which is ABOVE what the cost of electricity would have been anyway.

[@spn3925]

My portable 8000 watt generac burns about 1 gal an hour but I don't run a/c, stove , or washer

[@danelionheart5881]

Well spending over 100 a day on a Generator seems a bit high. I have a 10,000 watt Gen and on a 6 gallon tank will run 16 hours. I was running my two Fridges my Microwave my 10,000 BTU A/C and my computer system. I ran it for 4 days at less then 10 gallons of gas per day. When a storm like Helene and Milton hits and they both got me good you worry about what is needed not anything more granted I didn't need my computer system but it did help pass the time . The money I saved was worth it and I did not have to throw out any food. I will say this though most people are finding out it is not good to use any gas with corn in it.

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

Ethanol is the absolute worst. Corn is good for food not fuel. It will wreck fuel lines in no time.

[@thaboomer53]

AC, pool pump? Come on man. Live with a few inconveniences and that fuel supply would last twice as long. I just went through Milton with a 5500 watt generator. Did ok running only a few hours a day for water and keeping the fridge and freezers good. My Generac is 25 years old and still getting the job done.

[@booly5]

okies those are some good numbers im in Canada not so prone to power issues but we do get them for sure um im just trying to warp my brain around the 12 kids as in holy carp good for you sir thanks for the vid though you filled in some blanks (you are not shooting any) we can get the generacs here hooked right to our gas mains i had doubts about that but in the big picture .... 2 years ago we had a huge power outtage 3 weeks living off of my camp stove and bbq very much like a post appoclyptic issue it was good pratice for me and my family but now me thinks time for some sort of generator i do have one its a small honda its enough to keep a few lights on and the fridge running but in winter -30c um it would be nice to have a back up plan thanks for posting

[@somersthesunless9091]

1.8 gallons per hour! That is about 115$ per day at my gas prices of 2.67$ per gallon where I live. For me that generator is ovekill, but if you need that much power it may be good value for your situation. I have a smaller 9500 Watt inverter generator, but my house if pretty small. It should go about 12 hours or so on 6.6 gallons at half load. 18ish hours at 25% load, but it puts out a lot less power than that.

[@1969CampEvans]

9500 watts can run hot water heater/ well pump/ microwave/washing machine....you can make it on a lot less wattage....4000 requires you to pick and choose....it can run the hot water heater just make sure the hot water heater does not require more watts and cut all other breakers off....focus on heating tank...want take long

[@SilverandCigars]

my 14kw ran for 3 days in the summer after a tornado. the natural gas bill was $90. the month before in a summer month was $55. For an extra $35 for that thing to be running the whole house including the ac was worth every penny. I love my generac.

[@dbmail545]

The fuel usage is entirely dependent on the load. A 24kw generator with a 10kw load has almost the same fuel usage as a 10kw generator with the same load. When my buddy installed a 25kw system, it was just 10% more expensive than the 15kw system the company was selling at the time.

[@WilliamMurphy-b6v]

Love that inverter technology.

[@walleye1901]

Wow how many rooms in house

[@able880]

Those generators are only designed for stand by power - meaning short power outages - Were I live after Katrina bulk propane delivery's were resumed after two months - I have a propane hot water heater and heaters - my 8 kw Generac is a good generator for short power outages but 600 gallons of propane does not last long - I worked on generators in the offshore oilfields since the early 1970s - For long runs it's better to have a 2 or 4 kw dual or TRI fuel generator - that can run on gasoline, propane or natural gas - At times after hurricanes natural gas transmittion is interrupted, also during hard freeze outs down here in the deep South gas lines can freeze - I have a stationary generator for when my power is out for several months - I live in a rural area - Most stand by generators have a design life of 2000 hrs, they run at 3600 RPMs - A stationary generator runs at 800 RPMs - Arrow sells stationary generators but the smallest is 5000 watts - there designed to run for 4 yrs steady between ring and bearing change outs - They burn far less fuel than highspeed generators - there also very quiet running -

[@thomasdragosr.841]

Yes it’s a little pricey but compare that to having to throw away a freezer full of food or spend a week in a hotel eating 3 meals a day in a restaurant.

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

True story!

[@rhettdavis3640]

wouldn't a natural gas generac be better?

[@jareds6611]

That generator is both natural gas and propane by the flip of a switch. More rural people such as myself dont have access to natural gas so we are stuck with the more expensive propane (that needs to be refilled)

[@bulkchart3239]

run rotella t1 sae 30 oil in it and it will probably stop using oil. multi-grade oils can't take the extra heat of air cooled engines.

[@JRotten]

I use 20w50 in mine. Used this oil in a dozen of air cooled race motorcycle engines with no issues. Just buy a premium brand.

[@handsupbud]

Run it an hour and off an hour. You'll get twice the run time and not be too uncomfrotable.

[@bryanb1062]

Out of this entire video, I'm only shocked by the 50 gallon HWH with having 12 kids and 2 adults! And elec HWH at that, with poor/slow recovery vs gas. I have myself and my wife and a large home and have an 80 gal gas LOL.

[@n5uge12]

I switched to a tankless water heater years ago. I'll never go back to a tank heater.

[@stuartmarkman769]

I have a Generac and it ran fine until it would not start last month. It is 2 years old and the battery went bad. It cost me 190.00 to have them replace the battery because they said the battery is not covered by the warrenty. We also have a Generac at our local food pantry that is a mont or two older than mine and the battery on that one also went bad. Another 190.00. What is the problem with these 2 year batteries? Did anyone else have this problem? My generator has a 240 gallon propane tank attached too it and we have run it during many storms without having too fill the tank. After hurricane Helene went through we had no power for 24 hours and there is still over 50% of fuel left in the tank. Not bad considering we run the whole house on the generator. Including the A/C.

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

Yeah unfortunately batteries do not last long. The best battery to use is a red top optima, which costs about $300. They last a lot longer, just expensive.

[@tcash2402]

No solar/wind? with all that land and roof top

[@alphaapple1375]

Installing solar panels would have been beneficial even for a family of a dozen.

[@rudyrivera7426]

👌👍

[@Nikky-io6yv]

Bronco Power Boost

[@Nikky-io6yv]

Solar and wind are not viable energy backup power options. Generators are old, expensive technology. Imagine running your car to power your home. I can share a simple solution with you if you're interested.

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

@Nikky-io6yv I would like to have my own nuclear reactor, but I don’t think that’s gonna fly.

[@jimhanty8149]

Who said you have to live like a king during a grid down event… be glad you alive and tell everyone to man up…… cut that stuff off … deal with it……geeeeez

[@alvilla701]

12 kids, is like 3 families living in the same house

[@Moondoggy1941]

2:34 Ca has left the chat.

[@MaynardFamilyHomestead]

😂

[@MrJeepin88]

I wish more people looked into diesel way more efficient

[@rupe53]

Fuel consumption is in the owner's manual and usually expressed as gallons per hour at 50% and 75% load. Ballpark on these is around 2 gallons per hour, which is 50% load, and is typical when sized correctly for a home. The extra capacity is for start loads on motors, like well pumps, AC, etc. Yeah, it's only a second or two, but the life of the unit will be greatly extended if you are not running it flat out all the time. Think about that from the perspective of your car, which will go over 100 MPH, but you usually drive about half that speed. The rest is for climbing hills and hauling a heavy load from time to time.

[@Danial-x3k]

if you use johndeere 20kw diesel, it would burn 1/2 to 3/4 of gallon every, max about 1 gallon an hour.

[@viaexcellence]

I assume you need access to natural gas to operate that generator even cheaper.

[@fernandogonzalez6617]

Wow -24 hrs should be $144 one day expensive yes but better than not having power.

[@carloscool4423]

Wow, two days and $27,000 or more I would just go on vacation

[@MuzixMaker]

200A. Should be more than enough to run the house as if the power never went out.