Portable power may be more practical than $15,000 unit
You’ve seen the TV ads. Get yourself a standby generator to power up your home when the electricity goes out.
While your neighbors suffer, you’ll be warm and cozy during a winter storm’s blackout or cool and refreshed after a hurricane has cut power to thousands. Your frozen food remains rock-solid while you watch in comfort all the TV reports about the unlucky folks suffering without juice.
Sounds like a super idea, but one of those nifty standby units will set you back about $15,000. Sure, ads say the generator is only $4,000 or so, but installation and additional equipment will easily triple that.
There is, however, a more reasonable alternative: a beefy portable generator, stored in your garage until it’s needed. And getting completely set up could cost just a third of one of those permanently installed things.
A stationary standby generator usually requires installation of a dedicated underground natural gas line, a concrete slab on which the unit will sit idly for months at a time, special wiring to an automatic switch that flips the house power to the generator when needed, and aggravating construction permits.
Now, let’s consider plugging your house into a portable unit.
To power a typical home, you’ll need a generator that will pump out at least 30 amps and 10,000 watts. For good measure, though, go with one that’s 50 amps and 12,000 or 13,000 watts. That will most likely handle the lights, the fridge, TVs, pool pump, the microwave, a furnace, and at least one central air and heat system. And get a tri-fuel model that will run on natural gas, liquid propane or gasoline. Cost: $2,000-$2,500.
For safety, a running portable generator should be at least 20 feet from your house. Pick a firm spot where yours will sit while operating … maybe a patio, sidewalk or driveway. It’s best to position it no more than 50-60 feet from your natural gas meter.
Next, have a licensed plumber and electrician set up temporary connections.
The plumber should install a quick-connect valve at your natural gas meter and suggest an appropriate hose to reach the spot where the generator will run. You’ll find hoses online — a 25-footer can be less than $100. Have the plumber ensure the fittings on each hose end match the gas line and generator connections, and get him to test everything to make certain the generator fires up.
The electrician will install a 50-amp socket near your electric panel where you’ll plug in a cable connected to the generator. He may be able to provide a cable of needed length, or you can get one online for about $200. He will also install a manual interlock switch near the electric panel which you’ll use to select the source of your home’s power — the generator or the electric utility.
The whole project — plumber and electrician service, hose, power cable, switch and miscellany — should run $1,000-$1,500.
When the power goes out, just wheel the generator from the garage to its operating spot, attach the hose and power cable, flip the interlock, and fire up the generator. Voila … lights, TV, climate control!! You’ll even have internet service if your provider is operating.
Now, there are some things to consider. You may find yourself braving a rain storm or very cold weather to get the generator parked and running. Consider getting a cover to protect it from dust and grime in the garage and rain or snow while it’s outside in use. And keep in mind that natural gas suppliers’ pumps may also be affected by a power outage, so have a few backup bottles of liquid propane, their unique hoses, and connection adapters on hand. Although gasoline can be used in a tri-fuel generator, it’s not very safe to store at home and can be impossible to obtain when service stations are without power.
Also, if you have more than one HVAC system, you may need to alternate between them. Electric clothes dryers, ovens, furnaces and microwaves also use a great deal of power, so you may find it necessary to temporarily turn some other things off before powering them up. The generator will let you know if it’s being over-stressed by just stalling.
In Texas, which was disabled statewide for days in 2021 by power outages from a winter storm, a Facebook group has sprung up where folks who have adopted this power-generation plan share scads of tips and resources.
