[Nucky]

I've been considering a Generac Purchase and we had the Representative out to our house. Very Impressed with the product but the Unit is very Pricey. Many of our neighbors have them and they are quiet and efficient.

I admit to having Analysis Paralysis in regard to purchasing a Portable unit. We would like to Power Most of the house but not all at the same time. I'm thinking a 10,000 Watt Unit and having it connected to the house by a Licensed Electrician.

I also like the idea of being able to use Gasoline or Propane.

A unit this large is extremely loud and when things are even quieter when the power is out killing my neighbors with the noise is a concern. We have a medical necessity to not be without electrical service for long. We could also help some neighbors who can't afford to do something like this.

The deals on Amazon today are Beautiful for several of the units I like. I would prefer to buy locally but Lowes/Home Depot don't sell large enough Duel Fuel Units.

So what I'm really looking for is any Good or Bad Experiences with any Portable Generator or Generac. Thanks in Advance. I know I waited too long to pull the trigger but better late than never.

[TommyT]

I too have been doing my homework about whole house generators. From what I can see, Generac "Home" generators don't seem to last. Kohler and Briggs & Stratton seem to hold up better. Do some homework and watch/read reviews on YouTube about each home unit before you decide. If you purchase from the Generac supplier, they will do the complete installation including the transfer switch.

my .02

[Chatbrat]

I'm a retired electrical contractor, if you have natural gas , @ your house-its a big plus, otherwise go with propane--gasoline in an un injected engine is hit or miss for reliability--kohler is very reliable--, all you really should care about is enough power for a/c, refrigerator and lighting--if you want to not get a real big unit get a window a/c unit for a bedroom, easy in and out and will function with a small portable geneset, however; gasoline may not be available during a prolonged power outage==have enough fuel for 10 days

[villagetinker]

OP, if you medical need is for a relatively small load, there are several suppliers of inverter based generators (typically 1 kw to 3 or 4 kW), the advantage is that they are very quite. I used on up north, and you had to walk up to the unit to hear it running. These typically cost twice as much as the same size conventional (aka noisy) units. Also, you will need a transfer switch for your critical circuits. These will not run you A/C, but you should be able to run the refrigerator, a TV, and your medical devices.

[TheWarriors]

Keep your car filled, get a good siphon and you’ll have at least 15-20 gallons of fresh gas always available for a gas/propane generator.

[Chatbrat]

You can also get 2 Honda inverter generators hat can be paralled, to double require current--honestly you should not have any gensets where you have to fuel during an emergency, noise will be the least of your worries-if you can get a 500lb propane tank with a 12.5kw genset--you should be good to go--

[rjm1cc]

You are correct that the unit is loud. You can hear that it is running from inside the house if you listen for it but it is not distracting. I let my do the weekly test at 2am and no one has complained and I do not hear it. When the power is out I think your neighbors should be a little more understanding about the noise and I think the noise will be notice by those who are outside. See if you can locate the generator away from where your neighbor might have an open window.
You also have some maintenance and checking to do each month and when it is running for an extended period of time at least daily maintenance checks.
I would go with natural gas if you can. Propane presents a storage problem in my mind. Gasoline might be hard to get so I guess I would put that down as number 3. The inverter generator was a good suggestion if you only need to run medical equipment. But be sure the generator is away from the house.

[Chatbrat]

For a medical issue AND if its the only requirement, you can get an inverter attached to your car's battery and you can run your car to provide a limited 1500w inverter--

[TheWarriors]

I would be concerned with noise, if it’s a prolonged outage, how many days do you think will pass before an irate sleep deprived neighbor with all of their windows open decides to take out your generator. And remember, if it’s a prolonged outage, likely Police protection will be very sketchy.

[dewilson58]

Make sure you understand the annual maint requirements and the quarterly run times.

[Dan9871]

We had a Generac that ran on Propane at our house in MA. It was very reliable. Previous to that we had diesel and gas portable generators that ran on diesel or gas.... very messy and not reliable. Small portable generators are not designed to be run for long periods. Where we lived we would have a few outages a year and a really big one, say over 3 days, about once every three years.

The Generac does a test run every week and sends an email to you with the results or you can just look at the check light on it. We had the Generac run of almost a week on a number of occasions because of bad weather outages. When it ran we couldn't hear it and many times didn't realize there was an outage. Outside you could hear it, but not inside. The automatic transfer switch is really a "necessary" luxury.

We thought about putting in a generator here but we've had so few outages it doesn't seem worthwhile... but ask me that again if hurricane puts out the power for a week. :-)

I would definitely go propane over gasoline, less mess and more reliable.

[Nucky]

A whole lot of great information from everyone and I thank you all.

Our neighbors who have Generacs have the big advantage of underground Propane Tanks. The installers really have their act together as they bury the tank and the property is a mess and by the time they leave there is not a chance you could tell they buried a tank there that day. A perfect job.

We live in The Historical Section and supposedly don't have Natural Gas on this side but at the deep end of the Hilltop Pool if you look to the left behind a very heavy bunch of bushes there sits a humongous gas meter. Is it Propane or is it Natural Gas? If it was Natural Gas the Generac would be here already as that would cut $2000 to $2500 off the price plus the cost of filing the tank.

I don't want to get caught. Our side of The Villages was out of power for many moons during Irma. We've had offers to stay with friends and neighbors and it may be cheaper to just go to a Hotel and sweat it out with Room Service. The problem is we want to be home. I have no concern for personal safety during a prolonged weather event. I would be concerned that someone may try to allocate my Portable Generator and that is probably the real reason I can't pull the trigger yet. I will by the end of the day though. One way or the other. Could you imagine someone stealing whatever we decide on? Mama Mia! That would really hurt!

[Chatbrat]

If there is a meter its natural gas

[BobnBev]

We got our whole house Generac (natural gas) generator from Home Depot up in CT, the price included the transfer switch and installation. Did have a plumber come out and set the water column inches (pressure of gas). Ours was a 12.5 KW and powered the whole house and garage. Kind of noisy, but not too bad. We always had electricity and heat, no matter the weather. Generac never let us down.

[Nucky]

Originally Posted by Chatbrat

If there is a meter its natural gas

I know that you know. Thank's. It's one of those gigantic Old School ones you see on an Industrial Building. Very interesting. It would take a miracle for it to be available at our house though. I have a call out to Amerigas to see what our options are. Safety First . Wife is concerned. I'm not. Gonna do everything the correct way one I decide. Permits, Approvals Etc.