Backup Generator

[Semper Fidelis]

We moved to a semi-rural area of Stafford, VA a couple of months ago. We have well water which makes me a bit more nervous during power outages. This area is also most likely the last to be serviced if we have a Snowmageddon as we did a few years ago.

Previous owner already wired the house for a generator. House is 3500 square feet with plans to add another 400 in a few years. I'm looking at this generator:

Costco - Honeywell® 15kw Automatic Standby Generator

According to their guide, it should power a 4 ton AC unit along with all the other majore appliances. I can also hook it up to my in ground propane tank and could wait out a Zombie invasion for a while it seems.

Thoughts on this model and whether 15 kW ought to be sufficient?

 

[Wayne]

No idea on adequacy, but your opening statement

We have well water which makes me a bit more nervous during power outages.

prompts me to ask if you've had that well water tested? Your water is probably fine, but I had a friend who suffered severe problems from well water, and so I ask.

 

[kvanlaan]

If you're in a flat and breezy area, it wouldn't hurt to have a windmill attached to a pump, which, with a cistern, gives you a ready supply anytime (bring on the zombies!)

 

[VictorBravo]

Basically it's a balancing act between convenience and price.

15 KW should certainly keep you going. In the summer it will probably run your AC, freezer, and fridge, plus keep most lights on. But if you want to run vacuums or hair driers, you'll probably have to make sure to turn off the AC. If you have an electric range, you might want to factor in that power draw.

I don't know how deep your well is. You can check to see what kind of breaker is powering it. If it's a 20A breaker, I wouldn't worry too much about its power draw. The AC and other cooling units will be the bigger users.

A typical house these days has 200 amp service. 200 Amps at 220 volts is 44 KW. Most people don't peak out their power usage, but some do.

But I'm being picky. I'd be thrilled to have a 15KW generator at my place.

 

[Mushroom]

Having replaced many a well pump in Stafford County in the past, it is likely that your well is relatively shallow, under 100'. The water table is pretty high in that area. Your pump is almost certainly 240V, and 1/2 horepower is the most common around there, although 3/4 is possible. 1/2 is around 4-5 amps, 3/4 is 5-7 amps, so the draw (when running) would be between 900-1600 watts. Your pump obviously doesn't run all the time, but when it does it'll draw somewhere between 1 and 1 1/2 KW. Plenty left over for other stuff with 15KW.

 

[Semper Fidelis]

No idea on adequacy, but your opening statement

We have well water which makes me a bit more nervous during power outages.

prompts me to ask if you've had that well water tested? Your water is probably fine, but I had a friend who suffered severe problems from well water, and so I ask.

Yes. It's been tested.

Having replaced many a well pump in Stafford County in the past, it is likely that your well is relatively shallow, under 100'. The water table is pretty high in that area. Your pump is almost certainly 240V, and 1/2 horepower is the most common around there, although 3/4 is possible. 1/2 is around 4-5 amps, 3/4 is 5-7 amps, so the draw (when running) would be between 900-1600 watts. Your pump obviously doesn't run all the time, but when it does it'll draw somewhere between 1 and 1 1/2 KW. Plenty left over for other stuff with 15KW.

My well is 400' deep.

 

[SolaScriptura]

That's a deep well!

I like the generator.

You should have me down to check out the place!

 

[Rich Koster]

15 KW is plenty for constant load. However, you may want to stagger turning on everything at once. If you have a refrigerator, freezer, a/c, electric water heater and pump all starting simultaneously, the initial surge may cause something to drop out. My guess would be the a/c. I have a 4KW. I can run a 12,000btu a/c, refrig. & freezer on it as long as I stagger turning them on.

 

[Mushroom]

Yeah, pretty deep. Now that you post it, I think I remember you mentioning that some time back. I ran into some deep ones out in the western part of Stafford, but none that deep. I think the deepest was 250' or so. But hey, the deeper the better in case of water table drop. Mine in Spotsy was only 60'.

 

[Constantlyreforming]

I purchased a 5500 watt generator from Home Depot two years ago. I had to run it for 4 days a few months ago as Quincy was hit with a small tornado or at least gustnado. Power was out in some places for a week. It was destructive.

THe $550 I spent on it proved to be worth it. I counted up the dollars worth of food in the fridge and our deep freeze and it totaled $500. I ran our deep freeze, three fans, our refridgerator, our koi pond pumps and aerator, and our neighbor's deep freeze and refridgerator with it. $20 a day in gas. Neighbors pitched in for gas.

 

[JoannaV]

We have well water which makes me a bit more nervous during power outages.

I know! It freaked me out last month when we had an outage and I discovered that meant no water, not even a dribble from the tap. Generator would be nice, though we'd probably just get the cheapest thing, enough to run the pump...and I'd be content with just mending the hand pump on our second well. (Or a wind turbine LOL.)

 

[Elizabeth]

We've gotten in the habit of filling both big bath tubs with water when storms are blowing in. Makes it possible to take care of necessities for a while in an outage(we haul in our drinking water). I def would prefer a generator, though!

 

[JoannaV]

Our outages are always caused by squirrels

 

[Semper Fidelis]

That's a deep well!

I like the generator.

You should have me down to check out the place!

Any time Ben. I'm hoping you can be our pulpit supply in September.

Yeah, pretty deep. Now that you post it, I think I remember you mentioning that some time back. I ran into some deep ones out in the western part of Stafford, but none that deep. I think the deepest was 250' or so. But hey, the deeper the better in case of water table drop. Mine in Spotsy was only 60'.

I'm near Rock Hill Baptist Church, which is pretty far west.

We have well water which makes me a bit more nervous during power outages.

I know! It freaked me out last month when we had an outage and I discovered that meant no water, not even a dribble from the tap. Generator would be nice, though we'd probably just get the cheapest thing, enough to run the pump...and I'd be content with just mending the hand pump on our second well. (Or a wind turbine LOL.)

I do have a bladder that holds 80 gallons. As long as we don't use the toilets it would get us through a few days of drinking.

 

[Mushroom]

I do have a bladder that holds 80 gallons. As long as we don't use the toilets it would get us through a few days of drinking.

With a bladder that big, you should be able to go a loong time w/o using the toilet!

 

[Semper Fidelis]

 

[GulfCoast Presbyterian]

I used a 5000I Honda for 3 weeks straight after Katrina while I was still living in the back of the truck tearing out the house. I did not put in a permanent generator due to building code issues, and it would have gone under no matter where I put it based on my elevation if we have that level of surge. However, I strongly suggest Honda for anyone looking for a portable generator, as opposed to a built in version.