Generac or Kohler whole home standby generator?

[Sawyer Rob]

What would cause the Natural Gas not to available to run a home generation? I know about a gas line being cut. Other that that!

Fire and a cold snap have also done that in the past.

SR

 

[Husky Man]

What would cause the Natural Gas not to available to run a home generation?

In some areas, like where we live, Nat Gas isn’t even available.

Where it is available there are things that could disrupt the supply, and/or damage the distribution system, such as an earthquake, could definitely disrupt supply for an extended period, which would also likely take out the electrical grid as well, but in most cases, I think that electricity would be restored more quickly

Supply chain issues could disrupt the nat gas supply, this administration has openly declared war on ALL Fossil Fuels, including Nat Gas. And the long term viability of Nat Gas in some places is questionable, not because of anything functionally related to the fuel, but places like Bellingham, WA have already implemented regulations banning the installation of Nat Has in new construction, with increased restrictions in the future, and through attrition of existing customers, eventually, Nat Gas won’t be a sustainable business model, which is the plan

Again, this administration is working on banning New Gas Stoves, wanting EVERYTHING powered by Electricity, as they close down power plants before the end of their useful service lives. The course this administration has plotted isn’t sustainable, our electrical grid simply hasn’t got the CAPACITY to handle an all electric society, especially if/when transportation is predominantly or completely electric powered. Add in the closure of many power plants before their time, and the situation only gets worse

Sorry about making it so political, but Politics does play a big role in the problem


Doug

 

[grizz55chev]

What would cause the Natural Gas not to available to run a home generation? I know about a gas line being cut. Other that that!

Natural gas is unavailable in rural areas, like where a lot of us prefer to live.

 

[dboyd351]

Natural gas is unavailable in rural areas, like where a lot of us prefer to live.

Depends on where
I once lived in Rural area in northern CA that had natrual gas, but I now live in a rural area in VA that does not have it here or anywhere close.

 

[grizz55chev]

Depends on where
I once lived in Rural area in northern CA that had natrual gas, but I now live in a rural area in VA that does not have it here or anywhere close.

What part of Calif?

 

[dboyd351]

Mckinleyville, just north of Arcata

 

[Husky Man]

Mckinleyville, just north of Arcata

I have delivered to the CarQuest in Arcata many times, one of our accounts delivers that area, out of Medford, OR


Doug

 

[dboyd351]

Mckinleyville was a beautiful area with wonderful neighbors
not long after i moved there i had been mowing my one acre lot with a push mower waiting for the fall sale on riders.

Came home around noon on a Sat and my 80 year old neighbor was just finishing up mowing MY lawn! Guess he felt sorry for me using a push mower so he pitched right in. That kind of nice!!!

Sold him the rider for half price when I had to move the next year for work.

What goes around, comes around.

 

[MudgeHollowBeaver]

The market for these backup gensets is going to shrink as more electric vehicles become equipped with vehicle to home (V2H) or vehicle to load (V2L) capabilities. GM announced V2H for the 2024 Ultium EV platform vehicles:
https://electrek.co/2023/08/08/gm-vehicle-to-home-v2h-bidirectional-charging-capabilities-ultium-ev/

 

[Husky Man]

The market for these backup gensets is going to shrink as more electric vehicles become equipped with vehicle to home (V2H) or vehicle to load (V2L) capabilities. GM announced V2H for the 2024 Ultium EV platform vehicles:
https://electrek.co/2023/08/08/gm-vehicle-to-home-v2h-bidirectional-charging-capabilities-ultium-ev/

It certainly won’t be the CHEAPEST way to charge an EV, but at the rate things are going, it may be a NECESSARY option for those with EV’s to charge their EV’s. We’re Closing power plants faster than we are replacing the generating capacity, while increasing the demand on the grid.

It is possible, that rather than using the EV’s to “Load Level” the grid, the standby units may be used to power our homes more frequently, and charge the EV’s while they do it. That scenario is looking more likely every day. We already have places that ask consumers to not charge their EV’s at certain times already, and through “Incentives” entice consumers to use “Smart” thermostats, with which the power company or government can turn off your AC in Hot weather,or lower your temp setting in cold weather, without your being able to do anything about it.

Our own power company PGE (Portland General Electric) on high demand days, will offer a rebate for reducing your electricity use during certain times. It is a variable discount, depending on how much (little) you use during that period. They text you the next day, to let you know how much you will be credited on your bill that month.

My Wife takes it as a Challenge, turning off everything she possibly can, and avoiding hot water use and cooking and clothes drying, etc. Don’t get me wrong, doing it that way is a good thing, and voluntary, my Wife has already earned a $20 credit on this month’s bill. The point is that they even need to do that shows that our grid is already inadequate, and adding more demand, while reducing capacity, is not sustainable

I am Not anti EV, I am all in favor of them being available for those who they are a good fit, which isn’t ME. MANDATING them is what I am against, and I don’t think that the government should be subsidizing them, if they are that great, the market will support them. I also don’t believe that they are as “Green” as many want us to believe

If someone wants to Virtue Signal by buying an EV, that is completely Fine, for Them, just don’t FORCE the Farce on the rest of us, or force the rest of us to subsidize the farce


Doug

 

[Sidecarflip]

I am Not anti EV,

I am. Not practical out here. There will NEVER be an EV in this driveway or an electrically powered farm tractor here either.

The ONLY EV I would consider is a Hybrid and even that is iffy.

Bottom line is the existing grid is not capable of the added load as it stands and, when the sun don't shine or the wind don't blow, all that technology becomes a rock.

 

[Husky Man]

I am. Not practical out here. There will NEVER be an EV in this driveway or an electrically powered farm tractor here either.

The ONLY EV I would consider is a Hybrid and even that is iffy.

Bottom line is the existing grid is not capable of the added load as it stands and, when the sun don't shine or the wind don't blow, all that technology becomes a rock.

I’m not anti EV, but I’m not likely to ever own one myself, but I think that is great for those who they are a good fit for, to have the option

I just don’t want to be FORCED Into buying or subsidizing EV’s


Doug

 

[Sidecarflip]

I’m not anti EV, but I’m not likely to ever own one myself, but I think that is great for those who they are a good fit for, to have the option

I just don’t want to be FORCED Into buying or subsidizing EV’s


Doug

Exactly. Plug in EV's might work in an urban setting but out here in 'Flyover Country', they don't and never will because just going to the grocery store is a long distance.

I sure as hell would never consider an electric farm tractor either. One, the initial cost is prohibitive and secondly, the duty cycle is limited. When I'm doing field work it's dawn to dusk and sometimes longer and no battery powered tractor has that duty cycle and running out of 'juice' in the field don't seem very efficient to me.

I know Case just introduced a battery powered tractor and in their advertising, they state 'you can recharge it during lunch'. Got news for them, most farmers I know of (including me) eat their lunch in the field.... duh.

It appears to me that the EV thing is being force fed by the government and I think (maybe wrong) that the automakers are barking up the wrong tree when it comes to phasing out ICE vehicles and replacing them with EV's.

 

[user 172763]

I am anti-EV. The technology doesn't support it's usage YET. There may be a time down the road, but not currently. Plus, we are not mining the raw materials for the battery system. Replacing those batteries every ten years isn't cheap either. We are supporting China, who is opening a $2 billion lithium battery plant in Manteno, Illinois.

But back to generators. Before you go with Kohler, do a search for dealers in your area. 7 months after the install, the main controller board went bad in mine. The installing dealer wouldn't do crap. There is basically only one Kohler dealer (platium) in SC. Generac is all over the state. Support from Kohler has been less than acceptable.

 

[Sidecarflip]

Not overly fond of Kohler engines (late model, not early model) anyway. I have a K series cast iron one on my engine drive welder and it's 40 years old and runs like a top. The new ones, not so much. They have compression release issues among other things.

 

[Husky Man]

As far as Kohler small engines, we have a DHT splitter with a 6.5hp 196cc engine, this is the Seventh season on it, and it has been dead reliable.

I would buy another in a heartbeat
I won’t say anything bad about Honda,
But I wouldn’t pay any Upgrade charge for a Honda, over a Kohler

My experience, YMMV


Doug

 

[user 172763]

30+ y/o Onan 20hp opposed twin tractor. Keep it well maintained. They definitely do NOT make things the way they used to.

edited: added NOT; they do NOT make them like they used to.

 

[sean donato]

30+ y/o Onan 20hp opposed twin tractor. Keep it well maintained. They definitely do make things the way they used to.

Just hope you never have to replace the carb on it. My older brother had a Onan in his sears suburban garden tractor. The throttle shaft wore the carb hole oblong. Carb was unobtainable, ended up sending it to a machine shop for them to bore and install bushings. $120.00 later (minimum they charged.) It worked again. Points were a pain to find too. The newer Onan twins were much better though.

 

[user 172763]

Just hope you never have to replace the carb on it. My older brother had a Onan in his sears suburban garden tractor. The throttle shaft wore the carb hole oblong. Carb was unobtainable, ended up sending it to a machine shop for them to bore and install bushings. $120.00 later (minimum they charged.) It worked again. Points were a pain to find too. The newer Onan twins were much better though.

Thanks for the advice, when Cummins bought onan, I found/bought two engines I keep in the back of my shop for spare parts. But yeah, parts are obsolete. I have helped out a couple of guys with parts they couldn't find. Mine only has ~250hrs on it. Don't use it much, but it was my dad's so I will have it until I am gone.

 

[Sidecarflip]

When Kohler is too cheap to use valve cover gaskets but instead relies on blue glue to seal the valve covers, that is IMO, the pinnacle of cheap Kawasaki does (use valve cover gasket). I know, I have both engines.